Create a Custom Flag for an Alarm Indicator

An Use Alarm Indicators includes a flag that can be used to reflect the priority and current state of the most critical active alarm.

By default, this flag is constructed from the following set of Genies:

• One Genie for each alarm priority that is flagged

• One Genie for the Disabled/Shelved alarm mode.

To create a custom flag for an alarm indicator, you need to create the required Genies and assign them to the associated alarm priority or alarm mode.

Create a Genie to use as a flag

The Genie requires a root level object named "Shape".

1. In Graphics Builder, create a new Genie.

2. Add the object you would like use as an alarm flag.

3. Display the Properties dialog for the object.

4. On the Appearance | General tab, select Filled.

   Note: If you are configuring a Genie for the Disabled/Shelved alarm mode, set the fill color you would like to use on the Appearance | General tab. You can then skip step 5 as the Genie will not need to change color.

5. On the Fill|Color tab, configure the following:

   • Set the Type to Array.

   • Enter the following Array Expression:

     dspAnGetMetaData(dspGetAnCur(), "State")

   • Specify the Array Colors you want to use for 1 – 3, based to the following states:

     1 = On and Unacknowledged

     2 = Off and Unacknowledged

     3 = On and Acknowledged

     You can configure flashing colors via the Edit Favorite Colors Dialog Box, which is accessible via the Edit button on the Color Picker.

6. On the Access | General tab, enter the Name "Shape".

7. On the Metadata | General tab, enter the following items:

   • Name: Equipment; Value: <blank>

   • Name: Label; Value: <blank>

   • Name: State; Value: 0

     Note: If you are configuring a Genie for the Disabled/Shelved alarm mode, replace "Name: State; Value: 0" with "Name: Priority; Value: <blank>".

8. Click OK.

Alarm flag Genies use functionality provided by the Cicode function DspSym. You need to perform the remaining steps to enable DspSym support for the Genie.

9. Display the Page Properties for the Genie. To do this:

   On the File menu, select Properties.

   Or:

   Right-click on the Genie background and select Page Properties.

10. On the Page Properties dialog, select I want to use this Genie with the Cicode function DspSym.

11. Click OK.

12. Save the Genie to a library.

    Note: When saving an alarm flag Genie, use a name that is unique across all included projects that share the same primary project.

Add a text label

The Genie can also include an optional text label. The procedure described below adds a text label that displays the Short Name specified for an Alarm Priority.

13. Add a text object to an alarm flag Genie.

14. Display the Text Properties dialog.

15. On the Appearance | Display Value tab, configure the following:

    • Set the Type to Numeric. This will allow you to specify the number of characters used for the text label.

    • Select the required Format for the label.

      This should reflect the number of characters used for the Short Name specified in the Alarm Priority properties.

    • Enter the following Numeric Expression:

      dspGetMetaDataFromName(".Shape", "Label")

16. On the Fill|Color tab, configure the following:

    • Set the Type to Array.

    • Enter the following Array Expression:

      dspGetMetaDataFromName(".Shape", "State")

    • Specify the Array Colors you want to use for 1 – 3, based to the following states:

      1 = On and Unacknowledged

      2 = Off and Unacknowledged

      3 = On and Acknowledged

17. Click OK.

18. Save the Genie.

Associate a Genie with an alarm priority

19. In Plant SCADA Studio's Setup activity, select Alarming.

20. On the menu below the Command Bar, select Alarm Priorities.

21. Locate the Alarm Priority you would like to associate with a Genie.

22. In the Genie Name field, enter the name of the Genie you would like to associate with the alarm priority.

23. In the Library Name field, enter the name of the library that includes the Genie.

24. Click Save.

Associate a Genie with the Shelved/Disabled alarm mode

25. In Plant SCADA Studio's Setup activity, select Alarming.

26. On the menu below the Command Bar, select Alarm Modes.

27. Locate the Shelved/Disabled mode in the Display Name column.

28. In the Genie Name field, enter the name of the Genie you would like to associate with the alarm mode.

29. In the Library Name field, enter the name of the library that includes the Genie.

30. Click Save.

Example

The default alarm flag Genies that are provided with Plant SCADA are located in the SA_Include project in a library called "sa_priorities". They are named as follows:

• Priority 1 – "sa_p1_normal"

• Priority 2 – "sa_p2_normal"

• Priority 3 – sa_p3_normal"

• Disabled/Shelved – "sa_disabled_normal".

See Also

Use Alarm Indicators