Project Types

User projects are projects that you create to store customized content for a particular runtime system. They can include graphics components, tags and alarms, equipment definitions, Cicode files, and so on.

User projects are typically created using a template that provides the basic components required to compile and run the project. This allows you to create content that you can immediately test in a runtime environment.

To create a new project based on a template, you can use a Starter Project (see Create a Project Using a Starter Project).

You can also create a user project by taking a copy of an existing project (see Copy a Project).

Note: Due to the nature of their content, it is recommended that you regularly archive your user projects (see Backup Projects).

When you create a new project, you have the option to base the project on a "starter project". This generates content that includes the basic components required to compile, run and navigate the project.

A project created using a starter project will also incorporate included projects that provide access to a page templates and library objects that you can use to create your own customized content.

You can choose from the following template styles when you create a project with a starter project:

• Situational Awareness — a workspace-based project that is designed to support abnormal situation management for operators.

• SxW — designed for use with systems that conform to Schneider Electric's StruxureWare specification.

• Tab Style — features navigation that uses a tabbed ribbon menu.

All styles are available in a variety of resolutions to suit the screen size of a client computer.

For more information about the contents of a starter project, see the following topics:

• Situational Awareness Projects

• StruxureWare (SxW) Templates Project

• Tab Style Templates Project.

Plant SCADA allows you to "include" a project within a project. This means you can separate configuration or share common configuration with multiple runtime systems.

Included projects are especially useful when you are configuring a large system as they allow you to work with a series of smaller projects that you can combine into a main project.

For example, you could use one project for common configuration for standardization and then a separate project for each section of a plant, or for each production process. This way, you can develop and test each of the smaller projects and system standards before including them in the main project. This also allows multiple users to work simultaneously in the configuration environment with each user working on a separate project.

To add a project within a project, see Add an Included Project

System projects are installed with Plant SCADA. They are intended for use as included projects or starter projects. They provide content that can assist with the configuration of a runtime system. This can include page templates, symbols, genies, and generic Cicode functions. The following system projects are installed with Plant SCADA.

You can view system include projects in the Project activity by clicking System Projects. Starter projects will not appear in the Project activity.

Note: You should avoid making configuration changes to a system project, as each time Plant SCADA is upgraded it installs new versions of the system projects. This means any changes you make to a system project will be lost.

See System Projects.

Example projects are installed with Plant SCADA to demonstrate some of the functionality that can be supported in an operational runtime system.

Two example projects are installed:

• ExampleSA – demonstrates a workspace-based Situational Awareness Project.

• Example – demonstrates a project based on the SxW Templates Project.

The ExampleSA Project

A Situational Awareness project is designed to support abnormal situation management for operators. It provides accurate information to an operator in a way that can be perceived and acted upon quickly, without overwhelming their cognitive abilities. A consistent look and feel is applied to all graphical content, and standardized colors settings are used to emphasize important process data and alarms.

A Situational Awareness project differs to other Plant SCADA projects as it uses a master page on each client screen that is comprised of a set of "panes". Each pane displays a page that can be updated independently at runtime based on navigational or contextual changes. It creates a workspace that supports contextual updates that are managed via a project's equipment hierarchy, which creates an association between the location of a detected change, and the type of content each pane is configured to display.

The ExampleSA project demonstrates the default layout applied to projects created using a Situational Awareness Starter project. This layout includes common elements such as a header bar, content area, and a dashboard that displays contextual information and navigational tools.

The project pages are built using objects that are available in an included library project (named "SA_Library"). The included objects (and associated faceplates) support the autofill functionality of the workspace, and maintain a consistent look and feel across a project's display pages. See Situational Awareness Library Project.

The Example Project

This project comprises a set of pages based on the SxW templates (accessible via a starter project). These pages display tag and alarm values for a set of I/O devices that operate in memory. An equipment hierarchy is also included.

The graphical content included in the Example project pages demonstrates how Plant SCADA can be used to represent complex production processes such as a steel mill, a plant mixer, and a bottling process.

You can select and run the Example project from the Project activity in Plant SCADA Studio. To run this project, you need to make this the Active Project using the Make Active button. When runtime launches, you can access the project’s pages via the Menu panel to the right.

The project is supported by its own help file that describes each of the included pages. This help file is available from the Menu panel.

Note: You should avoid making configuration changes to an Example project, as each time Plant SCADA is upgraded it installs a new version of the project. This means any changes you make to the Example project will be lost.