Free fields in Asset Strategy Optimization

Free fields are fields users can define themselves. In these fields, information can be entered that cannot be placed in the default fields of Asset Strategy Optimization. This section describes how to set up and use these fields.

System options - Free fields

Types of free fields

There are two types of free fields:

1. Textual free field in which up to 255 numeric and textual symbols can be entered

2. Free fields of the type Lookup List. You can define the Lookup List free fields yourself

Defining free fields

The Free fields tab is divided into a number of parts:

Figure 1 - free field parts

3. Object type. The value selected in this drop-down list represents the object for which the free fields are being defined. Free fields can be defined for parts and maintenance actions

4. Available free fields. This part shows the free fields that are available to be added. These free fields are divided into textual free fields and lookup list free fields.

5. Presentation of what the tab with free fields for a part or maintenance action will look like when the Properties window is opened.

6. Entry fields for the presentation and positioning of the free field.

Changing the name of a free field

Initially the available free fields have the names 1,2,3,4,5. These names are not very meaningful, so you can change them. To rename a free field, perform the following steps (figure 2):
 

Figure 2 - Changing the name of a free field

 

7. Select a Free field in either the section Input field numeric/text, or in section Name lookup list

8. Double-click the free field to be renamed in the list of available free fields. An entry field appears with the name of the free field. See Figure 2.

9. Change the name of the free field

10. Click OK. The changed name appears in the list of available free fields.

Adding a free field

You can add free fields to parts and maintenance actions. There are two types of free field:

11. Textual free field

12. Free fields of the type Lookup List.

You can add 5 textual free fields and 5 lookup list free fields for both maintenance actions and parts.

When you add a free field to a part or a maintenance action, it will disappear from the list of available free fields.

Figure 3: Adding a new free field

To add a free field, perform the following steps (see figure 3):

13. Select the object type to which you want to add a free field

14. Select the free field to be added

15. Click the '>' button. The window has two buttons with the value '>'. The top button is used for adding a textual free field. The lower button is used for adding a drop-down list free field.

    Note: If you already added other fields, the newly added field may not be visible, because it disappears behind the existing field. See step: positioning a field, for more information.

Deleting a free field

You can also delete free fields from the Free field tab. When you delete a free field, a check is performed to see whether any values have been entered for that free field for a part or a maintenance action. If this is the case, a warning is generated. If you confirm this warning, the free field is deleted from the tab and all values that had been entered for that free field are reset.

To delete a free field, perform the following steps (Figure 4) :

16. Select the free field to be deleted in the presentation of the tab. Depending on the type of free field, the lower or upper '<' button is turned on

17. Click the '<' button. Asset Strategy Optimization checks whether values have been entered for the free field to be deleted. If this is the case, a warning is generated.

18. If you confirm this warning, the free field is deleted. If you cancel it, deletion is cancelled.

19. The deleted free field becomes available again in the list of available free fields.

 

Figure 4. Deleting a free field

Positioning a free field

When you add a free field to the tab of free fields, it is positioned in the upper left of the tab. Usually this position is not desired, so you can change it. You can change the position of the free field by entering in the <-X-> and <-Y-> values. The X position represents the horizontal position, while the Y position represents the vertical position.

To move a free field, perform the following steps:

20. Select the free field to be moved

21. Enter the X position in the entry field with the text <-X->. You can use the numeric keys of your keyboard or the arrows of the entry field to enter the value. As you set this field, you see the selected free field moving

22. Enter the Y position in the entry field with the text <-Y->. You can use the numeric keys of your keyboard or the arrows of the entry field to enter the value. As you set this field, you see the selected free field moving

Setting the sizes

Besides the position, you can also define the size of the free field. The size is set by entering values for the 'width' and 'height' entry fields. The height can only be set for textual free fields. The size is entered the same way as described for 'Positioning a free field'.

To change the size of a free field, perform the following steps:

23. Select the free field whose size must be changed

24. Set the width in the 'width' entry field.  When you enter the width, you see the width of the free field change in the representation of the free field tab

25. Set the height in the 'height' entry field.  When you enter the height, you see the height of the free field change in the representation of the free field tab.

Setting the label text

You can change the label text (text for the free field) and the alignment of the text for the added free fields. There is an entry field and a drop-down list for this purpose.

To set the text and alignment, perform the following steps:

26. Select the free field whose label text and label alignment must be changed

27. Enter the label text in the Label entry field. You see that the text with the free field is being changed

28. Set the alignment of the label text in the drop-down list. When you select a type of alignment, you see the label text alignment of the selected free field react accordingly.

Setting values in lookup list free fields

You can enter values that are to be displayed in the lookup list of free fields of the lookup list type..

To manage lookup values you must open the window in which the lookup values are managed. To open this window, perform the following steps (Figure 5):

29. Select the free field for which you want to add lookup values. You can select the free field by selecting the desired field from the list of available lookup list free fields, or by selecting a lookup list free field on the Free fields tab

30. Click the 'Settings' button. The window for managing the lookup values appears

31. You can edit, add and/or delete the individual values in this management window. You can determine the sort order by using the arrow keys

32. When done, save the list by clicking the OK button

Figure 5. Setting values for lookup lists

Copying, Exporting, Version Control

Copying or version control of parts and/or maintenance actions includes the free fields.