Desktop.DASH Text Control

January 2022

Home Desktop.DASH

The Text Control has various modes, from displaying a simple static text, to the evaluation of a PLC value (Integer or Binary) to select the displayed text, to blinking the evaluated text, as required.

From the main menu choose Dashboard > Text (ALT + T) to add a new text control to your dashboard...

Right-Click on the control and choose Setup to pop the context menu...

UserLabel - this is a plain text useful description that may be displayed on the text control. You may clear it if not of any use, and the control will take advantage of that space.

For a static text scenario, simply enter the text you want to be displayed in the text box... then press [Ok] and re-size the form to suit...

Dynamic Text

If you require that the text on the control is dynamically evaluated and displayed, per a PLC store value, then check the box [ ] Dynamic Text, then enter a PLC store (Integer or Binary type) in the DataPoint box (or use the browse [...] button to pop the store selection dialogue).

For example, if we want to choose text on the basis of the value in PLC Store D0, where value 0 = "OFF" and 1 = "ON", set as follows...

The dynamic text logic works on a "first come, first served" basis - meaning that the first statement that bears true will be selected and the corresponding text displayed, for this reason, ensure your evaluation statements are logically structured, for some examples...

0 OFF

1 ON

An Integer or Binary 0 or 1 will work just fine. (Note! No need for an EQUALS sign, it is implied).

<10 Too Low

10-20 Just Right

>20 Too High

An Integer value will be required here, and it will work just fine.

>100 Too High

>10 Slightly High

Too High will be true if the Integer PLC Store value is above 100, and so "Too High" will be displayed, Slightly High will be skipped.

Logical Operators

The "logical operators" available are as follows:-

< Less Than

> More Than

<> Not Equal To

Equal is implied, so "Value" space "Text" works

x-y (range between values)

No Text

Sometimes it's useful for no text to be displayed at all when a certain condition/value is met, for example, if a process value is below a threshold and we want text, and if above we do not. To achieve this we have the "no_text" directive. As an example...

In the above example, when the value of D0 goes above 90, no text will be displayed.

Blink Control

The text control display, in Dynamic Mode, can take advantage of the "blink function", such that when a text is displayed it can be blinked on and off.

To apply this, scoot on over to the Lamp TAB and check the [ ] Blink when ON check box...

In combinations of Dynamic Text, No Text and Blink there are many scenarios of display that can be engineered, from flow control lights, stock level alerts, temperature warnings and more!

Transparency

The text control supports transparency. To enable this, Right-Click on the control and choose Back Color to pop the context menu...

Choose Magenta/Fuchsia (second row from top, 8th square). Hit OK and the text control will now be transparent over the Desktop.DASH background.