Animating Colors

You can animate color changes to any object by using color links. Changes can be based on the value of an analog or discrete tag, the value of an analog or discrete expression, or a discrete or analog alarm status.

You can use three kinds of color links to animate objects:

• Line Color

• Fill Color

• Text Color

For each of these three kinds of color links, four types of expressions can control color changes.

WARNING! Objects do not go into an alarm state when using an analog alarm link if the link is to a remote tag from an unconverted application created before InTouch version 7.11.

All discrete color links are created in the same way. The following procedure describes creating a fill color link.

To create a discrete fill color link

1. On the Draw menu, in the Mode group, click Animate.

   Alternatively, right-click the object and click Animation Links.

   The Animation Links dialog box appears.

2. In the Fill Color section, click Discrete.

   The Fill Color -> Discrete Expression dialog box appears.

   

3. In the Expression box, type the name of a discrete tag or a discrete expression that equates to true or false.

   Discrete expressions can contain analog tags. For example, TankLevel >= 75. In this example, when the value of the variable "TankLevel" is greater than or equal to 75, the fill color of the object changes.

4. In the Colors section, click each color box to open the color palette. Select the color to use for each state.

5. Click OK.

To create an analog expression color link

6. Right-click the object and then select Animation Links.

   The Animation Links dialog box appears.

7. In the Fill Color section, click Analog.

   The Fill Color -> Analog Expression dialog box appears.

   

8. In the Expression box, type the name of an analog tag or an expression that equates to an analog value.

9. In the Break Points section, do the following.

   • Specify the breakpoint values where the object changes color.

Tip: You do not have to use ten different colors. For example, if you only want the object to change color three times, type three values and use the same color for the remaining values. If you need a more versatile range, review the analog fill capabilities of Industrial Graphics.

• In the Colors section, select a color for each breakpoint.

10. Click OK.

To create a discrete alarm status color link

11. On the Draw menu, in the Mode group, click Animate.

    Alternatively, right-click the object and click Animation Links.

    The Animation Links dialog box appears.

12. In the Fill Color section, click Discrete Alarm.

    The Fill Color -> Discrete Tagname Alarm Status dialog box appears.

    

13. In the Tagname box, type the name of the discrete tag to associate with the object.

14. In the Colors section, select a color for each alarm state.

15. Click OK.

To create an analog alarm status color link

16. On the Draw menu, in the Mode group, click Animate.

    Alternatively, right-click the object and click Animation Links.

    The Animation Links dialog box appears.

17. In the Fill Color section, click Analog Alarm.

    The Fill Color -> Analog Tagname Alarm Status dialog box appears.

    

18. In the Tagname box, type the name of an analog tag to associated with the object.

19. In the Alarm Type section, select from one of the three types of alarms to associate with the object.

    Alarm Type	Use up to
    Value	Five colors to show the status of the value alarms.
    Deviation	Three colors to show the status of the deviation alarms.
    ROC (Rate of Change)	Two colors to show the status of a rate-of change alarm.

20. In the Colors section, select a color for each alarm state.

21. Click OK.