Multi-text Drawing Method
Available in all applications
Used by: Allen Bradley driver, Analog Input, Analog Status, Analog Output, Analog Control, Calculation, Counter, Data Flow RTU, DataRadio Diagnostic driver, DDE Driver, Deadband Control, DNP3 driver, Driver Multiplexer, Function, MDS driver, Modem, Modicon driver, Omron driver, OPC Client, Polling Driver, Script, Selector Switch, Serial Port, Siemens S7 driver, SQL Logger, Totalizer.
The Multi-text tag drawing method enables you to display a variety of messages, each in its own color, in response to changing conditions within the application.
You can create up to 16 messages using the Text 1 through Text 16 tabs. The Text 1 message is the default, to be shown when the defined conditions have not been met for any of the other messages.
The following example shows a multi-text display below a Meter 13 drawing method. As the tag’s value increases, the multi-text displays a different value to either inform or direct the operator, and uses a different text color to catch the operator’s attention.
The Multi-text is configured by creating a series of increasing trigger points and assigning a color and message to be displayed as each point is reached. The trigger points can be given constant values, or can take their value from either a tag or parameter.
The initial message, text 0, does not have a trigger point since it will be the text displayed until the tag’s value reaches the first assigned value. Two versions of the graphic editor for this drawing method are shown:
What happens if the set point for Text 3 is reached before that of Text 2?
If using constant values, you cannot assign a lower trigger point for a higher text number. This situation can occur if the trigger point for each text message is provided by different tags.
The multi-text drawing method will display each defined message in order from Text 1 through to Text 16. The message and color for Text 1 will be displayed until the comparison condition for Text 2 has been reached. Until the set point for Text 2 has been reached, it does not matter whether any other comparison condition has been exceeded.
After the comparison for Text 2 has been passed, the multi-color will go on to check the comparison for Text 3. If it has already been passed, then the message for Text 2 will be skipped in favor of the message for Text 3.
The same comparison order is used whether the Tag's value is rising or falling.
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The Tag field displays the name and description of the tag that is currently associated with this drawing method. You can use this to select a different tag or parameter to use as the data source for this drawing method.
The Tag field is only present when editing a completed drawing method object
[Optional step] Select one of the font tags (or parameter linked to a font tag) that you wish to use to display the text. The display will use the default system font if you do not select a font tag.
The parameters button is enabled only if the tag is drawn on a page that includes a font parameter, or if the tag is part of a drawing method and the associated drawing method editor is open.
Select each tab in turn, up to the number of messages you wish to display. Each after Text 1 allows you to set a trigger point using either a constant, tag or parameter, and message + color combination to be displayed when that point is passed.
Sets the trigger point, above which the set color will be displayed (until the next trigger point is reached). The value for this point may be provide by any of a user-defined constant, an expression another tag or a parameter.
Enter the text that you want to have displayed when the tag’s value goes above this trigger point.
Opens the Select Color Dialog from which you can select a color from the VTS palette to be displayed when the matching trigger point has been reached.