Overview
This guide walks you through using the Designer interface to configure your solution, navigate between modules, and use productivity features for efficient development.
Prerequisites
Understanding of the Designer concepts
Basic familiarity with IDE environments
Opening Designer
From Solution Center
- Select your solution in Solution Center
- Click Edit for full access or View for read-only
- Designer loads with solution opened
Initial Layout
- Solution Explorer on left
- Welcome tab in center
- Properties panel on right
- Output window at bottom
Workspace Layout
| Area | Purpose | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation Tree | Module access | Organized by Four Pillars |
| Design Canvas | Context-sensitive editing | IntelliSense, validation |
| Properties Panel | Object configuration | Dynamic property grid |
| Output Window | System feedback | Errors, build results, search |
Quick Access Toolbar
- Home - Welcome page
- UNS - Jump to tags
- Draw - Display designer
- Runtime - Runtime settings
Navigating Modules
Module Organization by Pillars
| Pillar | Modules | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| P1: Foundation | UNS, Tags, Templates | Define data model |
| P2: Process | Devices, Alarms, Historian | Industrial integration |
| P3: Application | Scripts, Datasets, Reports | Business logic |
| P4: UI | Displays, Layouts, Security | User interface |
Opening Editors
| Method | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Double-click | Click item in tree | Opens in main canvas |
| Right-click | Context menu | Edit, delete, copy options |
| Drag-drop | Between panels | Move or reference items |
Working with Editors
Common Operations
| Operation | Shortcut | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Save | Ctrl+S | Save current changes |
| Undo/Redo | Ctrl+Z/Y | Reverse actions |
| Find | Ctrl+F | Search in editor |
| Build | F6 | Validate configuration |
| Test | F5 | Run test mode |
Table Editor Operations
Adding rows:
- Click empty row at bottom
- Right-click → Insert Row
- Press Insert key
Editing cells:
- Click to select
- Type to replace
- Tab to next cell
Multiple selection:
- Click and drag for range
- Ctrl+click for specific cells
- Shift+click for continuous range
Productivity Features
IntelliSense
- Start typing tag or object name
- Dropdown appears with matches
- Arrow keys to select
- Tab or Enter to accept
Cross-References
- Right-click any object
- Select Find References
- Results appear in Output window
- Double-click result to navigate
Validation Indicators
- Red border - Invalid entry
- Yellow warning - Potential issue
- Tooltip - Hover for error details
Refactoring
- Right-click object to rename
- Select Rename or change directly on the Grid cell
- Enter new name
- All references update automatically
Working with Execution Profiles
| Development | Validation | Production |
|---|---|---|
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Development Phase
Use meaningful naming conventions
Comment complex logic
Test edge cases
Document assumptions
Regular commits
Validation Phase
Test with production data volumes
Verify all integrations
Check error handling
Validate performance
Document test results
Production Phase
Monitor continuously
Maintain change log
Regular backups
Plan maintenance windows
Keep documentation current
General Guidelines
Never edit production directly
Always have rollback plan
Test changes thoroughly
Document everything
Maintain version history
→ Platform Overview / Solution Lifecycle / Designer → Tutorials / Solution Lifecycle / Designer Tutorial → How-to Guides / Solution Lifecycle / Designer How-to Guide → Technical Reference / Solution Lifecycle / Designer Reference → Designer Workspace ReferenceDesigner Links
Explanation - to understand concepts
Tutorials - to learn by doing
How-to Guides - to accomplish specific tasks
Reference - technical details
In this section...