9.6 Using the Set Value Button Tag Drawing Method

Now that operators can use the control panel to determine the current status and mode of the booster pump, the next step is to add the controls that will enable operators to change the mode and status. The first control you will add will change the value of the "DO10_1 Booster Pump Start" tag.

 

The "Booster Pump Control" page should still be open from the last exercise. If it is not open, use the Page Manager's "Go To" button to open it.

 

1.  Click the Tag Browser button in the Configuration Toolbox. The Tag Browser opens.

2.  Select "DO10_1 Booster Pump Start" from the tag list.

3.  Click the Draw button. The digital output tag drawing methods are displayed as shown in Figure 116.

Figure 116

The Set Value Button and Set Value Hotbox drawing methods enable signals to be sent out to the PLC and related equipment, while the Text Change, Image Change and Color Box drawing methods (which you've already seen when configuring digital input tags) indicate the value of the tag and do not provide control.

In order to enable operators to change the value of the "DO10_1 Booster Pump Start" tag from "0" to "1", you will employ the Set Value Button drawing method.

 

4.  Click on the Set Value Button.

A sample set value button will be attached to the cursor. 

5.  Place it on the Booster Pump Control page below the existing objects.

The Graphic Editor for the Set Value Button opens.

Each button you create using this dialog has two labels: one for the button when it is idle (State 0); and one label for when the button is pressed and sending a signal out to the PLC and equipment (State 1). The Set Value Button Style dialog also provides you with a choice of values that this button can send when clicked.

 

6.  Enter "Start" in the State 0 Label field and press Enter.

This will be the label of the button when it is idle.

7.  Enter "Starting…" in the State 1 Label field and press Enter.

This will be the label of the button when it has been clicked and is in its 3-second pulse duration.

8.  Select the "Write 1 Immediately" radio button.

This will cause the button to write a value of 1 to the "DO10_1 Booster Pump Start" tag when it is clicked. Our "Start" button is now complete.

Figure 117

9.  Click the OK button. The Set Value Button dialog closes.  The "Booster Pump Control" page should now appear similar to Figure 118.

Figure 118

As you can see in the above example, the label of the "Start" button is gray, indicating that the button is currently disabled. This is because we are still working in design mode. When you place the application in operation mode the Start button will become enabled and you will be able to use it to send output signals.