Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.

1182
Introduction to the Movicon Tutorial
Welcome to the Movicon tutorial. This tutorial is aimed at giving you
a quick guided demonstration of the main Movicon Scada/HMI
platform techniques used. At the end of this tutorial you will have
learnt the most essential techniques for using Movicon base
functionalities.
Before going ahead with this tutorial you should first install the
software by using the setup procedures.
All the information in this document is based on the assumption
that:

1. Windows is the operating system being used

2. The user knows how to use the Windows’ techniques
3. The user has sufficient knowledge on automation systems, on
variable and PLC concepts

For further information on each argument, please consult the Online

Guide or the User’s Manual
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
How to create and structure a project
Starting up Movicon with the option command line, the program will
start in Programming mode (Developer). The last project being used
is usually opened. The workspace will display empty upon the first
execution. The workspace uses the modern disappearing window
techniques and therefore just simply point the mouse on the Tab you
require to make it appear in the workspace. To keep the window
displayed in the workspace use the relevant commands as indicated
below:

Note: to display your working windows just point them

with the mouse and use the dock command to keep
them visible.
Movicon Workspace with hidden windows

Dock command
Movicon workspace with window kept displayed

Tip: you can close the property window and double

click on it to make it re-appear.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Creating a New Project
To create a new project, use the ‘New’ command from the File menu
(Ctrl+N).

A Wizard will appear to guide you in creating the new project:

First of all you need to select the type of platform on which the
project must be run. In this way the functions which are not
supported by the selected platform will not be available in
programming mode (the selection can be changed later). Confirming
this operation will display the configuration window:
In the window (as shown above), you will need to enter the desired
name of the project in editing phase.
The other settings are not to be used for the time being but can be
checked out in the manual if wished.
Click on the Next button to open the ‘Users’ settings.
The security settings can be defined in this window. We will skip this
part for the time being and go on with Next button to access the
Driver settings.
The drivers you wish to include in the project can be selected from
this window. We will also skip this part and leave it for later. We will
not set anything at this stage. Now click on Next button to reach the
Screens Settings.
Here you can indicate whether or not to create screens in the
project. You can also indicate whether to create each one with a
Title, and a contents navigation bar with scroll page buttons on the
bottom border.
The default setting can be left alone or adapted to your
requirements which can always be changed later.
Going still ahead with the wizard other windows will be shown for
the configuration of the possible historical, alarms etc..
On the last window, Alarm Settings, when confirming these
operations with Finish button, the wizard will proceed creating the
project according to the settings carried out.

The Wizard will create the project’s structure by

pre-setting all the basic configurations in
automatic.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Workspace
By default, the Movicon workspace appear as shown below:

The Movicon Workspace, windows, toolbars, properties

can be full customized.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Project Properties
Each Movicon project has properties, which are used to set all the
project’s configuration functions.
To display the project’s properties, click on the project name, at the
beginning of its tree structure, or select the name and activate the
Properties Window with the right mouse key.
The Project’s properties permit you to setup the general
characteristics of the project itself, among which are:

1. Eventual encrypted file protection

2. Selecting project’s destination Operating System
3. Working Folder paths
4. Setting Startup behaviour (runtime execution- includes the
'Enable Renaming Manger' for automatically renaming
variables linked to objects)
5. Operating system access security
6. Heap Memory settings for CE
7. Historical Log settings
8. Spooler print settings

For further details on all the properties please refer to

the Programmer’s Manual.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Project Structure
The Movicon projects are built from a set of files XML format. Each
project resource is saved in a XML file in the relating project’s folder
and in the subfolder of the relating resource.
Unless specified otherwise, the projects are saved in the
"Documents\Movicon Projects" default folder.
The files, being ‘open’ thanks to the XML, can be encrypted and
compressed in the project by means of using the project’s
properties. The structure of the files respects the structure the
resources provided in the Movicon project window.
Let’s go over the structure of the project files in detail, using the
Windows Resource Explorer.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
How to create Tags
To introduce a new variable (Tag) into the project you need to:

1. Select the Real-Time Database resource from the project window

2. Select the “Add a new Variable” command from the Command

Pane found at the bottom of the project window. You can also use
the analog command by using the right mouse key.
A new variable will be created in the project with default name and
properties. The Properties Window, if hidden, is displayed by double-
clicking on the new variable (if can be further displayed by using the
relevant command from the ‘View’ menu).

You now need to assign the properties deemed necessary, especially

the General properties, through the ’Properties Window’.
In our case we shall keep the default settings, with the PLC address
to be assigned later.
However we shall briefly go over the main properties for you:
Let’s go over which are the fundamental properties of each Tag:

Name: permits you to assign the name desired for the variable.

Type: permits you to specify the data type (bit, byte, word, etc.)

Area: permits you to indicate whether an explicit memory area is to

be used for the supervisor. When leaving the area as ‘Not Shared’,
the supervisor will decide if the tag must be considered for the
licence. The tag will be counted for the licence only if it’s exchanged
with the field through the driver, OPC, etc..
Dynamic Address: permits you to set the physical address to
connect to the Tag to. The Tags Explorer can be used to specify the
connection by means of an I/O Driver, OPC or Networking.

All the other properties allow you to go and specify the Tag’s
behaviour, in the project, in detail. We, therefore, advise you
to refer to the Programmer’s Manual for further details.

We will leave the Tag with its default settings for the time being.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
How to Communicate with Drivers
New communication drivers (I/O Drivers) can be inserted into the
project at any time. In order to do this you need to:

1. Select the Real-Time Database Resource from the project window

2. Select the ‘Add a new Comm.Driver’ command from the Command

Pane found at the bottom of the project window. You can also use
the analog command by using the right mouse key.

3. A window will appear through which you must choose the driver
you need from the list of drivers available.

4. Each driver is subdivided into product categories. By clicking on

one product will get you the drivers and the relative communication
protocols available.
Check the communication driver relating to the product and the
protocol desired.

We will check the Siemens S7 MPI “PC Adapter” protocol for

our example.

When confirming the operation the driver will be inserted into the
project and added to the list of drivers in the project window.
We can now proceed with necessary configurations through the
properties window:
First of all you must proceed with the driver settings configurations
from the General properties group.
Go to the ‘Settings’ item where you will find an activation button for
accessing the communication settings window.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Configuring the Driver
In this example we have chosen to use the Siemens S7-MPI PC
Adapter driver as an example. The techniques used are the same for
all the other drivers accept a few protocol specifications. The first
thing to do is sort out the configurations of the driver’s General
Characteristics.

1. Usually the default settings are left as they are accept for certain
specifications required by the device being used. As an example lets
suppose we have a standard PLC with a standard MPI connection for
which we will keep the General default settings.

2. After the general settings, select the ‘Stations’ window needed for
the communication station settings which we will create for the
driver.
3. Use the “Add” button to add the necessary communication station
to the driver in order for it to communicate.

4. When entering the new Station, its relating settings window will
display through which we will configure the communication details of
our station for which we will only concentrate on the fundamental
properties.
Station Name: Assign a name to the station. In our case we will
put PLC1 (but any other name is acceptable).

Port: Assign the serial port number being used. In our case we will
use the COM1 serial port, for which we will leave the value left at 1.

Baudrate, Byte Size, Parity, Stop Bit: Assign the parameters of the
communication port. In our case we will keep the Default settings.
Station ID: this is the last property on the list whose setting is based
on the ID address set in the PLC.

All the other station properties permit you to further

configure the communication modalities. For instance,
the TAPI functions can be used for communicating via
modem or the Bridging functions used for
communicating via the modem on the PC, to use the
same communication port for the PLC’s remote
maintenance (eg. Teleservice). To get further
 information on these features please consult the
Programmer’s Manual.

However, we will limit ourselves in using just the base functions

relating to device communication for the time being.
When confirming the settings, the communication station will be
inserted in the communication driver.
Other stations for communicating with other devices on different
COM ports can also be inserted with the same MPI protocol.

When arriving at this point the driver should have been inserted and
the device already connected and ready for communicating. To verify
whether all is in order and working correctly we shall run a test by
using the “Test Cable/Comm.” button. In this way Movicon will be
able to verify whether communication with PLC device has been set
up correctly and the cables are correct. Any errors found should then
be resolved to ensure that communication works correctly.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Assigning Physical Addresses to Tags
After having inserted at least one station, we will look at how
physical addresses are assigned to Tags.

1. Select the Tag previously inserted into the project (or create a
new one)

2. Double-click on it to open the Properties Window.

3. Select the ‘Dynamic’ property from the ‘General’ group to open
the Tag Browser window.

4. Select the Tab relating to the communication driver from the

Browser window.

5. Double-click on the PC Adapter previously inserted to open a

window to assign the physical address.
6. Select the driver station with which you wish communicate with
(in our example we have only entered the station named PLC1),
then specify the device’s physical address in the "Device Address" to
which the variable is to be connected.

7. In our example, we shall connect the Word type variable called

VAR00001 to the PLC’s DB1 data block’s word DW0.

Note: You can also enter the syntax of the physical

address In the Tag' s `Dynamic' property directly:
[DRV]PC Adapter.Sta=PLC1|Addr=DB1.DBW0

With the Tag property set, Movicon will establish communication with
the device for reading-writing data from the PLC on the
corresponding variable during project runtime.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Importing Tags directly from PLC

The Movicon drivers offer an extremely useful feature when the

database of ready-made PLC variables is being used:

The 'Import-Update device database’ command, from the

Command Pane, is made available when selecting the driver from the
Movicon project window. This same command can be obtained and
used by clicking the right mouse key.

When activating this command you will be request to select the file
(keeping the CTRL key or SHIFT key pressed down) corresponding to
the PLC database. As we are using Siemens S7 we need to select the
.SDF or AWL file by means of the file selection window:
When selecting the file with the PLC database, the Movicon Import
Device variables window will open to allow you to select all or part of
the variables contained in the PLC database.

When confirming the operation the ‘Import’ button, Movicon will go

ahead with:

1. Creating the Tags in the Movicon project keeping the same name
and type taken from the PLC database

2. Assigning the relative physical address to each Tag

By using this useful function you can get the Movicon project’s
Variables DB created and completed with the device’s physical
addresses assigned automatically in just a few seconds.
Each Tag’s ‘Dynamic’ property will be shown associated with the
following syntax (which can be changed as pleased):
[DRV]PC Adapter.Sta=Default Station|Addr=M265.0|Typ=0
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
How to create a Screen
To create a graphic interface you need to used the project’s Screen
resource.

1. Select the Resources Folder from the Project window’s tree

structure.

2. Select the ‘Add new screen in the project’ command from the
Command Pane at the bottom of the project window. You can also
use the analog command by using the right mouse key.
3. The new screen will be created in the project and displayed with
its default settings in the workspace.

4. You can change the screens default properties through the

Properties Window. This window is accessed by double-clicking on
the screen itself or by using the same command from the View menu.

5. We will only deal with the screen’s background color properties.

Please refer to the Programmer’s Manual for details on the other
properties.
6. Select the ‘Back Color’ property from the ‘Background’ property
group and assign white as the screen’s background color.

This property takes effect when being confirmed with the key.

7. Repeat this operation to introduce another screen into the project.

By doing this we can setup an example to be used in the ‘change
page’ lesson up ahead.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Screen at the project startup
To get the screen to open automatically at the start of a project
Runtime you need to specify the screen in the project’s Execution
properties.

1. Double-click on the project name at the beginning of the project’s

tree structure to display the its properties, or select the name and
activate the Properties Window with the right mouse key.
2. Select the Execution Property, then the ‘Startup Synoptic’
property. By using the activation button, activate the window for
selecting the screen desired. Then press the ‘Refresh’ button to add
it to the list.
3. We will select ‘Screen 1’ to use in our example (or you can select
another one if you prefer). Then confirm with OK.

The specified screen will be the one to open and display

automatically at the project startup.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Graphic Editing
We will now re-open ‘Screen1’ to examine the basic graphic editing
concepts.

1. Double-click on the ‘Screen1’ resource, found in the Screens folder

in the project window, to open the screen.

2. Use the drawings tools by taking them from the Toolbox

positioned on the workspace’s right border.

3. Select the ‘Basic Shapes’ from the Toolbox and then select the
drawing to be used graphically on the screen.
4. After having selected the chosen drawing, double-click on the
insertion point on the screen and drag the drawing until you reach
the size desired.

5. Repeat these operations to create the drawing you want on screen.

6. These graphic elements, once on the screen, can be given general,

style and animation properties by using the Properties Window as
described below.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Object Libraries
In addition to the Basic shapes provided in the Toolbox you can also
access other graphic object categories. These categories contain
vectorial drawings with style and animation properties similar to those
of the basic shapes but already predisposed with execution functions
for which they have been designed for.

To use the ToolBox’s Objects, simply select the object desired then
double-click the mouse to insert the object on the point of the screen
where you want it to be and drag it until you reach the size desired.
After having inserted the your chose objects, you can then proceed
with assigning their properties by using the Properties Window.
Each object will have, apart from the general properties, also style
and animation properties, which are common to all objects, and the
execution properties specified for each single object.

Please refer to the Programmer’s Manual for further

details.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Symbols Library
Movicon provides a vast variety of graphic symbols in libraries which
have been pre-built purposely to meet all the graphical representation
requirements in automation.
These symbol libraries can either be accessed through the ‘Symbol
Libraries’ window, displayed on the border on the right hand side of
the workspace, or by using the analog command from the ‘View’
menu.

Each symbol from each category can be inserted on screen by simply

using the Drag&Drop techniques and re-sizing it as desired by
dragging its borders just like any other graphic object.

The symbols can be configured in their properties just like

any other drawing object, by using the Properties
Window.

Graphic editing example:

Insert a ‘Rectangle’ object into the screen from the ‘Basic Shapes’
ToolBox and a ‘Tank’ symbol from the Symbol Library.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Creating a Composed Symbol
All the drawing elements (Drawings, Symbols, Objects) can be
grouped together in Symbols and then added to the Symbol Library.
Now let’s proceed with inserting a few drawing elements which we
will then associate to a graphic symbol.

By following the procedure described above, insert a Rectangle and

two Ellipses from the Basic Shapes ToolBox to form the shape shown
below:

Select all three elements with the mouse by clicking in the area and
dragging the selection.
The figure below shows how the drawing should look like with the
reference object highlighted for any eventual align commands.
With the right mouse key, in the workspace, select the Symbol –
Group command to group all three drawings together to make one
symbol.
The symbol can now be added to the Movicon Templates library by
using the right mouse key on Symbol -> Add to Library.
Any animations or codes associated to the symbol will also be kept in
the library.

The composed symbols can be inspected in the project’s tree

structure. The objects and the composed symbols are displayed in
structures under the screen they belong to.
Therefore each components of each symbol can be selected
singularly and configured in its properties.
When using this technique we suggest you assign a name
to each symbol or drawing so that they can be identified
straight away.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
How to create Dynamic Animations
We will now look at the editing techniques used, which entail the
association of Tags, for creating dynamic animations.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
How To create Dynamic Colors
In our example we have chosen to assign the animation properties
to color the drawing’s background in function with the VAR00001 tag
previously introduced.

1. Activate the screen where the graphic symbols were inserted as

described above.

2. Select the rectangle shape representing a tube.

3. Double-click or use the other techniques to display the

Properties Window.

4. Select the Animation group from the Properties Window and

then the Back Color item.
Check the ‘Enable’ box to enable the pre-selected animation
function, then select the tag among those inserted in the project’s
RealTime DB.
Then select the ‘Edit back color list’ to set the activation
thresholds of the tag and the relating colors to be displayed.

A window for setting how the Thresholds should appear.

The window contains a series of standard default thresholds. Use the
relative commands on the side to delete, add of edit them.
Use the relative settings window, shown below, to add or edit the
animation characteristics:
By using this window you can set the threshold values and the
animation colors, as well as other properties which are explained in
the Programmer’s Manual.
Confirm the settings with OK.

When you Run the project, changing the real-time

value of Tag VAR00001, you will see the rectangle
shape change color.
Attention: the “Variable for Threshold Color” in this
threshold settings window consents to making the
activation threshold dynamic. This variable, however,
MUST NOT be used in the 'Background color' property,
otherwise the color animation will not work correctly by
showing only the same color without changing.

TIP: Variables can be associated to objects by directly

dragging them from the RealTimeDB resource and
dropping them on the objects on screen.
When you select a variable from the variable list and drag and drop
it on an object in the screen, a window will display allowing you to
select which animations to associate to that variable.

However, the threshold color settings remain at the user's discretion.

Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Other examples of Dynamic Animations
We will now insert some animations requiring Word type tags, which
can be inserted into the project as described above in chapter 4.
Let’s assume that two tags, VAR0001 and VAR00002, both in Word
are available in our example project.

We will demonstrate another example of dynamic animation for on

screen symbol movement: Composed Movement.

1. Open the screen and select the Symbol, created previously with
the Rectangle and Ellipse drawings grouped together, then
activate the Properties Window.

2. Select the ‘Animations’ group and then Composed

Movement. This animation sets the graphic symbol to move on the
screen along a trajectory line graphically drawn out with the mouse
in proportion to the tag values associated.

3. Check the ‘Enable’ box.

4. Associate the VAR00002 tag previously inserted

5. Confirm with .

6. Close the property window and activate the mouse’s right key
commands from the selected symbol. Select the ‘Edit Composed
Movement’ item.

7. Drag the symbol’s shape to the end point, i.e. to the right hand
side of the tank.

8. To insert the intermediate points of the path, double-click with the

mouse on the line and drag it to the intermediate point desired and
continue like this until the trajectory line is complete.

9. Press the ESC key when finished. You should get this result as
shown below:
10. Select the Scaling box from the Animations properties group to
activate the relating settings window.

11. Associate the VAR00002 tag previously inserted.

12. Enter the 50-100 values as scale Percentage, so that the symbol
remains visible at 50% of its scale as minimum value.

13. Select the direction of the scaled re-sizing (leave the default
selection).
Confirm with

When you Run the project, changing the real-time

value of Tag VAR0002, you will see the movement
through the path of the symbol. The size (scaling) of the
object will change consequently.

TIP:Variables can be associated to objects by directly

dragging them from the RealTimeDB resource and
dropping them on the objects on screen.
 When you select a variable from the variable list
and drag and drop it on an object in the screen,
a window will display
allowing you to select which animations to
associate to that variable.

However, the threshold color settings remain at the user's discretion.

Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
How to execute commands from Objects
Execution commands can be assigned to objects in the screen’s user
interface, in function with their characteristics.
We will follow up the chapter reported above regarding graphic
animation to complete the argument by explaining the techniques
used for assigning execution commands to object.
In our case we shall use a ‘Button’ object and a ‘Gauge’ object,
which are needed to produce the animation which we configured
previously.

1. Activate the screen where the graphic symbols, described above,

are inserted.

2. Take a ‘Gauge’ from the ToolBox’s "Sliders-Gauges-Meters"

category and insert it in the screen.

3. Take a ‘Green Button’ from the ToolBox’s ‘Buttons-Lights-

Switches’ category and insert it in the screen.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Assigning Tag's value from Objects
Example Using Button Objects
Let’s proceed with configuring the button which we will use for
acting on the variable used for managing the rectangle’s (tube) color
animation.

1. Double-click or use the other technique to display the inserted

Green Button’s Properties.

2. Select the Execution group from the properties window and then
the 'ON-OFF' Mechanic Style. Select the VAR00001 tag previously
inserted. By using this characteristic the button will toggle the Tag,
by setting it with the ‘0’ and ‘1’ values. The tag can also be
interacted on by using the command selection as we will show you
up ahead.
3. Confirm with .

Example Using Gauge Objects

Now we shall configure the gauge which we use to interact on the
tag to manage the created symbol’s animated movement.

1. Double click or use the other technique to display the inserted

gauge’s Properties Window.
2. Select the Variable group from the properties window and then
select the Gauge-Slider Variable item. Select the VAR0002 tag
previously inserted. In this way the gauge will interact directly on
the VAR00002 tag. The gauge object is totally configurable, by
using the numerous properties provided. It is only necessary to do
the configuration as indicated for our example. The other properties
can be referred to in the Programmer’s manual.

3. Confirm with
 TIP: you can also drag the Tag from the project
RealTimeDB resource directly to the object on the
screen, to simply assign the variable.

If you select a variable from the variable list and drag it on top of an
object on screen, it will automatically be inserted in the command
object's Tag property.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Assigning executing commands to Objects
Different types of commands can be assigned to any command
object (Buttons, Menu, Accelerators) and command lists can also be
created. The commands can be activated by selecting the
"Command Type" on the Execution Properties as "Execute
Command", then defining the command type by selection the
"Command on Release" or Command on Pressed.

The button’s execution properties are:

When activating the ‘Commands’ selection from the Execution
properties you can edit the command list to be associated to the
object by using the ‘Add New Command’ button in the Command
List window.

The ‘Add New Command’ button opens the settings window of the
operating commands to be assigned to the object.
Each configured command will be added to the Command List which
the object will execute.
There are commands in Tags (Set, Reset, Toggle, Strobe, Increase,
Decrease, Virtual Keyboard...) or on Screen windows (with the
various opening modalities).

Please refer the manual for further details on all the

command operations which can be assigned to objects.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Start Runtime
At this point, with the objects configured we can run the project to
verify its Runtime behaviour.

1. Press the button or use the Start Project command from the
File menu (or ALT+F12).

2. Movicon will ask you to save the project. Save the project using
the classic Windows techniques.

3. After having saved the project on file, it will be executed in run

mode where you can operate the objects to see if they work.
4. To return to Programming mode, use the ALT+F12 keys or the
button from the bar.
Note: (you can customize system menus by inserting all the
commands desired as well as for the Movicon or Windows shutdown
from the project in Runtime mode).
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
How to Manage Alarms
In this brief lesson we will quickly see how to activate, display and
record alarms in Movicon projects.
We shall continue with our example from where we left off with a
few Tags and a pair of screens already predisposed in our project.

Note: The alarms are objects from the project. Each

alarm has their own General properties where they are
assigned names and associated to tags in cases when
not used as templates. Alarms used as templates will be
dealt with further on.

Each alarm is built with at least one threshold, whose value and
condition determine the activation of the alarm with an associated
text.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Inserting Alarm Objects
1. Select the ‘Alarm List’ Resource from the project window which in
turn will show the relative commands in the command Pane at the
bottom.

2. Use the “Add a new Alarm” command from the Command Pane
or with the right mouse key. A new alarm object will be created in the
project and can be renamed as pleased.

Activate the alarm object’s properties window to assign the desired

name, i.e. ALL001, then the Tag from the project by selecting it from
those inserted in the project’s Real-Time DB. In our example, the
object’s properties are those indicated in the figure below:
 Important: if the ‘Quality Good Only’ is left checked the
alarm will be activated only when the RealTime DB assigns
the tag with a certain value. For instance, in cases where
a Tag connected to a driver or in network, becomes
disconnected the value turns to ‘uncertain’ and therefore
the alarm will not appear. If in doubt, uncheck this option
for a test run.

3. After having entered the Alarm object, you can enter at least one
activation threshold. Therefore, select the alarm from the project
Window and use the ‘Add a new Alarm Threshold’ from the
Commands Pane or use the right mouse key.
4. By doing this the alarm will show one intervention threshold which
we will configure through its properties.

5. We will configure the alarm’s activation on the value desired in the

threshold properties Window.

6. Go to the ‘General’ properties group to assign the ‘Title’ being the

text which will be associated to the alarm. The title can be typed
directly in the property box or, as a good rule, can reside in the
project’s ‘String Table’ and there may be subject to language
change.

Note: when using the string table, you need to select

the project name from the project resource window and
use the ‘Edit String Table’ command from the Command
Pane (or using the command made available for use
 with a right mouse click). Then insert the columns (each
column is a text language) and then proceed with
inserting the texts which will then be made available all
over the project

7. We then have to assign the threshold value in the ‘Value’ box in

the ‘Execution’ property group. You can also use a ‘dynamic’
threshold value, where the alarm activation value derives from the
contents of another tag. Leave the default activation >= (more than
or equal to).

8. The Style and Notification Event properties are of no interest to us

for the time being and therefore we will leave those for default.

The alarm is historically logged in the file for default and can be
traced or reset as well as other characteristics to be referred to
in the Programmer’s Manual.
The alarm and its activation threshold are now configured. You need
to consider that each alarm may have different activation thresholds
and if the associated variable is not bit type, but Word type for
instance, the alarm is consider to be analog type.
This procedure permits one alarm to be created, with different
threshold if need be, for each variable. However, there is another
way that allows you to set alarms as "Templates". In order to do
this you need to set the alarm as described above, but without
specifying the name of the associated variable.
This will make the alarm generic and associated to more than one
variable at the same time. If you set more than one variable the List
Variables, they can be selected at the same time by pressing the
SHIFT or CTRL key.

Once you have selected the variables, you can associate an alarm
using the "Associate an alarm" command from the command pane at
the bottom or using the right mouse key to get to it.
This command allows user to select the alarm from the previously
defined alarm list.

Note: It is always best to differentiate the type of alarm

you intend to use, therefore when that alarm is used as
template with multiple variable associations, you should
make sure that the alarm has not been set with a variable
in its "Alarm Variable" property.

We will now define a new alarm called ALL002 without associated it

with a variable (Tag).

We shall then add one variable named VAR0003 to the list of

variables as described previously. Now we can select both the
VAR00002 and VAR00003 variables from the list using the CTRL key
technique and call the "Associate an Alarm" command with the
right mouse key.

We shall go ahead and choose the ALL002 alarm. We will then see
listed the single alarms associated to the two variables. In this case
the alarms will behave exactly in the same way as the ALL001 alarm
does, simply knowing that the VAR00002 and VAR00003 variables
have identical alarm thresholds, even though logged individually for
each variable.

The alarm and its activation threshold (each alarm can have a
number of activation thresholds) have now been configured.
We can now move on to how to view active alarms and those
historically recorded on file.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Displaying Alarms
The active alarms, setup in the project’s Alarm List resource, can be
displayed in purpose-made object viewers which can be inserted on
the screen.
We need the use of a screen. In our example project we have setup
two screens, ‘Screen1’ and ‘Screen2’ where Screen1 has already been
used for the graphic examples. Therefore we are left with Screen2 for
this example.

1. Double-click on ‘Screen2’, in the Screens folder from the project

Window, to open it in edit mode.

2. Activate the Toolbox and take out an ‘Alarm Window’ object from
the ‘Advanced Shapes’ category.
3. Click on a point on the screen’s top left, then drag the selection to
insert the ‘Alarms Window’ object in the size desired.

4. Double-click to activate the ‘Alarm Window’ object property. The

Style property permits you to fully configure the Alarm Viewer
object. The Background property permits you to assign the
background colour desired for the alarm’s window. The Font property
permits you to choose its characteristics as desired. The numerous
properties, described in the Programmer’s Manual, permit you to
manage the viewing of alarms according to any applied necessities.
In our case, for simplicity, we will leave all the default settings as
they.
You can modify, add or take away the columns
describing the alarms in the Alarms Viewer by
using the appropriate tools, which are displayed
with the “Shift + Double-click’ in the same window.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Displaying Alarm History
All the alarms are historically logged for default. The recording
modalities and the Historical Log archives management can be
customized through the Historical Log properties which is accessed by
selecting the project name from the tree structure and then using the
properties Window.

To display the historical data of the alarms, you need to proceed as

described above for the Alarms Viewers.
Apart from the Alarm Viewers you will also find the Historical Log
Viewer in the ToolBox. Carry out the same procedures for inserting
the Historical Log as described above for the Alarms Viewer.
Keep in mind that the Historical Log window displays system
messages for default only and not alarm messages. In order to
display alarm messages in our project we will have to set the Log
Window's 'Filter Event Type' property to the "All" or "Alarm Messages"
value.
All we have to now is verify what we have done. For this we need the
following function in the project, considering all that has been
realized up to this point:

1. A command for alarm simulation on the alarms page.

2. The change page commands.
Getting Started with Movicon - Rel. 11.5.1182
Create a Simulation
We shall find room in the Alarms screen window to insert a command
object which will interact on the VAR00001 tag associated to the
alarms.

1. Open ‘Screen2’ from the project window. Arrange the viewer

objects so that the is enough space left for inserting the other objects
(i.e. on the bottom border).

2. Insert a ‘selector’ object from the Toolbox and position it on the

bottom border. Activate its properties and assigned the VAR00001
tag in the Execution properties.

The selector object will interact on the VAR00001 tag, which we have
already assigned to the Alarm object.
The same can be done with the remaining VAR00002 and VAR00003.
Therefore we shall insert another two selectors and assign one with
the VAR00002 variable and the other with the VAR00003 variable.

3. Insert another new ‘button’ object, again from the Toolbox, as

before. Position it on the bottom border at the side of the selector.
Activate its properties and assign the opening of ‘Screen1’ in the
Execution properties. This button will then permit us to execute a
page change to return back to the first page.
4. Now we can insert the same object into ‘Screen1’, the startup
screen, so that we can dispose the open Alarms page command. The
button object’s ‘Cut & Paste’ can also be used to dispose it on another
screen after which its properties can be modified.

Executing Runtime
We now have the necessary items arranged in our example project to
test run it:

Screen1: graphic simulation screen, with command and graphic

animation objects. The appropriate button is used for accessing
Screen2.
Screen2: Alarms simulation screen, with the alarms activation
and viewer objects.
At this point, we are all set for executing a test run of the project to
verify its behaviour during Runtime.

1. press the button or use the Start Project command from the
File menu (or ALT+F12).

2. Movicon will ask you to execute a project save. Execute the save
according to the usual Windows’ techniques.

3. After having saved the project file, it will be put into run mode
letting you try out the objects to see if they work.

4. To return to Programming mode use the ALT+F12 keys or the

button from the bar.

Note: (you can customize a system menu by inserting all

the commands desired, including the ones for shutting
down Movicon or Windows from the project in Runtime
mode). Please refer to the Programming manual for
further details.
The picture shows an example of our simulation.
In order to generate and delete alarms using the three selectors
switches, you can get the alarm's history from Alarm Window as well.
You can also analyse the alarm's history displayed in the Alarm
Window from when it occurred using the "Get History (G)"
command.
If we select an alarm occurrence and click on the "Get Hisotry (G)"
command, a '+' symbol will appear at the side of the alarm in the
window. This symbol is used for expanding the occurred alarm's
history.

You can also check alarm occurrences in the Historical Log window
and any other following operations carried out to them.