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Displaying the different languages consistently and effectively in
graphic displays.
For example, if you use a caption to identify a button set up to switch
to French, the caption will change whenever a language switch occurs.
To avoid this, use an image of the French flag on the button, instead.
For more information, see Setting up language switching on page 323.
FactoryTalk View SE includes tools and features that can help you create
applications that are easier to use and maintain. For example, you can:
Create global objects and distribute copies of the objects throughout
the application. When you modify the global object, the changes are
applied to all linked copies.
For more information about global objects, see Creating graphic
displays on page 391.
Create special graphic displays to help deployment and maintenance
personnel test an application, for example, to troubleshoot
communications problems.
Link parts of an HMI application to logic in programmable controllers,
using the OpenRSLogix5000 command.
For example, you can link actions performed in FactoryTalk View SE
to Sequential Function Charts (SFCs) in RSLogix 5000, to help
operators track the state of processes that are running in the plant.
For details about using the OpenRSLogix5000 command, see the
FactoryTalk View Site Edition Help.
Designing the application for multiple users
Behavior that is appropriate in a single-user environment might not be
appropriate for multiple users.
When designing a network distributed application, consider issues such as
the following:
If a graphic display that is to run on several clients uses a shutdown
macro to stop a derived tags file, closing the display on any of the
clients will stop derived tags processing.
Since derived tags processing occurs at the HMI server, this would
affect all clients that require the derived data. For more information
about derived tags, see Adding logic and control on page 631.
Since tag values are obtained globally, across a network distributed
application, do not use them to store local information. For example, if
Designing a system
that is easy to
deploy and maintain
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you use a tag value to indicate the last display shown, all clients
connected to the application will receive the same tag value.
If you regularly require data from programs such as Microsoft Excel, or
Microsoft SQL Server, consider using the FactoryTalk View SE Client
object model and display code with VBA to integrate these applications with
FactoryTalk View SE.
You can also use the FactoryTalk View SE Client object model to customize
the control system in the following ways:
Adding custom alarm events
You can write alarm detection algorithms using PLC logic, and then create
events in FactoryTalk View SE to respond to the algorithms.
Validating operator input
Use VBA logic to validate the operator’
s input, for example, to ensure that
the value an operator enters in a numeric input object falls within 10 percent
of the value of another numeric input object.
Creating custom operator forms
Use the FactoryTalk View SE Client object model to populate VBA form
objects with data, for use in graphic displays. For example, provide list boxes
or combo boxes for operators to select recipe items from a display.
Manipulating the FactoryTalk View SE Client window
Write VBA code to arrange graphic displays based on the size of the
FactoryTalk View SE Client window, so that the run-time application can
adapt dynamically to various desktop sizes and resolutions.
Sending custom messages to the Diagnostics log
Send specific messages to the Diagnostics List and Diagnostics log, to notify
the operator of problems with VBA code.
Securing the system
Use the FactoryTalk View SE object model to obtain security information
about who is using the system and to control access to the system.
For example, you can restrict a user’s
access to a graphic display on a
secured computer by creating code that displays the graphic display on a
workstation with a specific computer name, only when the user is logged in
with a particular user name.
Integrating with
other applications
and customizing the
system
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Chapter 4
Setting up the FactoryTalk
Directory
This chapter describes:
What the FactoryTalk Directory is.
Using the FactoryTalk Directory in a networked system.
How to specify the location of the FactoryTalk Network Directory
server.
What happens if the Network Directory server is unavailable.
The FactoryTalk Directory centralizes access to resources and components,
such as graphic displays and tags, for all FactoryTalk products participating
in a control system.
Like a telephone directory or electronic address book, the FactoryTalk
Directory provides a lookup service for the parts of an application, so that
they can find each other on a single computer or over a network.
Application components can be stored in their original environments and
made available to all clients, without the need for duplication.
FactoryTalk View Site Edition applications use two types of FactoryTalk
Directory:
FactoryTalk Local Directory, or the Local Directory, manages local
station applications.
All local application components, except for OPC data servers, must be
located on the same computer.
FactoryTalk Network Directory, or the Network Directory, manages
network distributed and network station applications.
Network distributed applications can consist of multiple clients and
servers, distributed across several computers connected over a network.
One Network Directory manages all of the FactoryTalk products that
participate in a single network distributed or network station
application.
About FactoryTalk
Directory
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Both the Local and the Network Directory are installed with the FactoryTalk
Services Platform. For more information, see the FactoryTalk View Site
Edition Installation Guide.
FactoryTalk Directory in a networked system
FactoryTalk Directory is one of a set of FactoryTalk common services, used
by FactoryTalk View Site Edition and other Rockwell Automation software
products.
An automation and control system that uses FactoryTalk services and
integrates FactoryTalk products and components is known as a FactoryTalk
system.
For an overview of FactoryTalk services, see About FactoryTalk systems on
page 127.
The following illustration shows how a FactoryTalk View SE application
might be deployed in a networked FactoryTalk system, along with the
Network Directory, RSLinx, and RSLogix software.
In the illustration, computers hosting FactoryTalk View SE Clients and
FactoryTalk View Studio software use the Network Directory to find
computers hosting FactoryTalk View SE Servers.
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This lets clients gain access to various application services and components,
such as FactoryTalk View graphic displays and data log models.
The FactoryTalk View SE Servers in the system use the Network Directory
to find RSLinx Enterprise, to gain access to data on network devices (for
example, PLC-5 and Logix5000 devices), and to update the graphic displays.
FactoryTalk Directory in a FactoryTalk View SE
application
In FactoryTalk View Studio, when you create or open an application, the
FactoryTalk Directory that manages the application is represented at the top
of the Explorer tree, as shown in the these illustrations:
For a local station application (shown on the left), the Explorer displays a
Local icon and the name of the Local Directory’s host computer. For a
network distributed application or a network station application, the Explorer
displays a Network icon and:
localhost, if the Network Directory server is located on the same
computer as FactoryTalk View Studio.
The host computer name, if the Network Directory is located on a
different computer.
Local station applications
In a FactoryTalk View SE local station application, the Local Directory,
FactoryTalk View SE Server, and FactoryTalk View SE Client all must be
installed and run on the same computer.
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If necessary, you can add one RSLinx Enterprise data server, or one
FactoryTalk Tag Alarm and Event Server, which also must be installed
locally. In a local station application, only OPC data servers can be installed
on other computers.
For more information, see Working with local station applications on page
167.
Running network applications
A network application can be one of several managed by the same Network
Directory, or it might be the only application using the directory server.
Multiple applications, one Network Directory computer
A single Network Directory can manage multiple applications that represent
different control systems, all hosted on the same network.
This means you could develop one application while another is operating in a
production environment. Alternatively, you could run multiple applications
simultaneously, with each application controlling a different facility within a
corporate network.
Application users can be members of different domains. If you are not using
domains, all of the computers that connect to the network distributed
application must be in the same Windows workgroup.
Multiple applications, multiple Network Directory computers
A network can also contain more than one computer running the Network
Directory software. This is useful for running multiple network distributed
applications that:
Are separated by a slow network, for example, a wide-area network
(WAN).
To do this, set up one Network Directory at each site on either side of
the WAN.
Do not need to share data with each other.
Tip:
Each computer on the network can connect to only one
computer running the Network Directory software. You
cannot connect a single computer to multiple FactoryTalk
Directory servers.
Documents you may be interested
Documents you may be interested
