Welcome to working with VisXpert. You have chosen to use a high-performance and proven product. This guide is designed to get you started quickly and provide comprehensive guidance on how to use VisXpert.

VisXpert forms the Visualization backbone of the BatchXpert Process control system, but can provide functionality far beyond the requirements of the BatchXpert system.

Modules

Features

Some of the most important features of VisXpert are:

• No Tag limit on licenses. Let the requirements guide your Engineering, not the license!
• Driver for Simatic and Compatible Plc's (1200, 1500, 300 and 400)
• Driver for Rockwell Allen Bradley Plc's (ControlLogix, CompactLogix and Micrologix)
• Opc UA connectivity
• Alarm Managment with Email notifications
• Trend Recording, viewing and evaluation
• Integrates SQL database
• Integrated OPC UA server
• Software Development Kit that allows you to extend nearly every part of the System
• Modular design with many available modules
• DDE Server to provide direct Real time data access to applications such as Microsoft Excel

Proven and stable, yet Modern

VisXpert is the evolution with the proven SCADA system "GraphPic" from "Gefasoft". This Allows VisXpert to leverage the long experience of its predecessor and build its functionality upon this foundation. GraphPic projects can seamlessly migrated to VisXpert including License compatibility.

It is used mainly in "Food and Beverage" and "Automotive" Industries.

Unlimited License

One of its biggest advantages is, that its licensing does not limit the amount of Process Tags that you can use in the system. Using VisXpert you can finally start engineering without considering the licensed Process tag count and let only your creativity be the limit.

Support

If you have any questions about VisXpert or if you have problems with the handling, please send us an e-mail with all the details below together with your problem description. This procedure makes it easier for us to process and ultimately speeds up problem solving.

In any case, you should provide the following information:

• VisXpert Serial Number
• VisXpert version and build number
• Hardware

In case of problems with PLC pairing, the following information is also important:

• Output levels of the CPU
• output levels of the system software (e.g. firmware, handling modules)
• Output levels of the communication processors
• output booths of the parameterization software (e.g. COM software)

General

VisXpert is fully compatible with Windows 10 and the latest SQL Server versions
To operate VisXpert you need a PC with the following minimum equipment:

• CPU Intel I3 or similar
• 1GB RAM
• 1 Ethernet communication port

Recommended is a:

• Intel I5 or similar
• 2GB RAM
• 2 Ethernet Ports

Touch and Multi Monitor

VisXpert supports Touch Monitors and also the operation with several connected Monitors. If you use touch monitors, it is recommended to use the tool "OnScreenKeyboardManager.exe" which is included in the installation or can be downloaded from here.

To use multiple Monitors it is recommended to use the "MultiMon" module included in the list of VisXpert modules.

Windows

• Windows 11, recommended
• Windows 10
• Windows 8.1

Sql Server

The VisXpert project databases require an Microsoft SQL Server. If you want to use a database server on the network, you can skip this setup. The Installation Center offers the "Express" version of the "Microsoft SQL Server", which is free of charge. If the SQL Server is already installed from an previous installation, or you are using an "Enterprise" version of SQL Server, you can skip the installation of the SQL Server.

VisXpert is compatible with all available SQL Server versions and editions.

• Sql Server 2022 Express, recommended
• Sql Server 2019 Express
• Sql Server 2017 Express, not recommended, soon out of support by vendor
• Sql Server 2016 Express, not recommended, soon out of support by vendor
• Sql Server 2014 Express, not recommended, soon out of support by vendor
• Sql Server 2012 Express, not recommended, soon out of support by vendor
• Sql Server 2008 R2 Express, not recommended out of support by vendor
• Sql Server 2008 Express, not recommended out of support by vendor
• Sql Server 2005 Express, not recommended out of support by vendor

.Net

• Microsoft .Net Framework 4.6 Full

User Rights

The installation requires administrative privileges.

Working with VisXpert requires full access to the GP8base directory, which contains the projects, predefined databases, and templates.

Read rights are required on the program directory (Programs\VisXpert).

On registry entries HK_local_Machine read rights and HK_CurrentUser read and write permissions are required.

Communication module

The communication module ("KM") is the central program for project creation and also for processing in the process, in which all necessary settings are made. You start all editor programs (via the "Configuration" node) and the associated Runtime programs (via the "Stations" node) via the KM.

Module

Any stand-alone VisXpert program, such as Visualization, Messages, or Drivers is called a module. A new module is inserted into the project via the KM under the "Configuration" node via the right mouse button. Each module consists of two components

• An editor for determining the properties and functions of the module
• A sequence program for editing the defined functions in conjunction with variable values

Station

A station is a PC equipped with the Windows 2000/XP operating system, on which the program of a module is operated. The station name is freely selectable and is linked by the KM to the Windows Computer name when the project is created.

Project

A project is a lot of related stations and modules. For each project, a separate subdirectory for all project data is created on one of the stations under the VisXpert directory (with preset installation C:GP8Projects). A project can be used via the KM from the file menu with "Project new..." or "Open project..." be created.

Editor

An editor uses the properties and functions of a module, such as interface with the visualization editor. The editor programs are started via the KM under the "Configuration" node.

Runtime

A Runtime processes the functions defined for the module in question in conjunction with variable values and / or operator inputs. It thus controls the dynamic course of the project. The sequence programs are started via the KM under the "Stations" node.

Variable

A variable affects the functions of an expiration program by its value. The values of variables are read and written through different drivers. Variables are defined by the drivers' editor programs, whereby a group summary is made to increase clarity. VisXpert's flexible variable concept distinguishes three types of variables:

• Project variables have the same value on all stations associated with the project. Variable values between stations are exchanged via the KM via TCP/IP, whereby the station on which the associated driver is installed works as a server and the other stations as clients.
• Station variables can take different values on different stations in a project, or only be present on one station. The group name of station variables starts with the " .
• Groups with system variables are created automatically by different modules. For example, for example, the visualization editor @System a group of variables for date and time and a group @Script once a script variable has been defined in the visualization, or the reporting system creates a group @Meldesy1 with variables to access the shift and pause model. The group name of system variables starts with the name of the system variable.

Group

A group is the logical summary of variables associated with a driver. It is identified by a unique group name, where VisXpert distinguishes three types of groups:

• Groups with project variables: "name"
• Groups with station variables: "$name"
• Groups with system variables: "@name"

Driver

A driver is a module for exchanging data with other programs, databases, or hardware systems. Like the other modules, it consists of an editor for creating groups and variable tables and a sequence program for updating the variable values at run time. The sequence program of a driver, usually a DLL, is automatically loaded by the KM as soon as a module wants to access variable values from a group of the driver.Client

A client is a station that requests and receives variable values from a server. This means that the variable values are routed to the KM of the client via a driver installed on another station (the server) via the KM of that station. This data exchange is carried out automatically by the KM using TCP/IP.

Server

A server is a VisXpert station that provides variable values for other stations. A server typically has a driver installed that returns the variable values. The transmission of variable values between the server and the client is carried out automatically by the communication modules via TCP/IP.

Project Creation

Starting the communication module. After starting the operating system, the KM icon is usually located in the taskbar at the bottom right. With a double click, you open the km window that is required for all further configuration steps.

Operation of the communication module

The most important menu items from the menu bar of the KM are also included in the button bar for quick selection. For these buttons, help texts are displayed via the mouse pointer. The nodes (icons) of the tree structure present in the left window can be operated by a double mouse click: A branch (display "+") opens the next level of the tree structure or this branch is closed again, or the program (editor or drain) arranged at the end of the structure is started. Clicking on a node with the right mouse button opens a menu that includes functions such as B. "Start Editor" contains.

Create a new project

A new project can be created via the file menu via "Project new..." or open via the button bar with the left button:For the new project, three nodes (symbols) appear in the upper left window of the communication module:

• Stations: The stations (PC's) set up for the project and the sequence programs assigned to the stations appear under this node (symbol). In a stand-alone installation, the computer name of your own workstation is automatically inserted.
• Configuration: This node (symbol) displays the modules (expiration and driver programs) configured for the project. A scheduler cannot be assigned to a station until it has been configured for the project via configuration and "Insert new module".
• Values: Displays the status of all variables of the selected group. The online or configuration status of a group (selectable via the button bar) can be displayed.

When setting up the new project, the KM places under the ... GP8Projects a new directory with the selected project name and at the same time a project file projectname.gpp.

Configure a project

Create a new module in the project by right-clicking the "Configuration" node and using "Insert New Module" in the menu window now open (e.g. Visualization): The selected module will then appear in the tree structure in the "Configuration" section. In the "Visualization" example, the corresponding sequence program is also entered simultaneously under the station of your workstation. The module associated with the project can now be configured. To do this, start the editor of the selected module with a double mouse click or from the menu with the right mouse button. In the "Visualization" example, you start the VisXpert Visualization Editor. A driver program opens the associated variable configuration. An exception is module consisting of several programs, such as the reporting system (messages). In the reporting system, a submodule (MessageCapture, MessageView, MessageSimu or MessageControl) must be selected after the module has been created via the right mouse button and "New". The configuration of the submodule is then started again by a double mouse click or the right mouse button.

Open Project

An existing project open from the file menu or the second button from the left of the button bar and select the project file Projectname.gpp.

Driver and variable configuration

The variables of the drivers are grouped together. A new group can be created via the button bar or the edit menu via "Create group". The variable configuration interface allows scrolling in the table via a second button bar, as well as editing, deleting and duplicating the current data set: The memory module shown above is a driver whose function is integrated in the KM. The variable values are not supplied by an external coupling partner, but are read and written exclusively by VisXpert flow programs. In addition to the variable name and type (integer, string, boolean, floating point, or data block), an initialization value (initialization = true and specifying a default value) can be set for each variable.

Installation Center

VisXpert installation and updates run from the VisXpert/BatchXpert Installation Center. This Installation Center can be downloaded from our Website under the Download section here.

If VisXpert is already installed, the Installation Center is also available from the VisXpert Installation directory, usually "C:\Program Files (x86)\VisXpert\Install". Admin rights are required to install VisXpert.

The Installation Center allows the setup programs required for VisXpert to be downloaded and installed with the correct Settings for an Standard Installation. For each program, the installed version and the available setup version are displayed. The programs should be installed from top to bottom in order. The programs you don't need for your application can be skipped.

System Requirements

Please review the VisXpert System Requirements here.

When installing SQL Server Manually the following Settings have to be chosen for an standard Installation. Please refer to the SQL Server Documentation on how to adjust these settings:

• Instance Name: GRAPHPIC
• Security: Login with integrated credentials

When installing the SQL-Server from the "Installation Center", the above settings are automatically Chosen. If you want to use different Instance Names and or Login Methods, then you must install the SQL-Server Manually with the appropriate settings. During Engineering, the correct settings must then be chosen for the Database settings.

VisXpert

This installs the actual VisXpert SCADA onto your System. Please make sure you fulfill at least the minimum Hardware and Software requirements. The Installation files can be downloaded via the "Installation Center" or directly installed if they are already downloaded.

Follow the on-screen instruction of the VisXpert Installation program. As Part of the installation progress, the GOPS PLC driver will be installed. The installation of the GOPS driver is optional but recommended.

SQL Server Management Studio

The "SQL Server Management Studio" allows the user to Manipulate and observe the data stored in the SQL database files of an VisXpert project. This Package is entirely optional and not necessary for the Operation of the VisXpert Scada system.

The Management Studio can be installed from the "Tools" menu of the "BatchXpert Installation Center" or by downloading it from the official Microsoft Homepage.

Uninstallation

If you want to remove VisXpert from your PC please open the "Applications" menu from the Windows Control panel. From there you can select VisXpert which uninstalls the VisXpert and the GOPS opc server. The SQL Server must be uninstalled manually.

in the event of performance problems or errors that occur after a long period of time, the performance data can be logged and analyzed.
We recommend recording via logman with the following standard parameters:

Profile name: VisXpert
Recording interval: every 2 minutes
Max protocol size 300MB

Please start a recording with logman. Setup goes via the command line with admin rights:

logman create counter VisXpert -f bincirc -max 300 -si 120 -v mmddhhmm -c "MemoryAvailable MBytes" "Process(*)Private Bytes" "Processor(_Total)% Processor Time" "Processor(*)% Processor Time" "Process(*)% Processor Time" "PhysicalDisk (*)% Idle Time" "LogicalDisk(*)Free Megabytes" "Process(*)Virtual Bytes" "Process(_Total)Virtual Bytes" "MemoryPool Nonpaged Bytes" "MemoryPool Nonpaged Allocs" "MemoryPool Paged Bytes" "MemoryPool Paged Allocs" "MemoryPool Paged Resident Bytes"

Then start the recording via performance monitoring collection sets/Custom/VisXpert right mouse button.
after the error has occurred, stop recording. Reports/Custom can be viewed.
Please send the recording file (default directory for file storage: C:PerfLogsAdmin) to us.

Detailed information about the computer system is required for a system diagnosis. With systemelements, these can be stored in reports and sent to us by email.

To create the reports, start information + management system 2007 in the communication module via Menu/Tools/SysteminformationSystem and create a detailed report as html format as a file.

Overview

With user management, it is possible to allow certain functions of the modules and stations included in the project only for specific users. For this purpose, roles (user groups) are created, which are given certain permissions. The individual users can eventually be included in any of these roles. This gives users all the permissions of the assigned roles.

Enable user management

To enable user management, the User Management module must be included in the project in the configuration. VisXpert User Administration is used to edit the roles and users.

Roles and Permissions

Permissions are always granted for a specific role. Basically, the two roles Administrator and All exist. The administrator role has all rights and cannot be edited or deleted. The All role basically includes all users and it cannot be deleted either. This role defines the minimum permissions that each user has.

In addition to these two roles, any other roles can be created (menu item "Role| New"). To edit the role, just double click on the respective entry in the list (corresponds to the menu item "Role| properties" or the corresponding switch in the toolbar). It then shows the Edit Role window, which allows name changes to the role and allows permissions to be shared. On the left side all modules and stations included in the project are listed. By selecting an entry, the available permissions appear on the right.

With the menu item "Role| Delete" roles can be deleted.

User

As with the roles, the two users Administrator and Nobody basically exist. The administrator is a member of the Administrators role and therefore has all the permissions. The user No one can be assigned to any role. In the basic state of the system (after starting the system or logging out of a user), the user is always logged on.

With the menu item "Users| Delete" users can be deleted.

Overview

The communication module is the central application in VisXpert, both during the configuration and in the course of a VisXpert project. It coordinates all VisXpert modules and their configuration, both on the local computer and, for distributed projects, with other computers on the network.

The communication module manages the central configuration of a project. It launches editor and flow modules, provides you with information about the project configuration, collects expiration messages, and directs process variables from the drivers to all modules you need, both locally and on the network. In addition, it implements the global variables configured as "memory variables" in the main memory, which are often used for preprocessed values or for communication between modules.

Display of the communication module

The display of the communication module consists of two parts: the main window and an icon in the system area of the task bar (right, next to the time). In the list of running applications (when switching with ALT+TAB, in the main area of the task bar and in the list of applications of the task manager) only the main window appears. During the project planning and commissioning of a project, the main window serves as a central interface for interaction with the project. During the process of a completed project, it can be completely switched off, as it is usually no longer needed. In this case, the communication module no longer appears in the list of running applications and it can no longer be switched to it via "ALT+TAB".

When all displays are turned on, the main window has the following appearance:

In this illustration of the sample project, you can see the tree-like project structure in the upper left, consisting of the stations, module configurations and values included in the project.

Next to it is the item list, which displays online or configuration details about the elements of the object selected in the tree. In this case, the Auxiliary Data group is selected and the name, type, and configuration status of the variables of that group are displayed.

The project structure and item list together form the project display. Below is the log window, in which all VisXpert programs can output expiration messages. During the configuration, you will use almost exclusively the project display.

Only during the test and commissioning you will need the log window. You can change the size of each window with the mouse by dragging the separation or using the arrow keys when pressed shift. You can also completely hide individual parts (project display, log window, toolbar and status line) from the View menu.

Even if the display of the main window is off, the communication module always displays its icon in the system area of the task bar: By right-clicking, you can open the menu shown above. It contains the most important commands needed in the use of a completed project.

Note: Windows allows you to operate the system area of the task bar only by mouse. If you have turned off the display of the main window and minimized the communication module, you can only switch to it with the help of the mouse.  Starting the communication module

By default, the communication module immediately loads the last loaded project at startup and appears on the screen in the size in which it was also last displayed.

Note: However, there is one exception to this: if the KM was last minimized and the display in the task bar was turned off, it starts in normal size. This behavior is necessary because the icons in the system area of the task bar can only be operated with a mouse, so the communication module would otherwise not be operable after startup on a PC without a mouse.

Options of the commandline

If you want a different behavior at startup, you can achieve this by specifying the appropriate options in the command line (e.g. the destination of the link). The communication module recognizes the following information in its command line:

• /N Start without project <.GPP>Loading of the specified project.</.GPP> If the path or name of the project contains spaces, the specification must be enclosed in quotation marks.
• /S Loading and immediate starting of the project. If no project is specified, the most recently loaded project is started.
• /AN Display in normal window size. /AV display as full screen.
• /AS Display as an icon.
• /AT Display only in the system area of the task bar.

Loading the communication module at the start of Windows

For finished projects at the site, it is usually desirable to start it automatically immediately after booting up the computer. You can determine whether and how this should be done using the "System Settings" of the communication module. After calling the item of the same name in the Edit menu, the following property dialog appears:

On the Startup page, you can set all the options that you could also specify on the command line.

On the Startup page, you can set all the options that you could also specify on the command line.

Overview

This chapter introduces the basic steps for designing and commissioning a VisXpert project, as well as setting up a display station for continuous operation.

If you are planning a distributed project, please refer to the notes in the "Special Arrangements for Distributed Projects" section.

If possible, you should install all the modules that you have intended for the project on the computer used for configuration. The reason for this is that on each computer you are offered only those modules for inclusion in the project, which are also installed there. Also, of course, you can only call up editors that are present on the respective PC.

Creating the new project

You can set a new project via the menu item "File| Project new..." To. The default dialog for selecting a new file appears. Navigate to the desired directory and enter the name for the new project file. It is automatically confirmed when confirming the dialog with the ending ". GPP". So you don't have to enter them.

The communication module now sets a project directory with the same name as the project file (only without the ending ". GPP" creates the project tables in it, and creates the directories for bitmaps and user tables. Organizing all files belonging to a project under a single project directory makes it easier to copy the project to the computer at the site.

In each new project, the communication module immediately creates a station that corresponds to your computer. You can later rename this station (see the "Projecting Stations" section below) and give it the name of the computer it represents at the site.

Even if your project should later include several stations, we recommend that you create the additional stations later in the project planning. As long as a project contains only a single station, the communication module can perform some smaller tasks automatically during configuration (e.g. modules to be assigned to this station immediately). The first tests of the configuration of individual modules are also easier to carry out with a single station.

You should now continue to include the drivers in the project in the project and enter the groups and variables that you provide, because their presence is a prerequisite for the configuration of most other modules.

Projecting modules

You should start with the driver modules, because their configuration hardly depends on that of other modules, but vice versa, other configurations usually use variables defined by driver modules.

Groups, variables, and driver modules

Variables are always grouped into groups in VisXpert. A driver can define multiple groups, but a group is always associated with a single driver. Which station the corresponding driver module is assigned to determines which station is considered a 'server' for a group and its variables.

Groups and variables are created and configured in the editor of the relevant driver. Although it is possible to assign them to another driver via the "Properties" dialog, since the drivers require different configuration data, the group and its variables must then be reworked in the editor of the new module.

Different drivers may require compliance with certain rules and/or restrictions on assigning groups to driver modules or variables to groups. Before you start creating driver modules in your project, we ask you to learn about the configuration of the relevant drivers from the appropriate chapters of this guide.

Creating and configuring modules

You create modules in the "Configuration" section of the project display. Select this entry and then select the "New" submenu in its context menu (right-click or UMSCH+F10) submenu. This contains a list of all VisXpert modules installed on your computer. Select the type of module you want.

The communication module now creates a directory for the configuration data of the new module and inserts an entry under "Configuration" into the project tree that represents this configuration.

To edit the configuration of a module, call the module's editor from the context menu of the corresponding entry in the project tree. Editors are their own programs. You can keep multiple editors open at the same time and switch between the communication module and the communication module as you edit your project.

In the context menu of some configurations you will find a submenu "New", with which you can create additional modules dependent on this and their configuration data. Modules that can have dependent module configurations are called project modules. An example of this would be the reporting system (messages). In the case of the reporting system, the project module represents the data base shared by all submodules (MessageCapture, MessageSimu, MessageView, MessageControl).

Some modules are generally required within the project module or may be present in the same project module at most once. The communication module takes these properties into account and automatically creates a configuration for a module of that type as soon as you create the project module, or prevents the deletion of the last submodule of that type from the project module. The booking module, for example, must be available exactly once per parameterised reporting system. So create a reporting system in your project, automatically create a "MessageControl" module underneath it and do not allow you to delete it or add another posting module to the same reporting system.

The entries created here in the configuration tree represent only configuration data. They do not specify whether, on which station and in what order the modules will run. You define this in a further step when you assign the module configurations you have just defined at stations.

Engineering stations

When you create your project, the communication module has entered your computer as the first and, if only, station in your project. This happens every time you create a new project.

If the entry "Stations" is marked in the project tree, or open the dialog with the properties of the station ("Properties" in the context menu of the station or key combination ALT+ENTERkey), you can see the properties applicable to this station:

• The name of the station is freely adjustable and has no influence on the function of the project.
• The machine name must match the one specified in the configuration of Windows® NT™. In projects with a single station, the communication module automatically adjusts it when the project is loaded.
• The TCP/IP address is only required in multi-station projects to establish the connection between the computers and can otherwise remain empty. You can specify the address numerically (e.g. "192.168.100.64") or as a DNS name (e.g. "gphost1.firma.com) if this name can be resolved through an appropriate name service on the network. After the address, you can also specify a port number, separated by colon, which is then used instead of the usual 1112 (usually only necessary when operating on a terminal server).
• Accepting connections on all IP addresses determines whether the communication module is always based on all addresses or network cards of the computer in question should wait for connection attempts from other stations or only on the above. This option should only be disabled in exceptional cases. If you have specified the IP address of the computer as the DNS name, the communication module ignores this option and always uses all addresses.

If your project contains only one station, the station name is all you should set ("rename" in the station's context menu) to make sense at the site.

Assigning modules to stations

Now that you have created module configurations and set up stations, you still have to determine which modules should be loaded on which station and in which order when the project is started. Under Properties, you can enter a start time to set the wait time.

If your project contains only one station, the communication module assigns each module that has a flow program immediately when you create that station. In this case, you only need to explicitly assign modules to this station if you have previously deleted such an assignment yourself.

The easiest way to map a module is to drag an entry from the project tree configuration branch or from another station to the entry of the desired station. The shape of the mouse pointer lets you see what will happen:

The module would be assigned to this station.

• The module is already assigned to another station and would be assigned to this station in addition.
• The module is already assigned to another station, the assignment would be moved to that station.
• This only happens for modules whose configuration must be unique among the stations (e.g. drivers).
• The module cannot be assigned to this station. This means either that you want to assign a module that has no flow at all (e.g. system project module) or that the module in question is already assigned to this station.

If you drag an entry from the configuration tree to a station, if possible, a new map is created, drag another module map, and by default it is moved to the new station. You can change this by holding the CTRL or UMSCH key as you drag (note: the keys are evaluated only when the mouse is moved and the corresponding mouse pointer is displayed).

Within a station, you can also use drag-and-drop to change the arrangement of the module assignments. This allows you to set the order at the start of the modules on this station.

To make module assignments without a mouse, you can use the station's context menu. However, only those modules for which a new assignment would be created on this station are offered to you in its "New" submenu. To reassign a module from another station in this way, you must first delete the assignment of that module on the other station and then add it to the new station. To change the start sequence of a station without a mouse, you can move the assignments up or down with the CTRL key pressed.

Terminal Server Configuration

With the process visualization VisXpert it is possible to integrate several stations into a "project" and also assign different flow modules to these stations. For example, each of the stations will receive a user interface optimized for their resolution, or only a specific station will load the driver for PLC coupling. This VisXpert property facilitates flexible operation in a traditional client/server environment and can also be used for a terminal server environment.

The Windows Terminal Server is available by default on Windows 2000 Server. Up to 4 terminals are supported, whereby further licenses (terminals) can be retrofitted without any problems.

When operating on a terminal server, all sessions (expiration software for the client stations) now have the same IP address. To enable unique addressing, you must assign a separate port to each configured station (see "Projecting Stations").

Project languages

VisXpert from version 7 has the possibility to configure the application in several languages. The default setting for the languages to be used is set under the menu item "Edit/Project Languages..." Made. 

This opens a Select Language window that specifies which languages should be available for the project. This window displays all the languages present in the GrahpPic. You can select one or more languages, with the Shift or Ctrl key to be used to select more project languages.

This selection is stored in the "Language.xml" file from the project path. This file contains all selected languages with the corresponding ID (langIDPrimary). The language selected in the sequence passes the corresponding ID to the system variable "Language". All multilingual flow modules switch their menus to the selected language according to the value of these system variables. 

Testing the project

Even during the project planning, it is often desirable to test parts or the entire project. The communication module supports you by displaying log messages and the online status of groups and variables.

A project diagnostics can also be performed for:

• Configuration
• Online testing
• Computer connection
• PLC connection

Log messages

Log messages are output from a wide variety of VisXpert modules. They can be displayed in the communication module log window or written in a log file.

Each module can name up to 32 message classes to which it assigns its messages. For each of these classes, you can choose whether to display the appropriate messages and/or save them to the file.

Under "Logbook| users" you will always receive a list of all logged-in VisXpert modules:

Since modules can log in and out at any time, you can use "Update" to have this list rebuilt. By means of "Default" you can reset the log settings of the module selected in the list to its defaults. Finally, via "Edit" you can open a dialog box with the detailed log settings of the module in question (here the settings of the communication module):

Depending on what you want to test, you can now select the different message classes to display or write to the log file. You can also change the color of the font and background of each message. The selection of messages to be changed is done as usual in Windows.

To take a closer look at the displayed log messages, you can pause the display in the log window at any time (via the menu, the toolbar or by double-clicking in the log window).

Online status

Another tool in testing is to display the online status in the item list of the communication module.

The most useful thing here is to display the status and value of the variable. If you selected a group under Values in the project tree, you can observe the variables of that group in the item list.

In multi-station projects, you can also observe the state of all connected stations in the same way and also have the project reloaded on these stations or start or stop modules or the entire project. Because all this only works with stations connected to the current one, this is best used from the server.

The project structure window

In the project structure window, the currently loaded project is displayed as a tree. The tree consists of three sections:

• stations, represent the computers contained in the project and the modules configured on them
• configuration, represents the configuration of the modules included in the project
• values, displays the groups and variables contained in the project

Most entries in the project structure window have a context menu that allows you to call the commands that are valid for the entry.

The status window

Group status (online)

• "inactive" - group is not used
• "starts", - responsible server is started
• "is ready" - responsible server is running, but group is not used
• "is logged on" - group is logged on to the server
• "logged in" - server has accepted group
• "is parameterized" - configuration is sent to the server
• "will be connected", - group agreed, connection is established
• "connected" - group ready to read/write variables
• "is disconnected" - connection is broken -- > logged
• "will be logged out" - Agreement will be deleted -- > ready/inactive
• "Error" - an error has occurred

The group must be at least logged in for variable stati to be logged in.The group must be connected for variable stati to be connected or requested.

Variable status (online)

• "Error" - an error has occurred
• "inactive", - is not used
• "is logged in" - is currently being agreed with server
• "logged in" - server has accepted variable
• "is parameterized" - configuration is sent to the server
• "is connected", - variable agreed, connection is established
• "Connected" - Variable ready to read/write/request
• "requested" - request is running, but no value has yet been received
• "requested", - value exists, is updated when changed

Variable Request Status (online)

• "Inactive", - variable is not used
• "Connected" - at least one client wants to have connection
• "Requested" - at least one client wants to have value updated

The log window

The log window offers the possibility to follow the flow of a VisXpert project and helps to find errors in the project.

What does the log window show?

The log window shows the last 1024 messages generated by VisXpert modules on their own station.

There are 32 message classes, which can have different meanings depending on the module that generates the message. The modules do not have to generate messages for each class. Message classes 1-16 are status messages. They do not flag errors and are for tracing only. Message classes 17-32 are error messages. For them, a message box can be output as an error notification.

Each message is issued in the same format:

05.07.24 09:47:38:79 Communication module K01: Network server initialized to "195.30.62.50:1112"

• date and time: (YY.MM.TT HH:MM:SS:Hundredth) 05.07.24 09:47:38:79
• Name of the module that generated the message Communication module
• message class (here: class 1, initialization messages) K01 Message text Network server initialized to "195.30.62.50:1112"

How can I influence the display in the log window?

The display of the log window can be displayed via the menu function "View| log window" on and off.

The message display can be displayed with the menu function "Logbook| stop" are stopped. By selecting the menu function again, the message display is continued. In the meantime, if more than 256 notifications have been received, the oldest ones will be discarded.

The log window shows the messages of all active VisXpert modules. Which messages are issued can be set separately for each module. The setting is either in the corresponding module (see respective chapter), but can also be set centrally from the communication module. For this purpose, the menu function "Logbook| User...". The following window appears:

If a module is selected and the "Edit" button is pressed, the "Log Settings for" window app[Modulname]ears, where you can set which message classes are displayed in the "Display" section. (See also chapter "Functions - Logbook")

Record messages to a log file

If the display of messages in the log window is too fast, or log messages need to be recorded over a longer period of time, it is a good way to output messages to a log file.

The messages are written to a freely selectable text file, which, if the number of messages is not limited (see less), can reach any size.

The format of the messages corresponds to the display in the log window. However, the reporting classes are additionally printed in plain text.

All rows have a uniform length and format. This makes it easier to import the recorded messages into other programs (import format "ASCII fixed").

Via the menu function "Logbook| Log file..." a log file can be selected. By default, no file is selected.

The Suspend Write option is used to temporarily interrupt the message recording. If you want to resume it, you do not need to re-enter the name of the log file.

If the option "Empty file at program start" is selected, all previously recorded messages are discarded when the communication module is restarted and the file is filled with new messages.

If the option "Limit the number of messages to" is selected, the number of messages specified in the input field is recorded. When this number is reached, the oldest message is overwritten. The number of "-1" message counts shown in the figure corresponds to an unlimited number of melds.

File snapshots from the GEFASOFT logbook

Snapshots can be automatically saved to files from the messages visible in the log display. The purpose of this function is to automate the procedure in which, after an error occurs, the user had to paste the contents of the logbook into a text editor via the clipboard and save that text to a file.

Because log classes that contain error messages are typically configured to log to a file, they are also used to trigger snapshots. The logbook can also be set so that the writing of the normal file is off and only snapshots are recorded. To prevent every message from always triggering a snapshot, you can also set a search pattern that must appear in the text of the message. 

It usually makes sense not to write the file immediately after triggering a snapshot, but to wait for a few additional messages afterwards to have some follow-up messages in the file ("context" of the message). This is particularly useful because the triggering message can be multi-line and thus prevents subsequent lines from being truncated. 

Attempting to capture overlapping snapshots. This means that it tries not to have multiple snapshot files contain the same messages over and over again. This would happen if several triggering messages are logged in quick succession ("follow-up error"). Therefore, triggers are ignored if they are still captured in a previously triggered snapshot that has not yet been written (see "Context" above). Otherwise, the writing of a snapshot is always postponed until it contains no more messages already saved in a previous snapshot. If there is still a snapshot when the logbook is closed, the file will of course still be written, even if it contains some messages that have been saved before. 

The snapshot files contain display messages from the logbook. To ensure that they appear in the appropriate colors when reading the file, snapshots can be saved as HTML pages. The HTML code is structured in such a way that the pure text of the messages can be easily extracted from it (e.g. "Delete columns" with a text editor, save the browser as "text only" or convert with an XML parser).

Configuration

This is done via the dialog for configuring the file logging:

The following settings are possible:

• Take a snapshot of the display when file message occurs - only when this option is selected will snapshot files be written at all.
• Triggering message must additionally match this pattern (regular expression) - if this option is selected, messages to be logged into the file are compared with the regular expression specified below and a snapshot is only triggered if the expression appears in the text of the message.
• Number of context messages (after trigger still in the snapshot) - the number of (display) messages that are still waiting for after triggering a snapshot before it is written. The purpose of this information is to also capture the consequences of the triggering event in the snapshot file.
  For example, a logbook contains 1024 display messages. Thus, if you set it to 256, there would be 767 messages before the event, the triggering message itself, and 256 messages after the event in the file.
• Maximum number of snapshot files - maximum number of snapshot files to keep. Once this is reached, the oldest snapshot files are deleted.
• Save snapshots as HTML - Snapshot files contain colored display messages. Saving in HTML format allows you to keep these colors.

Regular expressions

Regular expressions are search patterns for texts. The syntax used in the GEFASOFT logbook corresponds to the Perl programming language, in whose description it is completely documented and with many good examples. The following short description makes no claim to completeness.

• A "normal" string in the search pattern must also appear in the message text (e.g. fits the pattern "in" the text "leg", but not "Nil")
• Certain characters, the so-called "metacharacters", must be identified in the search pattern by a previous backslash. These are: +?. *^$[](){}|  For example,[0] "data" to find "data[0]".
• To search for characters from a specific set, the corresponding characters are noted in square brackets. For example, only messa[xy]ge texts that contain at least one "x" or "y" fit the pattern "" .
• To search for characters that do not belong to a specific set, the set is negated with a "A", e.g. only message[^xy]s that do not contain an "x" or an "y" are suitable for "" only.
• Characters in a specific range can be indicated by the first and last characters associated with the range. "[0-9]" therefore searches for reporting texts in which at least one digit appears. Attention: Umlaute or Ä. unfortunately do not belong to the "" ar[a-z]ea. If "-" is to be one of the characters that is searched for, the minus sign must be removed from its meaning by a backslash befor[a-z]eit: "" searches for messages that contain at least one 'a', a '-' or a 'z'.

For some character sets and their negations, there are abbreviated spellings:

• d: Digits("digits"). Is synonymous with[0-9]
• D: Everything except digits.
• w: Letters, numbers, or underscores ("words"). Is synonymous with[0-9]
• W: Everything except letters, numbers, or underscores. Is synonymous with[0-9]
• N: Line break (does not occur in log lines)
• R: Carriage return does not occur in log lines
• T:Tab
• Q: Page break (does not occur in log lines)
• S: Whitespace. Spaces, line breaks, carriage return, tab, or page break. Is synonymous with[ tnrfv]
• S: Everything except whitespaces. Is synonymous with[^ tnrfv]
• . Any character (except line break).

Some special items can also be specified:

• b: Word limit, e.g. "umb" fits "tree" and "why", but does not "bypass" and "bum" fits "awkward", but not too "barely"
• B: Position of the pattern is not at the word boundary (not at the beginning or end).
• ^: Start of the reporting text. So the message "SPS1 ...", but not "Connection PLC5....." fits the message "SPS1 ...".
• $: End of the reporting text

Keyboard control

A mouse is not always available in industrial environments. Therefore, care has been taken to ensure that the communication module can also be operated by the keyboard alone. The following is a summary of the most important keyboard shortcuts:

Button	Command
SHIFT + F10	Open context menu (corresponds to right mouse button)
F6, TAB	Window change forward (clockwise)
SHIFT+ F6, SHIFT + TAB	Window change backwards (counterclockwise)
F5	Update display in the status window
SHIFT+ Arrows	Moving the window layout
ALT + ENTER	Edit properties of the selected object
INSERT	Create new Project
CTRL + ENTF	Deleting object

File menu

File | Open project	Opens an existing project.
File | Save project	Saves an existing project.
File | Copy to	Saves a copy of the current project in a new directory.
File | Close project	Closes the current project.
File | Delete	Closes and deletes the current project.
File | Sign in	Opens the dialog for logging in as a user of the project.
File | Log out	Logs out the current user of the project.
File | Change Password	Opens the dialog for changing the password.
File | Exit	Ends the GraphPic communication module.

Edit menu

Edit | New	Creates a new element.
Edit | Delete	Deletes the selected object.
Edit | Rename	Renames the selected object.
Edit | Properties	Shows the properties of the selected object.
Edit | Project Properties	Displays the properties of the current project. You can see from it when, where and by whom the project was created and last edited. On the "Information" page you can enter your own comments and remarks that should be saved with the project.
Edit | System Preferences	System settings such as the storage location of projects, loading at system start, etc. On the Projects page you can set the directory in which projects are to be saved by default and also specify which actions the communication module should perform before opening a project:Ensure that no files are "read only": All files in the project tree are checked and any "read only" attributes are removed from them. Especially useful if you use CDs to transport the project between computers. In particular, Paradox tables cannot be used properly if the files have this attribute.Make sure that there are no Paradox LCK files left: All directories in the project tree are searched for Paradox lock files and these are removed if necessary. In distributed projects this can cause error messages in the log if the files are in use and therefore cannot be removed. Perform table repair : Performs the GraphPic table repair before loading. You should only activate this option after you have set up table repair for the projects to be started on this computer. You can call up the table repair via the menu item Tools | Table repair.The System start page and the settings it contains are described under Loading the communication module when Windows starts .

Start menu

Start | Station Start	Starts all sequence modules configured on this station.
Start | Station Stop	Terminates all active sequence modules.
Start | Exit editors	Terminates all running editors.

View menu

View | Online	Switches between displaying the online or configuration status in the list window.
View | Refresh	Updates the display of the project structure.
View | project	Shows or hides the display of the project structure.
View | log window	Shows or hides the display of the log messages.
View | Toolbar	Shows or hides the toolbar display.
View | status line	Shows or hides the display of the status line.
View | in the foreground	Switches the display of the communication module in front of other windows on or off.
View | in the taskbar	Switches the display of the program icon in the system tray on or off, even when minimized.
View | Next	Sets the keyboard focus to the next window.
View | Back	Sets the keyboard focus to the previous window.

Logbook menu

Logbook | Copy	Copies the contents of the log to the clipboard.
Log | stop	Pauses or restarts the display in the log window.
Logbook | User	List of GraphPic modules that use the logbook. (see chapter "How can you influence the display in the log window?")
Logbook | Settings	Here you can set which messages are displayed that the communication module itself generates. The message classes are selected whose messages are to be displayed in the log window. Under the heading "File", you can specify which messages are to be saved in a log file. Under the heading "Messagebox" you can determine for which messages a message box appears. The display of a message box is only possible for error messages.
Logbook | log file	See Recording Messages in a Log File.

Tools menu

This menu gives you quick access to additional tools for project creation (e.g. database explorer).

System variables " $ SystemCommands"

The communication module provides the running GraphPic modules with some system variables , which they can use to read information about the project and to transfer commands to the communication module.

The "$ SystemCommands" group, which is generated automatically when a project is created, contains variables with which the execution of a project can be controlled from its modules. If an application writes to one of these variables, the communication module executes the corresponding command.

Since this control should only take place locally, this is a local group (its name begins with '$'). Because the variables in this group only represent control functions, they do not supply any value.

variable	Type	value	comment
ActivateModule	String	Module name	Brings the module to the fore. If the module in question is not yet running, it will be started.
CloseGraphPic	Boolean	TRUE	Ends the current project, then the communication module.
CloseModule	String	Module name ': ALL:'	Ends the specified module. Ends all modules.
CloseProject	Boolean	TRUE	Ends and closes the current project.
LoadProject	String	Filename	Loads the specified project. The currently loaded project is ended.
ReloadConfig	String	Module name	Forwards the command "Reload configuration" to the relevant module.
ReloadModule	String	Module name	Terminates the module in question and restarts it.

A multi-station project requires some additional considerations and precautions:

• Setting up TCP/IP
• Set up shared access to the project directory
• Set up the Borland Database Engine (BDE) for network access
• Plan global and local groups
• Distribution of modules to stations

Setting up TCP/IP

VisXpert uses only the TCP/IP protocol for communication between stations on the network. If this has not already been done during the installation of Windows, this must be set up later via the Windows Control Panel, the "Network" icon.

If the computers are part of a larger network, the setup of TCP/IP must be agreed with the network administrator to avoid conflicts with existing installations. If the IP addresses are assigned dynamically here (e.g. via DHCP), VisXpert can also use the host names to connect (see "Stations and Connections" for details).

If the computers of the project form an isolated network on their own, the configuration is actually arbitrary. In this case, we recommend that computers assign IP addresses in the range of 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.255 (these addresses are reserved by the Internet standards for closed networks without connection to the Internet) and to set a "Subnet Mask" of 255.255.255.0 on all. No other settings (for DNS, WINS, and Routing) are necessary in this case.

Set up shared access to the project files

Furthermore, it is necessary that all computers in the project have access to the project files. We strongly advise against having stations of a project access to different copies of a project at the same time! Not only can this easily cause the stations to use different configurations. Some parts of VisXpert, e.g. the reporting system, require access to common data for all parts to function.

If there is a file server on the network that all stations have access to, you should store both the project and the BDE network control file on it if possible.

If no file server is available, you must select one of the stations in the project to store the project files. It should be a computer that can always stay on (because otherwise the project cannot run on any of the other stations) and which offers enough performance to cope with the load of the other stations on the project files in addition to its tasks in the project.

On this machine, you should share the home directory for VisXpert projects (by default, C:Projects) for network access. It is important that all participating machines have full access to this directory (for sharing drives and directories, see Help for Windows). You can test this by using the Windows editor to store a text file in this directory of the "server" from the other machines.

Whether you connect a network drive to the shared directory of the "server" on the other PCs is not relevant to the functioning of VisXpert.

Set up the Borland Database Engine (BDE) for network access

In order to synchronize the accesses to tables, the BDE also needs a directory, which all participating computers can access. All computers that are supposed to access the tables of a directory at the same time must have the same "network control directory" specified, otherwise access with an error message will be denied.

After installation, this path is generally set to the main directory of drive C:. This setting is not appropriate for access on the network. So you have to change it. We recommend setting up your own directory, e.g. C:NET on the file server or, if no file server is used, on the same machine on which the project files will be located.

We do not recommend that the BDE's "network tax directory" should be a directory in which paradox tables are also located. This has proven problematic in the past under various configurations.

The setting for the "Network Control Directory" can be found under "Configuration| Driver| Native| Paradox" under the name "NET DIR".

Attention: The path for the network control directory must be the same on all computers. This means that you choose, for example, an indication in the form "computer namedirectory name", also on the computer on which the directory is located. In the current version of BDE management, you cannot enter from the selection box.

On the machine where the shared project files are located, you must also set the "LOCAL SHARE" parameter to TRUE in BDE management. This setting can be found in the BDE management under "Configuration| System| INIT".

You can now try to load the sample project supplied with VisXpert once on all computers. To do this, copy the directory of the sample project to the server and start it sequentially on all computers in the project. It is important that you actually boot it everywhere from the server, not from the local hard drive.

Although the sample project contains only one station, the first thing to do is to ensure that all computers can access the project's data tables together, and it is sufficient to check this if all computers can load the project's data tables at the same time.

Global and local groups

In multi-station projects, groups and variables are always known globally. This means that their names are always known on all stations in the project, even if the driver that defines a particular group usually only runs on a single station. At run time, the values of the variables are automatically passed on to the other stations, so that they are also available on all stations.

For some variables, it is undesirable that they always have the same value on all stations of a project. This is especially true for variables that do not represent process values, but represent other functions in the project, e.g. control the image to be displayin the visualization. If the value of these variables were passed on to the network, a change of image on a visualization station would always cause a change of image on all other stations.

For such purposes, you should provide for local groups. Local groups are characterized by the fact that their name begins with a 'A' character. The names of such groups and their variables are also known on all stations, but the values are not passed on between the stations of the project. Instead, the driver module that defines such a group is started on each station where the relevant values are needed.

As a result, you cannot mix local and global groups in a parameterized driver module. If necessary, you must create a second module of the driver for local groups.

For local groups, the memory driver is usually used. This is not a driver in the true sense, but only a function of the communication module, which allows the creation of variables in the main memory of a station. These variables can then be read and written by several applications in the project in order to communicate with each other.

Other drivers, e.g. those that use certain hardware are not designed to manage local groups. On the one hand, only one module per station can usually be configured by such drivers, on the other hand, a driver module configured for local groups would use the same configuration on all stations, e.g. for Arcnet or Profibus, set identical node numbers for all PCs, which is not allowed.

Stations and connections

In order for the required network connections to be established in a distributed project, the required IP addresses and connection options must be available in the project. Also, of course, the current computer must be able to be assigned to one of the stations of the project.

Local station

A project contains information about the IP address as well as the computer name of the PC for each station. In order to assign the computer on which it is running to a station, the communication module uses only the computer name. The reason for this is that the machine name is always present, unique and easily verifiable, which is not the case for the IP addresses in all configurations.

While the communication module always immediately adjusts the computer name of this station to the name of the current PC when it is loaded, for distributed projects, none of the stations can be assigned to the computer on which the project was loaded. On the other hand, you may assign the name of your computer to a second station when editing the station configurations. In both cases, the communication module will alert you and offer you to select the station to configure as the current station:

If you select a specific station here, the communication module sets the computer name in the configuration of that station to the name of your PC and removes it for all other stations that may also contain this computer name. Because the IP addresses are not adjusted and because of possibly deleted computer names, you should check this information in the list of stations.

Indication of IP addresses or Host Names

Even in a multi-station project, there may be stations for which the IP address is not mandatory (e.g. clients in a client/server configuration). Nevertheless, we recommend, as far as possible, always specify all IP addresses.

VisXpert uses the default port: 1112 and the SQL server uses port 1032.

These ports must be shared on the server. With Telnet <Servername padresse="">port number, the client can test whether the program is reachable on the server.</Servername> To do this, VisXpert must be started on the server.

If this port is already in use, it must be adjusted in the registry editor.

Note: If the port has been adjusted in the registry editor, e.g. for example, on 1234, then it must be attached to the IP addresses. Entering the IP address when the port is changed: 123.45.67.8:1234

If IP addresses are assigned dynamically in the target network, you can also use host names instead of numeric IP addresses (i.e. specify "rechner.domain.com" instead of "123.45.67.8" or, depending on the configuration, "Calculator"). In this case, a suitable name resolution service must be available on the network and configured in the Windows Control Panel (e.g. DNS, WINS).

The communication module automatically attempts to convert information that does not represent a correct numeric IP address to a valid IP address by name resolution. However, this can significantly slow down the connection, which is why we recommend that you always use numeric IP addresses.

Connection

In the default settings, the communication module of one station establishes the connection to another when a local program needs any variable values of the other station. If this is no longer the case, it disconnects. In most cases, this behavior is ideal and should not be changed.

Sometimes, however, it may be undesirable, e.g. when the connection in question is made by telephone and thus its construction is slow and the cost of it is high.

It is also adjustable whether the communication module sends so-called life telegrams to another station. These telegrams are used to check the connection status and to reduce the connection by subordinate protocol services (e.g. dial-up network, modem). If switched on, the communication module in question sends such a telegram whenever there has been no traffic on the corresponding connection for an adjustable time (default value 1 minute). If the partner does not respond to this telegram within an equally adjustable time, the connection is disconnected and rebuilt.

You can specify in the properties of each station how this station behaves in the connection to each other station:

There are three options for establishing a connection at the time of the connection:

• automatic: The default behavior. The communication module establishes the connection when it is first needed and de-off when it is no longer in use.
• at startup: The connection is established immediately after the project is loaded and remains in place until the project is closed again. (Note: !!! not yet implemented!!!)
• manual: The connection is made and broken only at the user's request. If variables of the other station are required, the requesting program receives an error message as long as there is no connection.

You can set these options by double-clicking the field in the table, or by selecting the desired connection in the table and then changing the selection in the buttons below.

Distribution of modules to stations

For many modules, the assignment to specific stations is already determined by external conditions or by the requirements for the project. For example, a PLC driver must be always be assigned to the station on which the required hardware is available and the connection to the relevant PLC is possible, a visualization or the display of the reporting system must of course be assigned to all stations on which the relevant display is required.

The assignment of other modules is freer and should be based on availability and performance aspects:

• Modules that provide data to other modules (e.g. drivers), you should assign stations that are always in operation.
• Modules that access files at run time (e.g. post to the reporting system), you should, if possible, run on the same computer on whose data carriers the files are located.
• You should assign modules of the memory driver to the station where most accesses to the corresponding variables take place. Transferring variables over the network takes much longer than their local transmission. If necessary, you can divide the variables into several groups depending on the station and create a separate module of the memory driver for each of these groups.

Client

A client is a station that requests and receives variable values from a server. This means that the variable values are routed to the client's KM via the driver installed on another station (the server) via the KM of that station. This data exchange is carried out automatically by the KM using TCP/IP.

Server

A server is a VisXpert station that provides variable values for other stations. The server typically has a driver installed that returns the variable values.

Read only Station

in VisXpert there is the possibility to set the checkbox "Only Read Station in station properties. This prevents the variables from being written to other stations.

Memory variables located on this station can still be described. The PLC data drivers and OPC client cannot be associated with a Read Station only.

Another way to restrict write permissions is to manage users under Station rights for user roles.

Starting and stopping projects

The visualization process can be started via the communication module under "Stations" with a double mouse click on the desired module. For testing the project, there is also the possibility to use the sequence in the editor via the menu item "File| Test Runtime".

The entire project of the station, incl. of the visualization process, if the station contains such a module, can be started via the context menu with "Start" (click with right mouse button on the desired station). In this case, all modules of the station are started in the order shown in the right pane.

After starting the project, the process image appears with the configured functions. The variables are supplied with current values via the VisXpert driver programs. The objects configured in the windows are displayed with the appropriate dynamics.

To finish the entire project, select "Stop" from the context menu (right-click on the desired station).

For more information about starting and terminating projects, see the "Communication Module" chapter.

Overview

With the visualization module executes an project created with the VisXpert Visualization editor. The VisXpert driver programs provide process values to the Visualization to generate animations on the process graphics and visualize values.

Starting and stopping projects

The visualization process can be started via the communication module under "Stations" with a double mouse click on the desired module. For testing the project, there is also the possibility to use the sequence in the editor via the menu item "File| Test Runtime".

The entire project of the station, incl. of the visualization process, if the station contains such a module, can be started via the context menu with "Start" (click with right mouse button on the desired station). In this case, all modules of the station are started in the order shown in the right pane.

After starting the project, the process image appears with the configured functions. The variables are supplied with current values via the VisXpert driver programs. The objects configured in the windows are displayed with the appropriate dynamics.

To finish the entire project, select "Stop" from the context menu (right-click on the desired station).

For more information about starting and terminating projects, see the "Communication Module" chapter.

Overview

The operating options in the VisXpert visualization program are determined as far as possible by specifications in the VisXpert editor (e.g. activation of the menu in the sequence, password functions...).

Mouse

You can use the mouse to position the mouse pointer on the screen, which is displayed as an arrow.

The following operating functions are possible:

• operate the menu (if the menu is shared)
• Press buttons (and thus trigger the function defined during dynamization)
• Activate input fields
• Bring windows to the foreground
• Move windows
• Resize the window, close, move, shrink to icon, and so on, close, move the Windows window for the VisXpert flow.

Press buttons

In the editor, functions can be assigned to individual elements, which are triggered in the process with the mouse. These elements are:

• Button (as button)
• Slider (for value entry)
• Rectangle (as button)
• Round corner (as button)
• Ellipse (as a button)
• Bitmap (as a button)
• Polygon (as button)

Activate input fields

An input field can be activated directly by clicking in the field. By pressing the Tab key, several fields can be selected in order.

As a second option, activation via a hotkey, in conjunction with the "Edit" system variable, is available.

If the value range is exceeded for input fields, VisXpert reports with a corresponding message. The previous variable value is retained.

Bring windows to the foreground (activate)

As soon as you place the mouse pointer on any window on the screen and click on this window, the window is brought to the foreground.

An exception exists if the active window has the "Modal" option. A modal window can only be deactivated by a switching function and not by activating another window.

All operating functions are only applicable to the active window.

Move windows

If the active window has a title line, it can be positioned to any place on the screen. To do this, hover over the title bar and move the window to the desired location with the left mouse button pressed.

Change the size of the window

If the window has a double frame, it can be resized. To do this, hover over the side of the border that you want to change until the pointer changes the shape of a double-headed arrow. Now drag the frame to the desired size with the left mouse button pressed.

Windows Features

On Windows, you can use the window of an application

• change in size
• Move
• Reduce to symbol size
• switch to other applications

Use these features as described in your Windows documentation. These functions can be partially prevented by presets in the editor.

File|Login

You can use this command to enter your password. For the time period specified in the editor, you can perform all password-protected functions whose password classes are associated with your password.

After the set time has elapsed, the password is automatically invalidated. To perform password-protected functions, you must re-enter your password.

If you try to perform a password-protected function and no password is valid or the valid password is not assigned the corresponding password class, you will be automatically prompted for a password.

File|Logout

This command immediately invalidates the current password.

File|Stop

This command terminates the VisXpert expiration program and any project that may be started.

Options| Frame

If this menu item is selected, input elements that are under the mouse cursor are bordered. The default for this menu item can be specified in the project editor.

Options| Log settings

The system messages of the expiration program can be written to a file and output in the logbook notification window.

Status| Groups

You will receive an overview of the

• groups present in the project,
• the active groups and
• the affiliated groups.

Status| Variables

You will receive an overview of

• the variables present in the project,
• the active variables,
• the variables associated with the project and the
• the variables requested by the project.

 

Valid values

• The value of the corresponding VisXpert variable is converted to the new value that the driver returns.
• If you activate the logbook messages of the class "Variables" via the communication module, the message appears in the logbook:
  • "Variable <Gruppenname>:<Variablenname> Data: <Wert>"</Wert> </Variablenname> </Gruppenname>

Bad values

• For a string variable, the value of the corresponding VisXpert variable is set to a null string.
• With Bool's integer and floating-point variables, the last value is retained, i.e. the value is not converted.

Script debugging

The debug function for tracing and analyzing scripts is an important tool for checking script processing and error analysis.

To get the debug function for the programmed scripts, all scripts in the visualization editor with active "Create debug info" have to be translated again.

With this generated debug info, the functions "Script variables" and "Trace scripts" can be used in the sequence of the visualization via the menu item "Status".

Script variables

Via the menu item "Status| Script Variables" opens a window:

View all script variables with the respective number of passes.
For each selected script variable, the read and write variables with the corresponding status are displayed.
The "Automatically update" selection automatically updates the selection display.

Trace Scripts

Via the menu item "Status| Trace Scripts" can be opened to track the scripts.

Tracing can be used to accurately process scripting, write and read to/from variables, and display the values of read, write, and local variables.

Basically, care must be taken to ensure that when tracing is used, the scripts must be traversed, i.e. for e.g. Window timer scripts must be open. The "View" menu item allows you to switch between the "Script List" and the "Tracing".
The script list shows the timing of all active scripts. Tracing represents the timing of the active scripts with the values of the variables.

  "Disconnect: Group "Name" to Driver "Driver Name"

Class: Driver message

Meaning: Group decoupled from driver.

 

  "GPVISU. INI" could not be opened

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: GPVISU. INI file could not be opened.

Fixed:Verify that the file exists in the project eresign.

 

  Unsubscribe Password: "Name"

Class: Password messages

Meaning: The current password has been logged out.

 

  Login Password: "Name"

Class: Password messages

Meaning: The password "Name" has been logged out.

 

  Login invalid password: "Name"

Class: Password messages

Meaning: Attempt to log in invalid password "name".

 

  Bitmap file: "Name" is not a BMP file or is corrupted

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: The specified file is not a BMP file.

Remediation: Check the BMP file and, if necessary, Replace.

 

  Bitmap file: "Name" could not be opened

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: The specified file is not in the specified directory.

Fixed: Move or copy bitmap file to the correct directory.

 

  CONNECT: Group "Name" to driver "Driver name"

Class: Driver message

Meaning: Group connected to driver.

 

  CONNECT: Group "Name" to driver "driver name" failed

Class: Driver error

Meaning: Group with driver not connected.

Fixed: Install appropriate drivers.

 

  File not found

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: Feedback in case of incorrect program call.

 

  The specified "name" file does not exist

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: The file specified on the command line could not be found.

Fix: Check the setting.

 

  VisXpert driver "Name" not installed

Class: Driver error

Meaning: The specified driver is not installed.

Fix: Install drivers.

 

  Group "Name" Error is not in the connection table

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: There is no corresponding module entry in the specified connection table.

Fix: Correct connection table.

 

  INI file for "project name" could not be opened

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: The project INI file could not be opened.

Fix: Move project INI file to the correct directory.

 

  No value: "Name"

Class: Conversion error

Meaning: for example, value from an empty field of a database

 

  Object: "Name" has size and fill degree dynamics

Class: Project Error

Meaning: Object: "Name" has size and fill degree dynamics.

Fixed: Delete dynamics and, if necessary, redefine.

 

  Path not found

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: Feedback in case of incorrect program call.

 

  Write Variable "Group Name:VariableName" Fatal Error:..."

Class: Driver error

Meaning: external error from the driver

 

  Write Variable "Group Name:VariableName" Error:..."

Class: Driver error

Meaning: external error from the driver

 

  Driver "Name" CLOSE ...

Class: Driver message

Meaning: Driver "Name" has been closed.

 

  Driver OPEN "Name" Driver Handle=... Managed

Class: Driver message

Meaning: Driver "Name" could be opened.

 

  Driver OPEN "Name" Driver Handle=... Failed

Class: Driver error

Meaning: Driver "Name" could not be opened.

 

  UNADVISE: "Name" hDrvr = ...

Class: Driver message

Meaning: Driver became 'unadvised'.

 

  Unknown. EXE Type

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: Feedback in case of incorrect program call

 

  Insufficient password to open windows

Class: Password messages

Meaning: The current password has insufficient rights to open the corresponding window.

Fixed: Enter the correct password.

 

  Invalid. EXE File

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: Feedback in case of incorrect program call

 

  Invalid variable connection of object: "Name"

Class: Project Error

Meaning: Dynamics of the object is invalid.

Fixed: Delete dynamics and, if necessary, redefine.

 

  Variable "Group Name:VariableName" Data:...

Class: Variable value change

Meaning: Receive variable value

 

  Variable "Group Name:VariableName" empty value

Class: Variable value change

Meaning: For example, receive value from an empty field of a database

 

  Variable "Group Name:VariableName" Poke:...

Class: Variable value changes

Meaning: Variable value described

 

  Variable "Group Name:VariableName" Fatal Error:..."

Class: Driver error

Meaning: External error from the driver

 

  Variable "Group Name:Variable Name" Error:..."

Class: Driver error

Meaning: External error from the driver

 

  Variable "Group Name:Variable Name" Error: Get value in wrong format

Class: Project Error

Meaning: Driver returns different variable type than expected.

Fix: Check and correct variable.

 

  Connect Group "Name" Error...

Class: Driver error

Meaning: Unable to connect the group to drivers.

Fix: Check driver work tables.

 

  Try to load an application in Real Mode written for Protected Mode"

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: Feedback in case of incorrect program call

 

  Attempting to dynamically integrate a task

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: Feedback in case of incorrect program call

 

  Attempting a second instance of a . EXE file containing multiple wr
itable data segments

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: Feedback in case of incorrect program call

 

  Value of "Name": Range limit when reading over or over undercut

Class: Conversion error

Meaning: Wrong type of reading variable

 

  Value of "Name": Range limit when writing over or undercut"

Class: Conversion error

Meaning: Range limit exceeded

 

  Value of "Name": read from variable without type

Class: Conversion error

Meaning: Variable has no type.

Fix: Check and correct variable.

 

  Value of "Name": write to variable without type

Class: Conversion error

Meaning: Variable has no type.

Fix: Check and correct variable.

 

  Value of "Name": Conversion to Boolean value unsuccessful:

Class: Conversion error

Meaning: Value cannot be converted to Bool's value.

 

  Value of "Name": Conversion to floating point number unsuccessful:

Class: Conversion error

Meaning: Value of a string variable cannot be converted into a flow score.

 

  Value of "Name:" Conversion to integer unsuccessful:

Class: Conversion error

Meaning: Value of a string variable cannot be converted to an integer.

 

  Value of "Name": Conversion to floating score unsuccessful:

Class: Conversion error

Meaning: Value of a string variable cannot be converted to a floating point score.

 

  Too little free memory

Class: Configuration error

Meaning: Feedback in case of incorrect program call

The visualization allows you to display a graphical image of your process state. A distinction is made between the visualization editor and the visualization sequence. (The Visualization Editor completes the entire definition of your process images. The visualization process dynamically represents the process image in operation.)

Each process image is made up of different elements (e.g.  elements, pointer instruments, bitmaps, etc.) Modeled. For this purpose, the editor provides an extensive item library. Each element has specific properties that determine its appearance on the screen. Basically, such properties can be set statically and dynamically. Static setting means that the property is set during creation and does not change in the flow. Dynamic setting, on the other hand, depends on variables for certain element properties. In the flow, the member properties change depending on the value of the associated variables.

This gives you a moving process image that dynamically changes its appearance during the visualization process, depending on the state of your process. Your visualization project is thus a one-to-one illustration of your process. This means that two steps are required to create this one-to-one image of your process:

• Define all elements and their properties that determine appearance
• Dynamizing the elements, i.e. Definition of how individual elements should change their appearanc
  e when certain process events take place, or the effect that user input should have to the outside world.

Drawing and editing elements

The drawing mode of VisXpert can be activated via the toolbar or the edit menu by selecting the desired item type.

The element can then be drawn anywhere in a window. To do this, hover over the desired point on the artboard and press the left mouse button. If the mouse button is held, drag the pointer until the element is stretched to the desired size (the dashed outline shows you the momentary size of the element). After letting go of the left mouse button, the new element appears on the screen with preset properties (color, linetype, fill pattern, etc.).

Exception: For bitmaps and pointer instruments, just click on the position where you want the left, upper corner of the element to lie.
After drawing an item, it automatically switches to select mode. To suppress this change
(e.g. drawing several elements of the same element type), it is sufficient to press the Shift button before selecting the element type and hold down this key while drawing.

Cursor

Depending on the command selected, the mouse cursor appears

• as an arrow (for selecting elements)
• as a crosshair (for drawing an element of the selected element type)
• as a crosshair over a marker point of the selected element (to scale an element)
• as a quadruple arrow (while moving selected items)
• as a double arrow (above the double frame of a window to resize)

Selecting an item

In order to change the properties of an element, the element must be selected, i.e. "selected".

Select the "Edit| Select" (or the corresponding icon from the tool box). Point to the
desired item and press the left mouse button. The item now appears with marker points.

The following functions can be applied to a selected element:

• Changing size
• Move item
• Change properties (line, color, etc.)
• Cut, copy, delete, duplicate item
• Edit graphics
• Editing dynamics

You can select several items by selecting additional elements with the "Shift" button pressed.
The following functions can be applied to such a selected member set:

• Move items
• Change properties (line, color, etc.)
• Deleting items
• Group items

If several elements have already been selected, individual elements can be deselected by clicking with the
"Shift" button pressed. 

Move an item

To move an item, select it, then hover over a location within the marker points of the selected item, and drag the element to the desired location with the left mouse button pressed. Whether the item can be moved immediately with the selection process, or whether a second operation of the mouse button is required, depends on the under "Options| Editor" preset.

If you have selected multiple items, the entire member set is moved. 

Scaling Items

You can resize an element by dragging the marker points of a selected element. To do this, hover over a marker point (the mouse pointer is then displayed as a crosshair) and drag the point with the left mouse button pressed until the element reaches the desired size.

To change a dimension, you use the marker points at the side boundaries of the member, and to change both dimensions
at the same time, you use the marker points at the corners of a member. During dragging, the outline of the element is displayed, after the mouse button is released, the element appears in the new size. The footer displays the current scale factor for The X and Y directions.

Grouped items are scaled together. The operation is as with individual elements.

Each selected item has at least 8 filled marker points. Individual elements have additional markers without fill. These marker spointers identify special properties of an element (vertices of a polygon, boundary points of an arc, and so on). You can change these properties by dragging at these marker points. Note: The Pointer Instrument element cannot be scaled.

General

Below is a summary of all available items and their specific properties. It also describes how to create and edit each item in detail. All commands for creating the different items can be found in the "New" menu. Already created elements can be edited later via the menu "Properties" (also accessible via pressing the right mouse button). 

Window

Via the menu item "Window| New" you can create a new window. The attributes of the window (frame, size, etc.) are displayed via the "Properties | window" is set.

Once created, a window can be moved on the screen, resized, and activated (brought to the foreground). You move the window with the mouse button in the title bar, resize it by dragging the double border, and select the window by clicking in the window.

Tip: If individual windows need to be opened and closed frequently in the sequence, it is recommended to provide buttons or buttons for this, which are hotkeys provided with "Graphic Editing".

Hotkeys

After clicking on the "Hotkey" button, the "Key Combination" dialog box appears in which you can select a way from the list. in conjunction with The Ctrl, Alt, or Shift keys. Since all hotkeys of the windows visible on the screen are active, it is recommended that you make sure that no hotkeys of the windows on the screen are duplicated during configuration. If the assignment is duplicated, the hotkey of the first open window is active.

Line

After selecting the command, the mouse pointer appears as a crosshair. At the desired starting point of the line, press the left mouse button and move the mouse pointer to the desired end point of the line while the left mouse button is pressed. After the mouse button is released, the line is drawn with the default attributes.

Arc

After selecting the command, the mouse pointer appears as a crosshair. At the desired starting point of the arc, press the left mouse button and move the mouse pointer to the desired end point of the arc when pressed left mouse button. After letting go of the mouse button, an arc (1/4 circumference of an ellipse) is drawn with the default attributes.

In addition to the usual marker points for scaling an element, unfilled marker points also appear. Dragging at these marker points determines the radians.

Polyline

After selecting the command, the mouse pointer appears as a crosshair. At the desired starting point of the line, briefly press the left mouse button. Move the mouse pointer to the other vertices of the line train, and press the left mouse button briefly. The drawing of the line train is terminated by a double click with the left mouse button at the end point of the line move. The line is drawn with the default attributes.

In addition to the usual marker points for scaling an element, unfilled marker points also appear at the vertices. By dragging at these marker points, individual vertices can be moved retrospectively. By dragging at the filled marker points, the line train can be increased proportionally or reduced in size.

Polygon

After selecting the command, the mouse pointer appears as a crosshair. Briefly press the left mouse button at the desired starting point of the polygon. Move the pointer to the other vertices of the polygon, and briefly press the left mouse button. The drawing of the polygon is terminated by a double click with the left mouse button at the last vertex of the polygon. The connection to the starting point is automatically established. The polygon is drawn with the default attributes.

In addition to the usual marker points for scaling an element, unfilled marker points also appear at the vertices. By dragging at these marker points, individual vertices can be moved retrospectively. By dragging at the filled marker points, the polygon can be increased proportionally or reduced in size.

Rectangle

After selecting the command, the mouse pointer appears as a crosshair. At a corner of the rectangle, press the left mouse button and move the mouse pointer to the diagonally opposite corner of the rectangle while pressing the left mouse button. After the mouse button is released, the rectangle is drawn with the default attributes.

From the "Properties| Graphic" can also be defined as a hotkey. In the sequence, the function assigned in the dynamics dialog is executed by pressing the key defined as a hotkey.

Panel

A 3D panel can be created analogously to a rectangle. From the "Properties| Graphic" can be determined some additional features:

By appropriately selecting the edge color left/top and edge color right/bottom, the panel can be displayed "sublime" or "deepened". The degree of "elevation" or "deepening" can be defined by the border width in pixels.

A checkbox can be used to activate an option for rounded corners. The element can also be defined as a hotkey. In the sequence, the function assigned in the dynamics dialog is executed by pressing the key defined as a hotkey.

Rundeck

The round corner corresponds to a rectangle with rounded corners.

Ellipse

After selecting the command, the mouse pointer appears as a crosshair. Imagine a rectangle enclosing the ellipse, and at a corner of this rectangle, press the left mouse button and move the mouse pointer to the diagonally opposite corner of the rectangle while pressing the left mouse button. After the mouse button is released, an ellipse is drawn that touches the sides of the imaginary rectangle. The display is done with the default attributes.

From the "Properties| Graphic" can also be defined as a hotkey. In the sequence, the function assigned in the dynamics dialog is executed by pressing the key defined as a hotkey.

Sector

After selecting the command, the mouse pointer appears as a crosshair. Imagine a rectangle that encloses a quadrant of an ellipse. At a corner of this rectangle, press the left mouse button and move the mouse pointer to the diagonally opposite corner of the rectangle while pressing the left mouse button. After letting go of the mouse button, a quadrant of an ellipse (1/4 ellipse) is drawn. The display is done with the default attributes.

In addition to the usual marker points for scaling an element, unfilled marker points also appear on the ellipse circumference. By dragging at the unfilled marker points, the opening angle of the sector can be changed retrospectively. By dragging at the filled marker points, the sector can increase or increase the size of the reduced in size.

Segment

After selecting the command, the mouse pointer appears as a crosshair. Imagine a rectangle that encloses a quadrant of an ellipse. At a corner of this rectangle, press the left mouse button and move the mouse pointer to the diagonally opposite corner of the rectangle while pressing the left mouse button. After the mouse button is released, a segment of an ellipse is drawn, with the sekante being the diagonal of the imaginary rectangle. The display is done with the default attributes.

In addition to the usual marker points for scaling an element, unfilled marker points also appear at the intersections of the ellipse circumference and the seedge. By dragging at these marker points, these intersections can be moved later. By dragging at the filled marker points, the segment can be increased proportionally or reduced in size.

Text

After selecting the command, the mouse pointer appears as a crosshair. At a corner of the text window, press the left mouse button and move the mouse pointer to the diagonally opposite corner of the text window while pressing the left mouse button. After letting go of the mouse button, the text window is drawn with a dashed border.

In the text window, the text content "TEXT" is displayed with the default attributes. The text content can be used by selecting "Properties| graphic". The text content can be pasted from the clipboard. The text can be aligned to the left or right edge of the text window. The color of the texts can be changed by selecting "Properties| line color". Font type, font (bold, italic) and font size can be used by selecting "Properties| font".

The text content is automatically wrapped in the text window at word boundaries (line break). If the length of a word exceeds the width of the text window, the word is displayed incompletely. Please note that the formatting of the text may change due to the subsequent assignment of a different font or font size.

A line break within the text window can be enforced by entering Ctrl-Return.

The representation of integers can be octal, decimal or hexadecimal. For floating-point numbers, the number of comma digits can be specified.

Bitmap

Externally created graphics can be read into VisXpert as bitmaps in BMP format. Only the file name and access path of the bitmap are stored in the project. Thus, it is possible to change bitmaps with other programs without making changes in the project itself.

Attention: The path under which the bitmaps of the project must be located is fixed to "... GP7ProjectsPROJECTEprojektnameUSER-DATBITMAPS"! That is, all bitmaps of the project must be stored under this path.

After selecting the command "New| Bitmap" appears a selection window with the list of available *. BMP files.

In addition, bitmaps with the following formats can be used:

• Portable Network Graphics Format *.png
• Jpeg *.jpg
• Encapsulated Postscript File Format *.eps
• Graphics Interchange Format *.gif
• ZSoft Paintbrush Format *.pcx
• Tagged Image File Format *.tif

After selecting the desired bitmap, the mouse pointer appears as a crosshair. Move the mouse pointer to the upper left corner of the desired position and briefly press the left mouse button. The bitmap is transferred as an element to the window. Bitmaps can be scaled by dragging at the marker points.

From the "Properties| Graphics" can also be defined as a hotkey. In the sequence, the function assigned in the dynamics dialog is executed by pressing the key defined as a hotkey.

Caution: The use of bitmaps consumes system resources from Windows. Therefore, only a few bitmaps and only bitmaps with a low color resolution (16 or 256 colors) should be integrated into a VisXpert project.

Button

After selecting the command, the mouse pointer appears as a crosshair. At a corner of the button, press the left mouse button and move the mouse pointer to the diagonally opposite corner of the button while pressing the left mouse button. After letting go of the mouse button, the button is drawn with the label "Button". This label can be used via "Properties| graphic". The orientation of the text is definitely centered.

From the "Properties| Graphic" can also be defined as a hotkey. In the sequence, the function assigned in the dynamics dialog is executed by pressing the key defined as a hotkey, and thus corresponds to the clicking of the button with the mouse.

Slider

In VisXpert, horizontal and vertical sliders for variable "in/out" are available. Select the appropriate slider. At a corner of the slider, press the left mouse button and move the mouse pointer to the diagonally opposite corner of the slider while pressing the left mouse button. After letting go of the mouse button, the slider is drawn.

The following properties are available via "Properties| Graphic" selectable:

The range of values identifies the Min and Max values of a slider and is automatically pre-set with MIN=0 and MAX=1000 when creating a slider. Please note that the min values are the controller position at the top (vertical) or on the far left (horizontal). Tracking on determines whether the value is updated continuously (check mark set) or once when the mouse button is released after moving.

Caution: If you use the slider at the same time to output and output external variable values, you should not use "Tracking on" because of the feedback that occurs (no check mark).

Input/output field

After selecting the command "New| input/output field" the mouse pointer appears as a crosshair. At a corner of the input/output field, press the left mouse button and move the mouse pointer to the diagonally opposite corner of the field while pressing the left mouse button. After releasing the mouse button, the input/output field is drawn.

For input/output fields, the font type, font (bold, italic) and size can be changed by selecting "Properties| font".

Via the menu item "Properties| Graphic" opens the "Edit Graphics" window. The text and text background colors can be specified there. Different colors are possible for the input and output mode for better clarity.

Caution: The field height must be a certain minimum height, depending on the font and size you choose. For the default system font, this minimum height is 10 pixels. The field width must also have a minimum width for the input to function correctly.  

In/out fields of a window can be protected by passwords. The password class is assigned via the "Properties| Window".

In the process, an input field can be activated via two variants:

• by clicking on the corresponding field
• by setting the system variable "Edit" via hotkey. This function activates the first field (the furthest "front") in the active window.

Switching between the input fields is possible with the <TAB>key.</TAB> The input is completed via <ENTER>.</ENTER>

On Screen Keyboard

In order to be able to operate input/output fields via on-screen keyboard, the following configurations are required in the editor:

If the "Activate on-screen keyboard" check mark is set, the on-screen keyboard is activated in the sequence as soon as the system variable "System:Edit" is "True" and the input/output field receives the focus.

Format Strings

The output of values in text and input/output fields can be formatted by format strings, e.g. with a unit of measurement or with leading zeros. A format string is displayed via the menu item "Properties| graphic" in the Edit Graphic window.

Please note: Depending on the data type of the variables that are used in the dynamics dialog with the text or one/output field, different format settings are allowed in the format string. VisXpert cannot verify the syntax of the specified format string.

Attention: Invalid information in the format string can lead to undefined system states! A format string passed to the string formatting routines can contain two types of elements:

• simple characters
• formatting instructions.

Simple characters are copied to the resulting string without modification, e.g. a unit of measure appended to the output value. Formatting statements are always preceeded by the character '%'. They are edited one at a time to format the output value. Format statement syntax:
[Sign]"%"[Alignment][width]["."Prec]Type[Char]

Prameters in square brackets are optional, but the order must be followed. The formatting statement starts with the "%" character and ends with the type.Characters before the % character and after the type specification are copied into the resulting string.Characters: Any strings, e.g. "°C"%: Start of formatting statement   

Allingment

• "+": Numeric output with sign (positive and negative). The output value is always displayed withsign (positive and negative sign)
• "-": Value is displayed left-aligned
• "0" value is filled left-aligned with zeros. The output is filled left-aligned with leading zeros. Width:The width specifier specifies the minimum number of characters thatthe output value contains, including signs and any "simple" characters. Specifying the alignment specifiers "-" and "0" is only useful if a width specifier is also specified as Width. If the output value contains fewer characters than the width specified, the output string is filled with blank characters on the right when the output string is left-aligned, and left-aligned with the character "0" if displayed with leading zeros. If the value contains more characters than is specified in Width, all characters are still output

Width:

Minimum number of characters that are output

Precision:

Precision, is introduced with ".". For integer values, the precision specifier specifies the minimum number of digits that are represented. Contains fewer digits than ". Prec", the rest is filled left-aligned with zeros.

For floating-point values, the precision specifier specifies the number of decimal places that are represented. If the precision specifier is not specified, the default value of 6 applies to the type "e" or "E" to the type "f" of 2 decimal places.

Type:

output type of the resulting string. Permitted are:

• "e" Scientific edition (e.g. "0.123e+123")
• "E" Scientific edition (e.g. "0.123E+123")
• "f" floating-point number
• "ld" integer with sign
• "lu" integer without sign
• "lx" hexadecimal output with small letters
• "lX" hexadecimal output with large letters
• "s" string output

When output as a hexadecimal number, you can choose whether the letters should be displayed
small ("lx") or large ("lX"). For example, the value of the linked variables is 1234.

• %ld €: 1234 € Integer with attached "€
• "€%ld: €1234 integer with leading "€"%+
• 7ld + 1234 unsigned integer, 7 characters
• %+7.5ld + 01234 integer with sign, 7 characters and 5 digits
• %-7ld€ 1234 € Integer left-aligned with attached "€", total 7 characters
• %.4f 4 decimal places
• %07ld 0001234 integer with leading zeros, 7 characters
• %2ld 1234 specified width less than numberof characters
• %lx 4d2 Hex number with small letters
• %lX 4D2 Hex number with large letters The value of the linked variable is -1234.
• %lu 4294966062 integer is interpreted without sign.

When output in the scientific representation exponential form, you can choose whether the exponent should be represented with a small "e" or with a large "E". For example, the value of the linked variable is 1234.56.
Display in exponential form

• %e 1.234560e+03 Standard representation
• %+e +1.234560e+03 Representation with pos. Sign
• %-15e°C 1.234560e+03 °C left-aligned, min. 15 characters
• %-15.2e°C 1.23e+03 °C left-aligned, min. 15 characters 2 decimal places
  %010.2e°C 001.23E+03°C leading zeros, min. 10 characters and 2 decimal places Representation as floating point number
• %10.2f°C min. 10 characters and 2 decimal places

When Output as String representation, any existing "simple" characters are copied to the string in any case.

• %s€ String€ String variable and simple characters are copied together
• %10s€ String€ right-aligned, min. 10 characters
• %-10s€ String € left-aligned, min. 10 characters
• %5.5€ String€ min. 5 characters, of which max. 5 from thevariable

Escape Sequences

For the representation of the "%" character in the output string, the statement "%%" must be used in the format string, because the simple "%" character indicates that a formatting statement follows. Permissible parameters for variable type "integer"

Sparkline

Sparklines can be used to display temporary historical values. From Visustart, the values are logged with. Edit Graphics allows you to set tooltip, cursor as ruler, and scale. In the tooltip, placeholders such as variable: .!varname can be used to displa
y duration: .!

duration. Additional values using th
e ruler.Value: .!value- Time: .!timestamp. The r
equired resolution corresponds to one value per x-axis pixel. With a width of 120 pixels and a time range of one minute, a value is logged every 500 ms.

Data grid

The DataGrid control in Windows Forms displays data in a group of rows and columns. The simplest case is when the datasheet is bound to a data source that consists of only a single table with no relationships. In this case, the data is represented in simple rows and columns as in a spreadsheet.

Menu

The menu function can be used to create a mask navigation in the style of buttons or menus. The basic elements can be designed graphically freely. The opening direction for menu and submenus are adjustable. The application-wide menu structure is edited via "Properties/Menu". In the menu items, a menu item from the menu structure is specified as the start reference.

You can edit the menu structure via "Properties/Menu".

The menu item "PopupMenu" is similar to a folder on Windows, with "PopupMenu/Next Level" you can create subfolders.

The menu items are similar to the files in the folder.

After selecting the menu item, you can enter the desired functions via "Dynamics" below.

The commands of the Properties menu can either be applied to selected items or saved as presets for all subsequent operations.

If you have selected one or more items, the commands refer only to changes to the selected items. The selected presets remain unchanged. If no element is selected, use the commands to change the default. The attributes of the preset are applied to all subsequent drawing operations.

The following attributes are used when drawing each element: 

• Style
• Color
• Texture
• Fill
• Font   

Style

The command calls a selection of different line types. The line thickness (1-32 pixels) can also be selected for the line type "Solid".

For the Invisible line type, the lines in the editor are dotted in red in the line color.

Color

The command calls a color palette with base colors. Define Colors >>expands the dialog box with a color spectrum in which you can define colors yourself. Add Color adds the self-defined color to the palette and allows you to select the base colors at the click of a mouse. The selected color is applied along with the set line style to represent the element boundaries.

Texture

This command offers a selection of available fill patterns. The dialog box displays the combination of the selected fill pattern with the set fill color.

For the Transparent fill pattern, the fill color is hatched in the color red.

Fill

As with "Properties| Line Color" a dialog box appears to select the fill color. Here, too, you can define your own colors. The selected color is applied to the fill of elements along with the set fill pattern.

Font

This command calls a list of all available fonts. A font size can be selected for each font. In addition, the options can be set bold, italic, underlined and crossed out. The font and size you choose appear in the Monitor Fixer, and are applied to text elements along with the pen color you set.

Exporting and Importing Texts

VisXpert allows you to Edit, Export and Import Texts that are used in the Process Grafics. The texts can be edited via the "File/Translation Editor" menu option. In order to have the texts translated from External, they can also be exported, edited with Excel and imported again. 

When you run the text export, all text displays, window texts, as well as button texts, Tooltipes and Format strings are exported to a TSV (Tabulator separated file) file "Visu_Texte.csv" in the project visualization directory. These texts can then be edited for multilingualism and read back into the editor via the import function.

Export file Format

The export file is an Tabulator separated file, that contains one column for the native text, and then one column for each configured project language. All Values are separated by an "Tabulator"

Columns

The first column in the Export file contains the text identifier that identifies the Window and Object where the text belongs to. The second column contains the native text, which is used when no corresponding language text is configured. After that, the export file has a column for each project language containing the Language LCID and Short abreviation:

langid:<id>_<txt> (id contains the unique language Id, txt contains the abbreviation of the language, e.g.</txt> </id> en for German)

element name/winname	Native_Text	langid:7_de	langid:9_en	langid:10_es
FCInfo.Panel_2019.Text	Module Number	Modul Nummer	Module Number	Numero del Modulo
FCInfo.Panel_1836. Text	Symbol/Tag	Symbol/Tag	Symbol/Tag	Symbol/Tag
FCInfo.Panel_1990. Text	Description	Beschreibung	Description	descripcion
FCInfo.Panel_2018. Text	Periphery	Periferie	Periphery	periferia

Escape Sequences

Multi-line texts (such as the buttons with the additional hotkey label) by the escape character '|'. Since Tabulator is being used as Value separater, tabultors have to be escaped by '^'.

• New line: |
• Tabulator: ^

Editing Language files

The files can also be editing manuall by using Microsoft Excel. When opening an exported csv file, Excel usually automatically detects the value separator and directly allows you to edit the content of the file. Of course the files can also easiely edited by using simple text editors such as "Notepad" or any other simple text editing application.

Objects

Objects are instances of classes and can be created in the window designer by the menu item "New| Object" can be inserted. However, only classes that contain at least 1 graphical element can be inserted.

When you insert an object, the variable base name is asked (this is then part of the variable name of the VisXpert variable). The variable base name can be changed later. Changing the variable base name will connect the dynamics and scripts to class variables

For the objects, the class variables must be replaced by VisXpert variables.

The text of the scripts in the object is not accessible (only for the corresponding class).

The dynamics of the graphical elements and the dynamics of the object are not accessible (only for the corresponding class). 

Hotkeys in the Editor

• F2 Find a variable
• F3 Find next
• F4 Replace a variable
• F10 Activate menu bar
• F12 Switch between editor and class designer
• Shift-Del, Ctrl-X Cut-ClipBoard
• Ctrl-Ins, Ctrl-C Copy ClipBoard
• Shift-Ins, Ctrl-V Paste from ClipBoard
• Shift- [arrow keys] edit element size
• Shift-A break grouping
• Shift-G group elements
• Shift-H Equal spacing horizontally
• Shift-S Select all elements
• Shift-V Equal vertical distance
• Ctrl-A Align to the grid
• Ctrl-D call dynamic box
• Ctrl-G call graphic box
• Ctrl-L delete all elements
• Ctrl-R Rotate the selected element by 90 °
• Ctrl-S call script box
• Ctrl-T Execute Runtime
• Ctrl+ Selected element one level forward
• Ctrl- Selected element back one level

Toolbar

A number of commonly used functions can be found in both the menus and the toolbar in the form of graphical symbols. The toolbar is used to quickly select these functions and can be displayed and hidden in the "View" menu.

Quick dialing of functions

To quickly select functions, press the right mouse button at any position in the current window. A pop-up menu appears with the available editing functions for the active window or the selected element. The selection of a menu item is done in the usual way with the left mouse button.

File| Save

Use this command to save changes to the project you are currently editing. 

File| Export

See chapter "Import and Export".

File| Import

See chapter "Import and Export".

File| Update| Window

This allows you to re-date a window that has been edited and exported elsewhere.

File| Update| Class

Can be used to re-date a class that has been edited and exported elsewhere.

File| Update| Scripts

Allows you to re-date scripts that have been edited and exported elsewhere.

File| Implementing project size

This function converts an existing project to operation with a different screen resolution.
This means that a project that, for example, projected for a resolution of 640x480 pixels, can be converted to the resol
ution 800x600. All elements are included in the possibly integrated bitmaps and all scalable fonts (de
pending on the font types used) are enlarged accordingly. Post-processing with the edito
r to correct rounding errors may be necessary.

File| Test procedure

This command starts a test run of the currently edited visualization project.

File| Communication management

This menu selection takes you to the window of the communication module.

File| Project overview

With the project overview you can get a quick overview of your visualization project.
In the project overview, you will find all the windows, elements and variables that are included in your
visualization project listed in tabular form.

The currently selected window is displayed in the foreground on the screen. The current item is selected.

You can choose between two types of representation:

Window->Element->Dynamics->Variable

Variable->Element->Dynamics->Window

  

The first list ("window") contains all the windows of your project. Select a window from this list (cl
ick with the mouse). You will then receive all the items contained in the corresponding wi
ndow in the second list ("Elements"). To get information about the dynamics of an item
, select an item.  In the Dynamics list, you can now see the dynamic properties of this e
lement. The Variable list specifies the variable to which this property is associated.

The variable list shows all variables used in the project. The Elements, Dynami
cs, and Windows lists show the dynamized elements with the selected variable, the ty
pe of dynamization, and the associated window. 

File| Testing project integrity

In this dialogue, a review of the entire project is carried out.

This review includes:

• Checking graphical elements for unique names
• Checking dynamics for unique names
• Checking the variable connection of the dynamics
• Checking the connections of variables
• Checking the variable connection of objects
• Checking the configuration of VisXpert variables included in the visualization

 

If errors are detected during the scan, they are listed:

 

File| Hotkey overview

In this dialog, all hotkeys used in the project are displayed in a tree structure.
This gives you a quick overview of which graphical elements use the corresponding
hotkey and which dynamics are executed by the hotkey.

 

File| Overview of the open/close dynamics of the project

In this dialog, all elements of the project that have a "Open Window" and / or "Close Window"
- Dynamics are displayed:

 

File| Stop

This command allows you to exit the VisXpert editor. If you have made changes to th
e current project and have not saved them, VisXpert will remind you. 

In this menu you have the possibility to change the screen view in the editor.

View| class designer, window designer

Allows you to switch between window and class designers.

View| Zoom|100

This allows you to set the zoom factor to 100 percent (normal size).

View| Zoom|200

This allows you to set the zoom factor to 200 percent.

View| Zoom|400

This allows you to set the zoom factor to 400 percent.

View| Zoom|800

This allows you to set the zoom factor to 800 percent.

View| Toolbar

This allows the toolbar to be turned on or off.

View| Status bar

This can be used to turn the status line on or off.

View| Close all windows, close all classes

This allows you to close all windows in the window designer or all classes in the class designer.

Window| New

Create a new window.

Window| Properties

The Properties| command Window" allows you to set the properties of a window, delete windows, and determine the order in which all windows are represented.

Select a window from the list by selecting the name you want. The following functions and settings then refer to this window.

 

Name

Here you can change the window name. When creating new windows, they are labeled "Fenster_" and a sequential number. The name appears in the title bar when "With Title" is selected.

Position and dimension

Here you can set the window size and the window position. Please note that the size of windows (with double frame) and the position of windows (with title line) can also be changed via the editor functions on the configuration area. This overwrites the values specified here.

Current status

The current status selects the visibility of a window in the VisXpert editor (not in the flow!). During editing, it is possible to switch individual windows invisibly to speed up image construction and improve clarity. The set values are not saved. When a project is reloaded, all windows are visible.

Interval time

An update of the screen can be achieved in the sequence by changing the value of a variable or cyclically by the interval time.

The following settings are recommended and are therefore set as the default setting:

Items that change with variable values are updated immediately (item "Output when value changes"). This does not initiate a screen update (interval time=0).

For a large number of constantly changing elements, it may be advantageous to make the changes only in the background (do not redraw the element immediately) and to update the entire window by specifying an interval time (interval time <> 0).

The interval time is expressed in milliseconds.

Please note:

Elements with the option "Output when value change" (adjustable via dynamization) are redrawn immediately when an information change is changed, regardless of the set interval time.

Border

The appearance of a window can be affected as follows:

• Frame - no frame, simple frame or double frame
• Title line "With title" On or Off

If the title line option is selected, its name is displayed as the heading of the window.

Attention: Only windows with a title line can be moved by the operator in expiration mode. Double-frame windows can be resized by the operator in expiration mode. If you want to exclude these changes by the operator in the flow, select a simple border (or no border) and not a title line.

Properties

• Modal: This option causes the user to respond to a specific event in the expiration because after opening it, the window in question remains active until it is closed. Other windows cannot be selected while the modal window is open. This setting is intended for dialog boxes where it is essential to provide a defined response or operation.
• Visible at program start: This option determines whether a window is visible in the VisXpert flow module when the project starts.
• Mouse activation: If you want to move the window to the foreground by clicking on the window (in the window area), this option must be activated. If the option is disabled, the window remains in the background. This is for example It is useful to open a smaller window for operating functions in a larger window (no mouse activation). The smaller window then remains visible until it is deliberately closed by the user.

Password class

Password classes can be used to protect access to a window (open window) or input functions in a window. For each window, separate password classes can be specified for opening the window and making changes to it. To enable protection for the window, specify a password class between 1 and 30 for the corresponding function. Password class 0 means that there is no password protection.

To assign the password classes to users, use the User Management module in the communication module.

The password classes 31 and 32 are reserved for intrinsic functions.

For more information, see the "Visualization Flow" chapter.

Delete window

This command deletes the selected window with all the elements defined in it.

Background

As with "Properties| line color," a dialog box is opened to select or define the background color. The default for new windows is always white.

 

The following settings are only active in expiration mode:

Scripts

This button opens the dialog for editing the scripts. Details are described in the "Scripts" chapter.

Determine the position of the windows in the flow

In the sequence, the windows, if they have the attribute "visible at program start", are displayed on the screen in the order they appear in the window list box. The top window in the list box comes at the top. The arrow keys next to the list box can be used to influence the location of the selected window. 

Bring windows in the editor to the foreground

To bring a hidden window in the editor to the foreground, select it in the list (by clicking) and confirm this action by pressing "OK".

Window| Release

Opens the dialog with the version info of the windows.

Overview

VisXpert file import and export allows convenient management of the following object types

• Element (name. GPO), any group of graphical elements incl. the connected dynamics
• Window (name. GPW), windows from a VisXpert application incl. of all graphic elements and their dynamics
• Classes (name. GPC)
• Applications (name. GPP), full VisXpert application
• Scripts (name. SCR) and functions (name. FNC)

In particular, you can use classes, elements, windows, scripts, and function
s to build an extensive library. This allows complex graphical elements,
such as a conveyor line or agitator, with which assigned dynamics are created
once, and later reused in other applications. 

File| Import

The import function allows the import of

• Application
• Window
• Class
• Element
• Texts
• Scripts and Functions

Please note that VisXpert automatically reassigns the element and window designations when doubl
e designations occur. To update a window while retaining its name, please use the File| Update".

When you select a function, a file selection dialog appears in which you can select one or more files of the appropriate type.

If the variables associated with an imported item, window, text, or class are not in the
variable list of the current project, VisXpert offers a list of these variables.
You can now replace the original variables with variables from the current project.

If an importing window contains classes, they are searched in the library path and imported as well if necessary.
If there is already another version of such a class in the application (other date of change)
, you can have the relevant classes updated in your application. If the window to be imported contains c
lasses that cannot be found in the application or in the library path, the window fails to import.

Caution: When importing an object that contains scripts, the imported scripts must be retranslated afterwards.

Attention: Application scripts are not imported during application import. However, a simple tran
sfer is possible via the clipboard or a text file.

File| Export

The export function allows the export of

• Application
• Window
• Class
• Element (currently selected element)
• Texts
• Scripts and Functions 

When exporting windows, selecting the "Export Related Classes with" option allows you
to export all the classes it contains at the same time. This allows you to ensure that
the import of the relevant windows into other applications does not fail later due to missing class definitions.

File| Update

This feature allows you to update windows, classes, scripts, and functions that you have d
eveloped in other applications. To insert windows, classes, scripts and functions into your a
pplication that do not yet exist in it, please use the "File| Import". Please also read there how
contained variables, scripts and elements are handled.

Attention: The new versions completely replace the versions included in your application: The currently included window, respect
ively the current version of the class is first deleted and then the new versions are inserted.

Classes| New...

Create a new class.

Classes| Edit

Allows you to select a class and then edit it.

Classes| Copy

Can be used to copy a class.

Classes| Delete

Allows you to select a class and then delete it.

Classes| Properties

Edit the properties of a class.

Classes| Overview

Opens the dialog with the class overview.

  

Classes| Release

Opens the dialog with the version info of the classes. 

Scripts menu --- 

Editing scripts

This opens the script overview and editing window:

 

The left part of the window, the Script Overview, shows all parts of the project hierarchy that can contain scripts.

Scripts are edited whenever the value of a VisXpert variable read in the script changes (data source). In applications, windows, classes or member groups, there are still three special scripts that are edited at special times:

• Start: is edited when the application or window is opened (for element groups and classes: the window with the object or instance).
• Stop: is edited when the application or window is closed (for element groups and classes: the window with the object or instance).
• Timer: is edited in the set time grid as long as the application or window is open (for element groups and classes: the window with the object or instance).

Script variables are scripts that return a value as a result of their execution. They are processed when a VisXpert variable read in it changes the value, but only if its value is also currently used (e.g. output dynamics in an open window).

Functions have a return value and can be called with parameters. 

If you have selected an object in the script overview, you can add new scripts to it using its context menu (right mouse or menu button). If a script is selected, you can delete it in the same way.

About the menu items "Scripts| Search" and "Scripts| Search Forward" in the menu of the window, you can search for text in the source code of all scripts. This can be useful for quickly finding a script if you remember a short portion of its source code.

The upper right part of the window serves as a script editor. Here you can view and edit the source code of the selected script. A context menu with frequently required editing and help functions is available in the editor.

If you have changed the source code of a script, you must either translate it before switching to another script, save only the modified text (the script then has no code and cannot run in the flow), or discard the changes to the source code. Please use the commands from the "Scripts" menu.

In the lower right part of the window you can see the variable reference. Lists all VisXpert variables that are read or read in the displayed script. be written. When you select a specific variable in one of the Read Variables or Write Variables lists, you can see where else in the visualization the value of that variable is written ("data sources") or read ("data targets"). If this is a different script, you can switch to it by double-clicking it. (see Help Scripts).

In the context menu, actions such as:

• Create a new script/function
• Create a new folder
• Rename folder
• Copy script/function
• Delete script/function
• Change the type of a script variable
• Edit properties of a function
• Import script/function
• Export Script/Function
• Script/Function update

be carried out.

  

Translate scripts

In this dialog, all scripts (application windows and class scripts, scripts of member groups, element scripts, script variables and functions) can be translated (see Help Scripts).

Properties Menu

---

Features| Application

Under Menu Item Properties| Application, a dialog appears in which the width and height of the on-screen keyboard as it should appear in the sequence can be parameterized. 

Expiration

In the process, the on-screen keyboard is automatically positioned below or above an input field when the variable is set @System:Edit, the input output field receives focus, and the Enable On-Screen Keyboard property of the input/output field is set.

  

Help menu

VisXpert supports you in your work with detailed help texts.

Content

Use this command to call the table of contents of the VisXpert help system. You can always get context-sensitive help when you click the help button in a dialog box, or press the F1 key, or when you move the menu selection marker bar to a menu item with the arrow keys, and then press F1.

System info

You can use this command to query a number of system data from your PC. Displayed

• About the VisXpert version and serial number
• About the current VisXpert project
• About the Windows environment
• About hardware

You should provide this system information if you are contacting us with any problems.

About

This command gives you the version number of the editor.

The configuration area

On the configuration area, you can create new windows or edit existing windows. Insert your items into these windows. It is not possible to arrange elements on the configuration surface.

The origin of the configuration area is at the top left. From this reference point with coordinates 0.0, the coordinates of each window are calculated.

Window

The "Window| New" creates a new window. The properties of a window can be set from the "Window| Properties". For projects with multiple windows, you can set the display order of the windows. The selected window is activated when the window attributes are applied and brought to the foreground.

On the configuration interface, partially hidden windows can be brought to the foreground by selecting the window anywhere with the cursor. The TAB key activates your windows in the specified order and puts them in the foreground.

Within a window, the individual elements are defined.

The origin of a window is at the top left. From this reference point with the coordinates 0.0, the coordinates of the elements in the window are calculated.

Classes

A class can be saved by the menu item "Classes| new" can be created. Each class is drawn in its own window (class name = window name).

A class consists of n graphical elements. These can be inserted at any time.

In a class, the menu item "New| Class" additional classes are inserted if there are no objects of the class yet.

Class variables can be entered for each class. A class variable can only be deleted if there are no connections to it and there are no instances of it.

Each class can contain a start, stop, and timer script, as well as n other scripts. These scripts can access their own class variables and the class variables of the base class(s).

Class variables can be accessed from the dynamic properties of the graphical elements. If no element is selected in the class, the class dynamics can be edited.

Attention: Changes to dynamics, graphics or scripts of a class lead to changes in all objects of the application!

A class can only be deleted if it is not used in any other class. Deleting a class asks whether the class's objects should be deleted or converted into groups (Note: When you convert to groups, the scripts of the objects are discarded. The conversion can only be performed if there are no more connections to class variables).

Classes can be imported and exported. If a class contains additional classes, it also imports and exports them.

Class and window management

For the creation of a visualization, it is important to have an overview of the application. Especially for distributed projects with a uniform standard, classes or windows can be stored and managed centrally.

These versions stored in the library can be checked for up-to-dateness with the versions used in the visualization editor.

Thus, windows or classes can be easily updated from the library with the help of this version info. Similarly, revised objects can be exported to the library in a visualization.

Due to the color representation of the version info (yellow = editor version is new / red = library version is new / white = the same version status between visualization editor and library) a quick overview of the individual objects is possible.

Options| Editor

Under the menu item Options| Editor, you can make the general settings of the editor:

 

• Offset coordinates to duplicate: the offset values set here are used in the editor as follows:

• when "inserting" as offset to the window coordinates of an element
• when "duplicating" as the default for row and column spacing

Default values for dynamic dialogs: If additional values are required for scaling when dynam
izing individual elements, the values set here are suggested as default settings.

Flashing rate: Various graphic elements can be displayed flashing. The flashing rate indicates the time interval of the flashing clock in milliseconds.

Selection width: Specifies the width of the area where the outline of an element must be clicked to select it.

Move item immediately: When the checkbox is activated, an element selected by means of a left mouse button can be moved immediately by "drag". Without this option, the mouse button is required to press again.
The move takes effect only after a movement around the value "Minimum Shift".

Minimum Displacement: To avoid unintentional movement of elements, a minimum value in pixels
can be specified here. Only after this value does the item actually move.

Marker size: Specifies the size of the marker points for items in pixels.

Grid as a drawing help: For more precise arrangement of elements, a grid can be displayed in the editor
as a drawing help. Here, the information is given whether a grid should be used, at whi
ch pixel positions the grid originates (X-grid, Y-grid) and what distance should lie bet
ween the individual grid lines. The elements are aligned with this grid for al
l edit and move actions.

Test project integrity: When the checkbox is activated, a project integrity test is automatically performed when saved.

Library path: Here you can set the base path for import, export and update.

Script Editor: Here you can set the colors for the script editor.

 

Features| Application

General settings for the current project are made under the Menu item Properties| Application:

 

• Paths: Here you can set the paths for the reporting system and the databases that are accessed through the scripts.
• Reporting system: The default path .... projectname
  USER-DATMeldesy1 contains the tables of the reporting system that are to be accessed from the visualization (e.g. for the reporting line, the DMZ table. DB). This path is stored in the @System:MZTable system variable for easy access via a script.
• Databases: The default path .... projektna
  meUSER-DATDB is used to access database tables via script.
  This means that the database tables used by the user for the application must be in this directory.
• Full screen: If this option is selected, the visualization process is started as a "full screen".
• Exclusive: The "Exclusive" setting is only possible if the "Full Screen" option is selected.
  Exclusive prevents changing the window display.
• Menu: Here it is determined whether the menu bar should be displayed in the visualization flow. Hiding the
  menu bar can block unwanted user input.
• End dialing: The selected option "End dialing" specifies the menu function File| Exit free. "End dialin
  g" is only possible if the menu line is to be displayed, i.e. the "Menu" option is selected.

If one of the above options locks the menu item "Exit" in the flow, a button can be lin
ked to the variable "End" of the group "System" to exit the visualization as defined.
To stop the process, then click this button. To prevent unauthorized terminati
on, this button can be configured in a password-protected window.

• Frame: This determines whether the "Frame" option should be active in the flow module when the project st
  arts ("Frame Active" means that an element is framed with the mouse pointer when starting up,
  if an input is possible at this point). The setting can be set in the flow module via the
  menu item "Option| frame" when the menu bar is displayed in the visualization flow by selecting the
  "Menu" option.
• Hotkeys: Here you can configure the hotkeys to open the corresponding dialogs in the visualization sequence if
  the process does not have a menu.
• Scripts: Here you can set the timeout for synchronous read and write, as well as the maximum
  lead time of a script.
• Scroll area: If a window of the visualization project is larger than the screen boundaries, scroll bars can be displayed using this option to make all parts of the window reachable.
• Editor: For the editor, you can choose the default values of text and background colors of I/O fields. These colors appear when a new I/O field is created.
• Use the "Apply window attributes" checkbox to select the window attributes that are used to create a wi
  ndow using "Window| new" to be set. When the checkbox is activated, the attributes of the last edited window are
  taken over. If this default is deselected, VisXpert assigns other attributes.
• On-screen keyboard: Here you can choose an on-screen keyboard that will be used when the "Activate on-screen k
  eyboard" check mark of an input field is set.
• BDE functions: Here you can choose whether the BDE functions should still be available in the scripts.
• Buttons Scripts: The "Scripts" button opens the dialog for editing the scripts. 

Features| Project language...

In this dialog you have the possibility to switch the project language. 

This allows you to test in the editor whether the text boxes for static texts are large enough when switching languages.

Overview

Dynamization links properties of elements to variables. In the sequence, these element properties then change depending on the linked variable values (observe), or variable values are changed (operating) by operating actions (changing element properties).

The elements created with the VisXpert editor can be selected by selecting "Properties| dynamics" are linked to variables. A quick selection of the dynamics dialog is possible for selected elements with the key combination CTRL - D or click the right mouse button in the active window and select the pop-up menu item "Dynamics". In addition, the dynamics dialog can be started by double-clicking on an element (even for unselected elements).

Types

All variables that are present in the configuration tables of the drivers used are available for the dynamization of elements. In addition to the groups associated with a VisXpert driver, there may also be the @System groups (contains VisXpert system variables), @Script (contains user-defined script variables), and @ElementScripts (contains user-defined element scripts).

System variable

These variables are grouped in the @System group and are always available regardless of user definitions:

• Date - current date of the system clock-->String
• Current time - Time of the system clock-->String
• Edit - Status / Activation of input fields-->Boolean
• End of GP_VISU-->Boolean
• MzTable - Path of the Reporting System-->String

Dynamizing elements

The selection of a specific variable is made in the dynamics dialog via group and variable name.

The Dynamics Dialogue

To dynamize an item, select it and start the dynamics dialog by selecting the menu item "Properties| dynamics". The dynamics dialog is the same for all element types. In the left half of the window, all dynamisable properties are shown in black, and all properties that do not apply to that element type are shown in gray font. You can only define dynamics for the properties with black font.

To dynamicify a specific property of the element, click in the appropriate circle box.

For control, a hacking appears in the checkbox in front of the properties that are already provided with a dynamic. 

Connecting a property to a variable

After selecting the property (by clicking the circle in the left half of the window), the variable to which the property is connected can be determined in the right half of the dynamic dialog.

The dynamics dialog is shown in the following image:

In the upper right half of the window, one of the offered groups must be selected first with the help of list boxes and then a variable from this group. For a quick find of a specific variable in a large variable table, a quick dialing can be made within the list box by entering the first characters.

Depending on the type of dynamization, the right half of the window offers different choices, which are shown in the following sections.

For control, the type of the selected variables is displayed.

The "Delete" button can be used to undynamise the property. All information associated with the currently edited property is deleted and in the left half of the window the check mark is removed before the property.  

Automatic type conversion

When variables are used, the values are automatically converted to the expected format when passed.

If type conversion is not possible, this is detected at run time and logged in the system logbook. One possible error is to assign a string that cannot be interpreted as a number to a numeric value.

Special Functions Buttons

Three functions are available via the "Special Functions Buttons" to dynamize a button:

• Open window
• Closing windows
• Start application

For opening and closing windows, a list of all configured windows (left list) is offered. Selecting an entry moves it to the right list. The selected windows are then opened in the visualization sequence or Closed. Selecting an entry in the right list moves it from the selection back to the left to the window overview.

Other applications can be started from VisXpert via "Start Application" or it can be changed to applications that are already running. Depending on the assignment of the fields "title line" and "command line" different functions are possible:

• If only one title line is specified, a task change occurs if the specified application is included in the Windows task list (information about the task manager of Windows).
• If a program is entered only in the command line, the specified program is started each time the button is pressed. In other words, there may be multiple instances of the program.
• If you specify a title line and a command line for the same program, the program starts if it has not already started, and a task change to this program takes place.

Variable input via buttons/switches 

Set value or Reset value and enter an associated value determine which value is passed to the variable in expiration mode when the switching element is pressed.

Variables of type "Boolean" can be set ( "1" or true ), reset ("0" or false) or "togged" by "Switch value". For all other numeric variable types, a value can be specified to which the variable should be set when the button is set in the flow.

The "Control Value" option allows bool's variables to realize a "tipping operation". That is, the variable is set to "1" as long as the left mouse button is pressed, and then again to "0". This can, for example, a "hand operation" for a machine in an elegant way.

Variable input via input field

Assign a variable to the input field. In addition, you can use "Value" and "Output Value" to define a standardization of the value.

If the dynamic field is also a display field, the same standardization should be chosen for the display.

The activation of 1:1 conversion causes a direct distribution of the value within the possible value limits.

In the visualization process, the input fields are activated by a mouse click or by setting the system variable "Edit". The values specified under "Value" as minimum and maximum are checked in the flow when they are entered. If these input limits are exceeded, an error message is displayed.

Variable input via sliders

Assign a variable to the slider. A standardization of the value can be performed as with the input field.

Please note that sliders are always left (for vertical arrangement) or above (with horizontal arrangement) have their minimum value.

The function in expiration mode is also controlled by the "Properties| graphic" setting. Please refer to the relevant notes in the chapter "Editor".

Variable output via position

Assign a variable to the selected element. Scaling the displacement can be done with the "Value" to "Move by Pixels" relationship. Please note that if the variable values are corresponding, the element may be outside the visible range in expiration mode.

Variable output via filling level

Assign a variable to the selected element. The scale of the fill level can be scaled with the "Value" relationship to "Fill Level". A min value is assigned to a '%' value of the fill level and a Max value is assigned to a '%' value of the fill level. "Fill from top to bottom" or "fill from bottom to top" can be selected.

Variable output over size

Assign a variable to the selected element. The scale of the element size can be scaled with the Value to Size relationship. The direction of resizing can be defined. When set to both directions, the center axis of the element remains in the same position, regardless of its size, otherwise one of the outer boundary lines.  

Variable output via line color

Assign a variable to the selected line. You determine which color the line (or the boundary of the element) should take if the specified limits are exceeded or exceeded in the flow.

Variable output via fill color

The following two variants are available for changing the fill color:

• color change by monitoring value ranges (left display), and
• Color change by a bitmask (right representation).

Activate the "Area" variant by the corresponding checkbox. You get four color changes by entering the appropriate limits, so you can represent an element with a total of five colors. The two limits "small" are monitored for undershoot. That is, as long as the value is less than/equal to 1000 in the example shown. 3000, the corresponding colors are displayed. Between the limits, in the example at values from 3001 to 4999, the element is represented with its original fill color. The "large" limit values are finally monitored for exceeding. This means that in the example, values of 5000 or more are 70000 the corresponding colors.

Variable output via text color

Assign a variable to the selected text. You determine which color the text should take if the specified limits are exceeded or below the specified limits.

Variable output via visibility

Assign a variable to the selected item. You use two limits to determine in which ranges of values (equal to or below the limit value, between the limits, equal to the upper limit, or exceeded) the element becomes visible. Multiple ranges of values can also be selected.

Variable output via flashing

Assign a variable to the selected item. You use two limits to determine in which ranges of values (equal to or below the limit value, between the limits, equal to the upper limit or exceeded) the element is displayed flashing. Multiple ranges of values can also be selected.

Attention: The flashing display of elements is realized with a Windows timer. This means that depending on the load on your PC system, the flashing clock will be different at different speeds, or because the priority of this timer is low. Flashing elements definitely worsen the time behavior.

Variable output via display

Assign a variable to the text or output field. The display can be normalized as described in the input field. For floating-point numbers, you can specify the number of comma digits.

Import Application

This dialog gives you a list of all scripts that could not be imported when importing an application, as they are already included in the open application.

Edit item group

In this dialog, the selected member group is represented as a tree structure.

You can use it

• Edit the dynamics and graphics of the member group and its subelements (Note: Dynamics and graphics of subelements of an object cannot be edited. This is only possible with the class!)
• Edit the scripts of an item set
• Convert an object to a set of elements

Member groups of a window

In this dialog, you will see a list of all member groups of the active window as a tree structure. The scripts of the selected member group can be edited by selecting an element group and pressing the "Edit Scripts" button.

enter password

In this dialog, a password can be entered to the selected class. The password confirmation must match the password.

Enter password mandatory

In this dialog, the password for the selected class must be entered.

Enter class names

In this dialog, you can enter the name for a class. The name of the class must be unique, which means that no class or window with this name must already exist. An empty class name is not allowed.

The following characters are allowed for the class name:

• Alphanumeric characters
• Spaces
• Underscore
• Hyphen

After pressing the "Infotext" button, the dialog for entering an infotext of a class is opened, the pressing of the "Password" button opens the dialog for entering the class.

Delete class

In this dialog you will get a list of all classes that are included in the application. By selecting a class in the list and pressing the "Delete" button, you can delete the selected class. However, a class can only be deleted if the class does not serve as the base class for other classes. If objects in a class exist, they can either be converted into member groups or deleted.

Choosing class

In this dialog, all classes are displayed in table form. The table contains the following fields:

• Class (class name)
• Infotext

The selection of a class is done by selecting a row in the table and then pressing the OK button.

Class

In this dialog, all classes contained in the application are represented as a tree structure. Setting the Show Classes check mark also displays the base classes that might be included in the class. Setting the Show Objects check mark displays the objects (instances) of the class.

Class variable overview

In this dialog, all variables of the class are displayed in table form. The table contains the following fields:

• Name (name of class variable)
• Type
• Connections (sum of dynamic connections to the class variable and use of the class variable in scripts)
• Instances (number of instances of the class variable in derived classes)

Object Variable Mapping

This dialog displays the variables of one or more objects and their elements in table form.

The table contains the following fields:

• Window
• Element
• Group
• Variable
• Type
• Connections (sum of dynamic connections to the variable and use of the variable in scripts)

After selecting one or more rows in the table, the group of variables can be selected. Furthermore, in this dialog, the variable base name of an object can be changed.

Setting the "Use assignment as template" check mark results in the next time objects of this type are inserted, the variable mapping and variable creation of VisXpert variables will be done according to this template.

Project review

In this dialog, all objects or displays the elements of objects that have a variable connection to class variables instead of VisXpert variables. After selecting one or more rows in the table, the group of variables can be selected.

Infotext for class

In this dialog, an info text about the selected class can be entered.

Class update

In this dialog, all class variables that have been added during a class update are displayed in table form.

The table contains the following fields:

• Class (class name)
• Class variable
• Type (type of class variable)

Class Update Error

In this dialog, all class variables that are not type-consistent in a class update are displayed in table form.

The table contains the following fields:

• Class (class name)
• Class variable
• Type new (new type of class variable)
• Type old (old type of class variable)

Enter variable base name

In this dialog, you can use the variable base name for an object or for a class in a class.

Enter variable names

In this dialog, you can use the name for a class variable or Enter a script variable. The name must be unique, i.e. no variable with this name must already exist. An empty name is not allowed.

The following characters are allowed for the name:

• Alphanumeric characters
• Spaces
• Underscore
• Hyphen
• Slash

Enter script names

In this dialog, you can enter the name for a script. The name must be unique. An empty name is not allowed.

The following characters are allowed for the name:

• Alphanumeric characters
• Spaces
• Underscore
• Hyphen
• Slash

Choose a variable

In this dialog, you can select a VisXpert variable from the list of all variables present in the project.

Select group

In this dialog, you can select a group from the list of all the groups in the project.

Select class variable

In this dialog, you can select a class variable from the list of all class variables.

Select window

In this dialog, you can select a window from the list of all windows included in the application.

Functions through dynamics

An element can be connected to an element script in the dynamics dialog,
in which the group @ElementScripts is selected.

 After the group is selected @ElementScripts, the following elements appear:

• Toolbar for translating the script and switching to the script editor
• Display box that shows the type of function
• Input field for editing the text of the function

Translate script

The function can be translated by the button (see Help Script).

Switch to Script Dialog

The button can be used to switch to the script dialog (see Help Script).

Drawing and editing elements

The drawing mode of VisXpert can be activated via the toolbar or the edit menu by selecting the desired item type.

The element can then be drawn anywhere in a window. To do this, hover over the desired point on the artboard and press the left mouse button. If the mouse button is held, drag the pointer until the element is stretched to the desired size (the dashed outline shows you the momentary size of the element). After letting go of the left mouse button, the new element appears on the screen with preset properties (color, linetype, fill pattern, etc.).

Exception: For bitmaps and pointer instruments, just click on the position where you want the left, upper corner of the ele
ment to lie. After drawing an item, it automatically switches to select mode. To suppress this change
(e.g. drawing several elements of the same element type), it is sufficient to press the Shift button before selecting the element type and hold down this key while drawing.

Cursor

Depending on the command selected, the mouse cursor appears

• as an arrow (for selecting elements)
• as a crosshair (for drawing an element of the selected element type)
• as a crosshair over a marker point of the selected element (to scale an element)
• as a quadruple arrow (while moving selected items)
• as a double arrow (above the double frame of a window to resize)

Selecting an item

In order to change the properties of an element, the element must be selected, i.e. "selected".

Select the "Edit| Select" (or the corresponding icon from the tool box). Point to th
e desired item and press the left mouse button. The item now appears with marker points.

The following functions can be applied to a selected element:

• Changing size
• Move item
• Change properties (line, color, etc.)
• Cut, copy, delete, duplicate item
• Edit graphics
• Editing dynamics

You can select several items by selecting additional elements with the "Shift" button pressed. T
he following functions can be applied to such a selected member set:

• Move items
• Change properties (line, color, etc.)
• Deleting items
• Group items

If several elements have already been selected, individual elements can be deselected by clicking with the
"Shift" button pressed. 

Move an item

To move an item, select it, then hover over a location within the marker points of the selected item, and drag the element to the desired location with the left mouse button pressed. Whether the item can be moved immediately with the selection process, or whether a second operation of the mouse button is required, depends on the under "Options| Editor" preset.

If you have selected multiple items, the entire member set is moved. 

Scaling Items

You can resize an element by dragging the marker points of a selected element. To do this, hover over a marker point (the mouse pointer is then displayed as a crosshair) and drag the point with the left mouse button pressed until the element reaches the desired size.

To change a dimension, you use the marker points at the side boundaries of the member, and to change both dimensions
at the same time, you use the marker points at the corners of a member. During dragging, the outline of the element is displayed, after the mouse button is released, the element appears in the new size. The footer displays the current scale factor for The X and Y directions.

Grouped items are scaled together. The operation is as with individual elements.

Each selected item has at least 8 filled marker points. Individual elements have additional markers without fill. These marker spointers identify special properties of an element (vertices of a polygon, boundary points of an arc, and so on). You can change these properties by dragging at these marker points. Note: The Pointer Instrument element cannot be scaled.

Arranging elements

The button, slider, and input/output field element types are represented by standard Windows elements. These elements are always in the foreground. The overlap of standard Windows elements should be avoided because the update is organized by Windows, so the order of representation cannot be affected.

Arrange| Group

Individual elements of a window can be combined into a set of elements. Select the items to be grouped and run the "Arrange| Group" . A member set is identified by a dashed boundary line. Member groups are selected by clicking on the area of the group (that is, within the dashed line). Member groups can be regrouped with single elements or other member groups (nesting). VisXpert treats member groups as individual elements, i.e. a member group can be selected, duplicated, moved to the clipboard, or copied. For elements of an item group, the dynamics and graphics dialog can be used for both the group and individual elements of the group.

Tip: For large projects with many graphical elements in a window, it is recommended that you group related elements whose relative position is fixed to each other. These groups can then be quickly copied or dynamically dynamized together as a group (dynamic position or visibility). Of course, each element of the group still has its element-dependent dynamics at its disposal.

Arrange| Resolve grouping

This command resolves the grouping of items. Select the group by clicking within the dashed boundary line and select the menu item "Arrange | grouping".

The following commands are generally applicable only to a single selected item or member set. These commands also have no effect on the Button, Slider, and Input/Output Field element types, which are always in the foreground.

Arrange| Forward

The selected element is displayed in such a way that no part is covered by other elements. This may obscure all or part of other elements.

Arrange| Backwards

The selected element is displayed in such a way that it does not obscure other elements. The command may remove all or part of the selected item behind other elements.

Arrange| One forward

The selected element is set one level forward in the "representation hierarchy". This may make other parts of the selected element visible and completely or partially obscure other elements.

Arrange| One back

The selected element is set back one level in the "representation hierarchy". The selected item or Parts of it are obscured by other elements.

The following commands are applied to multiple items that are selected at the same time. These commands are also available for standard Windows items.

Arrange| To the left

The left margins of all selected elements are aligned to the left edge of the element that is furthest to the left.

Arrange| To the right

The right margins of all selected elements are aligned to the right edge of the element that is furthest to the right.

Arrange| To the top

The top margins of all selected elements are aligned to the top edge of the top-selected element.

Arrange| down

The bottom margins of all selected elements are aligned to the bottom of the bottom of the selected element.

Arrange| Horizontal center

The horizontal centers of all selected elements are aligned to the center between the top and bottom edges of all selected elements.

Arrange| Vertical center

The vertical centers of all selected elements are aligned to the center between the edges of the elements on the far left and right.

Arrange| Horizontal equal distance

The selected elements are aligned at the same distance in the horizontal plane.

Arrange| Vertical equal distance

The selected elements are aligned at the same distance in the vertical plane.

Arrange| Turn

A selected element can be selected via "Arrange| Rotate" or the hotkey function CTRL-R are rotated 90° in a positive direction (clockwise).

Arrange| Mirror

The "Arrange| Mirror Vertical" or "Arrange| Mirror Horizontal, the element is mirrored accordingly, with the center of the element remaining in the same position and not resizing.

When scaling with the mouse, if a marker point is dragged over the opposite X or Y axis, the element is mirrored vertically or horizontally, and also in its position (may be also in its size).

Working with the clipboard

Some of the following commands use the clipboard. Please note that there can be only one item on the clipboard at a time. This element also contains all the information about the dynamics of the element. Items that are selected from the Arrange| grouping" into a member set is treated as an element.

Edit| Undo

The last action is undone.

Edit| Restore

An undone action is performed again.

Edit| Cut

Removes the selected item from the window and transfers it to the clipboard.

Edit| Copy

Copies the selected item to the clipboard without removing it from the window.

Edit| Insert

Inserts a copy of the clipboard content into the current window.

The insertion point of the element in the current window is calculated from the window position from which it was passed to the clipboard, in addition to the offset values set for duplicate. Therefore, the inserted element may well be outside the visible area of the window.

The offset values for duplication are set via the Options| menu Editor".

Edit| Delete

Removes the selected items from the window.

Edit| Duplicate

This command creates one or more copies of the selected item. After selecting the command, a dialog box appears to determine the number and location of the copy(s).

The number of rows and columns determines the number of items to be created (rows*columns). The selected item is counted. The distance between each row (Y) and columns (X) can be freely selected. The default is the options| menu Editor set offset values for duplication.

Again, duplicated elements do not always have to be in the visible area of the window.

Edit| Delete application

Use this command to discard your current visualization project and create a new one.

Edit| Select

Use this function to select individual items. Several elements can be selected at the same time by selecting them with the "Shift" button pressed. In addition, it is possible to stretch a frame around a group of elements when the left mouse button is pressed. When the mouse button is released, all elements that are completely within the frame are selected.

Edit| Select everything

This selects all elements of the current window. Individual elements can be deselected by marking with the "Shift" button pressed.

Find and Replace

The functions allow you to find and, if necessary, replace variables in the current project. The call is made via the "Edit" menu or the following hotkeys:

• F2 - Searching for Variables
• F3 - Continue searching for variables
• F4 - Replace variable

Edit| Searching for variables

After selecting a group and a variable from the offered list boxes, the variable is searched in the current project. If the function finds the variable in the project, the first element to which the variable is linked is selected and thus selected.

Edit| Continue searching

The most recent about "Edit| Search for variables" entered search criterion is searched from the current position in the project. If the variable is found as a link to another element, this element is selected. Otherwise, the selection mark remains with the last element.

Edit| Replace variable

The function allows you to replace a variable that was previously used by the "Edit| search for variables" or which can be specified directly in the dialog.

In the dialog shown below, you can choose whether the variable

• in the selected element (after a previous, successful search, an element is automatically selected),
• in the active window or
• should be replaced throughout the entire application.

 

By specifying "*" in the "Variable" dialog boxes, all variables, i.e. replace an entire set of variables. This function is e.g. useful for exchanging a group of test variables created during configuration against the group with the actual process variables.

By inserting the character "*" at the end of a substring to the variable name, all variables with the same name start can also be replaced.

Example: Replace variable "OP10*" with "OP20*"

Overview

The VisXpert scripts are a flexible tool for program control. Editing a script in the visualization project is event-driven.

Typical applications for using scripts are:

• Mathematical linking of multiple variables
• Program-controlled or timed opening and closing of windows
• Triggering program-controlled or timed functions in the process
• Simple control functions
• Direct or indexed database access, e.g. for voice switching or recipe administrations
• Starting any Windows application
• Access to the VisXpert logbook

The syntax based on Pascal has language elements such as "if ... Then ... "case" and "while". As operands, the scripts have driver variables (and thus all process values), internal variables, and window properties. It also supports reading from text lists, making it easy to create multilingual user interfaces. The editing of a script by the program can be triggered by events such as "Open/close application" or "Open/close window", timer or variable value changes. This, for example, calculations are performed immediately when a process value is changed. A script is edited only if something changes to the data source or if its result is queried. Run Script key dynamics causes the script to work immediately.

Script Types

Because scripts run depending on specific events, different types of scripts exist. The type is accordingly used to determine whether a script, for example, run when a project is started, when a window is opened, or when the variable value changes.

The following types are available:

• Global script of the application that is always executed when the project starts ("Start")
• Global script of the application that runs before the project is finished ("Stop")
• Global script of the application that runs at a specific editing interval during the process ("timer"), as well as n scripts of the application.
• Script of a window that always runs when you open ("Start") of the respective window
• Script of a window that always runs when the window is closed ("Stop")
• Script of a window that is processed at a specific interval, when the window is open ("timer"), as well as n scripts of the window
• Script of a class that always runs when the class instance is opened ("start")
• Script of a class that always runs when closing ("stop") of each class instance
• Script of a class that is processed at a specific interval, with class instances open ("timer"), as well as n scripts of the class
• Script of a member set that always runs when the member set is opened ("start")
• Script of a member set that is always executed when the member set is closed ("stop")
• Script of a member set that is processed at a specific interval when the member set is open ("Timer"), as well as n scripts of the member group
• Variable script: A variable script returns a value to a script variable after editing; The
  defined script variables are automatically included in the "@Scripte" group and are available as other variables for the dynamization of the project.
• Item scripts: Item scripts are edited in inputs and output dynamics of elements.
• Function: A function can be called with parameters and returns a return value.

Creating scripts

Depending on the script type, the dialog box for editing scripts can be opened by the following ways:

• Menu item "Scripts| Edit scripts"
• global scripts via the "Scripts" button in the Properties| window Application"
• Window scripts using the "Properties| window dialog opened via the "Scripts" button,
  or via the menu item "Window Scripts" of the right mouse button menu
• Class scripts from the "Class Scripts" menu of the right-hand button menu
• Scripts of member groups via the menu item "Scripts" of the right mouse button menu with selected member group

You create your script using the following dialog:

When you re-enter a script variable, you first assign the name and then select a variable type from the existing checkboxes. A variable of this type must be assigned to the script variable in the script using the Return function. Application, class, window scripts, and character group scripts do not have a variable type.

When working in the text window, clicking the right mouse button opens a menu that provides the following functions:

• Undo: This allows the last edit action to be undone.
• Search: You can specify a term to search for in the script.
• Continue searching: This function can be used to search for a search term that has already been specified.
• Replace: Replace one term with another.
• Window: If the program requires the specification of a window name, a list of all available windows can be called up via this command. By double-clicking a name or selecting a name and pressing the OK button, the desired name is inserted into the text at the cursor position.
• GP_Variable: Here you get a selection list of all available variables. If a group is selected in the left list, all variables contained in that group appear in the right list. The adoption of a variable name is also done here either by double-clicking on the corresponding name or selecting the name and clicking on "OK".
• Element: Here you get a dialog to select an element.
• Element: Here you get a dialog to select a function.
• Help index: This is the help text for the scripts.
• Class variable: This allows you to choose a class variable in class scripts.
• Context help: Context help uses the term at the current cursor position as the search term in the help index.

After editing the script, a translation run must be started by clicking the "Translate" button. Syntactic errors appear in the header of the text window. If the translation is successful, "O.K." will appear.

For syntactic control of all scripts of a project, the editor can use the menu item "Scripts| Scripts Translate" a dialog box. After the translation run starts, all scripts are translated one at a time. The result of the translation is visualized in a list box. All scripts labeled "O.K." could be translated correctly.

if … then … else .. endif

The "IF" instruction must be followed by a Boolean expression. The program execution continues depending on the result of this printout. With "true" the statement part between THEN and ELSE is processed, with "false" the statement part between ELSE and ENDIF. The use of ELSE is optional.

Caution: No comparison operators (=,>, <, ..) may be specified when querying Boolean values. The query is made directly on the variable (query for "true") or with the NOT operator (query for "false").

Example:

long a, b
bool c   if a > 0 then
        b := 1
else
        b := 2
endif  
if c then
        b := 3
endif  

switch … case .. default .. end

The "SWITCH" instruction must be followed by an expression of the "integer", "long", "double" or "integer" type. This expression is compared with the constants that each follow a case label. If a comparison is "true", the program part is processed until the next case, default or end. If you don't want any further queries after a fulfilled comparison, the command “break” must appear at the end of the statement block.

As with the IF… THEN… ENDIF statement, no comparison operators (=,>, <, ..) may be specified when querying Boolean values. The query is made directly on the variable (query for "true") or with the NOT operator (query for "false").

Example:

long a
string s

 switch a
    case 0:
        s := ‘NULL’
        break
    case 1:
        s := ‚EINS’
        break
    default:
        s := ‚ZU VIEL’
end

while … do .. enddo

The "WHILE" statement must be followed by a Boolean expression. The instruction part between DO and ENDDO is executed until the result of this expression is "false".

The loop can be broken off with the "break" command. The “continue” command causes program processing to be continued with the query.

Example:

long a, b

while a < 10 Do
a := a + 1
if a mod 2 = 0 then
continue
endif  b := b + 3
enddo

Runtime

GP_Visu edits the application and window scripts according to the associated and described events above.

Caution: Variable scripts (scripts that provide a value for a variable from the @Script group) are only edited in the process if their variable value is required in the application. That is, the script variable must be attached to the dynamics of an object in a visible window or linked in another active script for the associated script to be edited.
A variable script (dynamic connection to a visible object) required by the application is processed each time a variable is queried in the script.

Example:

Script variable: SUM, Type: GANZZAHL

long S

S := "SPS1:ISTMENGE" + "SPS2:ISTMENGE"

debug('*** Editing Script SUM ***')

return S

The Script executes when:

• The variable "SKRIPT:SUM" is associated with an object, e.g. a text box with the "Display" dynamic.
• The window with the linked object is visible (in the foreground).
• Value of "SPS1:ISTMENGE" or "SPS2:ISTMENGE" changes.

If you want to check if or how often a script has been executed during Runtime, insert a debug function into the script, as shown in the example. You can then use the logbook of the communication module to observe the editing of the script.

Arithmetic operators

operator	operation	Operand type	Result type
+	addition	Long, double	Long, double
-	subtraction	Long, double	Long, double
*	multiplication	Long, double	Long, double
/	division	Long, double	Long, double
Mod	Modulo	Long	Long

Mod calculates the integer remainder of a divisionExample:       3 Mod 2 => 1
4 Mod 2 => 0
10 Mod 3 => 1 

Boolean operators

operator	operation	Operand type	Result type
Not	Boolean negation	Bool	Bool
And	Boolean AND	Bool	Bool
Or	Boolean OR	Bool	Bool
Xor	boolean antivalence	Bool	Bool

Logical operators

operator	operation	Operand type	Result type
Not	bitwise negation	Long	Long
And	bitwise AND	Long	Long
Or	bitwise OR	Long	Long
Xor	bitwise antivalence	Long	Long
<var> Shl x	Slide left	Long	Long
<var> Shr x	Slide right	Long	Long

X = number of places to be moved

Relational operators

operator	operation	Operand type	Result type
=	equal	compatible types	Bool
<>	unequal	compatible types	Bool
<	smaller	compatible types	Bool
>	greater	compatible types	Bool
<=	less than / equal	compatible types	Bool
> =	greater or equal	compatible types	Bool

String operators

operator	operation	Operand type	Result type
+	addition	String	String

Assignments

Assignments replace the value of a variable with a new value that is specified via an expression.
The expression must be compatible with the type of the variable.

The assignment is identified by the operator ": =".

variables

Variable names can consist of numbers and letters in any order. A name that consists only of digits is not permitted. No distinction is made between upper and lower case. The length of the name is not mandatory.

The definition is made by specifying the type followed by the variable name. Several variables of the same type can be defined one after the other. The individual names must be separated by commas.Example:
String name, path
long count
window win  

Array

Variables can also be defined as an array. The array size is placed after the name in square brackets:
long numarr [16] 

Block

A block consists of any sequence of numbers, strings and boolean values. The maximum length of such a block is 65,496 bytes. 

Boolean

The “Boolean” type can have two states. All non-zero values ​​are true, the value zero is false. The words true and false are reserved for entering Boolean constants.

Caution: When querying Boolean values, for example with IF ... THEN ... ENDIF, no comparison operators (=,>, <, ..) may be specified. The query is made directly on the variable (e.g. IF BOOL1 THEN ..., query on true) or with the NOT operator (e.g. IF NOT BOOL1 THEN ...., query on false). 

Double

Floating point numbers are determined by the type "Double". This is an 8 byte IEEE floating point number with 15-digit precision.

Value range: 1.7 * 10 -308 to 1.7 * 10 +308

The floating point numbers can be specified in decimal or exponential notation. The exponent is introduced by e or E. The number cannot contain any spaces.

Example: 1.234, .015, -1.345E + 3

GraphPic variables

GraphPic variables are specified in plain text within the script and must be delimited by double quotes. First the group name and then the variable name, separated by a colon:

"Internal: Wert1" {Variable Wert1 from the group Internal}

Long

As usual with GraphPic, all integer values ​​are treated as 4 byte numbers with a sign.

Value range: -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647.

All integer numbers can also be specified in hexadecimal (prefixed 0x) or octal (prefixed 0).

Example: 0x1A, 035

Static variables

Script variables only retain their value during a run. The next time the script is called, the variables are set to zero values ​​again. If values ​​are to be retained throughout the project, the type specification must be preceded by the keyword "static" in the variable declaration. Static variables are only initialized to zero values ​​at the start of the project:

static long l1 {retains its value}

long l2 {is set to zero with every run}

String

A string is a sequence of zero or more ASCII characters. The string can have a length of up to 65,498 characters and is terminated with a null character. If a constant string is entered, it must be limited by single quotation marks.

Example: 'I am a string'.

If a string is to contain characters that cannot be displayed (e.g. line feed), escape sequences can be entered. The escape sequences begin with a backslash (\).

A backslash in combination with octal or hexadecimal numbers represents the ASCII or control code that corresponds to this value. A carriage return can be represented by '\ x0D', for example. If a backslash is to be used in the string, it must be doubled (\\). This is necessary, for example, when specifying directory paths. The following table contains all escape sequences:

sequence	value	character	importance
\ a	0x07	BEL	Alarm tone
\ b	0x08	BS	Backspace
\ f	0x0C	FF	Form feed
\ n	0x0A	LF	Line feed
\ r	0x0D	CR	Carriage return
\ t	0x09	HT	Horizontal tab
\ v	0x0B	VT	Vertical tab
l \\	0x5C	\	Backslash
\ '	0x27	'	Single apostrophe
\ ”	0x22	"	Double apostrophe
\?	0x3F	?	Question mark
\ 0			Octal number
\ x			Hexadecimal number
\ X			Hexadecimal number

Window

The type "window" occupies 2 bytes of memory and contains an index to a GraphPic window. This must be specified in plain text in the script and must be enclosed by double quotation marks.

Comments

Any number of comments can be added to the script. The comments are separated from the program part by curly brackets. Comments can span several lines and be in the middle of a sequence of instructions. Nesting of comments is possible. Single-line comments are introduced by 2 consecutive slashes.

Commands

The following section provides an overview of all the features of the VisXpert scripting language. All entries have the same shape, but one or the other entry may be missing. The database functions for accessing paradox tables are described in the following chapter. 

Example

Declaration:

Describes the formal declaration. If the function has a return value, it precedes the function name. The parameters are described by a type specification and the parameter name.

Function:

Describes the effect of the function.

Cross:

Refers to similar functions or functions related to the described.

Example:

A brief program example that uses the function described.

VisXpert uses dBase-compliant file structures for the internal database. The tables can be stored on the hard disk or created in the main memory. If the file is created in the main memory, the data is lost after the program ends. Whether a file is created in memory or on the hard disk can be determined by the name. A file in memory starts with the path '$MEM'.

For the table functions, a variable of type DBTBL can be declared in a script. All table functions are then addressed together with the name of the variable, a period, and the name of the function.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')

 

Append

Declaration: bool dbtbl. Append (dbrec record)

 

Hangs a new record at the end of the file and writes the contents of the record buffer to the record.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
ldbrec re
cbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
rec.empty
ok := tbl.append(rec)
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Bufopen

Declaration: bool dbtbl. Bufopen(dbrec record)

 

Opens the record buffer record and maps it to the table.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
ldbrec re
cbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
rec.empty
ok := tbl.append(rec)
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Close

Declaration: bool dbtbl.close

 

Closes the file. The table variable is set to NULL. All other accesses that are performed before an open will return an error.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
ldbrec re
cbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
rec.empty
ok := tbl.append(rec)
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Create

Declaration: bool dbtbl. Create(string name, string descr)

 

Creates a new file. If the name starts with '$MEM', the file is created only in main memory.

The structure of the file is determined by descr. The field descriptions are separated by semicolon. A field description consists of field name (max. 10 characters), field type, and optional decimal places for numeric fields. The possible field types are:

 

Field

Description

Field length

Decimal

c

Alphanumeric

1 - 255

-

N

Digital

1 - 19

Max. Field length - 2

D

Date

8

-

l

Logic field

1

-

 

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
ldbrec re
cbool ok

tbl.create('$MEMList.dbf', 'Name,C,10; Value,N,6,2;Date,D,8'
)tbl.bufopen(rec
)rec.empt
yok := tbl.append(rec
)rec.clos
etbl.close

 

Delete

Declaration: bool dbtbl.delete

 

Marks the current set as deleted. The set pointer must first be positioned correctly with Goto, First, Last, Next, or Prev. A final deletion of the record is only performed by calling the Pack function.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
lbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.goto(4)
ok := tbl.delete
tbl.pack
tbl.close

 

First

Declaration: bool dbtbl.first

 

The sentence pointer is placed on the first sentence.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
lbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.first
ok := tbl.delete
tbl.pack
tbl.close

 

Goto

Declaration: bool dbtbl.goto(long recnr)

 

The sentence pointer is set to the set recnr.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
lbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.goto(4)
ok := tbl.delete
tbl.pack
tbl.close

 

Get

Declaration: bool dbtbl. Get (dbrec record)

 

Reads the current record set from the file into the record buffer. The set pointer must first be positioned correctly with Goto, First, Last, Next, or Prev.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
string s

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
tbl.get(rec)
s := rec.ascii(1)
rec.ascii(1) := '123'
rec.close
tbl.close

 

GetNumIdx

Declaration: bool dbtbl.
GetNumIdx(dbrec record
, long field, long num)

 

Finds the first set whose numeric value in the field is num. If a sentence is found, it is read from the file into the record buffer. Because this is an index function, it can only be executed if the SetIndex function for the field has been called before.

It is recommended that you run SetIndex before each call to GetNumIdx (see example).

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
string s

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
tbl.setindex(1)
tbl.getnumidx(rec, 1, 23)
s := rec.ascii(2)
rec.close
tbl.close

 

GetNumKey

Declaration: bool dbtbl.
GetNumKey(dbrec record
, long field, long num)

 

Finds the first set whose numeric value in the field is num. If a sentence is found, it is read from the file into the record buffer.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
string s

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf'
)tbl.bufopen(rec
)if tbl.getnumkey(rec, 1, 23)the
n s := rec.ascii(2)
endif
rec.close
tbl.close

 

GetStrIdx

Declaration: bool dbtbl.
GetStrIdx(dbrec record,
long field, string str)

 

Finds the first set whose alphanumeric value in the field field corresponds to the string str. If a sentence is found, it is read from the file into the record buffer. Because this is an index function, it can only be executed if the SetIndex function for the field has been called before.

It is recommended that you run SetIndex before each call to GetStrIdx (see example).

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
string s

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
tbl.setindex(1)
tbl.getstridx(rec, 1, 'Search for me')
s := rec.ascii(2)
rec.close
tbl.close

 

GetStrKey

Declaration: bool dbtbl.
GetStrKey(dbrec record,
long field, string str)

 

Finds the first set whose alphanumeric value in the field field corresponds to the string str. If a sentence is found, it is read from the file into the record buffer.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
string s

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf'
)tbl.bufopen(rec
)if tbl.getstrkey(rec, 1, 'Search for me') the
n s := rec.ascii(2)
endif
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Import

Declaration: bool dbtbl
. Import (string file,
string delim, bool skip)

 

Imports the CSV file file into the table. Delim specifies the valid separator, usually comma or semicolon. If skip is true, the column description of the CSV file is ignored and the first column of the CSV file is mapped to the first field, and so on.

If the column description is used, it searches for fields of the same name and only inherits the data whose column description corresponds to a field name.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
lbool ok

tbl.create('$MEMali
st1.dbf', 'Operand,C,
10;'   + 'Symbolism,C
,10;'  + 'Text,C,40;'
      + 'Class,N,3;' 
    + 'Art,C,40;'    
   + 'Funk,C,1')

ok := tbl.import('C:filesalarms1.csv', ',', false)
tbl.close

 

Insert

Declaration: bool dbtbl. Insert (dbrec record)

 

Inserts a new record to the current location and writes the contents of the record buffer to the record. The set pointer must first be positioned correctly with Goto, First, Last, Next, or Prev.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
ldbrec re
cbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
rec.empty
tbl.first
ok := tbl.insert(rec)
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Last

Declaration: bool dbtbl.last

 

The sentence pointer is set to the last sentence.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
lbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.last
ok := tbl.delete
tbl.pack
tbl.close

 

Next

Declaration: bool dbtbl.next

 

The sentence pointer is set to the next sentence.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
lbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf'
)ok := tbl.firs
twhile ok d
o ok := tbl.next
enddo
tbl.close

 

nRecs

Declaration: long dbtbl.nrecs

 

Returns the number of existing records.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
llong q

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
q := tbl.nrecs
tbl.close

 

Open

Declaration: bool dbtbl.open(string File)

 

Opens an existing file file.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
lbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.first
ok := tbl.delete
tbl.pack
tbl.close

 

Pack

Declaration: bool dbtbl. Pack

 

All records previously marked Delete for deletion are permanently deleted from the file. The data sets further back move forward.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
lbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.first
ok := tbl.delete
tbl.pack
tbl.close

 

Prev

Declaration: bool dbtbl.prev

 

The sentence pointer is placed on the sentence in front of it.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
lbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf'
)ok := tbl.las
twhile ok d
o ok := tbl.prev
enddo
tbl.close

 

RecNum

Declaration: long dbtbl.recnum

 

Returns the number of the current set (position of the sentence pointer).

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
llong nu
mbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf'
)ok := tbl.last
num := tbl.recnum
tbl.close

 

Resident

Declaration: bool dbtbl.resident

 

Leaves a file created in memory even after closing it. It can then be reopened by other scripts. The data will remain in place until the gateway ends or until the project is closed.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
llong an
zbool ok

tbl.create('$MEMali
st1.dbf', 'Operand,C,
10;'   + 'Symbolism,C
,10;'  + 'Text,C,40;'
      + 'Class,N,3;' 
    + 'Art,C,40;'    
   + 'Funk,C,1')

tbl.resident
tbl.zap
ok := tbl.import('C:filesalarms1.csv', ',', false)
tbl.close

tbl.open('$MEMalist1.dbf')
anz := tbl.nRecs
tbl.close

 

ResidentEx

Declaration: bool dbtbl. ResidentEx(long type)

 

Leaves a file created in memory even after closing it. It can then be reopened by other scripts. The data is retained depending on the type:

 

Value (type)

Description

0

Table not resident

1

Table until project end resident

2

Table resident to gateway end or until the project closes

 

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
llong an
zbool ok

tbl.create('$MEMali
st1.dbf', 'Operand,C,
10;'   + 'Symbolism,C
,10;'  + 'Text,C,40;'
      + 'Class,N,3;' 
    + 'Art,C,40;'    
   + 'Funk,C,1')

tbl.residentEx(1)
tbl.zap
ok := tbl.import('C:filesalarms1.csv', ',', false)
tbl.close

tbl.open('$MEMalist1.dbf')
anz := tbl.nRecs
tbl.close

 

Setindex

Declaration: bool dbtbl. SetIndex(long field)

 

Sets an index to the field. A table can have one index per field.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
string s

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
tbl.setindex(1)
tbl.getstridx(rec, 1, 'Search for me')
s := rec.ascii(2)
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Update

Declaration: bool dbtbl. Update (dbrec record)

 

Writes the contents of the record record record to the current record. The set pointer must first be positioned correctly with Goto, First, Last, Next, or Prev.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
ldbrec re
cbool ok

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
rec.empty
tbl.first
ok := tbl.update(rec)
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Zap

Declaration: bool dbtbl. Zap

 

Deletes all records in the table.

The function returns true if it could be executed correctly.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.zap
tbl.close

 

Record functions for the internal database

For the record functions, a variable of type 'DBREC' can be declared in a script. All record functions are then addressed together with the name of the variable, a period, and the name of the function.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
rec.close

 

Ascii

Declaration: string dbrec. Ascii (long field)

 

Retrieves or writes the field field from the record buffer or into the record buffer. Regardless of the field type, the field is edited in ASCII.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
string s

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
tbl.get(rec)
s := rec.ascii(1)
rec.ascii(1) := '123'
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Alpha

Declaration: string dbrec. Alpha (long field)

 

Retrieves or writes the field field from the record buffer or into the record buffer. The field must be of type 'C' (character, alphanumeric).

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
string s       

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
tbl.get(rec)
s := rec.alpha(1)
rec.alpha(1) := 'writing'
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Bool

Declaration: bool dbrec. Bool (long field)

 

Retrieves or writes the field field from the record buffer or into the record buffer. The field must be of type 'L' (Logical).

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
ldbrec r
ecbool b

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
tbl.get(rec)
b := rec.bool(2)
rec.bool(2) := true
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Close

Declaration: dbrec. Close

 

Closes the record buffer and frees the memory used.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
string s

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
tbl.get(rec)
s := rec.ascii(3)
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Date

Declaration: string dbrec. Date(long field)

 

Retrieves or writes the field field from the record buffer or into the record buffer. The field must be of type 'D' (Date).

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
string s

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
tbl.get(rec)
s := rec.date(3)
rec.date(3) := '13.04.1961'
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Empty

Declaration: dbrec. Empty

 

Deletes the contents of the record buffer.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
string s

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
rec.empty
tbl.append(rec)
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Long

Declaration: long dbrec. Long (long field)

 

Retrieves or writes the field field from the record buffer or into the record buffer. The field must be of type 'N' (Numeric) without coma places.

 

Example:

dbtbl tb
ldbrec r
eclong l

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
tbl.get(rec)
l := rec.long(4)
rec.long(4) := 455
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Putblank

Declaration: dbrec. PutBlank (long field)

 

Writes an empty value to the field in the record buffer.

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
string s

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
tbl.get(rec)
s := rec.date(3)
rec.putblank(3)
rec.close
tbl.close

 

Real

Declaration: double dbrec. Real (long field)

 

Retrieves or writes the field field from the record buffer or into the record buffer. The field must be of type 'N' (Numeric).

 

Example:

dbtbl tbl
dbrec rec
double d

tbl.open('c:filesdata.dbf')
tbl.bufopen(rec)
tbl.get(rec)
d := rec.real(5)
rec.real(5) := 123.45
rec.close
tbl.close

 

GridSetSqlStmt

Declaration: GridRefresh(string Win, string Elem, string Stmt)

Function: Sets the SQL statement stmt of the data grid specified by Elem in the Win window.

Cross-reference: GridRefresh

Example:

GridSetSqlStmt('Fenster_1', 'Datengrid_1', 'select * from P_VALUES')

GridRefresh('Fenster_1', 'Datengrid_1')

 

GridRefresh

Declaration: GridRefresh(string Win, string Elem)

Function: Refreshes the data grid specified by Elem in the Win window.

Cross:

Example:

GridRefresh('Fenster_1', 'Datengrid_1')

 

GridGetCol

Declaration: long GridGetCol(string Win, string Elem)

Function: Returns the currently selected column of the data grid specified by Elem in the Win window (if no column is selected, -1 is supplied ...).

Cross-reference: GridSetCol

Example:

long l

l := GridGetCol('Fenster_1', 'Datengrid_1')

 

 

GridGetRow

Declaration: long GridGetRow(string Win, string Elem)

Function: Returns the currently selected data record of the data grid specified by Elem in the Win window (for the first record 0 is supplied ...).

Cross:

Example:

long l

l := GridGetRow('Fenster_1', 'Datengrid_1')

GridGetText

Declaration: string GridGetCol(string Win, string Elem)

Function: Returns the contents of the column where the cursor is located.

Cross-reference: GridSetText

Example:

string s

s := GridGetText('Fenster_1', 'Datengrid_1')

GridSetCol

Declaration: GridSetCol(string Win, string Elem, long Col)

Function: Sets the currently selected column of the data grid specified by Elem to Col in the Win window.

Cross-reference: GridGetCol

Example:

GridSetCol('Fenster_1', 'Datengrid_1', 2)

 

GridSetRow

Declaration: GridSetRow(string Win, string Elem, long Row)

Function: Sets the currently selected data record of the data grid specified by Elem to Row in the Win window (for the first record 0 must be passed ...).

Cross:

Example:

GridSetRow('Fenster_1', 'Datengrid_1', 5)

GridSetText

Declaration: GridSetText(string Win, string Elem, string Txt)

Function: Sets the contents of the column in which the cursor is located to Txt.

Cross:

Example: GridGetText

GridSetText('Fenster_1', 'Datengrid_1', 'Test')

 

 

Block operations allow you to manipulate data Blocks from an PLC. An Block is basically an Array of Bytes, that can be manipulated via the functions below. This allows you to write complex data structures into these blocks, that then get sent to the corresponding controllers. This allows you for example to send Strings or other data structures into the controllers.

These functions are usually used in three steps:

1. Create an new block by calling "NewBlock(<blocklength>)
2. Manipulate this new block by calling any of the functions below
3. Write the block that was created by "NewBlock" to the controller via assigning it to an VisXpert Varaible or by calling SetGPBlock

Blocksize

Declaration	long Blocksize (block b)
Function	Returns the length of block b.
Cross	NewBlock
Example	block b long size b := newblock(1024) size := blocksize(b)

 BlockToStr

Declaration	string BlockToStr(block b)
Function	Converts the b bytewise to a string (hexadecimal representation).
Cross	StrToBlock
Example	block b string s   b := NewBlock(2) SetBlockNum(b, 0, 1, false, 1) SetBlockNum(b, 1, 1, false, 2) s := BlockToStr(b)

GetBlockNum

Declaration	long GetBlockNum(block b, long pos, long size, bool sign)
Function	Reads an integer number from block b from the position pos where the count starts at 0. Size is the number of bytes to be read out and whether the number is signed. Valid formats are:
Cross	GetBlockStr, SetBlockNum
Example	block b long l string s b := "SPS1:DATA BLOCK" l := getblocknum(b, 0, 2, false) s := getblockstr(b, 2, l)

Size	Sign	Type
1	true	Bytes -128 - +127
1	False	Bytes 0 - 255
2	true	Integer -32,768 - 32,767
2	False	Word 0 - 65,535
4	true	Long -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647

GetBlockStr

Declaration	string GetBlockStr(block b, long pos, long size)
Function	Reads a string from block b from the position pos where the count starts at 0. Size is the number of bytes to be read out. The string automatically closes with a null character
Cross	GetBlockNum, SetBlockStr
Example	block b long l string s   b := "SPS1:DATA BLOCK" l := getblocknum(b, 0, 2, false) s := getblockstr(b, 2, l)

GetBlockStrSwap

Declaration	string GetBlockStrSwap(block b, long pos, long size)
Function	Reads a string from block b from the position pos where the count starts at 0. Size is the number of bytes (straight-numbered) to be read out. The bytes are exchanged and the string is automatically completed with a zero character.
Cross	GetBlockStr, SetBlockStr
Example	block b long l string s   b := "SPS1:DATA BLOCK" l := getblocknum(b, 0, 2, false) s := getblockstrswap(b, 2, l)

NewBlock

Declaration	block NewBlock(long size)
Function	Creates a new block with size bytes in length. If the desired space cannot be provided, a blank block of 0 length is created. The maximum size of a block is 65,496 bytes.
Cross	Blocksize, SetBlockNum, SetBlockStr
Example	block b   b := newblock(1024) if blocksize(b) = 0 then   debug('Crap, no memory free') Endif

SetBlockNum

Declaration	SetBlockNum(block b, long pos, long size, bool sign,long x)
Function	Writes the integer number x to block b from the position pos where the count starts at 0. Size is the number of bytes to be written and whether the number is signed. Valid formats are
Cross	GetBlockStr, GetBlockNum
Example	block b b := newblock(128) setblocknum(b, 0, 1, false, 6) setblockstr(b, 1, 6, 'ABCDEF')

Size	Sign	Type
1	true	Bytes -128 - +127
1	False	Bytes 0 - 255
2	true	Integer -32,768 - 32,767
2	False	Word 0 - 65,535
4	true	Long -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647

SetBlockStr

Declaration	SetBlockStr(block b, long pos, long size, string x)
Function	Writes the string x to block b from the position pos where the count starts at 0. Size is the number of bytes to be written
Cross	GetBlockNum, GetBlockStr
Example	block b b := newblock(128) setblocknum(b, 0, 1, 6, false) setblockstr(b, 1, 6, 'ABCDEF')

StrToBlock

Declaration	string BlockToStr(block b)
Function	Converts the string s (hexadecimal representation) to a block.
Cross:	BlockToStr
Example:	block b string s   s:= '01020304' b := StrToBlock(s)

AnsiToOem

Declaration:	string AnsiToOem (string text)
Function:	Reads the string text, carries out a type conversion of the individual characters and returns a string with characters according to the OEM conventions.
Cross reference:	OemToAnsi
Example:	string TEXTTEXT: = ansitooem ('Similarities are no coincidence')

Debug

Declaration:	Debug (string text)
Function:	Writes the string text in the logbook.
Example:	if "SPS1: pressure"> 100 then debug ('pressure too high!') endif

EditCancel

Declaration:	EditCancel
Function:	Discards the value of the input fields and exits the edit mode.
Example:	EditCancel

EditCommit

Declaration:	EditCommit
Function:	Accepts the value of the input fields in the connected GraphPic variables and exits the edit mode.
Example:	EditCommit

Exec

Declaration:	Exec (string command)
Function:	Starts another application. The file name and optional parameters are passed in the command string.
Example:	exec ('notepad.exe info.txt')

GetComputerName

Declaration:	string GetComputerName
Function:	Returns a string with the computer name
Cross reference:
Example:	string ss: = GetComputerName

GetEditfeld

Declaration:	string GetEditfeld
Function:	Returns a string with the name of the active edit field
Cross reference:	SetEditfeld
Example:	string ss: = geteditfeld

GetVisuTitle

Declaration:	string GetVisuTitle
Function:	Returns the title of the current HMI visu Window. this allows you to distinguish between multiple HMI runtimes. Mostly used in Multi monitor situations
Example:	string ss: = GetVisuTitle

GetKeyState

Declaration:	long GetKeyState (long nVirtKey)
Function:	The nVirtKey parameter specifies the virtual key. The keys A to Z correspond to the ASCII characters A - Z, i.e. the value 0x41 - 0x5A The keys 0 to 9 correspond to the ASCII characters 0 - 9, i.e. the value 0x30 - 0x39 The F key assignment is shown in hex form from F1 0x70 to F24 0x87 return value : If bit 7 is set, the key is pressed. If bit 0 is set, the key has been toggled. A key such as CAPS-LOCK provides the status switched when it is on. The key is not pressed and not toggled when bit 0 is equal to 0. Further functions can be found on the web under “nVirtKey table”. All Virtual key codes can be found here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/inputdev/virtual-key-codes
Example:	long l, nVirtKey nVirtKey: = 0x01 l: = GetKeyState (nVirtKey) if ((l and 0x80) = 0x80) then   debug ('Left mouse button is pressed') endif nVirtKey: = 0x02 l: = GetKeyState (nVirtKey) if ((( l and 0x80) = 0x80) then   debug ('right mouse button is pressed') endif nVirtKey: = 0x04 l: = GetKeyState (nVirtKey) if ((l and 0x80) = 0x80) then   debug ('middle mouse button is pressed') endif

Constant	Value	Description
vbKeyLButton	0x1	Left mouse button
vbKeyRButton	0x2	Right mouse button
vbKeyCancel	0x3	CANCEL BUTTON
vbKeyMButton	0x4	Middle Mouse Button
vbKeyBack	0x8	BACKSPACE
vbKeyTab	0x9	TAB key
vbKeyClear	0xC	DELETE key
vbKeyReturn	0xD	ENTER
vbKeyShift	0x10	SHIFT
vbKeyControl	0x11	CTRL key
vbKeyMenu	0x12	MENU BUTTON
vbKeyPause	0x13	PAUSE KEY
vbKeyCapital	0x14	CAPS Lock key
vbKeyEscape	0x1B	ESC KEY
vbKeySpace	0x20	SPACEBAR
vbKeyPageUp	0x21	PAGE UP KEY
vbKeyPageDown	0x22	PAGE DOWN KEY
vbKeyEnd	0x23	END KEY
vbKeyHome	0x24	HOME KEY
vbKeyLeft	0x25	LEFTARROW KEY
vbKeyRight	0x26	RIGHT ARROW KEY
vbKeyUp	0x27	UP KEY
vbKeyDown	0x28	DOWN KEY
vbKeySelect	0x29	SELECTION KEY
vbKeyPrint	0x2A	Print key
vbKeyExecute	0x2B	Run button
vbKeySnapshot	0x2C	snapshot button
vbKeyInsert	0x2D	INSERT key
vbKeyDelete	0x2E	delete button
vbKeyHelp	0x2F	HELP BUTTON
vbKeyNumlock	0x90	NUM LOCK

GetLastErrNo

Declaration:	long GetLastErrNo
Function:	The function returns an error number if it is called after direct access to PLC operands (GETGP…, SETGP…), after an indirect window operation (OpenWinEx…) or after DbQuery / DbExec. If the operation is carried out correctly, 0 is returned, in the event of an error a value> <0.
Cross reference:	GetGpBlock., SetGpBlock, OpenWinEx, GetLastErrStr

GetLastErrStr

Declaration:	string GetLastErrStr
Function:	The function returns an error number if it is called after direct access to PLC operands (GETGP…, SETGP…), after an indirect window operation (OpenWinEx…) or after DbQuery / DbExec. If the operation is carried out correctly, an empty string is returned; in the event of an error, an error text is returned.
Cross reference:	GetGpBlock, SetGpBlock, OpenWinEx, GetLastErrNo

GetMousePosX

Declaration:	GetMousePosX (window win)
Function:	Returns the X value of the mouse cursor when the cursor is in the window designated by win.
Cross reference:	GetMousePosY, GetMousePosXEx, GetMousePosYEx
Example:	Long x x: = GetMousePosX ("Window_1")

GetMousePosXEx

Declaration:	GetMousePosXEx (string win)
Function:	Returns the X value of the mouse cursor when the cursor is in the window designated by win.
Cross reference:	GetMousePosYEx, GetMousePosX, GetMousePosY
Example:	Long x x: = GetMousePosXEx ('Window_1')

GetMousePosY

Declaration:	GetMousePosY (window win)
Function:	Returns the Y-value of the mouse cursor when the cursor is in the window designated by win.
Cross reference:	GetMousePosX, GetMousePosXEx, GetMousePosYEx
Example:	Long y y: = GetMousePosY ("Window_1")

GetMousePosYEx

Declaration:	GetMousePosYEx (string win)
Function:	Returns the Y-value of the mouse cursor when the cursor is in the window designated by win.
Cross reference:	GetMousePosXEx, GetMousePosX, GetMousePosY
Example:	Long yy: = GetMousePosYEx ('Window_1')

GetPrjDir

Declaration:	string GetPrDir
Function:	Returns the project path. Always returns the directory where the GpMainPj.xml file is located, always terminated with an "\". for example: C:\Projects\HMIArea1\
Example:	string prjDirprjDir: = GetPrjDir

GetScriptLineNo

Declaration:	long GetScriptLineNo
Function:	Returns the line number of the currently executed script
Cross reference	GetScriptLineText
example	long nLineNo string szText   nLineNo: = GetScriptLineNo szText: = GetScriptLineText (nLineNo)

GetScriptLineText

Declaration:	string GetScriptLineText (long nLineNo)
Function:	Returns the line nLineNo currently executing scripts.
Cross reference:	GetScriptLineNo
Example:	long nLineNo string szText   nLineNo: = GetScriptLineNo szText: = GetScriptLineText (nLineNo)

GetScriptName

Declaration:	string GetScriptName
Function:	Returns the name of the currently executed script.
Cross reference:
Example:	string szScript szScript: = GetScriptName

 

GetSystemLanguage

Declaration:	long GetSystemLanguage
Function:	Returns the language ID of the operating system.
Cross reference:
Example:	long nLangId nLangId: = GetSystemLanguage

GetUserName

Declaration:	string GetUserName
Function:	Returns the name of the user who is currently logged in.
Cross reference:	GetUserPrivs
Example:	string useruser: = GetUserName

GetUserPrivs

Declaration:	long GetUserPrivs
Function:	Returns the rights of the currently logged in user.
Cross reference:	GetUserName
Example:	long privsprivs: = GetUserPrivs

GetVarComment

Declaration:	string GetVarComment (string Var)
Function:	Returns the variable comment of the variable specified by the string Var (format 'group name: variable name').
Cross reference:
Example:	string szVarComment szVarComment: = GetVarComment ('Mem: Var1')

GetVarGroup

Declaration:	string GetVarGroup (string szWin, string szObj)
Function:	Returns the variable group of the dynamics of the specified element szObj in the szWin window. If the element is bound to different GraphPic variable groups ??? delivered.
Cross reference:	SetVarGroup
Example:	string szGrp szGrp: = GetVarGroup ('Window_1', 'Text_1')

Log in

Declaration:	Log in
Function:	Opens the dialog box for logging in a user.
Cross reference:	Logout
Example:	Log in

Logout

Declaration:	Logout
Function:	Logs out the currently logged in user.
Cross reference:	Log in
Example:	Logout

MessageBox       

Declaration:	long MessageBox (string text, string title, long style)
Function:	A message box window with the "title" is generated and displayed. The string text is output in the window. The messagebox can be provided with different buttons and icons. This appearance is defined with the "style" parameter.

If the value 0 is specified for “style”, an application-modal message box is created without an icon and with an OK button. "Style" can also be a combination of the following values:    

value	meaning
0x0001	two buttons: OK, CANCEL
0x0002	three buttons: ABORT, RETRY, IGNORE
0x0003	three buttons: YES, NO, CANCEL
0x0004	two buttons: YES, NO
0x0005	two buttons: RETRY, CANCEL
0x0010	Icon: STOP
0x0020	Icon: QUESTION
0x0030	Icon: EXCLAMATION
0x0040	Icon: INFORMATION
0x0100	Default: button 2
0x0200	Default: button 3
0x1000	System modal
0x2000	Task modal

Style

The return value of the function depends on the button pressed: 

value	meaning
1	OK button pressed
2	CANCEL button pressed
3	ABORT button pressed
4th	RETRY button pressed
5	IGNORE button pressed
6th	YES button pressed
7th	NO button pressed

Return value

Cross reference:	Debug
Example:	long res if "SPS1: DB100 D 1.2" = 1 then   res: = messagebox ('open window', 'alarm', 0x0034) if res = 6 then   openwin ('window_3')   endif endif

OemToAnsi

Declaration:	string OemToAnsi (string text)
Function:	Reads the string text, carries out a type conversion of the individual characters and returns a string with characters in accordance with the ANSI conventions.
Cross reference:	AnsiToOem
Example:	string TEXTTEXT: = oemtoansi ('Similarities are no coincidence')

return

Declaration:	Return [value]
Function:	Terminates the script. If the script is a script variable, a return value must be specified that corresponds to the type of the script variable. Application and window scripts have no return value. If Return is called in a conditional sequence of statements, there must still be a return in the absolute statement section.
Example:	if "intern: bool" then "SPS1: DB100 D 1.2": = 10   return 1 else   "SPS1: DB100 D 1.2": = 20   return 0 endif {always required!}

SetLoginDefaultUser

Declaration:	SetLoginDefaultUser (string user)
Function:	This means that the user who appears in the login dialog can be pre-assigned.
Cross reference:
Example:	SetLoginDefaultUser ('User_XY')

ShowPasswordDlg

Declaration:	ShowPasswordDlg (string user)
Function:	This can be used to change a user's password. The value that appears for the user name in the dialog can be specified in the "user" parameter.
Cross reference:
Example:	ShowPasswordDlg ('User_XY')

SetEditfeld

Declaration:	SetEditfeld (string)
Function:	The function places the cursor in the I / O field that was addressed via the string with the content window name I / O field name. At the same time, the EDIT system variable is set to "true".
Cross reference:	GetEditfeld
Example:	string s s: = ' Window_1st operand field' seteditfeld (s)

SetCursor

Declaration:	SetCursor (long cursor)
Function:	Places the mouse pointer. If 1 is passed as the value, the hourglass appears, otherwise the arrow.
Cross reference:
Example:	SetCursor (1)

SetUser

declaration	SetUser (string User, string Pwd, long tm)
function	Logs on the user specified by User with the specified password Pwd. If -1 is transferred for the time tm, the user is not automatically logged off again. Otherwise the user will be logged off again according to the specified time in milliseconds.
Cross reference
example	SetUser ('Scott', 'Tiger', 60000)

SetVarGroup

Declaration:	long SetVarGroup (string szWin, string szObj, string szGrp)
Function:	Sets the variable group of the dynamics of the specified element szObj in the szWin window to szGrp. If it is OK, 0 is returned, otherwise a corresponding error number. WARNING! this does not change Script variables
Cross reference:	GetVarGroup
Example:	long nResult nResult: = SetVarGroup ('Window_1', 'Text_1', 'SPS2')

SetLanguage

Declaration	SetLanguage(long LangID)
Function	Set the current UI Language of the application to the Language indicated by its Language ID. You can also use the global system variable "@SystemCommands:Language" to do the same
Example	SetLanguage(9) //10 Spanish

Language	ID
English	9
Spanish	10
German	7
French	12
Russian	25
Italian	16
Chinese	4
Dutch	19
Greek	8
Portuguese	22
Polish	21
Turkish	31
Cyrilic	5

Translate

Declaration	Translate(string TexttoTranslate)
Function	Translates an navtive text into an localized text. the native text can be taken from the Language export file that is generated from the VisuEditor by exporting/editing the foreign language texts. Translation texts generally take the following form: <WindowName>.<ObjectName>.Text such as: StartWin.Greeting.Text
Example	SetPropText("StartWindow", "GreetingsText", Translate("StartWindow.Greetings"))

KeyDown

Declaration	KeyDown(long KeyCode)
Function	Sends the indicated key code to the Hmi application and emulates the corresponding Key press. The modifyer Key codes can be taken from the table in function "GetKeyState". All Virtual key codes can be found here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/inputdev/virtual-key-codes
Example	KeyDown(0x14) //Caps lock on KeyDown(0x42) //Letter b, now is B KeyDown(0x14) //Release Caps lock agein

GetBinDir

Declaration	string GetBinDir()
Function	Get the fully qualified path to the binary directory inside the VisXpert installation directory. The path does NOT terminate with an "\"
Example	string BinDirPath BinDirPath := GetBinDir //returns "C:\Program Files (x86)\VisXpert\bin"

IsLoginDlgOpen

Declaration	bool isLoginDlgOpen()
Function	Returns true if currently any Login dialog is open of any of the login services
Example

CancelLoginDlg

Declaration	CancelLoginDlg()
Function	Closes all currently active login dialogs
Example

File functions allow you to manipulate local and remote files. The file functions support UNC Network path (for example "\\Server1\Share1\test.txt"). However it is recommended to write and read only files that reside inside the current project directory. To get the current Project directory you can use the function "GetPrjDir". This function always returns the directory where the GpMainPj.xml file is located, always terminated with an "\".

Please keep in mind that VisXpert uses C-Style string escaping. So you have to use double \ for an single \ in the resulting filename. The first backslash is the escape character, and the second the final character.

CopyDir

Declaration	CopyDir(string src, string dst, bool fMove)
Function	Copies the files from the source directory src to the destination directory dst if fMove is false, or moves the files from the source directory src to the target directory dst if fMove is true.
Example	CopyDir('D:\\Data', 'X:\\BackupData', false)

Copyfile

Declaration	CopyFile(string srcFile, string dstFile)
Function	Copies the source file srcFile to dstFile (destination file).
Cross	Deletefile
Example	CopyFile('C:\\DataLog.txt','C:\\TempProtocol.txt', true)

CreateDir

Declaration	CreateDir(string dir)
Function	Creates the directory for you.
Cross	Removedir
Example	CreateDir('C:\\Data')

Deletefile

Declaration	DeleteFile(string file)
Function	Deletes the file.
Cross	Copyfile
Example	DeleteFile('C:\\DataProtocol.txt')

ExistFile

Declaration	bool ExistFile (string file)
Function	Determines whether the specified file file exists
Example	Bool fExist fExist := ExistFile('C:\\DataProtocol.txt')

GetFileList

Declaration	string GetFileList(string path)
Function	Returns the files of the specified directory (path) separated with CR LF.
Cross	GetFileTime
Example	string s s := GetFileList('C:\\TEMP*.*')

GetFileTime

Declaration	double ExistFile (string file)
Function	Gets the timestamp of the last change to the specified file file.
Example	Double ts ts :=getFileTime('C:\\DataProtocol.txt')

ReadTxt

Declaration	string ReadTxt(string file)
Function	Returns the contents of the file file as a string
Example	String s s := ReadTxt('D:\\Quantities.txt')

Removedir

Declaration	RemoveDir(string dir)
Function	Delete the directory to you. The specified directory must be empty.
Cross	CreateDir
Example	RemoveDir('C:\\Data')

WriteTxt

Declaration	WriteTxt(string file, string s, bool fOverwrite)
Function	Appends the string s to the file file file. If fOverwrite is true, an existing file is overwritten.
Example	WriteTxt('D:\\Quantities.txt', 'Produced quantity: 230', true)

These functions allow you to query or modify data on an SQL server. VisXpert comes with an built in SQL-Server database which is usually included in the project. However all functions allow you to specify an custom Connection string, allowing you to connect to any ODBC compatible database, such as SQL-Server or MS-Access Files.

To query data you use DBQuery and then parse the "result" string by functions like "GetRowCnt" and an combination of "GetRow" to get the Row you want to process and then "GetCol" to get the data-field you need. If you leave the "ConnectionString" parameter empty, the project internal database is used.

The result of DBQuery returns the data as an CSV formatted string. The first line hold the names of the columns, the second row hold their datatypes. The actual data starts at the third row

This usually follows this structure:

string result

result := DbQuery('', 'Select TestColumn1, Column2, OtherColumn3 from TestingData')

long rowNo

rowNo := 3 //first row are the field names, second row holds the datatypes

//go through each row, starting at the first row. The first row is row number 1

while rowNo <= GetRowCnt(result)

string row, data

row := GetRow(result, rowNo) //first get the current row we are processing

data := GetCol(row, 2) //then get the column of that row, in our case the second row

data := GetColByName(result, rowNo, 'Column2') //this is equivalent to the previous line

....Process data here....

rowNo := rowNo + 1 //go to the next row

endwhile

Example of usage of SQL Query functions

DbExec

Declaration	long DbExec (string ConnectString, string SqlStmt)
Function	Runs the specified string SqlStmt on the database specified by the String ConnectString and returns the number of changed records. If the ConnectString is passed empty string, the statement is displayed on the in the file.. USER_DATSQLGP.udl specified database.
Cross	DbQuery, DbTest, DbClose
Example	long nRows nRows := DbExec(", 'UPDATE AL_CLASSES SET DESCRIPTION_0 = 'Message class 1' WHERE ID = 1')

DbQuery

Declaration	string DbQuery<(string ConnectString, string SqlStmt)
Function	Executes the specified Select statement SqlStmt on the database specified by the String ConnectString and returns the selected records in the CSV form (comma separated, CR LF) (row 1 contains the column names, row 2 contains the column types, and from row 3 the selected records, if any, are returned). If the ConnectString is passed empty string, the statement is displayed on the one in the file.. USER_DATSQLGP.udl specified database.
Cross	DbExec, DbTest, DbClose
Example	string szResultSet szResultSet := DbQuery('', 'SELECT * FROM AL_CLASSES')

DbTest

Declaration	long DbTest (string ConnectString)
Function	Opens the specified database connection and returns the same as GetLastErrNo ("last error") for the database connection specified by the String ConnectString. If the ConnectString is passed empty string, the "last error" of the one in the file.. USER_DATSQLGP.udl specified database. This function is useful to ensure that an database is connected. If this function is combined with DBTest, you can perform an database Reconnect
Cross	DbExec, DbQuery, DbClose
Example	long nResult nResult := DbTest(")

DbClose

Declaration	DbClose (string ConnectString)
Function	Closes the database connection specified by the String ConnectString. If the ConnectString is passed empty string, the in the file.. USER_DATSQLGP.udl specified database closed. If this function is combined with DBTest, you can perform an database Reconnect
Cross	DbExec, DbQuery, DbTest
Example	DbClose(")

DbMsg

Declaration	bool DbMsg(long message group, string operand, string action)
Function	Executes the message transaction specified by the string action with the message group and operand parameters and returns TRUE or FALSE. Message transactions operate on the current active Alarm Message archive and allow you to activate or deactivate alarm messages in the alarm system from within scripts. This function can be used to create Alarm messages not dependent on variables but rather are created via scripts.
Cross	DbMsgExt
Example	bool rv rv := DbMsg(1, 'M 3.0', 'K')

DbMsgExt

Declaration	bool DbMsgExt(long messagegroup, string operand, string action, string timestamp, string symbolik, string text, long messageclass, long messagetype)
Function	Executes the message transaction specified by the string action with the parameters message group, operand, timestamp, symbolic, test, message class and message type, and returns TRUE or FALSE.
Cross	DbMsg
Example	bool rv rv := DbMsgExt(1, 'M 3.1', 'K', '2008-03-12 13:09:11.000', 'SYM', 'TEXT', 1, 2)

GetRowCnt

Declaration	long GetRowCnt(string s)
Function	Returns the number of rows of the specified string s.
Cross	GetColCnt
Example	long r r := GetRowCnt('"Zeile_1"' + 'rn' + '"Zeile_2"' + 'rn')

GetColCnt

Declaration	long GetColCnt(string s)
Function	Returns the number of columns of the specified string s.
Cross	GetRowCnt
Example	long c c := GetColCnt('"Spalte_1", "Spalte_2"' + 'rn')

GetRow

Declaration	string GetRow(string s, long r)
Function	Returns the row r of the specified string s.
Cross	GetRowCnt, GetColCnt
Example	String s s := GetRow('"Zeile_1"' + 'rn' + '"Zeile_2"' + 'rn', 2)

GetCol

Declaration	string GetCol(string s, long r, long c)
Declaration	Returns the value of column c of row r of the specified string s.
Cross	GetColbyName
Example	String s s := GetCol('"Wert_1_1", " Wert_1_2"' + 'rn' + '"Wert_2_1", " Wert_2_2" + 'rn', 2, 1)

GetColbyName

Declaration	String GetColByName(string s, long r, string c)
Function	Returns the value of column c of row r of the specified string s. In the first row, all column names must be present.
Example	String s s := GetColByName('"Spalte_1", "Spalte_2"' + 'rn' + '"Wert_1_1", "Wert_1_2"' + 'rn' + '"Wert_2_1", "Wert_2_2"' + 'rn', 3, 'Spalte_2')

AToTs

Declaration:

double AToTs(string s)

Function:

Returns the timestamp of the specified time.

Cross:

GetNow, TsToA

Example:

double ts

ts := AToTs('12:00:00, 01.01.2000'

 

 

GetDateStr

Declaration:

string GetDateStr

Function:

The function returns a string with the current system date in the format "TT. MM.YYYY".

Cross:

WeekDay

Example:

string d

d := getdatestr

 

GetNow

Declaration:

double GetNow

Function:

Returns the timestamp of the current time.

Cross:

TsToA, AToTs

Example:

double ts

ts := GetNow

 

Gettime

Declaration:

long GetTime

Function:

The function returns the seconds since midnight for the current time.

Cross:

TimeStr

Example:

long s

s := gettime

  

LocalTimeToUTC

Declaration:

double LocalTimeToUTC(double dftLocalTime)

Function:

Converts the specified timestamp dftLocalTime from local time to UTC time.

Cross:

UTCToLocalTime

Example:

double dftUtcTime

 

dftUtcTime := LocalTimeToUTC(GetNow) 

 

Settime

Declaration:

SetTime (long day, long month, long year, long hour, long minute, long second)

Function:

Sets the current time.

Example:

SetTime (31, 12, 2000, 23, 59, 00)

 

TimeStr

Declaration:

string TimeStr (long seconds)

Function:

The function calculates the time from the value seconds (seconds since midnight) and returns a string in time format (hh:mm:ss).

Cross:

GetNow

Example:

string t

            t := timestr(36000)

 

TsToA

Declaration:

string TsToA(double ts)

Function:

Returns the time as a string of the specified timestamp.

Cross:

GetNow, AToTs

Example:

string s

s := TsToA(GetNow)

 

UTCToLocalTime

Declaration:

double UTCToLocalTimeToUTC(double dftUtcTime)

Function:

Converts the specified timestamp dftUtcTime from UTC time to local time.

Cross:

LocalTimeToUTC

Example:

double dftLocalTime

 

dftLocalTime := UTCToLocalTime(GetNow) 

 

WeekDay

Declaration: long WeekDay(string date)Function: The function is calculated from the string date (TT. MM.YYYY) and returns a value between 0 (Sunday) and 6 (Saturday). Cross-reference: GetDateStrExample: long ww := weekday(31.01.1996)  

WeekOfYear

Declaration:

long WeekOfYear(double dftTimeStamp, long nFormat)

Function:

The function calculates the corresponding calendar week from the timestamp dftTimeStamp. If format 0 is specified, the calculation is made according to DIN 1366. If specified for format 1, the calculation is based on the UK/US scheme.

Cross:

Example:

long nWeek 

nWeek := WeekOfYear(GetNow, 0)

 

Overview

With these functions variables from VisXpert can be accessed by passing their name as string to these functions. this allows you to access variables indirectly and also allows you to dynamically build up the variables name. The Write functions exist as Asynchronous and Synchronous versions. Read Functions are always Synchronous.

Caution: The "SetGP..." and "GetGP.." commands described below are handled synchronously, i.e. they cause traffic through the driver addressed. Only after the reading operation (GetGP..) or Write (SetGP..), the script continues execution. This may increase the runtime of the script to be very high and temporarily freeze the HMI (for example the event of a connection error of driver).

Direct data access

VisXpert's driver programs allow direct access to PLC values without first having to define a corresponding variable in the configuration program. To use an direct variable you have to specify the variable group and prepend the variable name with an "#". The form of how to construct the Variable identifier depends on the type of driver used. To use the operand of the following form:

<Group Name>:#<PLC Address>

for Example for Siemens S7:

GetGPLong('PLC01:#DB11.DBD12')

All functions described below can use these direct data access.

To know more about how to construct for the PLCData driver, please read the corresponding article in this documentation.

GetGpBlock

Declaration	block GetGPBlock(string source)
Function	Reads a block of data by direct driver access from the PLC operand addressed via source (format 'groupname: ....') or from the variable addressed and configured via source (format 'groupname:variablename'). It is read from the specified operand with the length of the specified block.
Example	block b string q b := newblock(12) q := 'SPS2:#DB100 DW10 TD12' b := getgpblock(q)

GetGpBool

Declaration	boolean GetGpBool(string source)
Function	Reads a Boolean value by direct driver access from the PLC operand addressed via source (format 'groupname: ....') or from the variable addressed and configured via source (format 'groupname:variablename').
Example	string q q := 'SPS1:#M 15.7' b := getgpbool(q)

GetGpDouble

Declaration	double GetGpDouble(string source)
Function	ds a double value by direct driver access from the PLC operand addressed via source (format 'groupname: ....') or from the variable addressed and configured via source (format 'groupname:variablename').
Example	Example: double d d := getgpdouble('Steuerung_5:#ED 24')

GetGpLong

Declaration	long GetGpLong(string source)
Function	Reads a long value by direct driver access from the PLC operand addressed via source (format 'groupname: ....') or from the variable addressed and configured via source (format 'groupname:variablename').
Example	long l l := getgplong('Steuerung_5:#EW 24')

GetGpText

Declaration	string GetGpText(string source)
Function	Reads a string by direct driver access from the PLC operand addressed via source (format 'groupname: ....') or from the variable addressed and configured via source (format 'groupname:variablename').
Example	string s, q q := 'SPS3:#DB10 DW20 TS8' s := getgptext(q)

MakeVarList

Declaration	MakeVarList(string Grp, string Vars)
Function	reates and activates the variable of the Grp group specified by Vars (format 'variablename1: variablename2') (if it does not exist, it is created and activated).
Example	m', 'Long1:Long2')

SetGpBlock

Declaration	SetGPBlock(string target, block b)
Function	Writes a block of data by direct driver access to the PLC operands addressed via target (format 'groupname:'...') or to the variable addressed and configured via target (format 'groupname:variablename'). It is written from the specified operand with the length of the specified block.
Example	block b string z   b := newblock(12) z := 'SPS2:#DB100 DW10 TD12' setgpblock (z, b)

SetGpBlockAsync

Declaration	SetGPBlockAsync(string Var, block Val)
Function	Describes the variable specified by the String Var (groupname:variablename format) with the value of the Val asynchronous data block value.
Example	Block b   b := NewBlock(1) SetBlockNum(b, 0, 1, false, 1) SetGpBlockAsync('Mem:Block', b)

SetGpBool

Declaration	SetGpBool(string target, bool b)
Function:	Writes a Boolean value by direct driver access to the PLC operand addressed via target (format 'groupname:'...') or to the variable addressed and configured via target (format 'groupname:variablename').
Example:	bool b string z   b := true z := 'SPS1:#M 15.7' setgpbool (z, b)

SetGpBoolAsync

Declaration	SetGpBool(string Var, bool Val)
Function	Describes the variable specified by the String Var (format 'groupname:variablename') with the Boolean value Val asynchronous.
Example	SetGpBoolAsync('Mem:Bool', true)

SetGpDouble

Declaration	SetGpDouble(string target, double d)
Function	Writes a Double_Wert by direct driver access to the PLC operand addressed via target (format 'groupname: ....') or to the variable addressed and configured via target (format 'gruppename:variablename').
Example	double d d := 12345678 setgpdouble('Steuerung_5:#ED 24',d)

SetGpDoubleAsync

Declaration	SetGpDoubleAsync(string Var, double Val)
Function	Describes the variable specified by the String Var (groupname:variablename format) with the floating-point value Val asynchronous.
Example	SetGpDoubleAsync('Mem:Double', 123.456)

SetGpLong

Declaration	SetGpLong(string target, long l)
Function	Writes a long value by direct driver access to the PLC operand shave addressed via target (format 'groupname: ....') or to the variable addressed and configured via target (format 'groupname:variablename').
Example	long l l := 123 setgplong('Steuerung_5:#EW 24',l)

SetGpLongAsync

Declaration	SetGpLongAsync (string Var, long Val)
Function	Describes the variable specified by the String Var (groupname:variablename format) with the integer value Val asynchronous.
Example	SetGpLongAsync('Mem:Long', 4711)

SetGpText

Declaration	SetGpText(string target, string s)
Function	Writes a string by direct driver access to the PLC operand addressed via target (format 'groupname: ....') or to the variable addressed and configured via target (format 'gruppename:variablename').
Example	string s s := 'jaja' setgptext('SPS3:#DB10 DW20 TS4', s)

SetGpTextAsync

Declaration	SetGpTextAsync (string Var, string Val)
Function	Describes the variable specified by the String Var (format 'groupname:variablename') with the string value Val asynchronous.
Example	SetGpTextAsync('Mem:String', 'Test 123')

Window Functions generally come in two types. Normal and "Ex" versions. The normal versions take an Window Object directly and the "Ex" versions take the Name of the window.

The advantage of the normal functions is, that the "Crossreferences" are maintained, which is not possible with the "Ex" versions. The "Ex" versions on the other hand, allow you to calculate the window name on the fly, using String operations.

CloseWin

Declaration	CloseWin(window win)
Function	Closes the win window. Caution: Program-controlled and frequent opening and closing of windows may result in to increased telegram traffic (request blocks must be requested or stopped) and error messages.
Cross	OpenWin, IsWinOpen, IsWinActive
Example	if "Intern:Wert1" > 100 then openwin('Fenster_1') else if iswinopen('Fenster_1') then closewin('Fenster_1') endif endif

CloseWinEx

Declaration	CloseWinEx(string windowname)
Function	Closes the window specified by the window name string. The subsequent call to GetLasrErrNo or GetLastErrStr can be used to determine whether the operation was successful.
Example	string ff := 'Window 1' if "Internal:Value1" > 100 then if iswinopenex(f) then closewinex(f ) endif endif

GetWinHeight

Declaration	long GetWinHeight(window win)
Function	Returns the current height of the window designated by "win".
Example	long x, y, h, w x:= getwinx('Fenster_1') y:= getwiny('Fenster_1') h:= getwinheight('Fenster_1') w:= getwinwidth('Fenster_1') setwinpos('Fenster_1',x + 100,y + 100, h, w) //move it by 100 pixels down and right

GetWinHeightEx

Declaration	long GetWinHeightEx(string windowname)
Function	Returns the current height of the window specified by the window name string. The subsequent call to GetLasrErrNo or GetLastErrStr can be used to determine whether the operation was successful.

GetWinWidth

Declaration	long GetWinWidth(window win)
Function	Returns the current width of the window designated by "win".
Example	long x, y, h, w x:= getwinx('Fenster_1') y:= getwiny('Fenster_1') h:= getwinheight('Fenster_1') w:= getwinwidth('Fenster_1') setwinpos('Fenster_1', x + 100, y + 100, h, w)

GetWinWidthEx

Declaration	long GetWinWidthEx(string windowname)
Function	Returns the current width of the window designated by window name. The subsequent call to GetLasrErrNo or GetLastErrStr can be used to determine whether the operation was successful.

GetWinX

Declaration	long GetWinX(window win)
Function	Returns the current X position of the window designated by "win".
Example	long x, y, h, w x:= getwinx('Fenster_1') y:= getwiny('Fenster_1') h:= getwinheight('Fenster_1') w:= getwinwidth('Fenster_1') setwinpos('Fenster_1', x + 100, y + 100, h, w)

 GetWinXEx

Declaration	long GetWinXEx(stirng window)
Function	Returns the current X position of the window designated by "window".  The subsequent call to GetLasrErrNo or GetLastErrStr can be used to determine whether the operation was successful.

GetWiny

Declaration	long GetWinY(window win)
Function	Returns the current Y position of the window designated by win.
Example	long x, y, h, w x:= getwinx('Fenster_1') y:= getwiny('Fenster_1') h:= getwinheight('Fenster_1') w:= getwinwidth('Fenster_1') setwinpos('Fenster_1', x + 100, y + 100, h, w)

GetWinYEx

Declaration	long GetWinYEx(string window)
Function	Returns the current Y position of the window designated by "window". The subsequent call to GetLasrErrNo or GetLastErrStr can be used to determine whether the operation was successful.

GetWinMouse

Declaration	long GetWinMouse(window win, long x, long y, long width, long height)
Function	Checks whether the mouse pointer is in the rectangular coordinate range width / height with the starting point x / y (top left) in the win window, and if so, which mouse button or which special key is pressed. All coordinates are in pixels. The return value of the function is bitcoded as follows:   Bit 0: 1 - Mouse is in the window Bit 1: 2 - left mouse button is pressed Bit 2: 4 - right mouse button is pressed Bit 8: 256 - Shift button is pressed Bit 9: 512 - Ctrl key is pressed Bit 10: 1024 - Alt button is pressed Therefore, to determine whether the mouse pointer is in the specified range, the return value can be compared to zero. To determine individual keys, the value must be linked to the constants and -linked above (operator AND). The Winow coordinates and size for this function can be obtained via the above functions
Example	long STATUS1, STATUS2 STATUS1 := getwinmouse('Bedienen_1',104,386,80,30) STATUS2 := getwinmouse('Bedienen_1',191,386,80,30) if STATUS1 <> 0 then "Intern:Hilfe_1" := true else "Intern:Hilfe_1" :=false endif IF STATUS2 <> 0 then "Intern:Hilfe_2" := true else "Intern:Hilfe_2" :=false endif

GetWinName

Declaration	string GetWinName
Function	Returns the Name of the window where the current script is running on Works only in scripts associated with a window or item. Can not be used in Functions! If you call it from an function, the funcion always return an empty string.

GetWinNameList

Declaration	string GetWinNameList
Function	Returns all window names of the application. The delimiter is the dash.
Example	string szWins szWins := GetWinNameList

GetWinTitle

Declaration	string GetWinTitle(window win)
Function	Returns the title line of the window designated by "win". If the window does not have a title line, an empty string is returned.
Example	debug('Window name =' + getwintitle('Fenster_1'))

GetWinTitleEx

Declaration	string GetWinTitleEx(string windowname)
Function	Returns the title line of the window designated by "window name". If the window does not have a title line, an empty string is returned. The subsequent call to GetLasrErrNo or GetLastErrStr can be used to determine whether the operation was successful.

IsWinActive

Declaration	bool IsWinActive(window win)
Function	Returns true if the window designated by "win" is active. An active window is the window that currently has the focus
Example	if iswinactive('Fenster_2') then   debug('Window 2 activating'') Endif

 IsWinActiveEx

Declaration	bool IsWinActiveEx(string windowname)
Function	Returns true if the window designated by "window name" is active. The subsequent call to GetLasrErrNo or GetLastErrStr can be used to determine whether the operation was successful. An active window is the window that currently has the focus

IsWinOpen

Declaration	bool IsWinOpen(window win)
Function	Returns true if the window designated by "win" is open.
Example	if "Internal:Value1" > 100 then   openwin('Fenster_1') else   if iswinopen('Fenster_1') then     closewin('Fenster_1')   Endif Endif

IsWinOpenEx

Declaration	bool IsWinOpenEx(string windowname)
Function	Returns true if the window designated by "window name" is open. The subsequent call to GetLasrErrNo or GetLastErrStr can be used to determine whether the operation was successful.

OpenWin

Declaration	OpenWin(window win)
Function	Opens an existing window, which is designated by win, or brings it to the foreground
Example	if "Internal:Value1" > 100 then openwin('Fenster_1') else   if iswinopen('Fenster_1') then     closewin('Fenster_1')   Endif Endif

OpenWinEx

Declaration

OpenWinEx(string window name)

Function

Opens the window, which is designated by "window name" or brings it to the fore. In an application, you can switch to a specific window depending on a button. The window needs a string as a parameter. The string can also be created dynamically. The subsequent call to GetLasrErrNo or GetLastErrStr can be used to determine whether the operation was successful. Attention: In the application, a window can only be opened once (brought to the foreground). Opening an already opened window, will only bring the window to the foreground again.

SetWinPos

Declaration	SetWinPos(window win, long x, long y, long width,long heigth)
Function	Changes the size and position of the window designated by win.
Example	long x, y, h, w x:= getwinx('Fenster_1') y:= getwiny('Fenster_1') h:= getwinheight('Fenster_1') w:= getwinwidth('Fenster_1') setwinpos('Fenster_1',x + 100,y + 100, h, w)

SetWinPosEx

Declaration	SetWinPosEx(string windowname, long x, long y, long width,long heigth)
Function	Changes the size and position of the window designated by window name. The subsequent call to GetLasrErrNo or GetLastErrStr can be used to determine whether the operation was successful.

SetWinTitle

Declaration	SetWinTitle(window win, string text)
Function	Sets the title line of the window designated by "win" to the string text.
Example	if iswinactive('Fenster_3') then   setwintitle('Fenster_3', 'I'm Active') else   setwintile('Fenster_3', 'I'm not active') Endif

SetWinTitleEx

Declaration	SetWinTitleEx(string windowname, string text)
Function	Sets the title line of the window designated by "window name" to the string text. The subsequent call to GetLasrErrNo or GetLastErrStr can be used to determine whether the operation was successful.

If an arithmetic expression uses two operands of different types, the long operand is automatically converted to a double value. The result of the operation is a double value. If the calculation is to provide an integer value (long), the double operand or result must be converted to a long value by the Round function. 

There exist various format conversions from/to Simatic specific types. these format conversions are only useful in context of "Block" operations.

Dtostr

Declaration	string DToStr(double x)
Function	Converts the double value x to a string. The number is displayed either exponential or decimal, depending on the size.
Cross	StrToL, LToStr, StrToD
Example	double d d := 125.56 / 37 debug('Result : ' + dtostr(d))

Ltostr

Declaration	string LToStr(long x, long radix)
Function	Converts the long value x to a string. The radix parameter specifies the basis on which the conversion should take place - possible values are in the range of 2 to 36. If radix is 10 and x is less than zero, LToStr precedes the result with a minus sign. For conversion to Decimal use radix 10
Cross	DToStr, StrToL, StrToD
Example	long l string s l := 1247 s := ltostr(l, 10) debug('Decimal : ' + s) s := ltostr(l, 16) debug('Hexadecimal : ' + s) s := ltostr(l, 2) debug('Binary : ' + s)

StrLower

Declaration	string StrLower(string source)
Function	Converts all uppercase letters of the source string to lowercase and returns the result. Source is not changed. The letters A - Z are converted.
Cross	StrUpper
Example	string s s := 'ABcDEfGH' debug(strlower(s))

Strtod

Declaration	double StrToD(string source)
Function	Converts the source-designated string to a floating-point number and returns the result as a double.
Cross	Str, StrToL
Example	double d d := strtod('-1.7567E+02')

Strtol

Declaration	long StrToL(string source)
Function	Converts the source-designated string to a long value.
Cross	DToStr, LToStr, StrToD
Example	long l l := strtol('-1')

Strtolex

Declaration	long StrToLEx(string source, long radix)
Function	Converts a number contained in the source-designated string to a long value (signed). The radix parameter specifies the assumed numerical basis for the number stored in the string. The values 0, as well as 2 to 36, are allowed. If specified as radix 0, the first characters of the string determine the number base to use: 1..9 Decimal Representation 0x Hexadecimal representation 0 Octal representation The conversion ends at the first non-convertible character in the string.   Ranges: Dec: -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647 Hex: -80000000 to 7FFFFFFF (values > 7FFFFFFF are converted to 7FFFFFFF!)   If a hexadecimal value > 7FFFFFFF is to be converted to a long value without a sign, this is possible as follows: long n1, n2 n1:=substr("$Global:VarString",0,4) n2:=substr("$Global:VarString",4,4) "$Global:VarLong" := (StrToLEx(n1,16) shl 16) + StrToLEx(n2,16)
Cross	StrToL, LToStr
Example	long l, k   l := StrToLEx('0x1D7F', 0) k := StrToLEx('00011101011111111', 2)

StrUpper

Declaration	string StrUpper(string source)
Function	Converts all lowercase letters of the source string to uppercase and returns the result. Source is not changed. The letters A - Z are converted
Cross	StrLower
Example	string s s := 'ABcDEfGH' debug(strupper(s))

Format conversions for PLC datatypes

these format conversions are only useful in context of "Block" operations.

DToF

Declaration	long DToF (double x)
Function	Converts the double value x to the floating-point format of the Simatic-S7. The result of this function cannot be further processed in the script, but is only suitable to be entered with SetBlockNum in a data block, which is to be written into an AG of type Simatic S7.
Cross	SetBlockNum, FToD, DToKG
Example	block b b := NewBlock(6) SetBlockNum(b, 0, 2, false, Endian("Internal:InputGanz", false)) SetBlockNum(b, 2, 4, false, DToF("Intern:InputFliess"))"S PS:ShouldBlock" := b

DToKG

Declaration	Long DToKG (double x)
Function	Converts the double value x to a floating point number with the KG format of the Simatic-S5.
Cross	KGToD
Example	double d long l d := sin(pi) l := dtokg(d) "SPS1:WEG" := l

Endian

Declaration	long Endian(long x, bool all)
Function	Swaps both high and low bytes of the x argument. If all = true, the high and low words of the x argument are also exchanged. This function facilitates the processing of data that originates from other machines (e.g. Simatic-S5).
Example	long l l := endian("SPS1:DB100 DD1", true)

FToD

Declaration	double FToD(long x)
Function	Converts a value from the floating-point format of the Simatic-S7 to a double value. Only values extracted from a data block read from a Simatic S7 AG using GetBlockNum are useful for entering this function.
Cross	etBlockNum, DToF, KGToD
Example	return FToD("SPS:IstBlock", 2, 4, false))

KGToD

Declaration	double KGToD(long x)
Function	Converts a floating point number x with the Simatic-S5 KG format to a double value.
Cross	DToKG
Example	long l double d l := "SPS1:DB100 DD1") d := kgtod(l)

Exp

Declaration	double Exp (double x)
Function	Calculates the ex exponential function.

Ln

Declaration	double Ln (double x)
Function	Calculates the natural logarithm of the x argument.
Example	double d d := ln(2.718281)

Log

Declaration	double Log (double x)
Function	Calculates the logarithm of the x argument to base 10.
Example	double d d := log(100)

Pi

Declaration	double Pi
Function	Returns the number Pi as a double value.
Example	double d d := 2 * pi

Pow

Declaration	double Pow (double x, double y)
Function	Pow returns the result of the calculation xy.
Example	double d d := kgtod("SPS1:DB100 DD1") d := pow(d, 3)

Random

Declaration	long Random
Function	Returns a random number in the range of 0 to 32767.
Example	long l l := Random

Round

Declaration:	long Round (double x, bool up)
Function	Rounds the double value x and returns a long value as a result. Is up true is rounded up, otherwise rounded.
Example	double d long on, from d := 123.45 on := round(d, true) from := round(d, false)

Sqrt

Declaration	double Sqrt (double x)
Function	Calculates the square root of the argument x.
Example	double d d := kgtod("SPS1:DB100 DD1") d := sqrt(d)

Arctan

Declaration	double Arctan (double x)
Function	Calculates the arcustangen of argument x. Arctan returns a double value in the range of -pi to pi.
Example	double d d := arctan(Pi)

Cos

Declaration	double Cos (double x)
Function	Calculates the cosine of argument x (in radians). Cos expects an angle in the rad unit as an argument.Cos returns values in the range of -1 to +1.
Example	double d d := cos(pi)

Sin

Declaration	double Sin (double x)
Function	Calculates the sine of argument x (in radians). Sin expects an angle in the rad unit as an argument.Sin returns values in the range of -1 to +1.
Example	double d d := sin(pi)

These functions allow you to modify properties such as Color, Position, size and visibility, of objects visible on an given window. Generally for most functions you have to specify the window name and the object name that you want to modify. These functions are usable in the following script types (basically all of the script types)

• Application Scripts
• Class Scripts
• Window Scripts
• User Functions
• Script Variables

The object functions allow you to build very complex logic in classes that would otherwise not be possible. For example it is possible to build complex visibility conditions that are dependent on multiple variables or even database queries or the filesystem.

Window Name

The Window name can generally retrieved via "string GetWinName()" to get the name of the window that the Script is currently running on. Of course you can also pass in the Window name from any string variable you need, which allows you to construct these names dynamically.

Object Name

The Object name is the name that the object was given in the graphics settings of the corresponding object. These names are generally composed of the object type and an running number separated by an underline. For example ("Text_1234"). In the Script editor you can also right click and open the "Element" selection menu to select an element of the current window. Of course this selection is only possible in Window scripts. In all other functions types, you have to specify the Object name manually.

Object name in Classes

The object functions are also usable in Classes and allow you to build very complex logic in classes that would otherwise not be possible. In order to use these functions you have to know how the Classes are instantiated during runtime. During runtime each used object gets instantiated by using the Class Object's name, this is the Name that is given to the class in the editor (not to be confused with the "VariableBaseName), and then the elements name of the object get appended with an underline "_". If an Class is Instantiated during runtime, it is called an Class Object, or Object.

There is an function you can use to get the current Class Objects name during runtime (string GetObjName()). this function is only usable in Class Scripts, because it does not make sense without classes. In order to modify the element of an Class in an Class script you have to build the final elements name by using this formula:

<Objects Name>_<Elements name inside the Class>

usually you do that by using the following code:

SetPropLineColor(GetWinName,GetObjName + '_Rechteck_1', clBlue)

Note that the elements name is composed of the objects name, followed by an underline and the elements name that is given in the Class editor.

Colors

The following Constants can be used for all functions that receive color values. Of course you can also construct the RBG value yourself by using any graphics software you like. The values are basically integers of the following format:

0xrrggbb where:

• RR is the red value 0-255
• GG is the green value 0-255
• BB is the blue value 0-255

the alpha channel is not supported.

Constant	Color Value
clBlack	0x000000
clMaroon	0x000080
clGreen	0x008000
clOlive	0x008080
clNavy	0x800000
clPurple	0x800080
clTeal	0x808000
clRed	0x0000FF
clLime	0x00FF00
clYellow	0x00FFFF
clBlue	0xFF0000
clFuchsia	0xFF00FF
clAqua	0xFFFF00
clLtGray	0xC0C0C0
clDkGray	0x808080
clWhite	0xFFFFFF

ExistObj

Declaration	bool ExistObj(string f, string e)
Function	Determines whether the specified element e exists in window f.
Example	bool f f := ExistObj('Fenster_1', 'Taster_1')

GetClassName

Declaration	string GetClassName
Function	Returns the class name of an object script. Only usable in Class Scripts. Not to be confused with GetObjName, which gets the objects name that you need for use in Class Scripts. This function is mostly for debugging.
Cross	GetObjName, GetVarBaseName
Example	string clsName clsName := GetClassName

GetObjName

Declaration	string GetObjName
Function	Provides the object name of item group or Object scripts. Works only in scripts associated with an Class object. Use this function to the the Class objects name to use in Class Scripts
Cross	GetVarBaseName, GetWinName
Example	string text1, text2, objname, elename, winname objname := GetObjName winname := GetWinName text1 := GetText(objName, 1, 'Text') text2 := GetText(objName, 2, 'Text') elename := objname + '_' + 'Text_1' SetPropText(winName, elename, text1) elename := objname + '_' + 'Text_2' SetPropText(winName, elename, text2)

GetObjNameList

Declaration	tring GetObjNameList(string szWin, szObj)
Function	Returns the object names of the sub-ordinated elements of the szObj element in the szWin window. If the element specifies blank string, the window's object names are supplied. The delimiter is the semi colong ";".
Cross	GetObjParent
Example	string szObjs szObjs := GetObjNameList('Fenster_1', 'Text_1')

GetObjParent

Declaration	string GetObjParent(string szWin, szObj)
Function	Returns the object name of the parent of the szObj element in the szWin window. If the element does not have a parent, Blank String will return.
Cross	eList
Example	string szObjParent szObjParent := GetObjParent('Fenster_1', 'Text_1')

GetObjType

Declaration	string GetObjType(string szWin, szObj)
Function	Returns the element type of the szObj element in the szWin window.
Example	string szObjType szObjType := GetObjType('Fenster_1', 'Text_1')

GetPropBrushColor

Declaration	long GetPropBrushColor(string f, string e)
Function	returns the fill color of the specified element e in the window f.
Cross	SetPropBrushColor
Example	long clr clr := GetPropBrushColor('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_1')

GetPropEnabled

Declaration	bool GetPropEnabled(string f, string e)
Function	Determines whether the specified element is e enabled or disabled in windows. This function can be used for elements of the type button, or sliders.
Cross	SetPropEnabled
Example	bool fEnabled fEnabled := GetPropEnabled('Fenster_1', 'Taster_1')

GetPropLineColor

Declaration	long GetPropLineColor(string f, string e)
Function	Determines the line color of the specified element e in the window f.
Cross	SetPropLineColor
Example	long clr clr := GetPropLineColor('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_1')

GetPropPosbottom

Declaration	long GetPropPosBottom(string f, string e)
Function	Determines the lower position of the specified element e in the f window
Cross	SetPropposbottom
Example	long Pos Pos := GetPropPosbottom('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_1')

GetPropPosLeft

Declaration	long GetPropPosLeft(string f, string e)
Function	Determines the left position of the specified element e in the f window.
Cross	SetPropPosLeft
Example	long Pos Pos := GetPropPosLeft('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_1')

GetPropPosRight

Declaration	long GetPropPosRight(string f, string e)
Function	Determines the right position of the specified element e in the f window.
Cross	SetPropPosRight
Example	long Pos Pos := GetPropPosRight('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_1')

GetPropPosTop

Declaration	long GetPropPosTop(string f, string e)
Function	Determines the top position of the specified element e in the window f.
Cross	SetPropPosTop
Example	long Pos Pos := GetPropPosTop('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_1')

GetPropText

Declaration	string GetPropText(string f, string e)
Function	Gets the text of the specified element e in window f. This function can be used for elements of type Text, or one-output field.
Cross	SetPropText
Example	string text, objname, elename, winname objname := GetObjName winname := GetWinName elename := objname + '_' + 'Text_1' text := GetPropText(winName, elename)

GetPropTextColor

Declaration	long GetTextLineColor(string f, string e)
Function	Determines the text color of the specified element e in the window f.
Cross	SetPropTextColor
Example	long clr clr := GetPropTextColor('Fenster_1', 'Text_1')

GetPropToolTip

Declaration	string GetPropToolTip(string win, string element)
Function	Returns the tooltip text of the element specified by win and element, provided that the item's Show Tooltip property is set.
Cross	SetPropToolTip, GetPropToolTipEnabled, SetPropToolTipEnabled
Example	string s s := GetPropToolTip('Fenster_1', 'Text_1')

GetPropToolTipEnabled

Declaration	bool GetPropToolTipEnabled(string win, string element)
Function	Returns the value of the Show Tooltip property of the element specified by win and element.
Cross	GetPropToolTip, SetPropToolTip, SetPropToolTipEnabled
Example	bool b b := GetPropToolTipEnabled('Fenster_1', 'Text_1')

GetPropVisible

Declaration	bool GetPropVisible(string f, string e)
Function	Determines whether the specified element e is visible or invisible in the f window. This function can be performed on all items
Cross	SetPropVisible
Example	bool fVisible fVisible := GetPropVisible('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_1')

GetSelectedItem

Declaration	long GetSelectedItem(string f, string e)
Function	Finds the selected entry of the ListBox of the specified element e in the window f. This function can only be performed on ListBox items.
Cross	SetSelectedItem SetSelectedItem
Example	long nItem nItem := GetSelectedItem('Fenster_1', 'Listbox_1')

GetVarBaseName

Declaration	string GetVarBaseName
Function	Returns the variable base name of an object script.
Cross	GetObjName
Example	string varBaseName varBaseName := GetVarBaseName

IsPropBitmapValid

Declaration	bool IsPropBitmapColorValid(string szWin, string szObj)
Function	Whether the property bitmap of the specified element szObj can be set in the szWin window.
Cross	SetPropBrushBitmap
Example	bool fValid fValid := IsPropBitmapValid('Fenster_1', 'Bitmap_1')

IsPropBrushColorValid

Declaration	bool IsPropBrushColorValid(string szWin, string szObj)
Function	Whether the property fill color of the specified element szObj can be set in the szWin window.
Cross	GetPropBrushColor, SetPropBrushColor
Example	bool fValid fValid := IsPropBrushColorValid('Fenster_1', 'Rect_1')

IsPropEnabledValid

Declaration	bool IsPropEnabledValid(string szWin, string szObj)
Function	Whether the Property Enabled of the specified element szObj can be set in the szWin window.
Cross	GetPropEnabled, SetPropEnabled
Example	bool fValid fValid := IsPropEnabledValid('Fenster_1', Button_1')

IsPropLineColorValid

Declaration	bool IsPropLineColorValid(string szWin, string szObj)
Function	Whether the property line color of the specified element szObj can be set in the szWin window.
Cross	GetPropLineColor, SetPropLineColor
Example	bool fValid fValid := IsPropLineColorValid('Fenster_1', 'Line_1')

IspropPosvalid

Declaration	bool IsPropPosValid(string szWin, string szObj)
Function	Whether the property position of the specified element szObj can be set in the szWin window.
Cross	SetProppos
Example	bool fValid fValid := IsPropBrushColorValid('Fenster_1', 'Rect_1')

IspropTextValid

Declaration	bool IsPropTextValid(string szWin, string szObj)
Function	set in the szWin window.
Cross	GetPropText, SetPropText
Example	bool fValid fValid := IsPropTextValid('Fenster_1', 'Text_1')

IsPropTextColorValid

Declaration	bool IsTextLineColorValid(string szWin, string szObj)
Function	Whether the property line color of the specified element szObj can be set in the szWin window.
Cross	GetPropTextColor, SetPropTextColor
Example	bool fValid fValid := IsPropTextColorValid('Fenster_1', 'Text_1')

IsPropToolTipValid

Declaration	bool IsPropToolTipValid(string szWin, string szObj)
Function	Whether the Property ToolTip of the specified element szObj can be set in the szWin window.
Cross	GetPropToolTip, SetPropToolTip
Example	bool fValid fValid := IsPropToolTipValid('Fenster_1', 'Button_1')

IsPropToolTipEnabledValid

Declaration	bool IsPropToolTipEnabledValid(string szWin, string szObj)
Function	Whether the Property ToolTip Enabled of the specified szObj element can be set in the szWin window.
Cross	GetPropToolTipEnabled, SetPropTooltipEnabled
Example	bool fValid fValid := IsPropToolTipEnabledValid('Fenster_1', 'Button_1')

IsPropVisibleValid

Declaration	bool IsPropVisibleValid(string szWin, string szObj)
Function	Whether the property visibility of the specified element szObj can be set in the szWin window.
Cross	GetPropVisbible, SetPropVisible
Example	bool fValid fValid := IsPropVisibleValid('Fenster_1', 'Text_1')

SetVarBaseName

Declaration	SetVarBaseName (string f, string o, string v)
Function	Sets the variable base name of the object o in the window f to the value specified in v.
Example	SetVarBaseName('Fenster_1', 'Ventil_1', 'Inlet')

SetPropBitmap

Declaration	SetPropBitmap(string f, string e, string filename)
Function	Sets the graphic file of the specified element e. in the f window. This feature is only available for bitmap elements. The filename must be the fully qualified name of the file. To point to the default Datapath, you can use: GetPrjDir + 'USER_DAT\\Bitmap\\ButtonGreen.bmp'
Example	SetPropBitmap('Fenster_1', 'Bitmap_1', 'C:\\Silo.bmp')

SetPropBrushColor

Declaration	SetPropBrushColor(string f, string e, long clr)
Function	Sets the fill color of the specified element e in the window f with the specified color clr.
Cross	GetPropLineColor, Colors
Example	SetPropBrushColor('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_1', clred) SetPropBrushColor('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_2', clgreen) SetPropBrushColor('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_3', clblue)

SetPropEnabled

Declaration	SetPropEnabled(string f, string e, bool fEnabled)
Function	Sets the state of the e element in window f to enabled if fEnabled is true, or disabled if fEnabled is false. This function can be used for elements of type buttons, EA fields or sliders.
Cross	GetPropEnabled
Example	SetPropEnabled('Fenster_1', 'Taster_1', false)

SetPropLineColor

Declaration	SetPropLineColor(string f, string e, long clr)
Function	Sets the line color of the specified element e in the window f with the specified color clr.
Cross	GetPropBrushColor, GetPropLineColor, Colors
Example	SetPropLineColor('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_1', clred) SetPropLineColor('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_2', clgreen) SetPropLineColor('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_3', clblue)

SetProppos

Declaration	SetPropPos(string f, string e, long x1, long y1, long x2, long y2)
Function	Sets the element e in the f window. This feature is currently only available for line elements!
Example	SetPropPos('Fenster_1', 'Linie_1', 100, 100, 200, 200)

SetPropText

Declaration	SetPropText(string f, string e, string text)
Function	Sets the text of the specified element e in window f. This function can be used for elements of type Text, or in/out field.
Cross	GetPropText
Example	See example GetObjName

SetPropTextColor

Declaration:	SetPropTextColor(string f, string e, long clr)
Function:	Sets the text color of the specified element e in the window f with the specified color clr.
Cross:	GetPropTextColor
Example:	SetPropTextColor('Fenster_1', 'Text_1', clRed)

SetPropToolTip

Declaration	SetPropToolTip(string win, string element, string text)
Function	Sets the tooltip text of the element specified by win and element to text, provi
Cross	GetPropToolTip, GetPropToolTipEnabled, SetPropToolTipEnabled
Example	SetPropToolTip('Fenster_1', 'Text_1', 'Tooltip Text_1')

SetPropToolTipEnabled

Declaration	EnablePropToolTip(string win, string element, bool how)
Function	Sets the 'Show Tooltip' property of the element specified by win and element to how (true / false)
Cross	GetPropToolTip, SetPropToolTip, GetPropToolTipEnabled
Example	SetPropToolTipEnabled('Fenster_1', 'Text_1', true)

SetSelectedItem

Declaration	long SetSelectedItem(string f, string e, long n)
Function	Selects the entry n of the ListBox of the specified element e in the window f. This function can only be performed on ListBox items.
Cross	GetSelectedItem
Example	long nItem nItem := 5 SetSelectedItem('Fenster_1', 'Listbox_1', nItem)

SetPropVisible

Declaration	SetPropVisible(string f, string e, bool fVisible)
Function	Sets the state of the specified element e in the window f to visible if fVisible is true, or invisible if fVisible is false. This function can be performed on all items.
Cross	GetPropVisible
Example	SetPropVisible('Fenster_1', 'Rechteck_1', false)

These functions allow you to manipulate strings and convert various data types to and from strings. The basic functions offer basic functionality inspired by the C string manipulation functions. If you need more advanced functions, you can use the following User defined functions, that can be imported into your project. These contain a lot of useful functions that you can use.

SetBlockStr

Declaration	SetBlockStr(block b, long pos, long size, string x)
Function	Writes the string x to block b from the position pos where the count starts at 0. Size is the number of bytes to be written.
Cross	GetBlockNum, GetBlockStr
Example	block b b := newblock(128) setblocknum(b, 0, 1, 6, false) setblockstr(b, 1, 6, 'ABCDEF')

Substr

Declaration	string SubStr(string source, long pos, long len)
Function	Copies from the string source from the position pos len bytes. Source is not changed.
Cross	StrDel, StrIns, StrLen, StrToken
Example	string s s := 'AAABBBCCC' debug('The first three are : ' + substr(s, 0, 3))

Strdel

Declaration	string StrDel(string source, long pos, long len)
Function	Deletes from the string source from the position pos len bytes and returns the result. Source is not changed.
Cross	SubStr, StrIns, StrLen, StrToken
Example	string s s := 'ABCDxxxEFGH' debug(strdel(s, 4, 3))

StrIns

Declaration	string StrIns(string source, string ins, long pos)
Function	Inserts the string into the string source from the pos position and returns the result. Source is not changed.
Cross	SubStr, StrLen, StrToken
Example	string s s := 'ABCFGH' debug(strins(s, 'DE', 3))

Strlen

Declaration	long StrLen(string source)
Function	Returns the length of the source string without the final null character.
Cross	Token
Example	string s s := "Internal:String1" while strlen(s)< 20 do   s := s + '' enddo

StrLower

Declaration	string StrLower(string source)
Function	Converts all uppercase letters of the source string to lowercase and returns the result. Source is not changed. The letters A - Z are converted.
Cross	StrUpper
Example	string s s := 'ABcDEfGH' debug(strlower(s))

Strpos

Declaration	long StrPos(string source, string find)
Function	Finds the string source after the first occurrence of the find string. If an occurrence is found, the position is returned, otherwise -1
Cross	SubStr, StrToken
Example	string s s := 'ABCDEFGH' if strpos(s, 'DE') >= 0 then   debug('DE is included in string') Endif

Strtod

Declaration	double StrToD(string source)
Function	Converts the source-designated string to a floating-point number
Cross	DToStr, LToStr, StrToL
Example	double d             d := strtod('-1.7567E+02')

Strtoken

Declaration	string StrToken(string source, string delim, long n)
Function	Reads the nth word from the string source. All characters found in the delim string are used as separators.
Cross	SubStr, StrDel, StrPos
Example	string s s := 'one,two,three,four,fuenf' debug(strtoken(s, ',', 3)

StrTokenCnt

Declaration	long StrTokenCnt(string source, string delim)
Function	Determine the number of delimiters delim in the string source.
Cross	SubStr, StrDel, StrPos, StrToken, StrTokenEx
Example	string s s := 'one,two,three,four,fuenf' debug(ltostr(strtokencnt(s, ','), 10))

StrTokenEx

Declaration	string StrTokenEx(string source, string delim, long n, long cnt)
Function	Reads from the string source from the nth word cnt words. All characters found in the delim
Cross	SubStr, StrDel, StrPos, StrToken, StrTokenCnt
Example	string s s := 'one,two,three,four,fuenf' debug(strtokenex(s, ',', 3, 2))

Strtol

Declaration	long StrToL(string source)
Function	Converts the source-designated string to a long value
Cross	DToStr, LToStr, StrToD
Example	long l             l := strtol('-1')

StrTrim

Declaration	string StrTrim(string source)
Function	Deletes all spaces from the source string and returns the result. Source is not changed.
Cross	StrLower, StrUpper
Example	string s s := ' ABC DE FGH ' debug(strtrim(s))

StrUpper

Declaration	string StrUpper(string source)
Function	Converts all lowercase letters of the source string to uppercase and returns the result. Source is not changed. The letters A - Z are converted.
Cross	StrLower
Example	string s s := 'ABcDEfGH' debug(strupper(s))