Page History

SmartSymbols Libraries And Collections

Application

Symbols find application across diverse industries where there is a need to visualize and control engineering processes. This includes manufacturing, energy production, building management systems, and any other domain that relies on process visualization for operation and monitoring.

Usage

The use of Symbols involves integrating them into display panels or control interfaces where monitoring and interaction with various system components are necessary. They provide a consistent and scalable way to represent different elements, ensuring clarity and uniformity across different displays and devices. To use or customize symbols navigate to Displays → Draw. To manage symbols navigate to Displays → Symbols. To create, rename, delete symbols you can use both.

Symbols Libraries And Collections

The Symbols Libraries and Collections comprise graphical elements for software interfaces. The Local Symbols Library allows symbol creation and management. The Symbol Factory Library offers a range of symbols for use. HMI Collections provide symbols for Human-Machine Interfaces, and HPG Collections deliver graphics for advanced visualizations. These resources support interface development with dynamic, data-responsive features.

The Symbols Library is composed of nearly 2000 Symbols organized in the following collections.

Local Solution

The Local Symbols Library Solution library stores user-defined and default symbols, reflecting the Smart Symbols concept. It allows users to create symbols with dynamic properties and tag mappings, tailored for specific software solutions. Any change to these symbols impacts all solutions on the computer, highlighting their adaptability and system-wide integration.

The Symbol Factory Library stores a wide range of pre-built, reusable symbols, suitable for various applications. It likely offers symbols that users can integrate and customize in different solutions, serving as a foundational resource for building specific functionalities.

HMI Collection

The HMI Collections consist of graphical elements for Human-Machine Interface systems. These collections include symbols and controls for building displays in industrial and automation control environments. They organize are organized into categories that match equipment and components like blowers, conveyors, and pumps. Each category breaks down into subcategories for specific equipment types, enabling detailed customization. These symbols help represent machinery states and conditions and provide an interface for controlling and monitoring industrial processes. The HMI Collections support interface development to enhance operational efficiency and safety and adapt while adapting to different industrial application requirements.

HPG

Collection

The HPG Symbols Collections offer graphical elements optimized for high-performance displays in line with the ISA 101 HMI Design Standard. These symbols include a range of visuals for alarms, motors, and valves, which are essential for clear and efficient operator interfaces. Organized into specific categories, they enable consistency and standardization across HMI systems. HPG Symbols allow for varying levels of detail, accommodating the ISA 101 emphasis on effective information hierarchy. They aid in developing displays that improve operational control, safety, and adaptability to the unique demands of industrial environments.

Craft Custom Symbols with specific data links to fit their needs. For instance, a user might create a custom pump symbol that automatically appears when an integer data type is dragged onto the graphical interface, a useful feature for representing equipment or processes in industrial control systems.

Users also have the capability to design their unique data types, like a 'PumpDataType', which could include parameters such as 'FlowRate', 'Pressure', and 'Status'. These represent different aspects and states of an actual pump. Dragging the 'PumpDataType' onto the screen automatically brings in all these parameters, offering a detailed and interactive representation of the equipment.

Smart Symbols extend this functionality with a library of over 500 predefined symbols, in addition to those created by users, and are synchronized across the system. For example, a Smart Symbol might be a temperature gauge with adjustable parameters like 'TemperatureValue', 'MinScale', and 'MaxScale'. Modifying this symbol updates all its instances in user interfaces, ensuring consistency and easing updates.

To manage these symbols, users can go to Displays → Symbols for exporting, importing, or deleting functions. To view all available symbols, one can navigate to Displays → Draw → Drawing and choose Insert Symbol. This suite of features provides users with the tools to create data-rich and visually intuitive interfaces, specifically tailored to their industrial applications.

Symbol Parameters and Dynamics

When you insert a symbol from the Symbol Library, it may have parameters. For our example, the VerticalTank symbol has the LevelValue, MaxScale, and MinScale parameters. To change the tags linked to these parameters, edit the new tag names in the dialog.

Editing and modifying symbols

Right-click the VerticalTank symbol and select Edit Symbol. This starts the Edit mode and allows you to see all of the objects that are part of the Vertical Tank.

Click on the black rectangle to see its Dynamics.

We use #<PropertyName>:TagName 

This syntax will create the exposed label parameters for the symbol. This makes it easier to map any linked tags when you are using the symbol.

For this example, the symbol has the "Level","MinScale", and "MaxScale" labels. When you insert this symbol in your display, you will be able to set the values for these parameters. The default value is after the colon ":" character.

"#LevelValue:Client.SimulationAnalog", creates a property called the "LevelValue" that has "Client.SimulationAnalog" as the default value.
You can use any name for the Label parameter.

When creating symbols, it is useful to initially map the properties to client.SimulationDigital, Client.SimulationAnalog, or Client.SimulationDouble. These are variables with values that change every second so you can see the result of your dynamic properties. You can use the internal Client.DigitalValue, Client.NumericValue, and Client.TextValue variables when you want to use a placeholder value without any built-in simulation.

In order to save the symbol, right-click the symbol or on the display and click Save to Symbol Library or click the Save icon on the top toolbar. Double-click the symbol to verify its properties. 

For more information on High-Performance HMI Graphics, see High Performance HMI

Displays Symbols Table

This table can be used to check and change Symbol properties. It can also be used to export Symbols to the library, or to save them as image files.

Properties Reference

Symbols properties

The following table provides a reference for the Symbols properties.

→ See Smart Symbols for more information.

In this section: