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<h1 style="text-align: center;">Displays <br> (Desktop and Web)</h1>
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Introduction to the Displays Module
The Display module is a graphical tool Displays Module allows you to create User Interface displays, with extensive set of fully customizable Symbols and componentsInterfaces.
Available Displays Some of the Displays Module's features:
- Cross-Platform development allowing the Allows the creation of .NET WPF and HTML5 from applications from a unified drawing tool.
Create Responsive Dashboards as well HMI process screens.
Easily setup for Multi-Monitor applications.
Process Control execution mode disables the Windows Task Switch.
Allows user defined layouts creating Displays composed by many frames.
Large set of Smart Symbols, High Performance Graphical symbols and extensible components included.
Automatically connects Data Templates with Symbols.
Support for Themes skins, Language Localization and Units Metric systems conversion.
Displays dynamically created from the Asset Model, for Self-Aware SCADA applications- .
- The same configuration can execute in both WPF and web clients.
- Create responsive dashboards as well as HMI process screens.
- Allows user-defined layouts, creating displays composed of multiple frames.
- A large set of smart symbols, high-performance graphical symbols, and extensible components are included.
- Support for theme skins, language localization, and units metric system conversion.
- Automatically connects data templates with symbols.
- Displays are dynamically created from the asset model for self-aware SCADA applications.
This documentation section explains the tools available on the Displays Module. The drawing of displays is on the next documentation section: Drawing the User Interface.
On this page:
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Key Concepts and Terms
Display / Screen
A display is the visual representation of information in an application, serving as the interface through which users interact with data and controls. Its purpose is to present information to the user in a structured and comprehensible manner. Displays function as a medium for users to view and manipulate data, incorporating elements like text, graphics, and interactive controls. They operate by rendering data using a rendering engine and responding to user input. Displays find application in various contexts such as data visualization, control systems, and user interfaces. Users interact with displays to input information, receive feedback, and perform actions within the application.
Client
a window or frame of your application’s user interface. A display can contain multiple graphical elements. The elements of a display can be static, meaning they always appear the same, such as a title or an image, or dynamic, such as a gauge or a color status indicator.
In the context of this documentation, the terms display and screen can be used interchangeably when referring to a user interface window. When referring to the configuration objects or the module, the term "Display" is used.
Layout
Layouts allow the organization of the user interface into frames or panels, acting as containers for your Displays. For instance, a typical layout includes a top display that remains constant with navigation buttons, and an area below where different displays can be shown.
Client
A client is a software component A client, in the realm of software, refers to a component or application that interacts with a server or services. It can be categorized into different types like , including types such as .NET Clients, HTML5 Clients, and Remote Clients. The purpose of clients is to facilitate user interaction with the application, performing tasks locally or communicating with a server to retrieve or send data. Clients handle user input, display information, and execute application logic. Operationally, clients process user input, render displays, and communicate with servers if necessary. Clients are used in a wide range of applications, including desktop applications, web browsers, and remote access tools. Users interact with clients to perform tasks, view information, and manipulate data within the application.
Redering engine
Rendering Engine
A rendering engine is tasked with generating generates visual output based on from an application's data and logic. Rendering engines, such as WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) for Windows applications, HTML5 for web applications, and Portable for cross-platform compatibility, may be employed. The purpose of a rendering engine is to transform abstract data and instructions into a visual representation for display. Functionally, rendering engines interpret code, process styles and layouts, and generate the final visual output for displays. Operationally, rendering engines involve interpreting markup or code, applying styles, and rendering the final output. These engines find application in developing graphical user interfaces across different platforms and technologies. Developers utilize rendering engines to create visually appealing and interactive user interfaces in their applications.
Panel types
Panel types, such as Canvas and Dashboards, pertain to specific layouts or containers within a display where elements can be organized. The purpose of panel types is to provide structure and arrangement for displaying content within a larger interface. Functionally, panel types define how elements are positioned and organized within a display, influencing the overall layout and design. Operationally, panel types involve defining rules for the positioning and arrangement of elements placed within them. Panel types are applied when designing display layouts, allowing developers to create organized and visually appealing interfaces. Developers use panel types to structure and arrange elements, enhancing the user experience and usability of the application.
display drawing. In our context, the Engine can be WPF, HTML5, or Portable meaning that the same displays can be rendered to WPF or HTML5 clients.
PanelType
Panels are containers for organizing the display’s graphical elements. The PanelType defines how those elements will be organized. Our platform supports Canvas and Dashboard as PanelTypes.
Our Platform support Canvas and Dashboard as PanelTypes.
Canvas (or Process Screens): The elements are in a drawing surface, where each element has its specific location and size.
Grid (or Dashboard Screens): The elements are placed in a grid with responsive size, columns and rows. The graphical elements adjust accordingly.
Understanding the Displays Module
The Displays Module implements the user interface for the execution of your solution. The drawing of a display itself is covered in the next chapter, "Drawing User Interfaces." First, it is necessary to understand the various concepts and features related to creating and using the User Interface Displays.
Desktop and Web sharing the same configuration
The Displays Module allows the creation of screens to run on Windows desktops using WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) technology or in web browsers using HTML5 and WebAssembly technologies.
Although you can create displays that are intended to open in only one environment, our platform supports the Portable option, where the exact same configuration can be used by both Windows/WPF clients and Web/HTML5 clients.
Users don't need to create two different types of screens for Windows and web clients. Using the Portable option for the rendering engine creates displays that will automatically function in both desktop and web environments. This feature enables our users from previous releases to use the screens they created over the years on Windows desktops and open them directly in web browsers with no rework or modifications.
For Windows WPF, you can access the displays using the Rich Client (installed on the client computer) or a Smart Client (ClickOnce, no installation required) loading from supported browsers.
For Web HTML5, no installation is required; you can use it on desktop or mobile devices with any browser compatible with HTML5/WebAssembly (which most browsers currently are).
Process Screens and Dashboards
Process screens and dashboards are specific layouts within displays that organize
Understanding Displays
Understanding displays involves a interplay between technologies, operational processes, and visual configurations. Exploring display technologies and client types provides a foundation for tailoring displays. The operational aspect, including screens and dashboards, organizes elements for an enhanced user experience. Additionally, grasping display modes and stretch options for shaping how information is visually presented on the screen, helps to ensure adaptability and responsiveness. In essence, these components collectively contribute to a comprehensive understanding of displays.
Displays technologies and clients types
Displays leverage various technologies and support different client types, such as .NET Clients and HTML5 Clients. Understanding these technologies and client variations is necessary for tailoring displays to specific platform requirements and user experiences. For more details, explore Display Client Types.
Process screens and Dashboards
The process screens and the dashboards are specific layouts within displays. They organize specific graphical elements for different data visualization purposes. They contribute to the overall structure and design, enhancing the user experience. For more information, please refer to the Responsive Dashboards.
Displays modes and Stretch options
Display modes and stretch options influence how information is presented on the screen. Whether configuring modes for specific contexts or stretching elements for responsiveness, these options impact the visual output. For read more, Display modes and Stretch options.
Configuring Displays
The Display configuration encompass the following:
List
The List interface allows managing and organizing displays, fine-tuning for compatibility with native Windows or HTML5, and enabling users to access and customize display properties. Read more by checking the Displays List.
Draw
The Draw interface provides features for graphic design and coding the solution displays. It offers several tools to implement the logic and the visual, speeding up building intuitive user interfaces. For more information, please visit Draw workspace.
Layouts
The Layouts interface designs the page presentations on various devices. They allow customization for different screen sizes, ensuring displays are responsive and adaptable. This feature optimizes user interfaces across desktop and mobile platforms. For more details, visit Layouts.
Client Settings
Client Settings offers global and platform-specific customization for display behavior and appearance. These settings include Portable Settings for all clients and specific options for Windows WPF clients, ensuring a consistent user experience across different client types. For details, refer to Client Settings.
Images
The Images data grid works as a repository for managing image files used in displays into solutions for importing and applying images as icons, backgrounds, or dynamic elements. For a complete reference, please visit Images.
Symbols
Smart Symbols offer versatile and dynamic capabilities for display creation. These symbols include a library of over 500 pre-designed symbols tailored for the software platform, which also supports a user-created library. A key feature is their synchronization capability: changes made to a symbol in the library automatically update across all displays using that symbol. Local Symbols with dynamic properties can be directly mapped to tags in displays and set as default graphical representations for these tags.
All symbols are vector-based, ensuring they resize intelligently across various displays. This design supports both .NET and HTML5 displays, guaranteeing a consistent user experience. Additionally, symbols can hold multiple data references or input parameters, enhancing their utility. This feature allows for easy replication and application in different contexts while seamlessly linking to data-driven actions like color changes or state indications. Read more by visiting Symbols.
Themes
Theme colors enable the creation of pages and objects with custom visuals based on the selected theme. In the Draw environment, the Brush Editor offers the option to utilize theme colors. The runtime theme is determined by the @Client.Theme property. For more details, visit Themes.
Localization
Localization table enables operators using remote displays to interact with the interface in their chosen language. Translations can be defined through this configuration and the selected language applied on the client side using either the @Client.Localization property or the SetLocalization method. Localization tailors the content on the display to accommodate different languages and regional preferences. For more information, please visit Localization.
Units Conversion
The Units Conversion feature allows for the creation of automatic systems that adjust the engineering units displayed based on the operator's preference or requirement. By accessing the @Client.Units property, the operator can switch the displayed measurement units, such as from the Imperial to the Metric system. For instance, a project can be developed using the US measurement system (Imperial units), but the operator has the ability to input and view values in the Metric system. This automates the measurement conversion process, making it easier to operate across different unit standards without the need for manual calculations or external tools. For more information, please visit Units Conversion.
Working with Displays
Creating the User Interfaces
The software platform technology stack includes several features and tools to create and deploy real-time displays for advanced process control and visualization. Explore how to do it by checking Draw the User Interface.
Enabling Multi-Monitor Support
The multiple monitor feature enhances solutions to support various screens, useful for enterprise Network Operations Centers and Operations Control Rooms. To activate this feature, navigate to Displays → Client Settings and select 'Enable MultipleMonitor', available exclusively for Rich Clients. For read more about the feature, refer to Client Settings.
A Process Screen represents a process diagram. When resized, the elements keep their relative position.
A Dashboard Screen is for data presentation where the UI components are placed on a grid, according to the size of the Container window.
When using process screens, there are various ways to specify the responsiveness for resizing, such as stretching proportionally or other options. That behavior is defined in the drawing tool or the Display Settings.
When using Dashboards, you are automatically creating responsive UI interface.
Windows Specific Features
Although the platform tries to keep the Windows/WPF and Web/HTML5 experiences of the displays as similar as possible, there are features available only when running WPF displays on Windows, due to intrinsic limitations of the web browser.
Those features include;
Easily setup for Multi-Monitor applications.
Process Control execution mode disables the Windows Task Switch.
Those requirements are useful for enterprise Network Operations Centers and Operations Control Rooms. To activate this feature, navigate to Displays Client Settings
Designer and Runtime Themes
An extensive set of light and dark themes, including high-contrast options, provides better comfort and visibility when creating the solution, as well as for operators.
The built-in tools enable the easy creation of solutions that will be delivered with theme support, requiring no extra effort.
Localization and Internationalization
The platform allows the easy creation of solutions that, without the need of modifications, can run in various settings for language and internationalization.
It is possible for two Operators to access the same server, using distinct choices of UI language and Engineering Units, and changing its settings for their local User Interface.
Smart Symbols
Smart Symbols
The Drawing tool includes a library of around 2,000 Smart Symbols, graphical elements typically used in industrial applications. Many of these symbols are more than just vector images; they also have dynamic behavior that allows direct mapping to your tags and assets. It includes also a set of Industrial Icons, specially designed for the typical visuals on process displays.
High Performance HMI
The well-known book High Performance HMI proposed a set of standards for HMI design. Our platform fully enables the creation of solutions that support those standards, including High-Performance Graphical (HPG) palettes in its themes and hundreds of ready-to-use symbols created following those specifications.
Advanced Components and Controls
For advanced graphical interfaces, such as GanttCharts, TrendCharts, DataGrids, PdfViewers and more, a set of Graphical Components for WPF and Web is included. Additionally, third-party controls can easily be used in the solution.
Self-aware Applications and Dynamic Displays
Previous generations of SCADA and HMI typically had the drawing and mapping of their data fixed to the tags and process variables. At most, they allowed the same drawing to point to different assets, as long as the assets were similar. Our platform, being a new generation, also allows the dynamic creation of complete graphic displays according to the data being connected.
These data-centric applications can have their user interface created automatically based on the assets found in the data model. Typically, these applications are organized around a unified namespace, an MQTT broker, or OPC UA servers.
Using the TagProvider feature, our platform can establish a dynamic connection with those systems, selecting the best UI elements according the data found on the connected servers.
Learn more about data-driver user interface on the Tutorial MQTT and Dynamic Displays.
Displays Module Configuration
The Objects and Tools to create and manage Displays are organized in the following sections:
Displays List
The Displays List page shows the current set of Displays of the solution. More information in Displays List.
Displays Draw
Built-in graphical editor for Displays. Go to Displays Draw for an overview, and go to Drawing the User Interface for information on all the drawing tools
Layouts
Organize Displays into frames. More information on Displays Layouts.
Client Settings
Setup startup and execution settings, when using the displays. More information on Displays Client Settings.
Images
Table with all Image Files imported to the Solution File. More information on Displays Images.
Symbols
Table with all Symbols imported to the Solution File, or created within. More information on Displays Symbols.
Themes
Show the available Themes and allows customizations. More information on Displays Themes.
Localization
Define Translation Dictionaries, allowing different operator to run their displays in different languages. More information on Displays Localization.
Units Conversion
Define Dictionaries for Metric System conversion, allowing different operators to see Values in different metric system. More information on Displays Units Conversion
Troubleshooting and Best Practices
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Common #Issues and Solutions
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Best Practices and #Recommendations
Use Responsive Dashboards on designing responsive interfaces for client displays, ensuring that the HMI and dashboard components adapt to different screen sizes, resolutions, and orientations. It will cover design principles and best practices for creating responsive layouts, such as using flexible grids, scalable images, and media queries. The focus will be on ensuring that the FactoryStudio application delivers an optimal user experience across various devices, including desktops, tablets, and mobile phones, with platform-specific considerations and recommendations for different client types.
In this section:
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