CX-Designer improvement requests

[ECSI 17]

$SW +18 can be used to determine if any alams are active. I use this a lot of different screens as an indicator that alarms are active. Although, it can't distinguish between alarm groups. As for the alarm view issue, I believe that if an alarm occurs then it shouldn't be allowed to disappear without some user input such as an acknowledge or reset button on the NS. I always latch alarm bits on in the PLC. That way the alarm can't go away until the operator tells it to. Edited 21 May 2007 by ECSI

[beegee 7]

we are replacing ESA on our existing machines (they have such functionality without changing PLC soft) And yes, I know it can be done in the PLC (we used to do it with NT21) but it would be nice to have this in the NS...

[beegee 7]

With the password levels: right now, if you are logged in as level 2 for instance and you click on a button protected with level 4 you get the message you are not allowed to do that. I would like the NS to ask me the Level 4 password instead. Now you have to log off from Level 2 and log on level 4 first....

[PdL 71]

Hello all NS Users! I have been invited by Omron headquarters to a gathering this month with a representative of the Japanese team which developes NS terminals and CX-Designer to talk about what European users would like to see improved in CX-Designer and what they find important. As we have already gathered a lot of good suggestions mentioned in this topic, I have put together a list and will take it with me to hand over. Of course you can still add your wishes in this topic and I will add them to the list. If I have missed some suggestions mentioned already let me know and I will add them as well! I will keep you posted... CX_Designer_improvements_June_1_2007.doc

[beegee 7]

great job

[BobB 58]

Pim, how about an autosave feature as I have suggested for CX-P? Should be in all software these days.

[PdL 71]

Will add to the list at the next update.

[tashinz 9]

have seen the list, great job PdL! nothing to add. Just regarding this compatibility with excel, in one word that is, return it as it was in NS-Designer (there you could copy paste anything from Change Settings at Once dialog to Excel and vice versa - labels (captions), address, everything). And of course, retain this auto addressing in Edit Properties dialogue of CX-D, although it is much more powerfull when you do it in Excel and paste it back to CX-D. Regards to all

[briselec 0]

Be able to set the same numeral display type in multiple fields of a data block instead of having to do each one separately. When a field is added, the storage type of the preceding field is considered, e.g if a field is a 2 word storage type with the address DM100, then a new field added to the right will automatically be assigned DM102 Edited 3 Jun 2007 by briselec

[Andrey Zhuk 0]

Alarm messages include embedded point names , which is replaced at runtime with the value of the point: Example Boiler temp high: ((BoilerTemp)) shows the point value in the alarm message.

[tashinz 9]

PdL, add to the Object section, at point 3, pop-up window doesn't have border when you select no title bar. then it looks bad. so, they should put window border as option, title bar as option etc. regards

[scottmurphy 1]

I draw a box the same size as the popup to accomodate this, gives you the flexibilty of changing the style/frame/colour etc. But, whatever makes these things easier/quicker, I am all for it. One thing that have noticed, and I don't know if it has been corrected already, is being able to have an underline function as well as the bold/italic function for text displays. I think Bob suggested to follow the windows format, may be covered in that?

[PdL 71]

Hi guys, I will have the Omron party over this friday, so keep those requests coming!! All suggestions and requests regarding NS terminals are welcome. Here's the updated list, with the following additions/modifications: GENERAL 6. An option to enable/disable auto-save function perhaps with adjustable save time interval (BobB) ALARM/EVENT SYSTEM 5. The ability to embed variables in alarm messages which substitute the variable value in runtime (Andrey Zhuk) 6. "Add info" function in Alarm/Event dialog to accommodate mode than 3 variables, possibly even configurable variables for each alarm. This would give some good process alarm analysis. (PdL) OBJECTS 3. Popup screen title bar customizable (with/without close button, with/without window bar etc) E.g. when selecting no title bar, the window doesn't have a border in runtime which makes it difficult to distinguish it from the parent screen. (tashinz) 8. At a label text attributes Font Style settings, include Underline next to Italic and Bold. (scottmurphy) CX_Designer_improvements_June_12_2007.doc

[tashinz 9]

PdL, have a drink tomorrow for all of us. but keep your focus on the matter. good luck

[PdL 71]

Hi guys, Last friday the manager of NS series software Japan visited our company, and I have handed him over "The List" and we talked through all items. Some items were al ready giving him some headaches , but overall he was very pleased to reveice such detailed feedback and I think although not all requests can be fulfilled, I am positive we are going to see part of these requests realised in the future. After the meeting I was given a sneak preview on the next major update of CX-D which will be included in an update of CX-One in the near future.... it was eyes only and I promised to behave, so all I can say is there are some very neat features included that I know a lot of you will use... And regarding the following request form Mark I learned something new: There actually is a screen capture function available in the system memory... Beware it is only supported by NS8, NS10 or NS12. Of course I tested this first and here's a live captured image. I included the red button in my page template sheet and used the button macro command Touch ON timing to set system bit n+25, ad the the touch OFF timing to reset system bit n+25. The output file is 601Kb, so you could store well over 3000 captures on a 2GB card. Here's a guide how to: How_to_use_live_screen_capture_with_NS8_10_12.pdf I think I will keep track of all new requests again, and see if I can forward them to Omron once every while.

[scottmurphy 1]

Pdl, Another thing I was trying to do today was to display text vertically, ie rotated 90deg. Could this be passed on, unless of course there is a way to acheive it already?

[PdL 71]

No, unless you use bitmaps with text already rotated this it not possible. You can rotate text labels but the text origin stays the same. I'll put it on the list.

[tashinz 9]

some days before, when the V5 of NS-Designer was about to be released, I read somewhere in the omron secret papers that this functionality will be implemented in next V5 version. it never came though. or this was a dream. that is how my dreams look like, btw.

[PdL 71]

Tashinz, you really need to get out more often ... when's your next job in Amsterdam ?

[scottmurphy 1]

Just another for the list, how about, when setting the screen saver to switch off etc, you can set it to default to a defined page? Unless there is a smarter way, possibly by doing a macro? I use the alarm screen switch a the moment, with a running timer in the PLC. I will play later on, look for other options....

[tashinz 9]

Hi PdL, nothing in a near future. altough I was close coming to amsterdam at the end of august to regular Omron IDS meeting, but someone else is going instead of me. me, have a lot of commisionings here. too bad for beers though. there will be another chance, I am sure. Or for you to come to Serbia. so much to see here, I assure you. regards Edited 23 Jun 2007 by tashinz

[chainsaw 0]

Exporting/importing just the symbol table. (If not already possible, obviously! I just can't find it.) A customer wants to change from one HMI to an Omron one, but it has loads of tags. It would be easier to change the formatting in a csv type file than to type in a couple of hundred symbols. Again. (I did the original HMI as well.) Even then I exported the symbols from CX-Prog and changed the csv file.

[beegee 7]

just use CTRL-C CTRL-V (it works between CX-Programmer and CX-Designer all the time)

[chainsaw 0]

D'oh! Works a charm. Need one of these with the arrow pointing left!

[beegee 7]

I'd like to have a mapping tool to map the colurs to gray values when converting from a colour screen to a grayscale screen (NS5-MQ). Now you have to open all the objects to change the colours