Two Color Bar Drawing Method
Available in all applications
Used by: Analog Input, Analog Output, Analog Status, Analog Control, Calculation, Counter, Deadband, Digital Control, Digital Status, Function, Network Status, Pump Status, Script, Selector, Totalizer, SQL Logger.
The Two Color Bar tag drawing method is used to display tag data using an animated, multi-colored bar. Its appearance is similar to the Color Fill drawing method with the addition of a second color that will be displayed when the value goes above a setpoint. A common use of this second color is to provide clear notice that a value is above its safe limit.
Examples showing the Two Color object, the same object behind a tank cut-away image and again with a value exceeding the setpoint.
Despite the name, four colors are used to fully configure the Two Color Bar object:
• The value of the tag is displayed in one color, the Bar Color, shown as green in the example.
• The portion of the tag's value exceeding a user-defined setpoint value is displayed in a second color. This is the High Color, shown as red in the example.
• The background of the object's drawing area is displayed in a third color: the Unfilled Color.
• If you would like this object to be visible only where it overlaps a defined area, you may set the Changed Color to that of the defined area. Any portion of the Two Color object not over that color will be invisible. This feature can be used to build your own tank cut-aways.
The graphic editor for the Two Color drawing method will look similar to the following:
(Click title to expand text)
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
Select one of Top, Right, Bottom or Left to set the direction that the bar will grow with increasing values.
If set, the object will only be visible when placed above an area of this color. The button opens the Select Color Dialog from which you can choose a color. Select transparent in order to stop using the changed color.
Opens the Select Color Dialog from which you can choose a color to that will represent the tag’s value.
Opens the Select Color Dialog from which you can choose a color to be displayed as the background for the bar color.
Use this field to define the point, above which the tag’s value will be shown using the High Color rather than the Bar Color. May be set using any of a constant value, an expression, a second tag’s value or a page parameter.
Opens the Select Color Dialog from which you can choose a color to be displayed for the portion of the bar showing the value above the setpoint.
Use Tag's Scaled Min & Max Values
In most cases, it is best to select this option. When the tag is at its minimum scaled output value, the bar will not be visible and when the tag is at its maximum scaled output value, the bar will fill the area of the drawing method.
Choosing not to use the tag’s scaled min and max values enables the Minimum Value and Maximum Value controls which you can use to scale the bar length relative to the tag’s output scaled values. The scaling you set will apply only to this one instance of the tag drawing method. This option is normally used when the object represents tags such as Calculation and Function that do not have their own scaled values.
Unlike drawing methods such as the Top Bar, the bar for the color fill will be visible only within the area originally drawn for this object, regardless of the scaling you define.
Minimum Value and Maximum Value
The Minimum Value and Maximum Value fields are used to scale the color fill bar relative to the tag’s scaled output values. enables you to enter a numeric value by which this tag's raw data will be scaled. For example, given a tag with scaled output ranging from 0 to 100:
Setting the drawing method’s scale range from 0 to 200 results in a bar that reaches only half the length drawn when the tag is at its maximum value.
Setting the drawing method’s scale range from 0 to 50 results in a bar that reaches its full length when the tag is still only half way to its maximum value.
Unlike drawing methods such as the Top Bar, the bar for the color fill will be visible only within the area originally drawn for this object, regardless of the scaling you define.