C-more Micro HMI Dynamic Bitmap from AutomationDirect

The Dynamic Bitmap is identical to the Graphic Indicator we did in a previous video, except with the Dynamic Bitmap YOU can use your OWN graphics, in the Graphic Indicator, you had to use the canned graphics.. Just like the Graphic Indicator, when the TAG changes, the graphic changes to match it. Let’s see how to set this up. You can double click or drag the generic dynamic bitmap onto the screen, or if you see one you like down here in the parts list, you can drag it directly on to the screen. Let’s drag the Fire indicator onto the screen for this example. You can test it using the mini simulator here, and you can also see it right here on the screen. You can load any image you want from disk for the off state here – let’s pick something simple – how about the alarm clock. Normally you will want to turn on the stretching options. This will set the background color of any part of the frame that the button doesn’t fill. And you can also align that button within the frame. We’ll need to choose a TAG for this indicator to monitor. Let’s have it monitor the FIRE tag - and we’re done. Say OK, Simulate, save the project, and up pops our simulator with our new graphic indicator. Now this doesn’t do anything – it’s not a button – it’s just monitoring the FIRE tag which is normally down on the PLC. When that TAG changes state – the button changes to reflect that. You could even program the PLC to blink the image to get the users attention. As a reminder that there are a bunch of images you can use to help you get started in the User Graphic folder under your c-more micro software install. If we switch over to the color panel, by going to the navigations windows function tab – panel manager – select the panel we want – we’ll grab the color four inch for this example – say OK – it’s asking do we want to keep the objects we currently have on the screen as the same size? – sure, why not … On this color panel, we can now use color images. Lets go grab something. We’ll bring a Dynamic Bitmap in .. and for the OFF state we’ll grab a RED stop sign. And for the ON state, let’s go grab our green check mark. Notice that when you pick those you have a choice between a lo-res and a hi-res version. If you need to conserve memory – choose the lo-res version, it will save space in your project. We definitely want to lock the aspect ratio, and stretch to fit so these images come out the same size, and lets turn off transparency – that doesn’t make any sense for what we are doing here. We need a TAG for this button to monitor – let’s use the LIGHTS TAG in this example, and say OK. Let’s stretch the button so we can see it better – Simulate, save the project, and up pops our simulator with our new color graphic indicator. Again, you can’t click on it or do anything with it – it is simply monitoring this lights tag which is normally down on the PLC. When the PLC changes that TAG, the graphic changes. 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!