C-More Micro HMI TriState Switch from AutomationDirect

The Tri-State Button is a lot like a radio button. The differences are: - The TriState is limited to two switches – the radio button can have up to 16… - The TriState uses one button to clear or reset all of the other buttons – the radio button has no clear - AND the TriState modifies two different TAGs where the Radio Button modifies bits in a Single TAG. You can see the difference in these TAGs right here. The radio buttons modify the individual bits in this one TAG – this radio button TAG. The TriState buttons each have their own INDIVIDUAL TAG – HEATER 1 and HEATER 2. HEATER 1 turns on the HEATER 1 TAG … HEATER 2 turns on the HEATER 2 TAG and turns off the HEATER 1 TAG … and the OFF button clears both TAGs. This is ideal for when you want to enable one of two processes but also be able to stop either with one switch. Let’s see how to set up the TriState Button. Double Click or Drag the TriState button onto the screen. The #1 button is always the reset or clear button – there is a little note here to remind you of that. You specify TAGs for the other two. We’re using the HEATER 1 and HEATER 2 so let’s continue that … We’ll put the HEATER 1 tag there and the HEATER 2 tag there – just like we saw in the demo earlier. Now either Heater 1 OR Heater 2 will be active, and we can turn both off with the reset button. Let’s add some labels – so button 1 - we’ll call that our RESET button … and button 2 will be HEATER 1 … and button 3 will be HEATER 2. Let’s change the orientation so it’s easier to read the words … and assign function keys right here – so the RESET will be F1, Heater 1 and Heater 2. Notice that F1 and F2 are not available – once they have been used by the other buttons they can’t be re-used on another button. Ok, it looks like we’re ready so we’ll say OK… we’re gonna move or button on to the screen .. re-size it a little bit … say SIMULATE …. Save the project, And up pops our simulator with our brand new tristate button. Here are the two TAGs that that button will be modifying … HEATER 1 changes Heater 1 to ON, HEATER 2 changes HEATER 2 to ON but changes HEATER 1 to OFF at the same time … likewise .. and the RESET button clears both of them. That’s it for this video – be sure to check out all of the other videos in this series. And as always, please send us any topics you would like to see covered – or - any other comments for that matter – we appreciate the feedback!