RSViewSEUsers1

VIEWSE-UM004D-EN-E_Ttlpg.qxd 7/14/05 1:24 PM Page 1

User’s GuideVolume 1

Publication VIEWSE-UM004D-EN-E - July 2005Supersedes Publication VIEWSE-UM004C-EN-E

ContactingRockwell Software

Technical Support Telephone—440-646-5800

Technical Support Fax—440-646-5801

World Wide Web—http://www.software.rockwell.com or http://support.rockwellautomation.com

Copyright Notice © 2005 Rockwell Software Inc., a Rockwell Automation company. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America.

Portions copyrighted by the Allen-Bradley Company, LLC, a Rockwell Automation Company.

This manual and any accompanying Rockwell Software products are copyrighted by Rockwell Software Inc. Any reproduction and/or distribution without prior written consent from Rockwell Software Inc. is strictly prohibited. Please refer to the license agreement for details.

VBA and DCOM, Copyright 1996, 1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

This software is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.

Trademark Notices Allen-Bradley, ControlLogix, RSLinx, RSView, and VersaView are registered trademarks, and the Rockwell Software logo, RSLogix, RSTools, RSView Machine Edition, RSView ME Station, RSView Studio, RSView Supervisory Edition, RSView32, A.I. Series, Advanced Interface (A.I.) Series, ControlNet, Data Highway Plus, DH+, FactoryTalk, MobileView, Object Smart Path, PanelBuilder, PanelView, SLC, and WINtelligent are trademarks of Rockwell Automation, Inc.

Adobe, Acrobat, and Reader are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. TrueType is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. AutoCAD is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc. Ethernet is a registered trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation, Intel Corporation, and Xerox Corporation. Modicon is a registered trademark of Groupe Schneider. Zip is a trademark of Iomega Corporation. KEPServerEnterprise is a trademark of Kepware Technologies. ActiveX, Microsoft, OpenType, Visual Basic, Windows, and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. OPC is a registered trademark of the OPC Foundation.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders and are hereby acknowledged.

Warranty This Rockwell Software product is warranted in accord with the product license. The product’s performance will be affected by system configuration, the application being performed, operator control, and other related factors.

The product’s implementation may vary among users.

This manual is as up-to-date as possible at the time of printing; however, the accompanying software may have changed since that time. Rockwell Software reserves the right to change any information contained in this manual or the software at any time without prior notice.

The instructions in this manual do not claim to cover all the details or variations in the equipment, procedure, or process described, nor to provide directions for meeting every possible contingency during installation, operation, or maintenance.

Doc ID VIEWSE-UM004D-EN-ESeptember 2005

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Contents

PrefaceAbout the documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P-1Finding the information you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P-1

Try the User’s Guide and Help first . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P-1Information on the Internet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P-2Contacting Rockwell Software Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P-2

1 • Getting startedThe RSView Supervisory Edition software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1The RSView tools and utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

RSView Enterprise tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2Rockwell Software® utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3FactoryTalk tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

Features in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4Setting up the software you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5

Planning the layout of the network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6Installing the FactoryTalk Automation Platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6Installing RSView Supervisory Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7Installing the communications software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7Installing the necessary activation keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8Setting up the FactoryTalk Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8

About security in FactoryTalk-enabled system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9Logging on to FactoryTalk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9

Running in RSView demo mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10Exploring the Water Samples application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10

Running Water Samples in the RSView SE client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12Creating and testing a new application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12

Create the application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12Create a graphic display in the Graphics editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13Test run the application in RSView SE client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14

2 • Exploring RSView StudioStarting RSView Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Logging on to FactoryTalk® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2Opening an application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Opening the Samples Water application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

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RSVIEW SUPERVISORY EDITION USER’S GUIDE•

• •

• •

Exploring the RSView Studio main window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4The menu bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4The toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4The Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5The workspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5The Application tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5The Communications tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5The Diagnostics List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5The status bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7Workbook mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7Showing and hiding items in the main window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

Working in the Explorer window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8Undocking the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8

The parts of the Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11

Working with application components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12Adding components to an application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12Deleting, removing, and renaming components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13Naming components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14

Techniques for working in editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14Using the context menus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14Using the Browse button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15Using tag names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15Using RSView commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15Using expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16

Printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16Selecting a printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17Setting up the printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17Selecting a network printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17Printing at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17

3 • Planning an applicationUnderstanding the process you are automating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1Planning the layout of the network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

The Windows® domain or workgroup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2The computers you’ll need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2System requirements and installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

Planning a redundant system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4Planning communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4

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CONTENTS• • • • •

Plan how to access data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5Plan how to collect data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5When to use HMI tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

Designing an HMI tag database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6Collect information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6Organize HMI tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6Planning alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

Designing graphic displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7Develop a hierarchy of displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7Create templates to ensure consistency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7Apply visual design principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7

Planning run-time language switching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8Planning how to use trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9Designing a secure system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9Designing a system for multiple users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9Designing a system that is easy to deploy and maintain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10Integrating with other applications, and customizing the system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

4 • Setting up FactoryTalk DirectoryAbout FactoryTalk Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1Using FactoryTalk Directory in a networked system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3Specifying the location of FactoryTalk Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Local Directory setup for stand-alone applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4Network Directory setup for distributed applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Restoring FactoryTalk Directory when deploying an application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7What happens if FactoryTalk Directory is unavailable at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7

5 • Working with distributed applicationsAbout distributed applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1Key concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

FactoryTalk Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3RSAssetSecurity™. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3HMI server, HMI project, HMI client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4Using absolute and relative references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5Redundancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6Language switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8

Creating distributed applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8Adding and deleting areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9Adding an HMI server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9Adding a data server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11

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• •

When to use additional HMI or data servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11HMI server restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12

Setting up HMI server properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12Specifying how the server starts up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13Setting up HMI server redundancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14Selecting the HMI server’s startup and shutdown components . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15Changing the name of the host computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16

Starting and stopping HMI servers and components manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17Starting and stopping an HMI server’s components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17Starting and stopping HMI services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17

Deleting HMI servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17Deleting HMI server project files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17

Renaming and deleting distributed applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18Backing up and restoring distributed applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19

6 • Working with stand-alone applicationsAbout stand-alone applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1Key concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

FactoryTalk Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2RSAssetSecurity™. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3HMI server, HMI project, HMI client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3Using references in stand-alone applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3Language switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

Creating stand-alone applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4Importing a project into a new application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4Adding a data server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

Setting up HMI server properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5Specifying HMI server startup components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5Starting and stopping an HMI server’s components manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6

Renaming and deleting stand-alone applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7Copying, backing up, and restoring stand-alone applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7

7 • Setting up communicationsAbout data servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Types of data servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1Overview of data server communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2Using multiple data servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3

Setting up communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4Adding RSLinx Enterprise data servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5

Setting up general properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6Setting up RSLinx Enterprise data server redundancy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7

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Setting up communications in RSLinx Enterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8Primary and Secondary tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8

Adding OPC data servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9Setting up general properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9Setting up OPC data server redundancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11Setting up advanced properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12

Deleting data servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13

8 • Working with tagsTags and the HMI tag database. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1

Data server tags, HMI tags, and their attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1When to use HMI tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2Basic steps for using tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2

Using data server tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3Eliminating duplication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3Providing access to complex data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3Setting up data server tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3

Using HMI tags. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4Triggering alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4Securing tag or device values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4Manipulating data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4Storing values in RSView’s memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5Setting up HMI tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5

Browsing for tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5Opening the Tag Browser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5Using the Tag Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7Browsing for off-line tags from RSLinx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8Browsing for off-line tags in RSLinx Enterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8Browsing for off-line tags from other OPC servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9

Working with tags in the Tag Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9Displaying tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9Showing or hiding tag descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9About the Selected Tag box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9Displaying tag properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9Filtering tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10Creating, editing, and importing HMI tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11

Using tag references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11Absolute references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11Relative references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12The home area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12

Logging tag values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12

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9 • Creating HMI tagsAbout HMI tags. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1

HMI tag types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1Data sources for HMI tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2

Organizing HMI tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2Naming HMI tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3Using folders to group HMI tags. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3Viewing tag statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3

Using the Tags editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4Using the Accept and Discard buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4Using the form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5Using the query box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5Using the folder hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5

Creating, editing, duplicating, and deleting tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5Specifying a data source. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7

Specifying Device as the data source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7Specifying Memory as the data source. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8

Creating HMI tags without using the Tags editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8Creating tags in a third-party application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9Creating tags as needed in other RSView editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9Importing tags from a PLC database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9Using the Tag Import and Export Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10

Adding alarms to HMI tags. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11

10 • Creating derived tagsAbout derived tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1

How to use derived tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1Setting up derived tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2Using the Derived Tags editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2

Using the Check Syntax button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3Using the Accept and Discard buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3

Creating a derived tags component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3Using multiple derived tag components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4

About the maximum update rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4Starting and stopping derived tag processing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4

Ways to start derived tag processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4Ways to stop derived tag processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5

11 • Creating alarmsAbout RSView Supervisory Edition alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1

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Summary of features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1Setting up alarms for an application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2Key concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3

Alarms for analog HMI tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3Alarms for digital HMI tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6Alarm severity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7Alarm messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7Alarm log file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7Alarm displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8Alarm acknowledgment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10Alarm suppression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10Alarm functions in expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-11Acknowledge bit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12Handshake bit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13Alarm events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13

Setting up general alarm behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-15Setting up alarm monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-16Setting up alarm severities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-17Setting up alarm messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-18

Setting up alarm conditions for HMI tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-20Setting up alarms for analog tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-21Setting up alarms for digital tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-21

Setting up alarm logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-21Specifying where log files are stored or printed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-23Specifying when log files are created. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-23Specifying when log files are deleted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-23Setting up periodic logging to a central ODBC database. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-23Exporting alarm log files manually to ODBC format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-24Adding remarks to the alarm log file at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-24Suppressing alarm printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-25Suppressing alarm logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-26Using the Suppressed List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-26

Viewing alarm log files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-27About alarm log files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-28

Setting up security to log alarms to a remote computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-28Creating an alarm summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-30

Creating an alarm summary object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-30The parts of an alarm summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-30Inserting headings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-31Choosing fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-31Choosing colors and blink styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-31Selecting buttons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-32

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Choosing the data to display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-33Sorting data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-36Running commands, macros, or custom programs in response to alarms . . . . 11-36Using alarm data with commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-37

Starting and stopping alarm monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-39Ways to start alarm monitoring at the HMI server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-39Ways to stop alarm monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-40

12 • Logging system activityAbout FactoryTalk Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1Summary of steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1Key concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2

Destinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2Message routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2Message categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3

Setting up FactoryTalk Diagnostics in RSView . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4Logging to a central database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-5Setting up message routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-6

Using the Diagnostics List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-7Working with the Diagnostics List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-7Messages in the Diagnostics List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-8

Viewing FactoryTalk Diagnostics logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-9Setting up security to log system activity to a remote computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-10

13 • Using data loggingAbout data logging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1

About data log models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1Using multiple data log models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2Displaying historical data in a trend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2

Data log storage formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2Log file sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2ODBC database storage format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3

Creating data log models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4Specifying the storage format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5Setting up log paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5Setting up and managing data log files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5Specifying when to log data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6Choosing the data to be logged. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6

Editing a data log model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7Changing log paths using the RSView Administration Console . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7

Working with ODBC data sources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7

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Using an existing ODBC data source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7Creating a new ODBC data source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8

Switching log paths at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8Using the DataLogSwitchBack command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-9Using the DataLogMergeToPrimary command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-9Using the DataLogNewFile command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-10Using the DataLogSnapshot command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11Combining logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11Providing a way to log on demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-12

Setting up security to log data to a remote computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-12Making runtime changes without editing the data log model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13Starting and stopping data logging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14

Ways to start data logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14Ways to stop data logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15

14 • Using eventsAbout events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1Setting up events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1Using the Events editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2

Using the Check Syntax button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2Using the Accept and Discard buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3

Creating an events component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3Using multiple events components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4Editing events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4

About the maximum update rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4Starting and stopping event processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4

Ways to start event processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4Ways to stop event processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5

15 • Setting up securityHow security works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-1

System resources secured at FactoryTalk Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2HMI project components secured in RSView . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2About FactoryTalk Local and Network Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2

Summary of steps for setting up security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-4Planning security for an application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-4Setting up basic elements of the security system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-5

Logging on to FactoryTalk Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-5About single sign-on. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-6Logging on and off RSView. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-7Specifying which users can set up security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-7

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• •

Setting up system-wide policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-7Setting up RSAssetSecurity user accounts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-8

Using accounts that originate at FactoryTalk Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-9Using Windows-linked accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-9Using both types of user account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-9Setting up accounts for groups of users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-10Creating user accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-10

Setting up computer accounts for a distributed application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-11Creating computer accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-12

Setting up access to resources secured at FactoryTalk Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-12Using the Security Settings dialog box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-13Specifying actions that users can perform on a resource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-14

Understanding inherited permissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-19Breaking the chain of inheritance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20Using explicit permissions to override inheritance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-20

Setting up access to HMI project components in RSView . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-22Adding users to RSView and assigning security codes to them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-23

Specifying login and logout macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-25Removing users or groups from RSView. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26

Assigning security codes to RSView commands and macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-26About the Unspecified_Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-27

Assigning security codes to graphic displays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-28Assigning security codes to OLE objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-28Assigning security codes to HMI tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-29Using the signature button to secure HMI project components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-30Logging on and off the RSView SE client. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-30

Logging on a different user at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-31Logging off the current user at run time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-32Changing the current user’s password at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-32

Locking users into the RSView SE client environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-33

16 • Creating graphic displaysAbout graphic displays and graphic objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-1

Importing and exporting graphic display XML files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2About global object displays and global objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2

Working with global objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-2Using the Graphics editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-3

Using the Object Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-4Using the Property Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-6

Basic editing techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-6Zooming in and out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-6

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Using the grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-7Using the toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-7Selecting a drawing tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-7Selecting and deselecting objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8Using the context menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-8

Working with graphic objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-9Duplicating objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-9Reshaping objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-9Resizing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-10Arranging objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-10Flipping objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-14Rotating objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-15Grouping objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-16Ungrouping objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-16Editing grouped objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17Applying colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-18Applying pattern styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-18Changing line properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-19Assigning tags and expressions to objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-19Using tag substitution to replace text associated with objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-20Testing graphic displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-21Testing the appearance of objects in different states . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-21Naming graphic objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-22Adding tooltips to objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-22Creating a background for a display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23

Working with global object displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-23Creating global object displays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-24Adding existing displays containing reference objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-24Global object displays at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-25

Using objects from the graphic libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-25Location of library files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-25

Importing graphic files from third-party applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-26Converting imported objects to RSView objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-26

Using bitmaps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-26When to use a bitmap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-27

Using tag placeholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-28Replacing tag placeholders using a parameter file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-29Assigning parameter files to graphic displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-29Replacing tag placeholders using parameters with the Display command . . . 16-29

Setting up the run-time appearance and behavior of a display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-30Using the Display Settings dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-31Changing the default display settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-31

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Setting up display properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-32Setting up display behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-37Displaying graphics more quickly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-39

Printing displays at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-40

17 • Setting up graphic objectsTypes of graphic objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-1

About global objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-3Setting up the properties of graphic objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-3

Setting up properties common to all objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-4Creating drawing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-4

Tips for creating drawing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-4Changing the properties of drawing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-7Adding an image to a graphic display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-7Creating a panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-8

Working with text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-8Creating a text object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-8Choosing text fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-8

Setting up objects that use data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-9Using tag names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-10

Using the keyboard to navigate to and select objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-10What input focus looks like . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-10Using the keys on the keyboard or keypad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-11Removing objects from the tab sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-11

How to use push buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-11Creating push buttons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-12

Creating button push buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-12Creating momentary push buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-13Creating maintained push buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-15Creating latched push buttons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-16Creating multistate push buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-18Creating interlocked push buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-19Creating ramp push buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-21

How to use display and input objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-22Creating numeric or string inputs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-23

Using input fields at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-24Using Keys to retrieve data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-25Using RSView commands to retrieve data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-26Using the on-screen keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-26

How to use indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-27How to use the States tab for indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-27

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How to use Least Significant Bits to trigger states. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-28How to use the Connections tab for indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-28

Creating indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-28Creating multistate indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-28Creating symbol indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-28Creating list indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-29

How to use gauges and graphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-29Using gauges to show limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-29Using graphs to compare values. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-30

Creating gauges and graphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-31Creating gauges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-31Creating bar graphs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-31Creating scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-31

How to use keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-31Using the Key objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-32Using keys with the object that has focus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-32Setting up keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-33

Creating keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-33Setting up whether the key repeats when held down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-33

How to use advanced objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-33Objects described in other chapters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-34

Creating advanced objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-34Creating arrows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-34Creating tag labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-35Creating time and date displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-35Creating display list selectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-35How to use local message displays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-36Creating local message displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-37Creating a recipe object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-38Using a recipe at run time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-40

Choosing between piloted control list selectors and control list selectors. . . . . . . . 17-42How to use control list selectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-42How to use piloted control list selectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-43Creating control list and piloted control selectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-48Working with global objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-48Creating global objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-48

Creating reference objects from global objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-49About reference objects and graphic libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-49

Setting up the Link properties of reference objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-49LinkAnimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-50LinkConnections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-51LinkSize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-51

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LinkBaseObject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-51Link properties of grouped reference objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-52Breaking links between reference and base objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-52

Using OLE objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-52Creating OLE objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-53

Converting OLE objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-53Using ActiveX objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-54

When exchanging data with tags, use the same data type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-54ActiveX properties, methods, and events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-54Creating ActiveX objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-55Making ActiveX objects interact with RSView . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-55Using VBA code to make ActiveX objects interact with RSView . . . . . . . . . 17-55Using the ActiveX toolbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-55

Deploying ActiveX components automatically at run time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-56Recording and authorizing run-time changes using electronic signatures. . . . . . . . 17-56

Securing tag writes, commands, and downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-57Creating signature buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-58Securing objects in displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-58Tracking changes with FactoryTalk® Diagnostics™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-58Using the signature button for compliance with regulated manufacturing

applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-59

18 • Animating graphic objectsUsing animation in RSView. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-1

All graphic objects can have animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-2About global objects and animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-2

Using the Animation dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-2Using tag names and tag placeholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-4Using commands and macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-4Using expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-4Setting the range of tag values for animating an object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-5Defining a range of motion for an object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-5Testing animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-6

Animating graphic objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-6Using visibility animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-7Using color animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-7Using fill animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-9Using horizontal position animation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-9Using vertical position animation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-9Using width animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-10Using height animation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-10

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Using rotation animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-10Using touch animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-11Using horizontal slider animation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-12Using vertical slider animation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-12Using OLE verb animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-12

Animating ActiveX controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-13Naming ActiveX objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-13Connecting tags to an ActiveX object’s properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-14Connecting tags to an object’s methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-15Connecting tags to an ActiveX object’s events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-16

Using index numbers to navigate to objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-17How tab index numbers work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-17Checking an object’s index number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-17Changing index numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-18Creating a tab sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19

Associating objects and displays with keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19About client keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-20

Using object keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-20Using the Current [tag] parameter with object keys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-21

Using display keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-23Viewing the key list at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-24

Disabling the key list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-25Applying animation to object groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-25Checking the animation on objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-25Copying or duplicating objects with animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-25

Copying animation without copying objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-25

19 • Setting up trendsAbout trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-1

Current versus historical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-2Creating trend objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-3The parts of a trend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-4

Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-4Chart title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5X-axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5X-axis legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5Y-axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5Y-axis legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-5Pens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-6Legends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-6Pen icons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-6

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Pen markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-7Value Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-8

Trend chart styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-8The Standard chart style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-9The XY Plot chart style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-9Isolated graphing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-10Plotting a value across the full width of the chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-11

Choosing trend colors, fonts, lines, and markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12Changing the trend highlight color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12Changing the trend object background. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-12

Displaying current value and line legends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-13Displaying a current value legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-13Displaying a line legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-14

Using shading to compare pens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-14Comparing real-time and historical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-18

Setting up snapshots and overlays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-18Using trend templates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-19

Applying a consistent appearance to trend charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-19Creating a set of different views for the same data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-19Returning to a standard display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-19Saving pen attribute data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-20Loading templates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-20

Using the Trend graphic library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-21Testing trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-21Working with trends at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-21

Collecting data in the background at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-21Selecting pens at run time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-23Changing trend properties at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-23Using scrolling options at run time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-24Using the value bar at run time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-25Using the delta value bar at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-26Using zoom at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-27Using pan at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-27Using the arrow keys at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-28Printing the trend chart at run time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-28Using overlays at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-28Fixing run-time errors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-29

20 • Creating expressionsAbout expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-1

Where you can use expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-1

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Using expressions in a command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-2Expression components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-2

Creating expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-2Expression buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-3Using the Check Syntax button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-4Cutting, copying, and pasting expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-4Formatting expressions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-4

Using tag names and tag placeholders in expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-5Using area names with tag names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-5Using tag placeholders instead of tag names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-5

Using constants in expressions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-5Using operators in expressions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-6

Arithmetic operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-6Relational operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-6Logical operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-7Bitwise operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-8Evaluation order of operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-9

Using built-in functions in expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-11Tag functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-11Time functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-14File functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-16Math functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-17Security functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-18Language function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-18

Using if-then-else logic in expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-18Nested if-then-else. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-19

21 • Creating embedded variablesAbout embedded variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-1Where you can insert embedded variables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-1Creating embedded variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-2Embedded variable syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-2

Numeric embedded variable syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-3String embedded variable syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-3Time and date embedded variable syntax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-4

How embedded variables are updated at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-5How embedded variables are displayed at run time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-5

Numeric embedded variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-5String embedded variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-5Time and date embedded variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-6

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22 • Creating macrosAbout macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-1Macro syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-1

Using parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-3Typing macro names that contain spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-3Nesting macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-4

Running macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-4Creating a macro that runs when an HMI server starts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-4Specifying user login and logout macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-5

23 • Setting up navigationAbout navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-1Developing a hierarchy of displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-1Ways of moving among displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-2

Choosing display types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-2Reducing display call-up time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-3Commands for moving among displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-3Where to use RSView commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-4

Examples of navigation methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-5Using keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-7

General rules about precedence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-7Precedence and the F1 key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-8Precedence and embedded ActiveX objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-8Precedence and embedded OLE objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-8Reserved keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-9

Creating client keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-10Running client key components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-11

24 • Using the RSView SE Client object model and display codeUsing VBA with RSView . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-1

Summary of basic steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-2About procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-2How VBA code runs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-2

The VBA integrated development environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-3Parts of the VBA IDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-3

The RSView SE Client object model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-4Viewing the objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-7

Getting Help on RSView SE Client objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-8Using VBA Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-8

VBA documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-8

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25 • Setting up language switchingAbout language switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-1Summary of steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-2Setting up Windows to support language switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-2

Installing languages for single-font support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-2Viewing regional and language options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-3

Creating the application in a base language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-3Support for multiple languages in the graphic libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-4Using graphic libraries that support multiple languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-5

Adding languages to the application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-5Exporting application text strings for translation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-6

Exported text file format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-7Troubleshooting export problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-7Text strings that allow language switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-8Text strings that do not allow language switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-8

Importing translated text files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-10Troubleshooting import problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-11

Setting up language switching at run time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-13Important information for translators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-13

File name and format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-13Opening the text file in Microsoft Excel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-13Saving the text file in Microsoft Excel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-14Differences in file format for files saved in Excel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-14Saving the Unicode text file in Notepad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-15File schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-15Working with pairs of double quotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-16Working with backslashes and new-line characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-16

26 • Setting up a redundant systemAbout redundancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-1Setting up a redundant RSView SE system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-1

Summary of steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-1HMI redundancy as part of a complete strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-2Protecting against software failures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-3 Considering redundancy options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-4

About failure of FactoryTalk Network Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-5Redundant HMI servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-6Redundant data servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-8

Planning the layout of a redundant system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-8An application with a single redundant pair of HMI servers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-9An application with two redundant pairs of HMI servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-10

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Licensing in a redundant system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-10FactoryTalk Directory computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-10RSView SE Server software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-11Data servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-11RSView SE clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-11

27 • Deploying distributed applicationsAbout deploying distributed applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-1

Summary of steps to deploy a distributed application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-1Backing up the application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-3

Backing up FactoryTalk System information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-4Setting up the FactoryTalk Network Directory server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-4Specifying the location of FactoryTalk Network Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-5Moving HMI project files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-6

Copying an HMI server that is not running . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-6Copying an HMI server while it is running . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-7

Restoring the application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-7Restoring FactoryTalk System information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-8

Changing HMI server properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-8Updating the name of the HMI server’s host computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-9

Starting and stopping HMI server components manually. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-9Stopping and starting HMI services manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-10Synchronizing redundant HMI servers and projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-11Moving data server files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-12

Files for RSLinx Enterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-12Files for RSLinx Classic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-12

Changing data server properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-13Setting up the RSView SE clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-13

Copying client setup files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-14Opening the RSView SE clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-14

Logging users on to the RSView SE client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-15Opening multiple RSView SE clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-16How HMI server components start and stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-16

Administering deployed applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-16Using the RSView Administration Console. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-16

Monitoring disk space on HMI servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-18

28 • Deploying stand-alone applicationsAbout deploying stand-alone applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-1

Summary of steps to deploy a stand-alone application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-1Moving stand-alone applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-3

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Backing up and restoring FactoryTalk System information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-4Changing HMI server properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-4Starting and stopping HMI server components manually. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-4Moving data server files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-5Changing data server properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-5Setting up the RSView SE client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-5Opening the RSView SE client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-6

Logging users on to the RSView SE client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-7How server components start and stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-8

Administering deployed applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-8Using the RSView Administration Console. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-8

APPENDICES

A • RSView commandsUsing RSView commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

Where to use commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1How to use commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1Using placeholders in commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2Precedence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3Where commands run. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4

Using absolute and relative references. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5How relative references are resolved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5

Creating symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6Important guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-7

Using the command line. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-8Using the Command Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-8

B • Setting up DDE communications for HMI tagsAbout DDE communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1

Overview of DDE communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2Setting up an HMI server as a DDE client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

Summary of steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2Creating an HMI tag that uses DDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3Specifying Device as the data source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3Syntax for DDE addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

Scanning for new tag values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4

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C • ODBC database schemasFactoryTalk® Diagnostics™ log table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1Alarm log table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2Data log tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

D • RFC1766 names for Windows® languages

E • Importing and exporting XML filesAbout XML . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-1Creating XML files by exporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-1Editing XML files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-2

Saving XML files in Notepad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-2Testing XML files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-2

Importing XML files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-3Error log file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-3Importing graphic display XML files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-3

Graphic display XML file structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-3

Index

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Preface

RSView® Supervisory Edition™ is a member of the RSView Enterprise Series family of products. It is an integrated package for developing and running multi-user, distributed-server human-machine interface applications. RSView Supervisory Edition is designed for automated process or machine monitoring, and supervisory control.

Designed for use with Microsoft® Windows® 2003 Server and Windows XP, RSView Supervisory Edition gives you all the tools you need to create effective monitoring and supervisory control applications.

About the documentationThe RSView Supervisory Edition documentation set includes:

Release Notes: Information to read before you begin installing or working with the software.

RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide: A guide to installing and activating the various components of RSView Supervisory Edition.

RSView Supervisory Edition User’s Guide, Part 1 and RSView Supervisory Edition User’s Guide, Part 2: Comprehensive information about RSView Supervisory Edition, procedures for creating and running an automation application, and reference information.

For ease of printing, the User’s Guide is divided into two parts, available from the Help menu in RSView Studio™. For detailed information about the contents of each guide, see the Bookmarks tab in the online guides.

Help: Online procedures and reference information.

The Release Notes are available on the RSView Supervisory Edition CD-ROM, as well as from the Help menu in RSView Studio. The User’s Guide, Installation Guide, and Help are available from the Help menu in RSView Studio.

Finding the information you needYou have many options for finding information about how to use RSView, or how to solve problems with RSView.

Try the User’s Guide and Help firstThe User’s Guide and Help provide comprehensive information about typical uses of RSView. Probably, your question is answered in the documentation.

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To find the answer, use the table of contents and the index in the User’s Guide and Help.

You can also perform a full-text search on both the Help and the User’s Guide. For information about using Help and the User’s Guide, see Chapter 3, “Getting the information you need” in the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

For information about searching the User’s Guide, see Adobe® Reader® Help.

Information on the InternetIf you can’t find the answer to your question or problem in the User’s Guide or Help, you can also find information on the World Wide Web.

You can connect to the Rockwell Software and Rockwell Automation web sites from within RSView Studio. To do so, you must have a web browser installed on your computer, and you must have an active Internet connection.

To connect to web sites from RSView Studio1. On the Help menu, select Rockwell Software on the Web, and then click the name of

the web page you want to view.

The Rockwell Automation KnowledgeBaseThe KnowledgeBase web page contains a comprehensive searchable database of support information for all Rockwell Automation and Rockwell Software products.

Rockwell Software Discussion ForumsThe Rockwell Software Discussion Forums are web pages for users of Rockwell Software products. The forums offer discussion groups, for exchanging tips and questions with other RSView users.

Contacting Rockwell Software Technical SupportIf you can’t find the answer to your question using any of the resources suggested above, contact Rockwell Software Technical Support at:

Telephone:440-646-5800

Fax:440-646-5801

World Wide Web Support web sites:

http://www.software.rockwell.com, http://support.rockwellautomation.com

Support staff are available Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM local time (North America only), except on statutory holidays.

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• PREFACE• • • • •

When you callWhen you call, be at your computer and ready to give the following information:

the product serial number

You’ll find this number on the Activation disk label and in the About RSView Studio dialog box available from the Help menu in RSView Studio.

the product version number

the type of hardware you are using

the exact wording of any messages that appeared on your screen

a description of what happened and what you were doing when the problem occurred

a description of how you tried to solve the problem

You might also be required to provide information about the RSView add-ons and updates that are installed on your computer.

To view the list of installed add-ons and updates1. In RSView Studio, click Help, and then click About RSView Studio.

2. To view the list of installed add-ons, click Add-ons.

3. To view the list of installed updates, click Updates.

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1 Getting startedThis chapter describes:

the RSView® Supervisory Edition™ software.

the RSView tools and utilities.

features in brief.

setting up the software you need.

what it means to secure a FactoryTalk®-enabled system.

running in RSView demo mode.

exploring the Water Samples application.

creating and testing a new application.

The RSView Supervisory Edition softwareRSView Supervisory Edition is a member of the RSView Enterprise Series family of products. It is an integrated package for developing and running multi-user, distributed-server, human-machine interface (HMI) applications.

RSView Supervisory Edition (also called RSView SE) consists of several pieces of software you can use to build HMI applications, customized to your needs. Depending on the software packages you purchased, you will have one or more of the following pieces of software installed:

RSView Studio™ is configuration software for developing and testing RSView SE stand-alone and distributed applications.

RSView Studio contains editors for creating complete applications, and contains software for testing the applications you create. Use the editors to create applications that are as simple or as complex as you need.

Use RSView Studio to develop both RSView Machine Edition and RSView Supervisory Edition applications. For information about developing machine-level applications, see the RSView Machine Edition User’s Guide.

Your can also use RSView Studio to set up RSAssetSecurity™ services for the applications you develop. For information about security services, see Chapter 15, Setting up security.

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RSView Administration Console™ is software for administering RSView SE applications after they are deployed. RSView Administration Console contains a sub-set of the RSView Studio editors, which you can use to make minor changes to an application.

RSView SE Client™ is software for viewing and interacting with supervisory-level applications developed using RSView Studio.

RSView SE Server™, also called the HMI server, stores HMI project components (for example, graphic displays) and serves them to clients. The server also contains a database of tags, and performs alarm detection and historical data management (logging).

The RSView SE Server has no user interface. Once installed, it runs as a set of ‘headless’ Windows® services that supply information to clients when they request it.

FactoryTalk Directory™ is software that supplies a directory of services (for example, RSView SE Servers, or OPC® servers) and names (for example, areas, tags, graphic displays, log models, and so on) to any computer on the network that participates in RSView SE applications.

FactoryTalk Administration Console™ is configuration software for setting up FactoryTalk Directory services.

The RSView tools and utilities Depending on the particular software packages you installed, you also will have installed one or more of the following tools and utilities.

RSView Enterprise toolsTo use the tools described below, on the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView Enterprise, Tools, and then click the tool.

Application Manager is software for moving, copying, renaming, backing up, and restoring applications.

DeskLock is software that locks users into the RSView SE client and prevents them from gaining access to the Windows desktop and system keys.

Use RSView Studio to develop RSView SE applications. For distributed applications, use the FactoryTalk Administration Console to restore application archives and to set up computer accounts after upgrading the FactoryTalk Automation Platform™.

For information about restoring distributed applications, see Chapter 27, Deploying distributed applications. For information about upgrading FactoryTalk, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Release Notes.

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1 • GETTING STARTED• • • • •

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ME Firmware Upgrade Wizard and Transfer Utility are RSView Machine Edition programs for upgrading firmware and transferring files.

RSView SE Service Manager is a tool for starting and stopping an HMI server, for example, when copying its configuration files to a redundant server.

SE Alarm Log Setup is software for setting up RSView alarm logging.

SE Alarm Log Viewer is software for viewing the contents of alarm log file sets.

Tag Import and Export Wizard is software for importing or exporting the RSView SE Server’s tag database.

Rockwell Software® utilitiesTo use the utilities described below, on the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, Utilities, and then click utility.

Activation Help is information about how to use Rockwell Software activation keys.

Diagnostics Setup is software for setting up activity logging for RSView Supervisory Edition.

Move Activation is software for moving activation keys to and from an activation disk.

Reset Activation is software for resetting activation keys on the Activation floppy disk when there is a problem with activation.

Support Services Help is information about how to obtain technical support for Rockwell Software products.

FactoryTalk toolsTo use the tools and utilities described below, on the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, FactoryTalk Tools, and then click the tool or utility.

Diagnostics Viewer is software for viewing the contents of FactoryTalk Diagnostics logs.

FactoryTalk Directory Configuration Wizard is software for setting up the FactoryTalk Directory service.

FactoryTalk Help provides information about using FactoryTalk services.

Log On to FactoryTalk is software for logging users on and off the FactoryTalk Directory.

Rockwell Software Data Client is diagnostic software for use with the assistance of Rockwell Software technical support staff.

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Specify FactoryTalk Directory Location is software for specifying which computer on the network contains the FactoryTalk Network Directory service.

Windows Firewall Configuration Utility is software for setting up RSView Enterprise to run in Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1.

Features in briefRSView Supervisory Edition provides the flexibility you need to create powerful automation systems for any plant or process. With RSView SE you can:

create applications that mirror the layout of a plant or process. A distributed application can contain several servers, running on multiple computers on a network, with multiple client users connecting to the application simultaneously, from anywhere on the network.

open and edit distributed applications remotely, in RSView Studio.

create stand-alone applications for parts of the plant or process that are self-contained, and are not related to other parts of the process.

create applications that support up to 20 different languages, and switch between those languages at run time.

take advantage of RSAssetSecurity™ services to centralize user authentication and authorization on the FactoryTalk Directory.

take advantage of RSView’s ability to directly reference data server tags that reside in controllers or devices.

import an Allen-Bradley® PLC or SLC™ database with the PLC database browser.

develop an application quickly using RSView productivity tools such as the Command Wizard, Tag Browser, and Graphics Import Export wizard, and features such as Object Smart Path™.

create and edit graphic displays with sophisticated object-oriented graphics and animation. Use convenient drag-and-drop and cut-and-paste techniques to simplify application development.

create global objects, in global object displays, and use copies of these objects throughout an application. By modifying the original object, you can change selected properties of all its copies.

create displays that use graphics from the graphic libraries, or import files from other drawing packages such as CorelDRAW™, and Adobe® Photoshop®.

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import graphic information using the Graphics Import Export Wizard.

use the ActiveX® container capabilities of RSView to take advantage of advanced technology. For example, embed Visual Basic® ActiveX Controls, or other ActiveX components in graphic displays to extend the capabilities of RSView.

use RSView’s alarm notification capability to monitor process incidents with multiple levels of severity. Create multiple alarm summaries to provide specific alarm data rather than viewing the alarms for the entire system.

create trends that show process variables plotted against time. RSView trends can display real-time or historical data, with up to 100 pens (tags) in each trend.

log data simultaneously to a FactoryTalk Diagnostics log and to remote ODBC databases, to provide various records of production data. You can view and manipulate the ODBC-format logged data directly, using third-party programs such as Microsoft Access and Business Objects Crystal Reports®.

use the RSView SE Client Object Model and VBA to share data with other Windows® programs such as Microsoft SQL Server, interoperate with other Windows programs such as Microsoft Excel, and customize and extend RSView to fit the individual application’s needs.

lock operators into the RSView SE client by disabling Windows keys.

Setting up the software you needThe final design of the application (or applications) you intend to deploy will determine which software to install and set up on computers on the network.

For a distributed application, you might install different combinations of software on each participating computer. For a stand-alone application, you must install all the necessary software, except for OPC® data servers, on a single computer.

The following steps are common to setting up the environment for most RSView SE applications.

Summary of stepsThese are the basic tasks involved in getting started with RSView Supervisory Edition:

1. Set up the layout of the network (for distributed applications).

2. Install the FactoryTalk® Automation Platform™.

3. Install the RSView Supervisory Edition software.

4. Install RSLinx, or other communications software.

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5. Install the necessary activation keys.

6. Set up the FactoryTalk Network Directory (for distributed applications).

These steps are described in brief, below.

The RSView Supervisory Edition installation CD contains the FactoryTalk Automation Platform, RSView SE, RSLinx Enterprise, and RSLinx Classic software, and includes instructions to guide you through the installation process.

For more information about installing and setting up the RSView SE software, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

For more information about setting up the application run-time environment, see Chapter 27, Deploying distributed applications and Chapter 28, Deploying stand-alone applications.

Planning the layout of the networkThe layout of the network is extremely important to the design of a distributed application. The type and structure of the network can determine which roles participating host computers will play, including whether any of the servers will run as redundant pairs.

If you are planning to deploy an application that consists of more than 10 computers, you must run with a network domain controller.

Applications that consist of 10 computers or fewer can be run in a Windows workgroup. In that case, all computers participating in a single application must be members of the same Windows workgroup, and all must have administrative rights.

Installing the FactoryTalk Automation PlatformRSView Supervisory Edition applications depend on FactoryTalk software, such as the FactoryTalk Directory, to run. You must install the FactoryTalk Automation Platform first, on any computer where you plan to install and run RSView SE software.

Following the FactoryTalk Automation Platform installation, the FactoryTalk Directory Configuration Wizard runs, allowing you to set up FactoryTalk Local Directory, FactoryTalk Network Directory, or both directories.

Do not run FactoryTalk Directory, or any other application software, on the same computer as a Windows® domain controller.

If you plan to run only the FactoryTalk Directory on a computer, without any dependent software, install only the FactoryTalk Automation Platform on that computer.

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For information about options in the FactoryTalk Directory Configuration Wizard, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide or the Installation Assistant on the RSView Supervisory Edition installation CD.

Installing RSView Supervisory EditionIf you plan to create and run a stand-alone application, you must install the FactoryTalk Automation Platform and the RSView SE software on the same computer. For a stand-alone application, only data servers can be run on a separate computer.

For a distributed application, you can choose to install all the RSView SE software, or just selected components, on participating computers. For example, you might install only the RSView SE client software on computers run by operators. Similarly, if you plan to distribute server loads across the application, you might choose to install only the RSView SE Server software on selected, server computers.

For more information about installing RSView, and about the system requirements for running the software, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

Installing the communications softwareHow you plan to obtain data for an application will determine the type of communications software you install. You can use the RSLinx® software shipped with RSView SE, or other software and devices that support OPC (OLE for Process Control) communications.

Some of the benefits of these different options are described below.

For more information about setting up communications for an RSView SE application, Chapter 7, Setting up communications.

For information about installing RSLinx, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide, and the RSLinx documentation.

When to use RSLinx EnterpriseFor communications with Allen-Bradley local and remote devices, and particularly with ControlLogix processors, RSView SE provides built-in support via RSLinx Enterprise.

Use RSLinx Enterprise:

for best performance when communicating with large numbers of clients.

when information is being provided by a ControlLogix controller.

when alias topic shortcuts are not required.

RSLinx Enterprise cannot perform online tasks such as uploading and downloading RSLogix® 5000 files to a controller. If you need to provide this capability, use RSLinx Classic.

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When to use RSLinx ClassicFor communications with Allen-Bradley local and remote devices, or with a small number of clients, RSView SE also provides built-in support via RSLinx Classic and RSLinx Gateway.

Use RSLinx Classic when:

the information being served to RSView SE Servers or RSView SE clients is local.

the RSLinx data server is installed on the same computer as the RSView SE Server..

When to use RSLinx Gateway™You must install an RSLinx activation key to enable RSLinx Gateway if:

the information is being served to a third-party OPC client, for example, an RSView SE client.

the RSLinx data server is installed on a computer separate from the RSView SE Server. You might want to do this for performance reasons, or to locate the OPC server physically close to the process.

Communications with third-party local and remote devicesFor communications with non-Allen-Bradley local and remote devices, RSView SE supports OPC (OLE for process control), a protocol used to connect RSView SE to communication devices via vendor-specific OPC servers. RSView supports the OPC-DA 2.0 specification.

OPC allows RSView SE to act as a client to other OPC servers, providing a way for RSView to retrieve tag values from third-party controller devices, such as Siemens or Modicon®, using third-party OPC servers.

Installing the necessary activation keysThe types of product licenses you require depends on the software you have installed, and how you intend to use it. For information about the types of activation you might need, and how to install activation, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

Setting up the FactoryTalk DirectoryFactoryTalk Directory is software that allows the parts of an application to find each other on a computer, or on the network. There are two types of FactoryTalk Directory:

You do not need to install an activation key to make RSLinx Classic work, provided you run RSLinx Classic on the same computer as the RSView SE Server.

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FactoryTalk Local Directory manages applications that are confined to a single computer, for example, RSView Supervisory Edition stand-alone applications.

FactoryTalk Network Directory manages applications that can consist of multiple clients and servers on separate computers connected over a network, for example, RSView Supervisory Edition distributed applications.

For stand-alone applications, the Local Directory is set up automatically. For distributed applications, all computers participating in the application must be set up to point at the same Network Directory computer.

You can use the FactoryTalk Directory Server Location Utility to set up the FactoryTalk Network Directory when you install RSView SE, or after the installation. For details, see Chapter 4, Setting up FactoryTalk Directory.

About security in FactoryTalk-enabled systemFor RSView and other FactoryTalk-enabled applications, FactoryTalk Directory stores information about which users are allowed to access the parts of a control system, from which computers.

To secure resources the FactoryTalk Directory manages, and to secure HMI project components at run time, you must create accounts for application users, and then allow or deny them permission to access those resources.

There are several steps involved in setting up security for the RSView application you plan to develop. For details, see Chapter 15, Setting up security.

To run the Water Samples application, or create a simple application in RSView Studio, in order to explore some of the features of RSView, you can log on to the FactoryTalk Directory can use the administrative accounted created during installation. For details, see “Logging on to FactoryTalk”, below.

Logging on to FactoryTalkYou are prompted to log on to the FactoryTalk Directory server, the first time you run a FactoryTalk-enabled product after installing, or after restarting the computer. For example, if you restart the computer and then start RSView Studio, you are prompted to log on after selecting a product type.

Log on as a user with the necessary security privileges, at the FactoryTalk Directory that manages the application. For example, if you want to create or open a distributed application in RSView Studio, you must be authorized to do so at the FactoryTalk Network Directory.

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If you are logging on directly after installing, use the administrative account you created at the FactoryTalk Local or Network Directory, after installing the FactoryTalk Automation Platform. For more information, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

If single sign-on is turned on, the user that logs on initially becomes the current FactoryTalk Directory user for that Windows session. You will not have to log on again, to start any other FactoryTalk-enabled product in the same session, as long as RSAssetSecurity services authorize the current user.

Running in RSView demo modeThe RSView SE and RSLinx software you install must be licensed for full use. However, you can run without activation keys, in demo mode, to get familiar with RSView SE before you start developing an application for production.

When running RSView SE in demo mode, you can:

create up to 5 HMI servers in a distributed application.

create up to five graphic displays per HMI server.

run a local RSView SE client for up to 2 hours.

For information about activating the RSView and RSLinx software, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

Exploring the Water Samples applicationThe Water Samples application is a fully functional example of a distributed application, which is shipped with RSView SE.

After installing the software, you can explore the RSView development and run-time environments by opening the Water Samples application in RSView Studio, or running the Samples Water client.

To open the application in RSView Studio1. On the Windows Start menu, select Start, Programs, and then click RSView Studio.

2. In the Product Type Selection dialog box, click SE Distributed, and then click Continue.

If the RSView SE client is the first FactoryTalk-enabled product you run after restarting the computer, and you are prompted to log on using the RSView SE Client Login dialog box, you will not be logged on to FactoryTalk Directory, nor set as the single-sign-on user.

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If RSView Studio is the first FactoryTalk-enabled software you are running, after installing RSView or restarting the computer, you will be prompted to log on. For more information, see “Logging on to FactoryTalk” on page 1-9.

3. In the New/Open SE Distributed Application dialog box, click Samples Water, select an application language, and then click Open.

For information about working with RSView Studio and the editors, see Chapter 2, Exploring RSView Studio.

To test a display in RSView Studio1. In the Explorer window, right-click the display to view, and then click Open.

2. On the View menu, click Test Display.

3. To stop testing, on the View menu, click Edit Display.

You can test only one display at a time in RSView Studio. If you want to navigate between displays in the application, run it in the RSView SE client.

In RSView Studio, use the Graphics editor to view and test displays in the Water Samples application.

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Running Water Samples in the RSView SE client

To start the Samples Water client1. On the Windows Start menu, select Start, Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView

Enterprise, and then click Samples Water.

If the RSView SE client is the first FactoryTalk-enabled software you are running, after installing RSView or restarting the computer, you might be prompted to log on. For more information, see “Logging on to FactoryTalk” on page 1-9.

After the client starts, navigate through the Water Samples application using the buttons and touch zones provided on the screens.

Creating and testing a new applicationYou can also create a simple, new application, to exercise some of the design- and run-time features of RSView SE. Following are some steps to get you started.

Create the applicationFirst, create the application itself, and then add one HMI server or more.

The HMI server stores project components (for example, graphic displays), and serves these components to clients. The server also contains a database of tags, and performs alarm detection, and historical data management (logging).

To create a new distributed application1. On the Windows Start menu, select Programs, and then click RSView Studio.

2. In the Product Type Selection dialog box, click SE Distributed, and then click Continue.

If RSView Studio is the first FactoryTalk-enabled software you are running, after installing RSView or restarting the computer, you will be prompted to log on. For more information, see “Logging on to FactoryTalk” on page 1-9.

3. In the New/Open SE Distributed Application dialog box, click the New tab

4. Type a name and description for the application, select an application language, and then click Create.

The default language displayed in the New tab is the operating system language. You can accept the default, or select any language that Windows supports, from the Language list. For more information, see Chapter 25, Setting up language switching.

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After creating the application, add an HMI server to the root of the application, or to another area in the application. For this example, add an area to contain the new HMI server.

To add an area to the application1. In the Explorer window, right-click the application icon, and then click New Area.

2. Type a name and description for the area, and then click OK.

To add an HMI server1. Right-click the folder representing the area you just added, and then click Add HMI

Server.

2. In the Add HMI Server Wizard, in the Select Operation window, click Create a new HMI server, and then click Next.

3. Type a name and description for the HMI server, and then click Finish.

To add an HMI server to an application, you can also choose one of these options:

Copy an HMI server

Import a project

Attach to an existing HMI server

For more information, see “Adding an HMI server” on page 5-9.

For details about using the Add HMI Server Wizard, click Help in the wizard.

Create a graphic display in the Graphics editorAdding an HMI server to an application also creates the HMI project, which contains all of the editors and productivity tools you need to create and edit the components for that application.

For a list of editors and their functions, see “Editors” on page 2-9. For instructions about using the editors, click Help in editor dialog boxes.

For this example, use the Graphics editor to create a graphic display, and then add a graphic object to that display.

To create a new display1. In the Explorer window, right-click the Displays icon, and then click New.

The Displays icon is located in the Graphics folder. If necessary, expand the folder by clicking the + symbol beside the folder’s icon, or by double-clicking the folder itself.

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An untitled display opens in the RSView Studio workspace, to the right of the Explorer window.

To add a graphic object to the display1. On the Objects menu, select Drawing, and then click Rectangle.

You can also click the button on the Objects toolbar that represents the object you want to add. For details about using the Graphics editor, see Chapter 16, Creating graphic displays, and Chapter 17, Setting up graphic objects.

2. Position the pointer where you want the rectangle, and then click and hold the left mouse button, and drag the mouse down and to the right.

3. Release the mouse button to place the rectangle on the display.

To save the new display1. On the File menu, click Close.

2. Click Yes to save changes and close the display.

3. In the Save dialog box, type a name for the display, and then click OK.

Test run the application in RSView SE clientYou can test a single display in RSView Studio, or test run an application by creating and running an RSView SE client that connects to it. At various stages in the development process, it is advisable to give the application a trial run in the RSView SE client. That way, you can resolve issues that might appear only at run time.

To run the new application you just created, create a simple configuration file that specifies:

the type and name of the application to which the client will connect.

the display to run initially, when the client starts. This can be the new display you just created.

To create an RSView SE client configuration file1. On the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView

Enterprise, and then click RSView SE Client.

2. In the RSView SE Client Wizard, click New, and then follow the instructions on the screen.

For details about using the RSView SE Client Wizard, click Help in the wizard.

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To run the RSView SE client1. In the Completion Options window of the RSView SE Client Wizard, select Save

configuration and open RSView SE Client now.

2. Click Finish.

When you are finished testing, use the close button on the client’s title bar to close the client window.

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2 Exploring RSView StudioThis chapter describes:

how to start RSView® Studio™.

how to open an application.

the parts of the RSView Studio main window.

working in the Explorer window.

the parts of the Explorer.

working with application components.

techniques for working in editors.

printing from RSView.

Starting RSView StudioWhen you start RSView Studio, the Product Type Selection dialog box opens, where you select the type of application you plan to work with. The options are:

SE Distributed to create or open an RSView Supervisory Edition™ distributed application.

SE Stand-alone to create or open an RSView Supervisory Edition stand-alone application.

Machine Edition to create or open an RSView Machine Edition™ application. For information about developing machine-level applications, see the RSView Machine Edition User’s Guide.

To start RSView Studio and select a product type

1. On the Windows® Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView Enterprise, and then click RSView Studio.

2. In the Product Type Selection dialog box, click the icon for the type of application you want to create, and then click Continue.

If RSView Studio is the first FactoryTalk-enabled software you are running, after installing RSView or restarting the computer, you will be prompted to log on. For more information, see “Logging on to FactoryTalk”, below.

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In the New/Open Application dialog box, the title bar shows the type of application you selected. You can create a new application of that type, or open an existing one.

Logging on to FactoryTalk®

You are prompted to log on to the FactoryTalk Directory server, the first time you run a FactoryTalk-enabled product after installing, or after restarting the computer. For example, if you restart the computer and then start RSView Studio, you are prompted to log on after selecting a product type.

Log on as a user with the necessary security privileges, at the FactoryTalk Directory that manages the application. For example, if you want to create or open a distributed application in RSView Studio, you must be authorized to do so at the FactoryTalk Network Directory.

If you are logging on directly after installing, use the administrative account you created at the FactoryTalk Local or Network Directory, after installing the FactoryTalk Automation Platform™. For more information, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

If single sign-on is turned on, the user that logs on initially becomes the current FactoryTalk Directory user for that Windows session. You will not have to log on again, to start any other FactoryTalk-enabled product in the same session, as long as RSAssetSecurity™ services authorize the current user.

For more information about security services, see Chapter 15, Setting up security.

Opening an application

To open an existing application1. Start RSView Studio, select the product type for the application, and then click

Continue.

If RSView Studio is the first FactoryTalk-enabled software you are running, after installing RSView or restarting the computer, you will be prompted to log on. For more information about logging on to FactoryTalk, see page 2-2.

2. In the New/Open ... Application dialog box, click the Existing tab.

3. In the Existing tab, click the name of the application you want to open, select an application language, and then click Open.

If the RSView SE Client is the first FactoryTalk-enabled product you run after restarting the computer, and you are prompted to log on using the RSView SE Client Login dialog box, you will not be logged on to FactoryTalk Directory, nor set as the single-sign-on user.

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If the application is not set up to support multiple languages, the Language list displays <Select a language>. You must select a language before you can open the application. For more information, see Chapter 25, Setting up language switching.

To open an application you used recently1. On the File menu in the Explorer, select Recent Applications and then click the name

of the application you want to open.

Opening the Samples Water applicationTo familiarize yourself with the RSView Studio development environment, you can open the sample application that is installed with RSView Supervisory Edition.

To open the Samples application1. Start RSView Studio, select the SE Distributed product type, and then click Continue.

If RSView Studio is the first FactoryTalk-enabled software you are running, after installing RSView or restarting the computer, you will be prompted to log on. For more information about logging on to FactoryTalk, see page 2-2.

2. In the New/Open SE Distributed Application dialog box, click the Existing tab.

3. In the Existing tab, click Samples Water, select a language, and then click Open.

To open an application in RSView Studio, the user must have read/write access in Windows to the sub folder that holds the HMI projects. If the security designation for RSView Studio users is Power Users, they might not have write access.

To set up write access for Power Users, right-click the HMI project sub folder, and then click Properties. (The default location for the HMI projects sub folder is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\RSView Enterprise\SE.)

In the Security tab of the Properties dialog box, select Power Users from the list of groups and user names. In the Permissions box below the list, select Full Control, and the select the Allow check box.

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Exploring the RSView Studio main windowWhen you create or open an application, its contents appear in the RSView Studio main window.

The menu barThe menu bar contains the menu items for the active window. Each editor has its own set of menus.

The toolbarThe toolbar contains buttons that provide quick access to commonly-used menu items. When you point to a button on the toolbar, the name of the button is displayed in a tooltip.

Diagnostics List

Status bar

Menu bar

Toolbar

Explorer

Workspace

Browse deviceson the network.

View theapplication.

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All of the editors use the Standard toolbar. The Graphics editor has additional toolbars that are displayed when you open a graphic display, global object display, or library.

The ExplorerThe Explorer is the main tool for working in RSView Studio. It provides access to the editors you use to set up the application and create its components. For more information about the Explorer, see page 2-8.

The workspaceThe workspace is the blank area of the RSView Studio window. You can drag icons to the workspace from the Explorer, to launch editors and open graphic displays. For details, see “Working in the Explorer window” on page 2-8.

The Application tabThe Application tab shows the Explorer window.

The Communications tabThe Communications tab shows the devices on the network available to the computer hosting RSLinx® Enterprise. Use this tab for setting up network types and browsing devices on the configured networks.

For details, see Chapter 7, Setting up communications, or the RSLinx Enterprise Help.

The Diagnostics ListThe Diagnostics List shows information about system activities. It’s located above the status bar at the bottom of the RSView Studio main window and can be hidden, moved, resized, and cleared of messages.

Use the Diagnostics Setup tool to select the types of messages that appear in the Diagnostics List. For details, see “Message routing” on page 12-2 or the Help for the Diagnostics Setup tool.

Diagnostic messages are preceded by a blue, yellow, or red icon. Blue indicates information, yellow indicates a warning, and red indicates an error.

Standard toolbar

Graphics toolbar

Objects toolbar

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To show or hide the Diagnostics List1. On the View menu, click Diagnostics List.

When Diagnostics List has a check mark beside it, the list is visible.

To move the Diagnostics List1. With the left mouse button, click and hold the grab bars at the bottom left of the

Diagnostics List.

If you can’t see the grab bars, drag the top edge of the Diagnostics List to make it a bit larger.

2. Drag the list to its new location.

To prevent the Diagnostics List from docking automatically, press and hold the Ctrl key as you drag it.

When the Diagnostics List is undocked, you can make it any size you want, for example to view more than one message at a time.

To resize the Diagnostics List1. Click and hold an edge or corner and drag until the Diagnostics List is the desired size.

Clearing messages from the Diagnostics ListTo clear messages from the list, use one of these methods:

Click Clear, to clear the most recent message, at the top of the list, or to clear the message that is selected (highlighted).

Click Clear All, to clear all the messages in the list.

Clearing a message in the Diagnostics List does not delete the message from the Diagnostics log.

To detach the Diagnostics List, drag the grab bars.

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The status barThe information that appears in the status bar depends on where the pointer is and what RSView Studio is doing. The status bar can provide information about:

the active window or selected tool.

For example, if you position the pointer over the Open button on the Standard toolbar, the following message appears in the status bar:

a selected graphic object.

For example, if you select an object in the Graphics editor, information about the object (such as its position on the display, size, and name) appears in the status bar:

Workbook modeWorkbook mode provides a way to switch among open windows in the RSView Studio workspace. Use the Workbook mode option on the View menu to toggle between workbook and normal modes.

Showing and hiding items in the main windowYou can display or hide all the items in the main window (except the menu bar) by clicking items on the View menu. If there is a check mark beside an item, it is visible. If there is no check mark, the item is hidden.

The status bar is visible.The Standardtoolbar is visible.

Workbook Mode is off.The Explorer Window and Diagnostics Listare hidden.

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Working in the Explorer windowThe Explorer is the main tool for working in RSView Studio. It provides access to the editors you use to set up an application, and to create and edit its components.

Undocking the Explorer

Undocking the Explorer and moving itTo undock the Explorer, use one of these methods:

Click the title bar and then drag the window.

To prevent the Explorer from docking automatically, press and hold the Ctrl key as you drag it.

Double-click the Explorer’s title bar to float the explorer in the middle of the main window, and then drag it to a new position.

Right-click the Explorer’s title bar, and then click a new docking location: Floating, or MDI (Multiple Document Interface) Child.

Application name

Click the – symbolto close a folder.

Workspace

Click the + symbolto open a folder.

Components arelisted below the

editor’s icon.

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If you click MDI Child, the Explorer becomes a window that you can move, minimize, maximize, or restore, within the main window. You cannot move it outside the main window.

To resize the Explorer window, grab and drag one of its edges.

The parts of the Explorer

FoldersThe Explorer uses folders to organize editors. To open or close a folder, do one of the following:

Click the + or – symbol beside the folder’s icon.

Double-click the folder.

Click the folder, and then press Enter to either open or close the folder depending on its current state.

EditorsEditors are for creating or setting up application components. Editors are represented in RSView Studio by icons in the Explorer window, or by items in menus.

To open an editor, do one of the following:

Drag the editor’s icon from the Explorer to the workspace.

Right-click the editor’s icon to open the context menu, and then click New or Open. If you can use the editor to create multiple components, the context menu contains New. If the editor can open only a single component, the context menu contains Open.

Click the Tools or Settings menu, and then click the editor to select it.

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Following is a list of RSView editors and their functions.

Use this editor To

RSView User Accounts(Settings menu)

Add users or groups to RSView, assign security codes to them, and assign login and logout macros.

RSView Secured Commands(Settings menu)

Assign security codes to RSView commands and macros.

Diagnostics Setup(Tools menu)

Specify the type of system activity to be logged and where, when, and how it will be logged.

The settings you specify using this editor apply only to the computer you are using.

Alarm Log Setup(Tools menu)

Specify the type of alarm activity to be logged, and where, when, and how it will be logged.

The settings you specify using this editor apply only to the computer you are using, and only if it contains an HMI server.

Languages(Tools menu)

Add languages to an application, and export and import text strings.

Command Line Open a command line for issuing RSView commands.

Tags Create HMI tags, and set up alarms.

Graphics(Displays, Global Objects, or Libraries icon)

Create graphic displays and global object displays, or open graphic libraries and drag the objects they contain into graphic displays.

Images Add images to an application that are to be used repeatedly in graphic displays.

Parameters Create parameter files for use with graphic displays containing tag placeholders, so you can use the same graphic displays with different tags.

Recipes Create recipe files for use with graphic displays containing a recipe object, so you can restore or save recipes.

Local Messages Create local message files containing trigger values, and the corresponding messages.

Trend Templates Rename, remove, and copy existing trend templates. Use trend templates to create preconfigured trend objects for graphic displays.

Trend Snapshots Rename, remove, and copy existing trend snapshots. Save trend snapshots for use as overlays with real-time trends.

Alarm Setup Set up the general features for all alarms for the HMI server, including alarm severities and user messages.

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ComponentsThe Explorer manages components that represent physical files located in folders under the application directory.

Displaying componentsTo display components associated with a particular editor, do one of the following:

Click the + sign beside the editor’s icon.

Double-click the editor.

Suppressed List Display a list of tags for which alarm notification is suppressed.

Derived Tags Create tags whose values are derived from other tags, or from functions.

Events Create events, which are expressions that trigger commands or macros.

Macros Create macros to run series of RSView commands.

Client Keys Re-map the RSView SE Client keyboard to run RSView commands.

Data Log Models Create data log models, specifying where, when, and how the selected tag values will be logged.

Use this editor To

These components were created using the Graphics editor.

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Click the editor, and then press Enter.

Any components created with the editor appear below the editor in the tree.

Opening componentsTo open a component, use one of these methods:

Double-click the component.

Drag the component’s icon into the workspace.

Right-click the component to open the context menu, and then click Open.

Working with application components

Adding components to an applicationTo add a component to an application, use one of these methods:

Drag the physical file from the Windows Explorer to the Explorer window in RSView Studio.

Use the Add Component into Application option on the Explorer’s context menu. When you use this option, you create a copy of the file in the application.

To add a component using drag and drop1. In the Windows Explorer, locate the file you want to add to the application.

2. Drag the file to the Explorer window in RSView Studio.

The component automatically appears below the editor that can be used to edit it.

To add a component using the context menu1. Right-click the editor used to create the component you want to copy. For example, to

add a graphic display component, right-click Displays.

2. On the context menu, click Add Component into Application.

3. In the dialog box, find the component you want to add, and then click it.

4. Click Open. The components appear under the editor in the Explorer window.

To select consecutive components, click the first component, and then Shift-click the last component you want to select. To select multiple, individual components, Ctrl-click each one.

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Deleting, removing, and renaming componentsUse the items on the context menu to rename, remove, and delete components. The Remove item removes the selected component from the Explorer. The Delete item removes the component and deletes the file it represents from disk.

To delete a component and file1. In the Explorer window, right-click the component to be deleted.

2. Click Delete.

Deleting a component deletes the physical file from disk, as well as the component.

To remove a component1. In the Explorer window, right-click the component to be removed.

2. Click Remove.

Removing a component removes the component from the Explorer. It does not delete the physical file that the component references.

To rename a component1. In the Explorer window, right-click the component, and then click Rename.

2. In the To box, type the new name.

3. Click OK.

Renaming a component changes both the component and the physical file name.

Restoring a component after renaming only the physical fileIf you rename a physical file in Windows Explorer, you will no longer be able to open the associated component in RSView Studio. You must remove the component, and then add the renamed file back into the HMI project.

To restore a component after changing the physical file name

1. Right-click the component and then click Remove.

2. Right-click the editor used to create the component. To restore a graphic display, for example, right-click Displays.

3. On the context menu, click Add Component Into Application.

4. Select the renamed file, and then click Open.

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Naming componentsWhen you name a component in RSView Studio, the file name for the component is created automatically on disk. The component name becomes part of the file name.

The maximum number of characters for a component name varies depending on where the component’s file is saved on disk. RSView supports long file names. File names, including the path, can be up to 200 characters long.

For example, the following path and file name contains 111 characters. The component name, Bakery Overview, (the name of the graphic display) is only 15 characters long, but could be as long as 104 characters.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\RSView Enterprise\SE\HMI Projects\Bakery1\Gfx\Bakery Overview.gfx

Component names can contain spaces, like the graphic display name in the above example. When using component names with spaces in commands, you might need to enclose the component names in double quotes (“ ”). For example, parameter file names containing spaces must be enclosed in double quotes, when specified using the /P parameter with the Display command.

For information about RSView command syntax, see Appendix A, RSView commands. For information about specific RSView commands, see Help.

Names that conflict with commands or macrosTo avoid problems when issuing commands and macros, do not give macros the same names as commands. For example, assume you want to name a macro Display. To avoid confusion with the Display command, name the macro DisplayScreen instead.

For details about how to use commands, see Appendix A, RSView commands.

Techniques for working in editorsWhen developing an application, you will use many different editors, but they have many similar features and often require similar information. Knowing how to use these features saves time.

Using the context menusThe Explorer and the Graphics editor use context menus. In the Explorer, everything in the tree hierarchy, except the folders, have context menus. In the Graphics editor, the graphic display and the objects on a display have context menus.

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To open a context menu1. Position the mouse pointer over the icon, display, or object, and then right-click the

mouse.

Using the Browse buttonThe Browse button appears beside text boxes. You can type information into the box, or you can click the Browse button to open a list containing valid entries for the box, or a search window in which you can search for and select a valid entry.

Using tag namesTags are stored in devices, data servers, and in the HMI tag database. Their names are used in other parts of RSView. You do not have to create tags in the RSView HMI Tags editor before you work in other RSView editors.

Supplying a tag nameTo supply a tag name when creating a component, use one of these methods:

Type the name of a tag. You do not have to create the tag to use the tag name, but be sure to create the tag later or errors will be reported at run time.

Click the Browse button or Tags button, whichever is available, to open the Tag Browser, where you can select or create a tag.

For detailed information about tags, see Chapter 8, Working with tags.

Using RSView commandsRSView commands allow you interact with and control application components. Most commands accept parameters for added precision and control.

You can set up keys and graphic objects to issue commands at run time. You can also issue commands from the HMI server’s command line, or create a list of commands in a macro, and run the macro in places where those commands are required.

Using the Command WizardThe Command Wizard helps you select and build commands.

Opening the Command WizardTo open the Command Wizard, use one of these methods:

Click the Browse button beside a text box where a command is expected, for example, in the Press action box for a button object, or in the command line.

Double-click in a box where a command is expected or in the Macros editor.

Browse button

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On the Edit menu, click Commands.

For information about specific RSView commands, see Help.

Using expressionsMany editors use expressions to compute values based on tags and functions. Expressions can be complex logical expressions, or they can be tag names.

For information about expressions, see Chapter 20, Creating expressions.

PrintingEach RSView editor has a Print item on its File menu.

To print selections1. Select the item you want to print, for example a record in an editor’s spreadsheet.

2. On the File menu, click Print.

3. Under Print Range, click Selection.

To print the entire contents of the window1. On the File menu, click Print.

2. Under Print Range, click All.

When you click a category on the left, commands in that category are shown on the right.

To resize the list boxes, drag this bar left or right.

When you click a command, its syntax is displayed here.

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Selecting a printerYou must install a printer before you can select it. For information about installing a printer, see your Windows documentation.

To select a printer1. On the File menu in any RSView editor, click Print Setup.

2. If you don’t want to use the default printer, specify another printer.

3. Choose the appropriate orientation and paper options.

Setting up the printerFor detailed information about changing printer options, refer to your Windows documentation.

Selecting a network printerRSView can print to a network printer. For detailed information about setting up network printers, refer to your Windows documentation.

Printing at run timeTo print graphic displays at run time, use the PrintDisplay command. If you want operators to be able to print specific displays, provide them with a way to issue the command when you create the display.

For example, create a button object, display key, or client key with the PrintDisplay command as the press action. For information about creating graphic displays, see Chapter 16, Creating graphic displays.

When you use the PrintDisplay command RSView prints the entire display, even if parts are covered by other displays. Use the ScreenPrint command if you want to print an image of whatever shows on the monitor.

For detailed information about individual commands, see Help.

The Print Setup menu item in RSView Studio applies to the development computer only. If you will use a different computer to run the application, you must set up a printer for that computer; to enable run-time printing.

The settings in the Print Setup dialog box do not affect run-time log printing set up in the Alarm Setup editor.

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3 Planning an application

This chapter describes:

understanding the process you are automating.

planning the layout of the network.

planning a redundant system.

planning communications.

designing an HMI tag database, and planning alarms.

designing graphic displays.

planning run-time language switching.

planning how to use trends.

designing a secure system.

designing a system for multiple users.

designing a system that is easy to deploy and maintain.

integrating with other applications, and customizing the system.

Understanding the process you are automatingFor a complete and detailed understanding of the process you’re automating, gather information from a variety of sources:

Talk to operators and other experts who are going to use the system, to find out what information they need to optimize plant operations.

Talk to management and information systems staff, to find out what information they need to support planning decisions.

Break up each section of the process into its constituent parts.

Determine what types of data servers you’ll be using.

Determine whether parts of the process warrant some level of redundancy.

Identify the process variables you need, and their locations in the programmable controllers.

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Planning the layout of the networkIt is important to pay careful attention to the layout of the network, when designing a distributed application.

The Windows® domain or workgroupDistributed applications that contain more than 10 computers require a domain controller.

Applications that contain that 10 computers or fewer, can be run in a Windows workgroup environment. In that case, all computers participating in a single application must be members of the same Windows workgroup, and all must have administrative rights.

The computers you’ll needYou can develop a distributed application on a single computer, and you can run it on a single computer for testing purposes. However, depending on needs, a distributed application deployed for production typically involves the following computers:

One computer running FactoryTalk Network Directory serverFactoryTalk Directory is software that works like a telephone directory or electronic address book, allowing the parts of an application to find each other on a computer, or across a network.

FactoryTalk Network Directory manages distributed applications, which can consist of multiple clients and servers distributed across a network. All of the computers participating in a distributed application must point at the same FactoryTalk Network Directory. For details, see Chapter 4, Setting up FactoryTalk Directory.

One or more redundant pairs of computers with RSView SE Server software installed on them

The RSView® SE Server software is required to create and run HMI servers. The HMI server stores HMI project components (for example, graphic displays), and serves those components to clients. The server also performs alarm detection, and historical data management (logging), and might contain a database of tags.

Do not run FactoryTalk® Directory™, or any other application software, on the same computer as a Windows domain controller.

More than 2 HMI servers can be located on a single computer for development purposes only. When deploying an application, ensure that there are no more than 2 HMI servers per computer. If the servers are set up for redundancy, only 1 HMI server per computer is permitted.

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One or more redundant pairs of computers running data serversData servers allow clients access to information in programmable controllers, devices, and other data servers that comply with the OPC-DA 2.0 specification.

For details about data servers, see Chapter 7, Setting up communications.

One or more development computers, running RSView StudioRSView Studio is configuration software for developing and testing machine- and supervisory-level human-machine interface (HMI) applications.

This manual provides information about developing supervisory-level applications. For information about developing machine-level applications, see the RSView Machine Edition User’s Guide.

One or more operator client computers, running RSView SE ClientRSView SE Client is software for viewing and interacting with supervisory-level applications developed using RSView Studio.

For details about setting up RSView SE Clients, see page 27-13.

One or more administration computers, running RSView Administration ConsoleThe RSView Administration Console is software for administering RSView Supervisory Edition applications after they have been deployed. The RSView Administration Console contains a sub-set of the RSView Studio editors so you can make minor changes to an application without installing RSView Studio.

For more information, “Administering deployed applications” on page 27-16

System requirements and installationFor details about system requirements and installing the RSView Enterprise software, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

If an application requires more than 10,000 tags and you are not using RSLinx® Enterprise for communications, install the OPC data server on its own, dedicated host computer for best performance.

If you are using RSLinx Enterprise this is not necessary. RSLinx Enterprise is optimized to provide best performance for large numbers of clients (more than 10) and a large number of tags (more than 10,000) even if it is located on the same computer as the HMI server.

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Planning a redundant systemIn theory, the ideal redundant solution involves having at least one backup copy of everything—hardware, software, networks, and so on. In practice, this is seldom feasible, or even necessary. Before setting up redundancy, plan:

which components in the system need to have backups—in other words, decide how much redundancy is necessary.

where (on which computers) to locate backup systems.

the network layout, and calculate the processing load expected for each computer. This information can help you plan which parts of an application can share hardware.

RSView Supervisory Edition allows you to set up redundant pairs of HMI servers and data servers in a distributed application. For details, see Chapter 5, Working with distributed applications and Chapter 26, Setting up a redundant system.

In addition, you can set up RSView Supervisory Edition to send alarm and data log information automatically to an ODBC-compliant database. You can set up an HMI server to buffer data locally if the database becomes unavailable.

You can also set up system activity logging to an ODBC-compliant database, using the Diagnostics Setup utility.

Planning communicationsWhen planning communications, gather information about the types of controllers or devices in the plant, and the software that is available for communicating with them. This will help you set up one or more OPC servers.

Next, plan how the devices on the network will communicate with the application. This will help you plan the number of data servers the application needs.

Also, consider which systems need to be redundant in order to minimize disruptions to clients in the event that data access is interrupted. This will help you plan the number of redundant, data server pairs you need.

Finally, plan how you will gain access to data in the controllers or devices. For many purposes you can access the values in controllers or devices directly, using a data server in the application. For some purposes, however, you will need to use tags from an HMI server’s tag database.

For details about setting up communications in RSView, see Chapter 7, Setting up communications.

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Plan how to access dataTo access data, you need to plan:

how the application will communicate with the programmable controllers or devices on the network.

how the application will access values in the programmable controllers or devices, once the application is set up.

Setting up communications with devicesTo access values in programmable controllers or devices, you can use data server tags, HMI tags, or a combination of both. You need to:

know what kinds of controllers or devices you are using.

plan how the application will communicate with the controllers or devices.

Plan how to collect dataWhen planning data collection, design the system so only essential data is collected. Limiting data collection is important because collection activities require substantial processing power and generate significant traffic on the communication channel or network.

Keep data collection requirements in mind when designing the layout of the programmable controller data tables and the tag database. Ideally, tag addresses should reference contiguous blocks of programmable controller data tables to reduce network traffic and optimize system response.

When to use HMI tagsUse HMI tags when an application needs to provide extended capabilities, such as:

triggering alarms when tag values cross a specified threshold.

scaling or offsetting a value before sending it to a programmable controller or device.

security features, to prevent unauthorized changes to a tag’s value.

flexible addressing. HMI tags don’t require hard-coded physical addresses or device-specific variable names in an application. This lets you re-use an application with other devices, by changing the physical addresses to which the tag names are mapped. Also, some controllers or OPC servers do not allow descriptive tag names.

For more information about HMI tags, see Chapter 9, Creating HMI tags.

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Designing an HMI tag databaseBefore creating an HMI tag database, take the time to plan it. A good design helps reduce the time required for maintenance, and can improve device-to-RSView response time.

Collect informationBefore creating an HMI tag database, collect this information:

process flowcharts (or process and instrument diagrams)

a list of programmable controller data table or register addresses for the application

alarm requirements (for more information, see “Planning alarms” on page 3-6)

Organize HMI tagsBefore creating the HMI tags, plan how to organize them:

Develop naming conventions for the HMI tags, choosing names that are familiar and logical to everyone. This makes troubleshooting easier.

Group related HMI tags, in ways that make most sense for the application. For example, group all similar devices, or group related areas of the plant floor.

To group related HMI tags, you can create folders in the Tags editor. For greater organization, create nested folders.

Planning alarmsBefore setting up alarms for HMI tags, plan:

what conditions will trigger alarms.

how operators will be notified of those alarms.

what information alarm messages should contain.

what actions will occur in response to those alarms.

which alarms will require additional actions that can be supplied using a macro.

For more information about alarms, see Chapter 11, Creating alarms.

For optimum performance, do not place all the HMI tags in the root folder. In addition, it is recommended that you limit the number of tags in any folder to less than 2000. HMI tags contained in nested folders do not contribute to the number of tags in the root of the folder.

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Designing graphic displaysWhen designing displays, decide on the best ways for users to navigate through them, and develop templates to establish a common look and feel.

Develop a hierarchy of displaysWell-organized graphic displays present information clearly and consistently and guide users through the system. Before designing individual graphic displays, plan an overall display hierarchy and plan how users will navigate through the hierarchy.

A hierarchy is a series of graphic displays that provide progressively more detail as users move through them. A hierarchy should meet the needs of the various users, including managers, supervisors, and operators.

Create templates to ensure consistencyIt is possible to keep a consistent appearance among all the displays in an application, by presenting the same pieces of information in the same place on each display. To ensure uniformity, develop displays with common elements that act as templates. Each time you develop a new display, start with a copy of the appropriate template.

For example, a template might contain:

the company logo.

a title.

the date and time.

navigation buttons.

You can also create parts of the template using global objects. For more information, see “About global object displays and global objects” on page 16-2.

Apply visual design principlesWhen designing displays, practicing good visual design principles helps users and increases their efficiency. Aim for the following important design principles:

ConsistencyBe consistent in the use of symbols and color.

Be consistent with button labels and button placement.

When you design several displays, place the same kinds of buttons in the same positions. For example, if there is a Start button in a certain position in one display, don’t put a Stop button in the same position in the next display.

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ClarityUse symbols that are easily recognizable. For example, use the conventional ISA symbols for tanks and valves.

Don’t overload the screen with information.

Use standard, clear terminology, and avoid abbreviations or acronyms that the user might not understand.

Use colors with recognizable meanings. For example, in Europe and North America the colors red and green often mean stop and start. Keep color meanings consistent by assigning red only to Stop buttons, and green only to Start buttons.

Use high-contrast color combinations, such as yellow on blue or dark text on light-colored backgrounds.

UsabilityIf you’re designing for a touch screen, place important buttons where they will not be blocked by a pop-up window. Users can’t press a covered button. Also, ensure that buttons are large enough and spaced far enough apart for users to touch them easily, even when wearing work gloves.

Ensure there is always a clear way to move between displays.

For more information about working with:

graphic displays, see Chapter 16, Creating graphic displays.

graphic objects, see Chapter 17, Setting up graphic objects.

Planning run-time language switchingWhen designing an application that will support multiple languages, consider:

how operators will switch between languages at run time. For example, you can use buttons in graphic displays that issue the Language command when pressed, for each language the application supports.

whether operators will need to switch languages. If so, ensure that they have sufficient security privileges to open graphic displays that contain language switching buttons.

displaying the different languages consistently and effectively in graphic displays. For example, if you use a caption to identify a button set up to switch to French, the caption will change whenever a language switch occurs. To avoid this, use an image of the French flag on the button, instead.

For more information about language switching, see Chapter 25, Setting up language switching.

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Planning how to use trendsWhen planning trends, consider how they will be used. For example, will the trend be used to:

analyze process trends?

monitor production efficiency?

archive process variables to ensure compliance with government regulations?

Based on such considerations, you can determine which tags need to be plotted:

on the same trend.

from a data log model.

against time, or against another tag.

For more information about trends, see Chapter 19, Setting up trends.

Designing a secure systemWhen planning how to secure the control system, consider:

the types of users or groups of users requiring access to the system.

the levels of access to the system each user or group requires.

whether and when users must log on to the system, or change their passwords.

who will have administrative privileges, for example, to set up security for the system.

which HMI project components to secure, for example, to prevent accidental changes to graphic displays, or to control who can write to certain HMI tags.

for a distributed system, whether to restrict access to computers or groups of computers in certain areas of the plant.

Based on these considerations, you can set up security for groups of users, or individual users. Setting up groups of users, such as a manager group and an operator group, is recommended to simplify the management of users with common security needs.

For more information about security, see Chapter 15, Setting up security.

Designing a system for multiple usersBehavior that is appropriate in a single-user environment might not be appropriate for multiple users. When designing a distributed application, keep in mind contingencies such as the following:

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If a graphic display that is to run on several clients uses a shutdown macro to stop a derived tags file, closing the display on any of the clients will stop derived tags processing. Since derived tags processing occurs at the HMI server, this would affect all clients that require the derived data.

Since tags are global, do not use them to store local information, such as the last display shown, because all clients see the same tags.

Designing a system that is easy to deploy and maintainRSView Supervisory Edition includes tools and features that can help you build ease of maintenance into an application, in these ways:

Create global objects and distribute copies of those objects throughout an application. When you modify the original object, in the global object display, the changes are applied to all of its copies in the application.

Create special graphic displays to help deployment and maintenance personnel test an application, for example, to troubleshoot communications problems.

Link parts of an HMI application to logic in programmable controllers using the OpenRSLogix5000 command.

For example, by linking actions performed in RSView to Sequential Function Charts (SFCs) in RSLogix® 5000, you can help operators track the state of processes that are running in the plant.

Because Sequential Function Charts are graphical representations of batch procedures, actions in RSView that are linked to RSLogix 5000 programs could also be used frequently by operators who monitor the progress of batch procedures.

For details about the OpenRSLogix5000 command, see Help.

Integrating with other applications, and customizing the system

If you regularly require data from programs such as Microsoft® Excel, or Microsoft SQL Server, consider using the RSView SE Client object model and display code with VBA to integrate these applications with RSView.

You can also use the RSView SE Client object model to customize a system in the following ways:

Add custom alarm eventsYou can write alarm detection algorithms using PLC logic, and then create events in RSView to respond to the algorithms.

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Validate operator inputUse VBA logic to validate the operator’s input, for example, to ensure that the value an operator enters in a numeric input field falls within 10% of the value of another numeric input field.

Create custom operator formsUse the RSView SE Client object model to populate VBA form objects with data, for use in graphic displays. For example, use list boxes or combo boxes in graphic displays to allow operators to select options such as recipe items.

Manipulate the RSView SE Client windowWrite VBA code to arrange graphic displays based on the size of the RSView SE Client window. This allows you to adapt an application dynamically to various screen desktop sizes and resolutions.

Send custom messages to the Diagnostics logSend specific messages to the Diagnostics List and Diagnostics log, to notify the operator of problems with VBA code.

Secure the systemThe RSView object model allows you to obtain security information about who is using the system, and to use the security information and events to control access to the system.

For example, you can restrict a user’s access to a graphic display on a secured computer by creating code that displays the graphic display on a workstation with a specific computer name, only when the user is logged in with a particular user name.

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4 Setting up FactoryTalk DirectoryThis chapter describes:

what FactoryTalk® Directory™ is.

using FactoryTalk Directory in a networked system.

specifying the location of FactoryTalk Directory.

restoring FactoryTalk Directory when deploying an application.

what happens if FactoryTalk Directory is unavailable at run time.

About FactoryTalk DirectoryFactoryTalk Directory software works like a telephone directory, or electronic address book, allowing parts of an application to find each other on a computer, or on the network. FactoryTalk-enabled applications like RSView use one of two types of FactoryTalk Directory:

FactoryTalk Local Directory (also called Local Directory) manages applications confined to a single computer, for example, RSView Supervisory Edition stand-alone applications.

FactoryTalk Network Directory (also called Network Directory) manages applications that can consist of multiple clients and servers on separate computers connected over a network, for example, RSView Supervisory Edition distributed applications.

Your set up the directory (or directories) you need after installing the FactoryTalk Automation Platform™. For details, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

The illustration that follows shows an RSView® Supervisory Edition™ distributed application deployed on a network, along with FactoryTalk Network Directory, RSLinx®, and RSLogix® software.

In the illustration, the RSView SE clients use the Network Directory to find out which computers are hosting RSView SE Servers, in order to gain access to graphic displays in the applications running on the RSView SE Servers.

The RSView SE Servers use the Network Directory to find RSLinx, in order to gain access to data on network devices (PLC-5 and ControlLogix® devices) and to update graphic displays.

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In RSView Studio™, when you create or open a stand-alone or a distributed application, an icon representing the Local or Network Directory and the name of its host computer appears at the top of the Explorer window, as shown in the following illustrations.

For a stand-alone application, shown on the left, the name of the host computer appears beside the Local Directory icon.

Local directory(host computer)

Network directory(host computer)

Application

HMI projectcomponents,

and editorsHMI project

components,and editors

ApplicationArea

Areas

Security policies,computer and

user accounts,and devices

Security policies,user accounts,

and devices

HMI serverHMI server

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4 • SETTING UP FACTORYTALK DIRECTORY• • • • •

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For a distributed application, localhost appears beside the Network Directory icon, if the directory server is located on the same computer as the application. The host computer name appears if the directory server is located on a different computer.

Using FactoryTalk Directory in a networked systemYou can set up a network so that multiple RSView SE distributed applications share a single FactoryTalk Network Directory, or so that multiple Network Directory servers manage multiple applications.

For RSView SE stand-alone applications, the application and the FactoryTalk Local Directory must be on the same computer.

Multiple distributed applications, one Network Directory computerFactoryTalk Network Directory can contain multiple applications, allowing you to have multiple automation systems on the same network.

This would allow you to develop one application, while another is operating in a production environment. Alternatively, different applications can run simultaneously, each controlling a different facility within a corporate network.

All the computers participating in a distributed application share a common Network Directory located on a network server computer. Application users can be members of different domains. If you are not using domains, all of the computers that connect to an application must also be in the same Windows® workgroup.

Multiple distributed applications, multiple Network Directory computersA network can also contain more than one computer running the FactoryTalk Network Directory software. This is useful to run multiple distributed applications that:

are separated by a slow network, for example a wide-area network (WAN).

To do this, set up one Network Directory at each site on either side of the WAN.

do not need to share data with each other.

Each computer on the network can connect to only one computer running the FactoryTalk Network Directory software. You cannot connect a single computer to multiple FactoryTalk Directory servers.

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One stand-alone application and FactoryTalk Local Directory on the same computerFor stand-alone applications, the FactoryTalk Local Directory, RSView SE Server, and RSView SE Client all must be installed and run on the same computer. Only OPC data servers can be installed on other computers.

Specifying the location of FactoryTalk Directory

Local Directory setup for stand-alone applicationsFor stand-alone applications, you do not need to do anything to set up the FactoryTalk Local Directory, as the location is set to localhost automatically, during installation of the software.

For information about deploying all the parts of a stand-alone application, see Chapter 28, Deploying stand-alone applications.

Network Directory setup for distributed applicationsFor distributed applications, you need to decide which computer will host the Network Directory server.

You can run the server on the same computer as other RSView software components, or you can run it alone, on a dedicated computer. To do this, you only have to install the FactoryTalk Automation Platform software on that computer.

After installing RSView Supervisory Edition and before you run RSView Studio, the RSView SE Client, or the RSView Administration Console, you must use the FactoryTalk Directory Server Location Utility to specify:

localhost on the computer running the Network Directory server.

the name of the computer running the Network Directory server, on every other computer to participate in the application.

For information about deploying all the parts of a distributed application, see Chapter 27, Deploying distributed applications.


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To specify localhost on the Network Directory server computer1. On the computer to host the Network Directory server, on the Windows Start menu,

select Programs, Rockwell Software, FactoryTalk Tools, and then click Specify FactoryTalk Directory Location.

2. You are prompted to log on. Type your name and password, and then click OK.

3. In the FactoryTalk Directory Server Location Utility, if the Computer hosting directory server box displays localhost, click OK.

If the Computer hosting directory server box does not display localhost, click the Browse button.

4. In the FactoryTalk Directory Server Configuration dialog box, click This computer, and then click OK.

5. Click OK.

To specify the Network Directory location on computers participating in the application1. On the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, FactoryTalk Tools,

and then click Specify FactoryTalk Directory Location.

To use the FactoryTalk Directory Server Location Utility, you must have administrative privileges at FactoryTalk Directory and in Windows, on the computer where the utility is running. For more information, see Chapter 15, Setting up security.

To specify the location of the Network Directory server, click the Browse button.

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2. You are prompted to log on to FactoryTalk. Type your name and password, and then click OK.

3. In the FactoryTalk Directory Server Location Utility, click the Browse button beside Computer hosting directory server.

4. In the FactoryTalk Directory Server Configuration dialog box, click Remote computer, and then type the name of the computer that is running the Network Directory server.

You can also click the Browse button, to find and select the Network Directory server computer.

5. Click OK.

6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 on each computer (other than the Network Directory computer) that is to participate in the distributed application.

To use the FactoryTalk Directory Server Location Utility, you must have administrative privileges at FactoryTalk Directory and in Windows, on the computer where the utility is running. For more information, see Chapter 15, Setting up security.

To specify a remote computer as the FactoryTalk Network Directory server, you must you must have administrative privileges at FactoryTalk Network Directory and in Windows, on the remote server computer.

To specify the location of the Network Directory server, click the Browse button.

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Restoring FactoryTalk Directory when deploying an applicationAfter developing and testing an application, you are ready to move it to the computer or set of computers that will run the application in a live setting such as the plant floor. To move a stand-alone or a distributed application, you back up the application first, and then restore the backed up components on the designated computers.

For a distributed application, backing up FactoryTalk System information with the application is optional. For a stand-alone application, the back-up operation includes the FactoryTalk information. However, you can choose to exclude the information when you restore the stand-alone application.

When you restore archived FactoryTalk System information, it replaces any user or computer accounts set up for existing applications using the current FactoryTalk Directory. Users logged on to the current directory must log back on to RSView and FactoryTalk Directory, once the restore operation is complete.

For example, if you have an application opened in RSView Studio when FactoryTalk Directory is restored, the application closes and you must log back on, before you can create or open another application.

For more information about backing up and restoring:

distributed applications, see Chapter 27, Deploying distributed applications.

stand-alone applications, see Chapter 28, Deploying stand-alone applications.

What happens if FactoryTalk Directory is unavailable at run timeIf FactoryTalk Network Directory becomes unavailable while client computers are connected to a distributed application, the clients will continue to run correctly. This is because any client computer that was running, or had connected at least once to the application before the failure, has a cached copy of the Network Directory.

When any of these clients loses contact with the Network Directory, its cached copy becomes active, allowing it to continue functioning. For example, the client can continue to resolve tag addresses, read and write tag values, acknowledge alarms, and view graphic displays, even if the tags and displays it requires were never used before.

If the application archive includes Windows-linked users, and you are restoring the application to a different Windows domain, then the archived users will not be recognized in the new domain.

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While the Network Directory is unavailable, you cannot modify the structure of applications using that directory. For example, you cannot add areas, data servers, or HMI servers, to those applications. You also cannot create new user or computer accounts, or change system security policies.

How RSView SE Clients respond to server disruptionsUsers do not have to restart the RSView SE Client software to continue using the system, when FactoryTalk Directory becomes unavailable. However, clients that had never connected to the application before the failure, will not be able to connect until the Network Directory is restored.

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5 Working with distributed applicationsThis chapter describes:

what an RSView® distributed application is.

key distributed application concepts.

creating distributed applications.

setting up HMI server properties.

starting and stopping HMI servers and components manually.

deleting HMI servers.

renaming and deleting distributed applications.

backing up and restoring distributed applications.

About distributed applications

In RSView Studio™ you can create two kinds of supervisory-level applications: stand-alone applications, and distributed applications.

The following illustration shows a distributed application, as it appears in the Explorer window in RSView Studio.

FactoryTalkNetwork Directory


and editors

ApplicationArea

Areas

FactoryTalk Directory host computer

Security settingsfor FactoryTalk

Directory

HMI server

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A distributed application includes:

areas, that allow you to organize the application by sub-dividing it into logical or physical divisions. You can also use areas to separate servers that contain the same names, for example two HMI servers running projects that contain the same set of displays or tags.

HMI servers. Each RSView Supervisory Edition™ application must contain at least one HMI server. For a distributed application you can set up a secondary host computer with a backup copy of the HMI server to provide server redundancy.

HMI project components such as graphic displays, HMI tags, and data log models, created in RSView Studio.

a list of users, plus the security codes that grant or deny users permission to access secured HMI project components.

data servers, that allow clients to access information in programmable controllers, devices, and other data servers that comply with the OPC-DA 2.0 specification, with or without the use of HMI tags.

Every vendor’s OPC data server is different. Some contain tag databases of their own, like the tag database in an HMI server, while others reference the tag databases or addresses that exist in controllers, as is the case with RSLinx® and ControlLogix®.

You can set up a redundant pair of host computers for each data server in a distributed application.

Distributed applications have the following characteristics:

The software programs that allow a distributed application to run, for example, FactoryTalk® Directory™, the HMI server, the HMI clients, and the OPC® data servers, can each be located on a different computer on the network.

Each computer taking part in a distributed application must point at the same FactoryTalk Network Directory.

A distributed application can contain multiple areas, including nested areas.

Each area in a distributed application can contain only a single HMI server. Multiple data servers are supported.

Redundancy is supported for distributed applications.

For a stand-alone application, all the software programs and application components must be located on the same computer, and there can be only one HMI server. For information about stand-alone applications, see Chapter 6, Working with stand-alone applications.

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Key concepts

FactoryTalk DirectoryFactoryTalk Directory is software that allows the parts of an application to find each other on a computer, or on the network. For example, to access graphic displays on HMI servers in the application, HMI clients use FactoryTalk Directory to find out which computers on the network are hosting HMI servers.

FactoryTalk Network Directory manages distributed applications. All of the computers participating in a particular application share a common Network Directory, located on a network server.

A copy of the information provided by the Network Directory is stored locally on each client connected to the directory server computer. This means that the application will continue to run correctly, even if the Network Directory becomes unavailable.

RSView clients connected to the application also will continue to run, without restarting the system, if the directory server becomes unavailable. However, clients that were not connected before the Network Directory went down, will be unable to connect until service is restored.

For more information, see Chapter 4, Setting up FactoryTalk Directory.

RSAssetSecurity™The FactoryTalk Network Directory uses RSAssetSecurity Network services to authenticate and authorize users of RSView distributed applications. In RSView Studio, you can set up which users and groups of users have access to resources such as the Network Directory itself, the application, and areas within the application. For distributed applications, you can also set up accounts for computers and groups of computers.



Licensing restrictions apply to security for FactoryTalk-enabled applications that use FactoryTalk Network Directory, for example, RSView Supervisory Edition distributed applications. For information about security activation, see the RSAssetSecurity Quick Start and Installation Guide on the RSAssetSecurity Network CD.

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HMI server, HMI project, HMI clientHMI servers are software programs that supply information to clients when they request it. An HMI server stores HMI project components (for example, graphic displays), and serves these components to clients. An HMI server also manages a database of tags, and performs alarm detection, and historical data management (data logging). A distributed application can contain one HMI server or more.

HMI projects contain displays, data log models, alarms, HMI tags and other services. HMI projects are loaded by HMI servers.

HMI clients are software programs that obtain information from, or write information to HMI servers or data servers. RSView Studio, the RSView Administration Console, and the RSView SE Client are all HMI clients.

AreasAll applications have one system-defined area called the application root area, which has the same name as the application. The application root area can contain an HMI server, or one or more data servers.

In a distributed application, you can create additional areas to divide the application into manageable, logical parts, or to organize it in a way that makes sense for the process it is controlling. An area might represent a portion or stage of a process, or a region within the process facility.

For example, an automotive plant might be divided into areas called Press and Fabrication, Body Shop, Paint Shop, Engine and Transmission. A bakery might be divided into areas called Ingredients, Mixing, Baking, and Packaging.

Alternatively, a plant with identical production lines might be divided into areas called Line 1, Line 2, Line 3, and so on. This would allow you to add new, identical production lines to the application by copying HMI server projects into new areas.

Each area you add to a distributed application can contain one or more sub-areas, and one or more data servers. Each area or sub-area can contain only one HMI server.

The home areaIn distributed applications, the home area is the area in which an application component (e.g., a tag or display) is located. When you refer to an application component without specifying the area, RSView uses the home area to locate the component.

For example, if an object on a graphic display refers to a tag without specifying its area, RSView assumes that the tag and the display are in the same home area. If the tag does not belong to a data server or HMI server in the display’s home area, an error will occur when the display is run.

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Absolute and relative references In a distributed application, use absolute or relative references to refer to application components, such as graphic displays, when building RSView commands or connecting graphic objects to tags.

Absolute references point directly at a specific component, by referring to the component’s name and the area (or areas, in the case of nested areas) in which it is located.

For example, an absolute reference to a display called Detail in an area called AssemblyLineNorth is /AssemblyLineNorth::Detail.

Relative references point at a component relative to the current server or area.

For example, a relative reference to a display called Detail is simply the display’s name: Detail. When a relative reference is used, RSView assumes that the component is located in the current area.

Using absolute and relative referencesAssume the display called Detail, mentioned above, contains an absolute reference to a tag called /AssemblyLineNorth::Speed, and a relative reference to a tag called Temp. The relative reference is simply the tag’s name: Temp.

If you copy the Detail display to an area called AssemblyLineSouth, the display will still refer to the tag /AssemblyLineNorth::Speed, because it contains an absolute reference to that tag.

However, the display will refer to the tag called Temp in the current area, AssemblyLineSouth, because it contains a relative reference to that tag. If the Temp tag does not exist in the AssemblyLineSouth area, an error will appear in the FactoryTalk Diagnostics List when the display is run.

Use absolute references when you want to ensure that a specific component is used, regardless of where it is referenced from.

Use relative references, for example, when you want to re-use component names in an application for a plant that has identical production lines. The application could have multiple areas, each representing one of the production lines, with the same component names in each area. For details about areas, see page 5-3.

An absolute reference to an application’s root area does not include the application’s name, even though the name appears in the root area in RSView Studio.

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SyntaxPrecede area names with a forward slash (/). Also separate area names from other area names, with a forward slash.

Separate area names from component names with two colons (::)

Example: Using the Display command with absolute and relative references in distributed applicationsAssume that a graphic display called Overview appears if the operator presses a button on a graphic display. To show the Overview display, use the Display command in the button’s press action, as follows:

To create an absolute reference to the display called Overview in the area called Baking, type Display /Baking::Overview.

To create an absolute reference to the display called Overview in the area called Packaging, type Display /Packaging::Overview.

To create an absolute reference to the display called Overview in the root area of the application, type Display /::Overview.

To create a relative reference to the display called Overview in the area from which the Display command is issued, type Display Overview.

More information and examplesFor more information about using absolute and relative references:

with tags, see “Using tag references” on page 8-11.

with commands, see page A-5.

RedundancyIn process monitoring and control automation, redundancy refers to the ability of the system running the process to continue to work correctly when one or more parts of the system become unavailable, or fail. You can enable redundancy by setting up pairs of critical systems components, such as data servers, on paired computers. One server in the pair acts as the primary server, and the other acts as the secondary, or backup, server.

Use the Command Wizard to build commands that take application components as parameters. The Command Wizard supplies the correct syntax, based on the location of the component you select.

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How RSView SE Clients respond to server disruptionsDuring server disruptions, users do not have to restart the RSView SE Client software to continue using the system. Once the system has switched to the secondary HMI server, or data server, RSView SE Clients continue functioning normally.

About HMI-server redundancyYou can set up redundant operation for HMI servers to provide minimal disruption of system operation in the event that clients lose service from a server, for example, because of network or computer failures.

For more information, see “Redundant HMI servers” on page 26-6.

The operational status of HMI serversThere are four possible states for an HMI server:

Active applies to any HMI server. It means that the server is running and able to serve data to clients that connect to it.

Standby applies to the inactive HMI server in a redundant server pair. It means that the server is running, and will replace the active server if the active server fails.

Out of service applies to any HMI server. It means that the server has been created, but cannot be contacted.

Unknown applies to the secondary server in a redundant server pair. It means that the secondary server has not been created yet.

You can view the operational status of an HMI server in the General tab in the HMI Server Properties dialog box. You can also use VBA code on the RSView client to determine the status of HMI servers.

File synchronizationWhile the server is active, changes made to files (for example, configuration files, or log files) are not automatically synchronized on the secondary server.

If synchronization is required, the files must be synchronized manually after the changes are made. You can do this by copying the files using Windows Explorer.

For details, see “Synchronizing redundant HMI servers and projects” on page 27-11.

Alarm state synchronizationAlarm states are synchronized automatically, between primary and secondary HMI servers in a redundant pair.

For alarm states to be synchronized properly, the clocks on the primary and secondary HMI servers must be kept synchronized to a time server. If the clocks on both computers

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are not synchronized, when fail-over occurs multiple alarms or inconsistent information might be displayed in an alarm summary.

About data-server redundancyYou can set up redundant operation for data servers to provide minimal disruption of system operation in the event that clients lose service from a server, for example because of network or computer failures.

For information about setting up redundancy for OPC data servers, see “Setting up OPC data server redundancy” on page 7-11.

For information about setting up redundancy for RSLinx Enterprise data servers, see “Setting up RSLinx Enterprise data server redundancy” on page 7-7.

Language switchingThe RSView language switching feature allows operators to view user-defined text strings in an application, in up to 20 different languages.

At run time, multiple RSView clients can switch between any of the different languages the application supports. Multiple clients can also run in different languages, at the same time.

For details about how to set up language switching for an application, see Chapter 25, Setting up language switching.

Creating distributed applicationsDistributed applications can consist of one or more areas, one HMI server per area, and if required, one or more data servers. Once you have created the application and an HMI server, use editors in the Explorer window to create components, such as graphic displays.

To create a distributed application

1. On the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView Enterprise, and then click RSView Studio.

2. In the Product Type Selection dialog, select SE Distributed, and then click Continue.

If RSView Studio is the first FactoryTalk-enabled software you are running, after installing RSView or restarting the computer, you will be prompted to log on to the Network Directory. For more information, see “Logging on to FactoryTalk” on page 1-9.

3. In the New/Open SE Distributed Application dialog box, click the New tab.

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The application icon and name are displayed in the Explorer window, beneath the Network Directory icon.

Adding and deleting areasYou can add and delete areas, but you cannot copy areas, in a distributed application.

To add an area1. In the Explorer window, right-click the application root or right-click an area name,

and then click New Area.

2. In the New Area dialog box, type a name for the area, and an optional description, and then click OK.

To delete an area1. Right-click the area you want to delete, and then click Delete.

When you delete an area, HMI servers and data servers located in the area are not deleted from disk.

Adding an HMI serverYou can add one HMI server, or more, to a distributed application after you create the application. Each area in a distributed application can contain only one HMI server.

The application name can be up to 32 characters long.

The application language can be any Windows® language.

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To add an HMI server1. In the Explorer window, right-click the application root, or right-click an area name,

and then click New HMI Server.

2. In the Select Operations window of the Add HMI Server wizard, click one of the operations to select it, and then click Next. You can choose to:

Create a new HMI server that is not based on an existing HMI server, HMI project, or RSView32™ application. When you create an HMI server, the server’s HMI project is created automatically.

Copy an HMI server that exists already. After you have copied an HMI server, changes made to the original do not affect the copy, or vice versa.

Import a project from RSView32, RSView Supervisory Edition, or RSView Machine Edition, as the basis for a new HMI server. After you have copied a project into the new HMI server, changes made to the original project do not affect the copy, or vice versa.

Attach to an existing HMI server without making a copy of the HMI server.

3. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the wizard.

Once the HMI server has been added, you can set up its properties. For details, see page 5-12.

You cannot attach to an existing HMI server that is being used in another application.

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Adding a data serverEach area in a distributed application can contain more than one data server.

To add an RSLinx Enterprise data server1. In the Explorer window, right-click the application root, or right-click an area name,

click New Data Server, and then click RSLinx Enterprise.

2. Provide a name and description for the server, and then specify where the server is located.

To add an OPC data server1. In the Explorer window, right-click the application root, or right-click an area name,

click New Data Server, and then click OPC.


For information about setting up RSLinx Enterprise and OPC data servers, including RSLinx Classic data servers, see Chapter 7, Setting up communications, or see Help.

When to use additional HMI or data serversA distributed application does not require more than one HMI server or data server, but there are circumstances in which it is helpful to use additional servers.

For example, adding servers allows you to provide redundant operation for HMI servers or data servers at run time. It also allows different integrators to work on different HMI servers, without worrying about name collisions or needing to integrate all the files later.

Adding HMI servers or data servers for redundant operationYou can set up redundant HMI servers or data servers to enable an application to use a secondary server in the event that the primary server goes out of service. You must set up redundancy separately for each HMI server or data server in an application.

For details about adding:

HMI servers to an application, see page 5-9.

OPC data servers to an application, see page 7-9.

RSLinx Enterprise data servers to an application, see page 7-5.

Adding HMI servers or data servers for load balancingOver time, an HMI project might increase in size, or the number of clients connecting to the HMI server or data server might increase to the point where the computer running the server becomes overloaded.

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If this happens, install another HMI or data server on a different computer and then move some of the HMI project components, or some of the OPC server tags, to the new server. This distributes the processing load across computers more effectively and provides better performance.

HMI server restrictions

Server NamesThe names of HMI servers are stored by FactoryTalk Directory, and are not deleted, even if you remove an HMI server from all applications in which it is used and then delete the HMI server’s project files.

The name of every HMI server must be unique. This means that:

you cannot re-use an HMI server’s name, even after you delete the HMI server.

if multiple users share the same FactoryTalk Directory, the names of all HMI servers created by all users must be unique. Similarly, if multiple applications share the same FactoryTalk Directory, the name of each HMI server in each application must be unique.

Number of serversEach area in a distributed application can contain only one HMI server.

When deploying a distributed application for production, ensure that there are no more than 2 HMI servers running on each computer. If the HMI servers are set up for redundancy, only 1 server per computer is permitted.

For more information about system limits and requirements, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

Setting up HMI server propertiesAfter adding an HMI server, you can use the HMI Server Properties dialog box to:

select a startup type for the HMI server.

set up redundancy for the HMI server, and specify the name of the second computer that will host the redundant HMI server.

select the components that will run when the HMI server starts up.

specify macros that will run when the HMI server shuts down, and, if redundancy has been set up, when the HMI server becomes active or goes into standby mode.

change the name of the computer on which the HMI server is running.

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You must set up the properties of each HMI server in a distributed application separately.

To open the HMI Server Properties dialog box1. In RSView Studio or the RSView Administration Console, in the Explorer window,

right-click the HMI server, and then click Properties.

For details about the options in the HMI Server Properties dialog box, click Help.

Specifying how the server starts upYou can set an HMI server to start up on demand, when the first client connects to it, or to start when the operating system initializes. After an HMI server has finished starting, it is said to be loaded. After an HMI server has finished stopping, it is said to be unloaded.

When the HMI server is loaded, the user can edit the server’s HMI project using RSView Studio, and connect clients to the HMI server. A client can be RSView Studio, the RSView Administration Console, or the RSView SE Client.

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Starting the HMI server when the first client connects to itYou can set up the HMI server to load on demand. This means that the HMI server is loaded when the first client accesses the HMI server project, and is unloaded when the last client is closed.

HMI servers should start on demand only when a system is under development. In the run-time environment, the HMI server should start when the operating system starts, to ensure that no alarms or logged data is missed. An unlicensed HMI server can only be started on demand.

Starting the HMI server when the operating system initializesYou can set an HMI server to load when Windows starts. This option is required, if you want to set up redundancy for the HMI server.

This option also is for normal use at run time, as it allows clients to connect quickly, and ensures that the HMI server can be returned to normal operation automatically, if the computer on which it is running is restarted. Because the HMI server runs as a service, users do not have to log into Windows to make the HMI server run.

If you are setting up redundancy for an HMI server, you can run components when the server starts up, or you can specify macros to start the components only when the server is the active server. For information about macros, see Chapter 22, Creating macros.

An HMI server set to load when Windows starts, can be unloaded by changing the Startup type to On demand, and then closing all clients, or by using the RSView SE Service Manager.

Setting up HMI server redundancyTo minimize disruptions to clients if the primary HMI server fails, set up a redundant HMI server. In RSView, the redundant server is called the secondary server. When the primary HMI server becomes available again, the system automatically switches back to the primary from the secondary server.

The settings you specify on the Redundancy tab are saved with the application, and are the same for both primary and secondary HMI servers. You do not need to specify different settings for the computers that are hosting the primary and secondary servers.

After changing an HMI server’s startup type, you must restart the server’s computer for the change to take effect.

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Specifying server redundancyIn the Redundancy tab of the HMI Server Properties dialog box, click the Provide redundancy using a secondary server, check box to enable redundancy for this HMI server. Clear this check box to disable redundancy for this HMI server.

This option is available only if the HMI server startup type is set to Load and run startup components when operating system initializes. For details about the HMI server’s startup type, see page 5-14.

Selecting the secondary host computerIn the Redundancy tab of the HMI Server Properties dialog box, type the name of the computer hosting the secondary HMI server. To browse for the name of the computer, click the Browse button.

For information about the steps required to set up redundant components in an application, see “Planning the layout of a redundant system” on page 26-8.

Setting up a redundant HMI serverThese are the tasks involved in setting up redundancy for an HMI server:

1. Install the RSView SE Server software on the computer you want to host the secondary HMI server. For details, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

2. Copy the HMI project files from the computer hosting the primary HMI server to the computer hosting the secondary HMI server. For details, see “Moving HMI project files” on page 27-6.

3. In RSView Studio on the primary computer, open the HMI Server Properties dialog box for the primary HMI server.

4. In the Redundancy tab, set up the redundancy options. For details, see Help, or “Setting up HMI server redundancy” on page 5-14.

Selecting the HMI server’s startup and shutdown componentsIn the Components tab of the HMI Server Properties dialog box, select the check box for each of the items you want to run when the HMI server runs, including:

which components will run when the HMI server starts.

which macros will run when the HMI server shuts down.

which macros will run when switching to the secondary HMI server, or back to the primary HMI server.

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Where required, specify the name of the component. For details about the options in the Components tab, click Help.

Running a macro when the HMI server becomes activeThe macro that runs when an HMI server becomes active is called the On active macro. An HMI server can become active if another HMI server fails, or if it is the primary server at startup time.

Any RSView macro can be used as the On active macro. If you have not set up a secondary server in the Redundancy tab, the option to run an On active macro is not available.

Running a macro when the HMI server goes into standby modeThe macro that runs when an HMI server goes into standby mode is called the On standby macro.

When a primary HMI server recovers, and the system switches from the active secondary back to the primary server, it goes into standby mode before it becomes active. Then, once the primary server becomes active, the secondary switches to standby.

Any RSView macro can be used as the On standby macro. If you have not set up a secondary server in the Redundancy tab, the option to run an On standby macro is not available.

Changing the name of the host computerIn the General tab of the HMI Server Properties dialog box, the box labeled Computer hosting the server, displays the name of the computer on which the HMI server is running. To change this to another computer, a copy of the HMI server has to exist on the computer that is going to be the host.

The order in which items appear in the Components tab is not the order in which items will run. If you have created an HMI server that has components that must start in a particular order, create a macro that will run when the HMI server starts.

The On standby macro will not run if the active HMI server fails in such a way that it cannot run the macro, for example, if power to the server computer fails.

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Starting and stopping HMI servers and components manually

Starting and stopping an HMI server’s componentsYou can run an HMI server’s startup components, or stop the components running on an HMI server, from within the HMI Server Properties dialog box.

If you have set up redundancy for an HMI server, you also can start or stop the secondary server’s components manually, from within the same dialog box.

For details about starting and stopping HMI server components, see page 27-9.

Starting and stopping HMI servicesYou can use the RSView SE Service Manager to start or stop the HMI services running on a computer.

When you stop the HMI services, clients are disconnected, all HMI servers running on the computer are shut down, and the activation keys used by the HMI servers are released. When you start the HMI services, clients are allowed to connect to HMI servers on the computer.

For details about starting or stopping HMI services, see page 27-10.

Deleting HMI serversYou can delete an HMI server from an application without deleting its project files. This allows you to add the HMI server to an application at a later time.

You can also add the HMI server to an application temporarily, while you copy components to other HMI servers in the application.

To delete an HMI server1. Disconnect all clients from the HMI server. A client is any of the following: RSView

Studio, RSView Administration Console, or RSView SE Client.

2. Start RSView Studio, and then open the application from which you want to delete the HMI server.

3. Right-click the HMI server you want to delete, and then click Delete.

This does not delete the HMI server’s project files.

Deleting HMI server project filesDelete the HMI server from the application in which it is used before you delete the HMI server’s files.

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To delete an HMI server’s project files1. Disconnect all clients from the HMI server. A client is any of the following: RSView

Studio, the RSView Administration Console, or the RSView SE Client.

2. Use the Windows Explorer to browse to the following folder on the computer hosting the HMI server:

\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\RSView Enterprise\SE\HMI projects*

*The path given is for Windows XP. For Windows 2000, the third folder is not Shared documents, but just Documents.

3. Delete the folder that has the same name as the HMI server whose project files you want to delete. For details about starting or stopping HMI services manually, see page 27-10.

Renaming and deleting distributed applicationsUse the Application Manager tool to rename or delete a distributed application.

To run the Application Manager1. On the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView

Enterprise,Tools, and then click Application Manager.

For details about using the Application Manager, click Help within the tool.

To rename a distributed application1. In the Application Manager, click Supervisory Edition Distributed, and then click

Next.

2. Click Rename application, and then click Next.

3. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the rename operation.

To delete a distributed application1. In the Application Manager, click Supervisory Edition Distributed, and then click

Next.

2. Click Delete application, and then click Next.

You must have the necessary security permissions to perform tasks in the Application Manager. For more information, “Setting up access to resources secured at FactoryTalk Directory” on page 15-12.

You cannot rename or delete a distributed application that is in use. Ensure that all users disconnect from the application first.

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3. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the delete operation.

When you delete a distributed application, the HMI servers and data servers set up in it are not deleted automatically. For details about:

deleting the HMI server files, see page 5-17.

removing a data server and deleting its cache files, see page 7-13.

Backing up and restoring distributed applicationsFor information about how to back up and restore distributed applications, see Chapter 27, Deploying distributed applications.

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6 Working with stand-alone applicationsThis chapter describes:

what an RSView® stand-alone application is.

key stand-alone application concepts.

creating stand-alone applications.

setting up HMI server properties.

renaming and deleting stand-alone applications.

copying, backing up, and restoring stand-alone applications.

About stand-alone applications

In RSView Studio™ you can create two kinds of supervisory-level applications: stand-alone applications, and distributed applications.

The following illustration shows a stand-alone application, as it appears in the Explorer window in RSView Studio.

A stand-alone application includes:

an HMI server.

For a stand-alone, RSView Supervisory Edition application, the HMI server is created when you create the application and has the same name as the application.

FactoryTalkLocal Directory


and editors

Application

FactoryTalk Directory host computer

Security settingsfor FactoryTalk

Directory

HMI server

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data servers that allow clients to access information in programmable controllers, devices, and other data servers that comply with the OPC®-DA 2.0 specification, without the use of HMI tags. That data servers that can be used include RSLinx® Enterprise and OPC data servers (including RSLinx Classic).

Every vendor’s OPC data server is different. Some contain tag databases of their own, like the tag database in an HMI server, while others reference the tag databases or addresses that exist in controllers, as is the case with RSLinx and ControlLogix®.

components such as graphic displays, HMI tags, and data log models, created in RSView Studio.

a list of users, plus the security codes that grant or deny users permission to access secured HMI project components.

Stand-alone applications have the following characteristics:

The software programs that allow a stand-alone application to run, for example, FactoryTalk® Directory™, the HMI server, and the HMI clients, are all located on the same computer.

A stand-alone application has only one area, which is the application root area. You cannot add areas to a stand-alone application.

A stand-alone application can have only one HMI server which is created automatically when the applications is created, and has the same name as the application.

Only OPC data servers can be located on other computers.

You do not have specify the location of FactoryTalk Local Directory, for use with stand-alone applications. This is done automatically when you install RSView Supervisory Edition.

For information about distributed applications, see Chapter 5, Working with distributed applications.

Key concepts

FactoryTalk DirectoryFactoryTalk Directory is software that allows the parts of an application to find each other on a computer, or on the network. For example, to access information via a non-HMI data server, an HMI client uses FactoryTalk Directory to find out which computer on the network is hosting the data server.

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FactoryTalk Local Directory manages stand-alone applications. For more information, see Chapter 4, Setting up FactoryTalk Directory.

RSAssetSecurity™The FactoryTalk Local Directory uses RSAssetSecurity services to authenticate and authorize users of RSView stand-alone applications. In RSView Studio, you can set up which users and groups of users have access to resources such as the Local Directory itself, or the application and its contents.


HMI server, HMI project, HMI clientHMI servers are software programs that supply information to clients when they request it. An HMI server stores HMI project components (for example, graphic displays), and serves these components to clients. An HMI server also manages a database of tags, and performs alarm detection, and historical data management (logging).

A stand-alone application contains one HMI server that is created automatically when you create the application.

HMI projects contain displays, log models, alarms, HMI tags and other services. HMI projects are loaded by HMI servers.

HMI clients are software programs that obtain information from, or write information to an HMI server. RSView Studio, the RSView Administration Console, and the RSView SE client are all HMI clients.

Using references in stand-alone applicationsIn a stand-alone application, you use relative references to refer to application components, such as graphic displays or tags, when building RSView commands or connecting graphic objects to tags.

Relative references point at a component relative to the current application. For example, a relative reference to a display called Detail is simply the display’s name: Detail. To set up a button on a graphic display to open the Detail display at run time, use Display Detail as the button’s Press action.

Language switchingThe RSView language switching feature allows operators to view user-defined text strings in an application, in up to 20 different languages. For details about how to set up language switching for an application, see Appendix D, RFC1766 names for Windows® languages.

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Creating stand-alone applicationsStand-alone applications consist of the application root area, one HMI server, and if needed, one or more data servers. Once you have created the application, use editors in the Explorer window to create components, such as graphic displays.

To create a stand-alone application

1. On the Windows® Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView Enterprise, and then click RSView Studio.

2. In the Product Type Selection dialog, select SE Stand-alone, and then click Continue.

If RSView Studio is the first FactoryTalk-enabled software you are running, after installing RSView or restarting the computer, you will be prompted to log on to the Local Directory. For more information, see “Logging on to FactoryTalk” on page 1-9.

3. In the New/Open SE Stand-alone Application dialog box, click the New tab.


The application icon and name are displayed in the Explorer window, beneath the Local Directory icon. In a stand-alone application, the HMI server has the same name as the application.

Importing a project into a new applicationYou can create a new stand-alone application by importing a project from RSView32™, RSView Supervisory Edition, or RSView Machine Edition™. For details about importing projects, see Help. You cannot import a project into an existing application.

After you have copied a project into the new application, changes made to the original project do not affect the copy, or vice versa.

Adding a data serverA stand-alone application can contain multiple OPC data servers, but only one RSLinx Enterprise server.

To add an RSLinx Enterprise server1. In the Explorer window, right-click the application name, click New Data Server, and

then click RSLinx Enterprise.

2. Provide a name and description for the server.

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The location is set to localhost automatically, and cannot be changed. Stand-alone applications support a single RSLinx Enterprise data server, which must run on the same computer as the application.

For more information about setting up RSLinx Enterprise data servers, see Chapter 7, Setting up communications, or see Help.

To add an OPC data server1. In the Explorer window, right-click the application name, click New Data Server, and

then click OPC.


Stand-alone applications support multiple OPC data servers, which can run on separate computers.

For more information about setting up OPC data servers, including RSLinx Classic and RSLinx Gateway servers, see Chapter 7, Setting up communications, or see Help.

Setting up HMI server propertiesWhen you create a stand-alone application, an HMI server and project with the same name as the application are created automatically. You need to set up the HMI server’s properties in the HMI Server Properties dialog box.

Use the HMI Server Properties dialog box to:

add a description of the HMI server.

select the components that will run when the HMI server starts up.

specify a shutdown macro.

start or stop components manually.

To open the HMI Server Properties dialog box1. In RSView Studio, in the Explorer window, right-click the HMI server and then click

Properties.

For details about the options in the HMI Server Properties dialog box, click Help.

Specifying HMI server startup componentsIn the Components tab of the HMI Server Properties dialog box, select the check box for each of the items you want to run when the HMI server runs, including:

which components will run when the HMI server starts.

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which macro will run when the HMI server shuts down.

In a stand-alone application, the HMI server is always started automatically, when the RSView SE client connects to it.

For details about the options in the Components tab, click Help.

Starting and stopping an HMI server’s components manuallyYou can run an HMI server’s startup components, or stop the components running on an HMI server from within the HMI Server Properties dialog box. For details, see page 28-4

The order in which items appear in the Components tab is not the order in which items will run. If you have created an HMI server that has components that must start in a particular order, create a macro that will run when the HMI server starts.

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Renaming and deleting stand-alone applicationsUse the Application Manager tool to rename or delete a stand-alone application.

To run the Application Manager1. On the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView

Enterprise,Tools, and then click Application Manager.

For details about using the Application Manager, click Help within the tool.

To rename a stand-alone application1. In the Application Manager, click Supervisory Edition Stand-alone, and then click

Next.

2. Click Rename application, and then click Next.

3. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the operation.

To delete a stand-alone application1. In the Application Manager, click Supervisory Edition Stand-alone, and then click

Next.

2. Click Delete application, and then click Next.

3. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the operation.

For stand-alone applications, you can choose whether to delete the HMI server project associated with the application. For details, click Help within the Application Manager.

For details about removing a data server and deleting its cache files, see page 7-13.

Copying, backing up, and restoring stand-alone applicationsYou can also use the Application Manager tool to copy, back up, and restore a stand-alone application. For more information, see Chapter 28, Deploying stand-alone applications.

You must have the necessary security permissions to perform tasks in the Application Manager. For more information, “Setting up access to resources secured at FactoryTalk Directory” on page 15-12.

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7 Setting up communicationsThis chapter describes:

what data servers are.

setting up communications.

adding RSLinx® Enterprise data servers to an application.

setting up communications in RSLinx Enterprise.

adding OPC data servers to an application.

deleting data servers.

About data serversA data server provides a route to the physical devices on the network, so you can see the values in those devices. Devices can be:

programmable controller values.

OPC® tags, and their value or status information.

named variables in a ControlLogix® processor.

Types of data serversYou can create two types of data server in an RSView® Supervisory Edition™ application: RSLinx Enterprise data servers, and OPC data servers.

A single RSView application can contain up to 25 data servers.

RSLinx Enterprise data serversRSLinx Enterprise data servers support RSLinx Enterprise, and provide best performance when communicating with ControlLogix processors or with large numbers of clients.

OPC data serversOPC stands for OLE for Process Control, a protocol used to connect RSView to communication devices via vendor-specific OPC servers. RSView supports the OPC-DA 2.0 specification. OPC servers provide a way for RSView to retrieve tag values from:

Allen-Bradley® controller devices, using RSLinx Classic as an OPC server.

third-party controller devices, such as Siemens or Modicon®, using third-party OPC servers.

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OPC data servers support RSLinx Classic, RSLinx Gateway, or any data server that conforms to the OPC-DA 2.0 standard. RSLinx Classic and RSLinx Gateway provide enhanced support for Rockwell Automation programmable controllers and devices.

RSLinx Classic does not require an activation key provided it is installed on the same computer as an RSView SE Server, and is serving data to FactoryTalk clients only, such as RSView SE Client or RSSQL. RSLinx Gateway™ can be installed on any computer, but requires an activation key to serve data to remote, third-party OPC clients.

Overview of data server communicationsThe following illustration shows how RSView can use RSLinx Enterprise and OPC data servers for communications.

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Using multiple data serversIn RSView Studio, you can add more than one data server to an RSView Supervisory Edition application. A single RSView application can contain up to 25 data servers.

Use multiple data servers to:

balance the processing load for exchanging data. If CPU usage is high on a computer on which one data server is running, you should create another data server on another computer to balance the processing load.

provide data-access redundancy. This is available for distributed applications only.

To provide redundancy, set up a secondary data server on another computer. On the primary data server, change the settings in the Redundancy tab of the Data Server Properties dialog box, to switch clients to the secondary server if the primary one fails.

communicate with more than one type of controller simultaneously, for example a Rockwell Automation controller (such as ControlLogix), a Modicon controller, and a Siemens controller.

Communicating with multiple controllersYou can set up one data server, or several, to communicate with multiple controllers.

If you have set up RSLinx to communicate with all the controllers in an application, you only need one data server that you set up with an OPC topic or device shortcut for each controller.

If you have set up multiple remote copies of RSLinx, each of which communicates with a different controller or network, you will need to set up a data server for each remote copy of RSLinx you have running.

For details about setting up communications:

in RSLinx Enterprise, add an RSLinx Enterprise data server to an application, open the Communications Setup editor, and then click Help.

in RSLinx Classic, see Getting Results with RSLinx, or see Help for RSLinx Classic.

Both RSLinx Classic and RSLinx Enterprise can be set up to communicate with multiple types of controllers simultaneously. This means you might not need a separate data server for each controller.

RSLinx Enterprise is optimized to provide best performance for large numbers of clients (more than 10), and large numbers of tags (more than 10,000), even when it is on the same computer as the HMI server.

If an application requires more than 10,000 tags and is not using RSLinx Enterprise, place the OPC data server on its own, dedicated host computer for best performance.

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Setting up communicationsThese are the tasks involved in setting up communications for an application:

1. Gather information about the network, and the devices that are connected to it. You will need this information to set up RSLinx, or another OPC server.

2. Decide what OPC server will be used to communicate with devices on the network. It can be any of the following OPC servers:

RSLinx Enterprise

RSLinx Classic

an OPC-DA 2.0-compliant server

For information about when to use each of these OPC servers, see “Installing the communications software” on page 1-7.

3. Set up the data server that will be used for communications.

Setting up RSLinx Enterprise

To use RSLinx Enterprise as the data server that enables communications on the network, add an RSLinx Enterprise data server to the application and then set up RSLinx Enterprise. The RSLinx Enterprise data server should point to the computer on which RSLinx Enterprise is running.

For details about setting up RSLinx Enterprise, see “Adding RSLinx Enterprise data servers” on page 7-5, or see the RSLinx Enterprise Help.

For details about installing RSLinx Enterprise, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

Setting up RSLinx Classic

To use RSLinx Classic as the OPC server that enables communications on a network, set up RSLinx Classic and then add an OPC data server to the application. The OPC data server should point to the computer on which RSLinx Classic is running.

For details, see Getting Results with RSLinx, or see Help for RSLinx.

For details about installing RSLinx Classic, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

Setting up an OPC server other than RSLinx

To use a OPC server other than RSLinx Classic, to enable communications on the network, set up the OPC server you will use. For details, see the documentation supplied with the OPC server.

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4. In RSView Studio™, add a data server to the application, that points at the OPC server you are using for communications.

Details about setting up data servers are provided in this chapter.

5. Once an application can communicate with a device, you need to plan how the application will access the values in the device. To do this, you can use data server tags, or HMI tags, or a combination of both.

For information about when to use HMI tags or data server tags, see Chapter 8, Working with tags.

To use HMI tags in the application, open the Tags editor, and then create device tags that point at addresses in devices. For details about creating HMI tags, see Chapter 9, Creating HMI tags.

6. Create tag connections in the application, wherever you need to obtain values from tags. For example, to connect an object in a graphic display to a tag, type the tag name using the syntax for the OPC server, or use the tag browser to find and select the tag.

For details about using the tag browser, see Chapter 8, Working with tags.

Adding RSLinx Enterprise data serversYou can add more than one RSLinx Enterprise data server to an RSView distributed application. A single area in the application can contain multiple data servers. For each instance of RSLinx Enterprise on a computer, you need to create a single data server only.

You can only add on RSLinx Enterprise data server to a stand-alone application. In a stand-alone application, the RSLinx Enterprise data server must be located on the same computer as the application.

For details about adding OPC data servers for use with RSLinx Classic or third-party OPC servers, see “Adding OPC data servers” on page 7-9.

To add an RSLinx Enterprise data server1. In the Explorer window, right-click the application root or an area name, select New

Data Server, and then click RSLinx Enterprise.

2. In the Data Server Properties dialog box, fill in the fields in each tab, as described in the sections that follow. When you are finished, click OK.

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Setting up general propertiesIn the General tab, type a name and description for the data server, and specify the name of the computer that will host the data server.

NameType a name for the data server. This name will appear in the Explorer window. The name cannot include dashes or hyphens (–).

DescriptionType a description for the data server. For example, the description can consist of the server’s location, the name of a contact person or number to contact in case of failure, or version information.

Computer hosting the RSLinx Enterprise serverType the name of the computer on which the RSLinx Enterprise data server is running. To browse for the name of the computer, click the Browse button.You can change the name of the computer hosting the RSLinx Enterprise data server only in a distributed application. In a stand-alone application, you can add only one RSLinx Enterprise data server, and it must be located on the same computer as the application.

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Setting up RSLinx Enterprise data server redundancyTo minimize disruptions to clients if the primary data server fails, set up a redundant data server. This is only available for distributed applications.

In RSView, the redundant server is called the secondary server. In the Redundancy tab, specify the name of the secondary data server, and specify whether RSView should switch back to the primary data server if it becomes available again.

Provide redundancy using a secondary serverSelect this check box to enable data server redundancy. Clear this check box to disable data server redundancy.

Computer running the secondary serverType the name of the computer on which the secondary data server is running. To browse for the name of the computer, click the Browse button.

Switch back optionsTo prevent RSView from switching back to the primary data server when it becomes available, click Continue using the secondary server even when the primary becomes available again. To make RSView switch back to the primary data server when it becomes available, click Switchback to the primary server when it becomes available again.

Since stand-alone applications do not support data server redundancy, there is no Redundancy tab in the RSLinx Enterprise Server Properties dialog box, for a stand-alone application.

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Setting up communications in RSLinx EnterpriseUse the RSLinx Communication Setup editor to add drivers and devices, set up driver and device properties, and set up device shortcuts.

To set up communications in RSLinx Enterprise1. In the Explorer window, if necessary, click the + symbol beside the RSLinx Enterprise

data server icon.

2. Double-click the Communication Setup editor.

3. In the Communication Setup editor, you can add or delete devices, add or remove device shortcuts, or open an offline tag file to browse for tags offline.

For details about using the Communication Setup Editor, click Help.

Primary and Secondary tabsIf you have set up only a primary RSLinx Enterprise data server, only the Primary tab appears in the Communication Setup editor.

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In a distributed application, if you have set up both a primary and a secondary RSLinx Enterprise data server, both the Primary and the Secondary tabs appear in the Communication Setup editor.

You can use these tabs to point RSLinx Enterprise at different networks or different hardware in case of failure.

Adding OPC data serversAdd an OPC data server for use with RSLinx Classic, or for use with a third-party OPC server such as Modicon.

You can add more than one OPC data server to a stand-alone or a distributed application. In a distributed application, on area can contain multiple OPC data servers.

For details about adding RSLinx Enterprise data servers, see page 7-5.

To add an OPC data server1. In RSView Studio, in the Explorer window, right-click the application root or an area

name, select New Data Server, and then click OPC.

2. In the OPC Data Server Properties dialog box, fill in the fields in each tab. When you are finished, click OK.

Setting up general propertiesIn the General tab of the OPC Data Server Properties dialog box, type a name and description for the data server, and specify a computer and an OPC server name.

When specifying device shortcuts for a redundant server pair, be sure to use exactly the same shortcut names for the primary and secondary servers. If the names are not the same, tag references that use these shortcuts will not be able to obtain data reliably.

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Name

Type a name for the data server. This will appear in the Explorer in RSView Studio™ and the RSView Administration Console. The name cannot include dashes or hyphens (–).

DescriptionType a description for the data server. For example, it can describe the server’s location, the name of a contact person or number to contact in case of failure, or version information.

Computer that will run the OPC serverType the name of the computer on which the data server will run. To browse for the name of the computer, click the Browse button.

For stand-alone applications, in the OPC Data Server Properties dialog box, you can select from two options to specify the computer that will host the OPC server: Server will be hosted on local computer, or Server will be hosted on remote computer. The browse button is activated only if you select the second option.

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OPC server name (Prog ID)Type the programmatic ID of the OPC server. To browse for the programmatic ID, click the Browse button.

To use RSLinx Classic as the OPC server, click the Browse button, and then click RSLinx Remote OPC Server.

Setting up OPC data server redundancyTo minimize disruptions to clients if the primary data server fails, set up a redundant data server. This is only available for distributed applications.

In RSView, the redundant server is called the secondary server. In the Redundancy tab, specify the name of the computer that will host the secondary data server, and specify whether RSView should continue using the secondary data server or switch back to the primary data server when it becomes available again.

Provide redundancy using a secondary serverSelect this check box to enable data server redundancy. Clear this check box to disable data server redundancy.

For distributed applications, always select RSLinx Remote OPC Server. Do not select RSLinx OPC Server.

For a stand-alone application, there is no Redundancy tab in the OPC Data Server Properties dialog box. Stand-alone applications do not support data server redundancy.

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Computer running secondary serverType the name of the computer on which the secondary data server is running. To browse for the name of the computer, click the Browse button.

Switch back optionsTo prevent RSView from switching back to the primary data server when it becomes available, click Continue using the secondary server even when the primary becomes available again.

To make RSView switch back to the primary data server when the primary server becomes available, click Switchback to the primary server when it becomes available.

Setting up advanced propertiesIn the Advanced tab, set up a cache for tags on the data server. A cache lets you to view tag names when you are not connected to the data server.

Include extended information in the server cache fileSelect this check box to make available additional information about tags, for example, their data types, when you are not connected to the data server.

To create a data server cache1. To provide the list of tags, ensure that the OPC data server is running, and that devices

are connected.

2. In the Advanced tab of the OPC Data Server Properties dialog box, select the check box, Include extended information in the server cache file.

3. Click Create Cache and then click OK.

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Synchronizing a data server’s cacheIf tags are added, modified, or deleted on the data server, you must synchronize the cache manually. You can synchronize a data server’s cache only after you have created one.

To synchronize a data server’s cache

1. To provide the list of tags, ensure that the OPC data server is running, and that devices are connected.

2. In the Explorer window, right-click the data server, and then click Properties.

3. In the Advanced tab of the OPC Data Server Properties dialog box, click the Synchronize button, and then click OK.

Deleting data servers

To delete a data server 1. Right-click the OPC or RSLinx Enterprise data server you want to delete, and then

click Delete.

When you delete a data server, its cache files are also deleted.

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8 Working with tagsThis chapter describes:

tags and the HMI tag database.

using data server tags.

using HMI tags.

browsing for tags.

working with tags in the Tag Browser.

using tag references.

how to log tag values.

Tags and the HMI tag databaseA tag is a logical name for a variable in a device or in local memory (RAM). For example, a tag can represent a process variable in a network device.

Data server tags, HMI tags, and their attributesRSView® conforms to the OPC® Data Access (DA) 2.0 specification for information exchange among automation or control applications, field systems or devices, and business or office applications.

The OPC-DA specification calls tags ‘data items’. RSView provides direct access to the basic attributes of all OPC-DA-compliant tags through a data server. In the RSView documentation, the tags you access through a data server are called data server tags.

RSView also provides tags with additional properties for alarms, security, and data manipulation. These are called HMI tags and are created using the Tags editor in RSView.

An application can use a mix of HMI tags and data server tags. To use data server tags such as those found in ControlLogix® and other OPC-compliant devices, provide a direct reference to the tag’s location wherever the application is to use the data.

Tag-related limitsEach graphic display can contain up to 3000 references to expressions or tags (HMI tags and data server tags). This limit includes the tags contained in embedded variables. The limit also includes duplicate references. For example, one display can contain only 3000 numeric inputs that refer to tags, even if all 3000 objects refer to the same tag.

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Each HMI server in an application can have up to 40,000 HMI tags that have alarms. Of these alarm tags, 10,000 can be analog HMI tags.

When to use HMI tagsUse HMI tags when an application needs to provide extended capabilities, such as:

triggering alarms when tag values cross a specified threshold.

scaling or offsetting a value before sending it to a programmable controller or device.

security features, to prevent unauthorized changes to a tag’s value.

flexible addressing. HMI tags don’t require hard-coded physical addresses or device-specific variable names in an application. This lets you re-use an application with other devices, by changing the physical addresses to which tag names are mapped.

Also, some controllers or OPC servers do not allow description tag names.

For details about setting up communications in RSView, see Chapter 7, Setting up communications.

Basic steps for using tagsTo use data server or HMI tags in an RSView application, do one of the following:

Type the name of an existing tag or browse for it, anywhere you plan to connect an object to live data at run time.

For example, you can set up a graphic object that represents a vat on a production line, so that at run time it will show the level of the vat. To do this, set up Fill animation for the object using a tag that is updated by a network device that monitors the vat level. At run time, the value of the tag will determine the fill level of the graphic object.

Create the tag, if it does not already exist.

To use a new data server tag, (for example, in a device), create it in the device or OPC server. For example, in a ControlLogix device, create the tag using RSLogix® 5000 programming software.

To use a new HMI tag, create it in the Tags editor. For details, see Chapter 9, Creating HMI tags, or see Help.

RSLinx Enterprise is optimized to provide best performance for large numbers of clients (more than 10), and large numbers of tags (more than 10,000), even when it is on the same computer as the HMI server.

If an application requires more than 10,000 tags and is not using RSLinx Enterprise, place the OPC data server on its own, dedicated host computer for best performance.

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Browsing for tagsIf you don’t know the names of tags, you can browse for them. You can browse while online and connected to a device, or you can browse for tags from an offline file, for example, a PLC program file. To browse for tags, use the Tag Browser. For details, see page 8-5.

Using tag names that don’t existYou can type the name of a tag that doesn’t yet exist. If you do this, when you create the tag, and everywhere you use its name, make sure that you spell the tag name consistently.

Using data server tagsFor some uses in an application, data server tags can offer advantages over HMI tags. For example, using direct references to tags in devices, or to tags located in an OPC server’s database, can eliminate the need for duplication or provide access to complex data types.

Eliminating duplicationUsing data server tags lets you add, modify, or delete tags in a device without having to duplicate the changes in the HMI tag database.

Providing access to complex dataSome devices, for example, ControlLogix processors, support complex data types such as arrays and structures. A controller can have structures that contain hundreds of member elements. Referencing tag values directly eliminates the need for creating an HMI tag for each member.

Setting up data server tagsThese are the tasks involved in setting up data server tags in an application:

1. Create the tag in the OPC server, or processor, or use an existing tag in the processor.

For information about creating tags in OPC-DA servers that have their own tag database, see the documentation provided with the OPC-DA server.

For information about creating tags in a ControlLogix processor, see the programming software documentation for ControlLogix.

2. Create a data server in RSView, if the application doesn’t already have one.

3. Anywhere you need to access a tag’s value, map an application component to the tag, through the data server. For example, map a tag to a graphic object, or add the tag to a data log model. At run time, the tag’s value is passed to the component it is mapped to.

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Using HMI tagsUse HMI tags for triggering alarms and where you need to manipulate data or secure the values in a device.

Triggering alarmsIn RSView, HMI tags provide the only method for triggering an alarm when a tag has a certain value.

An alarm occurs when something goes wrong. It can signal that a device or process has ceased operating within acceptable, predefined limits or it can indicate breakdown, wear, or a process malfunction.

For more information about alarms, see Chapter 11, Creating alarms.

Securing tag or device valuesOnly HMI tags can be used to secure tag or device values.

To prevent users from changing a value in a device, create an HMI tag for the device’s address, and then assign a security code to the tag.

For information about assigning security to tags, see “Assigning security codes to HMI tags” on page 15-29.

Manipulating dataUse HMI tags if the data server you are using does not support scaling or offsetting of tag values, or setting minimum or maximum limits for tag values (that is, providing a range of values).

Scale, offset, and minimum and maximum values can be specified in the Tags editor, for analog HMI tags.

Scale and offsetUse scale and offset to modify the raw data that comes from the network device before it is saved in the computer’s memory, or to modify a value specified in RSView before it is written to a device or data server

Scale is a multiplication factor—the value from the device is multiplied by the scale.

Offset is a fixed value—after the value from the device is multiplied by the scale, the offset amount is added.

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Minimum and maximumHMI tags allow you to set the minimum and maximum values that can be written to the network device or data server. These values do not affect what is read from the device or server.

For example, if you specify a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 100, RSView would be able to read a value of 200 from a device and store it in memory, but would not be able to write this value to the device.

Storing values in RSView’s memoryA memory tag can be used to store values without the need for an attached or accessible device. For example, you can use memory tags:

to store the result of a calculation.

temporarily, for example, to act as a counter or index.

to maintain information about the system’s current state, for example, which graphic display was last displayed.

For information about creating memory HMI tags, see Help.

Setting up HMI tagsThese are the tasks involved in setting up HMI tags in an application:

1. Create an HMI server if the application doesn’t already have one. Each HMI server contains one tag database.

2. In the tag database, create memory tags, or for device tags, map each tag name to a data server or DDE address.

3. In graphic displays, alarm summaries, or anywhere else you plan to access a tag’s value, map an object to a tag. At run time, the tag’s value is passed to the object.

Browsing for tagsTo use a tag, you can type its name and path, or browse for it using the Tag Browser. How you open the Tag Browser depends on where you are in RSView.

Opening the Tag BrowserTo open the Tag Browser, use one of these methods:

In the Command Wizard, for commands that take tags as parameters, click the browse button beside the Tag box.

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In the Tags editor, when creating an HMI device tag, click the browse button beside the Address box.

In the Animation tabs in the Graphics editor, click the Tag button.

In the Connections tab for a graphic object in the Graphics editor, click the browse button in the Tag column.

In the Expression editor, position the cursor where you want to insert the tag name and then click Tags.

In the Tags in Model tab in the Data Log Models editor, click the browse button beside the Tag[s] to Add box.

For details about working with folders in the Tag Browser, see Help.

Root folder

Area folder

Folders pane

Tags pane

For a better view ofthe folders or tags,drag this bar to the

left or the right.

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Using the Tag BrowserThe Tag Browser shows the root folder of the application and folders containing the tags for the application’s HMI and data servers. For a distributed application, the Tag Browser also shows a folder for each area, in addition to the root folder.

In the Tag Browser, you can:

select a single tag or multiple tags, depending on where you have opened the browser. For example, when you open it in the Data Log Models editor, you can select multiple tags. In the figure above, only a single tag can be selected.

select data server and HMI tags.

create and edit HMI tags.

create new folders for HMI tags.

import tags from a PLC or SLC™ database.

For more information about using the Tag Browser, see Help.

Showing server namesBy default, the folder pane in the Tag Browser shows folders, but not the servers they belong to.

To display the names of servers1. Right-click a blank area of the folders pane and then click Show Server Names.

The folders list with server names hidden.

The same folders list with server names shown.

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Finding the home areaThe home area is the area from which you are browsing for tags. To locate the tags in the home area, right-click a blank area of the folder pane, and then click Go To Home Area. The home area is selected automatically.

For information about the home area, see page 8-12.

Browsing for off-line tags from RSLinx For each RSLinx Classic topic in an application, an Offline and an Online folder is displayed in the Tag Browser.

Use the Offline folder to browse for tags in a PLC or ControlLogix program stored on disk. If the topic in RSLinx has access to symbols, you can also browse for them in the Offline folder.

For details about adding symbols to a topic in RSLinx, see the RSLinx Classic Help.

Browsing for off-line tags in RSLinx EnterpriseFor each RSLinx Enterprise shortcut in an application, an Offline and Online folder is displayed in the Tag Browser.

Use the Offline folder to browse for tags in a PLC or ControlLogix program stored on disk. If the shortcut in RSLinx Enterprise has access to symbols, you can also browse for them in the Offline folder.

To browse for off-line tags in RSLinx Enterprise1. In RSView Studio, in the Explorer window, double-click the RSLinx Enterprise icon.

2. Double-click Communication Setup to open the RSLinx Enterprise Communication Setup dialog box.

3. Click the Browse button beside the Offline Tag File box.

For details about browsing offline for tags or adding symbols to a shortcut in RSLinx Enterprise, see the RSLinx Enterprise Help.

Tags that are available when you are not connected to the data server, are located in the Offline folder.

Tags that are available when you are connected to the data server, are located in the Online folder.

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Browsing for off-line tags from other OPC serversTo browse for off-line tags from OPC servers other than RSLinx Classic, set up a data server cache. When you are not connected to the device, the cached tags appear in the same folders in the Tag Browser as the online tags. The offline tags are not located in a different folder, as with RSLinx.

For details about setting up and managing an OPC data server’s cache files, see “Setting up advanced properties” on page 7-12.

Working with tags in the Tag BrowserTags appear in the right pane of the Tag Browser. For information about selecting, adding and editing tags in the Tag Browser, see Help.

Displaying tagsTo display tags, select a folder. Any tags in the folder appear in the right pane of the Tag Browser.

Showing or hiding tag descriptionsBy default, the Tag Browser does not show tag descriptions. To show or hide tag descriptions, right-click a blank area of the right pane, and then click Show Description.

About the Selected Tag boxThe Selected Tag box, in the lower part of the Tag Browser, displays a single tag you select in the Tag Browser. Where multiple tags can be selected, the box is called Selected Tags, and it displays all the tags you select. If multiple servers use the same tag name, the server name automatically appears in the box, with the tag name.

Displaying tag propertiesTo display tag properties, right-click a tag in the Tag Browser, and then click Properties.

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The Tag Properties dialog box shows information about the tag. The properties are a snapshot, and do not update in real time. You cannot display the properties of multiple tags at the same time.

Filtering tagsTo display only tags whose names match a pattern, type the pattern in the Tag Filter box, and then press Enter.

The Tag Filter box lists the last 10 filters you applied.

Type the tagfilter here.

To clear the filter, click <None>in the list.

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To create a filter, you can use these wildcard characters:

To remove a tag filter1. In the Tag Filter list, click <None>.

Creating, editing, and importing HMI tagsThe context menu in the Tag Browser’s right pane includes three menu items for manipulating HMI tags:

New HMI Tag allows you to create a new HMI tag.

Edit HMI Tag allows you to edit an existing HMI tag.

Import PLC Tags allows you to import a tag from another database.

For information about creating and editing HMI tags, see Chapter 9, Creating HMI tags. For information about importing tags from a PLC database, see page 9-9.

Using tag referencesWhen you type a tag name, you are creating a reference to the tag. For example, you might refer to a tag called FanRunning to obtain its value for animating a graphical representation of a fan in a graphic display.

In distributed applications, which can contain multiple areas, you can refer to a tag using an absolute reference or a relative reference. In stand-alone applications, which contain only the application root area, you use relative references only.

Absolute referencesAbsolute references point directly at a specific tag, by referring to the tag’s name and the area (or areas, in the case of nested areas) in which it is located. For example, /Cooling/Fans::Extractor is a reference to an extractor fan in the Fans subarea of the Cooling area.

Use absolute references when you want to ensure that a specific tag in a specific location is used, regardless of where it is referenced from.

This wildcard character Does this

? Matches any single character.* Matches any number of characters, including the

backslash (\) character.

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Relative referencesRelative references point at a tag relative to the current server or area. For example, a relative reference to a tag called Extractor is simply the tag’s name: Extractor. When a relative reference is used, RSView assumes that the tag is located in the current area.

Use relative references, for example, when you want to re-use tag names in an application for a plant that has identical production lines. The application could have multiple areas, each representing one of the production lines, with the same tag names in each area. For more information about areas, see page 5-3.

The home areaIn distributed applications, the home area is the area in which an application component (e.g., a tag or display) is located. When you refer to an application component without specifying the area, RSView uses the home area to locate the component.

For example, if you create a graphic display in the Cooling area, and add a relative reference to a tag (for example, FanStart), RSView looks for the tag in the home area of the graphic display (Cooling). If the tag does not belong to a data server or HMI server in the display’s home area, an error will occur when the display runs.

The Tag Browser composes references to tags automatically, using correct syntax. If the tags you select are in the home area, the Tag Browser automatically uses relative references. If the tags are not in the home area, the Tag Browser uses absolute references.

Instead of browsing for tags, you can create references to tags manually, by typing the tag name and, optionally, its path.

Logging tag valuesThe RSView data logger can log any tag value, and uses data log models to determine which values to log. For a tag to be polled and its values logged by the data logger, the tag needs to be included in a data log model, and the model needs to be started at run time. For more information, see Help, or Chapter 13, Using data logging.

In the Tag Browser, the home area appears in bold type.

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9 Creating HMI tagsThis chapter describes:

what HMI tags are.

organizing HMI tags.

using the Tags editor.

creating, editing, duplicating, and deleting tags.

specifying a data source.

creating HMI tags without using the Tags editor.

adding alarms to HMI tags.

About HMI tags

HMI tags belong to the RSView® HMI server’s tag database. They have extended properties that let you use them to trigger alarms, secure tag or device values, and manipulate data. For more information about these properties, see “Using HMI tags” on page 8-4.

Use the Tags editor in the HMI Tags folder in the RSView Studio™ Explorer, to create and edit HMI tags. In a distributed application, you can edit a tag database locally (on the same computer) or remotely (from a different computer).

HMI tag typesAn HMI tag database can contain the following types of tags:

Tag Type of data stored

Analog Range of values.

These tags can represent variable states such as temperature or the position of rotary controls.

Digital 0 or 1.

These tags can represent devices that can only be on or off, such as switches, contacts, and relays.

String ASCII string, series of characters, or whole words (maximum of 82 characters).

These tags can represent devices that use text, such as a bar code scanner that uses an alphanumeric product code.

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Data sources for HMI tags When defining an analog, digital, or string HMI tag, you specify where it receives its values. This is called the data source. The data source can be Device (external) or Memory (internal).

DeviceAn HMI tag with Device as its data source receives its data from a source external to RSView. The data can come from a programmable controller or other device via RSLinx®, or from another OPC® or DDE data server.

MemoryAn HMI tag with Memory as its data source receives its data internally from RSView. A memory tag can be used to store values internally.

Retentive Memory Tags

You can specify that a memory tag’s value be retained even if an HMI server is shut down.

In a distributed application, if RSView Studio or RSView SE clients are running, a memory tag’s value can be changed at any time prior to shutting down. The next time the HMI server starts, the memory tag will have the same value it had prior to the system shutting down.

Organizing HMI tagsOrganizing tags makes it easier to work with them, especially if the database is large. To organize tags:

establish naming conventions.

Naming conventions make wildcard characters more effective when searching for and displaying tags during development and run time.

use folders to group related tags.

System Information generated while the system is running, including alarm information, system time and date, and so on.

RSView creates system tags when it creates an HMI project. The system tags are stored in the folder called System in the tag database. You cannot edit system tags. You can use system tags anywhere you would use any other type of tag.

Tag Type of data stored

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Naming HMI tagsTag names can be up to 255 characters long. For tags in folders, the folder name becomes part of the tag name and the backslash counts as one character.

The tag name can contain:

A to Z (upper and lower case)

0 to 9

underscore ( _ ) and dash ( – )

The tag name can be mixed case. Tag names preserve upper and lower case for readability but are not case sensitive. For example, the tag name MixerValve1 is the same as mixervalve1.

In an expression, tag names that start with a number or contain a dash must be enclosed in brackets, for example, {N33-0}. Also use brackets with wildcard characters to represent multiple tags in an expression, for example, {alarm*}. For more information about using tags in expressions see Chapter 20, Creating expressions.

Using folders to group HMI tagsTo organize tags, create a folder, and then include tags that are related to one another. To separate the folder name from the rest of the tag name, use a backslash (\). For example, tags in the folder called Pump would start with Pump\.

For greater organization, you can nest folders. For example, if a plant is divided into zones, you can organize the tag database first by zone, then by machines in the zone, and finally by devices in each machine. The result might be Area1\Machine1\Pump.

For details about creating, duplicating and deleting folders, see Help.

Viewing tag statisticsThe Tag Statistics dialog box provides a summary of how many tags an HMI server uses, as well as other tag information, such as the date the HMI tag database was last modified. To view tag statistics, the Tags editor must be open and have focus.

To view tag statistics1. On the View menu, click Tag Statistics.

For optimum performance, do not place all HMI tags in the root folder. It is also recommended that you limit the number of tags in a folder to less than 2000. HMI tags contained in nested folders do not contribute to the total number of tags in the root folder.

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Using the Tags editorThe Tags editor has items on the View menu to control the appearance of the editor, and extra tools on the toolbar. Use the Tags editor to:

create and view tags.

edit, duplicate, and delete tags.

create folders.

duplicate, nest, and delete folders.

The Tags editor has these parts: form, query box, folder hierarchy, and spreadsheet. For details about using the Tags editor, see Help.

Using the Accept and Discard buttonsWhen you enter information, the Prev and Next buttons change to Accept and Discard buttons. Click Accept to save tag and alarm information. Click Discard to cancel changes to a tag.

Form

Query box

Folder hierarchy

Spreadsheet

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Using the formIn the upper part of the form, define the basic characteristics of the tag, such as tag name, type, security, and specifics related to the tag type.

In the lower part of the form, define the data source (where the tag’s values will come from).

Select the Alarm check box to define alarm conditions for an analog or digital tag. To edit alarms once they have been defined, click the Alarm button.

Using the query boxUse the query box to select the tags you want displayed in the spreadsheet. This allows you to edit tags in different folders without browsing the folder hierarchy. You can select a single tag by typing the tag name, or select multiple tags by typing wildcard characters.

Using the folder hierarchyThe hierarchy and spreadsheet work together. The hierarchy shows the tag folders, and the spreadsheet shows the tags within the folders.

A folder icon called root is always present in the hierarchy window, at the top of the folder hierarchy. This folder contains all the tag folders you and RSView create.

You can nest folders. If a folder icon has a plus ( + ) sign on it, the folder contains one or more folders. If the folder’s icon is blank, it does not contain any other folders.

When you nest folders, remember that the backslash in a folder name counts as one character in the tag name.

Creating, editing, duplicating, and deleting tagsUse the Tags editor to add, edit, duplicate, and delete HMI tags.

To create an HMI tag1. In RSView Studio, in the Explorer window, open the HMI Tags folder.

2. Double-click the Tags icon or drag it into the workspace.




Use this wildcard character by itself, to display all the tags in the tag database.

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You can also right-click the Tags icon and then click Show.

3. To add the tag to a folder, double-click the folder in the folder hierarchy to open it.

4. Click the New button in the forms section to clear the form and position in the cursor in the Name box.

5. Specify the tag name and select its type. If you have opened a folder, its name is inserted in the Name box.

6. Specify the additional information required in the Tag section for the type of tag you are creating.

7. Select a data source and specify the required information.

8. Check the Alarm box if the tag is to have an alarm set up for it.

9. Click Accept to save the tag to the database.

For descriptions of the options available for each type of tag, see Help.

To edit a tag1. Select the tag you want to edit.

The details of the tag appear in the form area.

2. Edit selected details.

You can edit all parts of a tag except the tag name and tag type.

3. Click Accept to save changes.

To duplicate a tag1. Select the tag you want to duplicate.

2. On the Edit menu, click Duplicate, or on the toolbar, click the Duplicate button.

A new row is inserted below the highlighted row. The new row contains all the same information except the tag name.

3. In the Tag Name box, type the name for the new tag.

4. Click Accept.

To delete a tag1. Select the tag you want to delete.

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2. On the Edit menu, click Delete, or on the toolbar, click the Delete button.

Specifying a data sourceThe following topics describe the Data Source fields. For details about setting up analog, digital, and string tag types, see Help.

Specifying Device as the data sourceAn HMI tag with Device as its data source receives its data from a source external to RSView. The data can come from:

Allen-Bradley® or SoftLogix 5 programmable controllers through RSLinx.

network devices through an OPC or DDE data server.

another Windows® program through an OPC or DDE data server.

For information about setting up OPC communications, see Chapter 7, Setting up communications.

For details about creating HMI tags for use with DDE communications, see Appendix B, Setting up DDE communications for HMI tags.

To create a tag with Device as the data source1. Click Device.

2. In the Address box, specify the name of the tag in the data server, or specify the DDE item. You can click the browse button to select the address of the data server tag.

Addressing syntax for OPC tagsThe syntax for OPC tag addresses is:

[AccessPath]Address

or

::[AccessPath]Address

where :: is required for addresses that contain an initial colon ( : ) .

Delete tags carefully. Once you click the Delete button, the tag is deleted. There is no confirmation message, and you cannot undo the deletion.

The square brackets are part of the syntax. They do not indicate optional parameters.

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The access path is one of the following:

For communications with an RSLinx OPC server, the access path is the name of a device shortcut or DDE/OPC topic in RSLinx.

For communications with other OPC servers, the access path may be optional. For information about the syntax for the access path, see the OPC server documentation.

Specifying Memory as the data sourceAn HMI tag with Memory as its data source receives its data from internally, from RSView.

To create a tag with Memory as the data source1. Click Memory.

2. In the Initial Value box, type the tag’s starting value.

When you first load an HMI project, a memory tag has the value defined in the Initial Value box.

To ensure that a memory tag uses a particular value when the project starts, use the Set or = (Equal) commands in a startup macro to specify the tag’s value. For details about using macros, see Chapter 22, Creating macros.

The value of a memory tag can also be set using derived tags, events, or graphic objects.

3. To have the tag’s value retained when an HMI server shuts down, select the Retentive check box.

If you want the memory tag to revert to its initial value the next time an HMI server starts, clear the Retentive check box.

Creating HMI tags without using the Tags editorIn addition to creating tags in the Tags editor as described earlier in this chapter, you can:

create tags in a third-party application and import them into RSView.

create tags from the Tag Browser.

import tags from a PLC or SLC™ database.

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Creating tags in a third-party applicationYou can use a third-party spreadsheet editor such as Microsoft® Excel to create tags, and then import them into RSView using the Tag Import and Export Wizard. For details, see page 9-10.

When you import tags, they can be merged with tags already in the tag database, in which case any tags with the same name are updated with the new information.

Creating tags as needed in other RSView editorsAny editor that uses tags has access to the Tags database.

To create tags using the Tag Browser1. Click the browse button or the Tags button, whichever is available, to open the Tag

Browser.

2. In the Tag Browser, open the folder in which you want to create the tag, right-click a blank area of the Contents pane, and then click New HMI Tag.

Importing tags from a PLC databaseTo import tags selectively from a PLC database into the RSView HMI tag database, use the Import PLC Tags dialog box.

Tags imported in this way are copied into the database—they are not shared with the source database. This means changes to tags in RSView do not affect the database from which they have been imported and vice versa.

Opening the Import PLC Tags dialog boxTo open the Import PLC Tags dialog box, use one of these methods:

In the Tags editor, click the DB Browser button on the toolbar, or select Other Databases from the Edit menu.

In the Tag Browser, right-click a blank area of the Contents pane, and then click Import PLC Tags.

DB Browser button in the Tags editor

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You can import tags from any of these databases:

legacy PLC databases, created using WINtelligent LOGIC 5™ or A.I. 5™, with file extension .dsc

RSLogix™ 5/500, saved as an external database, with file extension .ctd

RSLogix 5 internal database, with file extension .rsp

RSLogix 500 internal database, with file extension .rss

For PLC and SLC addresses, the Import PLC Tags dialog box shows only addresses that are used in the symbol or address list of the PLC programming software.

For detailed instructions about importing a PLC database, see Help.

Using the Tag Import and Export WizardYou can also import PLC or SLC databases into RSView using the Tag Import and Export Wizard. The Tag Import and Export Wizard must be run on the same computer as the HMI server.

Use the filter to search for a particular tag orset of tags.

You cannot use wildcards, or filter beyond a slash.For example, a filter containing B3/1 will not show B3/10, B3/11,and so on.

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Opening the Tag Import and Export WizardTo open the wizard, use one of these methods:

In RSView Studio, click the Tools menu, and then click Tag Import and Export Wizard.

Click the Windows® Start button, select Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView Enterprise, Tools, and then click Tag Import and Export Wizard.

If you need help while using the wizard, click the Help button.

Adding alarms to HMI tagsAnalog and digital tags can have alarms associated with them. At run time, RSView scans the tag values in the tag database and compares them to the limits set for the tags. If a tag value crosses a limit, an alarm is triggered. For details about alarms, see Chapter 11, Creating alarms.

When a tag has an alarm set up for it, an X appears in the Alm column of the Tags editor’s spreadsheet, and the Alarm button in the editor’s form is highlighted (enabled).

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10 Creating derived tagsThis chapter describes:

what derived tags are and how to use them.

setting up derived tags.

using the Derived Tags editor.

creating a derived tags component.

what the maximum update rate is.

starting and stopping derived tag processing.

About derived tagsA derived tag is a tag whose value is the result of an expression. An expression can be simply a tag name, or it can be an equation made up of tag names, mathematical and logical operations, special functions, and If-Then-Else logic. Derived tag calculations are performed on the HMI server.

A derived tags component is a file that contains the definitions of one or more derived tags. A derived tags component can be run when an HMI server starts, or it can be run using the DerivedOn command, after the HMI server has started.

Writing to tags whose value is the result of a derived tag expression is not recommended, because a derived tag is re-evaluated whenever the tags in the expression change.

For example, if the derived tag called Tag3 is defined by the expression Tag1+Tag2, and if you set Tag3=0, the value of Tag3 becomes zero, but that will change when the value of Tag1 or Tag2 changes.

How to use derived tagsHere’s an example of how a derived tag can be used. Suppose there are five weight sensors on a conveyor belt. The tag database contains one tag for each sensor, so the weight at each point on the conveyor belt is monitored. If the weight at any point is excessive, RSView® triggers an alarm.

However, if no individual sensor detects an excessive weight, but the total of all five sensors is too high, an alarm might be triggered. To handle this case, you could set up a derived tag to sum the weights of all five sensors. Then, if this total, which would be the value of the derived tag, is too high, RSView can trigger an alarm.

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Setting up derived tagsThese are the tasks involved in setting up derived tags for an application:

1. Create the derived tags in the Derived Tags editor in RSView Studio™.

2. Set the maximum update rate in the Derived Tag Setup dialog box.

3. Save the derived tags component and give it a name.

Using the Derived Tags editor

To open the Derived Tags editor1. In RSView Studio, in the Explorer window, open the Logic and Control folder.

2. Right-click the Derived Tags editor and then click New, or drag the Derived Tags editor’s icon from the Explorer to the workspace.

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10 • CREATING DERIVED TAGS• • • • •

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Using the Check Syntax buttonAfter you create an expression for a derived tag, use the Check Syntax button to verify that the syntax is correct. You can check the syntax of an expression at any time while the Derived Tags editor is open.

If the syntax is invalid, an error appears next to the Check Syntax button.

The syntax of the expression is also checked automatically when you click the Accept or Discard buttons.

Using the Accept and Discard buttonsWhen you enter information in the editor, the Prev and Next buttons change to Accept and Discard. Click Accept to save information. Click Discard to discard information that you just entered.

Creating a derived tags componentYou can use any tag to store the result of a derived tag calculation. The tag must already exist, for example, as an HMI tag (i.e., memory or device) or in a data server, before you can use it as a derived tag.

To create a derived tags component1. In the Derived Tags editor, specify the tag that will hold the derived value and type a

description of the tag.

2. In the Expression box, create an expression that will determine the derived tag’s value. For information about expressions, see Chapter 20, Creating expressions.

3. Click Accept.

4. Click Next to create another derived tag if the derived tags component is to contain more than one derived tag.

5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 until all derived tags for the particular component are defined.

6. Select Derived Tag Setup from the Setup menu.

Do not create derived tags that depend on the results of other derived tags.

Derived tag processing is not sequential. This means the results of an expression that includes other derived tags might not occur in the desired scan or order of evaluation. To avoid this, it is best to put all the required logic in the expression.

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7. In the Derived Tag Setup dialog box type a description of the component and specify a maximum update rate, and then click OK.

8. In the Derived Tags editor, click Close.

9. Specify the name of the derived tags component and then click OK.

Using multiple derived tag componentsYou can create multiple derived tag components, for example, to group derived tags that need to be evaluated at different rates. Each HMI server in an distributed application can run up to 20 derived tag components, with up to 1,000 tags in each component.

About the maximum update rateThe maximum update rate is the fastest rate at which the value of any derived tag in the derived tag component can be updated. Expressions containing derived tags are evaluated only when the value of a tag or function in the expression changes.

The maximum update rate also determines the fastest rate at which data servers can send changes in tag values. Set the update rate as fast as, or faster than, the rate at which the values of tags used in the expressions change, unless it is desirable to miss changes in tag values.

Set a maximum update rate for each derived tag component.

Starting and stopping derived tag processingThere are many ways to start and stop derived tag processing. Choose the way that works best for the individual application.

For distributed applications, it is best to start derived tag processing using a server component such as the startup macro, or using event processing. Using clients to start and stop derived tags processing is not advised, as one client might stop processing a derived tags component that another client still requires.

For an explanation of RSView command syntax, see Appendix A, RSView commands, or see Help.

Ways to start derived tag processing

Distributed and stand-alone applicationsIn HMI Server Properties dialog, click the Components tab, select the Derived tags check box, and then select a derived tag component. The derived tag component will start the next time the HMI server runs, or when the HMI server’s components are started manually.

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10 • CREATING DERIVED TAGS• • • • •

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In the Macros editor, create a macro that contains the command, DerivedOn <component>. In the HMI Server Properties dialog, click the Components tab, select the Macro check box, and then specify the macro. Derived tag processing will start when the HMI server runs.

In the Events editor, specify the DerivedOn <component> command as the action for an event.

At the command line in RSView Studio, or the RSView Administration Console™, type DerivedOn <component> and then press Enter.

Stand-alone applications onlyThe following methods are not recommended for distributed applications, as they use clients rather than servers to start derived tags processing:

In the Graphics editor, create a button and then specify the DerivedOn <component> command as the button’s press action. When the button is pressed, derived tag processing starts.

In the Graphics editor, create a graphic object and then attach touch animation with the DerivedOn <component> command as the object’s action. When the object is touched, derived tag processing starts.

For the Login Macro in the RSView User Accounts editor, specify the DerivedOn <component> command, or a macro that contains the command.

For the Startup command in the Display Settings Behavior tab, specify the DerivedOn <component> command, or a macro that contains the command.

Ways to stop derived tag processingHaving multiple clients stop derived tags processing is not recommended. Do this in special cases only, for example, for application maintenance.

Distributed and stand-alone applicationsTo shut down all the components that are running on the HMI server, including all derived tag components, stop the components running on the HMI server manually.

For details about stopping an HMI server’s components manually in distributed applications, see page 27-9 and in stand-alone applications, see page 28-4.

To stop a single derived tag component, use one of these methods:

In the Macros editor, create a macro that contains the command, DerivedOff <component>. In the HMI Server Properties dialog, click the Components tab, select the On shutdown macro check box, and then specify the macro. Derived tags processing will stop when the HMI server shuts down.

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In the Events editor, specify the DerivedOff <component> command as the action for an event.

At the command line in RSView Studio, or the RSView Administration Console, type DerivedOff <component> and then press Enter.

Stand-alone applications only (single components)The following methods are not recommended for distributed applications, as they use clients rather than servers to stop derived tags processing:

In the Graphics editor, create a button and then specify the DerivedOff <component> command as the button’s press action. When the button is pressed, derived tag processing stops.

In the Graphics editor, create a graphic object and then attach touch animation with the DerivedOff <component> command as the object’s action. When the object is touched, derived tag processing stops.

For the Logout Macro in the RSView User Accounts editor, specify the DerivedOff <component> command, or a macro that contains the command.

For the Shutdown command in the Display Settings Behavior tab, specify the DerivedOff <component> command, or a macro that contains the command.

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11 Creating alarmsThis chapter describes:

the features of RSView® Supervisory Edition™ alarms.

the steps involved in setting up alarms for an application.

key alarm concepts.

setting up general alarm behavior.

setting up alarm conditions for HMI tags.

setting up alarm logging.

viewing alarm log files.

setting up security to log alarms to a remote computer.

creating an alarm summary graphic object.

starting and stopping alarm monitoring.

About RSView Supervisory Edition alarmsAlarms are an important part of most plant control applications because they alert operators when something goes wrong. Often, it is also important to have a record of alarms and whether they were acknowledged.

In RSView Studio™, you can set up a complete alarm system. At run time, alarm monitoring occurs at the HMI server. If alarms are detected, notification is sent to connected RSView SE clients, where operators can view and acknowledge the alarms.

In an RSView application, you can monitor only HMI tags for alarms. You cannot monitor data server tags for alarms.

Summary of featuresUsing the RSView alarm system, you can:

monitor any analog and digital HMI tag for alarms (to a maximum of 40,000 tags per HMI server, 10,000 of which can be analog).

display the last 2,000 alarm transactions from an HMI server in an alarm summary.

define up to eight different severity levels to distinguish alarms visually.

use system default messages or custom messages to describe alarms.

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log messages to a file, to a printer, or to both.

suppress alarms for maintenance and tuning purposes.

associate a command or macro with an alarm to provide custom handling of the alarm.

share alarm information with other RSView components. For example, you can use alarm functions in expressions in a graphic display.

synchronize alarm acknowledgement on redundant HMI server pairs using the Acknowledge bit.

use the AlarmEvent command to respond to alarm detection algorithms you have created for notification (annunciation), logging, printing, and for display in alarm summaries.

Setting up alarms for an applicationThese are the tasks involved in setting up alarms for an application:

1. In the Alarm Setup editor, set up the attributes of all alarms on an HMI server. This includes:

in the Setup tab, specifying the maximum update rate, behavior if redundancy is set up, and whether to generate alarms for analog tags when their values approach normal range.

in the Severities tab, specifying the logging destination and notification for the various levels of alarm severity (1 through 8) and alarm events.

in the User Msgs tab, create user default messages to use in place of system default message, when alarms occur.

2. Using the Alarm Log Setup tool, set up the alarm log file. The alarm log file is a record of alarm incidents. You can specify where the alarm log file is stored, and when– if ever–log files will be created and deleted.

3. In the Analog or Digital Alarm dialog box in the Tags editor, specify alarm conditions for each HMI tag you intend to monitor. You can define alarms for analog and digital tags, but not for string tags.

4. In the Graphics editor, set up ways to display alarm information. In graphic displays, you can:

set up alarm summaries.

embed numeric or string displays that use alarm functions or alarm system tags.

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11 • CREATING ALARMS• • • • •

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choose methods for starting and stopping alarm monitoring.

Key conceptsAn alarm occurs when something goes wrong. It can signal that a device or process has ceased operating within acceptable, predefined limits or it can indicate breakdown, wear, or a process malfunction.

Set up a system of alarms in the Tags editor by linking alarms to tags you want monitored. When the tag values are updated, they are compared to the limits assigned when the alarm was set up. If a tag value exceeds a specified limit, an alarm of a preset severity is triggered.

Alarms for analog HMI tagsAn analog tag can trigger a number of alarms, when its value crosses various threshold levels (unlike a digital tag, which is either on or off).

Thresholds

When defining an analog tag, you can assign up to eight alarm thresholds, each with a different level of severity to indicate the alarm’s importance.

The lowest threshold is one and the highest is eight. You do not have to use all eight thresholds for a tag, but the ones you do use must be set up in ascending order. For example, you can assign thresholds one, two, and eight, as long as you assign them in that order.

Thresholds can be increasing—monitoring for a rising value that crosses the threshold, or decreasing—monitoring for a falling value that crosses the threshold. The tag in the example that follows has both increasing and decreasing thresholds.

Example: Alarm thresholdsIn this example, a tag’s value changes as it monitors a motor’s revolutions per minute (rpm). With the given threshold settings, the motor must run between 2,000 rpm and 3,000 rpm, or an alarm is triggered.

The RSView AlarmOn and AlarmOff commands control alarm monitoring on the HMI server. How you choose to start and stop alarm monitoring is particularly important for distributed applications. For information about starting and stopping alarm monitoring, see page 11-39.

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In the illustration, an X shows when the tag goes into alarm and an O shows when the tag goes out of alarm.

Alarms occur when the motor speed falls below 5,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm, and when it rises above 1 rpm and 1,000 rpm. These alarms would not occur if Generate alarms when approaching normal operating range was cleared in the Alarm Setup dialog box

If the motor speed It triggers an alarm of this severity

exceeds 3,000 rpm 8exceeds 4,000 rpm 4exceeds 5,000 rpm 1falls below 5,000 rpm* 4falls below 4,000 rpm* 8falls below 2,000 rpm 8falls below 1,000 rpm 6falls below 1 rpm 4

Safe zone

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

1,000

1

ThresholdsThreshold

values

Alarmseveritylevels

Time

*

*Increasing

Decreasing

6

5

4

3

2

1

1

4

8

8

6

4

Thresholds must be set up in ascending order * These alarms are triggered only if Generate alarms when

approaching normal operating range is selected in the AlarmSetup dialog box.

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Variable thresholdsThreshold values can be constant or variable. The previous example uses constant thresholds. To define a variable threshold, specify a tag name in the Threshold box when setting up the thresholds for an analog alarm tag. As the value of the specified tag changes, the threshold changes.

Variable thresholds require more system resources than constant thresholds because of the continuous scanning of threshold values, and the processing necessary to detect alarm faults.

Alarm faultsA variable threshold must not become higher than the threshold above it or lower than the threshold below it. If this happens, an alarm fault is generated for the monitored tag. To correct an alarm fault, change the variable threshold so it does not overlap either of its neighbors. This can be complex when the neighboring thresholds are also variable, because these boundaries are determined dynamically at run time.

When an alarm fault is generated, the following actions occur:

The tag’s alarm status stays as it was before the fault was generated.

An alarm fault is reported to all alarm reporting devices you have set up, such as the alarm log file and the printer.

The alarm fault status bit for the tag is set in the value table. This notifies other applications that an alarm fault has been generated.

The Alarm Type column in the alarm summary states that the tag is in ‘Alarm Fault’.

When the faulty thresholds return to their normal operating range, the alarm fault condition is cleared, the out-of-alarm-fault status is generated and logged, and alarms for the tag resume normal operation.

DeadbandWith some measured values, such as line pressure, tag values can fluctuate rapidly above and below a critical threshold. Where such conditions exist, you can create a deadband as a buffer to prevent the fluctuations from triggering unnecessary alarms.

If the threshold is increasing—monitoring rising values—the deadband range lies below the threshold. If the threshold is decreasing—monitoring falling values—the deadband lies above it.

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The following illustration shows an increasing threshold of 4,000 rpm with a deadband value of 500 rpm. The rpm has to fall to 3,500 and then rise above 4,000 before it will trigger the alarm again.

A deadband range may be absolute, as illustrated above, or it may be a percentage of the minimum/maximum range for a tag. If the deadband in the illustration were two percent, its range would be two percent of 5,000 rpm, or 100 rpm.

If a buffer is not required, the deadband must be set up as zero. With a deadband of zero, alarms will be triggered as soon as the tag value crosses any of its thresholds.

Alarms for digital HMI tagsDigital tags are either on or off. Instead of thresholds, digital tags have alarm states.

Use the deadband carefully in safety-critical applications. In the above illustration, the variable has to fluctuate by more than 500 rpm before an alarm is triggered again.

This alarm state Does this

On Triggers an alarm when a tag has a value of 1.

Off Triggers an alarm when a tag has a value of 0.

5,000

4,0003,5003,000

2,000

1,000

0

In alarm

Out of alarm

In alarmagain

rpm

Threshold

Time

Deadband

n

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Alarm severityAlarms can range in severity from one to eight to indicate different levels of importance. One is most severe, eight is least severe. For example, a level-four alarm might warn that a vat is half full of liquid, while a level-one alarm indicates that the vat is about to overflow. Both alarms monitor the same tag but have different severity levels.

When you set up alarm severity, you specify what severity levels mean and what actions they will trigger. Severity determines the order in which alarms are displayed in an alarm banner.

Alarm messagesAlarm messages report information about alarms. There are three types of messages:

In Alarm messages are generated when tags go into alarm.

Out of Alarm messages are generated when tags goes out of alarm.

Acknowledged messages are generated when operators acknowledge alarms.

For each message type, you can use the default message or create a custom message, and route the messages to a log file, a printer, or both destinations.

Alarm log fileThe alarm log file records alarm incidents. You can set up how often, if ever, you want log files created and deleted, and view the alarm log file using the Alarm Log Viewer.

Using the Alarm Log Setup tool, you can set up automatic logging to a central ODBC database. You can also use the AlarmLogSendToODBC command to export the alarm log file to an ODBC database while online. For more information about the AlarmLogSendToODBC command, see Help.

Any Change* Triggers an alarm when a tag value changes from 0 to 1 or from 1 to 0

Changes to On* Triggers an alarm only when a tag value changes from 0 to 1.

Changes to Off* Triggers an alarm only when a tag value changes from 1 to 0.

In the above table, * indicates change-of-state types. These are considered out of alarm immediately after the change of state.

This alarm state Does this

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If you export alarm log data to an external, ODBC-compliant database, you can use third-party applications to view the records in the database. The application must be ODBC compliant, for example, you can use Microsoft® Excel, or Microsoft Visual Basic®

Alarm displaysAlarm information can be displayed in:

the alarm log viewer.

graphic displays containing graphic objects such as the alarm summary.

When alarms are generated, they are recorded in two places: the alarm log file, and on the HMI server computer where the alarms are generated. The alarm log viewer displays the records in the alarm log file. The alarm summary displays the records in the HMI server computer’s memory.

Alarm log viewerThe alarm log viewer displays the contents of the alarm log file. The contents of this file depend on the severities set up in the Alarm Setup editor. By default, the log file will have a record for each of the following alarm incidents:

when a tag goes into alarm

when a tag goes out of alarm

when an alarm is acknowledged

when a tag with an alarm is suppressed

when an alarm fault is generated

Alarm summaryThe alarm summary is a graphic object, created in the Graphics editor, that displays the alarm information recorded in the computer’s memory. Use the alarm summary to determine which alarm information is displayed and how it is displayed.

The alarm summary can display alarms from more than one HMI server. Each HMI server maintains a list of up to 2,000 alarms. As new alarms occur, they appear at the top of the list.

When the list of alarms at the HMI server is full and a new alarm is generated, the alarm at the bottom of the list (the oldest alarm) is acknowledged automatically by the system, and then dropped from the list. Alarms that are acknowledged automatically by the system

Set up an application so that only essential alarm information is logged. Alarm logging uses system resources and can slow overall system performance.

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appear in the alarm log file with SysAk (system-acknowledged) in the TransType (transaction type) field.

Alarms are also dropped when they are out of alarm, or acknowledged manually. When alarms are dropped, they are removed from memory. When the AlarmOff command is issued, the contents of the alarm summary are erased.

In the alarm summary, each alarm incident can be set up to be a different color. For example, low-severity alarms could be set up as blue, medium-severity as yellow, and high-severity as red. When an alarm is displayed, operators can tell its severity at a glance.

Graphic objects and displaysYou can customize graphic displays to show specific information about alarms. RSView makes all alarm status information available to graphic displays through a set of system tags (see below). Use these tags with numeric and string display objects. Attach visibility and color animation to affect the appearance of the objects.

The Alarm Information graphic library contains alarm-related graphic objects that you can drag and drop into a display. For example, to include an alarm banner in a display, drag and drop the banner from the Alarm Information graphic library. Use the graphic objects in the library as they are, or edit them to suit the application’s needs.

Alarm system tagsSystem tags are created and updated by RSView on the HMI server. You can use these tags anywhere a tag name is required:

AlarmOff is just one of the RSView commands used with alarms. For details about this command and others, see Help.

This tag Type Displays this information

system\AlarmBanner String The most recent, most severe alarm. If an alarm of an equal or higher severity occurs, it replaces the first alarm, whether or not the previous alarm has been acknowledged.

system\AlarmMostRecentDate String The date of the most recent, most severe alarm.system\AlarmMostRecentLabel String The threshold label of the tag of the most recent, most

severe alarm.system\AlarmMostRecentSeverity Analog The severity of the most recent, most severe alarm.system\AlarmMostRecentTagDesc String The description of the tag of the most recent, most

severe alarm.system\AlarmMostRecentTagname String The name of the tag of the most recent, most severe

alarm.system\AlarmMostRecentTime String The time of the most recent, most severe alarm.

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Alarm acknowledgmentIf an alarm appears in the alarm summary or some other alarm display, an operator can acknowledge the alarm. Acknowledging an alarm does not correct the condition causing the alarm, but indicates that an operator is aware of the alarm.

A tag, not an alarm, is acknowledged. A single tag might have caused several alarms. For example, a tag representing temperature might have triggered Warm, Hot, and Overheat alarms by the time it is acknowledged. The tag could also have gone in and out of alarm several times before being acknowledged.

One acknowledgment is all that is required for all previous and current alarms for a tag, so alarm log files often show fewer acknowledgments than alarms.

Acknowledging alarmsTo acknowledge alarms, operators can use any of these methods:

Click the Acknowledge or Acknowledge All button in the alarm summary.

Use the RSView Acknowledge command by itself, or with parameters to name a tag or group of tags.

Use the RSView AcknowledgeAll command.

Unless an alarm is acknowledged, it remains outstanding until the system is shut down, the alarm summary is full, or alarm monitoring is turned off.

Alarm suppressionYou can suppress alarm monitoring for tags. This is useful for testing or for performing repairs or maintenance on a piece of equipment.

To suppress alarm monitoring for tags, use the RSView SuppressOn command. To view a list of the tags not being monitored, use the Suppressed List. You can also turn monitoring back on from this list.

system\AlarmMostRecentUnits String The units of the most recent, most severe alarm.system\AlarmStatus String The number of unacknowledged and suppressed alarms.system\AlarmSummaryItems Analog The number of alarm transactions in an unfiltered alarm

summary.system\AlarmSummaryItemsUnacked Analog The number of unacknowledged alarms in an unfiltered

alarm summary.system\AlarmSuppressedCount Analog The number of tags with alarm suppression turned on.

This tag Type Displays this information

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Alarm functions in expressionsWhen a tag goes into alarm, or an alarm event occurs, certain information about the alarm is recorded in the value table together with the value of the tag or alarm event. Using expressions, information about alarms can be retrieved on a tag-by-tag basis. For information about alarm events, see page 11-13.

Checking for tags in alarmIf the system detects that a tag is in alarm, it sets an internal alarm bit, and then resets the bit when the tag is out of alarm. The following expression checks if a tag is in alarm:

ALM_IN_ALARM (tag)

where tag is the name of the tag you want to check for alarms. When a tag is in alarm, the expression result is 1. When a tag is out of alarm, the expression result is 0.

One way to use this expression is to animate the visibility of a graphic object in a display. When the tag goes into alarm, the ALM_IN_ALARM expression is set to 1, making the object visible. This is an effective way to draw the operator’s attention to the alarm.

Checking for acknowledged alarmsThe following expression checks if an alarm has ever been acknowledged:

ALM_ACK (tag)

The expression ALM_ACK returns 1 if an alarm has been acknowledged. If a tag goes out of alarm without being acknowledged, the expression returns 0.

When alarm monitoring starts and a tag has never been in alarm, the ALM_ACK expression returns 1 by default. To reverse this default behavior, create the registry key Alarm Initially Acked on the computer running the HMI server. Once you have created the key, change its string value to False. The key is located at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Rockwell Software\RSView Enterprise\Alarm Server

To create or change the key, use the Windows® Regedit32 utility. For details about using Regedit32, click Help in the Registry editor window.

ALM_ALLACKED (tag*)

The expression ALM_ALLACKED (tag*) returns 1 if all tags that match the pattern have been acknowledged. If any of the tags have not been acknowledged, the expression returns 0.

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Other functions are also used with expressions to monitor alarms. For a list of the alarm functions, see “Tag functions” on page 20-11.

Using wildcard characters in alarm expressionsFor built-in alarm functions, you can use wildcard characters in the expression to retrieve information about multiple tags at once.

For example, the following expression checks if any of a group of tags is in alarm:

ALM_IN_ALARM (alarm*)

where alarm* represents all tags whose names begin with ‘alarm.’ If one or more of these tags are in alarm, the expression result is 1. If all of the tags are out of alarm, the expression result is 0.

Acknowledge bitAn acknowledge bit is a digital tag that can be used to:

acknowledge an alarm.

monitor the acknowledged state of an alarm.

When you set up an acknowledge bit for a tag, the HMI server monitors the value of the acknowledge bit, and automatically acknowledges the alarm when the value of the acknowledge bit changes from 0 to 1. This is called a remote acknowledge, and a RmAck (Remote Acknowledge) transaction is logged to the alarm log file.

When an operator acknowledges an alarm, the acknowledge bit is set to 1. If the Auto Reset feature is turned on, the HMI server resets the acknowledge bit to 0 when the tag goes back into alarm.

If a graphic display requires more than 20 alarm functions, for performance reasons it is better to use the alarm functions in derived tags. For details, see Help for alarm functions.




Using wildcard characters in alarm expressions may affect performance if the pattern matches a large number of tags.

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The acknowledge bit must be set up as a digital tag in the HMI tag database. For details about setting up an acknowledge bit, see Help.

Handshake bitA handshake bit is a digital tag that can be used to monitor the status of an alarm.

When you set up a handshake bit for a tag, the HMI server sets the handshake bit to 1 when the tag goes into alarm. If the Auto Reset feature is turned on, the HMI server sets the handshake bit to 0 when the tag goes out of alarm.

The handshake bit must be set up as a digital tag in the HMI tag database. For details about setting up a handshake bit, see Help.

Switching handshaking onBy default, handshaking is off. To switch handshaking on, do one of the following:

Use the /H parameter with the AlarmOn command.

Use the HandshakeOn command.

For information about alarm and handshake commands, see Help.

Alarm eventsYou can customize and extend the RSView alarm monitoring system by writing alarm-detection algorithms using PLC ladder logic, custom programs, or any other appropriate tools.

You can then add alarm events to the RSView alarm subsystem, to respond to the alarm-detection algorithms for annunciation, logging, printing, and for display in alarm summaries.

By using a tag name for an alarm event, you can customize the alarm features of the tag. For example, you can use alarm events to provide a tag with more than eight thresholds.You can also use alarm events to specify an alarm’s time stamp.

Since alarms are scanned in the background, alarms that occur rapidly might appear out of sequence in RSView, because they might all be scanned at the same time, and therefore produce the same time stamp. If the sequence in which alarms occur is important, you might want to record accurate time stamps for the alarms by buffering the alarms in the PLC, and then using alarm events to record them with accurate time stamps in RSView.

To create an alarm event, use the AlarmEvent command. For details, see Help.

Because an HMI server monitors the value of each acknowledge bit tag, using many acknowledge bits can slow down the system considerably.

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How event-based alarms workAlarm events let you create alarms without setting up tags in the tag database. Event-based alarms work just like tag-based alarms. They appear in alarm summaries, they can be used with alarm system tags, and they can be logged to disk or printer.

You can filter event-based alarms the same way you filter tag-based alarms in alarm summaries. You can acknowledge event-based alarms, either individually, or with wildcard characters, using the Acknowledge command. You cannot suppress event-based alarms.

As with tag-based alarms, you can use alarm events with alarm functions in expressions. You can time-stamp event-based alarms with the current time, or by specifying a date and time either in RSView or in alarm-detection algorithms you create for the application.

Differences between event-based and tag-based alarmsYou cannot specify thresholds for analog alarm events. All analog alarm events have a value of zero.

You cannot specify alarm labels for event-based alarms. That is, you cannot use the IntoAlarm and OutOfAlarm labels for digital tag-based alarms, or the threshold labels for analog tag-based alarms.

Alarm events have no acknowledge and handshake bits.

The Identify feature is not available to event-based alarms, to run a command, macro, or custom program.

Event-based alarms are not retained after the AlarmOff command is issued, or after the HMI server shuts down.

Naming alarm eventsA name must be associated with each alarm event. The event name can be a tag defined in the tag database as long as the tag does not have an alarm defined for it.

Alarm event names can be up to 255 characters long. The alarm event name can contain the following characters:

A to Z

0 to 9

underscore ( _ ) and dash (–)

Alarm events are not processed until the AlarmOn command is issued, and alarm events are no longer processed after the AlarmOff command is issued.

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The alarm event name can be mixed case. Alarm event names preserve upper and lower case for readability but are not case sensitive. For example, the alarm event name HopperOverflow is the same as hopperoverflow.

When an alarm event name starts with a number or contains a dash, enclose the name in brackets { } when you use it in an expression, for example, {N33-0}. Also use brackets when using wildcard characters to represent multiple alarm events in an expression, for example, {alarm*}.

Using event typesUse the AlarmEvent command to create into-alarm and out-of-alarm events. Multiple into-alarm events can be processed for the same event name before an out-of-alarm event is received. Use the InAndOutOfAlarm event type for change-of-state alarms. An out-of-alarm event is ignored if no into-alarm events preceded it.

How event-based alarms are loggedEvent-based alarms appear in the alarm log file in the order in which the alarm transactions were logged. If you specify a time stamp for alarm events, alarm transactions could appear out of order in the alarm log.

Setting up general alarm behaviorUse the Alarm Setup editor to specify the general features of all alarms for a specific HMI server. In the Alarm Setup editor, use the:

Setup tab to specify general behavior for alarm monitoring and annunciation.

Severities tab to set up logging and alarm behavior for individual severities.

User Msgs tab to create messages to replace the default messages supplied by the system.

To open the Alarm Setup editor1. In RSView Studio, in the Explorer window, open the Alarms folder.

2. Double-click Alarm Setup or right-click Alarm Setup and then click Open.

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For details about using the Alarm Setup editor, see Help.

Setting up alarm monitoringIn the Setup tab of the Alarm Setup editor you can specify:

how the system behaves when alarms cross back over trigger thresholds.

how often the system checks for new alarms.

where alarms are logged and printed when HMI-server redundancy is turned on.

Alarm trigger thresholdsAn alarm is triggered when the value of an analog tag crosses its alarm threshold. If the value of the tag fluctuates above and below its alarm threshold, alarms are triggered each time the tag value rises above the threshold value, or falls below the threshold value. You can enable or disable this feature.

For more information about how this feature works, see “Thresholds” on page 11-3.

Specifying how often the system checks for alarmsThe system does not check for alarms more frequently than the maximum update rate specified in the Alarm Setup dialog box. You should match the maximum update rate to the rate at which you expect tag values to change. For example, if you are monitoring

Set up alarm severities.

Create alarm messages to replace the system messages.

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temperatures that fluctuate slowly, you can check for alarms less frequently than if you are monitoring rapidly-changing manufacturing processes.

Setting up alarm monitoring on redundant serversIf you have set up redundant HMI servers, alarms can be logged and printed on the active HMI server only, or on both the active and the standby HMI server.

Setting up alarm severitiesIn the Severities tab of the Alarm Setup editor, you can set up logging destinations for each alarm severity and alarm incident. For each severity or incident, you can log to the alarm log file, to a printer, or to both.

You can also specify how notification of alarms of a particular severity will be handled. For details about alarm annunciation, see Help.

For alarm states to be synchronized properly, the clocks on the primary and secondary HMI servers must be kept synchronized to a time server. If the clocks are not synchronized, when a fail-over occurs, multiple alarms or inconsistent information might display in an alarm summary.

When logging to a printer, you can use only continuous-feed printers, such as dot-matrix printers. Page printers, such as laser printers, are not supported.

Alarm severities

Alarm incidents

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Setting up alarm messagesAlarm messages report information about alarms. When setting up alarm messages, you can use the system defaults, or you can define the content of each message.

In the User Msgs tab of the Alarm Setup editor, you can define the content of:

In Alarm messages, which are generated when an analog tag’s alarm threshold has been crossed, or when a digital tag has changed state.

Out of Alarm messages, which are generated when a tag is no longer in alarm.

Acknowledged messages, which are generated when an alarm has been acknowledged.

Alarm or incident What is logged (to file, printer, or both)

Severity 1 through 8 In Alarm messages.Out of alarm Out of Alarm messages (for any severity that has been set

up to log In Alarm messages).Acknowledged Acknowledged messages (for any severity that has been

set up to log In Alarm messages).Fault All Fault messages.Suppression All Suppression messages.

To create a user-default message, type a message in the appropriate box.

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Alarm messages appear in the description field of the alarm log file only. They are not displayed in alarm summaries.

Defining the content of the messageTo define the content of a message, use any combination of system default messages, user default messages, and custom messages.

System default messages are a series of placeholders. At run time, these placeholders are replaced with information about the alarm that has been triggered.

The system default messages are used automatically, for all alarms and alarm events. For alarm events, they are used if you don’t specify a log message string using the /L parameter with the AlarmEvent command. For details, see Help.

Example: Message placeholdersAn out-of-alarm message set up like this:

\11D \8T Tag \10N is out of alarm.

is displayed like this at run time:

01/22/01 11:45:02 Tag PUMP3 is out of alarm.01/22/01 11:47:23 Tag PUMP4 is out of alarm.01/22/01 11:48:14 Tag PUMP5 is out of alarm.

This placeholder Is replaced with the

\C Current value of the tag.\D Date when the message is sent.\L Alarm label specified in the Alarm Label field of the

Analog Alarm and Digital Alarm editors.\N Name of the tag in alarm.\S Description of the tag in alarm.\T Time when the message is sent.\U Units specified in the Units field, in the Tags editor.\V Threshold value that was crossed.

\C, \L, \U, and \V do not contain any information when used in alarm Acknowledged messages.

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The width of a column in a message is the number of spaces specified between the backslash and the placeholder character. In this example, the date column has 11 spaces (\11D), the time has 8 spaces (\8T), and the tag name has 10 spaces (\10N).

User default messages are messages you create to replace the system default messages. You can use both words and placeholders to define user defaults.

Custom messages apply on a per-tag basis. You set them up in the Alarm Messages tab of the Analog or Digital Alarm dialog box in the Tags editor.

To create a custom message, type any message you want. You can use both words and placeholders to define custom messages. For more information see Help.

Setting up alarm conditions for HMI tagsFor each analog and digital tag that will be monitored for alarms, use the Analog and Digital Alarm dialog boxes in the Tags editor to specify the conditions that will trigger an alarm. You can set up an alarm for a tag when you create the tag or you can set it up later.

To open the Tags editor1. In the Explorer window, open the HMI Tags folder.

2. Double-click the Tags icon or right-click the Tags icon and then click Open.

To add an alarm toa tag, select this check box.

When a tag has an alarm defined for it, an X appears in this column.

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Opening the Analog or Digital Alarm dialog boxTo add alarm conditions to an analog or digital tag

1. In the spreadsheet section of the Tags editor, select the analog or digital tag that is to have alarm conditions added.

2. In the form section of the Tags editor, click the check box beside the Alarm button.

To edit alarm conditions already set up for a tag

1. In the spreadsheet section of the Tags editor, select the analog or digital tag that is to have alarm conditions edited.

2. In the form section of the Tags editor, click the Alarm button.

Setting up alarms for analog tagsThese are the tasks involved in setting up alarms for analog tags:

1. Set up the alarm threshold, and then choose the message that will appear if the threshold is crossed.

2. Set up the messages that are sent when a tag goes out of alarm and when an operator acknowledges an alarm.

3. Set up advanced features, such as deadband and handshake.

For details, see Help.

Setting up alarms for digital tagsThese are the tasks involved in setting up alarms for digital tags:

1. Set up alarm states.

2. Set up the messages that are sent when a tag goes out of alarm and when an operator acknowledges an alarm.

3. Set up advanced features, such as handshake.

For details, see Help.

Setting up alarm loggingUse the Alarm Log Setup tool to specify:

where to store alarm log files.

when alarm log files are created or deleted.

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optionally, whether to log alarm data to a central, ODBC-compliant database.

Opening the Alarm Log Setup toolTo open the Alarm Log Setup tool, use one of these methods:

In RSView Studio or the RSView Administration Console, click Tools on the menu bar and then click Alarm Log Setup.

Click the Windows Start button, select Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView Enterprise, Tools, and then click SE Alarm Log Setup.

For details about using the Alarm Log Setup tool, see Help.

For more information about alarm log files, see:

“Adding remarks to the alarm log file at run time” on page 11-24.

“Viewing alarm log files” on page 11-27.

the schema for the ODBC alarm log table on page C-2.

You must set up alarm logging on the computer that is running the HMI server monitoring tags for alarms. If you run the Alarm Log Setup tool on some other computer, the settings will have no effect.

You must also set up alarm logging separately, on each computer running an HMI server monitoring for alarms. If two such HMI servers are running on a single computer, the alarm log file will contain entries for both of those HMI servers.

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Specifying where log files are stored or printedUse the Logging tab in the Alarm Log Setup tool to specify where alarm log files are stored on the computer. The default location is in the path:

\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\RSView Enterprise\SE\AlarmLog

In the Logging tab, if you have selected to log alarms to a printer, you can also specify where alarm logs are printed.

Specifying when log files are createdUse the File Management tab in the Alarm Log Setup tool to specify when log files are created. You can set up an application to create new log files periodically, or you can prevent new files from being created.

In each 24-hour period, up to 26 new files can be created. If you attempt to create a 27th file, RSView continues logging data to the 26th file. At midnight, the sequence starts again with the first new file for the new day.

Monitoring disk spaceIf the computer’s hard disk is full, alarm logging stops and no more log files are created. For information about monitoring disk space on computers running HMI servers, see page 27-18.

Specifying when log files are deleted

Use the File Management tab in the Alarm Log Setup editor to specify when log files will be deleted. You can delete log files after a specified period or once a specified number of files have been created. If you never want files deleted, leave the check boxes under Delete Oldest Files blank.

Alarm log files are deleted only when a new file is created. If the application creates a new file each day and deletes the oldest file every third day, the project will have files for the three previous days’ data, as well as a file for the current day.

Setting up periodic logging to a central ODBC databaseUse the Central Logging tab in the Alarm Log Setup editor, to set up logging to a central, ODBC-compliant database.

If you have set up file management to delete the oldest files when a new one is started, and you are exporting data to an ODBC database (see below), make sure you export the data before the oldest file is deleted, or the oldest data will be lost.

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Central logging works by exporting the contents of the alarm log file periodically to an ODBC-compliant database. RSView supports the following ODBC-compliant databases: Sybase SQL Server, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL Server.

For details about setting up logging to a central database, see Help.

Exporting alarm log files manually to ODBC formatYou can use the command AlarmLogSendToODBC to export logged activities manually from the alarm log file to an ODBC-compliant database.

If the table in the database to which you are attempting to export data is not ODBC compliant, the export will fail. If an ODBC-compliant table does not exist, RSView will try to create it.

When you export data to an ODBC table, RSView keeps track of the exported data in a control file called Alarm.exp, which is located in the same path that stores the alarm log .dat files. Whenever you export data, only the newest data is exported.

However, if the control file is deleted, all the alarm log data in the .dat files is exported when you issue the AlarmLogSendToODBC command.

Example: Exporting alarm log files to ODBC format on demandTo export the contents of the alarm log files to an ODBC-compliant database on demand, create a graphic display containing a button that uses the AlarmLogSendToODBC command as its press action.

When the operator presses the button at run time, the contents of the alarm log file will be exported to the ODBC database.

The AlarmLogSendToODBC command exports only the records added to the alarm log files since the last export.

For information about the contents of the alarm log ODBC tables, see page C-2.

Adding remarks to the alarm log file at run timeUsing the AlarmLogRemark command, you can add information to the alarm log file at run time. Parameters for the command let you add a text comment, the alarm severity, and the tag name to the alarm log file

Other parameters let you prompt the operator for the text part of the remark at run time, and log the remark to a printer as well as to the alarm log file.

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You cannot display alarm log remarks in alarm summaries.

At run time, only one Alarm Log Remark dialog box is displayed at a time, and the operator must respond to the dialog box before the next one is displayed.

Alarm logging must be on before you can use the AlarmLogRemark command. To start alarm logging, issue the AlarmLogOn command. For details about using the AlarmLogRemark command, see Help.

Suppressing alarm printingTo suppress alarm printing for all tags, use the AlarmPrintOff command. To re-enable printing of alarms, use the AlarmPrintOn command.

Using AlarmOn and AlarmPrintOff in the correct orderWhen alarm monitoring is started by issuing the AlarmOn command, alarms are logged to both the alarm log file and a printer, if you have set up both destinations.

You can then choose to stop logging to the printer, by issuing the AlarmPrintOff command. The order in which you issue AlarmOn and AlarmPrintOff affects what happens at run time:

If you issue the AlarmOn command first, alarms are logged to both the alarm log file and the printer, until you issue the AlarmPrintOff command.

If you issue the AlarmPrintOff command first, and then issue the AlarmOn command, alarms are logged to the alarm log file, but not to the printer. To restart logging to the printer, you would have to issue AlarmPrintOn.

The AlarmPrintOff and AlarmPrintOn commands are not retained across RSView sessions. If you issue AlarmPrintOff before AlarmOn in the current session, alarms will not print to the printer. However, if you then shut down RSView, restart it, and issue the AlarmOn command, alarms will be logged to both the alarm log file and the printer, until you issue the AlarmPrintOff command.

Using the /P parameter with the AlarmLogRemark command, you can prompt the operator at run time to typea remark for the alarm log file.

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Suppressing alarm loggingYou can suppress alarm monitoring for tags. This is useful for testing or performing repairs or maintenance on equipment.

To suppress alarm monitoring for tags, use the SuppressOn command. To suppress all alarms for the specified tags, issue the SuppressOn command before the AlarmOn command.

For more information about RSView commands, see Help.

Using the Suppressed ListUse the Suppressed List to see which tags are not being monitored for alarms and to turn alarm monitoring back on.

To open the Suppressed List1. In RSView Studio or the RSView Administration Console, in the Explorer window,

open the Alarms folder.

2. Double-click Suppressed List or right-click Suppressed List and then click Open.

For details about using the Suppressed List, see Help.

You cannot open the Suppressed List at run time, from an RSView SE client.

To turn off suppression for a tag, click the tag name, and then click Suppress Off.

Click All Off to turn off suppression for all tags.

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Viewing alarm log filesThe Alarm Log Viewer displays the contents of alarm log files. The contents of the alarm log files depend on how you set up alarm severities in the Alarm Setup editor.

For information about the contents of the alarm log ODBC tables, see page C-2.

You can display alarm log files stored either on the local computer or on a remote computer, and you can select the number of log files to be displayed in the alarm log viewer. Each alarm log file is displayed in a separate tab in the Alarm Log Viewer.

Opening the Alarm Log ViewerTo open the Alarm Log Viewer, use one of these methods:

In RSView Studio or the RSView Administration Console, click the Tools menu, and then click Alarm Log Viewer.

Click the Windows Start button, click Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView Enterprise, Tools, and then click SE Alarm Log Viewer.

For information about setting up and using the Alarm Log Viewer, see Help for the Alarm Log Viewer.

To open the alarm log viewer Help1. Click the Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView Enterprise, Tools,

and then click SE Alarm Log Viewer Help.

To display the Alarm Log Viewer at run time1. In a graphic display, create a button operators can use to open the Alarm Log Viewer.

2. For the button’s press action, type the following command:

AppStart “C:\Program Files\Rockwell Software\RSView Enterprise\ AlarmLogViewer.exe”

You must include the quotation marks, because there are spaces in the parameter.

At run time, as a result of operating system rules, the viewer might open behind the RSView SE Client window. If the operator is unaware of this, and presses the button again, another instance of the viewer will open. This could result in multiple viewers being open at the same time.

To avoid this, the operator can bring the viewer to the front manually, and close it when it is no longer required. Or, you can work around the problem programmatically. For details, search for Technote ID P9029 in the Rockwell Automation KnowledgeBase. For help finding the KnowledgeBase, see “Information on the Internet” on page P-2.

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About alarm log filesAlarm information is stored in file sets, in proprietary format.

How log files are namedWhen a log file is created, it is named automatically. The name is based on the date the file was created and the type of data it contains. The format for the name is YYYYMMDDnz.dat, where:

YYYY are the four digits of the year.

MM is the month.

DD is the day.

n is the sequence letter (‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, and so on). This letter indicates the sequence in which the files were created. You can have up to 26 files (‘A’ to ‘Z’) per day. At midnight, the sequence starts at ‘a’ again.

z is the file type: ‘L’ (uppercase L) is for alarm.

If you are using short file names, or if the path where the log files are stored does not support long file names, the format for the name is YYMMDDnz.dat, where YY are the last two digits of the year.

Example: Log file nameThe log file named 20051015BL.dat was created in the year 2005, month 10, and day 15. The ‘B’ indicates that this is the second file created that day. The ‘L’ (uppercase L) indicates that this is an alarm log file.

Setting up security to log alarms to a remote computerIf you are logging alarms to an ODBC database that is not located on the same computer as the HMI server, you must change certain DCOM security settings.

To change the security account of the alarm log program file in Windows XP and Windows Server 20031. On the computer where alarm monitoring will run, click the Windows Start button,

and then click Run.

2. In the Open box, type dcomcnfg, and then press Enter.

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3. In the left-hand side of the Component Services window, double-click Component Services, double-click the Computers folder, double-click My Computer, and then double-click DCOM Config.

If DCOM Configuration Warning messages appear, click No for each one.

4. In the list of applications, under DCOM Config, right-click RsAlmLogExpServ, and then select Properties.

5. In the RsAlmLogExpServ Properties dialog box, click the Identity tab.

6. Click ‘This user’, and then type the name and password of a user that has access to the network path and database.

Alternatively, you can select ‘The interactive user’. However, with this DCOM setting, a user must also be logged on at the HMI server.

7. Click OK, and then restart the computer.

To change the security account of the alarm log program file in Windows 20001. On the computer where alarm monitoring will run, click the Windows Start button,

and then click Run.


If DCOM Configuration Warning messages appear, click No for each one.

3. In the Distributed COM Configuration Properties dialog box, click the Applications tab.

4. In the Applications list, click RsAlmLogExpServ, and then click Properties.

5. In the RsAlmLogExpServ Properties dialog box, click the Identity tab.




If the user’s password changes periodically, you must modify this DCOM setting manually, whenever a change is made. To avoid this, specify a user whose password never changes.


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Creating an alarm summaryThe alarm summary is a table that displays the active alarms recorded in an HMI server. At run time, operators can use the alarm summary to view and interact with the alarms.

To set up an alarm summary, you decide how many columns you want the table to have, how wide the columns will be, and what information the columns will contain. You can also specify the tags and, in a distributed application, the areas from which you want alarm data displayed.

Creating an alarm summary objectAn alarm summary object can be part of a graphic display or it can fill the entire graphic display. You can use the pre-built alarm summary in the Alarm Information graphic library, or you can create a new alarm summary object.

For details about creating an alarm summary object, see Help.

The parts of an alarm summaryA new alarm summary looks like this:

Use commands on the Insert menu to insert headings in the header area.

Use the mouse to move the divider up and down.

Alarm information is displayed in the alarm summary’s body at run time.

Use commands on the Format menu to specify the position of the button bar, and the buttons it contains.

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Inserting headingsThe Insert menu, shown below, contains the headings that define the items that will appear in the alarm summary at run time. To add a heading, click the item on the Insert menu. You can add as many items as you want and place them in any order.

Insert the Operator Name heading to include an operator’s name. When a tag goes into alarm, that column will show the name of the Windows system account. When a user acknowledges an alarm, the name of that user will be displayed under Operator Name.

For stand-alone applications, the Area heading is not available.

Choosing fontsThe alarm summary header and body fonts can be different. For example, you might choose a larger font for the header and a smaller font for the body.

To change a font, on the Format menu, click Body Font or Header Font, to open the Font dialog box. The list of fonts that appears depends on what is installed on the computer. To increase the size of the header area to accommodate a large font, drag the divider down.

Choosing colors and blink stylesTo specify the color or blink style of an item in the Alarm Summary, click the Format menu and then select Colors. In the Colors dialog box you can set up the color of:

When you click an item on the Insert menu, two boxes appear in the alarm summary. Drag the boxes to position them. Drag the handles on the boxes change the width of the column.

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Severity 1 through 8 messages.

Out of Alarm and Fault State messages.

Header, body, and button areas.

You can set up the blink style of:

Severity 1 through 8 messages.

Out of Alarm and Fault State messages.

For details about the options in the Colors dialog box, see Help.

Selecting buttonsIn the Buttons dialog box you can specify which buttons you want on the button bar in the alarm summary, and where the bar will be positioned.

For descriptions of the individual buttons, see Help.

To select the buttons for an alarm summary1. Select Buttons from the Format menu.

2. In the Buttons dialog box, make sure that a check is displayed only in the check boxes beside the buttons that are to be in the alarm summary. To clear a check, click the check box.

In addition to providing Filter and Sort buttons that the operator can use at run time, you can filter or sort alarms permanently at design time. The result of the design-time filter or sort operation is retained each time the summary is activated at run time. For more information see “Choosing the data to display” on page 11-33.

To change the button text1. Double-click the button you want to change.

2. Type the new button text in the Text box.

To position the button bar1. On the Format menu, click Button Bar Position

2. Click a location. In the illustration below, the button bar is on the left.

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.

Choosing the data to displayUse the Filter and Sort items on the Data menu to specify which alarm information to display in the alarm summary.

Using FilterUse Filter to select information—that is, to specify information you do want displayed in the alarm summary. Anything you don’t specify in the filter is not displayed in the alarm summary at run time. For details about options in the Filter dialog box, see Help.

You cannot filter by area name in stand-alone applications.

Using SortUse Sort to specify the order in which alarm information is displayed. You can sort filtered or unfiltered data. For details about options in the Sort dialog box, see Help.

You cannot sort by area name in stand-alone applications.

Filtering and sorting at run timeInclude Filter and Sort buttons on the alarm summary’s button bar, if you want to change the information displayed, or the order in which it is sorted, at run time. Changes made at run time are not saved.

Displaying area names with tag namesTo display tag names with the names of the areas they belong to in the alarm summary, click Display full tag name.

This option is not available for stand-alone applications.

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Examples: Using area and tag names in filtersTo collect all alarm transactions from the area called Powertrain, type:

/Powertrain::*

To collect alarm transactions from the current area for the tag name Coolant_East, type:

Coolant_East

To collect alarm transactions from the current area for all tags whose names begin with Coolant, type:

Coolant*

To collect all alarm transactions for the current area, type:

*

To collect alarms from specific areas for tag names that match a pattern, you can type:

/Powertrain::Coolant*/Press::FlowValve*

To collect alarms from more than one HMI server, you can type:

/Powertrain::*/Press::*

You can also use the Areas and Tags buttons to browse for area or tag names rather than typing them.

Tag placeholdersYou can also use tag placeholders to specify the area or tag names you want to appear in the alarm summary.

A tag placeholder is the cross-hatch character (#) followed by a number from 1 to 500. The placeholder can also contain wildcard characters and folder names. For more information, see “Using tag placeholders” on page 16-28.

Examples: Using tag placeholders with area namesTo display alarm transactions from an area whose name you want to specify at run time using a parameter file or on the command line, type one of the following:

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/#1::*or/Area1/#1/Area3::*

To display alarm transactions from a specific area for a tag whose name you want to specify at run time, type:

Area::#1

To display alarm transactions for all tags in a specific area and folder, type:

Area::Folder/#1/*

In the example shown above, the placeholder #1 allows you to substitute a folder name at run time.

Resolving tag placeholders at run timeIf you use tag placeholders, at run time you must specify the tag or folder name each placeholder represents, either by using a parameter file or by specifying the tag or folder names as parameters to the Display command. If you use a parameter file, it can contain wildcard characters.

Example: Using a parameter file to replace tag placeholdersThe parameter file called Beans specifies which tags to use for the placeholders in a display:

#1 = bean_weight#2 = bean_level#3 = bean_temp

To run the display called Canning with the Beans parameter file, type:

Display Canning /PBeans

For more information, see:

“Replacing tag placeholders using a parameter file” on page 16-29

“Replacing tag placeholders using parameters with the Display command” on page 16-29.

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Sorting dataSelect Sort from the Data menu to open the Sort dialog box. By default, alarm information is sorted first by date and time, then by severity, then, in distributed applications, by area name, and finally by tag name.

This means that alarms are presented chronologically. If two or more alarms have the same time and date, these alarms are presented in order of severity. If any alarms have the same time and date and the same severity, they are presented by tag name.

For details about using the Sort dialog box, see Help.

Running commands, macros, or custom programs in response to alarmsUse the Execute and Identify buttons in an alarm summary to run a command, macro, or custom program, in response to a tag’s alarm conditions.

Use the Execute button to run a command, macro, or custom program that applies to all alarms in the summary, for example, to create a custom alarm report for analyzing plant maintenance efficiency.

Use the Identify button to run a command, macro, or custom program that applies only to the tag associated with the highlighted alarm. The Identify button can run a different command, macro, or custom program for each tag, for example, to run a different help file for each tag’s alarm conditions.

About the Execute buttonWith the Execute button, you can specify a command or macro that operators can run with reference to the highlighted alarm in an alarm summary.

The Execute command can be appended with tag information for the highlighted alarm, for example, the area name (for distributed applications only), the tag name, alarm type, severity, value, date and time, and the tag type.

Use the execute feature to apply a common command, macro, or custom program to the alarm that is selected in the alarm summary. For example, you can run a custom program to add entries to a custom alarm report for selected alarms in an alarm summary, and you can pass arguments from the highlighted alarm to the custom program.

For details about setting up the Execute button, see Help.

About the Identify buttonWith the Identify button, you can specify a command or macro that operators can run when a tag is in alarm. Use this button to provide information about an alarm.

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For example, use the Display command to open a display that contains instructions about how to handle a motor that is running too fast.

For details about setting up the Identify button, see Help.

Using alarm data with commandsUse the Execute item on the Data menu to execute a command (whether an RSView command, an RSView macro, or a custom program), and to append parameters to the command. At run time, the parameters are derived from the highlighted alarm in the alarm summary.

For example, to transfer information about a particular entry in the alarm summary, to the FactoryTalk Diagnostics log, use the Remark command. To include details about the highlighted alarm, for example, the alarm’s severity or the tag’s value, select the corresponding boxes in the list of parameters.

Using parametersParameters are appended to the command in the same order in which the parameters appear in the dialog box. You can substitute parameters into any position within a command by passing the parameters to a macro. For details about using parameters with macros, see page 22-3.

Parameters are separated by a space, unless you click Separate Parameters with commas.

Severity and value are shown only for alarms of type IntoAlarm. For alarm types OutOfAlarm and IntoFault, the severity is 0.

Adding area names to parametersTo include the area name in the parameters passed to the command for the Execute button, select the Insert Area name check box.

If you select the Insert Area name check box, the Area name appears automatically between the first and second word you type in the Execute Command Text box. Because you cannot change the position of the area name, be sure the command shown at the bottom of the dialog box is syntactically correct before you click OK.

Alternatively, use a macro to substitute the parameters into any position within the command.

A space is not automatically appended to the end of the command text. If you are using parameters, and require a space between the end of the command, macro, or custom program and the first parameter, be sure to include the space at the end of the command text.

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If you select the Tag name check box, to pass tag names as arguments to the Execute command text, the tag names always include the area name, whether or not areas are displayed in the alarm summary.

At run time, the area name is the area of the alarm that is highlighted in the alarm summary.

Example: Using AlarmLogRemark with the Execute buttonYou can use the Execute button to prompt the user at run time to add a remark to the alarm log file.

To do this, add the command AlarmLogRemark /P /T to the Execute button in the alarm summary, and then click the Tagname parameter, as shown in the following illustration.

At run time, the following will happen:

The /P parameter displays a dialog box to prompt the operator for a remark.

The /T parameter logs a string in the Tagname column of the alarm log file.

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The Tagname parameter records the name of the highlighted tag in the alarm summary in the Tagname column of the alarm log file.

You cannot change the order in which parameters are passed to the command line for the alarm summary Execute button. To use the alarm summary Execute button with the AlarmLogRemark command, and have the tag name added correctly to the /T argument, you must ensure that the argument (/T) appears last on the command line.

For details about using the AlarmLogRemark command, see “Adding remarks to the alarm log file at run time” on page 11-24, or see Help.

Using the Execute button to run a custom programIf you set up the Execute button to run a custom program, and you copy the alarm summary from one application to another application, you must ensure that the custom program is available in the new application, otherwise the Execute button will not run the program.

Starting and stopping alarm monitoringThere are many ways to start and stop alarm monitoring. Choose the way that works best for the application.

For a complete list of RSView commands and their command syntax, see Help.

Ways to start alarm monitoring at the HMI serverTo start alarm monitoring, use any of these methods:

In the HMI Server Properties dialog box, click the Components tab, and then select the Alarming check box. Alarm monitoring starts the next time the HMI server runs, or when the HMI server’s components are started manually.

In the Macros editor, create a macro that contains the command, AlarmOn. In the HMI Server Properties dialog box, click the Components tab, and then specify the macro. Alarm monitoring will start when the HMI server runs.

In the Graphics editor, create a button object. In the Button Properties dialog box, click the Action tab. In the Press action box, type the AlarmOn command. When the button is pressed, alarm monitoring starts.

In the Graphics editor, create a graphic object and then attach touch Animation the AlarmOn command as the action. When the object is touched, alarm monitoring starts.

In the Events editor, type the AlarmOn command in the Action box for an event.

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At the command line in RSView Studio, or the RSView Administration Console, type AlarmOn and then press Enter.

Ways to stop alarm monitoringTo stop all the components that are running on the HMI server, including data log models, event components, derived tag components, and alarm monitoring, stop the components running on the HMI server manually.

For details about stopping components manually:

in distributed applications, see page 27-9.

in stand-alone applications, see page 28-4.

To stop alarm monitoring only, use any of these methods:

In the Graphics editor, create a button object. In the Button Properties dialog box, click the Action tab. In the Press action box, type the AlarmOff command. When the button is pressed, alarm monitoring stops.

In the Graphics editor, create a graphic object, and then attach touch animation with the AlarmOff command as the action. When the object is touched, alarm monitoring stops.

In the Events editor, type the AlarmOff command in the Action box for an event.

At the command line in RSView Studio, or the RSView Administration Console, type AlarmOff and then press Enter.

If the HMI server performing alarm monitoring is not in the home area, you must specify the area name with the AlarmOn command in the above examples. For details about using the AlarmOn command, see Help.

If the HMI server performing alarm monitoring is not in the home area, you must specify the area name with the AlarmOff command in the above examples. For details about using the AlarmOff command, see Help.

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12 Logging system activityThis chapter describes:

what FactoryTalk® Diagnostics™ is.

the steps involved in setting up FactoryTalk Diagnostics.

key FactoryTalk Diagnostics concepts.

setting up FactoryTalk Diagnostics in RSView®.

using the Diagnostics list.

viewing FactoryTalk Diagnostics logs.

setting up security to log system activity remotely.

About FactoryTalk DiagnosticsFactoryTalk Diagnostics is a FactoryTalk component that performs services similar to the RSView activity logger, which it replaces. It records information about various types of system activity including:

command and macro usage.

operator comments.

system messages and errors.

errors from the communication network.

tag read and write activity.

FactoryTalk Diagnostics allows the information to be:

viewed using the Diagnostics List, or the Diagnostics Viewer.

archived for future processing or analysis.

exported to ODBC format while online. This enables analysis of the data in third-party, ODBC-compliant tools such as Microsoft® Excel, and Business Objects Crystal Reports®.

Summary of stepsThese are the tasks involved in setting up FactoryTalk Diagnostics for an application:

1. Decide which computers on the network need to log system activity.

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2. On each computer that needs to log system activity, run the FactoryTalk Diagnostics Setup tool, and set up:

destinations for logged information. By default, system activity is logged locally on each computer.

message routing. This allows you to specify where (to what destination) to send which information (of what severity) and for whom (for what audience).

3. To log system activity to a central, ODBC-compliant database, set up the database, and then set up the ODBC Database destination in the FactoryTalk Diagnostics Setup tool.

For details about the schema for the ODBC database, see Appendix C, ODBC database schemas.

Key concepts

DestinationsFactoryTalk Diagnostics messages can be sent to various destinations, including the message log on the local computer, an ODBC-compliant database, and the Diagnostics List at the bottom of the window in RSView Studio™ or the RSView SE client. Each of these destinations has features or behavior you can set up.

Setting up redundancy for Diagnostics logsYou can set up redundancy for Diagnostics logs by logging to an ODBC-compliant database, and setting up a copy of the database on another computer, that will act as a backup if communications to the primary database are interrupted.

By default, all system activity is logged locally on each computer. You can use the local log to buffer information, if communications with the ODBC-compliant database are lost.

Message routingYou can decide which destinations receive messages of which severity, and for which audience. This ensures that information is provided to the appropriate person and place.

The available destinations might vary, depending on which Rockwell Software products you have installed on the computer.

For example, RSView adds the ODBC Database and Diagnostics List destinations to FactoryTalk Diagnostics. If RSView is not installed on the computer, these destinations are not available in FactoryTalk Diagnostics.

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Examples of message-routing destinationsHere are some examples of how you might choose to route different messages:

You can route messages that contain information about system activity, and warnings about things that might go wrong, to the local log.

This allows a control systems engineer to analyze system activity and performance, and make corrections during scheduled maintenance times.

You can route errors that require immediate action to the FactoryTalk Diagnostics List, as well as the local log.

At run time, if the FactoryTalk Diagnostics List is visible, an operator can alert the plant’s control systems engineer to problems such as tag errors, as they occur.

During scheduled maintenance time, the engineer can use the errors, together with warnings, or information messages recorded in the local log, to analyze operation of the system, and then make the necessary corrections.

Message categoriesMessages sent to FactoryTalk Diagnostics are categorized by severity and audience. To route messages, specify that a particular destination (for example, the FactoryTalk Diagnostics List) receives messages of a particular severity (for example, Errors), and audience (for example, Operator).

SeverityRSView uses four message severities:

Errors indicate that a process or action has failed. For example, a tag’s value could not be written, or an ActiveX® control is missing.

Warnings indicate that a process or action might not function correctly, or might eventually fail if preventive action isn’t taken.

For example, if an ActiveX control used in a graphic display is a different version than the one installed at the RSView SE client, a warning is logged to indicate the mismatch. Mismatched ActiveX controls might not behave as expected at run time.

Information indicates that a process or action has completed successfully. For example, an information message is logged when a user logs on to the system.

Audit indicates that the system configuration has been changed. RSView also records an Audit message:

for all tag writes.

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whenever an editor that handles multiple components adds, deletes, or removes a component. Examples of multi-component editors are the Data Log Models editor, Graphics editor, and Macros editor.

AudienceRSView uses three message audiences: Operator, Engineer, and Developer.

RSView assigns the Operator audience for all messages it generates, except for messages with the Audit severity. Audit messages are assigned the Developer or Engineer audience. Audit messages include tag writes.

How tag writes are categorizedThe severities Audit and Information are assigned to tag writes that are successful. The severities Audit and Error are assigned to tag writes that fail.

The audiences for tag writes, whether successful or unsuccessful, are Developer and Secure. All other messages are categorized as Operator with severities of Error, Warning, or Information.

The Secure audience is reserved for auditing tools, such as those required for US Government 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, to track system activity.

Setting up FactoryTalk Diagnostics in RSView

Opening the FactoryTalk Diagnostics Setup toolTo open the FactoryTalk Diagnostics Setup tool, use one of these methods:

In RSView Studio or in the RSView Administration Console™, on the Tools menu, click Diagnostics Setup.

On the Windows® Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, Utilities, and then click Diagnostics Setup.

You cannot change the audience or the severity categories assigned to diagnostic messages. For example, you cannot specify that a Developer receive all messages of type Error.

When you set up message routing, you specify where the messages for a particular audience and severity will be logged. For example, you can specify that tag write messages logged for the Developer audience are sent to the local log, the Diagnostics List, or both, or neither.

If messages for a particular combination of audience and severity are not routed to a destination, they will not be logged.

FactoryTalk Diagnostics settings apply to all Rockwell Software products installed on a computer. You must run the FactoryTalk Diagnostics Setup tool separately, on each computer where system activity is to be logged.

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For details about using the FactoryTalk Diagnostics Setup tool, click Help in the tool.

Logging to a central databaseIn addition to logging data locally on each computer, you can set up FactoryTalk Diagnostics to log to a central, ODBC-compliant database.

Click here to showthe destinations.

Specify where tostore the local log,its maximum size, and when to overwrite entries.

Set up logging to a central database.

Specify which destinations receive which categories of messages.

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Central logging works by periodically exporting the contents of the local log to an ODBC-compliant database. RSView supports the following ODBC-compliant databases: Sybase SQL Server, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL Server.

If you have set up FactoryTalk Diagnostics to overwrite events in the local log, make sure messages are logged to the ODBC-compliant database before the oldest events are deleted.

For information about the FactoryTalk Diagnostics ODBC tables, see page C-1.

Setting up message bufferingFactoryTalk Diagnostics messages are stored in the computer’s local log, and are exported to the ODBC-compliant database at the interval you specify.

To buffer messages, in the ODBC Destination Setup dialog of the Diagnostics Setup tool, specify how long messages will remain in the local log after they have been exported to the ODBC-compliant database.

This is useful in the event of a network failure, or any other reason that causes the database to be unavailable. In this case, the messages remain in the local log until the buffer time expires. If the ODBC-compliant database becomes available during that time, the buffered messages are then exported to the database.

Setting up message routingFor each destination you have set up, you can specify which messages will be routed to it. Messages are categorized by audience and severity. See page 12-3 for details.

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All messages are logged as Error, Warning, or Info, with the audience, Operator, except for tag writes which are logged as Audit, with the audiences Developer or Engineer, and Secure.

Using the Diagnostics ListTo keep track of what is happening when an application is running, use the Diagnostics List in RSView Studio, the RSView Administration Console, or the RSView SE client.

For system activity messages to appear in the Diagnostics List, messages must be routed to the Diagnostics List. For details about routing messages, see page 12-2.

Working with the Diagnostics ListWhen RSView Studio first starts, the Diagnostics List is visible and is docked above the status bar in the RSView main window.

For the RSView SE client, the option to show, hide or undock the Diagnostics List in set up when you create a client file. For details, see Help for the RSView SE Client Wizard.

Diagnostics ListStatus bar

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Showing or hiding the Diagnostics ListTo show or hide the Diagnostics List in RSView Studio (or the RSView Administration Console), click Diagnostics List on the View menu. When Diagnostics List has a check mark beside it, the list is visible.

Moving the Diagnostics ListYou can detach (undock) the Diagnostics List from the main window, and then move the Diagnostics List anywhere on the screen.

To undock the Diagnostics List, drag the grab bars at the bottom left of the Diagnostics List. If you can’t see the grab bars, drag the top edge of the Diagnostics List to make it larger.

To prevent the Diagnostics List from docking automatically while you move it across the screen, hold down the Ctrl key on the keyboard while you move the Diagnostics List.

Resizing the Diagnostics ListWhen the Diagnostics List is undocked, you can make it any size you want, for example to view more than one message at a time. To resize the bar, drag an edge or corner until the bar is the size you want.

Messages in the Diagnostics ListThe types of messages that appear in the Diagnostics List depend on how message routing is set up in the Diagnostics Setup dialog box.

Diagnostics messages are preceded by a blue, yellow, or red icon. Blue indicates information, yellow indicates a warning, and red indicates an error.

The following illustration shows a warning and an information message:

To detach the Diagnostics List, drag the grab bars.

The ellipsis means this message is truncated. To view the entire message, resize the Diagnostics List.

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Clearing messages in the Diagnostics ListTo clear messages from the list, use one of these methods:

Click Clear, to clear the most recent message, at the top of the list, or to clear the message that is selected (highlighted).

Click Clear All, to clear all the messages in the list.

Clearing a message in the Diagnostics List does not delete the message from the Diagnostics log.

Viewing FactoryTalk Diagnostics logsUse the FactoryTalk Diagnostics Viewer to view the contents of FactoryTalk Diagnostics logs.

Opening the FactoryTalk Diagnostics ViewerTo open the FactoryTalk Diagnostics Viewer, use one of these methods:

In RSView Studio or in the RSView Administration Console, on the Tools menu, click Diagnostics Viewer.

On the Windows Start button, select Programs, Rockwell Software, FactoryTalk Tools, and then click Diagnostics Viewer.

For information about setting up and using the FactoryTalk Diagnostics Viewer, see the context-sensitive help provided for the tool.

To display the Diagnostics Viewer at run time1. In a graphic display, create a button operators can use to open the Diagnostics Viewer.

2. For the button’s press action, type the following command:

AppStart “C:\Program Files\Rockwell Software\RSView Enterprise\ ActivityLogViewer.exe”

You must include the quotation marks, because there are spaces in the parameter.

At run time, as a result of operating system rules, the viewer might open behind the RSView SE Client window. If the operator is unaware of this, and presses the button again, another instance of the viewer will open. This could result in multiple viewers being open at the same time.

To avoid this, the operator can bring the viewer to the front manually, and close it when it is no longer required. You can also work around the problem programmatically. For details, search for Tech Note ID P9029 in the Rockwell Automation KnowledgeBase. For help finding the KnowledgeBase, see “Information on the Internet” on page P-2.

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Setting up security to log system activity to a remote computerIf you are logging system activity to an ODBC database that is not located on the computer where the activity is being generated, you must change certain DCOM security settings.

To change the security account of the activity logging service in Windows® XP and Windows Server 20031. Click the Windows Start button, and then click Run.


3. In the Component Services window, double-click Component Services, double-click the Computers folder, double-click My Computer, and then double-click DCOM Config.

4. If DCOM Configuration Warning messages appear, click No for each one.

5. In the list of applications (under DCOM Config), right-click RsLogExpServ, and then select Properties.

6. In the RsLogExpServ Properties dialog box, click the Identity tab.




To change the security account of the activity logging service in Windows 20001. Click the Windows Start button, and then click Run.




5. In the Applications list, click RsLogExpServ, and then click Properties.

6. In the RsLogExpServ Properties dialog box, click the Identity tab.


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13Using data loggingThis chapter describes:

what data logging is.

data log storage formats.

creating a data log model.

editing a data log model.

working with ODBC data sources.

switching log paths at run time.

setting up security to log to a remote computer.

making runtime changes to data logging.

starting and stopping data logging.

About data logging

Data log is an RSView® component that collects and stores tag values. You specify which tag values to collect, when to collect them, and where to store them by defining a data log model.

Logged data can be stored in an internal file set, or an ODBC-compliant (Open Database Connectivity) database, and can be:

displayed in trends.

archived for future use.

analyzed using any ODBC-compatible reporting software, such as Microsoft® Excel, or Business Objects Crystal Reports®.

About data log modelsA data log model defines which tags to log data for, when to log the data, and where to log the data. In the model you also specify the format of the log files (file set, or ODBC) and when to create and delete the files, or records.

A data log model can contain up to 10,000 tags.

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Using multiple data log modelsAt run time, up to 20 models can run simultaneously on each RSView SE server. Use multiple data log models to:

store related information in separate file sets.

log groups of tags at different rates.

log groups of tags based on events.

Displaying historical data in a trendYou can display historical data in a trend by assigning a tag from a data log model to a pen. For information about trends, see Chapter 19, Setting up trends.

Data log storage formatsLogged data is stored in either an internal file set or in an ODBC-compliant database.

File sets store tag values in proprietary-format files. You cannot view the contents of these file sets, except in trends. File sets provide faster performance for historical trends than an ODBC database.

If you log tag values to an ODBC database, you can view the data in trends, or use third-party, ODBC-compliant tools to analyze and create reports from the data. If the ODBC database becomes inaccessible, RSView logs the data to backup files in proprietary format.

To use data in multiple formats, define multiple data log models for the same tags.

Log file setsData log files are stored in sets of three. Each file set includes a file for storing numeric values (either integers or floating point values), text, and tag names.

How log file sets are namedWhen a log file set is created, it is named automatically. The name is based on the date the file was created and the type of data it contains.

RSView names the log file sets using long file names. The maximum length of a log file set’s name, including its path, is 200 characters. File sets are named using the following format for the file name:

YYYY MM DD NNNN <Log File Identifier String> <(type)>.dat

YYYY is the year.

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MM is the month.

DD is the day.

NNNN is the sequential file identifier. This number indicates the sequence files were created in. You can have up to 9999 file sets per day. At midnight, the sequence starts at 0000 again.

<Log File Identifier String> is a text string you can specify to help identify the log file. The maximum string length is 20 characters.

<(type)> is the file type. The type is enclosed in parentheses. There are three file types: Tagname, Float (for analog and digital tag values), and String.

Example: Long file nameThe log file named 2004 10 30 0004 Oven Temperatures (Float).dat was created October 30 2004. The 0004 indicates that this is the fourth file set created that day. Oven Temperatures is the log file identifier string, which the user defined to help identify the data. (Float) indicates that this file contains analog or digital tag values.

ODBC database storage formatUse the ODBC database storage format to store data in an ODBC data source such as Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server. The ODBC format stores data in up to three tables:

Tag table (optional)—stores tag names in an index so they can be referenced using a 2- or 4-byte numeric field (rather than a 40-byte character field) in the float and string tables.

Float table—stores analog and digital tag values.

String table (optional)—stores string tag values.

For details about the contents of the tables, see page C-4.

ODBC backup files are stored as binary files with the extension .obf. You cannot view the contents of the .obf files.

How ODBC tables are namedThe ODBC tables are created with the default names TagTable, FloatTable, and StringTable. In the Data Log Models dialog box, you can edit these names before creating the tables, or you can specify the names of different tables.

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If you specify a backup path for an ODBC model, RSView names the backup log files as described on page 13-2.

Creating data log modelsTo set up a data log model, in the Data Log Models editor specify:

which log file format to use.

where to store data log files (primary or secondary paths).

when to create and delete log files.

which actions will trigger logging.

which tag values will be logged.

To open the Data Log Models editor

1. In RSView Studio™, in the Explorer window, open the Data Log folder, and then double-click the Data Log Models icon.

You can also right-click the editor’s icon, and then click New, or drag the icon from the Explorer to the workspace.

Set up general aspects of the model.

Specify the paths to which the data is logged.

Specify when log files will be created and deleted.

Specify how and when logging should occur.

Specify the tags for which you want to log data.

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Specifying the storage formatIn the Setup tab of the Data Log Models editor you provide a log file identifier string, which becomes part of the file name for the data log files, and select a storage format. You can also type a description of the model. This is for information only.

When you select File Set as the storage format and you plan to log string tags, specify the number of characters to be logged.

When you select ODBC database as the storage format, type the path and file name of the ODBC data source, and specify the ODBC tables that will be used, or create new tables.

To create tables for a new data source, click Create Tables. If RSView cannot create the tables automatically, you will have to open the database using its editing tool, and create the tables manually.

To select an existing table from the specified database, click the Browse button and then select a table in the Select ODBC Table dialog box. To view the order, type, length, and precision of the fields in the table, click the table to select it and then click Details.

For more information see, “Working with ODBC data sources” on page 13-7.

Setting up log pathsSet up logging paths in the Paths tab of the Data Log Models editor.

If the storage format is file sets, specify the primary path, and an optional secondary file path in case the primary path becomes unavailable.

If the storage format is ODBC, you can specify a backup file path for the ODBC database.

To prevent loss of data, you can set up a secondary or backup logging path. If the disk space for the primary path is full, data logging switches to the secondary path, if set up, until space becomes available on the primary path.

If you do not do this, when the primary path runs out of disk space, data logging stops and no more log files are created.

For details see Help.

Setting up and managing data log filesIn the File Management tab of the Data Log Models editor, you specify when to start new files and when to delete old files. If the data log model uses the ODBC format, data is added continually to the same database, and this section does not apply. If the data log model uses file sets, RSView logs the data to sets of files.

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You can set up an application to create new file sets:

periodically.

at specified times.

when a particular event occurs.

You can also select Never, in which case all data is logged to one file set. Log files are saved in the folder you specify on the Paths tab.

Deleting file sets and ODBC database recordsIf a data log model uses file sets, you can set up file management to delete file sets after a specified period or once a specified number of file sets has been created. If you never want file sets deleted, clear the check boxes under Delete Oldest Files.

Data log file sets are deleted only when a new file set is created. If the application creates a new file set each day and deletes the oldest file set every third day, there will be file sets for the three previous days’ data, as well as a file set for the current day.

If a data log model uses the ODBC database format, you can purge old records from the database using standard relational database tools or SQL queries. You can also set up RSView to delete (purge) records in the ODBC database after a specified time.

For more information, see Help.

Specifying when to log dataIn the Log Triggers tab of the Data Log Models editor, you specify what will trigger data to be logged and when or how frequently this will occur. You can set up logging so tag values are logged:

periodically (periodic logging).

only when a tag’s value changes (on-change logging).

when a particular event occurs and triggers the DataLogSnapshot command (on-demand logging). For for more information about the DataLogSnapshot command, see page 13-11.

You can also combine types of logging. For more information, see “Combining logging” on page 13-11.

Choosing the data to be loggedIn the Tags in Model tab of the Data Log Models editor, you specify which tags will be scanned for data for the data log model. Log models can contain up to 10,000 tags.

For more information, see Help.

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Editing a data log modelYou can edit a model during development or run time, using either RSView Studio or the RSView Administration Console™.

If you change a model at run time, the changes will not take effect until you stop data logging and then restart it.

Changing log paths using the RSView Administration ConsoleYou can change the log paths after an application has been deployed by using the RSView Administration Console (you don’t need to use RSView Studio). You can change the primary and secondary paths for file sets, and the backup path for ODBC data log models.

You cannot change the ODBC database using the Administration Console.

Working with ODBC data sources

Using an existing ODBC data sourceYou can log data to an existing ODBC data source, but its tables must contain fields that are formatted for the RSView data log.

There are two ways to prepare tables for data logging to an existing database:

Set up the RSView data log fields in the existing ODBC tables before setting up a data log model.

Create new tables automatically or manually in the existing database using the Data Log Models dialog box.

To use the tables in an existing ODBC data source1. Add fields for the data log data to the tables in the ODBC database.

The section “Data log tables” on page C-4 describes the order and type of fields needed to log data to an ODBC database. Edit the tables as described in the documentation for the ODBC database you are using.

2. Set up a data log model, as described in Help. Specify the existing ODBC database as the ODBC Data Source, and then specify the tables you edited.

If a tag that you delete from a data log model is used in a trend object, be sure to remove all references to the deleted tag from the trend.

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To create new tables in an existing ODBC data source1. Specify the name of the existing ODBC data source in the ODBC Data Source field

of the Data Log Models editor. For more information, see Help.

2. Click Create Tables. RSView automatically creates new data log tables in the existing database. You can also create tables manually.

3. Set up the rest of the data log model, as described in Help.

Creating a new ODBC data sourceTo create a new ODBC data source, use the ODBC Data Source Administrator in Control Panel. For details about using the ODBC Data Source Administrator, click Help in the ODBC Data Source Administrator window. You can create the tables for the new data source using either method described previously.

Switching log paths at run timeRSView lets you specify a secondary or backup path to use if the primary path for file sets or the ODBC database becomes unavailable. This could happen because of network failures, or because of lack of disk space on the computer where the data is being logged.

If the primary data log location becomes unavailable, RSView begins to store the data in a buffer. The buffer can hold up to 64 Kb of data. If the primary location is still unavailable when the buffer fills, or when the maximum amount of time to buffer data has elapsed, RSView switches to the secondary path.

RSView checks periodically to determine whether the primary file path has become available again. If it has become available, RSView switches back automatically.

RSView also checks the status of the primary path if the secondary path becomes unavailable, and will switch back if possible. If both paths are unavailable, RSView buffers the data. If the buffer fills and both paths are still unavailable, RSView empties the buffer (the data in the buffer is lost) and begins storing new data in the buffer. RSView continues checking both paths until one becomes available.

If the data log file is locked, data is buffered for the time specified for Maximum time to buffer data in the Advanced Configuration dialog box, and then a new set of files is created on the primary path. If the secondary path is not set up, the data is buffered for 10 minutes (the default value for maximum time). If the maximum time is set to 0, a new file is started immediately.

If the model is logging to the secondary path and the file is locked, the behavior is the same: the data is buffered, and then a new file is created when the specified time period has elapsed.

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You can also switch back to the primary path or ODBC database manually, using the DataLogSwitchBack command or the DataLogMergeToPrimary command (see below for details). You cannot switch manually from the primary path or ODBC database to the secondary or backup path.

For models that use the file set format, RSView creates a new file set each time the logging path changes.

Using the DataLogSwitchBack commandYou can switch back to the primary path manually, using the DataLogSwitchBack command with either of these parameters:

DataLogSwitchBack <component> (where <component> is a data log model name) switches logging for the specified data log model.

DataLogSwitchBack * switches logging for all data log models that are currently running.

You can use the DataLogSwitchBack command anywhere you can enter an RSView command or macro.

The switchback is performed only if the model is running, RSView is logging data to the secondary or backup path, and the primary path or ODBC database is available. For file sets, RSView creates a new set of files when it switches back to the primary path.

To enable operators to issue the DataLogSwitchBack command at run time, you could create a button object and use the command as the press action.

Using the DataLogMergeToPrimary commandWhen you begin writing to, or reading from a data log model, RSView sends a message to the FactoryTalk® Diagnostics™ log if there are files on the secondary or backup path.

You must move data manually from the secondary or backup path to the primary path or ODBC database, using the DataLogMergeToPrimary command with either of these parameters:

DataLogMergeToPrimary <component> (where <component> is a data log model name) moves data for the specified data log model, whether or not the model is running.

DataLogMergeToPrimary * moves data for all data log models whether or not they are running.

In order to prevent an adverse effect on performance, data is not moved from the secondary or backup path when you switch back to the primary path or ODBC database. You must move it manually using the DataLogMergeToPrimary command.

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You can use the DataLogMergeToPrimary command anywhere you can type an RSView command or macro.

If a model is running when you issue the command, RSView also performs a switchback to the primary path or ODBC database for the specified model or all running models. If a model uses file sets, RSView moves all files on the secondary path (including the current file set) to the primary path, begins a new file set on the primary path, and then continues logging to the new file set. If a model uses the ODBC format, RSView merges the data in the ODBC backup files into the ODBC database, and then continues logging to the ODBC database.

To restore the secondary or backup data, enable operators to issue the DataLogMergeToPrimary command at run time. For example, you could create a button object and use the command as the press action.

Using the DataLogNewFile commandYou can create new ODBC backup files and new file sets using the DataLogNewFile command with these parameters:

DataLogNewFile <component> (where <component> is a data log model name) creates a new file set for the specified data log model.

DataLogNewFile * creates a new file set for all data log models that are currently running.

You can use the DataLogNewFile command anywhere you can type an RSView command or macro.

If a data log model uses the ODBC format, the command creates a new set of backup files if RSView is logging to the backup path when you issues this command. If RSView is logging to the ODBC database, RSView logs an End Snapshot and then a Begin Snapshot when you issue this command.

If a data log model uses file sets, DataLogNewFile starts a new file set regardless of when new files have been set up to start for the data log model. The new file set is created in the same location that RSView is currently logging to.

DataLogNewFile records two snapshots of data: an End Record in the old file, and a Begin Record in the new file. It is not necessary to use the DataLogSnapshot command in this case.

To enable operators to issue the DataLogNewFile command at run time, you could create a button object and use the command as the press action.

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Using the DataLogSnapshot commandYou can record tag values using the DataLogSnapshot command with these parameters:

DataLogSnapshot <component> (where <component> is a data log model name) records tag values for all tags in the specified model at the instant the command is executed.

DataLogSnapshot * records tag values for all tags in all running models at the instant the command is executed.

You can use the DataLogSnapshot command anywhere you can issue an RSView command or macro. For example, enter the command as the action for an event.

Operators can also use this command at run time. For details, see “Providing a way to log on demand” on page 13-12.

Example: Creating an event for on-demand loggingTo create an event that will trigger logging when an alarm occurs:

1. Click the On Demand log trigger.

2. Open the Event editor. Create an expression such as:

If alm_in_alarm(motor_fault) and new_batch_started then 1 else 0

3. In the Event editor’s Action field, type DataLogSnapshot <component> where ‘component’ is the name of the data log model.

When the tag called motor_fault goes into alarm, and the tag called new_batch_started is 1, the DataLogSnapshot <component> command runs. All tags in the model will then be logged (not just the tag in alarm).

Combining loggingYou can combine periodic or on-change logging with on-demand logging. This allows data to be captured at particular times, as well as when a particular event occurs.

To combine logging1. In the Data Log Models editor, click the Periodic or On Change log trigger.

2. Type the DataLogSnapshot command with the <component> or * (asterisk) parameter, anywhere you can use a macro or command.

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Providing a way to log on demandTo enable operators to take a snapshot of data at run time, provide them with a way to issue the DataLogSnapshot command:

Create a button object that uses the command as the press action—operators can then press the button to take a data log snapshot.

Create a display key or client key that uses the command as the press action—operators can then press a key to take a data log snapshot.

Setting up security to log data to a remote computerIf you are logging data to an ODBC database that is not located on the same computer as the HMI server, you must change certain DCOM security settings.

To change the settings for the data log program files and read server in Windows XP and Windows Server 20031. On the computer on which you want to run data logging, click the Windows Start

button, and then click Run.


3. In the tree view (left-hand side) of the Component Services window, double-click the Component Services icon, double-click the Computers folder, double-click the My Computer icon, and then double-click the DCOM Config folder.


5. In the list of DCOM Config applications on the right-hand side of the Component Services window, locate DatalogServ.

6. Right-click DatalogServ and then click Properties on the context menu.

7. In the DatalogServ Properties dialog box, click the Identity tab.



9. In the list of DCOM Config applications, locate Rockwell Datalog Read Server.


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10. Right-click Rockwell Datalog Read Server and then click Properties on the context menu.

11. In the Rockwell Datalog Read Server Properties dialog box, click the Identity tab.

12. Repeat step 8, above.

13. Restart the computer.

To change the settings for the data log program files and read server in Windows 20001. On the computer on which you want to run a data logging, click the Windows Start

button, and then click Run.




5. In the Applications list, click DatalogServ, and then click Properties.

6. In the DatalogServ Properties dialog box, click the Identity tab.



8. In the Applications list, click Rockwell Datalog Read Server, and then click Properties.

9. In the Datalog Read Server Properties dialog box, click the Identity tab.

10. Repeat step 7, above.

11. Restart the computer.

Making runtime changes without editing the data log modelAt run time you can change the following data log parameters without editing the data log model:

the log rate for periodic logging, using the DataLogChangeRate command.


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the log file identifier string, using the DataLogRenameFile command.

Use these commands anywhere you can enter an RSView command or macro. For example, in RSView Studio, or the RSView Administration Console, type the command directly at the command line.

These changes take effect immediately, but only apply to the current logging session. When you stop and restart logging, RSView uses the logging rate and log file identifier specified in the data log model.

For details about the DataLogChangeRate and DataLogRenameFile commands, see Help.

Starting and stopping data loggingUse RSView commands and macros in conjunction with graphic objects to start and stop data logging. In the descriptions below, <component> represents the name of the data log model.

For details about RSView commands and command syntax, see Help.

Ways to start data loggingTo start data logging, use one of these methods:

In the HMI Server Properties dialog box, click the Components tab, select the Data Logging check box, and then specify a data log model. The data log model will run the next time the HMI server runs, or when the HMI server’s components are started manually.

In the Macros editor, create a macro that contains the command, DataLogOn <component>. In the HMI Server Properties dialog box, click the Components tab, select the Macro check box, and then specify the macro. The specified data log model will run when the HMI server runs.

To start more than one data log model, specify multiple DataLogOn <component> commands in the macro.

In the Graphics editor, open the Display Settings dialog box, and then click the Behavior tab. In the Startup box, type DataLogOn <component>.

In the Graphics editor, create a button object and then specify DataLogOn <component> as the button’s press action. When the button is pressed, the command runs.

In the Graphics editor, create a graphic object and define Touch animation for it by typing DataLogOn <component> in the Action box. When the object is touched, data logging starts for the specified model.

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In the Events editor, type the DataLogOn <component> command in the Action box for an event.

At the command line in RSView Studio, or the RSView Administration Console, type DataLogOn <component> and then press Enter.

Ways to stop data loggingYou can manually stop all the components that are running on the HMI server, including data log models, event components, derived tag components, and alarm monitoring.

For details about stopping running components:

in distributed applications, see page 27-9.

in stand-alone applications, see page 28-4.

To stop data logging, use one of these methods:

Use the DataLogOff <component> command (where <component> is the name of the data log model) to stop a single model. To stop all data log models, use the DataLogOff * command.

In the Graphics editor, create a button object, and then specify DataLogOff <component> or DataLogOff * as the button’s press action. When the button is pressed, the command runs.

In the Graphics editor, create a graphic object, and attach touch animation to it. In the Action box, type DataLogOff <component> or DataLogOff *. When the object is touched, the command runs.

In the Events editor, specify DataLogOff <component> or DataLogOff * as the action for an event.

At the command line in RSView Studio, or the RSView Administration Console, type DataLogOff <component> or type DataLogOff * and then press Enter.

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14 Using eventsThis chapter describes:

what events are.

setting up events.

using the Events editor.

creating an events component.

what the maximum update rate is.

starting and stopping event processing.

About eventsEvents are expressions that trigger actions. Expressions are equations containing tag values, mathematical operations, if–then–else logic, and other built-in RSView® functions. For information about using expressions, see Chapter 20, Creating expressions.

Actions are RSView commands, symbols, or macros. An action could, for example, initiate a snapshot of tag values using the DataLogSnapshot command, or change a tag value using the Set command.

An events component is a file that contains the definitions of one or more events. An events component can be run when an HMI server starts, or it can be run using the EventOn command, after the HMI server has started.

Setting up eventsThese are the tasks involved in setting up events for an application:

1. Create the events in the Events editor.

2. Set the maximum update rate for the events component in the Events Setup dialog box.

3. Save the events component and give it a name. The file extension .eds is added by the system.

Events are detected at RSView SE Servers only. Commands that are executed only at the RSView SE Client are ignored when issued by an event expression. For information about where commands run, see page A-4.

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Using the Events editor

To open the Events editor

1. In RSView Studio™, in the Explorer window, open the Logic and Control folder.

2. Right-click the Events icon and then click New, or drag the icon from the Explorer to the workspace.

Using the Check Syntax buttonAfter you create an expression for an event, use the Check Syntax button to verify that the syntax is correct. You can check the syntax of an expression at any time while the Events editor is open.

If the syntax is invalid, an error appears next to the Check Syntax button.

The syntax of the expression is also checked automatically when you click Accept or Discard.

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Using the Accept and Discard buttonsWhen you enter information in the editor, the Prev and Next buttons change to Accept and Discard. Click Accept to save information. Click Discard to discard changes to the information.

Creating an events componentAn event consists of two parts: an expression and an action. When a component in the expression changes, the expression is evaluated. If the expression’s true state changes from false on the previous evaluation, to true on the current evaluation, the action is triggered.

To create an events component1. In Action box in the Events editor, specify the command, macro or symbol that will

run when the event expression evaluates to true.

2. In the Expression box, create an expression that will determine the conditions that will trigger the action. For information about expressions, see Chapter 20, Creating expressions.

3. Click Accept.

4. Click Next to create another event if the events component is to contain more than one event.

5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 until all events for the particular component are defined.

6. Select Event Setup from the Setup menu.

7. In the Event Setup dialog box type a description of the component and specify a maximum update rate, and then click OK.

8. In the Events editor, click Close.

9. Specify the name of the events component and then click OK.

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Using multiple events componentsYou can create multiple events components, for example, to group events that need to be evaluated at different rates. Each HMI server in an distributed application can run up to 20 event components, with up to 1,000 tags in each component.

Editing eventsYou can edit events during development or when you run the application. If you change the event component while running the application, the changes don’t take effect until the component is stopped and then restarted.

About the maximum update rateThe maximum update rate is the fastest rate at which event expressions in the event component can be evaluated. It also determines the fastest rate at which data servers can send changes in tag values. When setting the maximum update rate, remember to:

set the update rate separately for each event component.

set the update rate as fast as, or faster than, the rate at which the values of tags used in the expressions change, unless it is desirable to miss changes in tag values.

Starting and stopping event processingThere are many ways to start and stop event processing. Choose the way that works best for the application. For information about RSView command syntax, see Appendix A, RSView commands, or see Help.

Ways to start event processingTo start event processing, use any of these methods:

In the HMI Server Properties dialog box, click the Components tab, select the Events check box, and then select an event component. The event component will start the next time the HMI server runs, or when the HMI server’s components are started manually.

In the Macros editor, create a macro that contains the command, EventOn <component>. In the HMI Server Properties dialog box, click the Components tab, select the Macro check box, and then specify the macro. Event detection will start when the HMI server runs.

Do not create events that depend on other events. Events are not processed sequentially.

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In the Graphics editor, create a button object and then specify the EventOn <component> command as the button’s press action. When the button is pressed, event detection starts.

In the Graphics editor, create a graphic object and then attach touch animation using the EventOn <component> command as the action. When the object is touched, event detection starts.

At the command line in RSView Studio, or in the RSView Administration Console™, type EventOn <component>, and then press Enter.

For the Login Macro in the RSView User Accounts editor, specify the EventOn <component> command, or a macro that contains the command.

For the Startup command in the Display Settings Behavior tab, specify the EventOn <component> command, or a macro that contains the command.

Ways to stop event processingTo stop all the components that are running on the HMI server, including event components, stop the components running on the HMI server manually.

For details about stopping an HMI server’s components manually in distributed applications, see page 27-9 and in stand-alone applications, see page 28-4.

To stop a single event component, use any of these methods:

In the Macros editor, create a macro that contains the command, EventOff <component>. In the HMI Server Properties dialog box, click the Components tab, select the On shutdown macro check box, and then specify the macro. Event processing will stop when the HMI server shuts down.

In the Graphics editor, create a button object and then specify the EventOff <component> command as the button’s press action. When the button is pressed, event detection stops.

In the Graphics editor, create a graphic object and then attach touch animation using the EventOff <component> command as the action. When the object is touched, event detection stops.

At the command line in RSView Studio, or the RSView Administration Console, type EventOff <component>, and then press Enter.

For the Logout Macro in the RSView User Accounts editor, specify the EventOff <component> command, or a macro that contains the command.

For the Shutdown command in the Display Settings Behavior tab, specify the EventOff <component> command, or a macro that contains the command.

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15 Setting up securityThis chapter describes:

how security works.

the steps involved in setting up security.

planning security for an application.

setting up basic elements of the security system.

setting up RSAssetSecurity™ user accounts.

setting up computer accounts for a distributed application.

setting up access to resources secured at FactoryTalk® Directory.

understanding inherited permissions.

setting up access to HMI project components in RSView®.

adding users to RSView and assigning security codes to them.

assigning security codes to RSView commands and macros.

assigning security codes to graphic displays.

assigning security codes to OLE object verbs.

assigning security codes to HMI tags.

using the signature button to secure HMI project components.

logging on and off the RSView SE client.

locking users into the RSView SE client environment.

How security worksFor RSView and other FactoryTalk-enabled applications, FactoryTalk Directory stores information about which users are allowed to access the parts of a control system. For distributed applications, this includes information about the computers from which users are allowed access.

FactoryTalk Directory uses this information to provide two basic security services:

User authentication verifies the user’s identity, and whether a request for service actually originated with that user.

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User authorization verifies the user’s request to access a software resource, based on the access rights and privileges defined for that user.

For example, when a distributed application user logs on to RSView Studio, the security system verifies the user’s identity first. If authentication succeeds, the security system checks permissions assigned to the user, in order to authorize actions performed on secured parts of the application. The system also checks whether the user is allowed to perform the actions on the current computer.

System resources secured at FactoryTalk DirectoryRSAssetSecurity manages security for FactoryTalk Directory resources, including the FactoryTalk Directory itself, the application, the areas (and their contents) within the application, and participating users, computers and devices.

In RSView Studio, you can specify the levels of access that users, or groups of users, have to each of these resources when they develop and run applications. You do this by allowing or denying permission to perform certain actions on a resource. For more information about setting up these permissions, see page 15-12.

For a distributed application, you can also specify which computers, or groups of computers, have access to system resources in conjunction with users.

RSAssetSecurity also manages system-wide security policies, such as whether or how often users must change their passwords. You can use RSView Studio to set up these policies, as well. For more information, see page 15-7.

HMI project components secured in RSViewRSView manages run-time security for HMI project components, including RSView commands and macros, graphic displays, OLE objects, and HMI tags.

In RSView Studio, you can specify the levels of access that users, or groups of users, have to each of these components at run time. You do this by adding users to the RSView user accounts list, assigning security codes to those users, and assigning security codes to the components you want to secure.

Only users assigned the specified security code can issue secured commands, open a secured graphic display, or write to secured HMI tags. For more information about setting up security for HMI project components, see page 15-23 to page 15-29.

About FactoryTalk Local and Network DirectoryFactoryTalk Directory is software that allows the parts of an application to find each other on a computer, or on the network. FactoryTalk-enabled applications like RSView use one of two types of FactoryTalk Directory:

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FactoryTalk Local Directory manages applications that are confined to a single computer, for example, RSView Supervisory Edition stand-alone applications.

FactoryTalk Network Directory manages applications that can consist of multiple clients and servers on separate computers, connected over a network, for example, RSView Supervisory Edition distributed applications.

You set up the directory (or directories) you need, during RSView Supervisory Edition installation. For details, see the RSView Supervisory Edition Installation Guide.

In RSView Studio, when you create or open a stand-alone or a distributed application, an icon representing the Local or Network Directory and the name of its host computer appears at the top of the Explorer window, as shown in the following illustrations.

Security settings are stored separately for FactoryTalk Local and Network Directory, even if both are set up on the same computer. For example, to allow one user access to a stand-alone and a distributed application on the same computer, you must create an account and set up access permissions for that user at both the Local and the Network Directory.

For more information about FactoryTalk Directory, see Chapter 4, Setting up FactoryTalk Directory.

Licensing restrictions apply to security for FactoryTalk-enabled applications that use FactoryTalk Network Directory, for example, RSView Supervisory Edition distributed applications. For information about security activation, see the RSAssetSecurity Quick Start and Installation Guide on the RSAssetSecurity Network CD.

Local directory(host computer)

Network directory(host computer)

Application


and editorsHMI project

components,and editors

ApplicationArea

Areas

Security policies,computer and

user accounts,and devices

Security policies,user accounts,

and devices

HMI serverHMI server

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Summary of steps for setting up securityThe basic tasks involved in setting up security for an RSView application fall into these categories:

Plan security for the application.

Set up basic elements of the security system.

Set up user and computer accounts.

Set up access to application resources secured at the FactoryTalk Directory.

Add users to the RSView user accounts list.

Set up access to HMI project components secured in RSView.

This chapter introduces some of the concepts and tasks associated with these categories, to assist you with setting up security for RSView applications.

For details about RSAssetSecurity, and for information about additional features that might be useful to the control system you are developing, see the RSAssetSecurity Help.

To find additional information about RSAssetSecurity1. From the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, FactoryTalk

Tools, and then click FactoryTalk Help.

2. In the Contents tab, open the book Log on and configure security.

Under Configure security, you will find detailed information and instructions about setting up security for FactoryTalk-enabled applications. You can also gain access to RSAssetSecurity Help by clicking the Help button in dialog boxes used to set up security.

Planning security for an applicationAs part of designing a complete control system, consider which parts of the application you want to secure, and to what extent. Before you begin setting up security, consider:

the roles that participating users, groups of users, software, computers, and network devices are to play in the application.

the types of user groups for which you want to set up accounts. For example, you might create groups for the Operators, Supervisors, and Managers that need access to the application.

Setting up group accounts is recommended to simplify the management of multiple users with the similar needs. You can create the required groups first, and set up permissions for them, and then add users to the appropriate groups, as needed.

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the levels of access you want to allow different user groups to the FactoryTalk Directory, the application, and areas within the application.

whether some user groups should have access to resources only from specific computers, or groups of computers.

which HMI project components you want to secure, including RSView commands, macros, graphic displays, OLE objects, and HMI tags.

which groups of users, or individual users, should be able to set up security for the application. For example, who is allowed to create or modify user accounts, or set up system-wide security policies.

which system-wide security policies are appropriate for the control system. For example, you might require users to change their passwords periodically, or log on every time they start RSView Studio or an RSView SE client.

Setting up basic elements of the security systemTo set up security for an RSView application, you must log on as a user with administrative privileges to the FactoryTalk Directory server.

For initial access, use the accounts you set up in the FactoryTalk Directory Configuration Wizard, when installing RSView Supervisory Edition. If you are setting up security for:

an RSView stand-alone application, you must log on using the administrative account created for FactoryTalk Local Directory

an RSView distributed application, you must log on using the administrative account created for FactoryTalk Network Directory.

An administrative account has full access, and is allowed to create users and groups, assign permissions, and set up system policies for an application.

Logging on to FactoryTalk DirectoryTo log on to the FactoryTalk Directory, use one of these methods:

Start an RSView software component, such as RSView Studio.

For example, if RSView Studio is the first FactoryTalk-enabled component you run after installing RSView Supervisory Edition, or after restarting the computer, you are prompted to log on before you can create or open an application.

Use the Log On to FactoryTalk utility.

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To open the Log On to FactoryTalk utility1. On the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, FactoryTalk Tools,

and then click Log On to FactoryTalk.

You can use the Log On to FactoryTalk utility at any time, to change or to log off the user logged on to the FactoryTalk Directory. For information about using the utility, see RSAssetSecurity Help.

About single sign-onSingle sign-on allows one user to access multiple products in a FactoryTalk-enabled system, without having to log on separately to each product.

If single sign-on is turned on, once an initial user logs on to FactoryTalk Directory, that user’s credentials are checked first when any other FactoryTalk-enabled product is started. As long as RSAssetSecurity services authorize the single sign-on user, there will be no further prompts to log on in the current Windows session.

To confirm whether a user is logged on to FactoryTalk, check the Logon Information displayed in the Log on to FactoryTalk utility (as illustrated above).

Single sign-on is set up as a system security policy and is turned on by default. For information about setting up system-wide policies, see RSAssetSecurity Help.


Log on to FactoryTalk Network or Local directory.If single sign-on is turned on, the current user is also the single sign-on user.

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Logging on and off RSViewYou can also log off or change the user logged on to RSView Studio, the RSView SE client, or the RSView Administration Console:

In RSView Studio or the RSView Administration Console, on the File menu, you can click Log Off <current user name> to log off the current user. After the current user is logged off, on the File menu, click Log On to log on another user.

In the RSView SE client, you can use the Login and Logout commands to change the client user. For more information, see “Logging on and off the RSView SE client” on page 15-30.

Changing the user logged on to RSView Studio, RSView Administration Console, or the RSView SE client does not change the user logged on to FactoryTalk Directory. To change that user in the current Windows session, you must use the Log On to FactoryTalk utility.

Specifying which users can set up securityOne of the first tasks you should perform when setting up security is to ensure that only a group of authorized, trusted users is able to change security settings in the FactoryTalk Directory.

You can do this by allowing only members of the Administrators group permission to perform the Configure Security action on the FactoryTalk Directory.

The Administrators group is created automatically, during the FactoryTalk Directory configuration portion of RSView Supervisory Edition installation. To give individual users administrative permissions, add them to the Administrators group.

For information about setting up permissions for users, see page 15-12. For information about adding individual users to a group, see RSAssetSecurity Help.

Setting up system-wide policiesPolicies are security and audit specifications stored at FactoryTalk Directory. They apply to any FactoryTalk-enabled product that a Local or Network Directory manages. You can set up the following policies:

User rights assignment settings determine which users can backup and restore FactoryTalk Directory contents.

Audit settings determine what security information is recorded while the system is in use, for example, whether to log an audit message to FactoryTalk Diagnostics when a user attempts an action, and is allowed or denied access.

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Security settings determine general features of user accounts and passwords, and whether single sign-on is in use.

In RSView Studio, set up these policies in the System Policies sub folder of the System folder. The following illustration shows where to find this folder in the Explorer window.

To set up system policies1. In the System Policies folder, right-click the icon representing the policy to set up, and

then click Properties.

For details about options in each of the Properties dialog boxes, click the Help button.

Setting up RSAssetSecurity user accountsEvery user and group of users requiring access to any part of an RSView distributed or stand-alone application must have an RSAssetSecurity account set up at the FactoryTalk Directory that manages the application.

In RSView Studio, you can create user or user group accounts that:

originate at the FactoryTalk Directory.

refer to existing Windows users and groups. These are called Windows-linked user accounts.

You can modify the properties of the accounts you create. You can also delete, disable or reactivate them. For details, see RSAssetSecurity Help.

User accounts are stored at FactoryTalk Directory. This means the accounts you create for an RSView application are available to any FactoryTalk-enabled product the directory manages.

FactoryTalk Local Directory and FactoryTalk Network Directory store user accounts separately, even the directories are set up on one computer. If you want to gain access to a stand-alone and a distributed application on the computer, you must have accounts at both the Local and the Network Directory.

Set up system-wide user rights, audit, and security policies.

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Using accounts that originate at FactoryTalk DirectoryWhen a user that originates at FactoryTalk Directory attempts to access system resources, FactoryTalk Directory determines whether the user’s name and password are valid, and whether the account is active or locked out.

Use this type of user or group account when you want to centralize security administration without relying on a Windows domain, or when the security needs of the Windows network differ from those of the control network. For example, you might consider accounts originating at FactoryTalk Directory when:

using a Windows workgroup, instead of a Windows domain.

all operators share the same Windows account to gain access to a computer.

the computer is always logged on, under a particular Windows account. In this case, separate accounts allow different operators to gain different levels of access to the control system, independent of their access to Windows.

the computer automatically logs on to the Windows network after restarting, so that it can run control programs automatically.

For more information, see RSAssetSecurity Help.

Using Windows-linked accountsWhen a Windows-linked user attempts to access system resources, FactoryTalk Directory relies on Windows to determine whether the user’s name and password are valid, and whether the account is active or locked out.

Use this type of user or group account when the security needs of the Windows network match those of the control system. For example, you might consider Windows-linked accounts when:

the control system is located in its own domain, perhaps separate from business systems, and user accounts and passwords can be shared between Windows and FactoryTalk-enabled software programs.

operators can log on and off computers with their own Windows accounts, and the software programs they use start automatically.

For more information, see RSAssetSecurity Help.

Using both types of user accountIf you decide to use both types of RSAssetSecurity user account in an application, remember that Windows-linked accounts only refer to accounts that already exist at the Windows domain. This means that you cannot:

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convert an original FactoryTalk Directory account to a Windows-linked account.

add an original FactoryTalk Directory account to a Windows-linked user group.

add a Windows-linked user group to an original FactoryTalk Directory group.

However, you can add individual Windows-linked users to such a group. This allows you to include Windows-linked users when setting permissions by group.

Setting up accounts for groups of usersWhichever type of RSAssetSecurity account you decide to use, when setting up security for an RSView application, it is recommended that you create group accounts and set up access permissions for them first.

Using group accounts makes it easier to assign and manage permissions for multiple users with similar security needs. Rather than assigning permissions to each user in the system, you can create accounts for new users, and then add the users to the appropriate groups.

Later, if you want to change an individual user’s permissions, you can move the user’s account to a different group. You can also change permissions for several individual users at once, by modifying the group to which the users belong.

For more information about adding users to groups, or changing group account permissions, see RSAssetSecurity Help.

Creating user accountsIn RSView Studio, create user accounts in the Users and Groups sub folder of the System folder. The following illustration shows where to find this folder in the Explorer window:

Right-click the User Groups or Users folder, and then click New, to set up user accounts.

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To create a new user group1. In the Users and Groups folder, right-click the User Groups folder, point to New, and

then click User Group.

For details about options in the New User Group dialog box, click the Help button.

To create a new user1. In the Users and Groups folder, right-click the Users folder, point to New, and then

click User.

For details about options in the New User dialog box, click the Help button.

To create a Windows-linked group1. In the Users and Groups folder, right-click the User Groups folder, point to New, and

then click Windows-Linked User Group.

For details about options in the New Windows-Linked User Group dialog box, click the Help button.

To create a Windows-linked user1. In the Users and Groups folder, right-click the Users folder, point to New, and then

click Windows-Linked User.

For details about options in the New Windows-Linked User dialog box, click the Help button.

Setting up computer accounts for a distributed applicationFor RSView distributed applications, in addition to specifying which users have access to resources in the system, you can specify from which computers their access is allowed.

You do this by creating computer accounts. Then, you can associate users or user groups with a computer, or group of computers, when you set up their permissions.

If you do not want to restrict access further, by associating users with specific computers, use the All Computers account when setting up permissions. This account is created automatically at the FactoryTalk Network Directory.

For more information about:

setting up permissions, see page 15-12.

creating and using computer accounts, see RSAssetSecurity Help.

Windows-linked accounts refer to existing Windows accounts. If you want to create a new Windows user or group, you must do so in Windows. For details, see Windows help.

User groupicon

User icon

Windows-linked user group icon

Windows-linked user icon

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Creating computer accountsIn RSView Studio, for a distributed application, create computer accounts in the Computers and Groups sub folder of the System folder. The following illustration shows where to find this folder, in the Explorer window.

To create a new computer1. In the Computers and Groups folder, right-click the Computers folder, and then click

New Computer.

For details about options in the New Computer dialog box, click the Help button.

To create a new computer group1. In the Computers and Groups folder, right-click the Computer Groups folder, and then

click New Computer Group.

For details about options in the New Computer Group dialog box, click the Help button.

Setting up access to resources secured at FactoryTalk DirectoryRSAssetSecurity manages security for system resources including the FactoryTalk Directory, the application, areas within the application and their contents, and the System folder and its contents.

In RSView Studio, set up user access to these resources by right-clicking their folders or icons in the Explorer window, and then clicking Security.

The Computers and Groups folder does not exist for a stand-alone application. You cannot create computer accounts for applications that are confined to a single computer.

Right-click the Computer Groups or Computers folder, and then click New, to set up computer accounts.

Computer icon

Computer group icon

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The following illustration shows which resources you can secure in this way:

Using the Security Settings dialog boxIn the Security Settings dialog box, add the users or groups of users that are to have access to the resource, and then allow or deny permission to perform the actions that define their level of access.

When setting up permissions for a distributed application, you can associate users and groups of users with specific computers or groups of computers.

This allows you to specify not only who has access to system resources, but from which computers. This option is not available for stand-alone applications. You cannot create computer accounts for applications that are confined to a single computer.

To open the Security Settings dialog box1. In the Explorer window, right-click the folder or icon for the resource to secure, and

then click Security.

The Security Settings dialog box in the following illustration is for a distributed application. The Computers column does not exist in the dialog box, for stand-alone applications.

Set up access to the System folder, or any of its subfolders.

In this way, you can specify which users can set up system policies, or createuser and computer accounts.

Set up access toFactoryTalk Directory.

By default, the application and the System folder inherit permissions set up at the Directory.

Set up access to areas in the application.

HMI servers always inherit permissions set up for the parent area. You cannot set up access to an HMI server separately.

Set up access tothe application.

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For details about options in the Security Settings dialog box, click the Help button.

Specifying actions that users can perform on a resourceTo secure access to a system resource, specify which users or groups of users have permission to perform actions on the resource.

In the above illustration of the Security Settings dialog box, the Operators group has permission to perform the Common actions Read and List Children, on the FactoryTalk Network Directory. This means that members of the group are able to run the RSView SE client. For more information about the Common actions, see the example on page 15-16.

List of user groupswith various levels of access to FactoryTalk Directory

Click to add groups(or individual users)to the list.

Select or clear the Allow check boxes,to set up permissionto perform the actions listed, for the group (or user) selected in the Users list.

Right-click the Network Directory icon and select Security, to set up access to the FactoryTalk Directory. By default, the application and the System folder inherit permissions set up at this level.

Set up permissionsby user or action.

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Selecting the Deny check box for an action denies permission explicitly. This always takes precedence over allowing permission.

For example, if a user belongs to two different groups, and one group is allowed to delete applications but the other group is denied that permission explicitly, then the user will not be allowed to delete applications. For more information about effective permissions, see page 15-20.

You do not have to select the Deny check box, to deny permission to perform an action. If the Allow check box for an action is cleared, you deny permission to perform the action implicitly.

To assign permissions to users1. In the Permissions tab, click the User option for viewing permissions.

You can also set up permissions by action. This means that you select an action, and then specify which users or groups of user can perform the action.

2. Click the Add button, select the user or group of users to add, and then click OK.

The user or group of users you added, should be selected (highlighted) in the Users list, in the Permissions tab.

3. Select the Allow check box beside the actions the selected user or group of users is allowed to perform.

You can also select the Allow check box beside:

All Actions, to select all the actions that apply to this resource.

a category of actions, such as Common, to select all the actions in the category.

4. If desired, select the Deny check box beside actions you want to disallow explicitly.

5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 for each user or group of users you are setting up with permissions.

6. Click OK.

Any users that are not set up with permissions are removed from the list.

For details about assigning permissions, see the RSAssetSecurity Help.

For a distributed application, you must associate the user or group of users with a computer, or group of computers, before you can click OK.

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Example – Using the Common actions to set up security for users in an RSView distributed applicationThe following table shows what RSView Supervisory Edition users can do, if given permission to perform the Common actions Read and List Children, plus one or more of the other Common actions, at the FactoryTalk Network Directory for a distributed application.

The Common action Execute is excluded, as it has no function in RSView Supervisory Edition applications.

Allowed this action Plus this action The user or group of users can

Read List Children open existing applications in RSView Studio, or the RSView Administration Console.

view areas, sub areas, and HMI server and data server names in RSView Studio.

However, this user cannot add areas or servers, nor modify the properties of existing servers. HMI Servers appear in the Explorer window as locked.

run applications in an RSView SE client.

IMPORTANT: Add the Tag action Write Value, to allow this user to write to tags at run time.

Allowing the Common actions Read and List Children provides basic access to the system. To increase the amount of access, allow some or all of the following actions in addition to Read and List Children.

Delete delete applications using the Application Manager.

delete areas, HMI servers, and data servers, in RSView Studio.

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Write modify the properties of FactoryTalk Directory, existing applications, and existing areas.

view HMI server and data server names in RSView Studio.

However, this user cannot add servers, nor modify their properties. HMI servers appear in the Explorer window as locked.

rename applications using the Application Manager.

back up and restore applications.

IMPORTANT: to back up and restore applications, in addition to having permission to perform the Write action, the user must be set up under the User Rights Assignment policy.

For more information, see Chapter 27, Deploying distributed applications and Chapter 28, Deploying stand-alone applications.

Write Create Children create applications, and modify their properties.

add areas, and modify their properties.

add HMI servers, and data servers.

However, this user cannot create HMI project components. HMI servers appear in the Explorer window as locked.

Write Delete, and Create Children

In addition to tasks allowed with Delete, Write, Create Children (see above):

modify the properties of HMI servers and data servers.

create and modify HMI project components.

Configure Security set up security for the FactoryTalk Directory and its contents. This includes the application, areas within the application, and the System folder and its sub folders.

Configure Security Delete, Write, and Create Children

create user accounts at the FactoryTalk Directory.

add users to RSView User Accounts, and assign security codes to them.

use the RSView Secured Commands editor.

Allowed this action Plus this action The user or group of users can

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The next table shows how someone with administrative access might assign the Common actions to four groups of RSView users—Administrators, Engineers, Supervisors, and Operators—to give them appropriate levels of access to a distributed application.

In the example, in addition to the Common actions listed, each group is allowed the Tag action Write Value. This action governs general access to HMI and data server tags.

Set upthis group

With these permissionsat the Network Directory

And then override inherited permissions

To set up this level of access to the distributed application

Administrators Allow Common actions:

Configure Security

Create Children

Delete

List Children

Read

Write

Allow Tag action:

Write Value

No changes.

Retain inherited permissions at all lower-level resources.

Full access.

This includes the ability to create applications, add areas and servers, create HMI project components, set up permissions for all resources the FactoryTalk Directory manages, create new users, add users to RSView User Accounts, and secure HMI project components.

See the previous table in this example, for a complete list of tasks users with full access can perform.

Engineers Allow Common actions:

same as Administrators

Allow Tag action:

Write value

Explicitly deny these Common actions on the Users and Groups folder (in the System folder):

Configure Security

Delete

Create Children

Retain all other inherited permissions.

Same access as Administrators, except members of this group cannot:

set up security for the Users and Groups sub folder of the System folder.

create users at the FactoryTalk Directory.

However, members of this group can add users to RSView User Accounts, assign security codes to them, and use the RSView Secured Commands editor.

Supervisors Allow Common actions:

Read

List Children

Tag action:

Write Value

Explicitly allow these Common actions on the application:

Delete

Write

Create Children

Retain all other inherited permissions.

Run-time access (see Operators group, below), plus, members of this group can:

modify existing applications.

modify HMI server properties.

create HMI project components.

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In the Security Settings dialog box, you might see other categories of actions specific to FactoryTalk-enabled products such as RSLinx. For details about these actions, see the product documentation.

For information about inherited permissions, and overriding inheritance, see page 15-19

Understanding inherited permissionsInheritance means that any security settings you define at the FactoryTalk Directory, extend to all system resources that the directory manages. These resources include the application and areas within the application, plus the System folder and its subfolders.

Inheritance allows you to define basic levels of access for a broad set of users, across a FactoryTalk-enabled system. You can then refine security settings for selected users as necessary, by overriding inherited permissions on lower-level resources.

In an RSView Supervisory Edition application, an HMI server always inherits the permissions assigned to the area in which it resides. You cannot set up access to an HMI server separately.

The chain of inheritance that starts at the FactoryTalk Directory does not extend to a user’s ability to access certain HMI project components at run time. If you want to restrict access to specific RSView commands and macros, graphic displays, OLE objects, or HMI tags, you must secure these components separately, within the RSView application.

Operators Allow Common actions:

Read

List Children

Allow Tag action:

Write Value

No changes.

Retain all inherited permissions at lower-level resources.

Run-time access. Members of this group can only:

load existing applications.

However, members of this group cannot modify HMI server properties, nor view HMI project components. HMI servers appear in the Explorer window as locked.

run applications in the RSView SE client.

write to tags at run time.

IMPORTANT: to restrict access to individual HMI tags, assign security codes to this group in RSView User Accounts.

Set upthis group

With these permissionsat the Network Directory

And then override inherited permissions

To set up this level of access to the distributed application

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For details, see the rest of this chapter, starting with “Adding users to RSView and assigning security codes to them” on page 15-23.

For more information about how inheritance works, see RSAssetSecurity Help.

Breaking the chain of inheritanceYou can override inherited permissions by breaking the chain of inheritance.

To break the chain of inheritance1. In the Security Settings dialog for the resource, select the Do not inherit permissions

check box.

You are prompted to choose one of these options, instead of inheriting permissions:

Copy the inherited permissions and make them explicit for the resource.

Remove all inherited permission from the resource.

Using explicit permissions to override inheritanceYou can also override inheritance by allowing or denying explicit permission to perform actions on selected resources.

For example, in the table on page 15-18, the Supervisors group has permission to perform all Common actions, except for Configure Security, at the FactoryTalk Network Directory.

In the Security Settings dialog box for the application, inherited permissions for the Supervisors group, set up at the FactoryTalk Directory, appear as gray check marks, as shown in the following illustration:

To secure individual HMI tags at run time, assign security codes to them in RSView. To control access to tags in general, including HMI and direct reference tags, allow or deny permission to perform the Tag action Write Value.

Breaking the chain of inheritance applies to the resource, not to the user or group of users selected in the Security Settings dialog box.

If you choose to copy inherited permissions, the change is applied to all listed users that have any inherited permissions. If you choose to remove all inherited permissions, all listed users that have only inherited permissions, are removed from the Security Settings dialog box.

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To extend or further restrict this group’s access at the application level, you might make these explicit changes, to override the inherited permissions:

Select the Allow check box beside the Configure Security action.

Explicitly allowing the Configure Security action on the application means that Supervisors can set up security for the application, add users to RSView User Accounts and assign security codes to them, and secure HMI project components.

Select the Deny check box beside the Delete action.

Explicitly denying the Delete action on the application means that Supervisors are prevented from deleting applications.

The changes are reflected in the Effective Permissions tab, as follows:

When setting up permissions, or overriding inherited permissions, keep these rules of precedence in mind:

Explicit Deny takes precedence over explicit Allow.

Explicit Allow takes precedence over implicit Deny.

When you use explicit permissions (Allow or Deny) to override inheritance on a particular resource, these permissions become the ones that are inherited by lower-level resources.

Gray check marks indicate inherited permission to perform these actions.

Explicit Allow

Explicit Deny

Check mark means Configure Security is allowed.No check mark means Delete is denied.

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Setting up access to HMI project components in RSViewRSView manages run-time security for HMI project components, including RSView commands and macros, graphic displays, OLE objects, and HMI tags.

These are the tasks involved in setting up security for HMI project components:

Add users stored at FactoryTalk Directory to the RSView Users Accounts list, and assign security codes to these users.

Assign security codes to the HMI project components.

The following illustration shows where to perform these tasks, in RSView Studio:

Only users assigned the necessary security code (or codes) can issue secured commands, open secured graphic displays, or write to secured HMI tags, as shown in the following example:

Example – Setting up access to HMI project componentsIn the RSView User Accounts editor, the following groups of users are set up with these security codes:

A Supervisors group is allowed security codes A through P.

An Operators group is allowed security codes B, C, and E.

A Visitors group is allowed security code B.

HMI project components are set up with the following security codes:

In the Security Settings dialog box opened from the RSView User Accounts editor, add user and group accounts stored at the FactoryTalk Directory, and then assign security codes to them.

In the RSView Secured Commands editor, assign security codes to RSView commands and macros.

In the Tags and Graphics editors, assign security codes to HMI tags, graphic displays, and OLE object verbs.

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A graphic display named Overview has security code B.

A graphic display named Boiler has security code C.

The DisplayClientClose command has security code D.

An HMI tag named BoilerTemp has security code E.

This means that members of:

the Supervisors group have full run-time access.

the Operators group can open the Overview and Boiler graphic displays, and can write to the BoilerTemp tag. Members cannot issue the DisplayClientClose command.

the Visitors group can only open the Overview graphic display.

If a user belongs to more than one group, the security codes allowed or denied for each group are combined for that user.

For example, if John Doe is a member of one group that has codes AB, and of another group that has codes CD, then John Doe has all of codes ABCD. Or, if John Doe belongs to one group that has codes ABC, and to another group that denies code B explicitly, then John Doe has codes A and C only.

Adding users to RSView and assigning security codes to themTo set up users or groups of users with run-time access to an application, and to secured HMI project components, you must add the users to the RSView User Accounts list and assign at least one security code to them.

When you add a user or user group to the RSView User Accounts list, you are creating references only, to user and user group accounts stored at the FactoryTalk Directory. For information about creating new user accounts, see “Setting up RSAssetSecurity user accounts” on page 15-8.

The RSView User Accounts list belongs to the application for which the users were added. In a distributed application, all areas share the same RSView User Accounts list. If you are running multiple applications that use the same FactoryTalk Network Directory, you might need to add user accounts to RSView separately, for each application.

To add users and assign security codes to them1. In RSView Studio, on the Settings menu, click RSView User Accounts.

2. In the RSView Users Accounts editor, on the Setup menu, click Add Users/Groups.Add User/Group button.

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You can also click the Add User/Group button on the editor’s toolbar.

3. In the Security Settings dialog box, in the Permissions tab, click the User option for viewing permissions.

You can also set up security codes by action. This means that you select a security code, and then specify which users or groups of users have that code.

4. Click the Add button, select the user or group of users to add, and then click OK.

The user or group of users you added, should be selected (highlighted) in the Users list, in the Permissions tab.

5. Select the Allow check box beside the security codes the selected user or group of users is to have.

To select all security codes, select the Allow check box beside All Actions, or beside the Security Codes heading.

For a distributed application, you must associate the user or group of users with a computer, or group of computers, before you can click OK.

List of user groupswith levels of accessto securable HMI project components.

Click to add groups(or individual users)to the list.

Select or clear the Allow check boxes,to assign security codes to the group (or user) selected in the Users list.

Set up security codes by user or action.

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6. If desired, select the Deny check box beside security codes you want to deny explicitly.

7. Repeat steps 4 to 6, for each user or group of users to set up with security codes.

8. Click OK.

Any users that are not set up with security codes are removed from the list.

Specifying login and logout macrosYou can assign a login and logout macro to any user or group of users listed in the RSView User Accounts editor.

Any macro component, containing any RSView command, can be a login or logout macro. For example, a login macro might contain a command to bring up a specific graphic display in an area of the plant. A logout macro might contain commands to redefine sensitive keys.

In a distributed application, for a login or logout macro to run, it must be issued from the area in which it is located. For example, if you specify a login macro located in the Bottling area, when the user logs on to the RSView SE client, the macro will run only if the Bottling area is the client’s home area.

For more information about logging on and off at run time, see page 15-30. For more information about macros, see Chapter 22, Creating macros.

An explicit Deny takes always takes precedence over an explicit Allow. If a user belongs to one group that allows codes ABC, and to another group that denies code B explicitly, then John Doe is only allowed A and C.

Type a login and logout macro for this account.

To view security codes for listed accounts, open the Security Settings dialog box.Square brackets [ ] indicate a user group.

Or, click the buttons to browse for a macros.

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To assign a login or logout macro to a user account1. In the RSView User Accounts editor, click the name of the user or group of users to be

assigned a login or logout macro.

2. Type the name of a macro in the Login Macro and Logout Macro boxes. You can also click the browse buttons, to find and select a macro in the Command Wizard.

If the macro’s name contains spaces, it must be enclosed in quotes.

3. Click Accept.

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each user to be assigned a login or logout macro, and then click Close.

Removing users or groups from RSViewIf you remove a user or group of users from the RSView User Accounts list, you do not delete the corresponding user or group account stored at the FactoryTalk Directory.

If you delete a user or group from FactoryTalk Directory, and the account exists on the RSView list, you can remove it manually from the RSView User Accounts editor. Otherwise, it will be removed automatically, the next time you save changes in the editor.

To remove accounts from the RSView users list1. In the RSView User Accounts editor, on the Setup menu, click Add Users/Groups.

You can also click the Add User/Group button on the toolbar.

2. In the Security Settings dialog box, select the user or group to remove, and then click the Remove button.

Assigning security codes to RSView commands and macrosIn the RSView Secured Commands editor, create a list of the commands and macros to be secured, and then assign a security code to each.

Only users or groups assigned the same security code as a particular command or macro, will be able to issue the command or macro at run time.

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To assign security to commands and macros1. In RSView Studio, on the Settings menu, click RSView Secured Commands.

2. Type or select the command or macro to secure, provide a description, select a security code from the list, and then click Accept.

For details about options in the RSView Secured Commands editor, click Help.

About the Unspecified_CommandIn the RSView Secured Commands editor, the first record in the Commands list is called Unspecified_Command. Any commands or macros that are not listed as secured commands use the security code selected for the Unspecified_Command.

Initially, the security code is an asterisk (*), which means that any user assigned at least one security code will have access to any unspecified commands or macros. A user must possess at least one security code for * access to work.

If you leave the security code for the Unspecified_Command as the asterisk, in the RSView Secured Commands editor, you have to list all RSView commands and macros to which access is restricted.

Do not restrict access to the Login command.

Type or browsefor a commandor macro.

Click a security code.

List of secured commands and macros

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Assigning security codes to graphic displaysUse the Graphics editor to set up security for graphic displays. You can assign a security code while you are creating a graphic display, or you can assign it later.

Only users or groups assigned the graphic display’s security code, will be able to open the display at run time. Users must have at least one security code assigned, to open graphic displays assigned an asterisk (*) .

To assign security to a graphic display1. In the Graphics editor, right-click in the graphic display and select Display Settings, or

select Display Settings from the Edit menu.

2. In the Properties tab of the Display Settings dialog box, click the arrow beside the Security Code box, and then select a security code other than the asterisk (*).

For details about using the Signature button, see page 17-56.

Assigning security codes to OLE objectsUse the Graphics editor to assign security to a graphic object with OLE verb animation.

Only users or groups assigned the OLE verb’s security code, will be able to activate or modify the OLE object at run time. Users must have at least one security code assigned, to activate OLE objects assigned an asterisk (*) .

To assign security to an OLE object1. In the Graphics editor, open the graphic display containing the OLE object to secure.

2. Right-click the OLE object, and then click Animation on the context menu.

3. In the Animation dialog box, select the OLE Verb tab.

Once an OLE object is activated, there is no way to control what operators can do within the associated program. Therefore, the only way you can secure the program is by assigning security to the OLE object verb in RSView.


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15 • Placeholder

4. In the OLE Verb list, click the verb you intend to secure.

5. In the OLE Verb list, select the verb to secure.

6. In the Security list, click a security code.

7. Click Apply.

Assigning security codes to HMI tagsUse the Tags editor to assign security to an HMI tag, to restrict write access to the tag. This prevents users who are not assigned the tag’s security code from changing the tag’s value.

Only users or groups assigned the tag’s security code, will be able to change the tag’s value at run time. Users must have at least one security code assigned, to change the value of tags assigned an asterisk (*) .

You cannot assign a security code to data server tags, to prevent their values from being modified. To secure a data server tag, map its address to an HMI tag, and set up security for the HMI tag.


15-29


• •

• •

To assign security to a tag1. Open the Tags editor.

2. Select the tag that requires security.

3. In the Security list, click a security code.

4. Click Accept.

Using the signature button to secure HMI project componentsYou can also use the signature button in a graphic display, to set up security for commands, graphic objects, and tags. The signature button allows you to control the actions an operator can perform at run time, for example:

setting the value of a tag.

issuing a command.

downloading values to programmable controllers or devices.

For details about using the Signature button, see page 17-56.

Logging on and off the RSView SE clientTo start the RSView SE client, or to change users while the client is running, the user logging on must be:

allowed to run the RSView SE client. For information about setting up the required permissions, see page 15-16.

added to the RSView User Accounts list. For information about adding FactoryTalk Directory users to RSView, see page 15-23.


15-30


15 • Placeholder

If single sign-on is turned on, when the RSView SE client starts up, the client will attempt to log on the current FactoryTalk Directory user. If there is no user logged on to the FactoryTalk Directory, the client will attempt to log on the current Windows user, if that user is set up as a Windows-linked user at the FactoryTalk Directory.

If a current user is not authorized to run the RSView SE client, then a prompt will be presented for a different user to log on.

You can force all users to log on when an RSView SE client starts up, by turning off single sign-on. For more information about single sign-on, see RSAssetSecurity Help.

Logging on a different user at run timeTo allow different users to log on to an RSView SE client while it is running, provide them with a way to issue the Login command. For example, on a graphic display, include a button that has the Login command as the press action.

When the current user clicks the button, the RSView SE Client Login dialog box opens.

To log on a different user1. In the RSView SE Client Login dialog box, type the user name and password for the

user to log on.

If the application involves multiple Windows domains, Windows-linked users belonging to other than the current domain, must include the domain with the user name, using the following syntax:

domain\user name

For more information about Windows-linked users, see RSAssetSecurity Help.

2. Click OK.


If single-sign on is turned on, changing the RSView SE client user does not change the user logged on currently to FactoryTalk Directory. To change the FactoryTalk Directory user during the current Windows session, you must use the Log On to FactoryTalk utility.

15-31


• •

• •

Logging off the current user at run timeTo allow users to log off an RSView SE client while it is running, provide them with a way to issue the Logout command. For example, on a graphic display, include a button that has the Logout command as the press action.

When the current user logs off, the following sequence of events occurs:

1. All displays are closed (including cached displays).

2. The current user’s logout macro is run and the user is logged out.

For information about user macros, see “Specifying login and logout macros” on page 15-25.

3. If the RSView SE client is licensed, it releases the license, making it available for other RSView SE clients.

4. The RSView SE Client Login dialog box is displayed.

You can also set up an RSView SE client to log out automatically after a specified period of inactivity. For details, see Help for the RSView SE Client Wizard.

Changing the current user’s password at run timeTo allow users to change their password at run time, include a way for them to issue the Password command. For example, on a graphic display, include a button that has the Password command as the press action.

When the current user clicks the button, the Change Password dialog box opens.

15-32


15 • Placeholder

To change a password1. In the Change Password dialog box, type the current password, followed by the new

password (twice), and then click OK.

Locking users into the RSView SE client environmentTo prevent users from going outside the RSView SE client environment, do one or more of the following:

Remove title bars or minimize and maximize buttons from graphic displaysTo do this, right-click the graphic display, and then click Display Settings.

In the Display Settings dialog box, clear the Title Bar, Minimize Button, and Maximize Button check boxes. For details, see page 16-32.

Disable access to the operating systemTo disable access to the operating system, use one of these methods:

Prevent users from switching to other applications. This is set up when you create the RSView SE Client file.

For details, see Help for the RSView SE Client Wizard.

Prevent users from accessing the desktop. This is set up using the DeskLock tool.

To run DeskLock, on the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Rockwell Software, RSView Enterprise, Tools, and then click DeskLock. For details about using the DeskLock tool, see DeskLock Help.

You determine whether a FactoryTalk Directory user is able to change passwords, when you create the user’s account. For details, see RSAssetSecurity Help.

For information about changing the passwords of Windows-linked users, see Windows Help.

15-33

INDEX• • • • •

Index

Index

Symbols.bmp files 16-26.cab files 17-56.dat files 13-1, 13-2.dxf files 16-26.gif files 16-26.jpg files 16-26.obf files 13-3.pcx files 16-26.tif files 16-26.wmf files 16-26.xml files 16-2, E-1= (Equal) command

and memory tags 9-8??? in input fields 17-24, 17-25, 17-40[tag] parameter 18-21

as placeholder 18-4

AAbsolute references 5-5

in commands A-5syntax 5-5, 5-6to tags 8-11

Acknowledge bit 11-12Acknowledge command 11-10AcknowledgeAll command 11-10Activation

redundancy 26-10Active macro

See On Active macroActiveX objects 16-2, 17-2, 17-54

attaching animation 18-1, 18-13deploying automatically 17-56editing 18-14events 18-16methods 18-15naming 18-13navigating to 17-10properties 18-14using with VBA code 17-55, 18-16

ActiveX Toolbox 17-55

Activity loggingSee FactoryTalk Diagnostics

Addressing syntaxSee Syntax, DDE communications

Administration ConsoleSee RSView Administration Console

Advanced objects 17-9, 17-33See also Interactive objectsarrow 17-34display list selector 17-35local message display 17-37piloted control list selector 17-43recipe 17-38tag label 17-35time and date display 17-35

Alarm banner 11-7, 11-9Alarm buffer zone

See Alarm deadbandAlarm commands

Acknowledge 11-10AcknowledgeAll 11-10AlarmLogRemark 11-38AlarmOff 11-9, 11-40AlarmOn 11-13, 11-39, 13-14Execute 11-36HandshakeOn 11-13Identify 11-36SuppressOn 11-10

Alarm deadband 11-5Alarm events 11-13Alarm faults 11-5Alarm Import Export Wizard E-1Alarm log files 11-7, 11-21, 11-28

adding remarks at run time 11-24and third-party applications 11-8contents of 11-8creating 11-23deleting 11-23exporting to ODBC 11-24location 11-23maximum number of 11-28naming 11-28

I–1

RSVIEW SUPERVISORY EDITION USER’S GUIDES•

• •

• •

viewing 11-27Alarm Log Viewer 11-8, 11-27

Help 11-27Alarm logging 11-21

See also Alarm monitoringredundancy 11-17setting up remote logging 11-28, 11-29to ODBC database 11-23

Alarm message types 11-7custom messages 11-20system default 11-19user default 11-20

Alarm messagesimporting XML E-3placeholders in 11-19setting up 11-18

Alarm monitoring 11-1, 11-21acknowledge bit 11-12alarm events 11-13handshake bit 11-13handshaking

switching on 11-13starting 11-39stopping 11-40

Alarm printingredundancy 11-17

Alarm Setup editor 11-15importing XML E-3

Alarm severity 11-7setting up 11-17

Alarm states 11-6Alarm summary 11-8

creating 11-30displaying 18-23filtering data 11-33setting up

buttons 11-32colors 11-7, 11-31fonts 11-31headings 11-31

showing areas 11-33sorting data 11-33, 11-36using commands 11-37, 11-38

Alarm system tags 11-9Alarm thresholds 11-3, 11-5Alarm triggers

importing XML E-3AlarmLogRemark command 11-24

with Execute button in alarm summary 11-38

AlarmsAcknowledged messages 11-18acknowledging 11-10, 11-12adding to tags 9-11, 11-3ALM_ACK expression

changing default behavior 11-11charting in trends 19-14expressions in 11-11identifying 11-36importing and exporting 16-2In Alarm messages 11-18logging 11-21

to ODBC 11-23Out of alarm messages 11-18planning 3-6running custom programs 11-39setting up

for analog tags 11-21for digital tags 11-21using Tags editor 11-2, 11-3, 11-20

severity 11-17starting 11-39stopping 11-40suppressing 11-10using tags for 8-4

ALM_ (alarm) functions 11-11, 11-12, 20-11Analog HMI tags

alarms for 11-3See also Tagssetting up alarms for 9-11, 11-20, 11-21

Animation 18-1ActiveX objects 18-13copying 18-25Current [Tag] parameter 18-21defining range of motion 18-5display keys 18-23finding 18-25finding tags 18-25for object groups 16-16, 18-25global objects 18-2min. and max. values 18-5object keys 18-17, 18-20

I–2

INDEX• • • • •

Index

Object Smart Path 18-5precedence in grouped objects 18-25tags and placeholders 18-4testing 18-6, 19-21using commands for actions 18-4using VBA code 18-13

Animation dialog box 18-2Animation types

color 11-9, 18-7in grouped objects 18-25

fill 18-9in grouped objects 18-25

height 18-10horizontal position 18-9horizontal slider 18-12OLE verb 15-28, 18-12rotation 18-10touch 18-11vertical position 18-9vertical slider 18-12visibility 11-9, 18-7width 18-10

Application filesdeleting 2-13

Application Manager 5-18, 6-7, 28-3Applications

deployingSee Deploying applications

distributed 5-2administering at run time 27-16creating 5-8deleting 5-18FactoryTalk Network Directory 4-1,

5-3, 15-3setting up 4-4specifying localhost 4-5specifying location of 4-5

home area 5-4managing multiple 4-3redundancy 26-1renaming 5-18setting up security for 5-3, 15-16structure of 5-1

opening 2-2

recently used 2-3planning 3-1, 3-9stand-alone 6-1

administering at run time 28-8deleting 6-7FactoryTalk Local Directory 4-1, 6-3,

15-3setting up 4-4

renaming 6-7setting up security for 6-3structure 6-1

switching languages inSee Language switching

Arc graphic object 17-6Areas 5-2

adding 5-9home area 5-4, 8-12max. number of HMI servers 5-12removing 5-9showing in alarm summaries 11-33, 11-37tag references 8-11

Arithmetic operators 20-6Arrow graphic object 17-34Auto-repeat

for keys 17-33

BBackspace key 17-33Bar graphs 17-31Base objects 16-2Bitwise operators

AND, & 20-8inclusive OR, | 20-8

Browse button 2-15Built-in functions

file 20-16language 20-18math 20-17security 20-18tag 20-11time 20-14

Business Objects Crystal Reports 12-1, 13-1Buttons 17-12

I–3


• •

• •

CCABARC.exe 17-56Cache

creating for OPC data servers 7-12synchronizing for OPC data servers 7-13

Calling methods 18-15Check syntax

derived tags 10-3expressions 20-4

Circle graphic object 17-6Client keys 23-5, 23-10

creating 23-10precedence among key types 23-7running a key file 23-11

ClientsSee RSView SE Client

Coloranimation 18-7in alarm summaries 11-9, 11-31in graphic displays 16-18in trends 19-12

COMM_ERR function 20-11Command execution A-4Command line

using A-8Command Wizard 2-16, A-8Commands A-1

See also individual command entriesabsolute and relative references A-5adding alarm data 11-37attaching to ActiveX events 18-16execution of A-4in editors 2-16in macros 2-16placeholders in 22-1, A-2precedence over macros A-3redundancy

See Redundancystartup and shutdown 16-38using in graphic displays 18-4using with alarms 11-36

Common actionsSee Security, for FactoryTalk resources

Communicationserrors 20-11

planning 3-4setting up 7-1

Component namesand /P parameter 2-14and spaces 2-14long 2-14maximum length of 2-14

Componentsabsolute references to 5-5adding 2-12deleting 2-13in Explorer window 2-11naming 2-14opening 2-12relative references to 5-5, 6-3removing 2-13starting manually 27-9, 28-4startup 5-15stopping manually 27-10, 28-5

Constantsin expressions 20-5

Context menus 2-15using in graphics 16-8

ControlSee Animation

Control list selectors 17-42, 17-48compared with piloted control list selectors

17-42Enter-key handshaking 17-43navigating to 17-10

Control network redundancySee Redundancy

ControlLogix processor 8-2Crystal Reports

See Business Objects Crystal ReportsCurrent [Tag] parameter 18-21

DData log files

and third-party software 13-1creating 13-5deleting 13-6max. at run time 13-2naming 13-2

I–4

INDEX• • • • •

Index

redundancySee Redundancy

storage format 13-2ODBC 13-1, 13-3

Data log models 13-1editing 13-7

Data Log Models editor 13-4, 13-8Data logging

and events 13-11choosing data 13-6creating expressions 20-1log triggers 13-6ODBC data source

creating new 13-8using existing 13-7

ODBC database tablescreating new 13-8using existing 13-7

on demand 13-12paths

moving data between 13-9switching at run time 13-7, 13-9

planning 3-5redundancy

See Redundancyremote logging permissions 13-12, 13-13setting up 13-1starting 13-14stopping 13-15when to log data 13-6

Data logging commandsDataLogMergeToPrimary 13-9DataLogNewFile 13-10DataLogOff 13-15DataLogOn 13-14DataLogSnapshot 13-11DataLogSwitchBack 13-9

Data server tagsTags 8-1, 9-1

Data servers 5-2, 6-2, 7-1adding 5-11, 6-4

OPC 5-11, 6-5RSLinx Enterprise 5-11, 6-4

deleting 7-13deploying 27-13, 28-5how to use 5-11, 7-3

load balancing 5-11OPC 7-1

adding 7-9creating cache 7-12deleting 7-13redundancy 7-11setting up 7-9synchronizing cache 7-13

redundancy 5-8, 5-11See Redundancy

RSLinxdeleting 7-13

RSLinx Enterprise 7-1adding 7-5redundancy 7-7setting up 7-6

tags 8-1Data source for tags 9-2, 9-7Date and time

in graphic displays 17-35DDE communications B-2

and RSServer B-1poll rate B-4RSView as client

assigning server to RSView tags B-3setting up B-2

setting up B-1syntax B-3

Deadband for alarms 11-5Define command A-6Deploying applications 27-1, 28-1

distributed applications 27-1backing up 27-3changing HMI server computer 27-9moving HMI project files 27-6moving RSLinx Classic files 27-12moving RSLinx Enterprise files 27-12restoring 27-7

FactoryTalk Network Directory 27-8

setting upFactoryTalk Network Directory

server 27-4HMI server properties 27-8RSView SE clients 27-13

I–5


• •

• •

specifying location of FactoryTalk Network Directory 27-5

stand-alone applications 28-1backing up 28-3moving data server files 28-5restoring 28-3

FactoryTalk Local Directory 28-4

setting up RSView SE Clients 28-5Derived tag commands

DerivedOff 10-5DerivedOn 10-5

Derived tags 10-1checking syntax 10-3creating 10-3creating expressions 20-1max. components at run time 10-4max. in a component 10-4max. update rate 10-4redundancy

See Redundancystarting and stopping processing 10-4

Derived Tags editor 10-2DeskLock 15-33Device HMI tags 9-2

DDE communications B-3OPC communications 9-7

Diagnostics List 2-5, 12-7clearing messages 2-6, 12-9hiding 2-7resizing 2-6showing 2-7

Diagnostics Viewer 12-9Digital HMI tags

alarms for 11-6setting up alarms for 9-11, 11-21

Display cache 16-34, 23-3Display command

and graphic displays 16-36, 16-39and key lists 18-25and parameter files 16-29and trends 19-22

Display keys 23-5creating 18-23precedence among key types 23-7

Display list selectors

navigating to 17-10Display Settings dialog box 16-30DisplayClientOpen command 27-16Displays

See Graphic displaysDisplays editor

See Graphics editorDistributed applications

See Applications, distributedDocumentation for RSView

finding P-1Download command 17-26, 17-41DownloadAll command 17-26, 17-41Drawing objects

arc 17-6changing properties 17-7ellipse 17-6image 17-7panel 17-8polygon 17-5polyline 17-5rectangle 17-4rounded rectangle 17-5text 17-8wedge 17-6

EEdit Display mode 16-21, 19-21Editors

Alarm Log Viewer 11-8Alarm Setup 11-15Data Log Models 13-4, 13-8Derived Tags 10-2Events 14-2Graphics 16-3in RSView Studio 2-9

hints for working in 2-14printing from 2-16

RSView Secured Commands 15-27RSView User Accounts 15-23Suppressed List 11-10, 11-26Tags 9-5, 11-2, 11-20

Electronic signatures 17-56Ellipse graphic object 17-6

I–6

INDEX• • • • •

Index

Embedded variables 21-1creating

numeric 21-3string 21-3time and date 21-4

displaying at run time 21-5syntax


types of values 21-1updating at run time 21-5

End key 17-33Enter key 17-33

handshaking 17-43, 17-46, 17-47Event commands

EventOff 26-7EventOn 14-4, 14-5, 26-7

Event-based alarms 11-13Events 14-1

ActiveX 18-16creating 14-3creating expressions 20-1editing 14-4evaluation interval for 14-4for on-demand logging 13-11max. components at run time 14-4max. in a component 14-4max. update rate 14-4redundancy

See Redundancystarting and stopping processing 14-4

Events editor 14-2Execute button

in alarm summaries 11-36Execute command 11-36Explorer in RSView Studio 2-8

components 2-11editors 2-9folders 2-9undocking 2-8

Exportalarm files 16-2graphic displays E-1text strings

See Language switching

Expressions 2-16, 20-1alarm events in 11-15and animation 18-4assigning to graphic objects

using the Property Panel 16-19built-in functions in 20-11checking syntax 20-4constants in 20-5copying 20-4creating 20-2fo retrieving alarm information 11-11for reporting communication errors 20-11formatting 20-4if–then–else logic 20-18in alarms 11-11in data logging 13-11operators in 20-6tags and placeholders in 9-3, 20-5

FF1 key

precedence 23-8FactoryTalk Diagnostics 12-1

See also Diagnostics Listaudiences 12-4buffering messages 12-6categories 12-3categorizing tag writes 12-4destinations 12-2logging to ODBC database 12-5messages

audiences 12-4buffering 12-6categories 12-3routing 12-2, 12-6severities 12-3

remote logging 12-10remote logging permissions 12-10routing 12-2severities 12-3viewing log files 12-9

FactoryTalk Diagnostics log filesand third-party applications 12-1

FactoryTalk Diagnostics ViewerSee Diagnostics Viewer

I–7


• •

• •

FactoryTalk Directory 1-2, 4-1FactoryTalk Local Directory 1-9, 4-1

backing up 28-4restoring 28-4setting up 4-4

FactoryTalk Network Directory 1-9, 4-1, 5-3

backing up 27-4cached copy 26-5deploying distributed applications 27-4managing multiple applications 4-3restoring 27-8setting up 4-4specifying localhost 4-5specifying location of 4-5, 27-5

HMI server names 5-12logging on to 15-5

single sign-on 15-6restoring 4-7service disruption 4-7

Fail-overSee Redundancy

FailureSee Redundancy

File namesSee also Component namesfor alarm logs 11-28

short 11-28

for data logs 13-2long 13-2

File typesgraphics

importing 16-26using bitmaps 16-26

log.dat 13-2.obf 13-3ODBC

alarms 11-24data log 13-3FactoryTalk Diagnostics 12-5

log files 13-2Fill animation 18-9Filter

in alarm summaries 11-33

removing from tags 8-11tags 8-10

FlushCache command 16-40executing shutdown command with 16-38

Folders 9-3Fonts

in alarm summaries 11-31in graphic displays

substitution at run time 17-9in trends 19-12single-font support

See Language switchingFunctions

See Built-in functions

GGauges 17-29, 17-31Global object displays 16-2, 16-23

at run time 16-25base objects in 16-2creating 16-24

from existing displays 16-24creating from existing displays 16-24creating global objects on 16-2, 16-23,

17-48file type 16-24location of 16-24

Global objects 16-2, 16-23, 17-3, 17-48and graphic libraries 17-49base objects 16-2breaking links 17-52creating on global object displays 16-2,

16-23, 17-48reference objects 16-2, 17-49

linked properties 17-49LinkAnimation 17-50, 18-2LinkBaseObject 17-51LinkConnections 17-51LinkSize 17-51

updating at run time 16-2Graphic display commands

Displayand key lists 18-25and parameter files 16-29

I–8

INDEX• • • • •

Index

caching 16-39, 19-22positioning 16-36

Download 17-26, 17-41DownloadAll 17-26, 17-41FlushCache 16-40

executing shutdown command with 16-38

NextPosition 18-17Position 18-17PrevPosition 18-17PrintDisplay 16-40RecipeRestore 17-41RecipeSave 17-41ScreenPrint 16-40SetFocus 16-34Upload 17-26, 17-41UploadAll 17-26, 17-41

Graphic displays 16-1caching 16-34, 23-3

with the Display command 16-39color 16-18creating 16-1, 17-1creating templates 3-7, 16-31designing 3-7developing a hierarchy 23-1displaying alarm information in 11-9downloading values from 17-23exporting to XML E-1global object displays 16-2, 16-23grid 16-7importing XML E-3improving performance 16-39moving among 23-2

commands for 23-3positioning 16-36preventing scroll bars 16-36printing 2-16, 16-40printing at run time 2-17reducing call-up time 16-34, 16-39replacing text 16-20running multiple copies 16-33securing 15-28, 16-36specifying run-time appearance 16-34startup and shutdown commands 16-38testing 16-21

animation 18-6, 19-21

types 16-33uploading recipes to 17-40uploading values to 17-23using parameter files 16-29

Graphic librariesSee Libraries

Graphic object types 17-1ActiveX 17-54, 18-13advanced objects 17-2, 17-9, 17-33, 17-34alarm summary 11-30arc 17-6arrow 17-34bar graph 17-31button 17-12circle 17-6control list selector 17-42, 17-48ellipse 17-6gauge 17-29, 17-31graph 17-29, 17-31image 17-7interlocked push button 17-19keys 17-33latched push button 17-16list indicator 17-29local message display 17-36local messages 17-37maintained push button 17-15momentary push button 17-13multistate indicator 17-28multistate push button 17-18numeric and string

electronic signatures 17-58numeric display fields 11-9numeric input field 17-23

electronic signatures 17-58OLE objects 15-28, 17-52panel 17-8piloted control list selector 17-43, 17-48polygon 17-5polyline 17-5ramp push button 17-21rectangle 17-4rounded rectangle 17-5scale 17-31square 17-4string display fields 11-9

I–9


• •

• •

string input field 17-23electronic signatures 17-58

symbol indicator 17-28tag label 17-35text 17-8time and date display 17-35trend 19-1wedge 17-6

Graphic objects 17-1animating

See Animationarranging 16-10, 16-13assigning tags

using the Property Panel 16-19changing properties 17-7choosing text fonts 17-8color 16-18common properties

changing properties 17-4converting 16-26duplicating 16-9editing 16-17exporting to XML E-1flipping 16-14formatting 16-18global objects 16-2, 17-3grid 16-7grouping 16-16importing 16-26importing XML E-3line properties 16-19methods 18-15naming 16-22, 18-13navigating among 17-10pattern styles 16-18positioning 16-11, 16-13

with grid 16-7replacing text 16-20resizing 16-10rotating 16-15spatial properties

setting up 17-4stacking 16-11testing states 16-21ungrouping 16-16using tags and placeholders 17-10

using with object keys 18-20visibility 17-3, 17-4

Graphics editor 16-3Graphs

See Bar graphsGrouped objects

animation 18-25creating 16-16

HHandshake bit 11-13HandshakeOn command 11-13Handshaking

for Enter key 17-43, 17-46, 17-47resetting 17-47switching on 11-13

Hardware failureSee Redundancy

Height animation 18-10Help

activation 1-3alarm log viewer 11-27RSView SE Client object model 24-8technical support 1-3VBA 24-8

Help filescreating for displays 18-22

HighlightActiveX objects 17-10enabling or disabling 16-38trends 17-10, 19-12

HMI clients 5-4, 6-3HMI projects 5-4, 6-3

deleting files 5-18moving files 27-6See also HMI servers

HMI servers 5-4, 6-3Active state 5-7adding 5-10alarm monitoring 11-39, 11-40allowing clients to connect 27-11components

starting and stopping 27-16, 28-8starting manually 27-9, 28-4

I–10

INDEX• • • • •

Index

stopping automatically 28-8stopping manually 27-10, 28-5

copyingusing HMIBackup utility 26-8, 27-7when not running 27-6while running 27-7

deleting 5-17HMI services

starting manually 27-11stopping manually 27-10

how to use 5-11load balancing 5-11load on demand 27-16max. number of servers 5-12monitoring disk space 27-18naming 5-12On active macro 5-16On standby macro 5-16Out of service state 5-7primary 5-14redundancy 5-7, 5-11, 5-14, 26-6secondary 5-14securing 15-19setting up 5-12, 6-5showing in Tag Browser 8-7Standby state 5-7starting manually 1-3states 5-7stopping manually 1-3, 27-10synchronizing 5-7, 27-11tags 8-1Unknown

state 5-7HMI tags

See TagsHome area 5-4, 8-12

finding tags in 8-8Home key 17-33Horizontal position animation 18-9Horizontal slider animation 18-12

IIdentify command 11-36If-then-else expressions 20-18Image graphic object 17-7

Imagesin graphic displays

importing 17-8pasting 17-7placing 17-7

Importalarm files 16-2graphic displays E-1translated text files

See Language switchingIndex numbers 18-17

and recipe files 17-39changing 18-18checking 18-17removing 17-11using for tab sequences 18-17

Indicator tagindicators 17-28piloted control list selectors 17-45

Indicators 17-27indicator tag 17-28list 17-29multistate 17-28symbol 17-28

Input field commandsDownload 17-26, 17-41DownloadAll 17-26, 17-41NextPosition 18-17Position 18-17PrevPosition 18-17Upload 17-26, 17-41UploadAll 17-26, 17-41

Input fieldscreating

numeric 17-23string 17-23

downloading values from 17-23highlight

enabling or disabling 16-38question marks in 17-24, 17-40specifying behavior for 16-38specifying color for 16-38uploading values to 17-23using at run time 17-24, 17-40using keys with

special keys 17-24

I–11


• •

• •

Input focusgiving to graphic objects 17-10specifying behavior 16-38

Interactive objectsSee also Advanced objectscreating 17-9specifying behavior 16-38

Interlocked push buttons 17-19Internet technical support P-2Invoke command 18-15

KKey list 18-24

disabling 18-25Keyboard

on-screen 16-39, 17-26Keyboard navigation 17-10Keypad for numeric input 16-39Keys 17-33, 23-7

See also Key listSee also Special keysauto-repeat 17-33precedence 23-7reserved 23-9understanding 17-31using to open displays 23-5viewing at run time 18-24

LLanguage command 25-13

RFC1766 names for D-1Language switching 25-1

adding languages to an application 25-5at run time 25-13default Windows formats 25-3exported text files

format 25-7location 25-7opening in Microsoft Excel 25-13saving in Microsoft Excel 25-14schema 25-15translation of 25-13

exporting text strings 25-6troubleshooting 25-7

importing text files 25-10

troubleshooting 25-11max. number of languages 25-1RFC1766 names D-1setting up

graphic libraries 25-4single-font support 25-2Windows support for 25-2

specifying a base language 25-3text strings

that allow switching 25-8that do not allow switching 25-8

Latched push buttons 17-16Libraries 16-1, 16-25

location of files 16-25reference objects in 17-49setting up language support in 25-4using for alarm displays 11-9using for trends 19-21

Limitsnumber of HMI servers 5-11number of languages 25-6tags in graphic displays 8-1tags with alarms 8-2

List indicators 17-29Load balancing

data servers 5-11HMI servers 5-11

Local DirectorySee FactoryTalk Directory, FactoryTalk

Local DirectoryLocal message displays 17-36Local messages 17-37

value tag 17-38Log On to FactoryTalk utility 15-6Logging in

at run time 15-31, 27-15, 28-7, 28-8Logging on to FactoryTalk 1-9Logging out

at run time 15-32, 27-15, 28-7, 28-8Logging paths

See Data logging, pathsLogical operators 20-7Login macro 15-25, 22-5

assigning to RSView users 15-26Logout macro 15-25, 22-5

assigning to RSView users 15-26

I–12

INDEX• • • • •

Index

MMacros 22-1

assigning to RSView users 15-26creating 2-16, 22-1

login and logout 15-25, 22-5startup and shutdown 16-38, 22-4using the Command Wizard A-8

nesting 22-4On active 5-16On standby 5-16precedence of A-3redundancy

See Redundancyusing in graphics 18-4using parameters in 22-3using to identify alarms 11-36using with trends 19-21

Maintained push buttons 17-15Memory tags 9-2, 9-8

redundancySee Redundancy

Messagesrouting to FactoryTalk Diagnostics 12-6

Methods 18-15calling 18-15

Microsoft Access 11-8, 13-3Microsoft Excel

and alarm logging 11-8and data logging 13-1and FactoryTalk Diagnostics 12-1opening exported text files in 25-13saving exported text files in 25-14using to create tags 9-9

Microsoft SQL Server 13-3Microsoft Visual Basic 11-8

and DDE communications B-1Modicon devices 1-8, 7-1, B-1Module called ThisDisplay 24-4Momentary push buttons 17-13

momentary on button 17-13Move Down key 17-33Move Left key 17-33Move Right key 17-33Move Up key 17-33Multistate indicators 17-28

Multistate push buttons 17-18

NNaming graphic objects 16-22Navigation

among graphic displays 23-1commands 23-3using buttons 23-6using keys 23-5

among graphic objects in a display 17-10display hierarchy 3-7, 23-1

Networkplanning layout 3-2redundancy

See RedundancyNetwork Directory

See FactoryTalk Directory, FactoryTalk Network Directory

NextPosition command 18-17Non-Allen-Bradley devices 1-8, 7-1, B-1Numeric and string objects

See Graphic object typesNumeric input graphic object 17-23

and on-screen keyboard 16-39, 17-26

OObject Browser

VBA 24-7Object keys 23-5

creating 18-20key list 18-24precedence among key types 23-7

Object modelSee RSView SE Client object model

Object Smart Path 18-5Objects

viewing 24-7Objects that use data 17-9ODBC data logging

See Data loggingODBC schemas

See ODBC storage formatODBC storage format

data log files 13-1, 13-3

I–13


• •

• •

Offsettingtag values 8-4

OLE objects 17-2, 17-52attaching verb animation 18-12converting 17-53securing 15-28

OLE verb animation 18-12On active macro 5-16On standby macro 5-16On-screen keyboard 16-39, 17-26OPC communications 7-2

and RSLinx 7-1syntax 9-7

OPC data serversSee Data servers

OPC-DA data itemsSee Tags

OpenRSLogix5000 command 3-10Overview of RSView

Features 1-4software programs 1-1

PPage Down key 17-33Page Up key 17-33Pan

in trends 19-27Panel graphic object 17-8Parameter files

assigning to graphic displays 16-29Passwords 15-32Pattern styles 16-19

invisible 16-18Piloted control list selectors 17-43, 17-48

compared with control list selectors 17-42controlling remotely 17-44Enter-key handshaking 17-46indicator tag 17-45value tag 17-45

PlaceholdersSee also Tag placeholdersin alarm summaries 11-34in commands 22-1, A-2

Planning applications 3-1

PLC network redundancySee Redundancy

PLC redundancySee Redundancy

Poll rate for DDE B-4Polygon graphic object 17-5Polyline graphic object 17-5Position command 18-17Precedence

among client, object, and display keys 23-7

and the F1 key 23-8embedded ActiveX objects 23-8embedded OLE objects 23-8reserved keys 23-10

PrevPosition command 18-17PrintDisplay command 16-40Printers

selecting 2-17Procedure window

See VBA Procedure windowProcedures

defined 24-2Programmatic ID

RSLinx Classic 7-11Project Explorer

See VBA Project ExplorerProperties

ActiveX 18-14Properties window

See VBA Properties windowProperty Panel

assigning tags to graphic objects 16-19using with ActiveX objects 18-14

Push button objectsSee Graphic object types

Push buttons 17-11button 17-12interlocked 17-19latched 17-16maintained 17-15momentary 17-13multistate 17-18ramp 17-21

I–14

INDEX• • • • •

Index

QQuestion marks

in input fields 17-24, 17-40Quick Start

VBA code 24-2

RRamp push buttons 17-21Read tag 16-20Read-write tag 16-20Recipe commands

Download 17-26, 17-41DownloadAll 17-26, 17-41RecipeRestore 17-41RecipeSave 17-41Upload 17-26, 17-41UploadAll 17-26, 17-41

Recipesand on-screen keyboard 16-39, 17-26recipe file 17-39using at run time 17-40using index numbers 17-39, 18-17

Rectangle graphic object 17-4Redundancy 26-1

activationSee Redundancy, licensing

alarms 11-17, 26-7commands 26-7control network 26-2data log files 26-7data servers 5-8, 5-11, 26-8

OPC 7-11RSLinx Enterprise 7-7

derived tags 26-7effect on clients 26-3events 26-7FactoryTalk Directory cached copy 26-5fail-over time for servers 26-3hardware 26-3HMI server states 5-7HMI servers 5-7, 5-11, 5-14, 26-6, 26-9,

26-10HMIBackup utility 26-8information network 26-2licensing 26-10

macros 26-7memory tags 26-7planning 3-4, 26-1, 26-2, 26-8PLC 26-2primary HMI server 5-14RSLinx 26-8RSView SE Servers

See Redundancy, HMI serverssecondary HMI server 5-14software 26-3synchronizing project files 26-8synchronizing servers 5-7, 27-11

Reference objects 16-2and graphic libraries 17-49creating 17-49link to base object 16-23

breaking links 17-52linked properties 17-49

breaking links 17-52grouped objects 17-52LinkAnimation 17-50, 18-2LinkBaseObject 17-51LinkConnections 17-51LinkSize 17-51

See also Global objectsupdating at run time 16-2with broken links 16-24

Referencesabsolute 5-5relative 5-5, 6-3syntax 5-6to tags 8-11

Relational operators 20-6Relative references 5-5, 6-3

in commands A-5resolving in commands A-5syntax 5-5, 5-6, 6-3to tags 8-12

Remarksadding to alarm log file 11-24

Reserved keys 23-9precedence 23-10

Rockwell Softwarecontacting P-2

Rotation animation 18-10Rounded rectangle graphic object 17-5

I–15


• •

• •

RSAssetSecuritySee Security

RSLinxand OPC communications 7-1redundancy

See RedundancyRSLinx Enterprise

browsing for offline tags 8-8RSLinx Enterprise data servers

See Data serversRSLogix 5000 8-2

OpenRSLogix5000 command 3-10Sequential Function Charts 3-10

RSServer B-1RSView Administration Console 1-2, 13-7,

27-16, 28-8logging off 15-7logging on 15-7

RSView commands A-1See also CommandsSee also individual command entries

RSView demo mode 1-10RSView SE Client 1-2

commandsDisplayClientOpen 27-16

copying configuration files 27-14HMI server fail-over 5-7logging off 15-32logging on 15-31opening 27-14, 28-6reponse to FactoryTalk Directory service

disruption 4-8securing 15-33setting up 27-13, 28-5

for language switching 25-13starting when Windows starts 28-7

RSView SE Client object model 24-1, 24-4RSView SE Server 1-2

See also HMI serversRSView SE Service Manager 1-3RSView Secured Commands editor 15-27RSView Studio

Communications tab 2-5Explorer 2-5exploring 2-4logging off 15-7

logging on 15-7starting 2-1workspace 2-5

RSView user accountsadding 15-23login and logout macros 15-25, 22-5removing 15-26

RSView User Accounts editor 15-23Run time

changing logging paths 13-7, 13-9changing passwords 15-32font substitution 17-9input fields 17-24language switching 25-13logging off 15-32logging on 15-31recipes 17-40setting up clients

for distributed applications 27-13for stand-alone applications 28-5

trends 19-23delta value bar 19-26loading a template 19-20overlays 19-28printing 19-28scrolling 19-24troubleshooting 19-29value bar 19-25zoom 19-27

updating reference objects 16-2

SScale graphic object 17-31Scaling tag values 8-4ScreenPrint command 16-40Scroll bars

preventing on graphic displays 16-36Security 15-1

and FactoryTalk Local directory 15-3and FactoryTalk Network Directory 15-3assigning security codes

to graphic displays 15-28to HMI tags 15-30to macros 15-27to OLE object verbs 15-28

I–16

INDEX• • • • •

Index

to RSView commands 15-27Unspecified_Command 15-27

to RSView users 15-2changing passwords 15-32Common actions 15-14, 15-16computer accounts 15-11

creating 15-12DeskLock 15-33disabling access to key combinations

15-33electronic signatures 17-56HMI server 15-19locking users into RSView 15-33logging off

RSview Studio 15-7logging on

failure to 28-8to FactoryTalk 15-5to RSView SE Client 27-15, 28-7to RSView Studio 15-7using administrative accounts to 15-5using single sign-on 15-6

permissionsassigning by action 15-15assigning by user 15-15breaking inheritance 15-20denying 15-15explicit 15-20inherited permissions 15-19overriding inheritance 15-20precedence 15-21

planning 3-9, 15-4RSAssetSecurity 15-2

finding more information about 15-4RSView Secured Commands editor 15-27RSView User Accounts editor 15-23securing

FactoryTalk resources 15-2, 15-12, 15-14

graphic displays 16-36HMI project components 15-2, 15-22HMI tags 8-4

setting up remote loggingalarm logging 11-28, 11-29data logging 13-12, 13-13FactoryTalk Diagnostics 12-10

Signature button 17-56system policies 15-7user accounts 15-8

adding to RSView 15-23Administrators group 15-7creating 15-10removing from RSView 15-26using group accounts 15-10Windows-linked users 15-9

user authentication 1-9, 15-1user authorization 1-9, 15-1using Security Settings dialog box 15-13

Security codesassigning

to graphic displays 15-28, 16-36to HMI tags 15-30to OLE objects 15-28to RSView commands and macros

15-27to RSView users 15-23

Service Manager 1-3Services

setting remote access permissionsFactoryTalk Diagnostics logging

12-10Set command 9-8SetFocus command 16-34Short file names

for alarm logs 11-28Siemens devices 1-8, 7-1, B-1Signature button 17-56Software failure

See RedundancySpecial keys

arrowsusing in trends 19-28

Ctrldrawing objects with 17-4, 17-5, 17-6

Ctrl-PgDn 17-25Ctrl-PgUp 17-25Ctrl-Tab 20-4Enter 17-25, 17-41

using with on-screen keyboard 17-27PgDn 17-25, 17-41PgUp 17-25, 17-41Shift-Tab 18-19

I–17


• •

• •

Tab 17-25, 18-19using to navigate at run time 17-11

Specify FactoryTalk Directory Location 4-5Square graphic object 17-4Stand-alone applications

See Applications, stand-alonestandard plotting 19-9Standby macro

On standby macro 5-16Startup components 5-15Startup macro 22-4

using with trends 19-21States toolbar 16-21Status bar 2-7, 16-4

hiding 2-7showing 2-7

String input graphic object 17-23and on-screen keyboard 16-39, 17-26

Suppressed List editor 11-10, 11-26SuppressOn command 11-10Symbol commands

Define A-6Undefine A-7

Symbol indicators 17-28Symbols A-6Syntax

absolute references 5-5, 5-6checking in derived tags 10-3checking in expressions 20-4DDE communications B-3embedded variables


relative references 5-5, 5-6, 6-3tags

DDE communications B-3OPC communications 9-7

System administrationSee RSView Administration Console

System tagsfor alarms 11-9

TTab index 18-17

removing 17-11Tab key

creating a tab sequence 18-19Tab sequence

changing index numbers 18-18checking index numbers 18-17creating 18-17, 18-19removing objects from 17-11

Tag Browserdisplaying tag properties 8-9displaying tags 8-9filtering items 8-10hiding tag descriptions 8-9home area 8-8how to use 8-7removing filter 8-11showing server names 8-7showing tag descriptions 8-9using to create HMI tags 9-9using wildcards in 8-11

Tag commands= (Equal)

using for memory tags 9-8Set 9-8

Tag Import and Export Wizard 9-10Tag label graphic object 17-35Tag placeholders 16-28, 18-4

creating 16-28in alarm summaries 11-34replacing by listing tag names 16-29replacing using a parameter file 16-29resolving at run time 11-35using in alarm summaries 16-29using in expressions 20-5using the [tag] parameter 18-21using with tag folders 16-28

Tag substitution 16-20Tag values

changing 9-8displaying in a tag label object 17-35downloading 17-23logging 8-12, 12-4, 13-6updating 17-25, B-4

continuously in graphic displays 17-24uploading 17-23

I–18

INDEX• • • • •

Index

Tags 8-1, 9-1See also [tag] parameterSee also Analog tagsSee also Derived tagsSee also Digital tagsSee also String tagsSee also System tagsabsolute references 8-11adding alarms to 9-11, 11-3assigning to graphic objects 17-10

using the Property Panel 16-19basic steps for using 8-2browsing 8-3, 8-6browsing offline 8-8, 8-9creating later 8-3data server tags

how to use 8-3when to use 8-3

data sources 9-2DDE B-2, B-3designing database 3-6displaying 8-9displaying properties 8-9filtering 8-10hiding descriptions 8-9HMI tags

alarms 9-11, 11-21browsing 8-5creating 8-11, 9-5, 9-8data sources 9-7deleting 9-6device 9-2duplicating 9-6editing 9-6folders 9-3, 9-5grouping 9-3importing 8-11, 9-9, 9-10memory 9-2, 9-8naming 9-3organizing 9-2setting up 8-5Tags editor 9-5when to use 8-4

home area 8-8in graphic objects

updating continuously 17-24

limitsalarms 8-2in graphic displays 8-1, 16-1

logging values 8-12, 12-4min. and max. values 8-5offline 8-8offsetting values 8-4OPC

addressing syntax 9-7redundancy

See Redundancyreferences 8-11relative references 8-12removing a filter 8-11scaling values 8-4securing 8-4, 15-29showing descriptions 8-9showing server names 8-7storing values in memory 8-5syntax

DDE communications B-3using for alarms 8-4using in editors 2-15using in expressions 2-16, 9-3, 20-5

with built-in functions 20-11using in trends 19-11using with placeholders in commands

22-1, A-2Tags editor 11-2, 11-20Technical support P-2, 1-3Test Display mode 16-21, 18-6, 19-21Text graphic object 17-8ThisDisplay module 24-4Thresholds for alarms 11-3, 11-5Time and date displays 17-35Toolbars 2-4, 16-3, 16-7

ActiveX toolbox 17-55hiding 2-7showing 2-7States toolbar 16-21

Tools 1-2Alarm Log Setup 1-3Alarm Log Viewer 1-3, 11-27Application Manager 1-2, 5-18, 6-7, 28-3DeskLock 1-2, 15-33Diagnostics Setup 1-3

I–19


• •

• •

Diagnostics Viewer 1-3, 12-9FactoryTalk Directory Configuration Wizard

1-3FactoryTalk Help 1-3Log On to FactoryTalk 1-3, 15-6RSView SE Service Manager 1-3Specify FactoryTalk Directory Location

1-4, 4-5Tag Import and Export Wizard 1-3, 9-9,

9-10Windows Firewall Configuration Utility

1-4Tooltips

adding to graphic objects 16-22Touch animation 18-11Trends 19-1

appearance 19-12background color 19-12changing at run time 19-23chart scale 19-5charts 19-4, 19-9

plotting an XY chart 19-9colors in 19-12comparing data 19-14, 19-18creating

setting up 19-3delta value bar

using at run time 19-26displaying tag values 19-11editing at run time 19-23fonts in 19-12graphic library 19-21isolated graphing 19-10legends 19-6

current value legend 19-6, 19-13line legend 19-6, 19-14x-axis legend 19-5y-axis legend 19-5

markers in 19-12multiple pens 19-10navigating to 17-10overlays 19-18

adding 19-18at runtime 19-28

pan 19-27parts of 19-4

pens 19-6icons 19-6markers 19-7selecting at run time 19-23

planning 3-9printing 19-28running in the background 19-21scrolling 19-24

at run time 19-24setting up 19-3shading 19-14snapshots 19-18

adding as an overlay 19-18creating 19-18

templates 19-19loading 19-20

testing 19-21troubleshooting 19-29using at run time 19-8, 19-21value bar 19-8, 19-25

using at run time 19-25x-axis 19-5y-axis 19-5zoom 19-27

UUndefine command A-7Upload command 17-26, 17-41UploadAll command 17-26, 17-41User accounts

See Security

VValue table 8-4

updating B-4Value tag

local messages 17-38piloted control list selectors 17-45

VBA code 18-13planning 3-10using with ActiveX objects 17-55, 18-16validating operator input 17-24

VBA documentation 24-8VBA IDE 24-1, 24-3

Procedure window 24-4

I–20

INDEX• • • • •

Index

Procedures defined 24-2Project Explorer 24-4Properties Window 24-4ThisDisplay module 24-4

VBA Integrated Development EnvironmentSee VBA IDE

Vertical position animation 18-9Vertical slider animation 18-12Viewing objects 24-7Visibility animation 11-9, 18-7

WWater Samples application 1-10

opening in RSView Studio 1-10, 2-3running in RSView SE Client 1-12

Wedge graphic object 17-6Width animation 18-10Wildcards 9-2

and commands A-2using to select tags 8-11

Windows workgroups 4-3Workgroups in Windows 4-3Write tag 16-20

XXML

using with RSView E-1XML files

creating E-1editing E-2exporting E-1graphics

structure E-3importing E-3testing E-2

ZZoom

in trends 19-27

I–21