Working with faceplates

5.8 Working with faceplates

5.8.1 Faceplate basics

Introduction

Faceplates are objects that you compile from existing screen objects.

Faceplates offer the following advantages:

● Central modification

● Reuse in other projects

● Reduction of engineering time

Faceplates are created and edited in the "Faceplate" editor. The faceplates you create are added to the "Project library", and can be inserted into screens in the same way as other objects.

Faceplate configuration

The "Faceplate" editor comprises the "Screens" editor and the

"Faceplate configuration" dialog.

"Screens" Editor

In the "Screens" editor you place the objects you would like to have in the faceplate. You can remove objects or use the toolbox to add new objects.

"Faceplate configuration" dialog

The "Faceplate Configuration" dialog has the following entries:

● General

Here you can set the name of the faceplate. It is under this name that the faceplate will appear in the "project library".

You determine the behavior of the faceplate aspect ratio.

Use the corresponding buttons to export or import any texts you may be using in the faceplate.

● Properties

Here you can set the properties of the faceplate. The properties included here can be configured in future configurations just the same as all the other object properties.

You can also create faceplate tags. The faceplate tags are available only within the faceplate. The faceplate tags are directly interconnected to an object contained within a faceplate, e.g. to an IO field.

5.8 Working with faceplates

● Events

Here you can set the events of the faceplate. The events included here can be configured in the future configuration work just the same as all the other object properties.

● Script

You configure the script for the faceplates here. Under Script you can call the system functions or program new functions, e.g. to convert values. The script is available only from within the faceplate.

Application example

For instance, you can define a faceplate "operating element". The faceplate consists, for example, of the following elements:

● Bar

● Text field for the name

● Output mode

● Button.

In the faceplate you interconnect the event "click" of the button to a script. This script calculates, e. g. the average value of two process tags. This dynamic control is integrated in the faceplate. You can preconfigure the faceplate in such a way that every faceplate

instance that is created from it possesses the same dynamic control.

Using faceplates

After you have created it, the faceplate appears as an object in your project library.

You can now insert the faceplate into your process screens, and configure it in the Properties window for the relevant usage location.

Faceplate instance

Inserting a faceplate into a process screen creates an instance of this faceplate. If you edit the faceplate in the project library, the faceplate instance generated from this will be updated automatically.

Reusing the faceplate instance

The dynamic controls that you have configured directly to the object properties of the objects contained in the faceplate, are included in each faceplate instance.

Alternatively, preconfigure the instance of a faceplate and then reuse it. Each newly generated instance then carries out the same script or uses the same tag for example. You can drag the final configured instance of a faceplate into a library and reuse it later. This preconfigured faceplate instance can continue to be used even if the faceplate is changed.

This means, however, that the interface of the faceplate must remain essentially unchanged.

5.8 Working with faceplates

Configuring security levels

You cannot assign levels of security within faceplates, as a preconfigured level of security would only be valid within the faceplate and not in the project in which the faceplate instances are used. To configure the security levels, connect the "User authorization"

property of the objects in the faceplate to the interface. You then assign the user authorizations to the respective faceplate instance.

Reusing faceplates in multiple projects

WinCC flexible allows you to add faceplates to a global library. This means you can use the faceplates in other projects. When you add a faceplate from the shared library to the screen, the system automatically saves a copy of it to the project library. Change the faceplate from the project library.

5.8.2 Dynamic control options

Introduction

You can dynamically control events and properties of faceplates in two ways:

● On a faceplate instance

On a faceplate instance, the events or dynamic properties can be configured individually for the usage location. To do this, first of all set up the respective properties and events on the interface.

● On an object included in the faceplate

You can directly configure properties, events and animations for an object that is included in the faceplate. The properties and animations can be interconnected with faceplate tags or dynamic properties.

In addition, you can link process values of the objects included in the faceplate with dynamic properties. To do this, first of all set up the respective properties on the interface.

In this way you can preconfigure the faceplate. Every faceplate instance that is generated from this possesses the same dynamic control. You can edit this dynamic control only in the "Faceplates" editor.