Smart Message object

The Smart Message screen object displays messages and images that can be changed during run time by updating the value of the associated project tag.

The following smart message object types are available:

• Message Display: Enables you to display any one of multiple messages within a single screen object.

• Multistate Indicator: Enables you to display any one of multiple messages within a single screen object, and also has the ability to display bitmap images with the messages.

• Multistate Pushbutton: Enables you to display messages and bitmap images. This object also resembles a multi-position switch in that it allows you to increment through the messages by clicking on the object during run time.

These smart message object types vary in their ability to display messages and graphics, write to a tag, and control how many messages and graphics display on the screen. However, all of the object types can receive process input (Read Tag value) to determine which message to display.

Note: Because of the large number of elements and configurations, many smart messages on a screen may cause that screen to load slowly and slow overall project performance, especially if using Mobile Access. If this is happening, you can replace the smart messages with rectangles, text boxes, and animations.

To add a smart message object to the screen:

1. On the Draw tab of the ribbon, in the Active Objects group, click Smart Message.

   Draw the Smart Message object in the screen, and then drag object's handles to adjust its size.

   You use the object's height, width, and font size to determine how much text and how large a bitmap image you can display on the screen.

2. Double-click on the object to open the Object Properties dialog.

   

You can use this dialog to specify the following parameters:

• Type combo-box: Click to select the smart message object type. The object type sets the behavior of the object during run time and the features supported by it:

  • Message Display (default)

  • Multistate Indicator

  • Multistate Pushbutton

• Value type drop-down list: Select the type of values used to index the message list:

  • Boolean: Provides two valid states. Use this selection when you want to display either one of two different messages, based on a boolean value (0 or 1).

  • Integer (default): Provides 500 valid states. Use this selection when you want to display different messages based on specific values from an Integer tag.

  • LSB (least significant bit): Provides 32 valid states (that is, 32 bits in an integer value). Use this selection when you want to display different messages based on which bit from an integer tag is set. If more than one bit from the Integer tag is set simultaneously, the message associated with the least significant bit that is set (value 1) will be displayed.

    Note: If the Smart Message Type is Multistate Pushbutton, only 16 different messages can be associated with the object, even for Integer or LSB values.

• Switch event drop-down list (available for Multistate Pushbutton only): Select one of the following options to specify when the message is changed:

  • On Down: Switch to the next message when you click on the object (default).

  • While Down: Switch to the next message continuously while you hold the mouse button down on the object.

  • On Up: Switch to the next message when you release the mouse button on the object.

• Align: Select the alignment of the text displayed by the Smart Message object.

• Fonts: Launches the Fonts dialog, where you can configure the font settings for the text displayed in the object.

• Check expression on each message line check box: When this option is cleared, only Read Tag/Expression is evaluated during run time and the resulting value determines which message is displayed. When this option is selected, each message has its own tag/expression

• Read Tag/Expression text box: Enter a project tag or expression. The value determines which message is displayed by the object during run time.

• Messages: Displays the Configuration dialog box, where you can configure the messages for the object. See "Messages Configuration" below.

• Write Tag text box (optional): Enter the name of a project tag. The State value associated with the currently displayed message is written to this tag. This can be used to keep the value of the State if the screen is closed and reopened, keeping the selected message displayed. If there is no tag in this field, the object will be set to State0 each time the screen is opened. This field is available for Multistate Pushbutton only.

• E-Sign (available for Multistate Pushbutton only): When this option is selected, the user will be prompted to enter the Electronic Signature before executing the animation.

• Hide border: When this option is selected, the line border of the object is not visible.

• Border weight: Defines the thickness (in pixels) of the line drawn around the object.

• Security (available for Multistate Pushbutton only): System Access Level required for the object/animation.

• Key area (optional and available for Multistate Pushbutton only): Shortcut used to go to the next message (step) using a keyboard when the Multistate Pushbutton type is selected. This option is especially useful when creating projects for runtime devices that do not provide a mouse or touch-screen interface, when the keyboard is the only physical interface available to interact with your project during run time.

  Tip: If you have defined custom keys for your project, you can select them in this list. For more information, see Define custom keys for screen objects.

Messages Configuration

The behavior of the object, and thus the layout of this dialog box, depend on whether Check expression on each message line is selected.

Data Source list box: The source of the messages to be displayed by the object. Select one of the following:

• Static: The messages are configured and stored directly on the object. Configure a worksheet row for each possible state. For more information, see the table "Properties for Data Source: Static" below.

• Text File: The messages are loaded from an external source file. In the Source File box, type the path (relative to your project folder) and name of the file. This field accepts String expressions.

  For more information about how to create and format the file, see "Source File Format" below.

The following table describes the meaning of the properties associated with each message, regardless of the Data Source:

Enable translation: Click (check) to enable translation during run time using the Translation Tool.

Auto Format: When selected, if a message includes a decimal value enclosed by curly brackets (e,g, {1.2345}) or a project tag of Real type (see Text/Message below), then the value will be formatted according to the virtual table created by the function SetDecimalPoints.

Note: The properties Graphic File, Transparent and En. Transparent are not available for the Message Display type.

Tip: You can copy data from this dialog and paste it into an Excel worksheet, and vice versa.

Source File Format

This section describes the format of the text file supported by the Smart Message object when the Data Source is Text File. The main advantage of using an external text file instead of static values is that it gives you the flexibility to change the messages during run time, by pointing to a different text file, or even by changing the content of the text file dynamically.

The text file must be created in the CSV format (comma separated values), where the comma character ( , ) is used to divide the columns (data) in each line (row) of the file. Therefore, you can use any CSV editor such as Microsoft Notepad and Microsoft Excel to create the CSV file with the messages and their properties for the Smart Message object.

The description of each property associated with the messages is provided in the Smart Message section. The order of the data in the CSV file is described in the following table:

When configuring text messages that have the comma character as part of the message, you must configure the whole message between quotes (for example, "Warning, Turn the motor Off" ); otherwise, the comma will be interpreted as a data separator instead of as part of the message.

• The first line of this file is equivalent to the State = Error. In other words, if there is no message associated with the current value of the tag configured in the Read Tag field, the message configured in the first row (State = Error) is displayed during run time.

• The data configured in the Value column of the first row from this file is irrelevant. This row must always be configured, regardless of the object type (even for Multistate Pushbutton).

• Only the Text/Message and Value columns are mandatory. The other columns are optional, and the default values will be used if you do not specify any value for them (see table).

• The fields Text(FG), Text(BG), Rec(FG), Rec(BG) and Transparent can be configured with the code of the color associated with it. The code can be entered directly in decimal format (for example, 255) or in hexadecimal format using the syntax #value (for example, #0000FF).

• The fields Text Blink, Rec Blink and En. Transparent can be configured with Boolean values 0 or 1 (0 = Unselected; 1 = selected), or with the keywords FALSE or TRUE (FALSE = Unselected; TRUE = selected).

Example:

Error Message,,0,16777215,1,8421376,16777215,1,error.bmp,0,0

Message Zero,0,0,16777215,0,8421376,16777215,0,open.bmp,65280,1

Message Ten,10,0,16777215,0,8421376,16777215,0,closed.bmp,65280,1

Message Twenty,20,0,16777215,0,8421376,16777215,0,,0,0

Message Thirty,30,0,16777215,0,8421376,16777215,0,,0,0

Tip: You can use the Smart Message editor (Data Source is Static) to configure the messages, values and colors. To do so, select the configuration, copy it and paste it into an Excel worksheet. Then, you can save the Excel worksheet as a CSV file (File > Save As). This procedure provides you with a user friendly interface for configuring the color codes.