How to configure application settings? Interface and basic features of the development environment | HMI programming course. Part 2.

Internal memory configuration

To open the memory configuration window, double-click on the Links -> Internal Memory tab in the program tree. From this level you will get information about user memory resources, battery-backed memory and system memory.

In the Number of words section increase the displayed value to 1 so that the window is configured as shown above. Notice that the window contains information about the bit range for program execution and how to refer to particular types of memory. To confirm the changes, select OK.

More information about configuration and memory management can be found in the episode: What types of variables are used in operator panels? | HMI panel programming course, episode 5

Good to know

To learn more about system memory registers, it’s best to use the built-in help. In the top tab bar, select Help > Contents and select the Search option and enter System in the search engine. A list of items containing the searched phrase will then appear.

From the available options, select the System Memory tab to display a list of system variables available to the user when building the application.

General application configuration

Go to the General Setup tab in the software tree to access the main application settings.

In this tab you can customize features such as:

• • panel model and its resolution (Model and Display Resolution),
• • screen displayed when loading the application (Splash Screen option),
• • start screen with the user login option after startup (Start Up tab),
• • screen displayed when the panel is idle (screensaver),
• • macros (micro programs):
  • when starting the application (Startup Macro),
  • while the application is running (Main Macro),
  • when the state of one of the bits in the program changes (Event Macro),
  • for a specified period of time (Time Macro),
• • external printer (Print),
• • size of battery-backed memory and the possibility of using an external keyboard (Hardware tab),
• • displaying objects and sound signals (Miscellaneous).

Adding graphic elements

Once you are familiar with the configuration window, close it by pressing OK. Then place the Object>Bit Button on the screen and double-click on it to start its configuration.

In the button configuration window, you can change its appearance, select its type and the address of the variable assigned to this button. Additionally, you can choose the type of operation that should be performed by pressing the button, and since in this case you will be setting the value of the variable with the button, set the Set ON function. The ON Macro function allows you to run a macro by pressing a button.

In the Label tab you can set the text that will be displayed depending on the button label.

After selecting Advanced, you will gain access to advanced button configuration. By selecting Enabled By Bit, you will assign a discrete variable to the button that will control the button and, depending on its state, will allow the operator to use the button.

You can also control the button by the access level assigned to the current user and if it is not appropriate, you will also not be able to use the button.

You can read more about access levels to program elements in the episode: „How to limit access to the application? Operator passwords. | HMI panel programming course episode 12“.

Another useful feature is Operation Logging, which allows you to monitor operations to use information about changes in button state while the program is running. You can assign similar options in the Visibility tab, where you define when the button will be visible, which you can also control using a variable and depending on the user's access level.

After configuring the button, confirm the changes by selecting OK.

Then add a function button by selecting Object > Function Button and enter the button configuration window again - after placing it on the screen, near the previously added button.

Similar to the Bit Button object, you can freely configure the operation of the button. Close the above windows with OK and add the following objects from the Object drop-down menu:

• • Slide Switch
• • Numeric Entry
• • Numeric Display
• • Character Entry
• • Character Display
• • Lamp Bit

Arrange the objects as shown in the screen below.

Select View from the top menu and check the Object List and I/O List options so that they appear in the design tree.

Lists will then appear that allow you to control objects and variables in the project (addresses, assigned variables, etc.).