Creating and Managing ArchestrA

Graphics User’s Guide

Invensys Systems, Inc.

Revision A

Last Revision: 7/24/07

Copyright
© 2007 Invensys Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
All rights reserved. No part of this documentation shall be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of
Invensys Systems, Inc. No copyright or patent liability is assumed with respect to
the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been
taken in the preparation of this documentation, the publisher and the author
assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed
for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
The information in this documentation is subject to change without notice and does
not represent a commitment on the part of Invensys Systems, Inc. The software
described in this documentation is furnished under a license or nondisclosure
agreement. This software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms
of these agreements.

Invensys Systems, Inc.

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Lake Forest, CA 92630 U.S.A.
(949) 727-3200
[Link]
For comments or suggestions about the product documentation, send an e-mail
message to productdocs@[Link].

Trademarks
All terms mentioned in this documentation that are known to be trademarks or
service marks have been appropriately capitalized. Invensys Systems, Inc. cannot
attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this documentation
should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.
Alarm Logger, ActiveFactory, ArchestrA, Avantis, DBDump, DBLoad, DT Analyst,
FactoryFocus, FactoryOffice, FactorySuite, FactorySuite A2, InBatch, InControl,
IndustrialRAD, IndustrialSQL Server, InTouch, MaintenanceSuite, MuniSuite, QI
Analyst, SCADAlarm, SCADASuite, SuiteLink, SuiteVoyager, WindowMaker,
WindowViewer, Wonderware, and Wonderware Logger are trademarks of Invensys
plc, its subsidiaries and affiliates. All other brands may be trademarks of their
respective owners.
 3

Contents

Welcome.......................................... 13
Documentation Conventions.............................................13
Technical Support .............................................................14

Chapter 1 About Creating and Managing ArchestrA

Symbols .......................................... 15
Managing ArchestrA Symbols ..........................................16
Managing Symbols in the Graphic Toolbox ..................16
Managing Symbols in Automation Objects...................17
Re-using ArchestrA Symbols ............................................18
ArchestrA Symbols and Instantiation .............................20
ArchestrA Symbol Creation: The ArchestrA
Symbol Editor.................................................................20
The ArchestrA Symbol Editor........................................21
Elements .........................................................................24
Properties........................................................................30
Animations......................................................................35
Embedded Symbols ...........................................................42
Appearance of Embedded Symbols................................42
Changing Embedded Symbols .......................................42
Embedding and Instantiation........................................43
Symbol Change Propagation..........................................44
Size Propagation and Anchor Points .............................45
Showing Quality and Status.............................................47
Showing Quality and Status with the Status
Element ......................................................................47
Showing Quality and Status by Overriding..................47

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4 Contents

Chapter 2 Comparing WindowMaker and ArchestrA

Symbol Editor....................................49
Differences between WindowMaker and the
ArchestrA Symbol Editor...............................................49
Elements .........................................................................50
Appearance .....................................................................50
Enhanced Functionality.................................................50
Procedures for Common WindowMaker Tasks
and Techniques ..............................................................52
Using Graphics ...............................................................52
Using Animations...........................................................55
Using Scripts ..................................................................60

Chapter 3 Managing Symbols ................................63

About Symbols...................................................................63
Creating a New Symbol ...................................................64
Creating Symbols in the Graphic Toolbox ....................64
Creating Symbols in AutomationObject Templates .....66
Creating Symbols in AutomationObject Instances ......68
Opening Symbols for Editing............................................69
Organizing Symbols in the Graphic Toolbox ...................71
Creating Graphic Toolsets in the Graphic Toolbox ......71
Moving Symbols between Graphic Toolsets..................72
Renaming Symbols.........................................................72
Copying Symbols ............................................................73
Renaming Graphic Toolsets...........................................73
Deleting Graphic Toolsets..............................................73
Moving Graphic Toolsets ...............................................74
Customizing Graphic Toolsets.......................................74
Importing and Exporting Symbols as ArchestrA
Object Files.....................................................................75
Importing Symbols .........................................................75
Exporting Symbols .........................................................76
Deleting a Symbol .............................................................77
Configuring Security for Symbols ....................................78
Viewing a Symbol in Read-Only Mode.............................80

Chapter 4 Using the ArchestrA Symbol Editor ...........81

Showing, Hiding, and Adjusting Panels ..........................82
Panning and Zooming the Canvas ...................................82
Panning...........................................................................82
Zooming...........................................................................85

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 Contents 5

Configuring the Grid .........................................................88

Configuring the Grid Appearance .................................88
Aligning Elements with the Grid ..................................89

Chapter 5 Working with Graphic Elements .............. 91

About Graphic Elements...................................................91
Drawing and Dragging Elements ....................................92
Drawing Rectangles, Rounded Rectangles,
Ellipses, and Lines ....................................................92
Drawing Polylines, Polygons, Curves, and
Closed Curves.............................................................93
Drawing 2-Point Arcs, 2-Point Pies and
2-Point Chords ...........................................................93
Drawing 3-Point Arcs, 3-Point Pies, and
3-Point Chords ...........................................................94
Placing and Importing Images .....................................94
Drawing Buttons ............................................................94
Placing Text ....................................................................95
Drawing Text Boxes .......................................................95
Drawing Status Elements..............................................95
Drawing Windows Controls ...........................................96
Dragging Elements.........................................................96
Editing Element Properties ..............................................96
Selecting Elements ............................................................98
Selecting Elements by Mouse Click...............................99
Selecting Elements by Lasso .......................................100
Selecting All Elements .................................................100
Selecting Elements Using the Elements List .............101
Unselecting Elements ..................................................101
Inline Editing...................................................................102
Copying, Cutting, and Pasting Elements ......................104
Copying Elements.........................................................104
Cutting or Deleting Elements......................................105
Duplicating Elements...................................................106
Moving Elements ............................................................107
Aligning Elements ..........................................................108
Aligning Elements Horizontally ..................................109
Aligning Elements Vertically.......................................110
Aligning Elements by their Center Points ..................112
Aligning Elements by their Points of Origin ..............112
Adjusting the Spacing between Elements .....................113
Distributing Elements..................................................114

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Making Space between Elements Equal..................... 115

Increasing Space between Elements ........................... 116
Decreasing Space between Elements .......................... 117
Removing All Space between Elements ...................... 118
Resizing Elements .......................................................... 119
Resizing a Single Element with the Mouse ................ 119
Resizing Elements by Changing Size Properties........ 120
Resizing Elements Proportionally ............................... 120
Making Elements the Same Width, Height, or Size .. 121
Adjusting the z-Order of Elements ................................ 122
Rotating Elements .......................................................... 124
Rotating Elements with the Mouse............................. 124
Rotating Elements by Changing the Angle
Property.................................................................... 125
Rotating Elements by 90 Degrees ............................... 126
Moving the Origin of an Element .................................. 127
Changing Points of Origin with the Mouse ................ 127
Changing Points of Origin in the Properties Editor... 128
Flipping Elements .......................................................... 129
Locking and Unlocking Elements................................... 130
Making Changes Using Undo and Redo ........................ 131
Working with Groups of Elements ................................ 132
Creating a Group of Elements ....................................132
Ungrouping................................................................... 133
Adding Elements to Existing Groups.......................... 134
Removing Elements from Groups................................ 134
Editing Components within a Group .......................... 135
Using Path Graphics ...................................................... 136
Creating a Path Graphic ............................................. 137
Breaking the Path of a Path Graphic ......................... 138
Changing a Path Graphic ........................................... 138
Adding Elements to an Existing Path Graphic ......... 146
Removing Elements from a Path Graphic .................. 147

Chapter 6 Editing Common Properties of

Elements and Symbols ....................... 149
Editing the Name of an Element....................................150
Editing the Fill Properties of an Element...................... 150
Setting Fill Style .......................................................... 151
Setting Unfilled Style................................................... 152
Setting Fill Orientation ............................................... 153
Setting Fill Behavior .................................................... 153

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Setting Horizontal Fill Direction and Percentage ......154

Setting Vertical Fill Direction and Percentage...........154
Editing the Line Properties of an Element ....................155
Setting Start or End Points of a Line..........................155
Setting the Line Weight ...............................................156
Setting the Line Pattern ..............................................156
Setting the Line Style ..................................................157
Setting the Text Properties of an Element ....................158
Setting the Displayed Text ..........................................158
Setting the Text Display Format.................................158
Setting the Text Font ...................................................159
Setting the Text Color ..................................................159
Setting the Text Alignment .........................................160
Substituting Strings .....................................................162
Setting Style ....................................................................164
Setting a Solid Color.....................................................164
Setting a Gradient........................................................169
Setting a Pattern ..........................................................179
Setting a Texture..........................................................181
Setting the Style to No Fill ..........................................182
Setting the Transparency of a Style ............................183
Setting the Transparency Level of an Element .............183
Tweaking the Colors and Transparency of a
Gradient........................................................................184
Enabling and Disabling Elements for Run-Time
Interaction ....................................................................185
Changing the Visibility of Elements ..............................185
Editing the Tab Order of an Element.............................186
Using the Format Painter to Format Elements ............187
Editing the General Properties of a Symbol ..................188

Chapter 7 Setting Symbol and Element-Specific

Properties ...................................... 191
Setting the Radius of Rounded Rectangles ....................192
Setting Line End Shape and Size ...................................193
Setting Auto Scaling and Word Wrapping for a
Text Box .......................................................................194
Using Images ...................................................................195
Placing an Image on the Canvas .................................195
Setting the Image Display Mode .................................196
Setting the Image Alignment ......................................197
Setting the Image Color Transparency ......................198

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Editing the Image.........................................................198

Setting the Image Editing Application ....................... 199
Selecting a Different Image ......................................... 200
Using Buttons.................................................................. 200
Automatically Scaling Text in Buttons ....................... 200
Wrapping Text in Buttons ........................................... 201
Configuring Buttons with Images ............................... 201
Editing Control Points .................................................... 202
Moving Control Points ................................................. 202
Adding and Removing Control Points ......................... 203
Changing the Tension of Curves and Closed Curves ....204
Changing Angles of Arcs, Pies and Chords.................... 205
Monitoring and Showing Quality and Status................ 207
Using Status Elements ................................................ 207
Overriding Element Appearance Depending
on Quality and Status of its Attributes .................. 210
Using Windows Common Controls................................. 217
Changing Background Color and Text Color
of Windows Common Controls ................................ 217
Reading and Writing the Selected Value at
Run Time .................................................................. 218
Configuring Radio Button Group Controls ................. 219
Configuring Check Box Controls ................................. 221
Configuring Edit Box Controls ....................................222
Configuring Combo Box Controls ................................ 224
Configuring Calendar Controls ................................... 226
Configuring DateTime Picker Controls....................... 230
Configuring List Box Controls..................................... 232

Chapter 8 Using Custom Properties...................... 235

About Custom Properties................................................ 236
Managing Custom Properties ........................................ 236
Adding and Deleting Custom Properties .................... 237
Configuring Custom Properties................................... 238
Validating Custom Properties ..................................... 240
Clearing the Configuration of Custom Properties...... 240
Renaming Custom Properties...................................... 240
Linking Custom Properties to External Sources........ 241
Overriding Custom Properties..................................... 241
Reverting to Original Custom Property Values ......... 242
Examples of Using Custom Properties .......................... 242
Using Binding in Custom Properties ............................. 242

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Chapter 9 Animating Graphic Elements ................. 245

Adding an Animation to an Element..............................246
Reviewing which Animations are Assigned to
an Element ..................................................................247
Showing and Hiding the Animation List .......................248
Removing Animations from an Element ........................249
Enabling and Disabling Animations ..............................250
Validating the Configuration of an Animation ..............251
Clearing the Configuration from an Animation ............252
Connecting Animations with Data Sources ...................252
Connecting Animations with ArchestrA Attributes ...252
Connecting Animations with Element Properties ......253
Connecting Animations with Custom Properties .......254
Connecting Animations with InTouch Tags ...............255
Setting the Input Mode ................................................257
Managing Animations.....................................................258
Organizing the Animation List....................................258
Switching between Animations ...................................259
Configuring Common Types of Animations ..................259
Configuring a Visibility Animation .............................260
Configuring a Fill Style Animation .............................260
Configuring a Line Style Animation ...........................265
Configuring a Text Style Animation ...........................269
Configuring a Blink Animation ...................................273
Configuring a Percent Fill Horizontal Animation ......275
Configuring a Percent Fill Vertical Animation...........277
Configuring a Horizontal Location Animation ...........280
Configuring a Vertical Location Animation................281
Configuring a Width Animation ..................................282
Configuring a Height Animation .................................283
Configuring an Orientation Animation.......................284
Configuring a Value Display Animation .....................287
Configuring a Tooltip Animation.................................294
Configuring a Disable Animation ................................295
Configuring a User Input Animation ..........................296
Configuring a Horizontal Slider Animation................304
Configuring a Vertical Slider Animation ....................306
Configuring a Pushbutton Animation .........................308
Configuring an Action Script Animation ....................313
Configuring a Show Symbol Animation ......................316
Configuring a Hide Symbol Animation .......................325

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Configuring Element-Specific Animations .................... 326

Configuring Animation for a Status Element............. 326
Configuring a Radio Button Group Animation........... 328
Configuring a Check Box Animation........................... 333
Configuring an Edit Box Animation............................ 334
Configuring a Combo Box Animation.......................... 335
Configuring a Calendar Control Animation ............... 340
Configuring a DateTime Picker Animation ................ 341
Configuring a List Box Animation .............................. 343
Submitting the Value Changes ................................... 347
Cutting, Copying and Pasting Animations ................... 348
Substituting References in Elements............................. 349

Chapter 10 Adding and Maintaining Symbol

Scripts........................................... 351
About Symbol Scripts...................................................... 351
Predefined and Named Scripts....................................352
Execution Order of Symbol Scripts ............................. 352
Security in Symbol Scripts........................................... 352
Symbol Script Timeouts ............................................... 353
Error Handling ............................................................. 353
Configuring the Predefined Scripts of a Symbol ........... 354
Adding Named Scripts to a Symbol ............................... 356
Editing Symbol Scripts ................................................... 358
Renaming Scripts in a Symbol ....................................... 358
Removing Scripts from a Symbol ................................... 359
Substituting Attribute References in Scripts ................ 359
Example of Changing Element Properties
using Scripts ................................................................ 360
Using Methods in Scripting ............................................ 361
Configuring Edit Box Methods ....................................362
Configuring Combo Box and List Box Methods.......... 363

Chapter 11 Using Client Controls......................... 369

About Client Controls ..................................................... 370
Importing Client Controls............................................... 371
Importing Client Controls............................................ 371
Importing Previously Exported Client Controls......... 374
Organizing Client Controls............................................. 374
Embedding Client Controls ............................................ 375
Example of Embedding the ActiveFactory
TagPicker Client Control......................................... 376

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 Contents 11

Viewing and Changing the Properties of

Client Controls .............................................................377
Example of Changing a Property of the
ActiveFactory TagPicker Control............................378
Binding Client Control Properties to Attributes or
Element References......................................................379
Example of Data Binding in the ActiveFactory
TagPicker Control ....................................................381
Configuring Client Control Event Scripts......................382
Example of Configuring an Event Script for the
ActiveFactory TagPicker Control............................383
Animating Client Controls..............................................385
Exporting Client Controls...............................................386
Securing Client Controls.................................................386
Viewing Additional Client Control Information ............386
Viewing the Client Control Assemblies.......................387
Viewing Class Name, Vendor, and Version of
a Client Control........................................................387
Viewing Objects and Symbols Referencing
Client Controls .........................................................388

Chapter 12 Embedding Symbols within Symbols ...... 389

Embedding Symbols .......................................................390
Renaming Source Symbols and Hosting
AutomationObjects.......................................................393
Editing the Embedded Symbol .......................................393
Overriding Custom Properties of the Source Symbol....394
Restoring an Embedded Symbol to the Original
Size of its Source Symbol .............................................395
Converting an Embedded Symbol to a Group................396
Detecting the Source Symbol of an Embedded
Symbol ..........................................................................396
Editing the Source of an Embedded Symbol..................397
Controlling Size Propagation of Embedded Symbols ....397
Setting the Anchor Point of a Source Symbol .............398
Showing or Hiding the Anchor Points of
Embedded Symbols ..................................................399
Enabling or Disabling Dynamic Size Change of
Embedded Symbols ..................................................399
Selecting Alternate Symbols and Instances...................401
Selecting Alternate Symbols........................................401
Selecting Alternate Instances......................................402

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12 Contents

Detecting and Editing the Containing AutomationObject

Instance ........................................................................ 402
Creating a New Instance of the Containing
AutomationObject ........................................................ 403

Chapter 13 Migrating InTouch SmartSymbols .......... 405

Importing InTouch SmartSymbols into an ArchestrA
Symbol ......................................................................... 406
Restrictions for SmartSymbol Import ............................ 410
Importing InTouch Graphics ....................................... 410
Importing Graphical Animation .................................. 412
Importing Action Scripts.............................................. 413
Importing References ................................................... 414

Appendix A List of Element Properties................... 417

Alphabetical List of Properties ....................................... 417
List by Functional Area .................................................. 441
Graphic Category Properties ....................................... 442
Appearance Category Propeties .................................. 443
Fill Style Group Properties.......................................... 455
Line Style Group Properties ........................................ 458
Text Style Group Properties ........................................ 460
Runtime Behavior Group Properties........................... 462
Custom Properties Group Properties .......................... 465

Appendix B Windows Common Control List

Methods......................................... 467
Overview of Windows Common Control List
Methods ........................................................................ 468

Index ............................................. 473

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 13

Welcome

You can use the ArchestrA Integrated Development

Environment (IDE) to manage InTouch HMI applications so
that you can effectively use the functionality of the ArchestrA
Symbol Editor.
You can view this document online or you can print it, in part
or whole, by using the print feature in Adobe Reader.
This documentation assumes you know how to use Microsoft
Windows, including navigating menus, moving from
application to application, and moving objects on the screen.
If you need help with these tasks, see the Microsoft
documentation.

Documentation Conventions
This documentation uses the following conventions:

Convention Used for

Initial Capitals Paths and file names.

Bold Menus, commands, dialog box names,
and dialog box options.
Monospace Code samples and display text.

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

14 Welcome

Technical Support
Wonderware Technical Support offers a variety of support
options to answer any questions on Wonderware products
and their implementation.
Before you contact Technical Support, refer to the relevant
section(s) in this documentation for a possible solution to the
problem. If you need to contact technical support for help,
have the following information ready:
• The type and version of the operating system you are
using.

• Details of how to recreate the problem.

• The exact wording of the error messages you saw.

• Any relevant output listing from the Log Viewer or any

other diagnostic applications.
• Details of what you did to try to solve the problem(s) and
your results.

• If known, the Wonderware Technical Support case

number assigned to your problem, if this is an ongoing
problem.

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 15

Chapter 1

About Creating and Managing

ArchestrA Symbols

ArchestrA Symbols are graphics you can create and use to

visualize data in an InTouch HMI system.
You use the ArchestrA Symbol Editor to create ArchestrA
Symbols from basic elements, such as rectangles, lines, and
text elements.
After you create an ArchestrA Symbol, you can embed it into
another symbol or an InTouch window and use it at run time.
You can embed an ArchestrA Symbol in a template or
instance of an ArchestrA Object, providing a way to visualize
object-specific information quickly and easily. Embedding a
symbol in a template means that you can update one symbol
and cascade the changes throughout your application.
The ArchestrA Symbol Editor is a powerful addition to the
standard InTouch editor, called WindowMaker.

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

16 Chapter 1 About Creating and Managing ArchestrA Symbols

Managing ArchestrA Symbols

Depending on your development requirements, you can select
where and how to store ArchestrA Symbols.
• Store symbols in the Graphic Toolbox if you want to
define them as a standard that you can re-use, such as a
generic valve symbol. You can store ArchestrA Symbols
here if you only want to use them in the InTouch HMI.
• Store symbols as AutomationObject templates if you
want to use the symbols in multiple instances at run
time. For example, you can create a valve symbol
contained in an AutomationObject template that
represents the functionality of a valve type on your plant
floor.
• Store symbols as AutomationObject instances if you want
to use the symbols in only one specific object instance.
For example, an AutomationObject instance that can be
assigned a very specific piece of machinery as a symbol.

Managing Symbols in the Graphic Toolbox

The Graphic Toolbox lets you organize your symbols in
special folders called toolsets. You can create a hierarchy of
toolsets. You can also move symbols between toolsets.

Note Symbol names must be unique within the Graphic Toolbox.

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Managing ArchestrA Symbols 17

Managing Symbols in Automation Objects

You can create ArchestrA Symbols in AutomationObjects.
Each AutomationObject has a Graphics tab that lets you
create, edit, rename, and delete ArchestrA Symbols. These
symbols appear in the Local Graphics list.
When you derive an AutomationObject from a parent
AutomationObject that contains symbols, all the symbols are
inherited. Inherited symbols appear in the Inherited Graphics
list.

Note You can only open inherited symbols in the ArchestrA

Symbol Editor in read-only mode.

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18 Chapter 1 About Creating and Managing ArchestrA Symbols

Re-using ArchestrA Symbols

You can re-use ArchestrA Symbols that you create in the
Graphic Toolbox in AutomationObject templates,
AutomationObject instances, or in InTouch windows. This is
called embedding.

Graphic Toolbox

Automation Automation InTouch HMI

Templates Instances

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Re-using ArchestrA Symbols 19

When you derive an AutomationObject template, its

ArchestrA Symbols are inherited by the new instance. This
can be caused by:
• Deriving an instance of the template in the IDE. When
you derive an instance of an AutomationObject template
that contains symbols, the created instance contains
inherited symbols.
• Embedding a new ArchestrA Symbol in WindowMaker. A
new AutomationObject instance is derived to which the
symbol in InTouch WindowMaker then points.

Automation Instance –
Automation Template Instantiated in IDE

Browse and Instantiation caused

Select Template by InTouch can reference

references

InTouch HMI Automation Instance

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20 Chapter 1 About Creating and Managing ArchestrA Symbols

ArchestrA Symbols and Instantiation

When you embed an ArchestrA Symbol into an InTouch
window and the symbol is contained in an AutomationObject
template, you can easily create a new instance of the
AutomationObject. The embedded ArchestrA Symbol
automatically references the new object.

Automation
Automation Template
Instance 1

Originated From

Instantiation caused
by InTouch
Browse and References
Select Instance

References

Automation
Instance 2
InTouch HMI

ArchestrA Symbol Creation: The ArchestrA

Symbol Editor
The ArchestrA Symbol Editor is the tool you use to create an
ArchestrA Symbol.
First, you select a basic graphical object, called an element,
from a tools panel and place it on the drawing area, called the
canvas. Typical elements are lines, rectangles, ellipses,
curves, and so on.
You can then change the appearance of your drawn elements
by accessing their properties directly or by graphically
manipulating them.
Finally, you can configure animations for the elements or the
symbol.

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 ArchestrA Symbol Creation: The ArchestrA Symbol Editor 21

The ArchestrA Symbol Editor

After you open the ArchestrA Symbol Editor, you see the
various tools and palettes that you use to create and
customize symbols.

Toolbars
and Menus

Tools
Panel
Properties
Editor

Elements
List

Animation
Summary

Status Bar

Canvas

The ArchestrA Symbol Editor includes the following areas:

• Tools Panel. This is a collection of elements you use to
create your symbol.

• Canvas. This is the area in which you place and move

elements to create a symbol.
• Elements List. This list shows you named elements on
the canvas in a hierarchical view.
• Properties Editor. This editor shows you properties
belonging to the currently selected element(s).

• Animation Summary. This area shows you a list of

animations belonging to the currently selected element.
It is only visible if an element is selected.

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22 Chapter 1 About Creating and Managing ArchestrA Symbols

Tools Panel
The Tools panel contains elements you can select to create
your symbol on the canvas.

The Tools panel includes:

• Basic objects, such as lines, rectangles, polygons, arcs,
and so on.
• A pointer tool to select and move elements on the canvas.
• Windows controls, such as combo boxes, calendar
controls, radio button groups, and so on.
• A status element that you can use to show quality and
status of selected ArchestrA attributes.
For more conceptual information, see Elements on page 24.
For more information on how to use elements, see Working
with Graphic Elements on page 91.

Elements List
The Elements List is a list of all elements on the canvas.

The Elements List is particularly useful for selecting one or

more elements that are visually hidden by other elements on
the canvas. You can use the Elements List to:
• See a list of all elements, groups of elements, and
embedded symbols on the canvas.
• Select elements or groups of elements to work with them.
• Rename an element or a group of elements.

Caution If you rename an element or a group, the animation

references to it do not automatically update. You must manually
change all animation links referencing the old name. For more
information, see Substituting References in Elements on page 349.

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

ArchestrA Symbol Creation: The ArchestrA Symbol Editor 23

Properties Editor
You can use the Properties Editor to view and set properties
for the selected element or group of elements.

For more conceptual information about element properties,

see Properties on page 30.
For more information on how to use element properties, see
Editing Common Properties of Elements and Symbols on
page 149.

Animations Summary
You can use the Animations summary to review, select, and
configure the animation behavior of a selected element.

For an overview of the different animation types, see

Animation Types on page 35.
For more information on how to use the animations, see
Animating Graphic Elements on page 245.

Canvas
The canvas is your drawing area. You use it as you would in
other image editing software by drawing elements and
changing them to your requirements.

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24 Chapter 1 About Creating and Managing ArchestrA Symbols

Elements
You use elements to create a symbol. The ArchestrA Symbol
Editor provides the following:
• Basic elements such as lines, rectangles, ellipses, arcs,
and so on
• Status element to show a quality status icon

• Windows controls, such as combo boxes, calendar

controls, radio button groups, and so on

You can create the following from existing elements on the

canvas:
• Groups

• Path graphics

You can embed the following on the canvas:

• Imported Client Controls

• Other symbols

Basic Elements
You can use the following basic elements to create a symbol:
• Open elements, such as lines, H/V lines, polylines,
curves, and arcs

• Closed elements, such as rectangle, rounded rectangle,

ellipse, polygon, closed curve, pie, and chord. You can
draw arcs, pies, and chords from two points or from three
points.

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

ArchestrA Symbol Creation: The ArchestrA Symbol Editor 25

• Text elements, such as buttons, text, and text boxes

Status Element
You can use a status element to monitor and indicate the
status or quality of:
• All ArchestrA attributes used in one or more specified
animated elements in the same hierarchical level.

• One or more specified ArchestrA attributes.

Status Element shows

Quality and Status Directly or Indirectly

Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute

A B C D E

Deliver values
(and also quality
and status) to
animate the
elements
Deliver quality and
status directly from
ArchestrA attributes
Element 1

Element 2

Element 3

Deliver quality and Status Element

status indirectly from
ArchestrA attributes
via the elements

Abnormal quality and status can be:

• An error status due to communication, configuration,
operational, security, or software error.

• Bad, initializing, pending, uncertain, or warning quality.

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The status element lets you monitor:

• One or more elements on the canvas that contain
animations.
• One or more ArchestrA attributes, values, or expressions.

As a status element can monitor multiple attributes at the

same time, but only show one icon, it needs to select the more
severe quality or status.
The element prioritizes according to an order, as shown in
the following table:

Communication Error (highest priority)

Configuration Error

Bad

Uncertain

Initializing

Operational Error

Software Error

Security Error

Warning

Pending (lowest priority)

For more information, see Configuring Animation for a

Status Element on page 326.
You can also change the icons that are shown for each status
or quality. For more information, see Showing Quality and
Status on page 47.

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Windows Common Controls

Using Windows common controls, you can add extended user
interaction to your symbol. You can use:
• A radio button group to select an option from a mutually
exclusive group of options.

• A check box to add a selectable option.

• An edit box to add an entry box for text.

• A combo box to select an option from a drop-down list.

• A calendar to use a date selection control.

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• A date and time picker to select a date and time in a

compact format .

• A list box to select one or more options from a list.

Groups
Grouping lets you relate elements together as a unit. Groups
can contain elements and other groups.
Groups are shown in the Elements List with a default name,
such as Group1. They are shown as a branch in the element
hierarchy.

For example, you can create a series of elements that model a

valve in your facility. When the valve has all the properties
and animations you want, you can group the elements
together.
You can then work with the elements as one set of elements
or, by selecting the elements in the Elements List, you can
work with the individual elements in the group without
having to break the group. This is called inline editing.
Another advantage of inline editing is that you can easily
select an individual element graphically without having to
know its element name.

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Path Graphics
Path graphics are elements that combine selected open
elements, such as lines, H/V lines, polylines, curves, and
arcs, into a single closed graphic element.

A path graphic depends on the:

• Order in which you drew the elements. Each element is
linked to the next element by z-order. The z-order of the
elements is the order shown in the Elements List.
• Direction in which you drew its elements. The ending
point of one element is connected to the starting point of
the next element.

The properties of the elements contained within a path

graphic are retained. When you break a path graphic, the
elements it contains appear as they did before you created
the path graphic.
A path graphic has the same properties as a rectangle,
ellipse, or polygon. These properties are lost when you break
the path.

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Windows Client Controls

Windows client controls are .NET-based controls you can use
in an ArchestrA Symbol to extend its functionality.
After you embed a client control into a symbol, you can:
• Connect the native properties of the client control to
ArchestrA attributes and element references.

• Configure scripts for each of its events.

• Edit the native properties directly with the Properties

Editor.
• Configure and override animations.

You can embed a symbol that contains an embedded client

control into a managed InTouch application and use the
functionality of the client control directly in the InTouch
HMI.
For more information, see Using Client Controls on page 369.

Properties
Properties determine the appearance and behavior of an
element or the symbol. For example, the width property
determines the width in pixels of the selected element.
There are two types of properties:
• Predefined properties

• Custom properties

When you configure an element to reference one of its own

properties in a configuration field or a script, you can just use
its property name. For ArchestrA Symbols, there are no
self-referencing keywords such as “me.” as used for
AutomationObjects.
You can, however, use the “me.” keyword to reference
attributes of the AutomationObject that is hosting the
ArchestrA Symbol you are currently configuring.

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Predefined Properties
Properties are specific to the selected element and can vary
between elements of different types. All elements have the
following property categories:
• Graphic - the name of the element (or group)

• Appearance - element dimension, location, rotation,

transparency, and locked status

You can view specific properties for a specific kind of element

or group by clicking a drawing tool and drawing an element.
You set properties at design time. Some properties can be
read or written to at run time, such as X, Y, Width, Height,
Visible, and so on. The element type determines which
properties are available and can be read or written at run
time.

Custom Properties
You can use custom properties to extend the functionality of
a symbol. A custom property can contain:
• A value that can be read and written to.

• An expression that can be read.

• An ArchestrA attribute that can be read and written to if

the attributes allows being written to.
• A property of an element or symbol.

• A custom property of a symbol.

• A reference to an InTouch tag.

For example, for a tank symbol called TankSym you can

create a custom property called TankLevel that is calculated
from an attribute reference to Tank_001.PV. You can then
reference the tank level by [Link].
Custom properties appear in the Properties Editor when no
elements are selected. You can edit default initial values of
custom properties in the editor directly or use the Edit Custom
Properties dialog box to do so.
For more information, see Using Custom Properties on
page 235.

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Properties of Groups
Groups have their own properties you can view and set in the
Properties Editor. For most properties, changing group
properties indirectly affects the properties of its contained
elements.
You can change the following group properties:
• Name (Name)

• Position (X, Y)

• Size (Width, Height)

• Orientation (Angle)

• Point of Origin (AbsoluteOrigin, RelativeOrigin)

• Transparency (Transparency)
• Locked (Locked)

• Enablement (Enabled)

• Tab Order (TabOrder)

• Tab Stop (TabStop)

• Single Object Treatment (TreatAsIcon)

• Visibility (Visible)

Changing a Group Name

If you change the group name, it has no affect on the
contained elements. The contained elements keep their
name.

Changing the Position of a Group

If you change the position of the group, all contained objects
are moved with the group. They maintain the relative
position to each other, but their absolute positions change.

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Changing the Size of a Group

If you change the size of the group, all contained objects are
resized proportionally.

Changing the Orientation of a Group

If you change the angle of the group, all contained objects are
rotated with the group around the origin of the group, so that
the group remains visually intact.

Changing the Transparency of a Group

If you increase the transparency of the group, all contained
objects appear more transparent, but their own transparency
property values do not change. If you change their
transparency values, it is in relation to the transparency
level of the group.
For example, if you add an element with 80% transparency to
a group, and then apply 50% transparency to the group, the
element appears to have 90% transparency.
This is calculated as follows:
1 - (1 - 0.8) * (1 - 0.5) = 0.9

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The transparency property values, however, stay unchanged

at 80% for the element and 50% for the group.

Locking the Group

If you lock the group, it has no affect on the contained
elements. You can still edit the contained elements in inline
editing mode. You cannot move, resize ,or rotate the group.

Run-Time Properties of a Group

If you change the run-time properties of a group, the
elements do not inherit the property value of the group, but
they do inherit the behavior of the group.
For example, if you create a group from elements, some of
which have their visibility set to true and some to false, then
set the group visibility to false, ALL elements in that group
are invisible.
However the Visible property values of the contained
elements still maintain their original values (true or false).

Renaming a Group or its Elements

If you rename an element or a group, the animation
references to it are not automatically updated. You must
manually change all animation links referencing the old
name. For more information, see Substituting References in
Elements on page 349.

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Animations
You can use animations to bind the run-time behavior and
appearance of elements to ArchestrA attributes, InTouch
tagnames, custom properties, and other element’s properties.
For example, you can bind the vertical fill of a rectangle to an
ArchestrA attribute that contains the current level of a tank.
Animations are specific to the selected element and vary
between elements of different types.

Animation Types
There are two types of animations:
• Visualization animations determine the element’s
appearance, such as blinking, fill style, percent fill
horizontal, value display, and so on.
• Interaction animations determine the element’s behavior,
such as horizontal sliders, user input, and so on.

There are visualization and interaction animations that are

specific to certain elements. For example, the DataStatus
animation is specific to the Status element. Element-specific
animations also determine element behavior and
appearance.
You can configure the following common animation types:

Animation Type Description

Visibility Shows or hides the element

depending on a value or an
expression.
Fill Style Specifies the interior fill style
depending on a discrete or analog
expression or one or more
conditions.
Line Style Specifies the style and pattern of
the element line depending on a
discrete or analog expression or one
or more conditions.
Text Style Specifies the style of the element
text depending on a discrete or
analog expression or one or more
conditions.
Blink Sets the element to blink invisibly
or with specified colors depending
on a discrete value or expression.

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Animation Type Description

% Fill Horizontal Fills the element with color

partially from left to right or vice
versa, depending on an analog
value or expression.
% Fill Vertical Fills the element with color
partially from top to bottom or vice
versa, depending on an analog
value or expression.
Location Horizontal Positions the element with a
horizontal offset depending on an
analog value or expression.
Location Vertical Positions the element with a
vertical offset depending on an
analog value or expression.
Width Increases or decreases the element
width depending on an analog value
or expression.
Height Increases or decreases the element
height depending on an analog
value or expression.
Orientation Rotates the element by an angle
around its center point or any other
point depending on an analog value
or expression.
Value Display Shows a discrete, analog, string
value, time value, name or
expression.
Tooltip Shows a value or expression as a
tooltip when the mouse is moved
over the element.
Disable Disables the element’s animation
depending on a Boolean value or
expression.
User Input Allows the run-time user to type a
Boolean, analog, string, time or
elapsed time value that is then
assigned to an attribute.

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Animation Type Description

Slider Horizontal Allows the run-time user to drag

the element left or right and write
back the offset to an analog
attribute.
Slider Vertical Allows the run-time user to drag
the element up or down and write
back the offset to an analog
attribute.
Pushbutton Writes predetermined values to
Boolean or analog references when
the user clicks on the element.
Action Scripts Runs an action script when the
run-time user clicks on the element.
Show Symbol Shows a specified symbol at a
specified position when the
run-time user clicks on the element.
Hide Symbol Hides a specified symbol when the
run-time user clicks on the element.

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Data Sources for Animations

The data used for animations can come from various sources.
You can configure the animation to point at these sources.
Animation data can come from:
• Attributes of AutomationObjects.

• Predefined properties of an element or symbol.

• Custom properties of a symbol.

• InTouch tags.

To use the data of an InTouch tag in an ArchestrA Symbol,

you need to use the special InTouch keyword in the
configuration field. The syntax is: InTouch:TagName, where
TagName is a tagname that you intend using in the InTouch
application into which you are embedding the ArchestrA
Symbol.

Symbol
Element 1
Animation 1
Can use Attribute Automation
Animation 2
data Object
Attribute 1
Property 1 Property 2 Attribute 2
Can use data of
Element properties Attribute 3
Property 3 Property 4

Property 5 Property 6 Attribute 4

Can use data of properties of

other Elements

Element 2
Animation 1 Can use data of InTouch
InTouch References
tagnames
Animation 2 InTouch:Tag1
Can use
data of InTouch:Tag2
Animation 3 custom
InTouch:Tag3
properties
Animation 3

Property 1 Property 2

Property 3 Property 4
Custom Property 1
Property 5 Property 6
Custom Property 2

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Animation Capabilities of Groups

By default, a group of elements has limited animation
capabilities of its own. For a group you can configure the
following animations:
• Blinking

• Enabling/disabling

• Vertical and horizontal location

• Orientation

• Height and width

• Visibility

However, you can set the TreatAsIcon property value to

True. The group is then treated as a single object and you can
configure more animations. These animations take
precedence over animations defined for the elements within
the group.

Animation States
Some animations have multiple configuration panels.
A state selection panel appears, where you can select the
animation state. Depending on what you select, the
configuration panel is populated differently. The animation
state can be a:
• Data type, where the animation is tied to a specific data
type.
• Truth table, where the animation is tied to a set of
Boolean conditions.

Data Type Animation State

Certain animations support configuration of one or more
data types. In the configuration panel of an animation, you
can select the data type you want to configure, such as:
• Boolean

• Analog

• String

• Time

• Elapsed Time

• Name

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For example, if you select the User Input animation link, the
User Input state selection page appears on the right in the
Edit Animations dialog box.

A configuration panel appears below the States buttons. For

example, a configuration panel that is specific to the user
input of a Boolean value.

Truth Table Animation State

Certain animations support the configuration of a truth
table. The truth table is a collection of up to 100 Boolean
conditions you can configure to determine the output.
You can configure the default appearance for the case that
none of the conditions are fulfilled.
The conditions are evaluated from top to bottom of the list.
When the first true condition is met, its assigned appearance
is the one used and the condition evaluation stops.

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For example, you want a text animation to use a different

text color depending on the value of a string attribute, such
as a status indicator.

Status indicator Text color

Ready Green
Pending Yellow
Error Red

If you select the Text Style animation link, the Text Style state
selection page appears on the right side of the Edit Animations
dialog box.

You can click the Truth Table button to configure conditions

for the appearance of the text style.

By default the text color is black if none of the conditions are

fulfilled at run time.

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Embedded Symbols
You can embed symbols from the Graphic Toolbox,
AutomationObject templates, and instances into other
symbols. This lets you rapidly develop more complex symbols
with common components.
For example, you can create a single tank symbol, then
embed the tank symbol multiple times in another symbol to
create a symbol representing a collection of tanks.
There is no limit to the number of levels of embedding.

Appearance of Embedded Symbols

Embedded symbols appear in the Elements List. The default
name is the same as the source symbol, followed by a
numeric sequence.

Changing Embedded Symbols

After you embed a symbol, you can change its size,
orientation or transparency. You can add a limited set of
animations to the symbol, such as:
• Visibility

• Blink

• Horizontal and vertical location

• Width and height

• Orientation

• Disable

You can configure its public custom properties, if any exist.

You cannot:
• Change the graphic definition of the embedded symbol
from within the hosting symbol.

• Embed a symbol contained in an AutomationObject into a

symbol that is contained in the Graphic Toolbox.
• Create circular references. A circular reference occurs
when one symbol (Symbol A) has embedded within it
another symbol (Symbol B) that has embedded within it a
symbol that directly or indirect references back to the
first symbol (Symbol A).

You can, however, change the embedded symbol by changing

its source symbol. The changes you make propagate to the
embedded symbol.

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Embedding and Instantiation

You can embed Symbols contained in the Graphic Toolbox
into symbols contained in the Graphic Toolbox, an
AutomationObject template, or an AutomationObject
instance.
You can embed symbols contained in an AutomationObject
template into symbols contained only in other
AutomationObjects. When you do so, a new
AutomationObject instance is created. You can give it a
name, and the new instance inherits the symbol, but does not
contain it.
You can only embed symbols contained in an
AutomationObject instance into symbols contained in other
AutomationObjects. The template or instance inherits the
symbol, but does not contain it.

Source Symbol Embedded Symbol

Graphic Toolbox Graphic Toolbox

Automation Template Automation Template

Automation Instance Automation Instance

* = generates a new Automation object instance

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Symbol Change Propagation

When you make changes to a symbol that has embedded
instances, the embedded instances are also updated when
you save the symbol. The ArchestrA Symbol Editor shows an
icon in the status bar below the canvas that indicates that its
source changed.

You can accept the change immediately or when you open the
symbol again.
When a symbol is changed, its external size can also be
changed. ArchestrA Symbols support dynamic size
propagation and anchor points that let you determine how
and if size changes are propagated. For more information
about size propagation, see Size Propagation and Anchor
Points on page 45.
If the symbol is hosted by the Graphic Toolbox and edited:
• All symbols hosted by AutomationObject templates and
instances that contain embedded instances of this symbol
are also updated.
• All embedded instances of this symbol in InTouch
WindowMaker are also marked for an update.

If the symbol is hosted by an AutomationObject and edited:

• All symbols hosted by derived AutomationObjects are
also updated.

• All embedded instances of this symbol in InTouch

WindowMaker hosted by derived AutomationObjects are
marked for an update.

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Size Propagation and Anchor Points

To control how size changes are propagated to the embedded
instances, the symbol uses an anchor point. By default, the
anchor point of the symbol is the center point of all elements
on the canvas.
This can be done graphically on the canvas, or by setting
anchor position properties in the Properties Editor.
There are two types of anchors:
• Use the AbsoluteAnchor property to specify its position
as absolute coordinates.

• Use the RelativeAnchor property to specify its position as

coordinates relative to the symbol center.

When you embed a symbol, the embedded symbol inherits

the anchor point in relation to its own center point.
You can also set the AnchorFixedTo property. When you
make changes to the symbol that affects its size, the
AnchorFixedTo property determines if the absolute position
or relative position of the anchor point is recalculated. This
property can have following values:
• Absolute: The absolute anchor point position is
unchanged, and the relative anchor point position is
recalculated.
• Relative: The absolute anchor point position is
recalculated, and the relative anchor point position is
unchanged.

Note When you change the AbsoluteAnchor property, the

AnchorFixedTo property is set to the value Absolute. When you
change the RelativeAnchor property, the AnchorFixedTo property
is set to the value Relative.

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You can change the position of the anchor point of the

symbol. This affects the position of the embedded instances.
The anchor points of the embedded instances, however,
remain unchanged.
Source Symbol Embedded Symbol

Anchor Point set to: 64,80 Anchor Point embedded at: 110,220

Embedding

Source Symbol Embedded Symbol

Added Element and moved Anchor Point remains at: 110,220

Anchor Point to: 64,80

Propagation

You can change the anchor point of an embedded symbol.

This moves the embedded symbol. It does not change the
anchor point position in relation to the symbol.
You can resize or rotate the embedded symbol. The anchor
point moves in relation to the embedded symbol.

Note You can also use the AnchorPoint property in the Properties
Editor to change the position.

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 Showing Quality and Status 47

Showing Quality and Status

To show a specified status or quality at run time, you can:
• Use a Status element that shows you an icon. It indicates
the status or quality of specified ArchestrA attributes
directly or those used indirectly in elements.
• Change the appearance of animated elements based on
the status and quality of ArchestrA attributes they use.

Showing Quality and Status with the Status

Element
The Status element cannot monitor attributes of:
• Elements that are not in the same hierarchy level in the
Elements List.
• Elements that use the attributes in scripts.

• Elements that are invisible at run time.

For more information on how to configure status on an

element, see Configuring Animation for a Status Element on
page 326.
For more information on how to configure the appearance of
a status element, see Setting the Appearance of a Status
Element on page 208.

Showing Quality and Status by Overriding

You can override the appearance of animatations depending
on its configured attributes by:
• Overriding the animation or changing the appearance of
the element.
• Drawing an outline around the element.

This also applies to:

• Elements contained in groups.

• Elements in symbols embedded in other symbols.

This does not apply to:

• Elements that use the monitored attribute in scripts.

• Elements that are invisible at run time.

For more information, see Overriding Element Appearance

Depending on Quality and Status of its Attributes on
page 210.

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Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 49

Chapter 2

Comparing WindowMaker and

ArchestrA Symbol Editor

You can use the ArchestrA Symbol Editor to do most of the

tasks you do in InTouch WindowMaker. You can also use
many of the same shortcut keys.

Differences between WindowMaker and the

ArchestrA Symbol Editor
The ArchestrA Symbol Editor has features that are not
available in InTouch WindowMaker, such as:
• Additional elements.
• Additional and enhanced appearance of the elements.
• Additional and enhanced design-time functionality.

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Elements
Elements are the graphical objects you use to create an
ArchestrA Symbol. The ArchestrA Symbol Editor provides
elements that are not available in InTouch WindowMaker,
such as:
• Curves and closed curves.

• Arcs, pies, and chords defined by two or three points.

• Status elements to conditionally show an icon depending

on quality and status of attribute data.

• Path graphics that you create by joining line-based

elements together to form a new closed element.
• Windows common controls, such as the Calendar control
and Date Time Picker control.

Appearance
The ArchestrA Symbol Editor extends the InTouch graphic
configuration. For example, you can use:
• Gradients for line, fill, and text color.

• Patterns for line, fill, and text color.

• Textures for line, fill, and text color.

• Partial transparency.

• Fill behavior in relation to a symbol or screen.

Enhanced Functionality
The ArchestrA Symbol Editor provides a entire array of
enhancements to make your life easier when creating
visualization for your manufacturing environment.

Usability Enhancements
The ArchestrA Symbol Editor makes it easy to select and
configure elements. You can:
• Select elements from a list as well as from the canvas.
This lets you select elements beneath others without
having to move them.
• View and change properties and animation (links) of an
element by simply selecting it on the canvas.

• Edit elements contained in groups and path graphics

without having to break the group or path graphic. This
is called inline editing.

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Differences between WindowMaker and the ArchestrA Symbol Editor 51

Style Replication
Using the Format Painter, you can simply apply the style of
one element with one click to another element, even to an
element of a different type.

Animation Replication
Using the ArchestrA Symbol Editor you can copy, cut, and
paste animations from one element to another element, even
to an element of a different type.

Element Positioning
The ArchestrA Symbol Editor extends the positioning feature
of InTouch WindowMaker and lets you:
• Distribute elements equally in horizontal or vertical
direction.
• Make elements same horizontal and/or vertical size.

• Increase or decrease horizontal or vertical space.

• Remove horizontal or vertical space between elements.

• Lock an element so that you do not accidentally move or

edit it.

• Rotate any element at design time by any angle around a

center of rotation.
• Apply resizing and rotating to multiple elements at the
same time.

• Move the z-order of an element one level backward or

forward.

• Align text within text boxes and buttons.

Group Functionality
The ArchestrA Symbol Editor uses the concept of groups
instead of the cell and symbol concepts of InTouch
WindowMaker. You can:
• Embed groups within groups.

• Edit individual elements within a group (or an embedded

group) without breaking up the group.
• Easily remove elements from or add elements to existing
groups.

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Extensibility with Custom Properties

You can add custom properties to a symbol or embedded
symbol. You can connect custom properties to
AutomationObject attributes, element properties, and even
InTouch tags. You can use the custom properties as you
would with any pre-defined property at design time and run
time.

Miscellaneous Enhancements
Using the ArchestrA Symbol Editor, you can:
• Access the properties of the elements and custom
properties of the symbol through scripting.
• Set the tab order of the elements.

• Use line end styles, such as arrows.

• Dynamically disable specific animations from elements
without losing the configuration information.

• Use image meta files and other image formats.

• Use anti-aliasing to improve how the symbol is shown.

Procedures for Common WindowMaker Tasks

and Techniques
Most of the configuration that you do in InTouch
WindowMaker can be easily done in the ArchestrA Symbol
Editor. There are some differences between and similarities
of graphics, animations, and scripts.

Using Graphics
You can use the ArchestrA Symbol Editor in basically the
same way as you use InTouch WindowMaker. The ArchestrA
Symbol Editor includes a drawing area on which you can
place graphical objects to construct a visual representation of
production processes and to provide an interface between a
human and a machine.
Some objects you use in InTouch do not exist in the
ArchestrA Symbol Editor, such as ActiveX controls and some
Wizards. Their functionality is replaced other controls that
are more powerful and integrate better into the ArchestrA
environment.

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Using the Drawing Area

The drawing area of the ArchestrA Symbol Editor is called
the canvas. You use it like an InTouch window. Its maximum
size is 2,000 by 2,000 pixels.

Setting the Drawing Area Color

You cannot set the drawing area color in the ArchestrA
Symbol Editor. The drawing area color is transparent and
inherits the color of the environment that the symbol is
embedded into.
If you embed an ArchestrA Symbol into an InTouch window,
the area between the elements adopts the color of the
InTouch window.

Using Basic Objects

InTouch basic objects such as rectangles, ellipses, and
polylines can be drawn in very similar way in the ArchestrA
Symbol Editor. The basic objects are called elements in the
ArchestrA Symbol Editor.

InTouch Drawing Toolbar

ArchestrA Symbol Editor Tools Panel

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54 Chapter 2 Comparing WindowMaker and ArchestrA Symbol Editor

Using Complex Objects

InTouch objects such as ActiveX controls, Wizards, cells, and
symbols do not exist in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
You can, however, import SmartSymbols into an ArchestrA
symbol. When you import a SmartSymbol, the elements and
animations of a SmartSymbol are converted.
In the ArchestrA Symbol Editor, you can create groups of
elements. Groups maintain the properties of the contained
individual elements. You can set the TreatAsIcon property of
a group to change the behavior of the group.

Using Wizards
You cannot import InTouch Wizards to an ArchestrA Symbol
or into the Graphic Toolbox. Instead, use:
• The ArchestrA Symbol Library, which you can import
into the Graphic Toolbox.

• Windows controls that are part of the Toolbox. You can

use:

• Radio button groups

• Check boxes
• Edit boxes
• Combo boxes
• Calendar control
• DateTime picker
• List boxes

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Using Animations
You can use animations in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor to
set run-time behavior of the symbols as you would in InTouch
WindowMaker. You can configure one or more animations for
an element or symbol. The data can come from various
sources.

Configuring Data Sources

In InTouch WindowMaker, you use the Tagname Dictionary
to define variables that hold values. In the ArchestrA Symbol
Editor, data sources can be:
• ArchestrA AutomationObject attributes.

• Custom properties and inherited properties of the

symbol.
• InTouch tagnames themselves. The ArchestrA Symbol
Editor uses a special InTouch reference you can use to
directly connect to InTouch tagnames.

Using Data Types

ArchestrA Symbols use the ArchestrA data types, which are
different than InTouch data types.
The following table shows you the data types of both and how
they correspond to each other:

InTouch ArchestrA Description

Discrete Boolean Boolean value. For example: 0 or 1

Integer Integer Integer value. For example: -4, 7, or 22
Real Float or Double Float or double value with different
precision. For example: 3.141, -5.332,
or 1.343e+17
Message String String value. For example: “Hello
World”
n/a DateTime Datetime value. For example:
“04/13/2006 [Link].222 AM”

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InTouch ArchestrA Description

n/a ElapsedTime Float value that represents a time that

has elapsed in seconds. It is shown
often in the following format, but is
stored as a float value.
[–][DDDDDD] [HH:MM:]SS[.fffffff]
Values are as follows:
• DDDDDD is from 0 to 999999

• HH is from 0 to 23

• MM is from 0 to 59

• SS is from 0 to 59
• fffffff is fractional seconds to right
of the decimal

Elapsed time can be positive or

negative.
n/a InternationalizedString A special string data type that can
store special characters.
You can configure ArchestrA Symbols to retrieve data from
the Galaxy.
When the source data type is different than the data type it is
used for, the data is coerced according to the rules of
ArchestrA data coercion and a string value of “-10” is coerced
to “True” in the animation.
If you embed this ArchestrA Symbol into an InTouch
window, the data type of the animation link is coerced
according to the InTouch data coercion. The embedded
ArchestrA Symbol shows “True” in the InTouch HMI.
However, if you directly create an discrete animation display
link in the InTouch HMI that points at the original data
source, the resulting value can be different.

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In this example the string value “-10” is shown as “False” in

the InTouch HMI.

ArchestrA InTouch
Object Data InTouch
Data Direct Animation Links
Coercion

ArchestrA Data Coercion RUN-TIME VALUES MAY DIFFER

ArchestrA Embedded
Symbol InTouch ArchestrA
Data Symbol
Coercion

Data Coercion – Direct and Indirect

Using Animations
You configure InTouch animations using the Animation Links
dialog box. You can open this dialog box by double-clicking an
InTouch object.

InTouch Animation Links

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You configure animations in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor

using the Edit Animations dialog box, which is normally
opened by double-clicking an element.

Animation Links in ArchestrA Symbol Editor

Some of the animation types are different and others have

been grouped to simplify configuration. Use the following
table to find the equivalent animation type in the ArchestrA
Symbol Editor:

ArchestrA Symbol Editor

InTouch Animation Animation

User Inputs - Discrete User Input - Boolean

User Inputs - Analog User Input - Analog
User Inputs - String User Input - String
Sliders - Vertical Slider Vertical
Sliders - Horizontal Slider Horizontal
Touch Pushbuttons - Pushbutton - Boolean
Discrete Value
Action Action Scripts
Show Window (not supported)
Hide Window (not supported)
Line Color - Discrete Line Style - Boolean
Line Color - Analog Line Style - Truth Table
Line Color - Discrete Alarm converted to Line Style

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ArchestrA Symbol Editor

InTouch Animation Animation

Line Color - Analog Alarm converted to Line Style

Fill Color - Discrete Fill Style - Boolean
Fill Color - Analog Fill Style - Truth Table
Fill Color - Discrete Alarm converted to Fill Style
Fill Color - Analog Alarm converted to Fill Style
Text Color - Discrete Text Style - Boolean
Text Color - Analog Text Style - Truth Table
Text Color - Discrete Alarm converted to Text Style
Text Color - Analog Alarm converted to Text Style
Object Size - Height Height
Object Size - Width Width
Location - Vertical Location Vertical
Location - Horizontal Location Horizontal
Percent Fill - Vertical % Fill Vertical
Percent Fill - Horizontal % Fill Horizontal
Miscellaneous - Visibility Visibility
Miscellaneous - Blink Blink
Miscellaneous - Orientation Orientation
Miscellaneous - Disable Disable
Miscellaneous - Tooltip Tooltip
Value Display - Discrete Value Display - Boolean
Value Display - Analog Value Display - Analog
Value Display - String Value Display - String

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60 Chapter 2 Comparing WindowMaker and ArchestrA Symbol Editor

Using Scripts
You can configure scripts ArchestrA Symbol Editor the same
way as you do in InTouch WindowMaker. There are,
however, some small differences:

InTouch Script ArchestrA Symbol Editor Script

Application Script (not available)

Window Script Symbol Predefined Script
Key Script Action Script animation with a
key trigger
Condition Script Symbol Named Script with an
OnTrue, OnFalse, WhileTrue
or WhileFalse trigger
Data Change Script Symbol Named Script with a
DataChange trigger
QuickFunction (not available)
ActiveX Event Script (not available)
Action Script Action Script animation

Using Application Scripts

In the InTouch HMI, application scripts are triggered:
• One time when the application starts up in
WindowViewer.

• Periodically when the application runs in WindowViewer.

• One time when the application shuts down in

WindowViewer.
ArchestrA Symbols correspond to InTouch applications and
let you configure predefined scripts directly associated with
symbol events. Such events are:
• On Show

• While Showing

• On Hide

Using Key Scripts

You cannot use key scripts in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor,
but you can associate an element with an action script that is
activated by a key combination.

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Using Condition Scripts

You can configure a script that is run when a condition is
fulfilled by using the Symbol Scripts feature. It lets you
define triggers that run a script when a value or expression:
• Is fulfilled. (WhileTrue)

• Becomes fulfilled. (OnTrue)

• Is not fulfilled. (WhileFalse)

• Becomes no longer fulfilled. (OnFalse)

Using Data Change Scripts

You can configure a script that is run when a value or
expression changes by using the Symbol Scripts feature. It
lets you define a trigger that runs a script when a value or
expression changes.

Using Action Scripts

You can configure Action Scripts in the ArchestrA Symbol
Editor the same way as you would in InTouch
WindowMaker. When the run-time user interacts with an
element, such as with the mouse or by pressing a key, an
action script can run.
You use the InTouch action script window to create action
scripts.

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You use the ArchestrA Symbol Editor action script window to

create action scripts.

ArchestrA Symbol Editor

Action Script Window

You can configure action scripts for individual elements or

for the entire symbol.
You can use many of the predefined functions of InTouch
WindowMaker in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor. For a
complete list of InTouch predefined functions that can be
used with ArchestrA Symbols, see Importing Action Scripts
on page 413.
Other InTouch script types, such as application scripts and
key scripts, can be configured with ArchestrA
AutomationObjects.

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 63

Chapter 3

Managing Symbols

This section explains what ArchestrA Symbols are, how they

are stored in the ArchestrA environment, and how they can
be managed using the IDE tools.

About Symbols
ArchestrA Symbols are graphical symbols you use to
visualize data in an InTouch HMI application. They are
managed by the IDE.
Using the IDE, you can:
• Create a new symbol.

• Open the symbol for editing with the ArchestrA Symbol

Editor.

• Organize symbols within the Graphic Toolbox.

• Duplicate symbols.

• Import and export symbols.

• Delete a symbol.

• Configure security for a symbol’s operations.

• Open the symbol in read-only mode with the ArchestrA

Symbol Editor.

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64 Chapter 3 Managing Symbols

Creating a New Symbol

You can create a new symbol in:
• The Graphic Toolbox for generic symbols that you
frequently use in different situations. For example, a
valve symbol.
• The Graphics tab of an AutomationObject template. Do
this if you want to re-use the symbol in combination with
the object functionality. An example is a symbol
representing a specific tank and your production facility
has multiple tanks.
• The Graphics tab of an AutomationObject instance. Do
this if you are unlikely to re-use the symbol in any other
situation.

Creating Symbols in the Graphic Toolbox

You can create a new symbol in the Graphic Toolbox. It is
then listed in the Graphic Toolbox with a proposed default
name. You can:
• Rename the symbol.

• Move the symbol.

• Open the ArchestrA Symbol Editor to edit the symbol.

To create a new symbol from the IDE

1 On the Galaxy menu, point to New, and then click Symbol.
The Graphic Toolbox appears and a new symbol is listed.

Note You can also press Ctrl + Shift + S to create a new ArchestrA
Symbol.

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 Creating a New Symbol 65

2 Rename the symbol. Names must be unique within the

entire Graphic Toolbox hierarchy. Valid characters for
symbol names include alphanumeric characters, #, and _
(underscore). Symbol names cannot contain spaces and
the symbol name cannot begin with the $ character.
3 Double-click the symbol name. The ArchestrA Symbol
Editor appears.

4 Draw the symbol. For specific information about using

the drawing tools, see Working with Graphic Elements on
page 91.

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Creating Symbols in AutomationObject

Templates
You can create a symbol from the Graphics Tab in an
AutomationObject template. Creating a symbol this way
automatically associates the new symbol with the
AutomationObject.

To create a new symbol for an AutomationObject template

1 Open the AutomationObject template. Click the Graphics
tab. Any local and inherited symbols are listed.

2 Click the New Symbol icon. Give the new symbol a name.
Names must be unique. Valid characters for symbol
names include alphanumeric characters, $, #, and _
(underscore). Symbol names cannot include spaces and
the symbol name cannot begin with the $ character.

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 Creating a New Symbol 67

3 If needed, type the description of the symbol in the

Description box.
4 Click the symbol name and click Open. The ArchestrA
Symbol Editor appears.

5 Draw the symbol. For specific information about using

the drawing tools, see Working with Graphic Elements on
page 91.

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Creating Symbols in AutomationObject Instances

You can create a symbol from the Graphics tab in an
AutomationObject instance. Creating a symbol this way
automatically associates the new symbol with the
AutomationObject instance.

Note AutomationObjects can also inherit symbols from their

parent template. You can only view an inherited graphic in
read-only mode. Inherited graphics cannot be removed or edited.

To create a new symbol for an AutomationObject instance

1 Open the AutomationObject instance. Click the Graphics
tab. Any local and inherited symbols are listed.

2 Click the New Symbol icon. Give the new symbol a name.
Names must be unique. Valid characters for symbol
names include alphanumeric characters, $, #, and _
(underscore). Symbol names cannot include spaces and
the symbol name cannot begin with the $ character.
3 If needed, type the description of the symbol in the
Description box.

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 Opening Symbols for Editing 69

4 Select the symbol name, and then click Open. The

ArchestrA Symbol Editor appears.
5 Draw the symbol. For specific information about using
the drawing tools, see Working with Graphic Elements on
page 91.

Opening Symbols for Editing

You can start the ArchestrA Symbol Editor from a symbol:
• Contained in the Graphic Toolbox.

• Contained in an AutomationObject template or instance.

• Embedded in an InTouch window.

When you open a symbol in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor, it

is checked out. No other user can edit the symbol until you
check the symbol in again.
You can open multiple instances of the ArchestrA Symbol
Editor at the same time. However, you cannot edit the same
symbol in multiple instances of the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.

To edit a symbol in the Graphic Toolbox

1 Open the Graphic Toolbox.
2 Browse to the symbol you want to edit.

3 Double-click the symbol. The ArchestrA Symbol Editor

appears.
4 Edit the symbol. For specific information about using the
drawing tools, see Working with Graphic Elements on
page 91.
5 Click Save and Close. The ArchestrA Symbol Editor closes
and the updated symbol is checked in.

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To edit a symbol contained in an AutomationObject

1 Open the AutomationObject.
2 Click the Graphics tab.
3 Select the symbol to edit and click Open. The ArchestrA
Symbol Editor appears.
4 Edit the symbol. For specific information about using the
drawing tools, see Working with Graphic Elements on
page 91.
5 Click Save and Close. The ArchestrA Symbol Editor closes
and the updated symbol is checked in. Depending on the
AutomationObject, a confirmation message may appear.
Click Yes to save.

To edit a symbol that is embedded into an InTouch window

1 In WindowMaker, open the InTouch window that
contains the embedded symbol.
2 Right-click the embedded symbol to edit, point to
ArchestrA Graphic “Symbolname”, and then click Edit
Symbol. The ArchestrA Symbol Editor appears.
3 Edit the symbol. For specific information about using the
drawing tools, see Working with Graphic Elements on
page 91.
4 Click Save and Close. The ArchestrA Symbol Editor is
closed and the updated symbol is checked in.

Note To leave the symbol checked out, click Keep Checked Out
in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor. This ensures that no other user
can check out your symbol for editing.

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 Organizing Symbols in the Graphic Toolbox 71

Organizing Symbols in the Graphic Toolbox

You use the Graphic Toolbox to organize your symbols by
creating a folder hierarchy as you would with files and
folders in Microsoft Explorer. You can move symbols around
within the folder hierarchy. These folders are called Graphic
Toolsets.

Creating Graphic Toolsets in the Graphic Toolbox

You can create Graphic Toolsets in the Graphic Toolbox to
organize your symbols. For example you can create a Graphic
Toolset called “Valves” to store different types of valve
symbols.

To create a Graphic Toolset in the Toolbox

1 Open the Graphic Toolbox.
2 Select the Graphic Toolset under which you want to
create a new Graphic Toolset. Select the Galaxy name if
there are currently no Graphic Toolsets.
3 On the Galaxy menu, point to New, and then click Graphic
Toolset. A new Graphic Toolset is created with a default
name.
4 Rename the new Graphic Toolset as needed.

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Moving Symbols between Graphic Toolsets

You can move symbols from one Graphic Toolset in the
Graphic Toolbox to another. Moving symbols between
Graphic Toolsets does not affect its functionality.

To move symbols between Graphic Toolsets in the Graphic

Toolbox
1 Open the Graphic Toolbox.
2 Locate the symbol you want to move.
3 Do either of the following:
• Drag the symbol to the Graphic Toolset you want to
place it in. The symbol moves to the new Graphic
Toolset.
• To move the symbol to the top level in the Graphic
Toolset hierarchy, drag the symbol to the Galaxy
name icon.

Renaming Symbols
You can rename a symbol at any time. Renaming a symbol
does not affect its functionality.
Symbol names must be unique within the entire hierarchy of
the Graphic Toolbox.

To rename a symbol in the Graphic Toolbox

1 Open the Graphic Toolbox.
2 Select the symbol you want to rename.
3 On the Edit menu, click Rename. The symbol name is in
edit mode.

4 Type a new unique name for the symbol and press Enter.

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 Organizing Symbols in the Graphic Toolbox 73

Copying Symbols
You can create copies of symbols in the Graphic Toolbox. The
copies are suffixed with “_Copy1”, “_Copy2”, and so on.

To create a copy of a symbol

1 Select the symbol you want to copy.
2 On the Edit menu, click Duplicate. A copy of the symbol is
created.

3 If needed, type a new name for the symbol.

Renaming Graphic Toolsets

You can rename a Graphic Toolset at any time. Renaming a
Graphic Toolset does not affect the functionality of any
symbols it contains.

To rename a Graphic Toolset in the Graphic Toolbox

1 Open the Graphic Toolbox.
2 Select the Graphic Toolset you want to rename.
3 On the Edit menu, click Rename. The Graphic Toolset
name is in edit mode.
4 Type a new unique name for the Graphic Toolset and
press Enter.

Deleting Graphic Toolsets

You can delete a Graphic Toolset in the Graphic Toolbox at
any time.
You can only delete Graphic Toolsets that do not contain any
symbols. Move the symbols to another Graphic Toolset or
delete them before deleting the Graphic Toolset.

To delete a Graphic Toolset in the Graphic Toolbox

1 Open the Graphic Toolbox.
2 Select the Graphic Toolset you want to delete.
3 On the Edit menu, click Delete. When a message appears,
click Yes.

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Moving Graphic Toolsets

You can move a Graphic Toolset within the Graphic Toolset
hierarchy of the Graphic Toolbox. If you move a Graphic
Toolsets, all symbols and Graphic Toolsets it contains are
also moved.

To move a Graphic Toolset in the Graphic Toolbox

1 Open the Graphic Toolbox.
2 Locate the Graphic Toolset you want to move.
3 Do either of the following:
• Drag it to the Graphic Toolset you want to place it in.
The Graphic Toolset is moved to the new Graphic
Toolset.
• To move the Graphic Toolset to the top level in the
Graphic Toolset hierarchy, drag the Graphic Toolset
to the Galaxy name icon.

Customizing Graphic Toolsets

You can hide or show Graphic Toolsets after creating them.
You can do this for selected Graphic Toolsets or for all
Graphic Toolsets.

To customize Graphic Toolsets

1 Open the Graphic Toolbox.
2 Right-click the Galaxy icon in the Graphic Toolbox, and
then click Customize Toolsets. The Customize Toolsets
dialog box appears.
3 Do one or more of the following:
• To hide Graphic Toolsets, clear the check box next to
the Toolsets you want to hide.
• To show Graphic Toolsets, check the check box next to
the Toolsets you want to show.
• To select or clear all Toolsets, click Check All or
Uncheck All.
4 Click Close. The selected Graphic Toolsets are shown or
hidden, depending on your settings.

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 Importing and Exporting Symbols as ArchestrA Object Files 75

Importing and Exporting Symbols as

ArchestrA Object Files
You can import and export symbols as .aaPKG ArchestrA
AutomationObject files.

Importing Symbols
You can import symbols and graphic toolsets from a symbol
.aaPKG file.
When you import templates or instances that contain
symbols, the symbols are imported with the template or
instance.
When you import all AutomationObjects, the contained
symbols and the symbols in the graphic toolsets are also
imported.

To import symbols from a symbol .aaPKG file

1 On the Galaxy menu, point to Import, and then click
Object(s). The Import AutomationObject(s) dialog box
appears.
2 Select one or more symbol .aaPKG files you want to
import and click Open. The Import Preferences dialog box
appears.

3 Select the appropriate options for the import and click

OK. The symbols and graphic toolsets are imported.
4 Click Close.

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Exporting Symbols
You can export symbols to a symbol .aaPKG file.
When you export templates or instances that contain
symbols, the symbols are exported with the template or
instance.
When you export all AutomationObjects, the contained
symbols and the symbols in the graphic toolsets are also
exported.
When you export an AutomationObject that contains
symbols, if these symbols contain embedded ArchestrA
Symbols from the Graphic Toolbox, they are exported along
with the symbols associated with the AutomationObject.
If the symbols contain other AutomationObjects, the
symbols, including any embedded symbols from the Graphic
Toolbox contained in them, and their parent
AutomationObject are not exported with the
AutomationObject. They remain as references. Upon import,
the system tries to reestablish the connection with those
exact references in the target Galaxy.

To export symbols to a symbol .aaPKG file

1 In the Graphic Toolbox, select the symbols that you want
to export.
2 On the Galaxy menu, point to Export, and then click
Object(s). The Export Automation Object(s) dialog box
appears.
3 Browse to the save location and type a name for the
symbol .aaPKG file.
4 Click Save. The symbols and their toolset folders are
exported.
5 Click Close.

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 Deleting a Symbol 77

Deleting a Symbol
You can delete a symbol you no longer want. Deleting a
symbol removes it completely from the Application Server.
You can delete a symbol from the Graphic Toolbox or from an
AutomationObject in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
• When you delete a symbol, you are shown where the
symbol is used. This lets understand the impact of
deleting the symbol before you actually delete it.
• You cannot delete symbols that someone else has open for
editing or left checked out.

• If you delete a symbol from an AutomationObject, the

symbol still appears to other users until you check in the
AutomationObject.
• If you delete a symbol that is embedded in another
symbol or in an InTouch window, it shows a Not Found
message.

To delete a symbol
1 Do one of the following:
• Open the Graphic Toolbox.
• Open the AutomationObject with the symbols you
want to delete. Click the Graphics tab.
2 Select the symbol you want to delete and click Delete. The
Delete dialog box appears.

3 Review the places the symbol is being used, and then

click Yes.

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78 Chapter 3 Managing Symbols

Configuring Security for Symbols

You can set IDE security permissions so that at design time,
the user cannot:
• Import or export symbols.

• Create, modify, or delete symbols in the Graphic Toolbox.

• Create, modify, or delete symbols in any

AutomationObject template.
• Create, modify, or delete symbols in any
AutomationObject instance.

• Create, modify, or delete View Applications, such as

InTouchView Applications.

• Deploy or undeploy View Applications, such as

InTouchView Applications.
• Edit the configuration of the quality and status display.

To restrict a user, the user must be assigned to a role and the

permissions must be assigned to that role, and security must
be enabled. For more information on how to configure
security, users, and roles, see the Application Server User’s
Guide.
If the user attempts to export a symbol without appropriate
permissions, the message “User doesn’t have permission to
export graphics object” appears.
If the user attempts to import a symbol without appropriate
permissions, the message “User doesn’t have permission to
import graphics object” appears.

To configure security for symbols

1 On the Galaxy menu, point to Configure, and then click
Security. The Configure Security dialog box appears.
2 Click the Roles tab.
3 In the Roles available list, click the role you want to
assign the permissions to.

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 Configuring Security for Symbols 79

4 In the General Permissions list, expand the Graphic

management permissions.

5 If you want to restrict the user from:

• Importing symbols, clear the Can import graphics
check box.
• Exporting symbols, clear the Can export graphics
check box.
• Creating, modifying, or deleting symbols within
toolsets, clear the Can Create/Modify/Delete graphics
within toolsets check box.
• Creating, modifying, or deleting symbols attached to
a template, clear the Can Create/Modify/Delete
attached object graphics in template check box.
• Creating, modifying, or deleting symbols attached to
an instance, clear the Can Create/Modify/Delete
attached object graphics in instance check box.
• Creating, modifying, or deleting view applications,
clear the Can Create/Modify/Delete ViewApplications
check box.
• Deploying and undeploying view applications, clear
the Can Deploy/Undeploy ViewApplications check box.
• Accessing the edit quality and status display
configuration, clear the Can Edit Quality and Status
Indicator Configuration check box.
6 Click OK.

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Viewing a Symbol in Read-Only Mode

You can view a symbol in read-only mode if you don’t want to
edit it, or if it is checked out by somebody else.
If you open a symbol in read-only mode, you have access to all
functions in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor that do not change
the symbol.

To view a symbol in read-only mode

1 In the Graphic Toolbox, select the symbol that you want
to view in read-only mode.
2 On the Galaxy menu, click Open Read-Only. The selected
symbol opens in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.

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 81

Chapter 4

Using the ArchestrA Symbol

Editor

You can edit ArchestrA Symbols using the ArchestrA Symbol

Editor. Depending on where the ArchestrA Symbol is
contained, you can start the ArchestrA Symbol Editor from:
• The Graphic Toolbox.

• The Graphics tab of an AutomationObject template.

• The Graphics tab of an AutomationObject instance.

• An embedded ArchestrA Symbol in an InTouch window.

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82 Chapter 4 Using the ArchestrA Symbol Editor

You can:
• Show and hide the panels of ArchestrA Symbol Editor to
allow for more space on the canvas.
• Pan and zoom the canvas so that you can make finer
adjustments to the elements.

• Configure the grid to help you arrange elements.

Showing, Hiding, and Adjusting Panels

You can hide the Properties Editor and Animation Summary
to allow more space for the canvas.

To show or hide the Properties Editor and Animation Summary

panels
‹ Do either of the following:
• Press Alt + Enter.
• On the View menu, click Properties.
You can also adjust the size of the Elements List and
Properties Editor.

To adjust the size of panels

1 Drag the dividing line between the panels to specify the
new panel size.
2 Release the mouse button and the panels are resized.

Panning and Zooming the Canvas

You can pan and zoom the canvas to make finer visual
adjustments to the elements or to get a better overview of a
large symbol.
Use the Pan and Zoom toolbar to pan and zoom.

Panning
You can use the Pan functions of the Pan and Zoom toolbar to
do the following:
• Use the Pan and Zoom window to configure which part of
the canvas is to be shown.

• Grab the canvas with the Hand tool and move it (Pan).

You can also use the scroll wheel of the mouse to pan up and
down in the current canvas display.

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 Panning and Zooming the Canvas 83

Using the Pan and Zoom Window to Pan

You can use the Pan and Zoom window to pan the canvas
area.

To use the Pan and Zoom window for panning

1 On the Pan and Zoom toolbar, click the Pan and Zoom
window icon. The Pan and Zoom window appears.

2 In the Pan and Zoom window, move the mouse within the
red rectangle. The pointer hand icon appears.
3 Click and hold the left mouse button down.
4 Drag the mouse. The red rectangle moves with the
mouse.
5 Release the mouse button. The area shown in the canvas
is changed accordingly.

Using the Hand Tool to Pan

You can use the Hand tool to pan the canvas area. This is
equivalent to picking up the canvas and moving it so that the
visible canvas area changes.

To use the Hand tool to pan

1 On the Pan and Zoom toolbar, click the Pan icon.
2 Move the mouse over the canvas. The Hand tool pointer
appears.
3 Click the canvas to grab the canvas and keep the mouse
button down.
4 Move the mouse to change the area of canvas that is
shown.
5 Release the mouse button.

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Using the Mouse Scroll Wheel to Pan

You can use the mouse scroll wheel to:
• Pan up or down.

• Pan 360 degrees.

To use the mouse scroll wheel to pan up or down

1 Click the canvas so that no elements are selected.
2 Move the mouse scroll wheel:
• Forward to pan up.
• Backward to pan down.

To use the mouse scroll wheel to pan in any direction

1 Click the canvas so that no elements are selected.
2 Click the mouse scroll wheel. The pointer appears in 360
degrees scroll mode.
3 Move the mouse. The visible area of the canvas is panned
accordingly.

4 When you are done, click the canvas.

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Zooming
You can use the Pan and Zoom toolbar to:
• Zoom in on a specified point to magnify the current
elements.

• Zoom out from a specified point.

• Zoom to the default zoom factor (100%).

• Zoom so that the currently selected element is shown

across the available canvas area or zoomed to the
maximum value of 500%.
• Zoom in on an area of the canvas using a “rubber band”
selection with your mouse.

• Specify or select a zoom factor.

You can also use the Ctrl key and the scroll wheel of the
mouse to zoom in and zoom out the current canvas view.

Zooming In to a Specified Point

You can zoom in by 25% of the default scale to any specified
point on the canvas.

To zoom in to a specified point

1 Click the Zoom In icon in the toolbar.
2 Move the mouse over the canvas. The Zoom In pointer
appears.
3 Click the canvas to where you want to zoom in. The
canvas is zoomed in at the specified point.

Zooming Out from a Specified Point

You can zoom out by 25% of the default scale from any
specified point on the canvas.

To zoom out to a specified point

1 Click the Zoom Out icon in the toolbar.
2 Move the mouse over the canvas. The Zoom Out pointer
appears.
3 Click the canvas from where you want to zoom out. The
canvas is zoomed out from the specified point.

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Zooming to the Default Zoom Value

You can reset the zoom to the default zoom value 100%.

To reset the zoom to the default zoom value

‹ Click the Zoom to Normal icon in the toolbar. The canvas
zoom is reset to its default.

Zooming a Selected Element

You can zoom one or more selected elements so that they
appear as large as possible in the allocated canvas area. This
is useful when you want to make fine adjustments to one or
more elements.

To zoom a selected element

1 Select the elements you want to zoom.
2 Click the Zoom To Selection icon in the toolbar. The
visible canvas is zoomed so that the selected elements
appear as large as possible.

Zooming a Specified Area

You can zoom a specified area by using the “rubber band”
selection method.

To zoom a specified area

1 Click the Rubber Band Zoom icon.
2 Move the mouse over the canvas. The Rubber Band
pointer appears.
3 Move the mouse to the top left corner of the area you
want to zoom.
4 Hold the left mouse button down and then drag the
mouse to the bottom right corner of the area you want to
zoom.
5 Release the mouse button. The area is zoomed to the
entire canvas area.

Selecting or Specifying a Zoom Value

You can select a defined zoom value or type a zoom value.
Valid values are 25% to 500%.

To select or specify a zoom value

‹ On the Zoom and Pan toolbar, do one of the following:
• Click the zoom value list and select a zoom value.
• Click the zoom value in the zoom value list, type a
valid value, and then press Enter.

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Using the Pan and Zoom Window to Change the Zoom

You can use the Pan and Zoom window to change the zoom of
the canvas.

Note You can also use the Pan and Zoom window to “scroll” to a
different part of the canvas. This is called panning. For more
information, see Panning on page 82.

To use the Pan and Zoom window for zooming

1 On the Zoom and Pan toolbar, click the Pan and Zoom
window icon. The Pan and Zoom window appears.

2 In the Pan and Zoom window, move the mouse over a

corner or an edge of the red rectangle.
3 Click and hold the left mouse button down. The
corresponding resize pointer appears.

4 Drag the mouse. The red rectangle changes size

proportionally.
5 Release the mouse button. The zoom of the canvas is
changed accordingly.

Using the Mouse Scroll Wheel for Zooming

You can use the mouse scroll wheel to zoom the canvas area.
The canvas is then zoomed on the midpoint of all selected
elements or, if none are selected, on the midpoint of the
canvas.

To use the mouse scroll wheel for zooming

‹ Press and hold the Ctrl key and move the scroll wheel:
• Forward to zoom in by a factor of 25% of the default
zoom value.
• Backward to zoom out by a factor of 25% of the
default zoom value.

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Configuring the Grid

Use the grid to help you align elements on the canvas. You
can configure the appearance and visibility of the grid.
Grid settings, such as color, grid size, number of
subdivisions, visibility, and snap to grid, are saved with the
symbol.

Configuring the Grid Appearance

You can configure the following options for the grid:
• Color

• Size

• Major subdivision

• Visibility

• Default snap-to-grid option

Configuring the Grid Color

You can change the color of the grid to any solid color.

To configure the grid color

1 On the Special menu, click Preferences. The Designer
Preferences dialog box appears.

2 Click the box next to the Grid color label. The Style
Selection dialog box appears. For more information, see
Setting a Solid Color on page 164.

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Changing the Grid Size

You can change the size of the grid. The size number specifies
how far apart in pixels the individual lines of the grid are.

To change the grid size

1 On the Special menu, click Preferences. The Designer
Preferences dialog box appears.
2 In the Grid size box, type a value from 1 to 100 for the
grid size in pixels.
3 Click OK.

Changing the Grid Major Subdivisions

You can change the number of major subdivisions of the grid.
Major subdivisions are emphasized lines that visually create
larger grid cell blocks. This helps you visually place and
move elements more easily.

To change the grid major subdivisions

1 On the Special menu, click Preferences. The Designer
Preferences dialog box appears.
2 In the Major subdivisions box, type a value from 1 to 10.
3 Click OK.

Hiding or Showing the Grid

You can hide or show the grid.

To hide or show the grid

1 On the Special menu, click Preferences. The Designer
Preferences dialog box appears.
2 Select or clear Grid visible check box to hide or show the
grid.
3 Click OK.

Aligning Elements with the Grid

You can set the snap-to-grid option so that when you move
elements or groups on the canvas they are moved to the
closest grid intersection. If this option is not set, you can
move the elements freely to any location on the canvas.

To switch on or switch off the snap-to-grid option

1 On the Special menu, click Preferences. The Designer
Preferences dialog box appears.
2 Select or clear the Snap to grid check box.

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Chapter 5

Working with Graphic Elements

This section shows you how to work with the common

features of graphic elements. For information about features
specific to certain elements such as element properties, see
Setting Symbol and Element-Specific Properties on page 191.

About Graphic Elements

Graphic elements are basic shapes and controls you can use
to create a symbol to your specifications. You can:
• Draw an element by selecting an element from the Tools
panel, placing it on the canvas, and then configuring its
properties.

• Select one or more elements on the canvas with the

mouse or from the Element list.
• Edit certain elements in a special way called inline
editing.

• Copy, cut, paste, and duplicate elements.

• Move elements around on the canvas.

• Align elements to each other.

• Change the spacing between elements.

• Resize elements.

• Change the z-order of elements to change which elements

appear on top of others when they overlap.

• Rotate elements.

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• Change the origin of elements to specify around which

point the elements are rotated.

• Flip elements on their horizontal or vertical axis.

• Lock elements to stop them being moved or changed.

• Undo and redo any number of changes made previously

to the symbol.
• Create groups of elements to bind them together.

• Create a path graphic from multiple open line elements.

Drawing and Dragging Elements

You can create elements such as lines, curves, circles,
squares, and so on. You can combine these elements to create
complex drawings of all the equipment in your
manufacturing environment.
After you draw an element, you can modify its properties. For
more information about modifying properties, see Editing
Element Properties on page 96.
Regardless of the kind of element you are drawing, drawing
each kind of element is very similar.
After you draw an element, the pointer tool is selected again
by default. To draw multiple elements of the same type,
double-click the element in the Tools panel. It remains
selected after you draw your first element of that type. You
can press the ESC key to return to the pointer tool again.
If you draw or drag an element outside of the visible canvas
area to the right or bottom, horizontal and/or vertical scroll
bars appear but the visible area does not follow the mouse.
You can later use the scroll bars to scroll the canvas and see
the element you drew or moved.

Drawing Rectangles, Rounded Rectangles,

Ellipses, and Lines
You can draw rectangles, rounded rectangles, ellipses, and
lines on the canvas.

To draw a rectangle, rounded rectangle, ellipse, or line

1 Click the appropriate icon in the Tools panel.
2 Click the canvas and drag the shape of the element on the
canvas.
3 When you are done, release the mouse button.

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Drawing Polylines, Polygons, Curves, and Closed

Curves
You can draw polylines, polygons, curves, and closed curves
on the canvas.
If you are drawing a closed element, the element
automatically closes when you are done drawing.

To draw a polyline, polygon, curve, or closed curve

1 Click the appropriate icon in the Tools panel.
2 Click the canvas where you want to start the element.
3 Click the next point for the element.
4 Continue clicking until you have all the points you
require.
5 When you are done, right-click.
6 You can change the shape of these elements anytime by
editing their control points. For more information, see
Editing Control Points on page 202.

Drawing 2-Point Arcs, 2-Point Pies and 2-Point

Chords
You can draw 2-point arcs, 2-point pies, and 2-point chords
on the canvas.
If you are drawing a closed element, the element
automatically closes when you are done drawing.

To draw a 2-point arc, 2-point pie, or 2-point chord

1 Click the appropriate icon in the Tools panel.
2 Click the canvas where you want to start the element and
hold the mouse button.
3 Drag the mouse to where you want the element to end.
4 When you are done, release the mouse button.
5 You can change the shape of these elements anytime by
editing their control points. For more information, see
Editing Control Points on page 202.

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Drawing 3-Point Arcs, 3-Point Pies, and 3-Point

Chords
You can draw 3-point arcs, 3-point pies and 3-point chords on
the canvas.
If you are drawing a closed element, the element
automatically closes when you are done drawing.

To draw a 3-point arc, 3-point pie, or 3-point chord

1 Click the appropriate icon in the Tools panel.
2 Click the canvas where you want to start the element.
3 Click the canvas in two other places to define the
element.
4 You can change the shape of these elements anytime by
editing their control points. For more information, see
Editing Control Points on page 202.

Placing and Importing Images

You can place an image element on the canvas and import an
image into it.

To draw an image
1 Click the image icon in the Tools panel.
2 Click the canvas and drag the shape of the image
element.
3 Release the mouse button. The Open dialog box appears.
4 Browse to the image file, select it, and then click Open.
The image file is loaded into the image element.

Drawing Buttons
You can draw a button on the canvas. You can configure a
button with a text label or an image.
For more information on how to configure a button with an
image after drawing it on the canvas, see Configuring
Buttons with Images on page 201.

To draw a button
1 Click the button icon in the Tools panel.
2 Click the canvas and drag the shape of the button
element.
3 Release the mouse button. The button text appears in
edit mode.
4 Type a text label for the button and then press Enter.

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Placing Text
You can place text on the canvas.
The text element has no border and no background fill. The
text does not wrap. When you type the text, the size of the
Text element expands.
You can also drag the handles of the Text element to resize it.

To place text
1 Click the text icon in the Tools panel.
2 Click the canvas where you want to place the text.
3 Type the single line of text you want.
4 When you are done, do one of the following:
• Press Enter to type a new line of text. This new line is
a new element.
• Click the canvas outside the text element.

Drawing Text Boxes

You can draw text boxes on the canvas. Text boxes can have
borders and background fill.
You can also configure the text to wrap in the text box. For
more information, see Wrapping Text in Buttons on
page 201.

To draw a text box

1 Click the text box icon in the Tools panel.
2 Click the canvas where you want to place the text box.
3 Drag a rectangle on the canvas.
4 Release the mouse button. The text appears in edit mode.
5 Type a text label for the text box, and then press Enter.

Drawing Status Elements

You can use the status element to indicate specific quality
and status conditions of attributes.

To draw status elements

1 Click the status icon in the Tools panel.
2 Click the canvas where you want to place the status
element.
3 Drag a rectangle on the canvas.
4 Release the mouse button.

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Drawing Windows Controls

You can draw Windows controls on the canvas to add
additional functionality to your symbol. Each of the Windows
controls has specific behavior when it is drawn. For example,
you can change the width of a combo box, but not the height.

To draw a windows control

1 Click the appropriate Windows control icon in the Tools
panel.
2 Click the canvas where you want to place the Windows
control.
3 Drag a rectangle on the canvas.
4 Release the mouse button.

Dragging Elements
After you draw elements on the canvas, you can drag them to
a new position.

To drag elements on the canvas

1 Select one or more elements.
2 Click one of them and hold the mouse button down.
3 Drag the mouse to the new position.
4 Release the mouse button.

Editing Element Properties

You can control the appearance of an element, a group of
elements, or multiple elements with functions on the toolbar
and/or properties in the Properties Editor.
Often you can edit an element by changing the values of its
properties instead of using the mouse to perform the same
function. This is useful when you want very exact editing,
such as when you want to resize an element to a specific
width.
The Properties Editor shows the properties common to all
selected elements.
• Read-only properties appear in grey.

• Non-default values appear in bold.

Note The Properties Editor not only supports values, but also
allows input of color, font, and file information in the respective
dialog boxes.

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Properties are organized in categories so you can find them

more easily. The following table shows the categories:

Property Category Purpose

Graphic Element name or other describing

identifiers
Appearance Element location, size, orientation,
offset, transparency and locked
status
Fill Style Any parameters related to the fill
appearance of the element
Line Style Any parameters related to the line
appearance of the element
Text Style Any parameters related to the text
appearance of the element
Runtime Behavior Element visibility, tab order and any
other element behavior at run time
Custom Properties Additional user-defined properties
you can associate with any element

For more information on the individual properties for each

element, see Alphabetical List of Properties on page 417.

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Selecting Elements
You can select one or more elements by:
• Clicking on them with the mouse.
• Dragging the lasso around them with the mouse.

• Selecting them with a menu option or with a shortcut

key.

• Selecting them in the Elements List.

When you select an element, it appears with handles that

give you control over its size and orientation.

When you select multiple elements, the last selected element

is the primary element. All other previously selected
elements are secondary elements.

Selected Element Description

Primary Element Appears with color-filled handles.

Behaves as an active selected
element.
Is the point of reference for all
operations, such as aligning or
spacing multiple selected
elements.

Secondary Elements Appear with white handles.

Behave as inactive selected
elements.
Follow the edits made to the
primary element.

To select a group, you must click one of the elements

contained in the group.

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Selecting Elements by Mouse Click

You can select one or more elements by pressing Shift +
clicking. This is particularly useful for selecting multiple
elements that are not necessarily all included in a specified
rectangular area on the canvas.

To select an element or multiple elements by mouse click

1 On the canvas, click an element. It becomes selected.

2 To select further elements, press Shift + click. The other

elements become selected.

Note You can see in the Elements List which elements are
selected.

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Selecting Elements by Lasso

You can select one or more elements by lassoing them with
your mouse. This is useful for selecting multiple elements
within a specified rectangular area on the canvas.

To select elements by lasso

1 On the canvas, click outside any element and hold the
mouse button down.
2 Drag the mouse so that the lasso wraps around all
elements that you want to select.

3 When you are done, release the mouse button. The

elements that are fully included in the lasso are selected.

Selecting All Elements

You can select all elements using the Select All function.

To select all elements

‹ On the Edit menu, click Select All. All elements on the
canvas are selected.

Note You can also press the F2 key to select all elements.

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Selecting Elements Using the Elements List

You can use the Elements List to select any elements on the
canvas. The Elements List is particularly useful for selecting
elements behind other elements.
The Elements List shows which elements are currently
selected. The primary selected element appears by default in
dark blue, the secondary selected elements appear by default
in light blue.

Note The color setting of the Elements List depends on the

setting for the Selected Items option in the operating system’s
Display Properties Appearance panel.

To select elements using the Elements List

1 In the Elements List, select the element name.
2 To select multiple elements, Ctrl + click the other
elements.

Unselecting Elements
You can unselect one or more selected elements. You can do
this by clicking on them individually on the canvas or in the
Elements List.
If you want to remove the selected elements in a specified
rectangular area, you can use the lasso.

To unselect elements individually

1 Do one of the following:
• Shift + click the selected element on the canvas.
• Ctrl + click the selected element name in the
Elements List.
2 Repeat the previous step for all elements you want to
unselect.

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To unselect elements from a specified rectangular area

1 Shift + click the canvas outside of any element.
2 Drag the mouse so that the lasso surrounds the elements
that you want to unselect.
3 Release the mouse button. The selected elements within
the lasso are unselected, and the selected elements
outside the lasso remain selected.

Inline Editing
After you place certain elements on the canvas, you can edit
them by selecting them and clicking on them again. This is
called inline editing. The following elements can be edited in
this way:

Element Use inline editing to

Button, text, text Edit the text.

box
Polyline, polygon, Edit the control points.
curve, closed curve
2-point arc, 2-point Edit the start and sweep angles.
pie, 2-point chord,
3-point arc, 3-point
pie, 3-point chord
Group Edit the individual elements and
groups contained in the group.
Path Edit the control points.

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To edit elements with inline editing

1 Select an element. The element handles appear.
2 Click the element again to begin inline editing.
• For buttons, text, and text boxes, the text is selected
and you can type new text.

• For polylines, polygons, curves, and closed curves, the

control points of the element appear. Use these to
change the shape of the element.

You can also add and delete control points. For more
information, see Adding and Removing Control Points
on page 203.
• For arcs, pies, and chords, the handles for the start
angle and sweep angle appear. Use these to change
the start angle and sweep angle.

• For groups, the group handle is replaced with a

shaded outline. You can select individual elements
and groups within the group to edit and move them.

3 Click the canvas outside the element.

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Copying, Cutting, and Pasting Elements

After you draw elements, you have the same cut, copy, and
paste options available to you as in any other Windows
application. However, some of these options behave
differently in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
You can also duplicate elements. Duplicating elements lets
you quickly make copies of existing selected elements
without first copying or cutting. You can duplicate one or
more selected elements at the same time.
When you copy or duplicate elements, all of its properties are
copied with the element. If you do not want the properties to
be identical, you must change the properties after you copy.
Locked grouped elements and the path element behave
differently when you copy or duplicate them.
If you copy or duplicate:
• A set of elements that are locked, the copy is not locked.

• Grouped elements, the copy is still grouped.

• A path element, the copy is also a path.

Copying Elements
After you select an element, you can copy it by using menu
options or you can Ctrl + click.

To copy one or more elements

‹ Do any of the following:
• Select one or more elements to be copied on the
canvas. On the Edit menu, click Copy. On the Edit
menu, click Paste. The paste pointer appears. Click
the canvas where you want to place the copy.
• Ctrl + click an element.
• Select one or more elements to be copied on the
canvas. Press Ctrl + C. Press Ctrl + V. The paste
pointer appears. Click the canvas where you want to
place the copy.

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Cutting or Deleting Elements

You can cut elements or groups or you can delete them.
Cutting lets you select elements or groups and remove them
from the canvas. You can paste the removed elements or
groups.
Deleting elements or groups deletes them from the canvas.
You cannot paste deleted elements or groups.

To cut one or more elements

‹ Select one or more elements, and then do one of the
following:
• On the Edit menu, click Cut.
• Press Ctrl + X.

To cut and paste elements on the canvas

1 Select the element or group.
2 On the Edit menu, click Cut.
3 Do one of the following:
• Click Paste on the Edit menu.
• Press Ctrl + V.
4 Click the canvas location where you want the element or
group to be placed.

To delete an element or a group

1 To remove the element or group and not use it in the
future, select the element or group.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click Delete on the Edit menu.
• Press Delete on your keyboard.

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Duplicating Elements
Duplicating elements allows you to select an element or
elements and quickly make copies of them.
You can also specify the amount of overlap when you
duplicate.

To duplicate elements
1 Select one or more elements.
2 Do one of the following:
a Click Duplicate on the Edit menu. The selected
element is duplicated and appears offset to the
original element.
b Press Ctrl + D. The selected element is duplicated
and appears offset to the original element.

c Ctrl + click one of the selected elements to duplicate

all selected elements. You can keep the mouse button
down and drag them to the new position on the
canvas.

To set the overlap when you duplicate

1 Duplicate an element or elements. The element is copied
overlapping the original.
2 Move the duplicated element to the location relative to
the original. For example, move the duplicated element
five grid spaces above the original element.
3 Duplicate the element again. The new duplicate is placed
in the same offset you specified in the preceding step. For
example, five grid spaces above the original element.

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Moving Elements
After you create elements, you can move them to the location
you want on the canvas.
You can move elements or groups by dragging them to the
new location or you can open the properties for the element
or group and change the X and Y properties.
If you turned on snap to grid, moving an element or group
with the mouse snaps the element or group to the grid. For
more information about using the grid, see Configuring the
Grid on page 88.
If you move an element or group by specifying X and Y
coordinates, it does not snap to the grid.
You can move an element or group vertically or horizontally
using the keyboard.

To move an element or group using the mouse

1 Select the element or group you want to move.
2 Drag the elements or group to the new location.

To move an element or group by specifying the X and Y

properties
1 Select the element or group you want to move.
2 In the Properties Editor, expand Appearance.
3 Do the following:
• In the X box, type the new X location.
• In the Y box, type the new Y location.
4 Click in the canvas or press Enter.

To move an element or group vertically or horizontally using

the mouse
1 Shift + click to select the element or group you want to
move.
2 Drag the elements or group to the new location.

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To move an element or group vertically or horizontally using

the keyboard
1 Select the element or group you want to move.
2 Do one of the following:
• Press the Up or Down arrow keys to move the
element or group vertically by one unit in the grid.
• Press the Left or Right arrow keys to move the
element or group horizontally by one unit in the grid.

Note You can move the element or group by two units in the grid
by additionally pressing the Shift key, by four units by additionally
pressing the Ctrl key, and by 10 units by additionally pressing both
keys.

To move multiple elements or groups

1 Select the elements and/or groups.
2 Move them as you would with one single element. The
elements are moved together and maintain their spacial
relationship when moving.

Aligning Elements
After you draw elements, you can align them:
• Horizontally so that their top or bottom sides or their
center points are horizontally aligned.

• Vertically so that their left or right sides or their center

points are vertically aligned.

• So that their center points are on top of each other.

• So that their points of origin are on top of each other.

When you align elements, the secondary elements are moved

so that they align with the primary element. For more
information about primary and secondary elements, see
Selecting Elements on page 98.

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Aligning Elements Horizontally

You can align multiple elements by their top or bottom sides
or horizontally on their middle points.

To align elements by their top sides

1 Select all elements that you want to align. Make sure the
element you want to align all other elements to is the
primary element.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Align, and then click Align
Top. The secondary elements are moved so that their top
sides are aligned with the top side of the primary
element.

To align elements by their bottom sides

1 Select all elements that you want to align. Make sure the
element you want to align all other elements to is the
primary element.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Align, and then click Align
Bottom. The secondary elements are moved so that their
bottom sides are aligned with the bottom side of the
primary element.

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To align elements horizontally by their center points

1 Select all elements that you want to align. Make sure the
element you want to align all other elements to is the
primary element.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Align, and then click Align
Middle. The secondary elements are moved vertically so
that their center points are aligned with the center point
of the primary element.

Aligning Elements Vertically

You can align multiple elements by their left or right sides,
or vertically on their center points.

To align elements by their left sides

1 Select all elements that you want to align. Make sure the
element you want to align all other elements to is the
primary element.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Align, and then click Align
Left. The secondary elements are moved so that their left
sides are aligned with the left side of the primary
element.

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To align elements by their right sides

1 Select all elements that you want to align. Make sure the
element you want to align all other elements to is the
primary element.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Align, and then click Align
Right. The secondary elements are moved so that their
right sides are aligned with the right side of the primary
element.

To align elements vertically by their centers

1 Select all elements that you want to align. Make sure the
element you want to align all other elements to is the
primary element.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Align, and then click Align
Center. The secondary elements are moved horizontally
so that their center points are aligned with the center
point of the primary element.

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Aligning Elements by their Center Points

You can align elements by their center points. The center
point of one or more elements is the point halfway between
the horizontal and vertical boundaries.

To align elements on their center points

1 Select all elements that you want to align. Make sure the
element you want to align all other elements to is the
primary element.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Align, and then click Align
Centers. The secondary elements are moved so that their
center points are placed on top of the center point of the
primary element.

Aligning Elements by their Points of Origin

You can align elements by their points of origin. The point of
origin is by default the center point, but can be changed. It is
considered the anchor point of an element to the canvas.

To align elements on their points of origin

1 Select all elements that you want to align. Make sure the
element you want to align all other elements to is the
primary element.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Align, and then click Align
Origins. The secondary elements are moved so that their
points of origins are placed on top of the point of origin of
the primary element.

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Adjusting the Spacing between Elements

Adjusting the spacing between elements lets you arrange
selected elements according to specific rules.
You can adjust the spacing between elements in the following
ways:
• Horizontally - moves the selected elements left or right
without changing the vertical positions.

• Vertically - moves the selected elements up or down

without changing the horizontal positions.
• Distribution - moves the selected elements so that their
center points are distributed in equal distance to each
other.

• Equal spacing - moves the selected elements so that the

distance between their edges is equal.
• Increase spacing - moves all selected elements one pixel
further away from each other. The primary element does
not move.
• Decrease spacing - moves all selected elements one pixel
closer toward each other. The primary element does not
move.

• Remove spacing - removes all space between selected

elements so that their edges touch.

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Distributing Elements
You can distribute elements so that their center points are
distributed in equal distance to each other.

To distribute elements horizontally

1 Select at least three elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Space, and then click
Distribute Horizontal. The selected elements are
distributed horizontally.

To distribute elements vertically

1 Select at least three elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Space, and then click
Distribute Vertical. The selected elements are distributed
vertically.

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Making Space between Elements Equal

You can space elements so that the distances between their
boundaries are equal.
The difference between making space between elements
equal and distributing them is that making space equal uses
the boundaries of the elements, whereas distributing uses
the center points. Both do not necessarily lead to the same
result.

To make the horizontal space between elements equal

1 Select at least three elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Space, and then click Make
Horizontal Space Equal. The selected elements are moved
so that the horizontal spaces between their boundaries
are equal.

To make the vertical space between elements equal

1 Select at least three elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Space, and then click Make
Vertical Space Equal. The selected elements are moved so
that the vertical spaces between their boundaries are
equal.

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Increasing Space between Elements

You can increase space between elements equally.
The primary element does not move. All secondary elements
are moved away from the primary element.

To increase the horizontal space between elements

1 Select at least two elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Space, and then click
Increase Horizontal Spacing. The selected elements are
moved so that the horizontal space between them is
increased by one pixel.
3 Repeat the previous step to move the selected elements
further away from each other.

To increase the vertical space between elements

1 Select at least two elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Space, and then click
Increase Vertical Spacing. The selected elements are
moved so that the vertical space between them is
increased by one pixel.

3 Repeat the previous step to move the selected elements

further away from each other.

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Decreasing Space between Elements

You can decrease space between elements equally.
The primary element does not move. All secondary elements
move toward the primary element. You can move them until
the left sides of all elements are aligned.

To decrease the horizontal space between elements

1 Select at least two elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Space, and then click
Decrease Horizontal Spacing. The selected elements are
moved so that the horizontal space between them is
decreased by one pixel.
3 Repeat the previous step to move the selected elements
closer toward each other.

To decrease the vertical space between elements

1 Select at least two elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Space, and then click
Decrease Vertical Spacing. The selected elements are
moved so that the vertical space between them is
decreased by one pixel.
3 Repeat the previous step to move the selected elements
closer toward each other.

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Removing All Space between Elements

You can remove all space between selected elements so that
their boundaries touch.
The primary element does not move. All secondary elements
move toward the primary element. You can move them until
the left and right sides of all secondary elements are aligned.

To remove all horizontal space between elements

1 Select all elements between which you want to remove
the space.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Space, and then click
Remove Horizontal Spacing. The horizontal space between
all selected elements is removed, so that their boundaries
touch.

To remove all vertical space between elements

1 Select all elements between which you want to remove
the space.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Space, and then click
Remove Vertical Spacing. The vertical space between all
selected elements is removed, so that their boundaries
touch.

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Resizing Elements
You can resize selected elements by:
• Dragging the handles of a single element to increase or
decrease its horizontal or vertical size.

• Changing the Width and Height properties of one or more

elements using the Properties Editor.
• Proportionally resizing multiple elements.

• Making multiple objects the same width and/or height.

Some elements cannot be resized or can only be resized in

certain directions, such as the Calendar control or DateTime
Picker. If the primary element has such restrictions, then
any secondary elements resize proportional to the change in
primary element's size and do not resize independently.

Resizing a Single Element with the Mouse

You can resize a single selected element with the mouse.
You can resize most elements to any given width and height,
or to a fixed width to height ratio.

To resize a single selected element with the mouse

1 Select an element. The handles of the selected element
appear.

2 Drag one of the handles. The object is resized while you

drag.
3 Release the mouse button.

To resize a single selected element with the mouse and keeping

a fixed width/height ratio
1 Select an element. The handles of the selected element
appear.
2 Press and hold the Shift key.
3 Drag one of the handles. The object is resized while you
drag, the width/height ratio stays unchanged.
4 Release the mouse button and Shift key.

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Resizing Elements by Changing Size Properties

You can resize one or more elements by changing the width
and/or height property of the selected element(s).

To resize elements by changing their size properties

1 Select one or more elements.
2 In the Properties Editor, type a value for Width and for
Height. The selected elements are resized accordingly.

Resizing Elements Proportionally

You can resize multiple elements proportionally on the
canvas. One element is the primary element you can use to
resize. The secondary elements resize proportionally to the
change of the primary element.

To resize elements proportionally

1 Select multiple elements.
2 Drag one of the handles of the primary element. The
secondary elements are resized accordingly by the same
percentage.
3 Release the mouse button.
For example, assume the primary element is 100 pixels wide
and 50 pixels high. A secondary element is 200 pixels wide
and 20 pixels high.
You drag the handle of the primary element so that it is 120
pixels wide (20% increase) and 100 pixels high (100%
increase).
Then the secondary element is resized to 240 pixels wide
(20% increase of the original width of 200 pixels) and 40
pixels high (100% increase of the original width of 20 pixels).

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Making Elements the Same Width, Height, or

Size
You can make elements the same width, height, or size.

To make elements the same width

1 Select at least two elements. Make sure the primary
element is the element with the target width for all
elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Size, and then click Make
Same Width. The width of the secondary elements are
resized to the same width as the primary element.

To make elements the same height

1 Select at least two elements. Make sure the primary
element is the element with the target height for all
elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Size, and then click Make
Same Height. The height of the secondary elements are
resized to the same height as the primary element.

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To make elements the same size

1 Select at least two elements. Make sure the primary
element is the element with the target size for all
elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Size, and then click Make
Same Size. The size of the secondary elements are resized
to the same size as the primary element.

Adjusting the z-Order of Elements

The z-order of elements specifies which element appears on
top of other elements when the elements overlap on the
canvas. The z-order also determines how the elements of a
path graphic connect.
When you place new elements on the canvas, they are placed
at the top and can cover all other elements.
However, you might want to bring certain elements forward
so that they are always visible or overlap certain other
elements. Or you may want to use a large background
element behind all other elements. You can:
• Bring one or more elements to the very front.
• Send one or more elements to the very back.

• Bring one or more elements one level forward.

• Send one or more elements one level backward.

You can use the Elements List to see or change the z-order of
the elements.

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To bring selected elements to the front

‹ On the Arrange menu, point to Order, and then click Bring
To Front. The selected elements are brought to the front.
They do not change their relative z-order.

To send selected elements to the back

‹ On the Arrange menu, point to Order, and then click Send
To Back. The selected elements are sent to the back. They
do not change their relative z-order.

To bring selected elements one level forward

‹ On the Arrange menu, point to Order, and then click Bring
Forward.

To send selected elements one level backward

‹ On the Arrange menu, point to Order, and then click Bring
Backward.

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Rotating Elements
You can rotate elements to any orientation (0 - 359 degrees):
• Graphically with the rotation handle.
• Numerically by typing the orientation angle in the
Properties Editor.

• By rotating them by 90 degrees in a clockwise or

counter-clockwise direction.

The element is rotated around its point of origin. By default,

the point of origin is in the center of the element. You can
move the point of origin to any other location, even outside of
the object itself. To change the point of origin, see Moving the
Origin of an Element on page 127.

Rotating Elements with the Mouse

You can rotate one or more elements with the mouse. If you
select multiple elements, you can rotate the primary element.
The secondary elements are rotated together with the
primary element.
You can rotate elements:
• Freely in the range 0 to 359 in integer degrees.

• In multiples of 15 degrees.

• In multiples of 45 degrees.

You can rotate an element with the rotation handle. The

rotation handle is a light-blue circle at the top of a selected
element.

To rotate elements freely with the mouse

1 Select one or more elements.
2 Grab the rotation handle of the primary element.
3 Drag the mouse across the screen. All selected elements
are rotated around their own points of origin as you move
the mouse.
4 Release the mouse button.

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To rotate elements by multiple of 15 degrees with the mouse

1 Select one or more elements.
2 Grab the rotation handle of the primary element.
3 Press and hold the Shift key.
4 Drag the mouse across the screen. All selected elements
are rotated in multiples of 15 degrees around their own
points or origin as you move the mouse.
5 Releasethe mouse button and the Shift key.

To rotate elements by multiple of 45 degrees with the mouse

1 Select one or more elements.
2 Grab the rotation handle of the primary element.
3 Press and hold the Ctrl key.
4 Drag the mouse across the screen. All selected elements
are rotated in multiples of 45 degrees around their own
points or origin as you move the mouse.
5 Release the mouse button and the Ctrl key.

Rotating Elements by Changing the Angle

Property
You can change the angle property of one or more selected
elements.

To rotate elements by changing the angle property

1 Select one or more elements.
2 In the Properties Editor, type a value in the Angle box.
3 Press Enter. The selected elements rotate to the specified
angle.

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Rotating Elements by 90 Degrees

You can rotate elements by 90 degrees clockwise or
counter-clockwise.
To rotate elements by multiples of 15 and 45 degrees, see
Rotating Elements with the Mouse on page 124.

To rotate elements by 90 degrees clockwise

1 Select one or more elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Transform, and then click
Rotate Clockwise. The selected elements rotate by 90
degrees clockwise.

To rotate elements by 90 degrees counter-clockwise

1 Select one or more elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Transform, and then click
Rotate Counter Clockwise. The selected elements rotate by
90 degrees counter-clockwise.

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Moving the Origin of an Element

You can change the point of origin for any element. The point
of origin specifies around which point the element rotates or
flips. By default the point of origin is in the center of the
element.
You can change the point of origin:
• With the mouse on the canvas.

• By specifying the absolute origin in the Properties Editor.

• By specifying the relative origin in the Properties Editor.

Changing Points of Origin with the Mouse

You can change the point of origin for an element with the
mouse.

To change the point of origin for an element with the mouse

1 Select an element on the canvas.
2 Move the mouse over the rotation handle of the element.
The point of origin icon for the element appears.
3 Drag the Point of Origin icon to where you want to place
the new point of origin for the element.
4 Release the mouse button.

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Changing Points of Origin in the Properties

Editor
You can change the absolute or relative point of origin in the
Properties Editor.
The absolute point of origin shows the position of the point of
origin in relation to the canvas. The absolute point of origin
changes when the element moves.
The relative point of origin shows the position of the point of
origin in relation to the center of the element. The relative
point of origin does not change when the element moves.

To change the point of origin in the Properties Editor

1 Select one or more elements on the canvas.
2 In the Properties Editor, do one of the following:
• Type the absolute coordinates in the x, y format for
the point of origin.
• Type the relative coordinates in the x, y format for the
point of origin.
3 Press Enter. The points of origin move to the specified
absolute position or to the specified position in relation to
the center points of the selected elements.
For example, if you have two elements, you can set the
relative point of origin to 10, 10 to place the points of origin
for both elements 10 pixels to the right and 10 pixels below
the corresponding center points of each element.

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Flipping Elements
You can flip elements on their horizontal or their vertical
axis. The axis for each element is determined by its point of
origin. For more information on how to change the point of
origin, see Moving the Origin of an Element on page 127.

To flip elements vertically

1 Select one or more elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Transform, and then click
Flip Vertical. The selected elements are flipped vertically
on their horizontal axis.

To flip elements horizontally

1 Select one or more elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Transform, and then click
Flip Horizontal. The selected elements are flipped
horizontally on their vertical axis.

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Locking and Unlocking Elements

When you lock elements, they cannot be:
• Moved.
• Resized.

• Rotated.

• Aligned.

• Flipped

You also cannot change the point of origin in locked

elements. To enable these functions again, you must unlock
the elements.

To lock elements
1 Select all elements that you want to lock.
2 Do one of the following:
• On the Arrange menu, click Lock.
• In the Properties Editor, set the Locked property to
True.
The selected elements appear with lock icons at their
handles.

To unlock elements
1 Select all elements that you want to unlock.
2 Do one of the following:
• On the Arrange menu, click Unlock.
• In the Properties Editor, set the Locked property to
False.
The lock icons disappear from the handles of the selected
elements.

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Making Changes Using Undo and Redo

If you want to reverse a change you made in the Symbol
Editor, use the undo function. After you undo a change, you
can also redo that change by using the redo function.
You can undo one single change, or any number of changes
that you have previously done. You can also redo any number
of changes. These can be selected from a list.

To undo a single change

‹ Do one of the following:
• Press Ctrl + Z.
• On the Edit menu, click Undo.

To redo a single change

‹ Do one of the following:
• Press Ctrl + Y.
• On the Edit menu, click Redo.

To undo a specified number of previous changes

1 On the toolbar, click the Undo icon. The Undo list
appears with a description of what the changes were.

2 Select a change from the list. The changes up to and

including the selected item are undone.

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To redo a specified number of previously undone changes

1 On the toolbar, click the Redo icon. The Redo list appears
with a description of what the undone changes were.
2 Select a the change from the list. The changes down to
and including the selected item are redone.

Working with Groups of Elements

You can group together multiple elements. This is useful to
bind certain element together so that they are not
inadvertently moved. The group is treated as a new element.
You can:
• Create a group from one or more elements.

• Ungroup the elements without losing their original

configuration information.

• Add more elements to an existing group.

• Remove elements from a group.

• Edit the elements of a group without having to ungroup

them.

Creating a Group of Elements

After you create elements, you can group them. Grouping
elements lets you manage the elements as one unit.
Groups are assigned default names when you create them,
such as Group1, Group2, and so on. After you create a group,
you can rename it.
Groups can have properties that are different than the
properties of the elements. For more information, see
Properties of Groups on page 32.

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To create a group
1 Select the elements you want as part of the new group.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Grouping, and then click
Group. The elements are combined into a group. The
group is listed in the Elements List.
3 Rename the group as required. To do this:
a In the Elements List, click the group name and click
again. The group name is in edit mode.

a Type a new name and press Enter. The group is

renamed.
b You can also rename a group or elements by changing
the Name property in the Properties Editor.

Ungrouping
After you create a group, you can ungroup it if you no longer
want it.
If the group included elements and other groups, when you
ungroup, the original elements and groups again exist as
independent items. To ungroup any subgroups, you must
select each one and ungroup it separately.
If you ungroup a set of elements and elements already exist
with the names of the grouped elements, then the newly
ungrouped elements are renamed.

To ungroup
1 Select the groups you want to ungroup.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Grouping, and then click
Ungroup. The groups is converted to the original
elements. The group name is removed from the Elements
List and the element names appear.

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Adding Elements to Existing Groups

After you create a group, you can add elements or other
groups to an existing group.
For example, you can combine a group that represents a
valve with another group that represents a tank to create a
new group that can be called a tank unit.
You can add:
• Elements to groups.

• Groups to the primary selected group.

To add elements to an existing group

1 On the canvas, select the group and also elements and
groups that you want to add.
2 Right-click a selected element or on the group, point to
Grouping, and then click Add to Group. The selected
elements are added to the group.

Note You can also add elements to existing groups by using the
Elements List in similar way.

Removing Elements from Groups

After you create a group, you can remove elements from the
group. This lets you remove one or more elements you no
longer want in that group.
Removing elements from the group removes them from the
canvas. It also removes any scripts or animations you added
to the element.

To remove an element from a group

1 On the canvas, select the group with the element(s) that
you want to remove.
2 Click the group again to enter inline editing mode.
3 Select the element(s) that you want to remove from the
group.
4 Right-click a selected elements, point to Grouping, and
then click Remove from Group. The selected elements are
removed from the group.

Note You can also remove elements from existing groups by using
the Elements List in similar way.

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Editing Components within a Group

You can edit components within a group without having to
dissolve the group. Do this by:
• Selecting the element in Elements List.

• Using the Edit Group command on the shortcut menu.

• Slowly double-clicking to enter inline editing mode.

To edit components within a group by using the Elements List

1 In the Elements List, expand the group that contains the
element that you want to edit.
2 Select the element that you want to edit. The element
appears selected in the group and the group is outlined
with a diagonal pattern.

3 Edit the element with the Properties Editor, by mouse or

by menu according to your requirements.
4 Click outside the group.

To edit components within a group by using the Edit Group

command
1 On the canvas, select the group that you want to edit.
2 On the menu Edit, click Edit Group ‘GroupName’. The
group is outlined with a diagonal pattern.

3 Select the element that you want to edit.

4 Edit the element with the Properties Editor, by mouse, by
menu or pop-up menu according to your requirements.
5 Click outside the group.

Note If you move the position of an element in a group outside

the group, the group size is automatically changed to incorporate
the new position of the element.

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Using Path Graphics

You can join a set of open elements, such as lines, to create a
new closed element. The new closed element is called a path
graphic.
You can:
• Create a path graphic by joining open elements.

• Break the path graphic into its elements.

• Edit the path graphic in its entirety or by editing its

elements.

• Add new elements to the path graphic.

• Remove elements from the path graphic.

You can view a path graphic in two modes:

• Element mode shows you the individual elements
contained in the path graphic and determine its shape.
Elements that make up the path graphic are shown as
blue lines. The points where the elements are connected
are shown as grey lines.
• Path mode shows you the path graphic in its final
rendering, including fill styles and lines styles.

When you are in inline editing mode, you can switch between
both modes by pressing the space bar. This lets you preview
the path graphic without leaving the inline editing mode.

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Creating a Path Graphic

You can create a path graphic from one or more open
elements such as lines, polylines, curves, and arcs.
The path graphic is created according to the start and end
points and the z-order of the open elements that create it.
For example, if you draw a line from point A to point B, then
an arc from point C to point D, and then join these elements
in a path graphic, the path graphic is described by a straight
edge from points A to B, a straight edge from points B to C, a
curved edge from points C to D, and closed by a straight edge
from points D to A.

Note If the Path Graphic doesn’t appear as you expected after

you create it, then you can swap the end points or change the
z-order of one or more elements. For more information, see
Swapping the End Points of an Element in a Path Graphic on
page 143 and Changing the Z-order of an Element in a Path
Graphic on page 144.

To create a path graphic

1 Select one or more open elements.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Path, and then click
Combine. A new path graphic is created from the selected
open elements.

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Breaking the Path of a Path Graphic

You can break the path of a path graphic so that it is broken
into its individual open elements. When you do so, the path
graphic loses its unique properties such as fill style and line
style.

To break the path of a path graphic

1 Select one or more path graphics.
2 On the Arrange menu, point to Path, and then click Break.

Changing a Path Graphic

You can edit an existing path graphic on the canvas by
accessing the individual elements of which it consists. For
each individual element, you can:
• Move.

• Rotate.

• Change size.

• Change start and sweep angles if the elements are arcs.

• Change control points if the elements are curves or

polylines.
• Swap the end points of an element in a path graphic.

• Change the z-order or the elements in a path graphic.

The path graphic is updated while you edit the individual

elements.

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Moving Elements in a Path Graphic

You can move elements in a path graphic. If you move an
element outside of the path graphic boundary, the boundary
is redrawn to include the moved element.

To move an element within a path graphic

1 Select the path graphic you want to edit.
2 Do one of the following:
a On the Edit menu, click Edit Path.
b Slowly double-click the path graphic.
The path graphic appears in element mode.
3 Select the individual element within the path graphic you
want to move. You can also do this by selecting the
element in the Elements List.

4 Click a solid part of the element and drag it to the new

position. The element is moved.

5 Click outside the path graphic on the canvas. The path

graphic is shown in path mode.

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Resizing Elements in a Path Graphic

You can resize elements in a path graphics. If you resize an
element outside of the path graphic boundary, the boundary
is redrawn to include the resized element.

To resize an element within a path graphic

1 Select the path graphic you want to edit.
2 Do one of the following:
a On the Edit menu, click Edit Path.
b Slowly double-click the path graphic.
The path graphic appears in element mode.
3 Select the individual element within the path graphic you
want to resize. You can also do this by selecting the
element in the Elements List.

4 Click and drag any of the resize handles of the selected

element. The element is resized.

5 Click outside the path graphic on the canvas. The path

graphic is shown in path mode.

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Editing Start and Sweep Angles of Elements in a Path

Graphic
If your path graphic contains arcs, you can edit the start and
sweep angles of these elements. If changing the angle of an
element causes it to overlap the path graphic boundary, the
boundary is redrawn to include the changed element.

To edit start or sweep angle of an element within a path

graphic
1 Select the path graphic you want to edit.
2 Do one of the following:
a On the Edit menu, click Edit Path.
b Slowly double-click the path graphic.
The path graphic appears in element mode.
3 Select the individual element within the path graphic for
which you want to change the start or sweep angle. You
can also do this by selecting the element in the Elements
List.

4 Click the element again. The element appears in edit

mode with its start angle and sweep angle.

5 Click outside the path graphic on the canvas. The path

graphic is shown in path mode.

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Editing Element Control Points in a Path Graphic

If your path graphic contains curves or polylines, you can edit
the control points of these elements. If changing the control
points of the element causes it to overlap the path graphic
boundary, the boundary is redrawn to include the changed
element.

To edit control points of an element within a path graphic

1 Select the path graphic you want to edit.
2 Do one of the following:
a On the Edit menu, click Edit Path.
b Slowly double-click the path graphic.
The path graphic appears in element mode.
3 Select the curve or polyline element within the path
graphic for which you want to change the control points.
You can also do this by selecting the element in the
Elements List.

4 Click the element again. The element appears in edit

mode with its control points.

5 Drag any of the control points to shape the curve or

polyline.
6 Click outside the path graphic on the canvas. The path
graphic is shown in path mode.

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Swapping the End Points of an Element in a Path

Graphic
The path graphic is created by following the direction in
which you draw its elements.
If a path graphic does not appear as expected, this can be
caused by drawing an element in a different direction as
intended. You can see this if one of the path graphic edges
appears crossed over when connecting to the previous and
next element.

You can fix this by swapping the end points of the element
where this appears.

To swap the end points of an element within a path graphic

1 Select the path graphic you want to edit.
2 Do one of the following:
a On the Edit menu, click Edit Path.
b Slowly double-click the path graphic.
The path graphic appears in element mode.
3 Select the individual element within the path graphic for
which you want to swap the end points. You can also do
this by selecting the element in the Elements List.

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4 Right-click that element and select Path, Swap End Points

on the context menu. The end points of the selected
element are swapped and the path graphic is updated
accordingly.

5 Click outside the path graphic on the canvas. The path

graphic is shown in path mode.

Changing the Z-order of an Element in a Path Graphic

If a path graphic does not appear as expected, this can be
caused by drawing an element in a different z-order as
intended. You can see this if one of the path graphic edges
jumps across the path graphic area.

You can fix this by changing the z-order of the element where
this appears.

Note The z-order of elements in a path graphic is only applicable

within the path graphic.

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To change the z-order of an element within a path graphic

1 Select the path graphic you want to edit.
2 Do one of the following:
a On the Edit menu, click Edit Path.
b Slowly double-click the path graphic.
The path graphic appears in element mode.
3 Select the individual element within the path graphic for
which you want to change the z-order. You can also do
this by selecting the element in the Elements List.

Note You can see the elements in their z-order in the Elements
List. Alternatively, you can select one from the Elements List and
change its z-order.

4 On the Arrange menu, point to Order, and then click:

• Send To Back to send the element to the back of the set
of elements of the path graphic.
• Send Backward to send the element one order
backward.
• Sent To Front to send the element to the front of the
set of elements of the path graphic.
• Send Forward to send the element one order forward.
5 Click outside the path graphic on the canvas. The path
graphic is shown in path mode.

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Adding Elements to an Existing Path Graphic

You can easily add elements to an existing path graphic. You
can add:
• New elements, which you draw while the path graphic is
in edit mode.
• Existing elements, which are already on the canvas.

You can only add open elements such as lines, polylines,

curves, and arcs to an existing path graphic.
You can only set the origin of a new element within the frame
of the existing path graphic. If you click anywhere outside
the path graphic, the edit mode is exited and the element you
are drawing is a new element.

To add new elements to an existing path graphic

1 Select the path graphic to which you want to add a new
element.
2 On the Edit menu, click Edit Path. The path graphic
appears in element mode.
3 Select the new element you want to add from the Tools
panel.
4 Draw the element as you would normally. While you are
drawing the element, the path graphic is updated.

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To add existing elements to an existing path graphic

1 Select the path graphic and all elements that you want to
add to the path graphic.
2 Right-click a solid part of a selected element, point to
Path, and then click Add To Path. The selected elements
are added to the selected path graphic.

Removing Elements from a Path Graphic

You can remove individual elements from a path graphic.
The elements are not deleted, but appear outside the path
graphic.
You cannot remove the last element of a path graphic.

To remove elements from a path graphic

1 Select the path graphic from which you want to delete
individual elements.
2 On the Edit menu, click Edit Path. The path graphic
appears in element mode.
3 Shift + click one or more elements to remove.

Note You can also select the elements to remove from the
Elements List by holding Ctrl key during the selection.

4 Right-click any selected element, point to Path, and then

click Remove From Path. The selected element is removed
from the path graphic and the path graphic is updated
accordingly.

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Chapter 6

Editing Common Properties of

Elements and Symbols

Some properties are common to most types of elements, such

as fill, line styles, and visibility. You can:
• Edit the name of an element.

• Edit the fill properties of an element.

• Edit the line properties of an element.

• Edit the text properties of an element.

• Set the style.

• Set the transparency level of an element.

• Tweaking colors and style for an element’s gradient style.
• Enable and disable elements for run-time interaction.

• Change the visibility of an element.

• Change the tab order of an element.

• Use the Format Painter to format elements.

• Edit the general properties of a symbol.

For more information about properties that are specific to

certain types of elements, see Setting Symbol and
Element-Specific Properties on page 191.

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Editing the Name of an Element

The name of an element uniquely identifies the element on
the drawing surface.
When you draw a new element on the drawing surface, it is
assigned a default name. You can then change its name in
the Properties Editor or the Elements List.
Element names are case-insensitive and unique within the
same element hierarchy. It is possible to have two elements
with the same name if one is, for example, in a group and the
other outside that group.

To change an element’s name in the Properties Editor

1 Select the element on the drawing surface.
2 In the Properties Editor, click the value for the Name box.
3 Type a new name and press Enter.

To change an element’s name in the Elements List

1 Select the element in the Elements List.
2 Click the element in the Elements List again.
3 Type a new name and press Enter.

Editing the Fill Properties of an Element

You can configure the following fill properties for an element:
• Fill style as solid color, gradient, pattern or texture

• Unfilled style
• Fill orientation, relative to the element or to the screen
• Fill behavior, which determines if the object is to be filled
horizontally, vertically, or both

• Horizontal fill direction

• Vertical fill direction

• Percent of horizontal fill

• Percent of vertical fill

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Setting Fill Style

You can configure the fill style of one or more elements. You
can do this to:
• Selected elements on the toolbar.

• Style properties in the Properties Editor.

• Nested style properties, such as just one color of a

multi-colored gradient.

To configure the fill style of an element with the toolbar

1 Select one or more elements you want to configure.
2 On the toolbar, click the Fill Color icon. The fill style list
appears.

3 Configure the fill color. Do any of the following:

• Click No Fill to configure an empty element.
• Click a predefined solid color in the display.
• Click More Solid Colors to open the Style Selection
dialog box and select a solid color.
• Click Color Picker to select a color from the screen.
4 Configure the fill gradient, pattern, or texture. Do any of
the following:
• Click a predefined gradient.
• Click More Gradients to open the Style Selection dialog
box and configure a gradient.
• Click Patterns to open the Style Selection dialog box
and select a pattern.
• Click Textures to open the Style Selection dialog box
and select a texture.
For more information about the Style Selection dialog box,
see Setting Style on page 164.

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To configure the fill style by setting style properties

1 Select one or more elements.
2 In the Properties Editor, locate the FillStyle property.
3 Click the browse button to open the Style Selection dialog
box. For more information about the Style Selection dialog
box, see Setting Style on page 164.

To configure the fill style by setting gradient color style

properties
1 Select one or more elements with gradient fill style.
2 In the Properties Editor, locate the Color1, Color2, and
Color3 properties.
3 Click the browse button for any of these to set the
selected gradient color from the Style Selection dialog box.
For more information, see Setting Style on page 164.

Setting Unfilled Style

You can configure an element’s unfilled style. The unfilled
style of an element determines the element’s unfilled portion
at design time and run time.

To configure the unfilled style of an element

1 Select one or more elements.
2 In the Properties Editor, click UnfilledStyle.
3 Click the browse button in the UnfilledStyle line. The
Style Selection dialog box appears.
4 Select a solid color, gradient, pattern, or texture. For
more information about the Style Selection dialog box, see
Setting Style on page 164.
5 Click OK.

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Setting Fill Orientation

You can configure an element’s fill orientation in the
Properties Editor. The fill orientation property determines if
the fill style is relative to the screen or element.
• If relative to the screen, the gradient, pattern, or texture
does not rotate with the element.

• If relative to the element, the gradient, pattern, or

texture rotates with the element.

To configure an element’s fill orientation

1 Select one or more elements you want to configure.
2 In the Properties Editor, click FillOrientation.
3 From the list in the same line, click RelativeToScreen or
RelativeToGraphic.

Setting Fill Behavior

You can set the fill behavior of an element. The fill can be:
• Horizontal.

• Vertical.

• Both horizontal and vertical.

To set an element’s fill behavior

1 Select one or more elements you want to configure.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the property FillBehavior to
one of the following:
• Horizontal
• Vertical
• Both

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Setting Horizontal Fill Direction and Percentage

An element can fill:
• From left to right.
• From right to left.

You can also set the amount you want the element to be
horizontally filled by as a percentage.

To set an element’s horizontal fill direction and percentage

1 Select one or more elements you want to configure.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the HorizontalDirection
property to:
• Right to fill from left to right.
• Left to fill from right to left.
3 For the HorizontalPercentFill property, type a
percentage (0 - 100) in the value box.

Setting Vertical Fill Direction and Percentage

An element can fill:
• From bottom to top.

• From top to bottom.

You can also set the amount you want the element to be
vertically filled by as a percentage.

To set an element’s vertical fill direction and percentage

1 Select one or more elements you want to configure.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the VerticalDirection
property to:
• Top to fill from bottom to top.
• Bottom to fill from top to bottom.
3 For the VerticalPercentFill property, type a percentage (0
- 100) in the value box.

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Editing the Line Properties of an Element

You can set the line properties for any element that contains
lines, such as:
• Lines and polylines.

• Rectangles, rounded rectangles, and ellipses.

• Curves, closed curves, and polygons.

• Arcs, pies, and chords.

• Text boxes.

You can set the:

• Start and end points for lines, arcs, and H/V lines.

• Line weight, which is the thickness of a line.

• Line pattern, which is the continuity of a line. For
example, a continuous line, a dotted line, a dashed line,
or a combination.

• Line style, which is the fill style of a line.

• Shape and size of the end points of a line. For more

information, see Setting Line End Shape and Size on
page 193.

Note You can also set the element’s line properties in the Line
Format properties group in the Properties Editor.

Setting Start or End Points of a Line

After you draw a line or H/V line, you can change its start or
end points in the Properties Editor.

To set the line or H/V line start or end point

1 Select a line or H/V line.
2 In the Properties Editor, type coordinate values X, Y for
the Start or End properties.

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Setting the Line Weight

You can set a line weight from 0 pixels to 255 pixels for any
element that contains lines. You can set the line weight using
the Format menu, the toolbar, or the LineWeight property in
the Properties Editor.

Note Extreme weight settings can cause unexpected behavior,

especially with curves and line end styles.

To set the line weight using the Format menu

1 Select one or more elements.
2 On the Format menu, click Line Weight.

3 To use a predefined line weight, select it from the list.

4 To use another line weight, click More Line Options. The
Select Line Options dialog box appears. In the Weight box,
type a new line weight from 0 to 255 and then click OK.

Setting the Line Pattern

You can set the line pattern for any element that contains
lines. The line pattern specifies the continuity of a line
(continuous, dotted, dashed) and not its fill properties.

To set the line pattern

1 Select one or more elements.
2 On the Format menu, click Line Pattern.

3 To use a predefined line pattern, select it from the list.

4 To use another line pattern, click More Line Options. The
Select Line Options dialog box appears. In the Pattern list,
select a pattern, and then click OK.

Note You can also set the line pattern by changing the
LinePattern property in the Properties Editor.

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Setting the Line Style

You can set the line style for any element that contains lines.
Setting the line style is similar to setting the fill style. You
can also set the solid color, gradient, pattern, and texture for
a line.

To set the line style

1 Select one or more elements.
2 On the toolbar, click the Line Color icon. The line style list
appears.

3 Configure the line color. Do any of the following:

• Click a predefined solid color in the display.
• Click More Solid Colors to open the Style Selection
dialog box and select a solid color.
• Click Color Picker to select a color from the screen.
4 Configure the line gradient, pattern, or texture. Do any of
the following:
• Click a predefined gradient.
• Click More Gradients to open the Style Selection dialog
box and configure a gradient.
• Click Patterns to open the Style Selection dialog box
and select a pattern.
• Click Textures to open the Style Selection dialog box
and select a texture.
For more information about the Style Selection dialog box,
see Setting Style on page 164.

Note You can also set the element’s line style in the Properties
Editor. If you do this, you can configure the solid color, gradient,
pattern, or texture in the Style Selection dialog box. For more
information, see Setting Style on page 164.

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Setting the Text Properties of an Element

You can set the following for text, text box, and button
elements:
• The text that appears

• The format in which the text appears

• The font of the text

• The alignment of the text

• The text style

You can also substitute strings in text, text box, and button
elements.

Setting the Displayed Text

You can set the text of a text element, text box, or button in
the canvas or by changing the Text property in the Properties
Editor.

To set the text to display

1 Select the text element, text box or button on the canvas.
2 On the Edit menu, click Edit Text. The selected element
appears in edit mode.
3 Type a text string and press Enter.

Setting the Text Display Format

You can configure how values are shown for the text in a text
box or button. For example, as a rounded float with the
format #.###.
You can format the text display for the:
• Text element and the button element in the same way as
in the InTouch HMI or with the TextFormat property in
the Properties Editor.

• Text box element only with the TextFormat property.

To set the text display format

1 Select a text element, text box, or button.
2 In the Properties Editor, type a format for the
TextFormat property.

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Setting the Text Font

You can change the font style and font size of a text using:
• The Format menu.
• The Font property in the Properties Editor.

• Lists on the toolbar.

To set the text font, font style, and size

1 Select a text element, a text box, or a button element on
the canvas.
2 On the Format menu, click Fonts. The Font dialog box
appears.
3 Set the font, font style, size, and effects.
4 Click OK.

Setting the Text Color

You can set the text color as a solid color, a gradient, a
pattern, or a texture.

Note You can also change the text color in the Properties Editor
with the TextColor property.

To set the text color

1 Select a text element, a text box, or a button element on
the canvas.
2 Click the Text Color icon.

3 Configure the text color. Do any of the following:

• Click a predefined solid color in the display.
• Click More Solid Colors to open the Style Selection
dialog box and select a solid color.
• Click Color Picker to select a color from the screen.

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4 Configure the text gradient, pattern, or texture. Do any of

the following:
• Click a predefined gradient.
• Click More Gradients to open the Style Selection dialog
box and configure a gradient.
• Click Patterns to open the Style Selection dialog box
and select a pattern.
• Click Textures to open the Style Selection dialog box
and select a texture.
For more information about the Style Selection dialog box,
see Setting Style on page 164.

Setting the Text Alignment

You can change the horizontal and vertical positioning of text
within a text box element or button element.
You can also change the positioning for a text element. If the
text is modified at design time or run time, the alignment
sets how the element boundary changes to fit around the
modified text.

Note You can also set the text alignment in the Properties Editor
by setting the Alignment property.

If the element is a text box or a button, then the text is

aligned accordingly.

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If the element is a text element and you then modify the text
at design time or run time, the text is anchored to the point of
alignment.
• Text right alignments move additional text further over
to the left.

• Text left alignments move additional text to the right.

• Changes in font size leave the point of alignment

unchanged and modify the frame accordingly.

To set the text alignment

1 Select a text element, text box element or button element
on the canvas.
2 On the Format menu, point to Text Alignment, and then
click the appropriate command:

Click this command To

Top Left Align the text at the top left

frame handle.
Top Center Align the text at the top middle
frame handle.
Top Right Align the text at the top right
frame handle.
Middle Left Alignthe text at the middle left
frame handle.
Middle Center Align the text in the middle of
the element.
Middle Right Align the text at the middle right
frame handle.

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Click this command To

Bottom Left Align the text at the bottom left

frame handle.
Bottom Center Align the text at the bottom
center frame handle.
Bottom Right Align the text at the bottom right
frame handle.

Substituting Strings
You can search and replace strings of any element that have
the Text property on your canvas. You can use the basic
mode to replace strings in a list.
You can also use advanced functions, such as find and
replace, ignore, case-sensitivity, and wildcards.
You cannot substitute static strings that are used in an Radio
Button Group, List Box or Combo Box.

To substitute strings in a symbol by using the list

1 Select one or more elements.
2 Do one of the following:
• Press Ctrl + L.
• On the Special menu, click Substitute Strings.
The Substitute Strings dialog box appears.

3 In the New column, type the text to be replaced.

4 Click OK.

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To substitute strings in a symbol by using advanced functions

1 Select one or more elements.
2 Do one of the following:
• Press Ctrl + E.
• On the Special menu, click Substitute Strings.
The Substitute Strings dialog box appears.
3 Click Find & Replace. The dialog box expands and shows
advanced options.

4 Configure the search strings. Do any of the following:

• To find specific strings in the list, type a string in the
Find What box and click Find Next to find the next
string.
• To replace a selected found string with another
string, type a string in the Replace with box and click
Replace.
• To replace multiple strings, type values in the Find
What and Replace with boxes and click Replace all.

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5 Configure the search options. Do any of the following:

• If you want the search to be case-sensitive, click
Match Case.
• To find only entire words that match your search
string, click Match Whole Word Only.
• To use wildcards, click Use Wildcards. Use an asterisk
(*) to search for any sequence of characters. Use a
question mark (?) to search for strings with one
variable character.
6 Click OK.

Setting Style
You can set the fill, line, and text style from various places in
the ArchestrA Symbol Editor using the Style Selection dialog
box. The Style Selection dialog box is common to any element
for which you can set a solid color, gradient, pattern, or
texture. You can also set the transparency of the style.
Because you can open the Style Selection dialog box from
different places in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor, the dialog
box header can be different.
Also, not all tabs may be available. For example, for setting
one color of a gradient in the Properties Editor, you can only
select a solid color from the Style Selection dialog box.

Setting a Solid Color

You can set a solid color using the Solid Color tab in the Style
Selection dialog box. You can set a solid color from the:
• Standard palette.
• Color disc and bar.

• Value input boxes.

• Color picker.

• Custom palette.

You can also:

• Add the new color to the custom palette.

• Remove a color from the custom palette.

• Save the custom palette.

• Load a custom palette.

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Setting a Solid Color from the Standard Palette

You can set a solid color from the standard palette using the
Solid Color tab in the Style Selection dialog box. The standard
palette is a set of 48 predefined colors you can use to quickly
select a solid color.

To set a solid color from the Standard Palette

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Solid Color tab.

2 In the Standard Palette area, click a color. The new color

appears in the New color box on the right of the dialog
box.
3 Click OK.

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Setting a Solid Color from the Color Disc and Bar

You can set a solid color using the color disc and bar on the
Solid Color tab in the Style Selection dialog box. The color disc
and bar let you graphically select the color and the
luminance (brightness).

To set a solid color from the color disc and bar

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Solid Color tab.
2 Click on the color disk to select a color. The bar is
updated and shows the selected color in varying degrees
of luminance (brightness).
3 Click on the bar to select a luminance (brightness). The
new color appears in the New color box on the right of the
dialog box.

4 Click OK.

Setting a Solid Color with the Value Input Boxes

You can set a solid color by typing values that define the
color, such as:
• Red component (0-255).

• Green component (0-255).

• Blue component (0-255).

• Hue (0-255).

• Saturation (0-255).

• Luminance (0-255).

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To set a solid color with the value input boxes

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Solid Color tab.
2 In the Red, Green, Blue, Hue, Sat. and Lum. boxes, type
respective values. The resulting color appears in the New
color box on the right of the dialog box and also on the
color wheel and bar.
3 Click OK.

Setting a Solid Color with the Color Picker

You can set a solid color by using the color picker on the Solid
Color tab in the Style Selection dialog box. The color picker
lets you select a color from anywhere on the screen, even
outside the IDE application.

To set a solid color with the color picker

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Solid Color tab.
2 Click the Color Picker button. The color picker pointer
appears.
3 Select a color from anywhere on the screen by moving the
mouse. As you move the mouse, the new color appears in
the New color box on the right of the dialog box.
4 Click the mouse to complete the color selection.
5 Click OK.

Setting a Solid Color from the Custom Palette

You can set a solid color from the custom palette on the Solid
Color tab in the Style Selection dialog box.
The custom palette is a set of colors that you want to
frequently use. You can save the custom palette to a .pal file
or load a custom palette from a .pal file.
To use colors from the custom palette, you must first add
them. For more information, see Adding and Removing
Colors in the Custom Palette on page 168.

To set a solid color from the custom palette

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Solid Color tab.
2 In the Custom Palette area, select a color. The new color
appears in the New color box on the right of the dialog
box.
3 Click OK.

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Adding and Removing Colors in the Custom Palette

You can add up to 36 solid colors to the custom palette. You
can also remove any colors from the custom palette.
You cannot add a color that is already in the custom palette.

To add a solid color to the custom palette

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Solid Color tab.
2 Add the color. Do any of the following:
• Select a solid color from the custom palette.
• Select a solid color from the color disc and bar.
• Type values for red, green, blue, hue, saturation, and
luminance.
• Select a solid color with the color picker.
The new solid color appears in the New color box on the
right of the dialog box.
3 Click the add button above Custom Palette. The solid color
is added to the Custom Palette area.

To remove a solid color from the custom palette

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Solid Color tab.
2 In the Custom Palette area, select the solid color you want
to remove.
3 Click the Delete button above Custom Palette. The solid
color is removed from the custom palette.

Saving and Loading the Custom Palette

You can save the current custom palette or load a previously
saved custom palette. The custom palette is loaded from or
saved to a Windows Palette file (.pal).
After you save or load a custom palette, the .pal file is not
connected to the symbol in any way.

To save a custom palette

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Solid Color.
2 Click the Save Palette button. The Save Palette dialog box
appears.
3 Browse to the location where you want to save the custom
palette, type a name, and then click Save. The custom
palette is saved as a palette file.

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To load a custom palette

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Solid Color tab.
2 Click the Load Palette button.
3 If you currently have colors in the custom palette, a
message appears. Click Yes to continue and overwrite the
current colors in the custom palette.
4 In the Load Palette dialog box, browse to the location of
the palette file, select it, and then click Open. The custom
palette is loaded from the selected file.

Setting a Gradient
You can configure gradients by the:
• Number of colors - 1, 2 or 3.

• Direction - horizontal, vertical, radial, point based, or

customized.

• Variant - depending on your selection for the number of

colors and direction.
• Color distribution shape - bell or triangular with options
to configure the center and falloff.

• Focus scales - width and height.

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You set a gradient on the Gradient tab in the Style Selection

dialog box.

Setting the Number of Colors for a Gradient

You can set the number of colors you want to use in a
gradient.
• If you use one color, the gradient is between this solid
color and a specified shade of black to white.

• If you use two colors, the gradient is between these two

colors.
• If you use three colors, the gradient is between these
three colors in sequence.

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To set a gradient using one color

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Colors area, click One. A color selection box and a
slider for the dark to light selection appears.

3 Click the color selection box to open the Select Solid Color
1 dialog box. Select a solid color and click OK. For more
information about this dialog box, see Setting a Solid
Color on page 164.
4 Move the slider between Dark and Light. The new
gradient appears in the New color box on the right of the
dialog box.
5 Click OK.

To set a gradient using two colors

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Colors area, click Two. Two color selection boxes
appear.

3 Click the Color 1 or Color 2 color field to select a color

from the Select Solid Color dialog box. For more
information about this dialog box, see Setting a Solid
Color on page 164.
The new gradient appears in the New color box on the
right of the dialog box.
4 Click OK.

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To set a gradient for three colors

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Colors area, select Three. Three color selection
boxes appear.

3 Click the Color 1, Color 2 or Color 3 color field to select a

color from the Select Solid Color dialog box. For more
information about this dialog box, see Setting a Solid
Color on page 164.
The new gradient appears in the New color box on the
right of the dialog box.
4 Click OK.

Setting the Direction of the Gradient

You can configure the direction of the gradient to be one of
the following:
• Horizontal - from side to side

• Vertical - up and down

• Radial - circular from the center outwards

• Point based - from the inside outwards in linear fashion

depending on the bounding points

• Custom angle - across the element at a specified angle

To set a horizontal gradient

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Direction area, click Horizontal. The new gradient
appears in the New color box on the right of the dialog
box.
3 Click OK.

To set a vertical gradient

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Direction area, click Vertical. The new gradient
appears in the New color box on the right of the dialog
box.
3 Click OK.

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To set a radial gradient

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Direction area, click Radial.

3 Set the center location. Do any of the following:

• In the Horizontal and Vertical boxes, type values for
the center location.
• Click and drag the center point in the adjacent box.
The new gradient appears in the New color box on the
right of the dialog box.
4 Click OK.

To set a point based gradient

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Direction area, click Point Based.

3 Set the center location. Do any of the following:

• In the Horizontal and Vertical text boxes, type values
for the center location.
• Click and drag the center point in the adjacent box.
The new gradient appears in the New color box on the
right of the dialog box.
4 Click OK.

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To set the custom angle of a gradient

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Direction area, click Custom.

3 Set the angle. Do any of the following:

• In the Angle text box, type a value for the angle.
• Click and drag the angle bar in the adjacent box.
The new gradient appears in the New color box on the
right of the dialog box.
4 Click OK.

Changing the Variant of a Gradient

You can change the variant of a gradient. The variants are
alternate gradients with the same colors you can quickly
select.

To change the variant of a gradient

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Variants area, click on a variant gradient.

The new gradient appears in the New color box on the

right of the dialog box.
3 Click OK.

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Setting the Color Distribution Shape

You can configure the distribution shape of a gradient with
one or two colors. The shape can be a bell or a triangle.
• In a bell-shaped distribution, the gradient from one color
to the next falls at a slow rate, then increasingly at a
larger rate, then drops down to small rate again.

• In a triangular distribution, the gradient from one color

to the next rises and falls at the same rate.

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You can also configure the peak and the falloff.

• The peak specifies the offset of the gradient if it has one
or two colors. The falloff
• The falloff specifies the amplitude of the gradient if it has
one or two colors.

Additionally, you can configure the center point of a radial or

point based gradient if it is defined by three colors.

To use a bell-shaped gradient

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Color Distribution Shape area, click Bell. The new
gradient appears in the New color box on the right of the
dialog box.
3 Click OK.

To use a triangular gradient

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Color Distribution Shape area, click Triangular. The
new gradient appears in the New color box on the right of
the dialog box.
3 Click OK.

To set the peak of a gradient with one or two colors

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Color Distribution Shape area, do one of the
following:
• Use the Peak slider to specify the peak.
• In the Peak box, type a value from 0 to 100.
The new gradient appears in the New color box on the
right of the dialog box.
3 Click OK.

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To set the falloff of a gradient with one or two colors

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Color Distribution Shape area, do one of the
following:
• Use the Falloff slider to specify the peak.
• In the Falloff box, type a value from 0 to 100.
The new gradient appears in the New color box on the
right of the dialog box.
3 Click OK.

To set the center point of a radial or point based gradient with

three colors
1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Color Distribution Shape area, do one of the
following:
• Use the Center slider to specify the peak.
• In the Center box, type a value from 0 to 100.
The new gradient appears in the New color box on the
right of the dialog box.
3 Click OK.

Setting the Focus Scales of a Gradient

You can set the focus scales of a radial or point based
gradient. The focus scales acts as a magnification of the
gradient. You can set the width or the height of the focus
scales.

Width Height Appearance

0 0

50 0

0 50

50 50

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You can also lock the width and the height.

To set the width of the focus scales for a gradient

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Focus Scales area, do one of the following:
• Use the Width slider to specify the width.
• In the Width text box, type a width value.
The new gradient appears in the New color box on the
right of the dialog box.
3 Click OK.

To set the height of the focus scales for a gradient

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 In the Focus Scales area, do one of the following:
• Use the Height slider to specify the height.
• In the Height text box, type a height value.
The new gradient appears in the New color box on the
right of the dialog box.
3 Click OK.

To lock the width and the height of the focus scales for a
gradient
1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Gradient tab.
2 Click Lock Width = Height. The width and height are set
equal. When you make changes to the width or the
height, they are set equal to each other.
3 Click OK.

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Setting a Pattern
You can set a pattern for an element. The following table
describes the pattern options:

Pattern Options

Horizontal Simple, Light, Narrow, Dark, Dashed

Vertical Simple, Light, Narrow, Dark, Dashed
Percent 05, 10, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80,
90
Grid Small, Large, Dotted
Checker Board Small, Large
Diagonals Forward, Backward, Dashed
Upward/Downward, Light/Dark/Wide
Upward/Downward
Diamond Dotted, Outlined, Solid
Cross Diagonal
Brick Horizontal, Diagonal
Confetti Small, Large
Others Zig Zag, Wave, Weave, Plaid, Divot,
Shingle, Trellis, and Sphere

Patterns consist of the foreground color and the background

color that you can change.

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To set a pattern
1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Pattern tab.

2 Select a pattern. The new pattern appears in the New

color box on the right of the dialog box.
3 If you want to change the foreground color of the pattern,
click the Foreground color selection box. The Style
Selection dialog box appears. Select a solid color and click
OK.
4 If you want to change the background color of the
pattern, click the Background color selection box. The
Style Selection dialog box appears. Select a solid color and
click OK.
For more information about setting a solid color, see
Setting a Solid Color on page 164.
5 Click OK.

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Setting a Texture
Textures are images you can use as styles for lines, fills and
text. You can stretch the image or tile the image across the
entire element to be filled.

To set a texture
1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the Textures ta.

2 Click Select Image. The Open dialog box appears. You can
import the following image formats: .BMP, .GIF, .JPG,
.JPEG, .TIF, .TIFF, .PNG, .ICO, .EMF. Animated GIF
images are not supported.
3 Browse to and select an image file and click Open. The
new pattern appears in the New color box on the right of
the dialog box.
4 Configure the size mode. Do one of the following:
• Click Tile to create a pattern that repeats itself.
• Click Stretch to enlarge (or shrink) the pattern across
the selected element.
5 Click OK.

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Setting the Style to No Fill

You can set the style to “No Fill”. For example if you set the
fill style of a rectangle element to No Fill, the background of
the rectangle appears transparent.

To set the No Fill style

1 In the Style Selection dialog box, click the No Fill tab.

The No Fill style appears as a red cross-through line in

the New color box on the right of the dialog box.
2 Click OK.

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Setting the Transparency of a Style

You can set the transparency of a solid color, gradient,
pattern, or texture.

To set the transparency of a style

1 Open the Style Selection dialog box.

2 At the bottom of the dialog box, do one of the following:

• Drag the Transparency slider handle.
• In the Transparency text box, type a percentage value.
The new style appears in the New color box.
3 Click OK.

Setting the Transparency Level of an Element

You can set the transparency level of an element. Levels
range from 0% (opaque) to 100% (transparent).
Transparency of a group of elements behaves in a special
way. For more information, see Properties of Groups on
page 32.

To set the transparency level of an element

1 Select one or more elements.
2 On the Format menu, click Transparency.

3 To use a predefined level, select it from the list.

4 To use a different level, click More Transparency Levels.
The Select Transparency Level dialog box appears. Type a
transparency level in the Transparency text box or use the
slider to select a transparency level. Click OK.

Note You can also set the transparency level by changing the
Transparency property in the Properties Editor.

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Tweaking the Colors and Transparency of a

Gradient
You can easily change the colors and transparency of an
element with a gradient style.
For example, you can create pipes with a gradient style of
different colors. You can change the pipe color, but still keep
the 3-D appearance.
You do this in the Properties Editor using the Color1, Color2,
Color3, and Transparency sub-properties.

To tweak the colors and transparency of a gradient

1 Select the element for which you want to change colors or
transparency.
2 In the Properties Editor, locate the appropriate style
setting. This can be:
• FillColor
• LineColor
• TextColor
• UnFillColor
3 Click the + icon to expand the property. The Color1,
Color2, Color3, and Transparency sub-properties are
shown.
4 Do one of the following:
• Click the color box of one of the color sub-properties.
• Type a new value for the transparency and press
Enter. You are done.
5 Click the browse button. The Style Selection dialog box
appears.
6 Select a color from the Style Selection dialog box and click
OK. The solid color is applied to the selected element.

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 Enabling and Disabling Elements for Run-Time Interaction 185

Enabling and Disabling Elements for Run-Time

Interaction
You can enable or disable elements so that the run time user
cannot use any interaction animations, such as:
• User input.

• Horizontal and vertical sliders.

• Pushbuttons.

• Action scripts.

• Showing and hiding symbols.

Other animations such as horizontal fills and tooltips

continue to work as expected.

To enable an element for run-time interaction

1 Select one or more elements you want to enable.
2 In the Properties Editor Runtime Behavior group, set the
Enabled property to True.

To disable an element for run-time interaction

1 Select one or more elements you want to disable.
2 In the Properties Editor Runtime Behavior group, set the
Enabled property to False.

Changing the Visibility of Elements

You can configure elements to be hidden or shown at run
time.
The visibility of an element does not affect its animations.
Even when an element is invisible, its animations continue to
be evaluated.

To configure an element to be shown at run time

1 Select one or more elements you want to have shown at
run time.
2 In the Properties Editor Runtime Behavior group, set the
Visible property to True.

To configure an element to be hidden at run time

1 Select one or more elements you want to have hidden at
run time.
2 In the Properties Editor Runtime Behavior group, set the
Visible property to False.

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Editing the Tab Order of an Element

You can configure the elements on the canvas so that at run
time you can use the tab key to put each element in focus in a
specified sequence. This sequence is called the tab order.
By default, when you place elements on the canvas, they
have a tab order number of 0. Elements with the same tab
order number are placed into focus by tabbing at run time
according to their z-order. This means they are tabbed
through at run time according to their position in the
Elements List.
You can override the tab order by assigning a unique index
number to the TabOrder property of each element.
Lower tab order numbers take precedence over higher tab
order numbers. You must change this value to determine the
tab order sequence.

You must also make sure that the TabStop property of each
element is set to true. When the TabStop property is set to
true, you can use the tab key at run time to switch to the
selected element.

To edit the element’s tab order

1 Select the element for which you want to set the tab
order.
2 In the Properties Editor, ensure that the TabStop
property is set to True.
3 Type a unique value for the TabOrder property.

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 Using the Format Painter to Format Elements 187

Using the Format Painter to Format Elements

You can apply formatting of one element to other elements
quickly by using the format painter. You can apply the
format of one element:
• One time to other elements.

• In repetitive mode to other elements.

When you use the format painter, it copies the following

formats of the element if applicable for the target element(s):
• Font family, size, and style

• Text style, alignment, and word wrap settings

• Line style, weight, pattern, and ends

• Transparency

• Fill style, orientation, behavior, horizontal percent fill,

and vertical percent fill
• Unfilled style

• Horizontal and vertical direction properties

You cannot use the format painter for:

• The status element.

• An element that is part of a path.

• Groups of elements.

• Elements in different hierarchy groups.

To copy the format of an element one time

1 Select the element with the format you want to copy.
2 On the Edit menu, click Format Painter. The pointer
appears as the format painter cursor.
3 Select the element you want to apply the format to. The
format is applied to the clicked element.

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To copy the format of an element in repetitive mode

1 Select the element with the format you want to copy.
2 On the toolbar, double-click the Format Painter icon. The
pointer appears as the format painter cursor.
3 Click each element you want to apply the format to. The
format is applied to the clicked element.
4 Repeat Step 3 for any other elements you want to apply
the format to.
5 When you are done, press the Escape key.

Editing the General Properties of a Symbol

You can configure the general properties of a symbol. The
general properties determine the overall appearance and
behavior of the symbol. You can:
• Add a meaningful description to your symbol.

• Enable anti-aliasing, or smoothing, for your symbol to

improve its appearance. The anti-aliasing filter
essentially blurs the elements slightly at the edges.

• Allow or prevent the opening of more than one symbol or

display from a symbol. One example is a symbol with
multiple Show Symbol animations. If this option is
enabled, you can open more than one pop-up and each
pop-up is modeless.

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 Editing the General Properties of a Symbol 189

To edit the description of a symbol

1 Click on the canvas so that no elements are selected.
2 In the Properties Editor, type a meaningful description
for the Description property.

To use smoothing (anti-aliasing) for a symbol

1 Click on the canvas so that no elements are selected.
2 In the Properties Editor, select True for the Smoothing
property.

To allow multiple pop-ups for a symbol

1 Click on the canvas so that no elements are selected.
2 In the Properties Editor, select True for the
MultiplePopupsAllowed property.

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 191

Chapter 7

Setting Symbol and

Element-Specific Properties

You can configure symbol-specific and element-specific

properties. For properties that are common to all or most
elements, see Editing Common Properties of Elements and
Symbols on page 149.
You can configure:
• General properties of a symbol.

• Radius of rounded rectangles.

• Shape and end appearance of lines and H/V lines.

• Auto-sizing and word-wrapping in text boxes.

• Image-specific properties.
• Button-specific properties.

• Control points and tension in curves.

• Angles in pies, chords, and arcs.

• Status elements.

• Windows common controls.

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Setting the Radius of Rounded Rectangles

You can specify the radius, in pixels, of the corners of
rounded rectangles. The radius determines their
“roundness”. You can:
• Enlarge or reduce the radius of the rounded rectangle on
the fly. The easiest way to do this is with the keyboard.

• Set the radius of the rounded rectangle to a specific value

using the Properties Editor.

Rounded rectangles maintain their radius when their size is

changed. If the symbol containing rounded rectangles is
embedded into an InTouch window and resized, the radius is
not affected. This can have adverse affects on the graphic
representation of your symbol.

To enlarge the radius of a rounded rectangle

1 Select one or more rounded rectangles on the canvas.
2 Press and hold Shift and the + key on the number pad.
The radius is enlarged, and the rounded rectangle
becomes more round.

To reduce the radius of a rounded rectangle

1 Select one or more rounded rectangles on the canvas.
2 Press and hold Shift and the minus (-) key on the number
pad. The radius is reduced, and the rounded rectangle
becomes more rectangular.

To set the radius of a rounded rectangle exactly

1 Select one or more rounded rectangles on the canvas.
2 In the Properties Editor, change the value for Radius
property and press Enter. The selected rounded
rectangles are updated accordingly.

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 Setting Line End Shape and Size 193

Setting Line End Shape and Size

You can set the line end shape and size for any element that
contains open lines such as lines, H/V lines, polylines, curves,
and arcs.
For a line end, you can set the shape to be an arrowhead,
diamond, circle, or square. You can set the size if the line end
shape is an arrowhead.

To set the line end shape

1 Select one or more elements.
2 On the Format menu, click Line Ends.

3 To use a predefined line end shape, select it from the list.

4 To use another line shape, click More Line Options. The
Select Line Options dialog box appears. Do the following:

a In the Line Start list, click a shape for the start of the
line.
b In the Line End list, click a shape for the end of the
line.
c Click OK.

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To set the size of the line arrowheads

1 Select one or more open line elements.
2 On the Format menu, click More Line Options. The Select
Line Options dialog box appears.
3 Select a size on the Line Start Size list if the line starts
with an arrowhead. Valid sizes are: XX Small, X Small,
Small, Medium Small, Medium, Medium Large, Large, X
Large, XX Large.
4 Select a size on the Line End Size list if the line ends with
a shape.
5 Click OK.

Note You can also set the line end shapes by changing the
StartCap and EndCap properties in the Properties Editor.

Setting Auto Scaling and Word Wrapping for a

Text Box
You can configure a text box to auto scale the text or to word
wrap the text within the text box.

• For auto scaling, the text is resized to fit the text box.

• For word wrapping, the text in a text box continues in the

next line.

To auto scale the text in a text box

1 Select one or more text boxes.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the AutoScale property to
true.

To word wrap the text in a text box

1 Select one or more text boxes.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the WordWrap property to
true.

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 Using Images 195

Using Images
You can place images on the canvas. This is a two step
process:
1 Draw a frame which specifies the target size of the image.
2 Import the image from an image file.
After you place an image on the canvas, you can:
• Set the display mode (ImageStyle).

• Set the image alignment (ImageAlignment).

• Set the transparency color (HasTransparentColor,

TransparentColor properties).
• Open the image in an image editing application.

• Select a different image for the image element.

Placing an Image on the Canvas

You can place an image on the canvas. The image data must
come from an image file. You can import the following image
formats: .BMP, .GIF, .JPG, .JPEG, .TIF, .TIFF, .PNG, .ICO,
.EMF.
You cannot use animated GIF images.

To place an image on the canvas

1 In the Tools panel, select the image icon.
2 Click the canvas where you want to place the image and
drag the mouse to draw a rectangle that will contain your
image.

3 Release the mouse button. The Open dialog box appears.

4 Browse to and select an image file, and then click Open.
The image is loaded into the image frame.
If the image frame is smaller than the image, the image
is cropped to fit into the frame. If the image frame is
larger than the image, the image appears in its original
size.

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Setting the Image Display Mode

You can set the way the image appears on the canvas.
• In normal mode, the image is not stretched or tiled. You
can resize the image frame with the resizing handles.

• In stretch mode, the image is stretched so that it fills its

frame.
• In tile mode, the image is repeated so that a tiled pattern
that fills its frame is created.

• In auto mode, the image frame is enlarged or reduced to

the image size. The resizing handles are locked. When
the image style of an image element is Auto, you cannot
change its size.

To stretch an image to the image frame

1 Select the image element you want to stretch.
2 In the Properties Editor, select ImageStyle.
3 In the list, click Stretch. The image is stretched to the
image frame.

To tile an image in an image frame

1 Select the image element you want to tile.
2 In the Properties Editor, select ImageStyle.
3 In the list, click Tile. The image is tiled to fill the image
frame.

To set an image frame size to its image size

1 Select the image element you want to adjust.
2 In the Properties Editor, select ImageStyle.
3 In the list, click Auto. The image frame is enlarged or
reduced to the image size.

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 Using Images 197

Setting the Image Alignment

The image alignment specifies where the image appears in
an image frame. By default, images appear in the center of
the image frame. You can change this setting to one of the
following:
• Top left, top center, or top right

• Middle left, center, or middle right

• Bottom left, bottom center, or bottom right

Note You can also set the image alignment in the

ImageAlignment property in the Properties Editor.

To set the image alignment

1 Select the image element with the image you want to
align.
2 In the Properties Editor, select ImageAlignment.
3 In the list, click one of the following options: TopLeft,
TopCenter, TopRight, MiddleLeft, Centers, MiddleRight,
BottomLeft, BottomCenter or BottomRight. The image is
aligned accordingly in the image frame.

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Setting the Image Color Transparency

Image color transparency lets you define a certain color
within an image to be partially or entirely transparent.
When you configure image transparency, you must:
• Enable color transparency for images.

• Specify the color that is to be used for transparency.

Setting the image color transparency is different than setting

the transparency of the image element, as it only applies to
one color. Image transparency applies to the entire image.

To enable image color transparency

1 Select the image element.
2 In the Properties Editor, select HasTransparentColor.
3 In the list, click True.

To set the transparency color for an image

1 Select the image element.
2 On the Edit menu, click Select Image Transparent Color.
The pointer becomes a color picker.
3 Click the color you want to use as the transparency color.
The image is updated with the new transparency color.

Note You can also select a transparency color with the

TransparentColor property in the Properties Editor. For more
information about setting the color, see Setting a Solid Color on
page 164.

Editing the Image

You can edit the image in an image element by opening it in
an image editing application.
You can specify the image editor by changing the designer
preferences. For more information, see Setting the Image
Editing Application on page 199.

To edit an image
1 Select the image element with the image you want to
edit.
2 On the Edit menu, click Edit Image. The image is opened
with the associated image editing application.
3 Make changes to the image as needed, save the image
and close the image editing application. The image is
updated on the canvas.

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Setting the Image Editing Application

You can specify the image editor that opens when you select
it edit an image.
You can select a currently registered image editing
application or add one.

To set the image editing application

1 On the Special menu, click Preferences. The Designer
Preferences dialog box appears.

2 Select an image editor from the Image Editor list.

To add an image editing application

1 On the Special menu, click Preferences. The Designer
Preferences dialog box appears.
2 In the Image Editor list, click Choose Custom Editor. The
Select Image Editing Application dialog box appears.

3 Browse to and select the executable of the image editing

application and click Open. The image editor is added to
the list.

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Selecting a Different Image

You can change the current image of an image element by
selecting a new image.

To select a different image

1 Select the image element with the image you want to
change.
2 On the Edit menu, click Select Image. The Open dialog box
appears.
3 Browse to and select an image file, and then click Open.
The image is loaded into the image frame.

Note You can also select a different image by clicking the browse
button in the Image property in the Properties Editor.

Using Buttons
You can use buttons in ArchestrA Symbols. Buttons show a
text caption or an image. If they show a text caption, you can:
• Automatically scale the font size

• Configure the text to wrap within the button

Automatically Scaling Text in Buttons

You can automatically scale text so that the font size is
adapted to the button size.

To automatically scale text in buttons

1 Select the button element on the canvas.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the AutoScale property to
True.

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Wrapping Text in Buttons

You can wrap text in buttons.

To wrap text in buttons

1 Select the button element on the canvas.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the WordWrap property to
True.

Configuring Buttons with Images

You can use buttons with an image in ArchestrA Symbols.
• The “up” image is the image that appears when the
button is released at run time

• The “down” image is the image that appears then the

button is pressed at run time

You can edit an up image or a down image after you assign it

to a button.

To use a down image or up image on a button

1 Select the button element on the canvas.
2 In the Properties Editor, select Image in the property
ButtonStyle list.
3 Click the browse button of the UpImage property and
select an image in the Open dialog box. This is the image
that appears on the button by default and also when the
button is released.
4 Click the browse button of the DownImage property and
select an image in the Open dialog box. This is the image
that appears on the button when the button is clicked on.

To edit an up image or a down image of a button

1 Right-click the button element on the canvas. The context
menu appears.
2 Click Edit Button Image, then click one of the following:
• Edit Up Image
• Edit Down Image
The up image or down image is opened in the default
image editor.
3 Edit the image.
4 Save the image and close the image editor. The up image
or down image is updated.

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Editing Control Points

Control points determine the shapes of polylines, polygons,
curves, and closed curves. To change the shape of these
elements after they have been placed on the canvas, you can:
• Move individual control points.

• Add or remove control points.

Moving Control Points

After you place a polyline, polygon, curve, or closed curve on
the canvas, you can change its shape by editing its control
points.

To move the control points of a polyline, polygon, curve, or

closed curve
1 Select the polyline, polygon, curve, or closed curve.
2 On the Edit menu, click Edit Control Points. The control
points of the element are shown.

3 Click a control point you want to change and drag it to

the new location. The element is updated accordingly.
4 Repeat the previous step for all control points you want to
change.

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Adding and Removing Control Points

You can add or remove control points from polylines,
polygons, curves, and closed curves.

To add control points to a curve or closed curve

1 Select the curve or closed curve.
2 On the Edit menu, click Edit Control Points. The control
points of the element are shown.
3 Press and hold the Shift key.
4 Move the mouse over the curve or closed curve at the
point you want to add a control point. The pointer
appears as a pen with a plus symbol.
5 Click the curve or closed curve. The control point is added
to the curve or closed curve.
6 Repeat the last step for any other control points you want
to add.
7 When you are done, release the Shift key.

To delete control points from a curve or closed curve

1 Select the curve or closed curve.
2 On the Edit menu, click Edit Control Points. The control
points of the element are shown.
3 Press and hold the Shift key.
4 Move the mouse over the control point you want to
remove. The pointer appears as a pen with a minus
symbol.
5 Click the control point. The control point is removed from
the curve or closed curve.
6 Repeat the last step for any other control points you want
to remove. You must have at least two control points.
7 When you are done, release the Ctrl key.

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Changing the Tension of Curves and Closed

Curves
After you place a curve or a closed curve, you can change its
tension. The tension specifies how tightly the curve bends
through the control points. Valid range are float values from
0 (tightly) to 2 (loosely).

Note You can also change the tension of a curve or closed curve
by changing the value for the Tension property in the Properties
Editor.

To edit the tension of a curve or closed curve

1 Select the curve or closed curve.
2 In the Properties Editor, type a float value from 0 to 2 for
the Tension property.

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Changing Angles of Arcs, Pies and Chords

After you place an arc, pie, or chord, you can change the start
angle and sweep angle of these elements.
You can change the angles to any integer degree from 0 to
359. When you change the angles, you can press the Shift
and Ctrl key to make the angle snap to multiples of 15 or 45
degrees.
You can also move the start angle and sweep angle at the
same time. The object appears to be “rotated” around its
arc/pie/chord center point while keeping the same center
point angle.

Note You can also change the start or sweep angle of an arc, pie
or chord in the StartAngle or SweepAngle properties in the
Properties Editor.

To change the start or sweep angle of an arc, pie, or chord

1 Select the arc, pie, or chord.
2 On the Edit menu, click Edit Start and Sweep Angles. The
start and sweep angle handles appear on the selected
element.

3 If you want to the angle to be multiples of 15 degrees,

press and hold the Shift key.

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4 If you want to the angle to be multiples of 45 degrees,

press and hold the Ctrl key.

5 Grab the start angle or the sweep angle handle and drag
it to the new location. The element is updated
accordingly.

To change the start and sweep angle of an arc, pie, or chord

together
1 Select the arc, pie, or chord.
2 On the Edit menu, click Edit Start and Sweep Angles. The
start and sweep angle handles appear on the selected
element.
3 Select the start angle or the sweep angle handle and keep
the mouse button down.
4 Press and hold the Alt key.
5 If you want additionally either angles to be multiples of
15 degrees, press and hold the Shift key.
6 If you want additionally either angles to be multiples of
45 degrees, press and hold the Ctrl key.
7 Drag the mouse. The start angle and sweep angle are
changed accordingly.

8 When you are done, release the mouse button and then
any keys.

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 Monitoring and Showing Quality and Status 207

Monitoring and Showing Quality and Status

You can configure your symbol to show non-good status and
quality of attributes in different ways:
• A status element shows a specific icon depending on the
quality and status of configured attributes or elements.
See Using Status Elements on page 207.
• The text, fill, or line appearance of elements is overridden
depending on the quality and status of the attributes they
reference. See Overriding Element Appearance
Depending on Quality and Status of its Attributes on
page 210.
• Elements are drawn with an outline depending on the
quality and status of the attributes they reference. See
Overriding Element Appearance Depending on Quality
and Status of its Attributes on page 210.

Using Status Elements

Status elements are special elements that show a specified
symbol depending on the quality and status of:
• Attributes configured for specific animated elements.

• One or more specified attributes.

You can do this in three steps:

1 Draw the status element on the canvas.
2 Associate the status element with animated elements on
the canvas and/or attributes that provide the quality and
status data to be monitored.
3 If needed, configure the appearance of the status
element.

Drawing the Status Element on the Canvas

You can easily place a status element on the canvas to show
an icon that indicates quality and status of attributes
contained in selected animated elements and/or specified
attributes.
You do this as you would with any other element. For more
information, see Drawing and Dragging Elements on
page 92.

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Configuring the Status Element

You can associate the status element with:
• Animated elements that use attributes that provide the
quality and status that is to be monitored.
• Attributes that provide the quality and status that is to
be monitored.

In both cases, the appearance is set by the settings in the

Configure Quality and Status Display dialog box.
For more information on how to configure this animation, see
Configuring Animation for a Status Element on page 326.

Setting the Appearance of a Status Element

You can set the appearance of a status element depending on
the quality and status of its referenced attributes and/or
attributes used in its referenced elements.
You can also preview the appearance of a status element. For
more information, see Previewing all Status Appearances on
page 216.
You can reset the appearance of a status element to its
default. For more information, see Resetting an Override
Appearance to its Default on page 216.

To set the default appearance of a status element

1 On the Galaxy menu, point to Configure, and then click
Quality and Status Display. The Configure Quality and
Status Display dialog box appears.
2 Enable Enable Quality and Status Display.
3 Select a status or quality from the Status Style Overrides
list.
4 Click the Status tab.

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5 To set the line style:

a Select Line.
b Click the color box.
c Select a style from the Style Selection dialog box. For
more information, see Setting Style on page 164.
6 To set the line pattern, select Line Pattern and select a
line pattern from the adjacent list.
7 To set the line weight, select Line Weight and type a line
weight in the adjacent box.
8 To set the fill style:
a Select Fill.
b Click the color box.
c Select a style from the Style Selection dialog box. For
more information, see Setting Style on page 164.
9 To show an image for the status element:
a Select Image.
b Click Select.
c Select an image file from the Open dialog box and
click Open.
10 To set the transparent color for the image:
a Click the color box next to Transparent Color.
b Select a solid color from the Style Selection dialog box.
For more information, see Setting Style on page 164.
11 To set the image style, select from the Style list:
• Click Normal if you want the image to not stretch or
tile.
• Click Stretch to stretch the image so it fills its frame.
• Click Tile to repeat the image so that a tiled pattern
that fills its frame is created.
• Click Auto to enlarge or reduce the image frame to the
image size.

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12 To set the image alignment, select from the Alignment

list:
• Click MiddleLeft to align in the middle on the left side.
• Click TopLeft to align at the top left corner.
• Click BottomLeft to align at the bottom left corner.
• Click Centers to place the center point of the image
directly over the center point of the frame.
• Click TopCenter to align at the center on the top side.
• Click BottomCenter to align at the center on the
bottom side.
• Click MiddleRight to align in the middle on the right
side.
• Click TopRight to align at the top right corner.
• Click BottomRight to align at the bottom right corner.
13 Click OK.

Overriding Element Appearance Depending on

Quality and Status of its Attributes
You can configure any animated element to appear
differently depending on the quality and status of its
associated attributes.
For animated elements, you can:
• Override the appearance of the text font, style, and
blinking.
• Override the appearance of the fill style and blinking.

• Override the appearance of the line style, weight,

pattern, and blinking.
• Preview all status appearances in one dialog box.

• Reset the status appearances to their defaults.

• Use an outline to indicate a specified status or quality.

Note Instead of overriding the appearance of elements on the

canvas, you can use a status element. The status element shows
an icon representing quality and status of monitored attributes.

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 Monitoring and Showing Quality and Status 211

You can configure the appearance overrides and Status

element overrides in the Configure Quality and Status Display
dialog box, which you access from the IDE Configure menu.

Overriding the Text Appearance of Elements to

Indicate Non-Good Status or Quality
You can configure the Galaxy so that the text appearance of
animated elements with attributes that have non-good status
or quality are overridden with a specific text appearance.

To override the text appearance of an element specified by a

status element
1 On the Galaxy menu, point to Configure, and then click
Quality and Status Display. The Configure Quality and
Status Display dialog box appears.
2 Enable Enable Quality and Status Display.
3 Select a status or quality from the Status Style Overrides
list.

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4 Click the Text tab.

5 To override the font, select Font Override, click the browse

button and select a font from the Font dialog box.
6 To override the font style:
a Select Font Color Override.
b Click the color box.
c Select a style from the Style Selection dialog box. For
more information, see Setting Style on page 164.
7 To override the text blink behavior:
a Select Blink.
b Select a blinking speed from the Speed list.
c Click the color box.
d Select a style from the Style Selection dialog box. For
more information, see Setting Style on page 164.
8 Click OK.

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Overriding the Fill Appearance of Elements to

Indicate Non-Good Status or Quality
You can configure the Galaxy so that the fill appearance of
animated elements with attributes that have non-good status
or quality are overridden with a specific fill appearance.

To override the fill appearance of an element specified by a

Status element
1 On the Galaxy menu, point to Configure, and then click
Quality and Status Display. The Configure Quality and
Status Display dialog box appears.
2 Enable Enable Quality and Status Display.
3 Select a status or quality from the Status Style Overrides
list.
4 Click the Fill tab.

5 To override the fill style:

a Select Fill Style Override.
b Click the color box.
c Select a style from the Style Selection dialog box. For
more information, see Setting Style on page 164.
6 To override the fill blink behavior:
a Select Blink.
b Select a blinking speed from the Speed list.
c Click the color box.
d Select a style from the Style Selection dialog box. For
more information, see Setting Style on page 164.

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Overriding the Line Appearance of Elements to

Indicate Non-Good Status or Quality
You can configure the Galaxy so that the line appearance of
animated elements with attributes that have non-good status
or quality are overridden with a specific line appearance.

To override the line appearance of elements specified by a

Status element
1 On the Galaxy menu, point to Configure, and then click
Quality and Status Display. The Configure Quality and
Status Display dialog box appears.
2 Enable Enable Quality and Status Display.
3 Select a status or quality from the Status Style Overrides
list.
4 Click the Line tab.

5 To override the line pattern, select Line Pattern Override

and select a line pattern from the adjacent list.
6 To override the line weight, select Line Weight Override
and type a new line weight in the adjacent box.
7 To override the line style:
a Select Line Color Override.
b Click the color box.
c Select a style from the Style Selection dialog box. For
more information, see Setting Style on page 164.
8 To override the line blink behavior:
a Select Blink.
b Select a blinking speed from the Speed list.
c Click the color box.
d Select a style from the Style Selection dialog box. For
more information, see Setting Style on page 164.
9 Click OK.

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Adding Outlines to Elements to Indicate Non-Good

Status or Quality
You can configure the Galaxy so that animated elements
with attributes that have non-good status or quality are
shown with an outline.

To add outlines to elements to indicate non-good status or

quality
1 On the Galaxy menu, point to Configure, and then click
Quality and Status Display. The Configure Quality and
Status Display dialog box appears.
2 Enable Enable Quality and Status Display.
3 Select a status or quality from the Status Style Overrides
list.
4 Click the Outline tab.

5 Select Show Outline.

6 To set the line pattern, select Line Pattern and select a
line pattern from the adjacent list.
7 To set the line weight, select Line Weight and type a line
weight in the adjacent box.
8 To set the line style:
a Click the color box next to Line Color.
b Select a style from the Style Selection dialog box. For
more information, see Setting Style on page 164.
9 To set the line blink behavior:
a Select Blink.
b Select a blinking speed from the Speed list.
c Click the color box.
d Select a style from the Style Selection dialog box. For
more information, see Setting Style on page 164.

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Previewing all Status Appearances

You can preview all override appearances at the same time.

To preview all override appearances

1 On the Galaxy menu, point to Configure, and then click
Quality and Status Display. The Configure Quality and
Status Display dialog box appears.
2 Click Preview Legend. The Status Legend dialog box
appears.

3 Click Close.

Resetting an Override Appearance to its Default

For any status, you can reset:
• Text, fill, and line overrides.

• Outline settings.

• Status element settings.

To reset a status appearance to its default

1 On the Galaxy menu, point to Configure, and then click
Quality and Status Display. The Configure Quality and
Status Display dialog box appears.
2 Select a status or quality from the Status Style Overrides
list.
3 Click Reset to Default. All text, fill, and line overrides,
status element icons, and outline settings are reset to
their defaults.

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 Using Windows Common Controls 217

Using Windows Common Controls

You can add the following Windows common controls to your
symbol:
• Radio button group

• Check box

• Edit box

• Combo box

• Calendar control

• DateTime picker

• List box

You can place them as you would any other element, by

selecting it in the Tools panel, clicking on the canvas to
position it and, with exception of the calendar control,
dragging a rectangle to set its size.
After placing the control on the canvas, you can then
configure:
• Background color and text color (with exception of the
DateTime Picker control).
• Other control-specific properties in the Properties Editor.

• Control-specific animations.

• The common Value property in scripting to read from and

write to the Windows common control at run time.

Changing Background Color and Text Color of

Windows Common Controls
You can change the background color and text color of all
Windows common controls with exception of the DateTime
Picker control.
The background color and text color of the Windows common
controls can only be solid colors, not gradients, patterns, or
textures.

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To set the background color of a Windows common control

1 Select the Windows common control.
2 In the Properties Editor, click the browse button of the
FillColor property. The Style Selection dialog box appears.
3 Select a solid color and click OK. For more information,
see Setting a Solid Color on page 164. The Windows
common control background color changes accordingly.

To set the text color of a Windows common control

1 Select the Windows common control.
2 In the Properties Editor, click the browse button of the
TextColor property. The Style Selection dialog box
appears.
3 Select a solid color and click OK. For more information,
see Setting a Solid Color on page 164. The Windows
common control text color changes accordingly.

Reading and Writing the Selected Value at Run

Time
You can use the Value property that is common to all
Windows common controls. It is not visible in the Properties
Editor. You can use the value property in a script or other
animation links.
The following table shows you the data type, a description on
how the value property is used, and an example for each
Windows common control.

Control Data Type Description Example

Radio Boolean, Reads the value of [Link] =

Button Integer, the selected item, “Mixing”;
Group Real or or selects the item
String with that value if it
exists.
Check Box Boolean Sets or reads the [Link] = 1;
checked status.
Edit Box String Sets or reads the [Link] = “Hello
text contents. World”;

Combo Box Integer Reads the value of [Link] = 5;

the selected item,
or selects the item
with that value if it
exists.

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 Using Windows Common Controls 219

Control Data Type Description Example

Calendar Time Sets or reads the [Link] =

selected date. “11/15/2006 [Link] AM”;

DateTime Time Sets or reads the [Link] =

Picker selected date and “11/15/2006 [Link] PM”;
time.
List Box Integer Reads the value of [Link] = “John
the selected item, Smith”;
or selects the item
with that value if it
exists.
For more information about scripting, see Adding and
Maintaining Symbol Scripts on page 351.
For more information about the value property, see
Alphabetical List of Properties on page 417.

Configuring Radio Button Group Controls

You can use a Radio Button Group control element to
exclusively select an option from a group of options at run
time.

You can set the:

• 3D appearance.

• Layout of the radio button group options.

You can also use properties that are specific to the Radio
Button Group control in scripting. At run time you can access
the script to view and modify the Radio Button Group
control.

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Setting the 3D appearance of a Radio Button Group

Control
You can set the 3D appearance of a radio button group
control. This affects how the option circles appear.

Three-dimensional appearance

Flat appearance in same color as option text

To set the 3D appearance of a radio button group control

1 Select the radio button group control.
2 In the Properties Editor, select from the list for the
ControlStyle property:
• Click ThreeD for a three-dimensional appearance.
• Click Flat for a flat two-dimensional appearance in
the same color as the option text.

Setting the Layout of the Radio Button Group

Options
You can set the layout of the radio button group options in a
vertical or horizontal direction.

To set the layout of the radio button group options

1 Select the radio button group control.
2 In the Properties Editor, select from the list for the
Layout property:
• Click Vertical to arrange the options under each other.
• Click Horizontal to arrange the options next to each
other.

Note You can set this option also in the radio button group
animation dialog box.

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 Using Windows Common Controls 221

Using Radio Button Group-Specific Properties at Run

Time
You can use properties that are specific to the Radio Button
Group control at run-time. These properties are:
• Count - returns the number of radio buttons in the Radio
Button Group control.
• SelectedValue - reads the value of the selected item, or
selects the item with that value if it exists.

These properties are available when you browse for a Radio

Button Group control in the Galaxy Browser. For more
information about scripting, see Adding and Maintaining
Symbol Scripts on page 351.
For more information about the properties, see Alphabetical
List of Properties on page 417.

Configuring Check Box Controls

You can use a Check Box control to let the run-time user set
or reset a Boolean attribute.

You can set the:

• Default state, checked or unchecked.

• Caption text.

• 3D appearance.

Setting the Default State of a Check Box Control

You can set the default state of a check box control to be
checked or unchecked.

To set the default state of a check box control

1 Select the check box control.
2 In the Properties Editor, select from the list for the
Checked property:
• Click False to use an unchecked check box by default.
• Click True to use a checked check box by default.

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Setting the Caption Text of a Check Box Control

You can set the caption text of a check box control.

To set the caption text of a check box control

1 Select the check box control.
2 In the Properties Editor, type a text string in the Caption
property value box.

Setting the 3D appearance of a Check Box Control

You can set the 3D appearance of a check box control. This
affects how the check box square appears.

Three-dimensional appearance

Flat appearance in same color as caption text

To set the 3D appearance of a check box control

1 Select the check box control.
2 In the Properties Editor, select from the list for the
ControlStyle property:
• Click ThreeD for a three-dimensional appearance.
• Click Flat for a flat two-dimensional appearance in
the same color as the caption text.

Configuring Edit Box Controls

You can use an Edit Box control to let the run-time user
input text or view text.

You can:
• Set the default text.

• Configure it so that the text wraps in the box at design

time and run time.
• Configure it so that the run-time text is read-only.

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Setting the Default Text in an Edit Box Control

You can set the default text in an edit box control.

To set the default text in an edit box control

1 Select the edit box control.
2 In the Properties Editor, type a text in the Text property.
The text appears in the edit box control at design time. At
run time, it can be overwritten with the value of a
configured attribute.

Configuring the Text to Wrap in an Edit Box Control

You can configure the edit box control to wrap text at design
time and run time. This lets you view and type strings in a
more compact way.

To configure text-wrapping in an edit box control

1 Select the edit box control.
2 In the Properties Editor, select from the list for the
Multiline property:
• Click True to enable text-wrapping at run time.
• Click False to disable text-wrapping at run time.

Configuring the Text to be Read-Only in an Edit Box

Control
You can configure the edit box control to only show text at
run time and not let the run-time user write back to the
associated attribute.

To configure the text to be read-only in an edit box control

1 Select the edit box control.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the ReadOnly property to
True.

Note To enable writing back to the associated attribute at run

time, you can set the ReadOnly property to False.

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Configuring Combo Box Controls

You can use Combo Box controls to select an option from a
foldable list.

You can set the:

• Drop-down type of combo box control.

• Width of the drop-down list.

• Integral height flag of the drop-down list to avoid clipping

of the items in simple combo box controls.

• Maximum number of items to appear in the drop-down

list.

You can also use properties that are specific to the Combo
Box control in scripting. At run time you can access the script
to view and modify the items in the Combo Box control.

Setting the Type of Combo Box Control

You can use one of the following combo box control types:
• Simple - no drop-down list, allows entry of values

• DropDown - has a drop-down list, allows entry of values

• DropdownList - has a drop-down list, does not allow entry

of any value

To set the type of combo box control

1 Select the combo box control.
2 In the Properties Editor, select from the list for the
DropDownType property:
• Simple
• DropDown
• DropDownList

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Setting the Width of the Drop-Down List

You can set the width of the expanded drop-down list when
the user clicks on it. This setting can be used for example to
save space of the folded combo box control at run time.
Typically you set the drop-down list width greater than the
width of the combo box on the canvas.

If you set the drop-down list width smaller than the combo
box control width on the canvas, the drop-down list is the
same width as the combo box control.

To set the width of the combo box drop-down list

1 Select the combo box control.
2 In the Properties Editor, type a width value in the
DropDownWidth property value box.

Avoiding Clipping of Items in the Simple Combo Box

Control
You can avoid clipping of items in the simple combo box
control list by setting the IntegralHeight property to true.
The combo box list height is then changed to ensure that no
items appear clipped.

To avoid clipping of items in the drop-down list

1 Select the combo box control.
2 In the Properties Editor, select True as the value for the
IntegralHeight property.

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Setting the Maximum Number of Items to Appear in

the Combo Box Drop-Down List
You can limit the number of items that appear at any given
time in the combo box drop-down list.

To set the maximum number of items to appear in the

drop-down list
1 Select the combo box control.
2 In the Properties Editor, type the maximum number as a
value for the MaxDropDownItems property.

Using Combo Box-Specific Properties at Run Time

You can use properties that are specific to the Combo Box
control at run time.
• The count property returns the number of items in a
Combo Box control.

• The NewIndex property returns the index of the last item

added to the Combo Box list.

These properties are available when you browse for a Combo

Box control in the Galaxy Browser. For more information
about scripting, see Adding and Maintaining Symbol Scripts
on page 351.
For more information about the properties, see Alphabetical
List of Properties on page 417.

Configuring Calendar Controls

You can use the Calendar control to select a date from one or
more monthly calendar sheets.

You can:
• Set the number of calendar month sheets to be shown.

• Set the first day of the week.

• Show or hide today’s date on the bottom of the control.

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• Set the fill color and text color of the title.

• Set the text color for trailing dates.

• Set the date value of the Calendar Control that is used as

default at run time.

Setting the Number of Calendar Month Sheets

You can set the number of calendar month sheets to be
shown by specifying the number of month columns and
month rows. The number of columns and rows in the
calendar control depends on the font size and the width of the
calendar control.
For example, you can show six months in a calendar control
by specifying two columns and three rows.

To set the number of calendar month sheets

1 Select the calendar control.
2 In the Properties Editor, configure the calendar
properties:
• For the CalendarColumns property, specify the
number of columns in the calendar control.
• For the CalendarRows property, specify the number
of rows in the calendar control.

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Setting the First Day of the Week

You can set the first day of the week for the calendar control.
This is the day that appears on the most left column of each
calendar month sheet.
You can set it to:
• The default as defined by the operating system.

• Any day of the week.

To set the first day of the week

1 Select the calendar control.
2 In the Properties Editor, select from the list for the
FirstDayOfWeek property:
• Click Default to use the operating system setting.
• Click the day of the week.

Showing or Hiding Today’s Date on a Calendar

Control
You can show or hide today’s date on the bottom of a calendar
control

To show or hide today’s date on the bottom of a calendar

control
1 Select the calendar control.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the ShowToday property to
one of the following:
• True to show today’s date
• False to hide today’s date

Setting Title Fill Color and Text Color on a Calendar

Control
You can set the title fill color and title text color on a
calendar control.
When you change the title fill color, this also affects the:
• Color of the week days.

• Fill color of the indication box of today’s date.

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When you change the title text color, this also affects the text
color of the indication box of today’s date.

To change the title fill color of a calendar control

1 Select the calendar control.
2 In the Properties Editor, click the browse button for the
TitleFillColor property. The Style Selection dialog box
appears. For more information, see Setting Style on
page 164.
3 Select a color and click OK. The title fill color is changed
accordingly.

To change the title fill color of a calendar control

1 Select the calendar control.
2 In the Properties Editor, click the browse button for the
TitleTextColor property. The Style Selection dialog box
appears. For more information, see Setting Style on
page 164.
3 Select a color and click OK. The title text color is changed
accordingly.

Setting the Text Color for Trailing Dates in a Calendar

Control
You can set the text color for dates outside the month for any
month sheet in a calendar control.

To set the text color for trailing dates

1 Select the calendar control.
2 In the Properties Editor, click the browse button for the
TrailingTextColor property. The Style Selection dialog
box appears. For more information, see Setting Style on
page 164.
3 Select a color and click OK. The text color of the trailing
dates is changed accordingly.

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Setting the Default Value of the Calendar Control

You can set the default value of the Calendar Control. The
default value is a date that the control uses when it is shown
the first time.

To set the default value of the calendar control

1 Select the calendar control.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the DefaultValue property to
the date value you want to use as default at run time.

Configuring DateTime Picker Controls

Use the DateTime Picker control to select a date or time.

You can configure the DateTime Picker control to show:

• A long format, such as Friday, August 11, 2006.

• A short format, such as 8/11/2006.

• Just the time, such as [Link] PM.

• A custom time format, such as 8/11/2006 [Link] PM.

You can also set the default value of the DateTime Picker
control.

To set the long date format

1 Select the DateTime Picker control.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the Format property to Long.

To set the short date format

1 Select the DateTime Picker control.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the Format property to
Short.

To set only time display

1 Select the DateTime Picker control.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the Format property to Time.

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To set a custom date/time format

1 Select the DateTime Picker control.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the Format property to
Custom.
3 Type the time format in the value box for the
CustomFormat property. Use the following letters as
placeholders:
h The one or two-digit hour in 12-hour format.
hh The two-digit hour in 12-hour format. Single
digit values are preceded by a zero.
H The one or two-digit hour in 24-hour format.
HH The two-digit hour in 24-hour format. Single
digit values are preceded by a zero.
t The one-letter AM/PM abbreviation ("AM" is
shown as "A").
tt The two-letter AM/PM abbreviation ("AM" is
shown as "AM").
m The one or two-digit minute.
mm The two-digit minute. Single digit values are
preceded by a zero.
s The one or two-digit seconds.
ss The two-digit seconds. Single digit values are
preceded by a zero.
d The one or two-digit day.
dd The two-digit day. Single digit day values are
preceded by a zero.
ddd The three-character day-of-week abbreviation.
dddd The full day-of-week name.
M The one or two-digit month number.
MM The two-digit month number. Single digit
values are preceded by a zero.
MMM The three-character month abbreviation.
MMMM The full month name.
y The one-digit year (2001 is shown as "1").
yy The last two digits of the year (2001 is shown
as "01").
yyyy The full year (2001 is shown as "2001").
You can use any other characters, except “g” in the
property. These characters then appear at design time
and run time in the control.

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To set the default value in a DateTime Picker control

1 Select the DateTime Picker control.
2 In the Properties Editor, set the DefaultValue property to
the date and time value you want to use as default at run
time.

Configuring List Box Controls

You can use a list box to select an option from a scrollable
list.

You can:
• Configure the list box to avoid clipping of its contained
items. When you set the Integral Height flag, the list box
control is resized so that no items are clipped.
• Specify if you want the control to be scrollable in
horizontal direction at run time. This enables the user to
see the full text if the item captions are wider than the
control itself.
• Use properties that are specific to the List Box control in
scripting. At run time you can access the script to view
and modify the items in the List Box control.

Avoiding Clipping of Items in the List Box Control List

In the list of a List Box control, some items may appear
vertically clipped. You can configure the List Box control to
avoid this clipping by setting the IntegralHeight property.

To avoid clipping of items in the List Box control

1 Select the list box control.
2 In the Properties Editor, select True as value for the
IntegralHeight property.

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Using a Horizontal Scroll Bar in a List Box Control

You can configure a horizontal scroll bar in a List Box
Control so that at run time the user can scroll the list
horizontally to see items that are wider than the control.

To configure a horizontal scroll bar

1 Select the list box control.
2 In the Properties Editor, select True as value for the
HorizontalScrollbar property.

Using List Box-Specific Properties at Run Time

You can use properties that are specific to the List Box
control at run time.
• The Count property returns the number of items in a List
Box control.
• The NewIndex property returns the index of the last item
added to the List Box list.

• The SelectedValue property reads the value of the

selected item, or selects the item with that value if it
exists.
• The TopIndex property returns the index of the top most
item in the list.

These properties are available when you browse for a List

Box control in the Galaxy Browser. For more information
about scripting, see Adding and Maintaining Symbol Scripts
on page 351.
For more information about the properties, see Alphabetical
List of Properties on page 417.

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Chapter 8

Using Custom Properties

You can configure and use custom properties to extend the

functionality of symbols and also use them in combination
with InTouch tags. You can use binding with custom
properties. Binding lets you dynamically change the
reference of a custom property.

Data Type:
- Boolean
- Integer
- Float
- Double
- String
- Time Default Value:
- Elapsed Time - Value
- Reference (Element or Attribute)
- Expression

Custom Property 1

Description

Custom Property 2
Symbol
Custom Property 3 Visibility:
- Public Custom Property
...

- Private Custom Property

Custom Property N

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About Custom Properties

Custom properties let you extend the standard properties of
a symbol or an embedded symbol. You can associate custom
properties with functionality you want exposed and that you
want to re-use. You can also use custom properties to connect
an embedded ArchestrA Symbol to InTouch tags.

Managing Custom Properties

You manage all custom properties of a symbol using the Edit
Custom Properties dialog box.

List of Custom Properties Custom Properties

Configuration Panel

You can:
• Add and delete custom properties.
• Set the types and data types of custom properties.

• Set the default values of custom properties.

• Determine the visibility of each custom property.

• Add a description for each custom property.

• Validate and clear custom properties.

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You can also:

• Rename custom properties.

• Link custom properties to external sources.

• Override custom properties with new values.

• Revert custom property values to their default values.

Adding and Deleting Custom Properties

You can add and delete custom properties.

To add a custom property

1 Click the canvas to deselect any elements.
2 On the Special menu, click Custom Properties. The Edit
Custom Properties dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon. A new line is added in the custom
properties list.
4 Type a name for the new custom property and press
Enter.

You can see the name of the symbol and the custom
property in the header of the right side of the dialog box.

5 Configure the custom property on the right side of the

Edit Custom Properties dialog box. For more information
see Configuring Custom Properties on page 238.
6 Click OK.

To delete a custom property

1 Click the canvas to deselect any elements.
2 On the Special menu, click Custom Properties. The Edit
Custom Properties dialog box appears.
3 Select the custom property you want to delete and click
the Remove icon. When a message appears, click Yes. The
custom property is removed from the custom properties
list.
4 Click OK.

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Configuring Custom Properties

You can configure custom properties when you create them
or at a later point of time.

To configure a custom property

1 Click the canvas of the symbol.
2 On the Special menu, click Custom Properties. The Edit
Custom Properties dialog box appears.
3 Select the custom property you want to edit. The
configuration for the selected custom property appears on
the right side of the dialog box.

Note The header of the configuration area shows you the symbol
name, for example Symbol_001, on the right and the custom
property name on the left, for example MyCustomProperty. It can
be accessed from scripting as Symbol_001.MyCustomProperty.

4 In the Data Type list, click the data type of the custom
property. You can select one of the following:

Data Type Symbol

Boolean

Double

Elapsed Time

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 Managing Custom Properties 239

Data Type Symbol

Float

Integer

String

Time

5 If you want to:

• Make the property read-only at design time and
prevent further changes to it when the symbol is
embedded into another symbol, click the Lock icon.
• Make the property read-only at run time and prevent
its value being changed, click the Lock icon.
6 In the Default Value box, type a literal value, reference, or
expression or browse for a reference using the Browse
icon.
7 If the selected data type is String, Time or Elapsed Time,
you can click the T icon or tag icon.
• Select the T icon to indicate that the default value is a
static value.
• Select the tag icon to indicate that the default value is
a reference to a value.
8 In the Visibility box, configure how the symbol is visible.
Do one of the following:
• Click Public if you want the custom property to be
visible and can be used in a source symbol if the
symbol is embedded.
• Click Private if you want the custom property to not
be visible outside of the defining symbol and cannot
be referenced outside of the defining symbol.
9 In the Description box, type a meaningful description for
the custom property.

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Validating Custom Properties

You can validate custom properties to track down and avoid
configuration errors.

To validate a custom property

1 Click on the canvas to deselect any elements.
2 On the Special menu, click Custom Properties. The Edit
Custom Properties dialog box appears.
3 Select the custom property you want to validate and click
the Validate icon. Required boxes are highlighted by a red
box, possible errors appear in the status area under the
custom properties list.

Clearing the Configuration of Custom Properties

You can clear the configuration of custom properties. This
resets the configuration to its default values.

To clear the configuration of a custom property

1 In the Edit Custom Properties dialog box, select the
custom property.
2 Click the Clear icon. The configured values are reset to
their default values.

Renaming Custom Properties

You can rename custom properties.

To rename a custom property

1 In the Edit Custom Properties dialog box, select the
custom property.
2 Click the custom property again. The custom property is
in edit mode.
3 Type the new custom property name and press Enter.
The custom property is renamed.

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Linking Custom Properties to External Sources

You can link custom properties of a symbol directly to
external sources by:
• Configuring AutomationObjects that point at external
sources and then pointing the custom property at the
corresponding attribute reference.
• Configuring a special InTouch reference syntax in the
Default Value box. When you embed the symbol into an
InTouch window, the referenced InTouch tags connect to
the tags of the InTouch HMI.

For more information, see Connecting Animations with

Custom Properties on page 254, Connecting Animations with
InTouch Tags on page 255 and the InTouch HMI and
ArchestrA Integration Guide.

Overriding Custom Properties

You can override the custom property default values of
embedded symbols within symbols in the ArchestrA Symbol
Editor or InTouch WindowMaker.

Note When you override the custom property, it appears bold in

the custom property list.

You can override the following custom property values:

• Default value

• Visibility, but only from public to private, not private to

public

• Description
• Locked state
• String mode setting

You cannot override the data type of a custom property.

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Reverting to Original Custom Property Values

After you override a custom property value, you can revert to
the original custom property value. This can be done for
overridden custom properties of embedded symbols in other
symbols and in InTouch WindowMaker.

To revert to the original custom property value

‹ In the Edit Custom Properties dialog box, click the Revert
icon. The custom property value is reverted to the
original custom property value.

Examples of Using Custom Properties

Possible uses for using custom properties are:
• A “TankLevel” custom property of type Writable
Attribute can be given a value of “[Link]”.

• A “MaxFillLevel” Custom Property of type Expression

can be given a value of “[Link] - 200”.

A more extensive example on how to use custom properties in

embedded symbols in an InTouch window can be found in the
section in the InTouch HMI and ArchestrA Integration
Guide.

Using Binding in Custom Properties

ArchestrA object scripting supports a type called “Indirect”.
It allows you to bind a variable to a reference and read and
write to it. This is done using the BindTo() method.

Note The BindTo() method binds a variable to a reference as long

as the symbol is shown.

For example, the local script variable ptr is defined and

bound to the reference ud1_001.Int1.
dim ptr as indirect;
[Link](“ud1_001.Int1”);

Within the same script you can use the indirect variable ptr
to read from and write to the attribute ud1_001.Int1.
ArchestrA Symbols also use scripting in the same way as the
scripting of Application Server.
However, as an ArchestrA Symbol can be embedded into an
InTouch window and run anonymously, the time it takes to
connect to the reference can be longer than one scan cycle.

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 Using Binding in Custom Properties 243

For that reason, you cannot use the indirect variable

immediately after it is bound to a reference to read from and
write to it.
dim ptr as indirect;
[Link](“ud1_001.Int1”);
ptr = 42;

In the example, the value 42 cannot be written to the

reference ud1_001.Int1 as the binding takes longer.
To avoid this problem, you can modify your ArchestrA
Symbol script to write the value after it is ensured that the
binding is complete. The completion of the binding is
indicated by the quality of the indirect variable.
You can configure a loop in the script to query for the quality
and use the indirect variable to read from and write to the
reference when its quality is good.

Note Make sure to include an exit condition in your script, so that

the script doesn’t “hang” in case the binding cannot be made.

The following example script shows you how to do this:

dim ptr as indirect;
dim timeout;
[Link]("ud1_001.Int1");
while (IsGood(ptr)==0); {if quality not good}
timeout=timeout+1; {increase the timer}
if timeout>10000 then {if timer reaches threshold}
exit while; {continue script execution}
endif;
endwhile; {otherwise just loop for a while}
ptr=42; {try to write to value to the reference}

A while loop is included in the script before the first write is

attempted. This gives the symbol more time to connect to the
reference. If the quality is good, then the script execution
exits the while loop.

Note Similar behavior can occur when you try to bind to a

reference of an object that is hosted on a different AppEngine.

Caution If possible, use the IOSetReferences QuickScript function

instead of the BindTo() method. The BindTo() method can be
CPU-intensive.

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Chapter 9

Animating Graphic Elements

You can use animations to change how the elements appear

at run time. Animations are driven by data that comes from
ArchestrA attribute values and expressions as well as
element properties that can be changed in WindowMaker.
You can use:
• Visualization animations such as visibility, fill style,
line style, text style, blinking, percent fill horizontal,
percent fill vertical, horizontal location, vertical location,
width, height, orientation, value display or tooltip.
• Interaction animations such as disable, user input,
horizontal slider, vertical slider, pushbutton, action
script, show symbol or hide symbol.

• Element-specific animations for the Status element

and Windows common control elements.

Each element in your ArchestrA Symbol can have one or

more animations. You can disable and enable individual
animations. You can also cut, copy and paste animations
between elements. Only animations supported by the target
element are pasted.
You can also substitute references and strings in animations.

Note Not all animations are available for all element types. Some
animations do not make logical sense, such as line style with a
text element. You cannot select or copy these invalid
combinations.

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Adding an Animation to an Element

You can add one or more animations to a single element in
your ArchestrA Symbol.

To add an animation to an element

1 Select the element to which you want to add an
animation.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.

List of Animations Information and Configuration

Panels

You can also add an animation from the Animation

Summary in the lower right corner of the ArchestrA
Symbol Editor.
3 Click the Add icon. The list of animations appears.

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 Reviewing which Animations are Assigned to an Element 247

4 Select an animation from the list. The animation is added

to the Animation list. You can configure the selected
animation on the right side of the Edit Animations dialog
box.

Note Depending on the animation type you may get an animation

state selection panel instead. For more information, see
Reviewing which Animations are Assigned to an Element on
page 247.

Reviewing which Animations are Assigned to

an Element
You can review which animations are assigned to an element
and change the number of animations or their configuration
at the same time.

To review which animations are assigned to an element

1 Select the element. The assigned animations appear in
the Animation Summary in the lower right corner of the
ArchestrA Symbol Editor.

You can also review which animations are assigned to an

element by double-clicking it.
2 Select an animation to view further information on how
the element is configured with that animation.

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Showing and Hiding the Animation List

You can show or hide the Animation list. If you hide the
Animation list, the configuration space expands, giving you
more space to configure the animations.

To hide the Animation list

‹ In the Edit Animations dialog box, click the Hide icon. The
Animation list hides and the configuration space
expands.

To show the Animation list

‹ In the Edit Animations dialog box, click the Show icon. The
Animation list appears and the configuration space
reduces to its default width.

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Removing Animations from an Element

You can remove an animation from an element by using the
Edit Animations dialog box. You can do this for:
• Individual animations

• All animations at the same time

To remove an animation from an element

1 Select the element from which you want to remove an
animation.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
You can also remove an animation from the Animation
Summary in the lower right corner of the ArchestrA
Symbol Editor.
3 Select the animation you want to remove from the
Animation list on the left of the dialog box.
4 Click the Remove icon. A message appears.
5 Click Yes. The animation is removed from the list and is
no longer associated with the element.

To remove all animations from an element

1 Select one or more elements from which you want to
remove all animations.
2 Do one of the following:
• Right-click, point to Animations and then click Clear.
• On the Edit menu, point to Animations, and then click
Clear.
All animations are removed from the selected element(s).

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Enabling and Disabling Animations

You can enable or disable animations for an element. When
you disable an animation, its configuration is not lost. This
lets you see, for example, each animation independently from
each other.

To disable an animation
1 Select the element with the animation you want to
disable.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
You can also disable animations from the Animation
Summary in the lower right corner of the ArchestrA
Symbol Editor.
3 Locate the animation you want to disable from the
Animation list on the left of the dialog box.
4 Select Disabled from the list of that row.

5 Repeat for any other animations you want to disable and

click OK when you are done.

To enable an animation
1 Select the element with the animation you want to
enable.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
You can also enable animations from the Animation
Summary in the lower right corner of the ArchestrA
Symbol Editor.
3 Locate the animation you want to enable from the
Animation list on the left of the dialog box.

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 Validating the Configuration of an Animation 251

4 Select Enabled from the list of that row.

5 Repeat for any other animations you want to enable and

click OK when you are done.

Validating the Configuration of an Animation

You can validate the configuration of an animation.
If the configuration has an error, an exclamation mark
appears next to the Animation icon.

Examples of errors include:

• Animation is disabled

• Syntax errors such as data mismatches

• Required values not specified

• Specified values out of valid range

To validate the configuration of an animation

1 Select the element that contains the animations you want
to validate.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Select the animation you want to validate.
4 Click the Validate icon on the right side of the Edit
Animations dialog box. The currently selected animation
is validated. Possible errors are highlighted in the right
side of the dialog box.

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Clearing the Configuration from an Animation

You can clear all data from the configuration boxes of an
animation and reset the settings to their defaults.

To clear all data from the configuration boxes of an animation

1 In the Edit Animations dialog box, select the animation.
2 In the configuration panel, click the Clear icon. All data
from the configuration boxes is cleared and the settings
are reset to their defaults.

Connecting Animations with Data Sources

You can connect animations to
• ArchestrA attributes
• Element properties

• Custom properties

• InTouch tags

For some input boxes, you can specify if the configuration is a

static value or a reference by setting the input mode.

Connecting Animations with ArchestrA

Attributes
You connect the element animation and appearance with an
ArchestrA attribute. The ArchestrA attribute provides values
at run time that control the behavior and appearance of the
element.
For example, a rectangle element fill animation can be
connected to the run-time value of the ArchestrA attribute
Tank_001.PV.
You can browse all ArchestrA attributes and Element
Properties with the Galaxy Browser.

To connect animations to attribute references using the Galaxy

Browser
1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Select the animation from the Animation list.
4 Select the parameter.

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 Connecting Animations with Data Sources 253

5 Click the browse button. The Galaxy Browser appears.

6 Click the Attribute Browser tab.

7 Select an AutomationObject from the left list. The
attributes associated with the selected AutomationObject
are shown on the right.
8 Select an attribute from the right panel and click OK. The
selected attribute reference appears in the configuration
box.
9 Repeat for any other animation parameters. Click OK
when you are done.

Connecting Animations with Element Properties

You can connect the element animation and appearance with
a property of any element on the canvas.
You can browse the properties of all elements on the canvas
with the Galaxy Browser.
You cannot connect animations to properties of elements that
are part of an embedded symbol on the canvas. You can
connect animations to the public custom properties of
embedded symbols.

To connect animations to element property references using

the Galaxy Browser
1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Select the animation from the Animation list.
4 Select the parameter.

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5 Click the browse button. The Galaxy Browser appears.

6 Click the Element Browser tab. The Element Browser tab
appears.

7 From the Elements List, select an element. The right side

shows the properties of the selected element.
8 Select a property and click OK. The selected element and
property appears in the configuration box.

Connecting Animations with Custom Properties

You can connect the element animation and appearance with
a custom property of:
• The current symbol
• An embedded symbol on the canvas

To connect animations to element property references using

the Galaxy Browser
1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Select the animation from the Animation list.
4 Select the parameter.
5 Click the browse button. The Galaxy Browser appears.

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6 Click the Element Browser tab. The Element Browser tab

appears.

7 From the Elements List on the left, select the symbol.

The right side shows the custom properties and other
properties of the selected symbol.
8 Select a custom property and click OK. The selected
custom property appears in the configuration box.

Connecting Animations with InTouch Tags

You can connect the element animation and appearance with
an InTouch tagname. The InTouch tagname provides values
at runtime that control the animation and appearance of the
element.
This can be done by:
• Configuring a reference with the intouch:tagname syntax.
• Using a custom property and configuring the custom
property in the embedded ArchestrA Symbol in InTouch
to reference an InTouch tag. For more information, see
the InTouch HMI and ArchestrA Integration Guide.
• Configuring an ArchestrA attribute reference to the
managed InTouchViewApp object that contains the
InTouch tagnames as attributes. The InTouchViewApp
object uses the functionality of an InTouchProxy object.
• Configuring an ArchestrA attribute reference to an
InTouchProxy object that contains the InTouch tagnames
as items. This is a special case of configuring an
ArchestrA attribute reference.

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Using the InTouch:TagName Syntax

When you use the intouch:tagname syntax, the animation
connects to the InTouch tagname of the node the symbol is
used. There are some restrictions on how you can use this
syntax:
• Unlike in Application Server, you cannot use true and
false as Boolean values. Use 1 and 0 instead.
• If you want to reference to an InTouch SuperTag with
this syntax, use the following syntax instead:
attribute(“intouch:SuperTag\Member”)

Connecting Animations with InTouchViewApp

Attributes
To be able to browse for InTouch tags, you must first:
• Create a managed InTouch application by deriving an
InTouchViewApp template and configuring it in
WindowMaker.

• Derive an instance of the InTouchViewApp derived

template.

The InTouch tags are represented by attributes of the

InTouchViewApp object instance.

To connect animations to InTouch tags

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Select the animation from the Animation list.
4 Select the parameter.
5 Click the browse button. The Galaxy Browser appears.

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6 Select the InTouchViewApp object that corresponds to

the managed InTouch application. The right panel shows
the InTouch tags.

7 Select a tag and click OK. The selected ArchestrA

reference to an InTouch tag appears in the configuration
box.

Setting the Input Mode

In some boxes you can enter a value or expression that uses
static and/or references to attributes and element properties.
Boxes that support both input methods have an Input Mode
selection icon.
Select:
• Static Mode input icon to specify literal static value or
expression such as 3.141 or “Test”.

• Reference Mode input icon to specify a reference to an

attribute or element property such as: Tank_001.PV.

Note To use static string values with or without references in

Reference mode, you can enclose them with double-quotes such
as: “Description: “+Tank_001.Desc

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Managing Animations
You can easily manage animations in the Edit Animations
dialog box. You can:
• Change the way the list of animations appears.

• Switch easily between multiple animations of an element.

You can also do this for the Animation Summary in the lower
right corner of the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.

Organizing the Animation List

You can organize the list of animations alphabetically or by
category.

To organize the Animation list

‹ In the Edit Animations dialog box, click the:
• Alphabetic sort icon to sort alphabetically.

• Category icon to sort by category.

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Switching between Animations

If you configure more than one animation for an element, you
can easily switch between their configuration panels without
having to use the Animation list. This is particularly useful
when the Animation list is hidden.

To switch between animations

‹ In the Edit Animations dialog box, on the configuration
panel click the left or right arrow icon.

The configuration panel changes to the configuration

panel of the previous or next animation.

Configuring Common Types of Animations

Every animation type has its own set of configuration
parameters. This section shows you how to configure each
type of animation and what references it can use.
You can configure:

• Visualization animations such as:

• Visibility animations
• Fill style, line style or text style animations
• Blink animations
• Horizontal or vertical percent fill animations
• Horizontal or vertical location animations
• Width or height animations
• Orientation animations
• Value display animations
• Tooltip animations

• Interaction animations such as:

• Disable animation
• User input animation
• Horizontal and vertical slider animations
• Pushbutton animations
• Action script animations
• Show or hide animations

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Configuring a Visibility Animation

You can configure an element with a visibility animation.

To configure an element with a visibility animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Visibility. The visibility
animation is added to the Animation list and the Visibility
configuration panel appears.

4 In the Boolean box, type a Boolean numeric value,

attribute reference or expression.
5 Select True, 1, On if you want the element to show, when
the expression is true, otherwise select False, 0, Off.

Configuring a Fill Style Animation

You can configure an element with a:
• Boolean fill style animation.

• Truth table fill style animation.

The truth table fill style animation lets you:

• Associate expressions of any data type supported by
ArchestrA with a fill style.
• Define as many fill styles as you require and associate
each one with a condition.

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You can define the conditions by specifying an comparison

operator (=, >, >=, <, <=) and a breakpoint, which itself can
be a value, an attribute reference, or an expression.
You can add conditions, delete conditions, and also change
the order in which the conditions are processed.

Configuring a Boolean Fill Style Animation

You can configure an element with a discrete fill style
animation.

To configure an element with a Boolean fill style animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Fill Style. The fill style
animation is added to the Animation list and the Fill Style
state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Boolean button. The Boolean Fill Style
configuration panel appears.

5 In the Boolean box, type a Boolean numeric value,

attribute reference or expression.
6 Clear Color in the True, 1, On area or False, 0, Off area if
you do not want a different fill style for the true or false
condition than the default fill style.
7 In the True, 1, On area, click the color box to configure the
fill color when the expression is true. The Style Selection
dialog box appears. For more information, see Setting
Style on page 164.

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8 In the False, 0, Off area, click the color box to configure

the fill color when the expression is false. The Style
Selection dialog box appears. For more information, see
Setting Style on page 164.
9 Click OK.

To set default fill style in a Boolean fill style animation

1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Boolean Fill Style
panel.
2 In the Element Fill Style area, click the color box to select
a style from the Style Selection dialog box.

To use default fill style in a Boolean fill style animation

1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Boolean Fill Style
panel.
2 Clear Color to use the corresponding default fill style.

Configuring a Truth Table Fill Style Animation

You can configure an element with a fill style animation
based on a truth table.

To configure an element with a truth table fill style animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Fill Style. The fill style
animation is added to the Animation list and the Fill Style
state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Truth Table button. The Truth Table Fill Style
configuration panel appears.

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5 In the Expression Or Reference area:

• Select the data type of the expression from the list.
• Type a value, attribute reference or expression in the
text box.
6 If the data type of the expression is string or
internationalized string, you can specify to ignore the
case by selecting Ignore Case.
7 In the Truth Table, click the color box in the Color column.
The Style Selection dialog box appears. For more
information, see Setting Style on page 164.
8 In the Operator column, select the comparison operator.
9 In the Value or Expression column, type a value, attribute
reference, or expression.
10 To add further conditions, see To add a condition to a
truth table fill style animation on page 263.
11 Click OK.

To set the default fill style for a truth table fill style animation
1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Fill Style
panel.
2 In the Element Fill Style area, click the color box. The
Style Selection dialog box appears. For more information,
see Setting Style on page 164.

To use the default fill style in a truth table fill style animation
1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Fill Style
panel.
2 Locate the condition for which you want to set the style to
default style.
3 Clear the mark for that condition in the Color column of
the truth table. The associated style is the same as the
style for the Element Fill Style.

To add a condition to a truth table fill style animation

1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Fill Style
panel.
2 Click the Add icon. An additional condition is added to the
truth table.

3 Configure color, operator and breakpoint value according

to your requirements.

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To delete a condition from an analog fill style animation

1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Fill Style
panel.
2 Select the condition you want to delete.
3 Click the Remove icon. The condition is removed.

To change the processing order of fill style conditions

1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Fill Style
panel.
2 Select the condition you want to move up or down the
condition list in order for it to be processed sooner or
later.
3 Click the:
• Arrow up icon to move the condition up in the truth
table.
• Arrow down icon to move the condition down in the
truth table.
For example, you want to model an analog fill color
animation that describes the following conditions:
• When the attribute TankLevel_001.PV is 0 then the fill
style is solid black.

• When the attribute TankLevel_001.PV is smaller than

20, then the fill style is solid red.
• When the attribute TankLevel_001.PV is greater than
the attribute [Link] then the fill style is
red with a diagonal pattern.

• In all other cases, the fill style is solid blue.

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Configuring a Line Style Animation

You can configure an element with a:
• Boolean line style animation.
• Truth table line style animation.

The truth table line style animation lets you:

• Associate expressions of any data type supported by
ArchestrA with a line style.
• Define as many line styles as you want and associate
each one with a condition.

You can define the conditions by specifying an comparison

operator (=, >, >=, <, <=) and a breakpoint, which itself can
be a value, an attribute reference or an expression.
You can add conditions, delete conditions and also change the
order in which the conditions are processed.

Configuring a Boolean Line Style Animation

You can configure an element with a Boolean line style
animation. You can use a new style or use all or parts of the
default appearance of a line for:
• Line style.

• Line thickness.

• Line pattern.

To configure an element with a Boolean line style animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Line Style. The line style
animation is added to the Animation list and the Line
Style state selection panel appears.

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4 Click the Boolean button. The Boolean Line Style

configuration panel appears.

5 In the Boolean box, type a Boolean numeric value,

attribute reference or expression.
6 In the True, 1, On area, click the Color box to configure
the line style when the expression is true. The Style
Selection dialog box appears. For more information, see
Setting Style on page 164.
7 In the Weight box, type a value for the line thickness
when the expression is true.
8 From the Pattern list, select a line pattern for the line
when the expression is true.
9 Repeat the above steps for the false condition in the False,
0, Off area.
10 Click OK.

To set default line style, thickness and/or pattern in a Boolean

line style animation
1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Boolean Line Style
panel.
2 In the Element Line Style area, select a style, type a value
for the width and select a pattern for the default Boolean
line style.

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To use default line style, thickness and/or pattern in a Boolean

line style animation
1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Boolean Line Style
panel.
2 In the True, 1, On or False, 0, Off areas, clear Color,
Weight and/or Pattern to use the corresponding default
style, weight and/or pattern.

Configuring a Truth Table Line Style Animation

You can configure an element with a truth table line style
animation.

To configure an element with a truth table line style animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Line Style. The line style
animation is added to the Animation list and the Line
Style state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Truth Table button. The Truth Table Line Style
configuration panel appears.

5 In the Expression or Reference box:

• Select the data type of the expression from the list.
• Type a value, attribute reference or expression in the
text box.
6 If the data type of the expression is string or
internationalized string, you can specify to ignore the
case by selecting Ignore Case.

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7 In the Truth Table, click the color box in the Color column.
The Style Selection dialog box appears. For more
information, see Setting Style on page 164.
8 Select the truth options. Do one of more of the following:
• In the Weight column, type a value for the line weight.
• In the Pattern column, select a line pattern.
• In the Operator column, select the comparison
operator.
• In the Value or Expression column, type a value,
attribute reference or expression.
• To add further conditions, see To add a condition to a
truth table line style animation on page 268.
9 Click OK.

To set the default line style, width or pattern for a truth table
line style animation
1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Line Style
panel.
2 In the Element Line Style area, select a style, type a value
for the width and select a pattern for the default truth
table line style.

To use the default line style, width or pattern in a truth table

line style animation
1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Line Style
panel.
2 Locate the condition for which you want to change the
line style, width or pattern.
3 To use the default line style for the condition, clear the
mark in the Color column of the truth table.
4 To use the default line width for the condition, clear the
mark in the Width column of the truth table.
5 To use the default line pattern for the condition, clear the
mark in the Pattern column of the truth table.

To add a condition to a truth table line style animation

1 In the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Line Style
panel, click the Add icon. An additional condition is added
to the truth table.
2 Configure color, weight, pattern, operator and breakpoint
value according to your requirements.

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To delete a condition from an analog line color animation

1 In the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Line Style
panel, select the condition you want to delete.
2 Click the Remove button. The condition is removed.

To change the processing order of line style conditions

1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Line Style
panel
2 Select the condition you want to move up or down the
condition list in order for it to be processed sooner or
later.
3 Click the:
• Arrow up icon to move the condition up in the truth
table.
• Arrow down icon to move the condition down in the
truth table.

Configuring a Text Style Animation

You can configure an element with a:
• Boolean text style animation.

• Truth table text style animation.

The truth table text style animation lets you:

• Associate expressions of any data type supported by
ArchestrA with a text style.
• Define as many text styles as you want and associate
each one with a condition.

You can define the conditions by specifying an comparison

operator (=, >, >=, <, <=) and a breakpoint, which itself can
be a value, an attribute reference or an expression.
You can add conditions, delete conditions and also change the
order in which the conditions are processed.

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Configuring a Boolean Text Style Animation

You can configure an element with a Boolean text style
animation.

To configure an element with a Boolean text style animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Text Style. The text style
animation is added to the Animation list and the Text
Style state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Boolean button. The Boolean Text Style
configuration panel appears.

5 In the Boolean box, type a Boolean numeric value,

attribute reference or expression.
6 In the True, 1, On area, click the Color box to configure
the text style when the expression is true. The Style
Selection dialog box appears. For more information, see
Setting Style on page 164.
7 Click the browse button for the Font box, to select a font,
font style and size for the text when the expression is
true.
8 Repeat the above steps for the false condition in the False,
0, Off area.
9 Click OK.

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To set default text style and/or font in a Boolean text style

animation
1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Boolean Text Style
panel.
2 In the Element Text Style area, select a style and/or a font
for the default Boolean text style.

To use default text style and/or font in a Boolean text style

animation
1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Boolean Text Style
panel.
2 In the True, 1, On or False, 0, Off areas, clear Color and/or
Font to use the corresponding default style and/or font.

Configuring a Truth Table Text Style Animation

You can configure an element with a truth table text style
animation.

To configure an element with a truth table text style animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Text Style. The text style
animation is added to the Animation list. The Text Style
information page appears.
4 Click the Truth Table button. The Truth Table Text Style
configuration panel appears.

• Select the data type of the expression from the list.

• Type a value, attribute reference or expression in the
text box.

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5 If the data type of the expression is string or

internationalized string, you can specify to ignore the
case by selecting Ignore Case.
6 In the Truth Table, click the color box in the Color column.
The Style Selection dialog box appears. For more
information, see Setting Style on page 164.
7 Select the truth options. Do one of more of the following:
• Click on the cell in the Font column to select a font.
• In the Operator column, select the comparison
operator.
• In the Value or Expression column, type a value,
attribute reference or expression.
• To add further conditions, see To add a condition to a
truth table text style animation on page 272.
8 Click OK.

To set the default text style or font for a truth table text style
animation
1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Text Style
panel.
2 In the Element Text Style area, select a style and a font for
the default truth table text style.

To use the default text style or font in a truth table text style
animation
1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Text Style
panel.
2 Locate the condition for which you want to change the
text style or font.
3 To use the default text style for the condition, clear the
mark in the Color column of the truth table.
4 To use the default font for the condition, clear the mark
in the Font column of the truth table.

To add a condition to a truth table text style animation

1 In the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Text Style
panel, click the Add icon. An additional condition is added
to the truth table.
2 Configure style, font, operator and breakpoint value
according to your requirements.

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To delete a condition from a truth table text style animation

1 In the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Text Style
panel, select the condition you want to delete.
2 Click the Remove button.

To change the processing order of text style conditions

1 Open the Edit Animations dialog box, Truth Table Text Style
panel
2 Select the condition you want to move up or down the
condition list in order for it to be processed sooner or
later.
3 Click the:
• Arrow up icon to move the condition up in the truth
table.
• Arrow down icon to move the condition down in the
truth table.

Configuring a Blink Animation

You can configure an element with a blink animation. You
can specify:
• The blinking speed: slow, medium or fast.

• If the element should blink invisibly or if it should blink

with specified colors.

To configure an element with a blink animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.

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3 Click the Add icon and select Blink. The blink animation is
added to the Animation list and the Blink configuration
panel appears.

4 In the Boolean box, type a Boolean numeric value,

attribute reference or expression.
5 In the Blink When Expression Is area, select:
• True, 1, On to enable blinking when the expression is
true.
• False,0 ,Off to enable blinking when the expression is
false.
6 In the Blink Speed area, select Slow, Medium or Fast for the
blinking speed.
7 In the Blink Attributes area, select Blink Visible With These
Attributes or Blink Invisible.
8 If you select Blink Visible With These Attributes, you can
configure the styles used at run time for the text, line and
fill component of the element. Click on the corresponding
color box, and the Style Selection dialog box appears. For
more information, see Setting Style on page 164.
9 Click OK.

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Configuring a Percent Fill Horizontal Animation

You can configure an element with a percent fill horizontal
animation.
Besides specifying the expressions that determine how much
of the element is filled at run time, you can also specify:
• Fill direction: from left to right or right to left.

• Unfill color: the style of the background when the

element has 0% filling.

• Fill orientation: if the filling is in relation to the

element or to the screen. This affects how the fill appears
if the orientation of the element changes. If the fill is in
relation to the screen and the element or symbol are
rotated, the fill remains in relation to the screen.

Note The fill orientation is a common setting to the percent fill

horizontal and percent fill vertical animations.

You can also preview how the percent fill horizontal

animation appears at run time.

To configure an element with a percent fill horizontal

animation
1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.

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3 Click the Add icon and select % Fill Horizontal. The

percent fill horizontal animation is added to the
Animation list and the % Fill Horizontal configuration
panel appears.

4 Specify the settings, Do one or more of the following:

• In the Analog box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression.
• In the Value - At Min Fill box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that causes the
minimum percent of filling at run time.
• In the Value - At Max Fill box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that causes the
maximum percent of filling at run time.
• In the Fill - Min% box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression to specify the minimum
percent of filling.
• In the Fill - Max% box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression to specify the maximum
percent of filling.
• In the Colors area, click the:
Fill Color box to select a style from the Style Selection
dialog box. This is the fill style of the element.
Unfilled Color box to select a style from the Style
Selection dialog box. This is the unfilled fill style of
the element.
For more information, see Setting Style on page 164.

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5 In the Direction area, select:

• Right - to fill from left to right.
• Left - to fill from right to left.
6 In the Orientation area, select:
• Relative to Graphic - so that the filling is in relation to
the element and the filling rotates with the element.
• Relative to Screen - so that the filling is in relation to
the screen and the filling does not rotate with the
element.
7 You can preview your configuration by using the slider in
the Preview area. Drag the slider to see how different
values affect the appearance at run time.

8 Click OK.

Configuring a Percent Fill Vertical Animation

You can configure an element with a percent fill vertical
animation.
Besides specifying the expressions that determine how much
of the element is filled at run time, you can also specify:
• Fill direction: from lower to top or top to lower.

• Unfill color: the style of the background when the

element has 0% filling.

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• Fill orientation: if the filling is in relation to the

element or to the screen. This affects how the fill appears
if the orientation of the element changes. If the fill is in
relation to the screen and the element or symbol are
rotated, the fill remains in relation to the screen.

Note The fill orientation is a common setting to the percent fill

horizontal and percent fill vertical animations.

To configure an element with a percent fill vertical animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select % Fill Vertical. The percent
fill vertical animation is added to the Animation list and
the % Fill Vertical configuration panel appears.

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4 In the Analog box, type an analog value, attribute

reference or expression.
5 In the Value-At Min Fill box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that causes the
minimum percent of filling at run time.
6 In the Value-At Max Fill box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that causes the
maximum percent of filling at run time.
7 In the Fill-Min% box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression to specify the minimum percent of
filling.
8 In the Fill-Max% box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression to specify the maximum percent
of filling.
9 In the Colors area, click the:
• Fill Color box to select a style from the Style Selection
dialog box. This is the fill style of the element.
• Unfilled Color box to select a style from the Style
Selection dialog box. This is the unfilled fill style of
the element.
For more information, see Setting Style on page 164.
10 In the Direction area, select:
• Up - to fill from lower to top.
• Down - to fill from top to lower.
11 In the Orientation area, select:
• Relative to Graphic - so that the filling is in relation to
the element and the filling rotates with the element.
• Relative to Screen - so that the filling is in relation to
the screen and the filling does not rotate with the
element.
12 You can preview your configuration by using the slider in
the Preview area. Drag the slider to see how different
values affect the appearance at run time.

13 Click OK.

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Configuring a Horizontal Location Animation

You can configure an element with a horizontal location
animation.

To configure an element with a horizontal location animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Location Horizontal. The
horizontal location animation is added to the Animation
list and the Location Horizontal configuration panel
appears.

4 In the Analog box, type an analog value, attribute

reference or expression.
5 In the Value-At Left End box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
offset specified by the Movement-To Left value.
6 In the Value-At Right End box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
offset specified by the Movement-To Right value.
7 In the Movement-To Left box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression for the maximum offset
to the left.
8 In the Movement-To Right box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression for the maximum offset
to the right.
9 Click OK.

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Configuring a Vertical Location Animation

You can configure an element with a vertical location
animation.

To configure an element with a vertical location animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Location Vertical. The
vertical location animation is added to the Animation list
and the Location Vertical configuration panel appears.

4 In the Analog box, type an analog value, attribute

reference or expression.
5 In the Value - At Top box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression that corresponds to the offset
specified by the Movement - Up value.
6 In the Value - At lower box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
offset specified by the Movement - Down value.
7 In the Movement - Up box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression for the maximum offset upwards.
8 In the Movement - Down box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression for the maximum offset
downwards.
9 Click OK.

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Configuring a Width Animation

You can configure an element with a width animation. You
can also specify if the element is to be anchored to its left,
center, right side or origin.

To configure an element with a width animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Width. The width animation
is added to the Animation list and the Width
configuration panel appears.

4 In the Analog box, type an analog value, attribute

reference or expression.
5 In the Value-At Min Size box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
minimum width specified by the Width-Min% value.
6 In the Value-At Max Size box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
maximum width specified by the Width-Max% value.
7 In the Width-Min% box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression for the minimum width in percent
of the original element.
8 In the Width-Max% box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression for the maximum width in
percent of the original element.

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9 In the Anchor area, select:

• Left - to specify that the left of the element is
anchored.
• Center - to specify that the horizontal center of the
element is anchored.
• Right - to specify that the right side of the element is
anchored.
• Origin - to specify that the origin of the element is
anchored.
10 Click OK.

Configuring a Height Animation

You can configure an element with a height animation. You
can also specify if the element is to be anchored to its top
side, middle, lower side or origin.

To configure an element with a height animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Height. The height
animation is added to the Animation list and the Height
configuration panel appears.

4 In the Analog box, type an analog value, attribute

reference or expression.
5 In the Value-At Min Size box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
minimum height specified by the Height-Min% value.

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6 In the Value-At Max Size box, type an analog value,

attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
maximum height specified by the Height-Max% value.
7 In the Height-Min% box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression for the minimum height in
percent of the original element.
8 In the Height-Max% box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression for the maximum height in
percent of the original element.
9 In the Anchor area, select:
• Top - to specify that the top side of the element is
anchored.
• Middle - to specify that the vertical center of the
element is anchored.
• lower - to specify that the lower side of the element is
anchored.
• Origin - to specify that the origin of the element is
anchored.
10 Click OK.

Configuring an Orientation Animation

You can configure an element with an orientation animation.
You can also:
• Specify a different orientation origin.

• Ignore or accept the design-time orientation of the

element on the canvas.

• Preview the orientation at run time with a slider.

To configure an element with an orientation animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.

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3 Click the Add icon and select Orientation. The orientation

animation is added to the Animation list and the
Orientation configuration panel appears.

4 In the Analog box, type an analog value, attribute

reference or expression.
5 In the Value-At CCW End box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
maximum angle in degrees for the counter-clockwise
orientation as specified by the Orientation-CCW value.
6 In the Value-At CW End box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
maximum angle in degrees for the counter-clockwise
orientation as specified by the Orientation-CW value.
7 In the Orientation-CCW box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression for the maximum
orientation in counter-clockwise direction in degrees.
8 In the Orientation-CW box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression for the maximum orientation in
clockwise direction in degrees.

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9 In the Orientation Offset area, select:

• Replace Current to ignore the design-time orientation
of the element as it appears on the canvas and to use
absolute orientation.
• Use Current as Offset Orientation to orientate the
element at run time in relation to its design-time
orientation on the canvas.

10 If you use current as offset orientation, you can type an

offset value in the text box next to Use Current as Offset
Orientation. This affects the orientation of the element on
the canvas.
11 In the Current Relative Origin area, type values in the dX
and dY boxes to specify the rotation origin as offset from
the element center point. This affects the point of origin
of the element on the canvas.
12 You can preview the orientation and how run-time values
affect the appearance of the element, by dragging the
slider in the Preview area.

13 Click OK.

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Configuring a Value Display Animation

You can configure an element with a value display
animation. You can show:
• A Boolean value as a Message.

• An Analog value.

• A string value.

• A time or date value.

• The tag name, hierarchical name or contained name of

the hosting object.

Configuring a Boolean Value Display Animation

You can configure an element to show a Boolean value as a
message.

To configure an element with a Boolean value display animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Value Display. The value
display animation is added to the Animation list and the
Value Display state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Boolean button. The Boolean Value Display
configuration panel appears.

5 In the Boolean box, type a Boolean value, attribute

reference or expression.

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6 In the True Message box, type a value, attribute reference

or expression for the text display when the expression is
true.
7 In the False Message box, type a value, attribute reference
or expression for the text display when the expression is
false.
8 Click OK.

Configuring an Analog Value Display Animation

You can configure an element to show an analog value.

To configure an element with an analog value display animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Value Display. The value
display animation is added to the Animation list and the
Value Display state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Analog button. The Analog Value Display
configuration panel appears.

5 In the Analog box, type an analog value, attribute

reference or expression.
6 In the Text Format box, type a format for the value
output. If you change this value, the TextFormat
property of the element also changes. For example: PV =
#.##
7 Click OK.

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Configuring a String Value Display Animation

You can configure an element to show a string value.

To configure an element with a string value display animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Value Display. The value
display animation is added to the Animation list and the
Value Display state selection panel appears.
4 Click the String button. The String Value Display
configuration panel appears.

5 In the String box, type a string value, attribute reference

or expression.
6 Click OK.

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Configuring a Time Value Display Animation

You can configure an element to show a time value.
Use the following letters to set the time format:
h The one or two-digit hour in 12-hour format.
hh The two-digit hour in 12-hour format. Single
digit values are preceded by a zero.
H The one or two-digit hour in 24-hour format.
HH The two-digit hour in 24-hour format. Single
digit values are preceded by a zero.
t The one-letter AM/PM abbreviation ("AM"
appears as "A").
tt The two-letter AM/PM abbreviation ("AM"
appears as "AM").
m The one or two-digit minute.
mm The two-digit minute. Single digit values are
preceded by a zero.
s The one or two-digit seconds.
ss The two-digit seconds. Single digit values are
preceded by a zero.
d The one or two-digit day.
dd The two-digit day. Single digit day values are
preceded by a zero.
ddd The three-character day-of-week abbreviation.
dddd The full day-of-week name.
M The one or two-digit month number.
MM The two-digit month number. Single digit values
are preceded by a zero.
MMM The three-character month abbreviation.
MMMM The full month name.
y The one-digit year (2001 appears as "1").
yy The last two digits of the year (2001 appears as
"01").
yyyy The full year (2001 appears as "2001").

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The format for elapsed time is:

"[–][DDDDDD] [HH:MM:]SS[.fffffff]"
Use the following letters to set the elapsed time format:
DDDDDD The number of days. Valid values are 0 to
999999.
HH The two-digit hour in 24-hour format. Single
digit values are preceded by a zero. Valid
values are 00 to 23.
MM The two-digit month number. Single digit
values are preceded by a zero. Valid values are
00 to 59.
SS The two-digit seconds. Single digit values are
preceded by a zero. Valid values are 00 to 59.
fffffff Optional fractional seconds to right of decimal,
and can be one through seven digits.

Note You can use any other characters, except “g” in the
property. These characters then appear at design time and run
time in the control.

To configure an element with a time value display animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Value Display. The value
display animation is added to the Animation list and the
Value Display state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Time button. The Time Value Display
configuration panel appears.

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5 In the Time or Elapsed Time box, type a time or elapsed

time value, attribute reference or expression.
6 In the Text Format box, type a format for the value
output. If you change this value, the TextFormat
property of the element also changes.
7 Click OK.

Configuring a Name Display Animation

You can configure an element to show the tag name,
hierarchical name or contained name of the
AutomationObject that is hosting it.
For example if the AutomationObject hosting the symbol is
named Valve_001 and Valve_001 is contained in Pump_001
and has a contained name of InletValve, then configuring an
element with the value display animation with:
• Tag Name shows Valve_001 at run time

• Hierarchical Name shows Pump_001.InletValve at run

time

• Contained Name shows InletValve at run time

To configure an element with a name display animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Value Display. The value
display animation is added to the Animation list and the
Value Display state selection panel appears.

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4 Click the Name button. The Name Display configuration

panel appears.

5 Select:
• Tag Name to show the tag name of the hosting
AutomationObject.
• Hierarchical Name to show the hierarchical name of
the hosting AutomationObject.
• Contained Name to show the contained name of the
hosting AutomationObject.
6 Click OK.

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Configuring a Tooltip Animation

You can configure an element with a tooltip animation.

To configure an element with a tooltip animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Tooltip. The tooltip
animation is added to the Animation list and the Tooltip
configuration panel appears.

4 In the Expression box, type:

• A static value and make sure the Input Mode icon is
set to static.
• An attribute reference or expression and make sure
the Input Mode icon is set to attribute or reference.
5 Click OK.

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Configuring a Disable Animation

You can configure an element with a disable animation. This
lets you disable user interaction with an element depending
on a run-time value or expression.

To configure an element with a disable animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Disable. The disable
animation is added to the Animation list and the Disable
configuration panel appears.

4 In the Boolean box, type a Boolean numeric value,

attribute reference or expression.
5 In the Disabled When Expression is area, select:
• True,1, On in which case the element is disabled at
run time whenever the expression is true, and
enabled whenever the expression is false.
• False, 0, Off in which case the element is disabled at
run time whenever the expression is false, and
enabled whenever the expression is true.
6 Click OK.

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Configuring a User Input Animation

You can configure an element with a user input animation
for the following data types:
• Boolean

• Analog (integer, float, double)

• String

• Time

• Elapsed time

Configuring a User Input Animation for a Discrete

Value
You can configure an element with a user input animation
for a Boolean value.

To configure an element with a user input animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select User Input. The user input
animation is added to the Animation list and the User
Input state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Boolean button. The Boolean Value User Input
configuration panel appears.

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5 Specify the options. Do one or more of the following:

• In the Boolean box, type an attribute reference or
browse for one by using the browse button.
• In the Message to User box, type a value, attribute
reference or expression. This is the text that appears
as prompt on the Boolean value input dialog box at
run time.
• In the Prompt - True Message box, type a value,
attribute reference or expression. This is the text that
appears on the button that causes the attribute to be
set to true.
• In the Prompt - False Message box, type a value,
attribute reference or expression. This is the text that
appears on the button that causes the attribute to be
set to false.
• Specify that the input dialog box appears by pressing
a key or key combination. In the Shortcut area. Select
a shortcut key in the Key list. Select Ctrl and/or Shift
to combine the shortcut key with the Ctrl key and/or
Shift key.
• If you don’t want the discrete value display element
to show the True Message and False Message, select
Input Only.
• In the Display Value - True Message box, type a value,
attribute reference or expression. This is the text that
appears on the canvas when the associated attribute
is true.
• In the Display Value - False Message box, type a value,
attribute reference or expression. This is the text that
appears on the canvas when the associated attribute
is false.
• Make sure that the input modes of all boxes are set
correctly. Click the Input Mode icon to set a static
value or an attribute reference or expression.
6 Click OK.

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Configuring a User Input Animation for an Analog

Value
You can configure an element with a user input animation
for an analog value.

To configure an element with a user input animation for an

analog value
1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select User Input. The user input
animation is added to the Animation list and the User
Input state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Analog button. The Analog Value User Input
configuration panel appears.

5 In the Analog box, type an attribute reference or browse

for one by using the browse button.
6 In the Message to User box, type a value, attribute
reference or expression. This is the text that appears as
prompt on the analog value input dialog box at run time.
7 Make sure that the input mode of the Message to User box
is set correctly. Click the Input Mode icon to set a static
value or an attribute reference or expression.

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8 If you want to restrict the range of input values, you can

do so in the Value Limits area by:
• First selecting Restrict Values.
• The Typing values, attribute references or
expressions for the Minimum and Maximum boxes.
9 Specify that the Input dialog box appears by pressing a
key or key combination. In the Shortcut area. Select a
shortcut key in the Key list. Select Ctrl and/or Shift to
combine the shortcut key with the Ctrl key and/or Shift
key.
10 If you don’t want the analog value display element to
show the analog input result on the canvas, select Input
Only.
11 To use the keypad to type the analog value, select Use
Keypad.
12 If you want to format your text during input, type a valid
text format in the Text Format box. For example: PV =
#.##
13 Click OK.

Configuring a User Input Animation for a String Value

You can configure an element with a user input animation
for a string value.

To configure an element with a user input animation for a

string value
1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select User Input. The user input
animation is added to the Animation list and the User
Input state selection panel appears.

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4 Click the String button. The String Value User Input

configuration panel appears.

5 In the String box, type an attribute reference or browse

for one by using the browse button.
6 In the Message to User box, type a value, attribute
reference or expression. This is the text that appears as
prompt on the string value input dialog box at run time.
7 Make sure that the input mode of the Message to User box
is set correctly. Click the Input Mode icon to set a static
value or an attribute reference or expression.
8 You can specify that the Input dialog box appears by
pressing a key or key combination. In the Shortcut area.
Select a shortcut key in the Key list. Select Ctrl and/or
Shift to combine the shortcut key with the Ctrl key and/or
Shift key.
9 If you don’t want the string value display element to
show the string input result on the canvas, select Input
Only.
10 If you want to use the keypad to type the string value,
select Use Keypad.
11 If you select Input Only and want to see placeholders
during the input at run time, select Echo Characters.
12 If you are configuring a password input:
• Select Password.
• Type in the replacement character in the adjacent
box.
• Select Encrypt if you want to encrypt the string that
holds the password.
13 Click OK.

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Configuring a User Input Animation for a Time Value

You can configure an element with a user input animation
for a time value.

To configure an element with a user input animation for a time

value
1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select User Input. The user input
animation is added to the Animation list and the User
Input state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Time button. The Time Value User Input
configuration panel appears.

5 In the Time box, type an attribute reference or browse for

one by using the browse button.
6 In the Message to User box, type a value, attribute
reference or expression. This is the text that appears as
prompt on the time value input dialog box at run time.
7 Make sure that the input mode of the Message to User box
is set correctly. Click the Input Mode icon to set a static
value or an attribute reference or expression.
8 Specify that the Input dialog box appears by pressing a
key or key combination. In the Shortcut area. Select a
shortcut key in the Key list. Select Ctrl and/or Shift to
combine the shortcut key with the Ctrl key and/or Shift
key.
9 If you don’t want the time value display element to show
the time input result on the canvas, select Input Only.

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10 To use the current date and time as default, select Use

Current Date/Time as Default.
11 Select:
• Use Input Dialog to use the Time User Input dialog box
at run time to type date and time values in individual
boxes.
• Use Calendar to use the Time User Input dialog box at
run time to type a date with the calendar control.
12 If you select Use Input Dialog to type the time value, you
can select:
• Date and Time to type date and time.
• Date to only type a date.
• Time to only type a time.
Select Show Seconds if you also want to input seconds.
13 If you want to format your text after input, type a valid
text format in the Text Format box. Use the following
letters to set the time format:
h The one or two-digit hour in 12-hour format.
hh The two-digit hour in 12-hour format. Single
digit values are preceded by a zero.
H The one or two-digit hour in 24-hour format.
HH The two-digit hour in 24-hour format. Single
digit values are preceded by a zero.
t The one-letter AM/PM abbreviation ("AM"
appears as "A").
tt The two-letter AM/PM abbreviation ("AM"
appears as "AM").
m The one or two-digit minute.
mm The two-digit minute. Single digit values are
preceded by a zero.
s The one or two-digit seconds.
ss The two-digit seconds. Single digit values are
preceded by a zero.
d The one or two-digit day.
dd The two-digit day. Single digit day values are
preceded by a zero.
ddd The three-character day-of-week abbreviation.
dddd The full day-of-week name.
M The one or two-digit month number.
MM The two-digit month number. Single digit
values are preceded by a zero.
MMM The three-character month abbreviation.

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MMMM The full month name.

y The one-digit year (2001 appears as "1").
yy The last two digits of the year (2001 appears
as "01").
yyyy The full year (2001 appears as "2001").

Note You can use any other characters, except “g” in the
property. These characters then appear at design time and run
time in the control.

14 Click OK.

Configuring a User Input Animation for an Elapsed

Time Value
You can configure an element with a user input animation
for an elapsed time value.

To configure an element with a user input animation for an

elapsed time value
1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select User Input. The user input
animation is added to the Animation list and the User
Input state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Elapsed Time button. The Elapsed Time Value
User Input configuration panel appears.

5 In the Elapsed Time box, type an attribute reference or

browse for one by using the browse button.

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6 In the Message to User box, type a value, attribute

reference or expression. This is the text that appears as
prompt on the elapsed time value input dialog box at run
time.
7 Make sure that the input mode of the Message to User box
is set correctly. Click the Input Mode icon to set a static
value or an attribute reference or expression.
8 Specify that the Input dialog box appears by pressing a
key or key combination. In the Shortcut area. Select a
shortcut key in the Key list. Select Ctrl and/or Shift to
combine the shortcut key with the Ctrl key and/or Shift
key.
9 If you don’t want the elapsed time value display element
to show the time elapsed input result on the canvas,
select Input Only.
10 Select Use Dialog to use the Elapsed Time User Input dialog
box to type the elapsed time value at run time.
11 If you select Use Dialog to type the elapsed time value, you
can optionally select:
• Show Days if you also want to input days.
• Show Milliseconds if you also want to input
milliseconds.
12 Click OK.

Configuring a Horizontal Slider Animation

You can configure an element with a horizontal slider
animation. This lets you drag an element at run time in
horizontal direction and write a corresponding value back to
an attribute.

To configure an element with a horizontal slider animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.

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3 Click the Add icon and select Slider Horizontal. The

horizontal slider animation is added to the Animation list
and the Slider Horizontal configuration panel appears.

4 In the Analog box, type an attribute reference or browse

for one by using the browse button.
5 In the Value - Left Position box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
offset specified by the Movement - To Left value.
6 In the Value - Right Position box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
offset specified by the Movement - To Right value.
7 In the Movement - To Left box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression for the maximum offset
to the left in pixels.
8 In the Movement - To Right box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression for the maximum offset
to the right in pixels.
9 You can select where the cursor is anchored to the
element when it is dragged at run time. In the Cursor
Anchor area, select:
• Left to anchor the element at its left.
• Center to anchor the element at its center point.
• Right to anchor the element at its right side.
• Origin to anchor the element at its point of origin.
10 You can select if position data from the slider is written
continuously to the attribute, or only one time when the
mouse button is released. In the Write Data area, select
Continuously or On mouse release.

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11 If you want a tooltip to appear on the element showing

the current value during dragging, select Show Tooltip.
12 Preview the movement as it appears in run time by
dragging the slider in the Preview area.

13 Click OK.

Configuring a Vertical Slider Animation

You can configure an element with a vertical slider
animation.

To configure an element with a vertical slider animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Slider Vertical. The vertical
slider animation is added to the Animation list and the
Slider Vertical configuration panel appears.

4 In the Analog box, type an attribute reference or browse

for one by using the browse button.
5 In the Value - Top Position box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
offset specified by the Movement - Up value.

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6 In the Value - lower Position box, type an analog value,

attribute reference or expression that corresponds to the
offset specified by the Movement - Down value.
7 In the Movement - Up box, type an analog value, attribute
reference or expression for the maximum offset upwards
in pixels.
8 In the Movement - Down box, type an analog value,
attribute reference or expression for the maximum offset
downwards in pixels.
9 You can select where the cursor is anchored to the
element when it is dragged at run time. In the Cursor
Anchor area, select:
• Top to anchor the element at its top side.
• Middle to anchor the element at its middle point.
• lower to anchor the element at its lower side.
• Origin to anchor the element at its point of origin.
10 You can select if position data from the slider is written
continuously to the attribute, or only one time when the
mouse button is released. In the Write Data area, select
Continuously or On mouse release.
11 If you want a tooltip to appear on the element showing
the current value during dragging, select Show Tooltip.
12 Preview the movement as it appears in run time by
dragging the slider in the Preview area.

13 Click OK.

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Configuring a Pushbutton Animation

You can configure an element with a pushbutton animation
to change Boolean, analog or string references.

Configuring a Pushbutton Animation for a Boolean

Value
You can configure an element with a pushbutton to change a
Boolean value.

To configure an element with a pushbutton animation to

change a Boolean value
1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Pushbutton. The pushbutton
animation is added to the Animation list and the
Pushbutton state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Boolean button. The Boolean Pushbutton
configuration panel appears.

5 In the Boolean box, type a Boolean attribute reference or

browse for one by using the browse button.

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6 In the Action list, select:

• Direct so the value becomes true when the element is
clicked and the mouse button held. The value returns
to false when the mouse button is released.
• Reverse so the value becomes false when the element
is clicked and the mouse button held. The value
returns to true when the mouse button is released.
• Toggle so the value becomes true if it is false and false
if it is true when the element is clicked.
• Set so the value is set to true when the element is
clicked.
• Reset so the value is set to false when the element is
clicked.
7 If you select Toggle, Set or Reset as action, you can
configure the action to be performed when the mouse
button is released instead of pressed down. To do this,
select On button release.
8 If you select Direct, Reverse, Reset or Set as action, you
can configure the value to be written:
• Continuously by selecting Continuously while button is
pressed. Also specify the frequency the value is to be
sent, by typing a value in the Delay between value
send box.
• One time by clearing Continuously while button is
pressed.
9 Specify that the pushbutton action is executed by
pressing a key or key combination. In the Shortcut area.
Select a shortcut key in the Key list. Select Ctrl and/or
Shift to combine the shortcut key with the Ctrl key and/or
Shift key.
10 Preview the pushbutton run-time behavior by clicking
Button in the Preview area.

11 Click OK.

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Configuring a PushButton Animation for an Analog

Value
You can configure an element with a pushbutton to set an
analog value.

To configure an element with a pushbutton animation to set an

analog value
1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Pushbutton. The pushbutton
animation is added to the Animation list and the
Pushbutton state selection panel appears.
4 Click the Analog button. The Analog Pushbutton
configuration panel appears.

5 In the Analog box, type an attribute reference or browse

for one by using the browse button.
6 From the Action list, select:
• Direct so the value becomes Value1 when the element
is clicked and the mouse button held. The value
returns to Value2 when the mouse button is released.
• Toggle so the value becomes Value1 if it is Value2 and
Value2 if it is Value1 when the element is clicked.
• Set so the value is set to Value1 when the element is
clicked
• Increment so the value is increased by Value1.
• Decrement so the value is decreased by Value1.
• Multiply so the value is multiplied with Value1.
• Divide so the value is divided by Value1.

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7 In the boxes Value1 and, if applicable, Value2, type analog

values, attribute references or references.
8 You can configure the value to be written when the
mouse button is released instead. Select On button
release. This does not apply if you select Direct as action.
9 You can configure the value to be written:
• Continuously by selecting the Continuously while
button is pressed. Also specify the frequency the value
is to be sent, by typing a value in the Delay between
value send box.
• One time by clearing the Continuously while button is
pressed.
This does not apply if you select Toggle as action.
10 Specify that the pushbutton action is executed by
pressing a key or key combination. In the Shortcut area.
Select a shortcut key in the Key list. Select Ctrl and/or
Shift to combine the shortcut key with the Ctrl key and/or
Shift key.
11 Preview the pushbutton run-time behavior by clicking
Button in the Preview area. Click the button multiple
times to preview the value changes over a period of time.

12 Click OK.

Configuring a PushButton Animation for a String

Value
You can configure an element with a pushbutton to set a
string value.

To configure an element with a pushbutton animation to set a

string value
1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Pushbutton. The pushbutton
animation is added to the Animation list and the
Pushbutton state selection panel appears.

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4 Click the Analog button. The String Pushbutton

configuration panel appears.

5 In the String box, type an attribute reference or browse

for one by using the browse button.
6 From the Action list, select:
• Direct so the value becomes Value1 when the element
is clicked and the mouse button held. The value
returns to Value2 when the mouse button is released.
• Toggle so the value becomes Value1 if it is Value2 and
Value2 if it is Value1 when the element is clicked
• Set so the value is set to Value1 when the element is
clicked.
7 In the boxes Value1 and, if applicable, Value2, type string
values, attribute references or references.
8 Make sure that the input modes of the Value1 and Value2
boxes are set correctly. Click the Input mode icons to set a
static values or an attribute references or expressions.
9 You can configure the value to be written when the
mouse button is released instead. Select On button
release. This does not apply if you select Direct as action.
10 You can configure the value to be written:
• Continuously by selecting the Continuously while
button is pressed. Also specify the frequency the value
is to be sent, by typing a value in the Delay between
value send box.
• One time by clearing the Continuously while button is
pressed.
This does not apply if you select Toggle as action.

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11 Specify that the pushbutton action is executed by

pressing a key or key combination. In the Shortcut area.
Select a shortcut key in the Key list. Select Ctrl and/or
Shift to combine the shortcut key with the Ctrl key and/or
Shift key.
12 Preview the pushbutton run-time behavior by clicking
Button in the Preview area.

13 Click OK.

Configuring an Action Script Animation

You can configure an element with an action script
animation.
You can assign multiple action scripts to one element that
are activated in different ways such as:

To activate the action script when

Use this... the...

On Primary primary mouse button or a specific

Click/Key Down key is pressed.
While Primary primary mouse button or a specific
Click/Key Down key is pressed and held.
On Primary primary mouse button or a specific
Click/Key Up key is released
On Primary Double primary mouse button is
Click double-clicked.
On Secondary Down secondary mouse button is pressed.
While Secondary secondary mouse button is pressed
Down and held.
On Secondary Up secondary mouse button is released.
On Secondary secondary mouse button is
Double Click double-clicked.
On Center Down center mouse button is pressed.
While Center Down center mouse button is pressed and
held.
On Center Up center mouse button is released.

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To activate the action script when

Use this... the...

On Center Double center mouse button is

Click double-clicked.
On Mouse Over pointer is moved over the element.
On Mouse Leave pointer is moved out of the element.
On Startup element is first shown in
WindowViewer.
While Mouse Over pointer is over the element.

Note To expand the available space for your script you can use
the Expansion buttons to hide the script header and/or the
Animation list.

To configure an element with an action script animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Action Scripts. The action
scripts animation is added to the Animation list and the
Action Scripts configuration panel appears.

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4 From the Trigger type list, select the trigger that activates
the action script at run time.
5 If you select a trigger type that starts with “While”, type
how frequently the action script is executed at run time
in the Every box.
6 If you select the trigger types On Mouse Over or On Mouse
Leave, the Every box label shows After instead. Type a
value in the After box. This value specifies after what
delay the action script is executed at run time.
7 Specify a trigger type that involves pressing a key is run
by typing a key or key combination. In the Shortcut area.
Select a shortcut key in the Key list. Select Ctrl and/or
Shift to combine the shortcut key with the Ctrl key and/or
Shift key.
8 Create your script in the action script window.
9 Click OK.

Note For more information about scripts, see Adding and

Maintaining Symbol Scripts on page 351.

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Configuring a Show Symbol Animation

You can configure an element with a show symbol animation.
A Show symbol animation shows a specified symbol in a new
dialog box, when the element is clicked on.
You can configure:
• Which symbol appears in the new window.

• If the window has a title bar, and if so if it has a caption.

• If the window is modal or modeless.

• If the window has a close button.

• If the window can be resized.

• The initial window position.

• The size of the window.

You can configure the position to be in relation of the:

• Desktop, such as at edges, corners, or at center.

Top Left Corner Top of Desktop Top Right Corner

of Desktop of Desktop

Desktop

Left Side of Right Side of

Center Desktop
Desktop Desktop

Bottom Left Corner Bottom Right

of Desktop Bottom of Desktop Corner of Desktop

Positioning Related to Desktop Edges and Center

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• Window, such as at one of its edges, its corners, its center

or above, below, to the left or right. The window area
includes the title bar if it appears.

Above

Top Left Corner Top of Window Top Right Corner

of Window of Window

Window

Left of Left Side of Right Side of Right of

Center Window
Window Window Window Window

Bottom Left Corner Bottom Right

of Window Bottom of Window Corner of Window

Application Below

Positioning Related to Window

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• Client Area. In InTouch client area is the active drawing

area of an InTouch window excluding the title bar.

Above

Top Left Corner Top of Client Area Top Right Corner

of Client Area of Client Area

Client Area

Left of Left Side of Center Client Right Side of Right of

Client Area Client Area Area Client Area Client Area

Bottom Left Corner Bottom Right Corner

of Client Area Bottom of Client Area of Client Area

Application Below

Positioning Related to Client Area

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• Source Symbol, in which case the show symbol window is

positioned in relation to the entire source symbol that
contains the element that called the window.

Top of Parent
Symbol Above Top Right Corner
Top Left Corner of Parent Symbol
of Parent
Symbol

Right Side of
Parent Symbol

Left of
Parent Symbol
Right of
Parent
Symbol
Left Side of
Parent Symbol

Bottom Left Corner

of Parent Symbol Bottom Right Corner
Center Parent Below of Parent Symbol
Symbol Bottom of Parent
Parent Symbol Symbol

Positioning Related to Parent Symbol

• Parent Element, in which case the show symbol window

is positioned in relation just to the element that called
the show symbol window.

Parent Element

Parent Symbol

Positioning Related to Parent Element

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• Mouse, in which case the show symbol window is

positioned in relation to the pointer coordinates.

Bottom Right Bottom Left

Mouse Position Mouse Position

Top Right Top Left Mouse

Mouse Position Position

Center Mouse
Position

Selected Positionings Related to Mouse Pointer

• Desktop coordinates. The symbol is placed in the vicinity

of cooordinates that relate to the desktop.

Desktop

Vicinity in which the symbol

is shown (depending on the
Position setting)

X, Y Positioning Related to Desktop

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• Window coordinates. The symbol is placed in the vicinity

of cooordinates that relate to the window, including the
title bar if shown.

Desktop

0 X

0
Vicinity in which
the symbol is
Window shown (depending
on the Position
setting)
Y

X, Y Positioning Related to Window

• Client Area coordinates. The symbol is placed in the
vicinity of cooordinates that relate to the client area.

Desktop
0 X

0
Vicinity in which
the symbol is
shown (depending
on the Position
setting)
Y

Client Area

X, Y Positioning Related to Client Area

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To configure an element with a show symbol animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Show Symbol. The Show
Symbol animation is added to the Animation list.

4 Configure the symbol. Do one or more of the following:

a In the Reference box, type a symbol name or browse
for one by using the browse button.
b To add a title bar to the symbol, select Has Title Bar.
c To use the symbol name as window title, select Use
Symbol Name for Window Title.
d Select the window type, Modal or Modeless.
e To add a Close button, select Has Close Button.
f To add resize controls, select Resizable.

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5 Select where you want the window to appear by selecting

a position in the Position lists. The first list contains
positions that are in relation to the item of the second
list. Select one of the following:
• Center • Above
• Top Left Corner • Top
• Top Right Corner • Left of
• Left • Right Side
• Right of • Lower Left Corner
• Lower • Lower Right Corner
• Below

From the second list, select the item the position is

referring to:
• Desktop relative to the entire desktop.
• Window relative to the window.
• Client Area relative to the client area.
• Parent Symbol relative to the entire symbol that
calls it.
• Parent Element relative to the element or element
group that calls it.
• Mouse relative to the pointer.
• Desktop X,Y relative to a specified coordinate
on the desktop.
• Window X,Y relative to a specified coordinate of
the window.
• Client Area X,Y relative to a specified coordinate of
the client area.
6 If you select Desktop X,Y or Window X,Y or Client Area X,Y
as position, type the new coordinates in the X and Y value
boxes.
7 Select how large you want the window to be in the Size
list. You can select:
• Relative to Symbol to make the window size the same
as the size of the symbol.
• Custom Width and Height to specify a width and
height.

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Depending on your selection of the item the symbol is

referring to, you can select:
• Relative to Desktop to adjust the window size relative
to the size of the desktop.
• Relative to Window to adjust the window size relative
to window that contains the symbol that calls it.
• Relative to Client Area to adjust the window size
relative to the client area.
• Relative to Parent Symbol to adjust the window size
relative to the size of the symbol that calls it.
• Relative to Parent Element to adjust the window size
relative to the size of the element that calls it.
8 Continue specifying position information.
a If you select Relative... as size, enter a scaling
percentage in the Scale Symbol box.
b If you select Custom Width and Height as size, type the
new width and height in the W and H boxes.
c If you select Desktop, Window, Client Area, Parent
Symbol or Parent Element as referred item, you can
configure the object to be stretched horizontally or
vertically. Do one or both of the following:
Select Stretch symbol to fit ... width and enter a
height in the H box.
Select Stretch symbol to fit ... height and enter a
width in the W box.
9 You can specify that the symbol window appears by
pressing a key or key combination. In the Shortcut area:
a Select a shortcut key in the Key list.
b Select Ctrl and/or Shift to combine the shortcut key
with the Ctrl key and/or Shift key.
10 Click OK.

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Configuring a Hide Symbol Animation

You can configure an element with a hide symbol animation.
The hide symbol animation lets you close:
• The current symbol

• A symbol that is shown by a specified element.

To configure an element with a hide symbol animation

1 Select the element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Add icon and select Hide Symbol. The hide
symbol animation is added to the Animation list and the
Symbol Hide configuration panel appears.

4 Select:
• Current Symbol if you want to close the currently
shown symbol.
• Symbol shown by an element if you want to close a
symbol that appears by that element. Type the
element name in the adjacent box.
5 You can specify that the symbol window closes by
pressing a key or key combination. In the Shortcut area:
a Select a shortcut key in the Key list.
b Select Ctrl and/or Shift to combine the shortcut key
with the Ctrl key and/or Shift key.
6 Click OK.

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Configuring Element-Specific Animations

Some elements have their own unique animation type that
can only be used for that element type. You cannot remove
their unique animation, but depending on the element you
can add and remove other common animations.
The elements with specific animations are:
• Status element

• Windows common controls

Configuring Animation for a Status Element

You can configure the Status element with a DataStatus
animation to indicate quality and status from:
• ArchestrA attributes used in elements with animation.

• ArchestrA attributes directly.

The appearance of the Status element depends on the

settings in the Configure Quality and Status Display dialog box.
For more information, see Configuring Animation for a
Status Element on page 326.
The DataStatus animation is only used by the Status
element and cannot be removed from the Status element.

To configure a DataStatus animation

1 Select the Status element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears, showing the DataStatus
configuration panel.

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3 In the Available Graphic Elements list, select all elements

for which you want to monitor their attribute quality and
status.
4 Click the >> button to add them to the Selected Graphic
Elements list.
5 Click the Expression tab. The Expression panel appears.

6 In the Value or Expression list, type a value or expression

that can be a literal, or a reference or element property.

Tip You can also browse for the reference by clicking the browse
button.

7 To add more values or expressions, click the Add button.

An additional row is added for data input.
8 Click OK.

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Restrictions of the Status Element

The Status element must be in the same hierarchical level as
the animated elements with the attributes you want to
monitor.
If you move elements out of their hierarchical level after you
associate them with a Status element, for example, by
grouping them, their attributes are no longer monitored.

To avoid this problem, move a new Status element in the

hierarchical level you want to monitor, or associate it directly
with the attributes you want to monitor.

Configuring a Radio Button Group Animation

The Radio Button Group animation is only used by the Radio
Button Group element.
You can create a:
• Static radio button group - uses static captions and
values that you define in the configuration panel.

• Array radio button group - uses captions and values

contained in an AutomationObject array.

• Enum radio button group - uses captions and values

contained in an enum data type of an AutomationObject.

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Configuring a Static Radio Button Group Animation

You can configure a radio button group with static values
and captions.

To configure a static radio button group animation

1 Select the radio button group element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears and the Static Radio Button
Group configuration panel appears on the right side.

3 In the Reference box, type an attribute reference that is

to be tied to the selected value at run time.
You can select when to submit the value changes. For
more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.
4 In the Static Values and Captions list, configure the
captions of the radio button group and also the values
that correspond to them to:
• Add an option - click the Add icon.
• Delete an option - select it in the list and click the
Remove icon.
• Move an option up the list - select it in the list and
click the Arrow up icon.
• Move an option down the list - select it in the list and
click the Arrow down icon.
5 To use the values themselves as captions, select Use
Values as Captions.
6 Orientate the radio button group in vertical or horizontal
direction. Select Vertical or Horizontal.
7 Click OK.

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Configuring an Array Radio Button Group Animation

You can configure a radio button group with values from an
array and captions.

To configure an array radio button group animation

1 Select the radio button group element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Array button. The Array Radio Button Group
configuration panel appears on the right side.

4 In the Reference box, type an attribute reference that is

to be tied to the selected value at run time.
You can select when to submit the value changes. For
more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.
5 In the Array Reference box, type or browse for an array
attribute. The Array Values and Captions list shows the
values from the array reference.
6 To define your own captions, clear Use Values as Captions
and type them in the list.
7 To format the value before it appears as a caption, type a
text format string in the Format box, for example #.###.
Preceding zeroes are ignored if the array data type is
numeric.

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8 Set Items Sorting to:

• None to show the items in the order they are in the
array attribute.
• Ascending to show the items sorted in ascending
order.
• Descending to show the items sorted in descending
order.
9 Orientate the radio button group in vertical or horizontal
direction. Select Vertical or Horizontal.
10 Click OK.
For example, you want to create a Radio Button Group in
your symbol with the following options. The values to be
written to the target attribute are contained in the
user-defined attribute array called Options of an
AutomationObject called UD.

Option Value to be written

Open 1
Close 2
Hold 3
Report Error 4
Unknown 99

The user-defined attribute array Options of the UD object can

appear as follows:

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You can configure the array reference of the Radio Button

Group as follows:

The Radio Button Group element appears as follows:

Configuring an Enum Radio Button Group Animation

You can configure a radio button group with values from an
enum attribute and captions.

To configure an enum radio button group animation

1 Select the radio button group element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Enum button. The Enum Radio Button Group
configuration panel appears on the right side.

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4 In the Enum Reference box, type an enum attribute

reference. The Enum Values and Captions list shows the
values from the enum reference.
You can select when to submit the value changes. For
more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.
5 To define your own captions, clear Use Values as Captions
and type them in the list.
6 Set Items Sorting to:
• None to show the items in the order they are in the
enum attribute.
• Ascending to show the items sorted in ascending
order.
• Descending to show the items sorted in descending
order.
7 Orientate the radio button group in vertical or horizontal
direction. Select Vertical or Horizontal.
8 Click OK.

Configuring a Check Box Animation

The Check Box animation is only used by the Check Box
element.

To configure a Check Box animation

1 Select the Check Box element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears and the Check Box
configuration panel appears on the right side.

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3 In the Checked value - Boolean box, type an attribute

reference. The attribute reference is tied to the selected
state of the check box control at run time.
You can select when to submit the value changes. For
more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.
4 To set the caption of the check box at run-time, select
Override caption at Runtime with the following expression
and type a string value or attribute reference or
expression in the String Expression box.
5 Click OK.

Configuring an Edit Box Animation

The Edit Box animation is only used by the Edit Box
element. You cannot remove this animation from the Edit
Box element, but you can add certain common animations.
You can also use Edit Box-specific methods in scripting to get
and set the text at run time. You can browse these methods
in the Galaxy Browser with the Edit Box selected. For more
information on these methods, see Configuring Edit Box
Methods on page 362.

To configure an Edit Box animation

1 Select the Edit Box element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears and the Edit Box
configuration panel appears on the right side.

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3 In the String Reference box, type an string attribute

reference. The string attribute reference is tied to the text
in the edit box at run time.
You can select when to submit the value changes. For
more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.

Tip Use the On Trigger Condition option to set when the Edit Box
element writes the run-time value to the reference. This avoids a
conflict between the run-time value of the Edit Box and run-time
value of the reference.

4 In the Configuration area, select:

• Multiline to wrap the text into multiple lines in the
edit box.
• Read-Only to use the edit box to only show text and
not allow text input.
• Maximum Length to limit the maximum numbers of
characters you can type in the edit box control. You
can specify the maximum number in the Characters
box.
Enter a default text in the Text box.

Configuring a Combo Box Animation

The Combo Box animation is only used by the Combo Box
element.
You can create a:
• Static combo box - uses static captions and values that
you define in the configuration panel.
• Array combo box - uses captions and values contained in
an AutomationObject array.

• Enum combo box - uses captions and values contained in

an enum data type of an AutomationObject.

You can also use Combo Box-specific methods in scripting to

perform various functions at run time. You can browse these
methods in the Galaxy Browser with the Combo Box selected.
For more information on these methods, see Configuring
Combo Box and List Box Methods on page 363.

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Configuring a Static Combo Box Animation

You can configure a combo box with static values and
captions.

To configure a static combo box animation

1 Select the combo box element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears and the Static Combo Box
configuration panel appears on the right side.

3 In the Reference box, type an attribute reference that is

to be tied to the selected value at run time.
You can select when to submit the value changes. For
more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.
4 In the Static Values and Captions list, configure the
captions of the combo box and also the values that
correspond to them:
• Add an option - click the Add icon.
• Delete an option - select it in the list and click the
Remove icon.
• Move an option up the list - select it in the list and
click the Arrow up icon.
• Move an option down the list - select it in the list and
click the Arrow down icon.

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5 Specify how you want to use captions. Do one of more of

the following:
• To use the values themselves as captions, select Use
Values as Captions.
• To alphabetically sort the captions, select Sorted.
• To allow duplicate captions, select Allow Duplicates.

Note If you clear Allow Duplicates and click OK, all duplicate
captions are removed from combo box on the canvas. The
captions are case-insensitive, so that for example “item1” is
considered a duplicate of “Item1”. The removal of the duplicate
items is reflected when you re-open the Edit Animations dialog
box.

6 Select the type of combo box from the Type list. Select:
• Simple - at run time you can type a value, or select one
by using arrow up and arrow down buttons. However,
you cannot see the list of values.
• DropDown - at run time you can type a value, or select
one from the list.
• DropDownList - at run time you can only select a value
from the list, but not type one.
7 Click OK.

Configuring an Array Combo Box Animation

You can configure a combo box with values from an array and
captions.

To configure an array combo box animation

1 Select the combo box element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.

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3 Click the Array button. The Array Combo Box

configuration panel appears on the right side.

4 In the Reference box, type an attribute reference that is

to be tied to the selected value at run time. The Array
Values and Captions list shows the values from the array
reference.
You can select when to submit the value changes. For
more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.
5 To define your own captions, clear Use Values as Captions
and type them in the list.
6 If you want to format the value before it appears as a
caption, type a text format string in the Format box, for
example #.###. Preceding zeroes are ignored if the array
data type is numeric.
7 Set Items Sorting to:
• None to show the items in the order they are in the
array attribute.
• Ascending to show the items sorted in ascending
order.
• Descending to show the items sorted in descending
order.
8 Click OK.

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Configuring an Enum Combo Box Animation

You can configure a combo box with values from an enum
attribute and captions.

To configure an enum combo box animation

1 Select the combo box element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Enum button. The Enum Combo Box
configuration panel appears on the right side.

4 In the Enum Reference box, type an enum attribute

reference. The Enum Values and Captions list shows the
values from the enum reference.
You can select when to submit the value changes. For
more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.
5 To define your own captions, clear Use Values as Captions
and type them in the list.
6 Set Items Sorting to:
• None to show the items in the order they are in the
enum attribute.
• Ascending to show the items sorted in ascending
order.
• Descending to show the items sorted in descending
order.
7 Click OK.

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Configuring a Calendar Control Animation

The Calendar Control animation is only used by the
Calendar Control element. The Calendar Control date format
depends on the regional settings of the operating system.

To configure a Calendar control animation

1 Select the Calendar control element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears and the Calendar
configuration panel appears on the right side.

3 In the Date Reference box, type a Time attribute

reference that is to be tied to the selected value at run
time.
You can select when to submit the value changes. For
more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.
4 To restrict the date the user can select at run time,
specify limits as follows:
• In the MinDate box, type a lower limit for the date.
• In the MaxDate box, type an upper limit for date.
5 To show some dates as bold, in the Bolded Dates box, type
a reference that points to an attribute array with time
data type.
6 To show today’s date on the calendar control, select Show
Today.

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7 To change the colors of the calendar control, click in the

Calendar Colors area the following color boxes:
• Month Background
• Month Trailing Forecolor
• Title Background
• Title Foreground
The Style Selection dialog box appears and you can select
a solid color.
8 Click OK.

Configuring a DateTime Picker Animation

The DateTime Picker animation is only used by the
DateTime Picker element.

To configure a DateTime Picker animation

1 Select the DateTime Picker control element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears and the DateTime Picker
configuration panel appears.

3 In the Time Reference box, type a Time attribute

reference that is to be tied to the selected value at run
time.
You can select when to submit the value changes. For
more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.

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4 To set the datetime format, select one of the following

from the Format list:
• Long to show the date and time in the long format of
the operating system, for example: Thursday, August
03 2006.
• Short to show the date and time in the short format of
the operating system, for example: 8/3/2006.
• Time to show just the time in the time format of the
operating system, for example: [Link] PM.
• Custom to specify your own time format. Use the
following letters to set the time format:
h One or two-digit hour in 12-hour format.
hh Two-digit hour in 12-hour format. Single
digit values are preceded by a zero.
H One or two-digit hour in 24-hour format.
HH Two-digit hour in 24-hour format. Single
digit values are preceded by a zero.
t One-letter AM/PM abbreviation ("AM"
appears as "A").
tt Two-letter AM/PM abbreviation ("AM"
appears as "AM").
m One or two-digit minute.
mm Two-digit minute. Single digit values are
preceded by a zero.
s One or two-digit seconds.
ss Two-digit seconds. Single digit values are
preceded by a zero.
d One or two-digit day.
dd Two-digit day. Single digit day values are
preceded by a zero.
ddd Three-character day-of-week
abbreviation.
dddd Full day-of-week name.
M One or two-digit month number.
MM Two-digit month number. Single digit
values are preceded by a zero.
MMM Three-character month abbreviation.
MMMM Full month name.
y One-digit year (2001 appears as "1").
yy Last two digits of the year (2001 appears
as "01").
yyyy Full year (2001 appears as "2001").

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Note You can use any other characters, except “g” in the
property. These characters then appear at design time and run
time in the control.

5 To restrict the date the user can select at run time, you
can specify limits in the:
• MinDate box - type a lower limit for the date.
• MaxDate box - type an upper limit for date.
6 To change the colors of the calendar control that drops
down, click in the Calendar Colors area the following color
boxes:
• Month Background
• Month Trailing Forecolor
• Title Background
• Title Foreground
The Style Selection dialog box appears and you can select
a solid color.

Configuring a List Box Animation

The List Box animation is only used by the List Box element.
You can create a:
• Static list box - uses static captions and values that you
define in the configuration panel.

• Array list box - uses captions and values contained in an

AutomationObject array.

• Enum list box - uses captions and values contained in an

enum data type of an AutomationObject.

You can also use List Box-specific methods in scripting to

perform various functions at run time. You can browse these
methods in the Galaxy Browser with the List Box selected.
For more information on these methods, see Configuring
Combo Box and List Box Methods on page 363.

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Configuring a Static List Box Animation

You can configure a list box with static values and captions.

To configure a static list box animation

1 Select the list box element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears and the Static List Box
configuration panel appears on the right side.

3 In the Reference box, type an attribute reference that is

to be tied to the selected value at run time.
You can select when to submit the value changes. For
more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.
4 In the Static Values and Captions list, configure the
captions of the list box and also the values that
correspond to them. To:
• Add an option - click the Add icon.
• Delete an option - select it in the list and click the
Remove icon.
• Move an option up the list - select it in the list and
click the Arrow up icon.
• Move an option down the list - select it in the list and
click the Arrow down icon.

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 Configuring Element-Specific Animations 345

5 Specify how you want to use captions. Do one of more of

the following:
• If you want to use the values themselves as captions,
select Use Values as Captions.
• If you want to alphabetically sort the captions, select
Sorted.
• If you want to allow duplicate captions, select Allow
Duplicates.
6 Click OK.

Configuring an Array List Box Animation

You can configure a list box with values from an array and
captions.

To configure an array list box animation

1 Select the list box element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Array button. The Array List Box configuration
panel appears on the right side.

4 In the Reference box, type an attribute reference that is

to be tied to the selected value at run time.
You can select when to submit the value changes. For
more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.
5 In the Array Reference box, type or browse for an array
attribute. The Array Values and Captions list shows the
values from the array reference.

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6 To define your own captions, clear Use Values as Captions

and type them in the list.
7 To format the value before it appears as a caption, type a
text format string in the Format box, for example #.###.
Preceding zeroes are ignored if the array data type is
numeric.
8 Set Items Sorting to:
• None to show the items in the order they are in the
array attribute.
• Ascending to show the items sorted in ascending
order.
• Descending to show the items sorted in descending
order.
9 Click OK.

Configuring an Enum List Box Animation

You can configure a list box with values from an enum
attribute and captions.

To configure an enum list box animation

1 Select the radio button group element.
2 On the Special menu, click Edit Animations. The Edit
Animations dialog box appears.
3 Click the Enum button. The Enum List Box configuration
panel appears on the right side.

4 In the Enum Reference box, type an enum attribute

reference. The Enum Values and Captions list shows the
values from the enum reference.

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 Configuring Element-Specific Animations 347

5 You can select when to submit the value changes. For

more information, see Submitting the Value Changes on
page 347.
6 To define your own captions, clear Use Values as Captions
and type them in the list.
7 Set Items Sorting to:
• None to show the items in the order they are in the
enum attribute.
• Ascending to show the items sorted in ascending
order.
• Descending to show the items sorted in descending
order.
8 Click OK.

Submitting the Value Changes

You can configure a Windows common control to write the
data:
• Immediately when it is selected in the control at run
time.

• When a specified Boolean expression becomes true.

Note The Boolean expression is a trigger that determines when

the value is written from the control to the tag or attribute. If the
value changes in the tag or attribute, then the value is written to
the control, regardless of the trigger setting or condition.

To submit value changes immediately

1 Open the Windows common control in the Edit Animations
dialog box.
2 In the Submit Value Changes area, select Immediately.

To submit value changes after a Boolean expression becomes

true
1 Open the Windows common control in the Edit
Animations dialog box.
2 In the Submit Value Changes area, select On Trigger
Condition.
3 In the Boolean Expression box, type a Boolean expression
or browse for a Boolean attribute.

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Cutting, Copying and Pasting Animations

You can cut, copy and paste animations and their
configuration between different elements. This is useful
when you want to duplicate the animations of one element
such as a line, to a different type of element such as a
polyline.
If you try to paste an animation to an element that is already
configured with that animation, or does not support this
animation, a message appears informing you why you cannot
paste the animation.

To copy and paste animations between elements

1 Select the element from which you want to copy the
animations.
2 On the Edit menu, point to Animations, and then click
Copy.
3 Select one or more elements to which you want to paste
the animations.
4 On the Edit menu, point to Animations, and then click
Paste. The animation links are copied from the source
element to the target element(s).

To cut and paste animations between elements

1 Select the element from which you want to cut the
animations.
2 On the Edit menu, point to Animations, and then click Cut.
3 Select one or more elements to which you want to paste
the animations.
4 On the Edit menu, point to Animations, and then click
Paste. The animation links are removed from the source
element and copied to the target element(s).

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 Substituting References in Elements 349

Substituting References in Elements

You can search and replace references used by any element
on your canvas. You can use:
• basic mode by replacing strings in a list.

• advanced functions such as find and replace, ignore or

respect case-sensitivity and wildcards.

To substitute references in a symbol by using the list

1 Select one or more elements.
2 Do one of the following:
• Press Ctrl + E.
• On the Special menu, click Substitute References.
The Substitute References dialog box appears.

3 In the New column, type the reference to be replaced.

4 Click OK. All references are substituted accordingly in the
elements.

To substitute references in a symbol by using find and replace

functions
1 Select one or more elements.
2 Do one of the following:
• Press Ctrl + E.
• On the Special menu, click Substitute References.
The Substitute References dialog box appears.

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3 Click Find & Replace. The dialog box expands and shows
find and replace parameters.

4 Specify your find and replace options. Do one of more of

the following:
• To find specific references in the list, type a string in
the Find What box and click Find Next to find the next
string.
• To replace a selected found string with another
string, type a string in the Replace with box and click
Replace.
• To replace multiple references, type values in the Find
What and Replace with boxes and click Replace all.
• To specify the search is case-sensitive, select Match
Case.
• To find only entire words that match your search
string, select Match Whole Word Only.
• To use wildcards, select Use Wildcards. Valid
wildcards are “*” (asterisk) and “?” (question mark).
“*” indicates any number of variable characters. For
example. “s*” to search for all strings starting with
“s”.
“?” indicates one single variable character. For
example, “M_7?t” to search for all strings that start
with “M_7” and end with “t” and have exactly 5
characters.
5 Click OK. All text strings are substituted accordingly in
the elements.

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Chapter 10

Adding and Maintaining Symbol

Scripts

You can give symbols one or more scripts. Scripts can run
code that animate the symbol or its elements.

Caution If you configure scripts that affect more than element

and symbol animation, the script processing may affect
performance.

About Symbol Scripts

You can configure your symbol with synchronous scripts that
can be executed in run time.
You can:
• Configure the predefined scripts of a symbol.

• Add named scripts to a symbol.

• Edit existing named or predefined scripts in a symbol.

• Rename named scripts in a symbol.

• Remove named scripts from a symbol.

• Substitute references in named or predefined scripts.

• Use element methods in named or predefined scripts.

For more information about Application Server scripting, see

the Application Server User’s Guide.

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Predefined and Named Scripts

Predefined symbol scripts are similar to InTouch window
scripts in that they are executed:
• One time when the symbol is shown or opened: On Show
• Periodically while the symbol is showing: While Showing
• One time when the symbol is hidden or closed: On Hide
• Any combination of the above

Named symbol scripts let you execute any number of scripts

in run time that are triggered by values or expressions:
• Being true: While True
• Being false: While False
• Transitionning from false to true: On True
• Transitionning from true to false: On False
• Change in value and/or quality: DataChange

The name of named scripts can be up to 32 characters in

length, contain at least one letter and can also contain
special characters, such as #, $, and _.

Execution Order of Symbol Scripts

When the symbol is showing, the scripts execute in the
following order:
1 On Show script.
2 Named scripts, not necessarily in the order that they
appear in the list.
Any named script that is triggered by the DataChange
trigger type is executed the first time when the reference is
subscribed to. This behavior is different than the
DataChange trigger behavior of Application Server scripts
and can take considerable time in intermittent networks.

Security in Symbol Scripts

If the symbol script attempts to write to attributes with
Secured Write or Verified Write security classification, the
script execution stops and the authentication dialog box
appears.
After you enter correct authentication information, the
symbol script continues execution.

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 About Symbol Scripts 353

Symbol Script Timeouts

You can set a timeout for a symbol script after which the
script execution stops and a message is written to the Logger.
By default, the timeout is five seconds.

To change the timeout for a symbol script

1 In WindowMaker, on the Special menu, point to Configure
and click WindowViewer. The WindowViewer Properties
dialog box appears.
2 Click the Managed Application tab.

3 In the Script timout (msec) box, type a timeout value.

Valid values are from 1 to 360,000.
4 Click OK.

Error Handling
If a symbol script contains a syntax error, it is not executed.
When the symbol or graphic is loaded, a message is written
to the Logger.

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Configuring the Predefined Scripts of a

Symbol
You can configure the predefined scripts of a symbol. The
predefined scripts can consist of:
• A script that runs one time when the symbol opens (On
Show).

• A script that runs periodically as long as the symbol is

open (While Showing).

• A script that runs one time when the symbol closes (On
Hide).

Note The Predefined Scripts animation cannot be deleted. It can

contain scripts for each trigger type On Show, While Showing and
On Hide.

To configure the predefined scripts for a symbol

1 Open the symbol in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
2 On the Special menu, click Scripts. The Edit Scripts dialog
box appears.

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 Configuring the Predefined Scripts of a Symbol 355

3 In the Trigger Type list, click:

• On Show to configure a script that executes one time
when the symbol opens.
If you create an OnShow script that uses a custom
property bound to an InTouch tag, there is no
guarantee that the tag data is valid when the script
executes. This is because of the ansynchronous
nature of data subscriptions within ArchestrA. Your
script should first test the quality and status of the
tag value before it is used in the rest of the script.
• While Showing to configure a script that executes
periodically while the symbol is open.
• On Hide to configure a script that executes one time
when the symbol closes.
4 If you configured a While Showing script, type a time
period in milliseconds in the Period box. This specifies
after how many milliseconds the action script is executed.

Note If you set the While Showing period too low, system
performance may decrease.

5 Type your script in the main edit box. The script syntax is
the same as the syntax of AutomationObject scripting.
6 Use the Script Function Browser and Attribute Browser
to select external data.
7 When you are done, click OK. The script editor checks the
syntax of the script and may inform you of invalid syntax.
Click:
• Yes to save changes even if the script contains errors.
• No to not save the changes and close the script dialog
box.

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Adding Named Scripts to a Symbol

You can add named scripts to a symbol. These can run:
• One time when the specified values, data or expressions
change.

• Periodically if the values or expressions fulfill a certain

criteria, such as being true.

Every named script can contain only one trigger type.

To add a named script to a symbol
1 Open the symbol in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
2 On the Special menu, click Scripts. The Edit Scripts dialog
box appears.
3 Click the Add icon. A new entry is created in the Named
Scripts list on the left of the panel.

4 Type a name for the named script. The name appears on

the right panel as header.

5 In the Expression box, do one of the following:

• Type an expression, value or reference.
• Browse for a reference.
The expression acts as data source for the script trigger.

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 Adding Named Scripts to a Symbol 357

6 In the Trigger list, click:

• WhileTrue to trigger the script periodically when the
expression is true.
• WhileFalse to trigger the script periodically when the
expression is false.
• OnTrue to trigger the script one time when the
expression becomes true from false.
• OnFalse to trigger the script one time when the
expression becomes false from true.
• DataChange to trigger the script one time when the
expression or its quality changes. Select the Quality
Changes check box to trigger the script when the
quality of the specified expression changes.
7 If you want to specify how often the script is run when
the trigger condition is fulfilled, type a time delay in
milliseconds in the Trigger Period box.
8 If you want to specify by how much the evaluated value
must change before the script is executed, type a
deadband value in the Deadband box.
9 Type your script in the main edit box.
10 Use the Script Function Browser and Attribute Browser
to select external data.
11 Click OK. The script editor checks the syntax of the script
and may inform you of invalid syntax. Click:
• Yes to save changes even if the script contains errors.
• No to not save the changes and close the script dialog
box.
In this example, while the Boolean [Link] is true,
the tank level Tank_001.pv increases by 1 unit every second.

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Editing Symbol Scripts

You can edit predefined and named symbol scripts.

To edit symbol scripts

1 Open the symbol in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
2 On the Special menu, click Scripts. The Edit Scripts dialog
box appears.
3 Select the script from the list in the left of the panel. The
right shows the script configuration.
4 If you are editing the predefined script, select from the
TriggerType list:
• On Show if the action script you want to edit is
executed one time when the symbol is opened.
• While Showing if the action script you want to edit is
executed periodically while the symbol is open.
• On Hide if the action script you want to edit is
executed one time when the symbol is closed.
5 Edit the action script in the script box.
6 Click OK.

Renaming Scripts in a Symbol

You can rename named scripts in a symbol. When you
rename the named script, the functionality of the script does
not change.

To rename a named script

1 Open the symbol in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
2 On the Special menu, click Scripts. The Edit Scripts dialog
box appears.
3 In the Named Scripts list, click the script you want to
rename.
4 Click the script again. It appears in edit mode.
5 Enter a new name for the script and press Enter. The
script is renamed.

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 Removing Scripts from a Symbol 359

Removing Scripts from a Symbol

You can remove predefined or named scripts from a symbol.

To remove predefined scripts from a symbol

1 Open the symbol in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
2 On the Special menu, click Scripts. The Edit Scripts dialog
box appears.
3 Select Predefined Scripts from the list.
4 In the Trigger type list, click:
• On Show if the action script you want to remove is
executed one time when the symbol is opened.
• While Showing if the action script you want to remove
is executed periodically while the symbol is open.
• On Hide if the action script you want to remove is
executed one time when the symbol is closed.
5 Delete all the script content in the script box.
6 Click OK.

To remove named scripts from a symbol

1 Open the symbol in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
2 On the Special menu, click Scripts. The Edit Scripts dialog
box appears.
3 Select the named script from the list.
4 Click the Remove icon. A message appears.
5 Click Yes. The script is removed.

Substituting Attribute References in Scripts

You can substitute attribute references in scripts in the same
way as you would with attribute references in elements. For
more information, see Substituting References in Elements
on page 349.

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Example of Changing Element Properties

using Scripts
You can change some of the properties of elements using
scripting. This lets you configure additional run-time
behavior to your elements on top of the design-time
animation of those elements.
When you write your script for the symbol or for one of its
elements, you can use the Galaxy Browser to show and select
a:
• Property of an element

• Custom property of the symbol

If a reference is not unique, the following order applies:

1 Dimensioned variable references
2 Graphic properties references
3 Custom property references
4 Object attribute references

To select an element property or a symbol custom property

1 From the script window, click the Galaxy Browser icon.
The Galaxy Browser dialog box appears.
2 Click the Element Browser tab. The Galaxy Browser
shows the element names and the properties of the
selected element.

3 Select an element or symbol from the list on the left. The

right side shows the accessible properties of the selected
element or symbol.

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 Using Methods in Scripting 361

4 Select a property from the right panel and click OK. The
reference appears in the script window.

Using Methods in Scripting

Some elements, such as the Edit Box, Combo Box and List
Box controls, support methods in scripting. These methods
can be used to perform various functions on the elements
themselves at run time.
You can see the properties and methods supported by any
given element by opening the Galaxy Browser and selecting
the element.

You can use the methods of the:

• Edit Box control to save and load the text at run time to
and from a file.

• Combo Box and List Box controls to access and change

the contents of their lists at run time.

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Configuring Edit Box Methods

You can use the methods of an Edit Box control to:
• Save the contained text at run time to a file.
• Load text into the control from a file at run time.

To save the contained text in an Edit Box control

‹ In an action script, use the following method:
[Link](FileName);
where ControlName is the name of the Edit Box control
and FileName is the name of the file you want to save the
contents of the control to.
The text contained in the control at run time is saved to
the specified file.
If you only specify a file name, the file is saved by default in
the user folder of the operating system. For example:
c:\documents and settings\username.

To load text into an Edit Box control from a file

‹ In an action script, use the following method:
[Link](FileName);
where ControlName is the name of the Edit Box control
and FileName is the name of the file you want to load the
text from.
The text contained in the file is loaded into the run time
contents of the Edit Box control.
If you only specify a file name, by default, the file is expected
to be in the user folder of the operating system. For example:
c:\documents and settings\username.

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 Using Methods in Scripting 363

Configuring Combo Box and List Box Methods

The Combo Box and List Box controls have methods that you
can use to access and change the items in the list at run time.
Typically, you configure an action script to access these
methods.
You can:
• Add and insert items into the list.

• Delete individual or all items from the list.

• Find an item in the list.

• Get the item caption based on a specified index.

• Associate the items with values.

• Load items from and save items to a file.

For more information on the methods, see Overview of

Windows Common Control List Methods on page 468.

Adding and Inserting Items into a List

You can add an individual item:
• To the end of the list.

• Above the currently selected item.

To add an item to a Combo Box or List Box list

‹ In an action script, use the following method:
[Link](“ItemCaption”);
where ControlName is the name of the Combo Box or List
Box control and ItemCaption is the new item you want to
add.
The item is added to the end of the list.

To insert an item in a Combo Box or List Box list

‹ In an action script, use the following method:
[Link](“ItemCaption”);
where ControlName is the name of the Combo Box or List
Box control and ItemCaption is the new item you want to
insert.
The item is inserted above the currently selected item in
the list.

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Deleting Items from a List

You can delete:
• An individual item from a list.

• The selected item from a list.

• All items from a list.

If items cannot be deleted from a list at run time, no warning

message is shown. Such items include Combo Box and List
Box controls configured with enums or arrays.

To delete an individual item from a Combo Box or List Box list

‹ In an action script, use the following method:
[Link](Index);
where ControlName is the name of the Combo Box or List
Box control and Index is the index of the item you want to
delete. The first item of the list has an index of 0.
The item at the specified index is deleted, subsequent
items are moved up the list.

To delete the selected item from a Combo Box or List Box list
‹ In an action script, use the following method:
[Link]();
where ControlName is the name of the Combo Box or List
Box control.
The selected item is deleted, subsequent items are moved
up the list.

To delete all items from a Combo Box or List Box list

‹ In an action script, use the following method:
[Link]();
where ControlName is the name of the Combo Box or List
Box control.
All items of the control are deleted.

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Finding an Item in a List

You can find an item in a Combo Box or List Box list. You
specify the item caption, and the method returns the index
number of the first item found. Otherwise, the method
returns -1.

Finding an item in a Combo Box or List Box list

‹ In an action script, use the following method:
Index = [Link](“ItemCaption”);
where ControlName is the name of the Combo Box or List
Box control and ItemCaption is the caption of the item
you are looking for.
Index is set to -1 if the item is not found, otherwise
contains the index of the first found item. The first item
of the list has an index of 0.

Reading the Caption of a Selected Item in a List

You can read the caption of a selected item in a Combo Box or
List Box list.

Reading the caption of a selected item in a Combo Box or List

Box list
‹ In an action script, use the following method:
Caption = [Link](Index);
where ControlName is the name of the Combo Box or List
Box control and Index is the index of the item for which
you want to read the caption. The first item of the list has
an index of 0.
Caption contains the item caption of the specified index.

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Associating Items with Values in a List

You can associate items with values in a Combo Box or List
Box control. This is the same as using a secondary index
system to identify items in the list.
You can:
• Set item data, which associates an item with a value

• Get item data, which returns the value that is associated

with an item

To set item data in a Combo Box or List Box list

‹ In an action script, use the following method:
[Link](Index,Value);
where ControlName is the name of the Combo Box or List
Box control, Index is the index of the item that you want
to set and Value is the value you want to assign to the
item. The first item of the list has an index of 0.

To get item data in a Combo Box or List Box list

‹ In an action script, use the following method:
Value = [Link](Index);
where ControlName is the name of the Combo Box or List
Box control and Index is the index of the item for which
you want to get the value. The first item of the list has an
index of 0.
Value contains the value that is assigned to the item.

Loading and Saving Item Lists

You can load and save all items in a list from and to a file.

To load the item list for a Combo Box or List Box control from a
file
‹ In an action script, use the following method:
[Link](FileName);
where ControlName is the name of the Combo Box or List
Box control and FileName is the name of a file on the
local harddrive or on the network.
If you only specify a file name, the file is expected to be in
the users folder. For example: c:\documents and
settings\username.
The list contained in the file is loaded and, if valid, the
current list is overwritten.

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 Using Methods in Scripting 367

To save the item list for a Combo Box or List Box control to a
file
‹ In an action script, use the following method:
[Link](FileName);
where ControlName is the name of the Combo Box or List
Box control and FileName is the name of a file on the
local harddrive or on the network.
If you only specify a file name, the file is saved to the
users folder. For example, c:\documents and
settings\username.
The list is saved to the specified file.

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Chapter 11

Using Client Controls

You can:
• Import and embed client controls into a symbol.

• View and edit the properties of the client control.

• Bind the properties of the client control with attributes

and element references.
• Configure scripts for client control events.

• Animate client controls.

• Export a client control.

• Configure a client control with security.

• View additional client control information such as the
files the client control uses and what objects and symbols
are using the client control.

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About Client Controls

Client controls give you functionality contained in .NET
controls you can use in symbols. To use this functionality,
you must:
• Import the .DLL file that contains one or more client
controls. The client control is imported into the Graphic
Toolbox.

• Browse and embed one or more of the client controls into

a new or existing symbol. The client controls appear as
elements.
• View and edit the exposed client control properties.
• Bind the client control properties to ArchestrA attributes,
symbol custom properties or InTouch tags. Do this using
the data binding animation.
• Configure scripts for client control events. Do this using
the events animation.

You can then use the symbol containing the embedded client
control in an InTouch application.
Wonderware ActiveFactory™ is one example of a software
product that contains client controls.

.NET DLL Files

IMPORT
Graphic Toolbox Automation Template or Instance

Properties

Client Control Methods

Events

EMBED EMBED
Symbol Symbol
Properties Properties
Methods Client Control Client Control Methods
Events Events

.AAPKG
FILE

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Importing Client Controls

You can import client controls into the Graphic Toolbox from
.NET Dynamic Link Library (.DLL) files.
After importing client controls, you can organize them in the
Graphic Toolbox as you would with ArchestrA Symbols. For
more information, see Organizing Client Controls on
page 374.
You can also import client controls that have previously been
exported in an ArchestrA package (.aaPKG) file.
If you import a newer version of a client control that you are
already using in the ArchestrA IDE or in the InTouch HMI
as embedded ArchestrA Symbol, you need to restart the
ArchestrA IDE and/or the InTouch HMI.

Importing Client Controls

You can import one or more client controls from .DLL files.
The client controls can be contained in one single .DLL file or
span multiple files.
To import a client control, you must have security
permissions to import graphic objects.

Note If you select .NET .DLL files that do not contain client
controls, the import process ignores these and continues at the
next .DLL file.

To import client controls

1 In the IDE on the File menu, point to Import, and then
click Client Control. The Import Client Control(s) dialog box
appears.
2 Select one or more .NET .DLL files that contain the client
controls you want to import and click Open. The Import
Preferences dialog box appears.

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3 Select the appropriate options for the import and click

OK. The Import Client Control(s) dialog box appears.

4 When the client controls are imported, click Close. The

imported client controls appear in the Graphic Toolbox.

Note If the import fails, a message indicates the error in the

Import Client Control(s) dialog box.

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 Importing Client Controls 373

Example of Installing the ActiveFactory TagPicker

Control
If you install Wonderware ActiveFactory 9.2 (or higher), you
can install the client controls of one of the ActiveFactory
*.DLL files. You can then use these controls to create an
ArchestrA Symbol that contains the ActiveFactory
TagPicker.

To install the ActiveFactory TagPicker client control

1 Open the IDE.
2 On the File menu, point to Import, and then click Client
Control. The Import Client Control(s) dialog box appears.
3 Browse to the C:\Program Files\Common
Files\ArchestrA folder, select the
[Link] file and click Open. The Import
Preferences dialog box appears.

4 Select the appropriate options for the import and click

OK.
5 When the import is complete, click Close.
6 Open the Graphic Toolbox and expand the Galaxy node.
aaTagPicker is listed as a client control.

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Importing Previously Exported Client Controls

You can import one or more previously exported client
controls from an ArchestrA package file (.aaPKG). Previously
the client controls may have been:
• Exported without a symbol or an AutomationObject
instance or template.

• Embedded in a symbol and the symbol was exported.

• Embedded in a symbol and contained in an

AutomationObject instance or template and the
AutomationObject was exported.

To import a previously exported ArchestrA package containing

one or more client controls
‹ Import the exported client control(s) the same way as you
would import an AutomationObject (.aaPKG). For more
information, see the Application Server User’s Guide.

Organizing Client Controls

You can organize the client controls within the Graphic
Toolbox the same way as you would with ArchestrA
Graphics. You can:
• Rename client controls.

• Move client controls in and out of Graphic Toolsets.

• Delete client controls.

For more information, see Organizing Symbols in the

Graphic Toolbox on page 71 and Importing and Exporting
Symbols as ArchestrA Object Files on page 75.

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Embedding Client Controls

You can embed an installed client control into a symbol as
you would embed a symbol within another symbol.
We recommend that you not overlap client controls with
other elements on the canvas. Otherwise, the client controls
may not work correctly.

To embed a client control into an ArchestrA Symbol

1 On the Edit menu, click Embed Graphic Symbol. The
Galaxy Browser appears.

2 Select the Graphic Toolbox.

3 Browse to the location that contains the client control.
4 Select a client control from the right panel and click OK.
The pointer changes to paste mode.

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5 Click on the canvas where you want to embed the client

control. The client control is placed onto the canvas.

Example of Embedding the ActiveFactory

TagPicker Client Control
If you install Wonderware ActiveFactory 9.2 (or higher)
follow the steps of the Example of Installing the
ActiveFactory TagPicker Control on page 373. Then do the
following:
1 Create a new symbol in the Graphic Toolbox.
2 Open the symbol in the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
3 On the Edit menu, click Embed Graphic Symbol.
4 Select aaTagPicker and click OK.
5 Click on the canvas near the top left corner. The
ActiveFactory TagPicker control is placed on the canvas.

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 Viewing and Changing the Properties of Client Controls 377

Viewing and Changing the Properties of

Client Controls
When you embed a client control into a symbol, the native
properties of the client control are imported into the
Properties Editor in the Misc group.
Also the element container of the client control has
properties such as:
• Name

• X, Y, Width, Height, AbsoluteOrigin, RelativeOrigin, and

Locked
• FillColor

• TextColor and Font

• Enabled, TabOrder, TabStop, and Visible

The element container properties override the native

properties of the client control.
You can view and change the properties of the control in the
Properties Editor.

To view or change the properties of a client control

1 Select the embedded client control on the canvas.
2 In the Properties Editor, locate a:
• Container property in the property categories
Graphic, Appearance, Fill Style, Text Style or Runtime
Behavior.
• Native property in the Misc property category.
3 View or change the located property. For more
information, see Editing Common Properties of Elements
and Symbols on page 149.

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Example of Changing a Property of the

ActiveFactory TagPicker Control
Install and embed the ActiveFactory TagPicker Control into
a symbol as described in:
• Example of Installing the ActiveFactory TagPicker
Control on page 373.

• Example of Embedding the ActiveFactory TagPicker

Client Control on page 376.

In this example the “Tag Picker” caption of the TagPicker

control is hidden.
1 Select the embedded ActiveFactory TagPicker client
control. The Properties Editor shows all properties of the
client control.

2 In the Misc property category, locate the property

HideCaption.

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 Binding Client Control Properties to Attributes or Element References 379

3 Assign the value True to it and press Enter. The caption

“Tag Picker” of the ActiveFactory TagPicker client control
is hidden.

Binding Client Control Properties to

Attributes or Element References
You can bind the properties of an embedded client control to
attributes or element references. This lets you use attributes
and element references as source and consumer of data for
the client control properties. You do this with the Data
Binding animation.

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The Data Binding table contains the following information:

• Name - name of the client control property

• Type - the .NET data type of the property

• Value - the default value of the client control property

• Direction - indicates if the property is read/write or just

read-only

read/write property

read-only property

write-only property

• Reference - the attribute or element reference the

property is bound to

Note You cannot remove the Data Binding animation.

To bind a client control property with an attribute or element

reference
1 Double-click the embedded client control on the canvas.
The Edit Animations dialog box appears and the Data
Binding animation is selected by default.
2 Locate the client control property that you want to bind
with an attribute or element reference.
3 Double-click the Reference box.
4 Do one of the following:
• Type an attribute or element reference.
• Browse for an attribute or element reference by
clicking the Browse button.
5 Repeat above for any other properties you want to bind.
6 Click OK.

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Example of Data Binding in the ActiveFactory

TagPicker Control
Install and embed the ActiveFactory TagPicker control into a
symbol as described in:
• Example of Installing the ActiveFactory TagPicker
Control on page 373.

• Example of Embedding the ActiveFactory TagPicker

Client Control on page 376.

In this example, the Boolean symbol custom property HCV

controls the visibility of the ActiveFactory TagPicker caption.
Do the following:
1 Create a Boolean custom property and rename it HCV.
2 In the ArchestrA Symbol Editor, double-click the
embedded ActiveFactory TagPicker control.
3 From the list of properties in the Data Binding
configuration area, locate the HideCaption property.
4 Double-click the Reference box of the HideCaption
property.
5 In the Galaxy Browser, select the HCV custom property
and click OK.
The HideCaption property is now assigned to the element
reference HCV.

6 Click OK.
7 Place a button on the canvas and configure it with a
Boolean pushbutton animation that toggles the custom
property HCV.
8 Save and close the symbol.
9 Embed the symbol in a managed InTouch application and
test the data binding by clicking on the button in
WindowViewer. When you do so, the visibility of the
caption of the TagPicker control is toggled.

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Configuring Client Control Event Scripts

You can configure an ArchestrA script that is executed when
a client control event occurs. You do this using the Event
animation.

Script Area

To configure an ArchestrA script for a client control event

1 Double-click the embedded client control on the canvas.
The Edit Animations dialog box appears.
2 In the animation list, click Event. The right panel shows
the events configuration.
3 In the Event list, select the event for which you want to
execute a script. The Parameters list shows for the
selected event:
• Type: the data type of each parameter.
• Name: the name of each parameter.
4 In the script area, write the event script.

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 Configuring Client Control Event Scripts 383

5 If you want to insert an event parameter in your script,

click the Select Event Parameter icon. Select the
parameter. The parameter name is inserted into the
script at the cursor position.

6 If you want to configure scripts for other events, select

the event from the Event list. The script area is cleared
and you can write the script for the newly selected event.
7 When you are done, save and close.

Example of Configuring an Event Script for the

ActiveFactory TagPicker Control
Install and embed the ActiveFactory TagPicker control into a
symbol as described in:
• Example of Installing the ActiveFactory TagPicker
Control on page 373.
• Example of Embedding the ActiveFactory TagPicker
Client Control on page 376.

In this example, when one of the tags is picked by

double-clicking on it, a message is logged in the Log Viewer.
First however, you need to:
• Import the script function library from the file
[Link].
• Configure a connection to a valid and running Historian
Server.

To import the script functions from [Link]

1 On the Galaxy menu, point to Import, then click Script
Function Library. The Import Script Function Library
appears.
2 Browse to the [Link] and select it.
This file is by default in the C:\Program Files\Common
Files\ArchestrA\ folder.
3 Click Open. The import starts and finishes with a
message.
4 Click OK.

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To connect the TagPicker control to the Historian Server

1 On the canvas, place a button next to the TagPicker
control.
2 Double-click the button. The Edit Animations dialog box
appears.
3 Add an Action Scripts animation to the animation list.
4 In the script area, type the following script:
Dim NewServer as
[Link];
Dim statusMessage as String;
NewServer =
[Link]("MyHistorian");
[Link] = "MyUserName";
[Link] = "MyPassword";
[Link]( statusMessage );
LogMessage ("Connection" + statusMessage);
5 In the script, replace the strings MyHistorian,
MyUserName and MyPassword with the Historian server
name, a valid user name, and a password to connect to
the server.
6 Close the Edit Animations dialog box.
You can now configure the client control event to log a
message every time the user picks one or more tags by
double-clicking on them:
1 In the ArchestrA Symbol Editor, double-click on the
embedded ActiveFactory TagPicker control.
2 In the animation list, click Event.
3 In the Event list, click the OnTagsPicked event.
4 In the script area, type the following:
LogMessage(“User picked one or more tags.”);
5 Save and close the Edit Animations dialog box.
6 Save and close the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
7 Embed the symbol in a managed InTouch application.
8 Switch to run-time and connect to a valid Historian
Server source.
9 Double-click on one of the tags in the TagPicker control.
10 Check the SMC Log Viewer. The message “User picked
one or more tags” appears.

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 Animating Client Controls 385

Animating Client Controls

Every client control has these animation types:
• Data binding animations determine which attributes and
element references can read and write to the client
control.
• Event animations assign scripts to individual client
control events.

You can add the following animations that correspond to the

supported client control container properties:
• Visibility

• Fill Style

• Text Style
• Location Horizontal

• Location Vertical

• Width

• Height

• Tooltip

• Disable

If you configure these animations, the resulting behavior and

appearance overrides the behavior and appearance given by
the native properties of the client control.

To add animation to embedded client controls

1 Double-click the embedded client control on the canvas.
The Edit Animations dialog box appears.
2 Add animations as you would with any other element.
For more information, see Animating Graphic Elements
on page 245.

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Exporting Client Controls

You can export client controls as ArchestrA package files
(.aaPKG). You can export them:
• Directly from the Graphic Toolbox.

• Indirectly when you export AutomationObjects or

symbols that reference them.

You can import the client controls again from the exported
.aaPKG files.

To export client controls directly as ArchestrA package files

1 In the Graphic Toolbox, select one or more client controls
that you want to export.
2 On the Galaxy menu, point to Export, and then click
Object(s).
3 Follow the general procedure for exporting
AutomationObjects. For more information, see the
Application Server User’s Guide.

Securing Client Controls

The client controls use the same security setting as the
symbols. You can set the security for client controls and
symbols in the Security panel of the IDE. For more
information, see Configuring Security for Symbols on
page 78.

Viewing Additional Client Control Information

You can view:
• Which .DLL files, or assemblies, are used for the client
control.

• The class name, vendor, and version.

• Which AutomationObjects and ArchestrA Symbols use

the client control.

This information is contained in the Client Control

Properties panels.
The client control properties are different than the properties
of the embedded client control. The client control properties
can be viewed in the IDE directly. The properties of the
embedded client control can be viewed in the Properties
Editor of the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.

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 Viewing Additional Client Control Information 387

Viewing the Client Control Assemblies

You can view which Client Control .DLL files, or assemblies,
are used for the client control.

To view the client control assemblies

1 In the Graphic Toolbox, select the client control.
2 On the Galaxy menu, click Properties. The Properties
dialog box appears.

3 On the General tab, you can view:

• The Primary Assembly, which is the main .DLL file.
• Additional Assemblies, which are linked to the main
.DLL file and automatically loaded.

Viewing Class Name, Vendor, and Version of a

Client Control
You can view the class name, vendor, and version of a client
control in its Properties panel.

To view the class name, vendor, and version of a client control

1 In the Graphic Toolbox, select the client control.
2 On the Galaxy menu, click Properties. The Properties
dialog box appears.
3 Click the General tab.

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Viewing Objects and Symbols Referencing Client

Controls
You can view which AutomationObjects and ArchestrA
Symbols are using a given client control. This can be viewed
in the Properties dialog box of the client control.

To view objects and symbols referencing a client control

1 In the Graphic Toolbox, select the client control.
2 On the Galaxy menu, click Properties. The Properties
dialog box appears.
3 Click Referenced By. The list of objects and symbols using
the client control is shown.

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 389

Chapter 12

Embedding Symbols within

Symbols

You can embed symbols into other symbols. This lets you
split your visualization into modules and re-use already
defined symbols. For example, you can create a valve symbol
and embed it multiple times into a tank symbol.
When you embed a symbol into another symbol, you are
creating a link to the original. Any changes to the original
symbol are propagated to all embedded instances.
You can:
• Embed a symbol within another symbol.

• Edit an embedded symbol.

• Restore an embedded symbol to the original size of its
source symbol.

• Convert the embedded symbol to a group.

• Detect the source of an embedded symbol.

• Edit the source of an embedded symbol.

• Override the custom properties of the source symbol.

• Control the size propagation of an embedded symbol.

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• Select an alternate symbol or same symbol of an

alternate AutomationObject instance as source.

• Edit the AutomationObject that contains the source

symbol.
• Create a new instance of the AutomationObject that
contains the source symbol.

Source Symbol
Source Properties

Source Animations

Symbol
Embed

Embedded Symbol
Source Properties Properties
can override
Source Animations Animations

Embedding Symbols
You can embed symbols from the Graphic Toolbox or an
AutomationObject into other symbols.
When you embed a symbol, the animation links and scripts
are inherited from the source symbol. You can only change
the animations and scripts in the source symbol and all
changes are propagated to the embedded symbol.
The embedded symbol appears with its original name
appended by a number. The number is increased by one if
you embed the same symbol again.

Note If you embed symbols that have elements outside of the

coordinates (0,0) and (2000,2000), the embedded symbol clips
these elements.

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 Embedding Symbols 391

To embed source symbols from the Graphic Toolbox

1 On the ArchestrA Symbol Editor Edit menu, click Embed
Graphic Symbol. The Galaxy Browser appears.
2 Select a source symbol from the Graphic Toolbox.

3 Click OK. The pointer appears in paste mode.

4 Click on the canvas to place the symbol.

To embed source symbols contained in an AutomationObject

template
1 On the ArchestrA Symbol Editor Edit menu, click Embed
Graphic Symbol. The Galaxy Browser appears.
2 Select the AutomationObject template that contains the
source symbol.

3 Select the symbol and click OK. The Create Instance dialog
box appears.

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4 Type a name for the new instance in the New Instance

Name box and click OK. The new instance of the
AutomationObject is created and the pointer appears in
paste mode.
5 Click on the canvas to place the symbol.

To embed source symbols contained in an AutomationObject

instance
1 On the ArchestrA Symbol Editor Edit menu, click Embed
Graphic Symbol. The Galaxy Browser appears.
2 Select the AutomationObject instance that contains the
source symbol.

3 Select the source symbol and click OK. The pointer

appears in paste mode.
4 Click on the canvas to place the symbol.

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 Renaming Source Symbols and Hosting AutomationObjects 393

Renaming Source Symbols and Hosting

AutomationObjects
Generally, if you rename source symbols or their hosting
AutomationObjects, embedded symbols update their
references to the updated name of the renamed source
symbol or hosting AutomationObject.
However, if you are using relative references and you rename
the contained name of the referenced AutomationObject, the
references to the embedded symbol are broken.
You can identify embedded symbols that may cause a
problem by clicking on the embedded symbols and viewing
the SymbolReference property from the Properties Editor. If
the SymbolReference property contains relative references
such as me or myContainer, renaming the contained name of
the referenced object causes the reference to be broken.
Also, if any instance of the hosting AutomationObject is
checked out, when you change the contained name of the
referenced object, even after you check-in the instance:
• The change is not propagated to the instance.

• Validating the object does not indicate an error.

Editing the Embedded Symbol

After you embed a source symbol into another symbol, its
animations are inherited from the source symbol. The
animation of the embedded symbol is controlled by the source
symbol.
The embedded symbol itself has certain animations you can
configure. The animations override the animations of the
source symbol for the embedded symbol. These are:
• Visibility

• Blink

• Location Horizontal

• Location Vertical

• Width

• Height

• Orientation

• Disable

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Furthermore you can override the following animations if

you change the TreatAsIcon property of the embedded
symbol to True:
• Tooltip

• User Input

• Slider Horizontal

• Slider Vertical

• Pushbutton

• Action Scripts
• Show Symbol

• Hide Symbol

To override the configured animations of an embedded symbol

1 Select the embedded symbol.
2 In the Properties Editor, change the value for the
TreatAsIcon property to True.

Overriding Custom Properties of the Source

Symbol
You can override the value and description of a custom
property of the embedded symbol if the custom property’s
visibility is set to Public in the source symbol.
You cannot add, delete, or rename any custom properties of
an embedded symbol or change the data type. However, you
can:
• Revert the value and description of the custom property
to its default as defined in the source symbol.

• Set the visibility of the custom property. This has an

effect if the symbol containing the embedded symbol is
embedded into another symbol.

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 Restoring an Embedded Symbol to the Original Size of its Source Symbol 395

To override the value and description of a custom property

1 Select the embedded symbol on the canvas.
2 On the Special menu, click Custom Properties. The Edit
Custom Properties dialog box appears.
3 Select the custom property you want to override with a
new value or description.
4 In the Default Value box, type a new value.
5 In the Description box, type a new description.

To revert the value and description of a custom property

1 Select the embedded symbol on the canvas.
2 On the Special menu, click Custom Properties. The Edit
Custom Properties dialog box appears.
3 Select the custom property you want to revert.
4 Click the Revert icon. The value and description of the
selected custom property are reverted to the value and
description of the same custom property in the source
symbol.

Restoring an Embedded Symbol to the

Original Size of its Source Symbol
You can restore an embedded symbol to its original size as it
is defined in the object or Graphic Toolbox that contains it.

To restore an embedded symbol to its original size

1 Select the embedded symbol that you want to restore to
its original size.
2 On the Edit menu, point to Embedded Symbol, and then
click Symbol - Original Size. The embedded symbol is
restored to the original size of its source symbol.

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Converting an Embedded Symbol to a Group

You can convert an embedded symbol to a group. A converted
symbol is no longer associated with its source symbol. All
configuration of the embedded symbol is preserved.
If you convert an embedded symbol to a group:
• Scripts of the embedded symbol are not converted.

• You can optionally move the custom properties to the

group.

• Relative references of the embedded symbol are no longer

valid.

To convert an embedded symbol to a group

1 Select the embedded symbol that you want to convert to a
group.
2 On the Edit menu, point to Embedded Symbol, and then
click Convert To Group. The embedded symbol is
converted to a group.

Detecting the Source Symbol of an Embedded

Symbol
You can view the source of an embedded symbol by using the
SymbolReference property.

To detect the source of an embedded symbol

1 Select the embedded symbol on the canvas.
2 In the Properties Editor, view the SymbolReference
property see what object or environment contains the
source and the name of the source symbol itself. This can
be:
• Symbol:SymbolName.
• Symbol:[Link].

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 Editing the Source of an Embedded Symbol 397

Editing the Source of an Embedded Symbol

You can edit the source of an embedded symbol by opening it
in a new session of the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.

To edit the source of an embedded symbol

1 Select the embedded symbol.
2 On the Edit menu, point to Embedded Symbol, and then
click Edit Symbol. The source of the embedded symbol is
opened in a new session of the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
3 Edit the source symbol as needed and click Save and
Close. The new session of the ArchestrA Symbol Editor is
closed and the Symbol Changed icon appears in the
status bar.
4 Double-click the Symbol Changed icon. The change is
reflected in the embedded symbol.
If you do not accept the change, the embedded symbol is
updated the next time you open it in the ArchestrA
Symbol Editor.

Controlling Size Propagation of Embedded

Symbols
You can control the way that size changes of the source
symbol are propagated to its embedded instances, which are
embedded symbols. For example, a size change is:
• Resizing one of the elements in the source symbol so that
the symbol boundary changes.
• Adding elements to or removing elements from the source
symbol so that the symbol’s boundary changes.
This feature is called dynamic size change and can be
enabled or disabled.

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Setting the Anchor Point of a Source Symbol

You can set the position of the anchor point of a source
symbol. The anchor point of a source symbol is by default the
center point of all elements on the canvas.
You can change the position of the anchor point:
• Numerically by typing the absolute or relative anchor
point position values in the Properties Editor.

• Graphically by dragging the anchor point on the canvas.

To change the position of the anchor point numerically

1 Click on the canvas.
2 In the Properties Editor, type position values X,Y for:
• AbsoluteAnchor property, where the position is
relative to the top left corner of the canvas 0,0.
• RelativeAnchor property, where the position is
relative to the center point of all elements on the
canvas.
The anchor point is changed accordingly. The
AbsoluteAnchor and RelativeAnchor property values are
updated accordingly.

To change the position of the anchor point graphically

1 Click on the canvas.
2 In the Properties Editor, click the AbsoluteAnchor or
RelativeAnchor property label. The anchor point of the
symbol is shown.

3 Drag the anchor point to the new position. The

AbsoluteAnchor and RelativeAnchor property values are
updated accordingly.

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 Controlling Size Propagation of Embedded Symbols 399

Showing or Hiding the Anchor Points of

Embedded Symbols
You can show or hide the anchor points of embedded symbols.
An anchor point shows the current absolute anchor position
of the embedded symbol on the canvas.

To show or hide the anchor point of an embedded symbol

‹ On the toolbar, click the Show/Hide Embedded Symbol
Anchor Points icon. The anchor of the embedded symbol
appears or disappears.

Enabling or Disabling Dynamic Size Change of

Embedded Symbols
You can enable or disable the dynamic size change of
embedded symbols. The anchor points of the embedded
instances are not changed by any size change to the source
symbol.
If the source symbol size changes and the dynamic size
change is enabled, the embedded symbol size adapts
accordingly. If the dynamic size change is disabled, the
embedded symbol size does not change.

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400 Chapter 12 Embedding Symbols within Symbols

In both cases the anchor points of its embedded instances do

not move on the canvas.

Source Symbol
Changed

Source Symbol (Original) Source Symbol (Changed)

With
Dynamic
Size
Propagation

Embedded Symbol Embedded Symbol

(Original) (Propagated)

Without Dynamic
Size Propagation

Embedded Symbol
(Propagated)

To enable or disable dynamic size change of an embedded

symbol
1 Select the embedded symbol on the canvas.
2 On the toolbar, click the Enable/Disable Dynamic Size
Change icon. The dynamic size change is enabled or
disabled.

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 Selecting Alternate Symbols and Instances 401

Selecting Alternate Symbols and Instances

If your embedded symbol is contained in an
AutomationObject instance, you can:
• Use another symbol that is contained in the same
AutomationObject instance.
• Use the same symbol that is contained in a different
AutomationObject instance, in which case the animation
links in the symbol are redirected.

Selecting Alternate Symbols

You can select an alternate symbol of the same
AutomationObject instance to embed. The following
properties are retained:
• Position and size

• Animations applied to the embedded symbol

• Override information (the TreatAsIcon property)

You can only select alternate symbols for embedded symbols

contained in AutomationObject instances.

To select an alternate symbol

1 Select the embedded symbol on the canvas.
2 On the Edit menu, point to Embedded Symbol, and then
click Select Alternate Symbol. The Galaxy Browser
appears.
3 If available, select an alternate symbol that is contained
in the same instance and click OK. The embedded symbol
is updated with the new alternate symbol.

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Selecting Alternate Instances

You can select an alternate instance of the AutomationObject
that contains the same embedded symbol. When you select
an alternate symbol to embed, the following properties are
retained:
• Position and size

• Animations applied to the embedded symbol

• Override information (the TreatAsIcon property)

To select an alternate instance

1 Select the embedded symbol on the canvas.
2 On the Edit menu, point to Embedded Symbol, and then
click Select Alternate Instance. The Galaxy Browser
appears with a list of all instances that contain the same
symbol.
3 Select an instance and click OK. All internal references of
the embedded symbol update to point at the alternate
instance. The name of the embedded symbol updates to
reflect that it is pointing at a different instance.

Detecting and Editing the Containing

AutomationObject Instance
You can detect and edit the AutomationObject instance that
contains the embedded symbol.

To detect the AutomationObject instance that contains the

source symbol
1 Select the embedded symbol.
2 In the Properties Editor, locate the OwningObject
property. Its value contains the name of the object that
contains the source symbol.

Note You can write to this property at run time to force the
embedded symbol to point to a different AutomationObject in its
references contained in animation links.

To edit the AutomationObject that contains the source symbol

1 Select the embedded symbol.
2 On the Edit menu, point to Embedded Symbol, and then
click Edit Instance. The object instance opens for editing
in the IDE.
3 Edit the instance as needed and save your changes.

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 Creating a New Instance of the Containing AutomationObject 403

Creating a New Instance of the Containing

AutomationObject
You can create a new instance of the AutomationObject that
contains an embedded symbol. The following properties of
the symbol are retained:
• Position and size.

• Animations

• Override information (the TreatAsIcon property)

To create a new instance of the AutomationObject that

contains an embedded symbol
1 Select the embedded symbol.
2 On the Edit menu, point to Embedded Symbol, and then
click New Instance. The Create Instance dialog box
appears.
3 Type a name for the new instance in the New Instance
Name box and click OK. The new instance of the
AutomationObject is created and the references and
name of the embedded symbol are updated to point at it.

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 405

Chapter 13

Migrating InTouch SmartSymbols

You can use InTouch SmartSymbols in ArchestrA Symbols

by importing (migrating) them. The SmartSymbol
appearance and configuration is imported and converted to
animation configuration.
The imported SmartSymbol can:
• Be added to the existing elements on the canvas.

• Replace the existing elements on the canvas.

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Importing InTouch SmartSymbols into an

ArchestrA Symbol
Generally, you can import any InTouch SmartSymbol into an
ArchestrA Symbol.

Note The SmartSymbol can contain objects that cannot be

imported, or can be imported but have limited functionality. For a
full list of these objects, see Restrictions for SmartSymbol Import
on page 410.

To import an InTouch SmartSymbol into an ArchestrA Symbol

1 Open the ArchestrA Symbol Editor.
2 On the Special menu, click Import InTouch SmartSymbol.
The Find InTouch Application Wizard appears.

3 If your InTouch application is in a different folder than

the default, click the browse button to browse for the
InTouch application path.
4 Select Find Applications. The Search Root box shows the
path under which all applications are to be searched.
5 If your InTouch application is not under the specified
Search Root path, change the Search Root path by typing a
new start folder for the search or browsing for one.

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Importing InTouch SmartSymbols into an ArchestrA Symbol 407

6 Click Find. All InTouch applications contained in the

specified Search Root folder are found and listed.

7 Select the application from which you want to import

SmartSymbols and click Next. The Select InTouch
SmartSymbol dialog box appears.

8 Browse to the location of the SmartSymbol in the

SmartSymbol hierarchy, select the SmartSymbol that
you want to import, and then click OK.
9 If you already have elements on the canvas, a dialog box
appears prompting if you want to replace the existing
elements. Click:
• Yes if you want to delete the existing elements and
import the SmartSymbol on an empty canvas.
• No if you want to keep the existing elements and
import the SmartSymbol.

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10 If the SmartSymbol contains fonts that are currently not

installed on the operating system, the Edit Font Mapping
dialog box appears.

You can click Continue to accept the suggested font

mapping, or change the font mapping for each individual
font. To do this:
a Click the font name in the Mapped Font column. A
browse button appears.
b Click the browse button. The Supported Font Selection
dialog box appears.
c Select a font from the list and click OK. The selected
font appears in the Mapped Font column.
d Repeat the steps for any other font you want to map
to another font.

Note If you want to save the mapping for the next time you
import a SmartSymbol, check Save mapping.

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Importing InTouch SmartSymbols into an ArchestrA Symbol 409

11 The SmartSymbol is imported and appears on the

canvas.

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Restrictions for SmartSymbol Import

When you import an InTouch SmartSymbol, the following
configuration is imported:
• InTouch graphics

• Graphical animations

• Scripts

• References

Importing InTouch Graphics

The following tables shows you InTouch graphics that:
• Can be imported without any problem.
• Can be imported but are changed in their functionality or
lose some functionality in the process.

• Cannot be imported.

The following InTouch graphics can be imported without any

problem:

ArchestrA
InTouch Graphic
Graphic Element Notes

Rectangle Rectangle
Rounded Rounded
Rectangle Rectangle
Ellipse Ellipse
Line Line
H/V Line Line Smart Symbols convert H/V lines to Lines.
Therefore, ArchestrA can only generate
lines.
Polyline Polyline
Polygon Polygon
Text Text
Bitmap Bitmap
Cell Group ArchestrA property "Treat as Icon" = false.
Symbol Group ArchestrA property "Treat as Icon" = true.
Button Button

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 Restrictions for SmartSymbol Import 411

The following InTouch graphics can be imported but are

changed in their functionality or lose some functionality in
the process:

ArchestrA
InTouch Graphic
Graphics Element Notes

Wizard Elements When grouped in a SmartSymbol, it

appears as a group of elements.
SmartSymbol Elements When grouped in another Smart
Symbol, it is broken down into a cell,
losing its SmartSymbol properties.
The following InTouch graphics cannot be imported, as they
cannot be added to a SmartSymbol:

ArchestrA
InTouch Graphic
Graphic Element Notes

RealTime n/a Cannot be added to a SmartSymbol.

Trend
Historical n/a Cannot be added to a SmartSymbol.
Trend
ActiveX n/a Cannot be added to SmartSymbol.
Controls This would include all ActiveX alarm
controls (Alarm DB View, Alarm
Viewer, and so on)

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Importing Graphical Animation

When you import an InTouch SmartSymbol, all data
configured in InTouch animations is imported to ArchestrA
animations. InTouch animations and ArchestrA animations
often have a different name, but perform the same function.
The following table shows you which animations correspond
to each other:

InTouch Animation Link ArchestrA animation

User Inputs - Discrete User Input

User Inputs - Analog User Input
User Inputs - String User Input
Sliders - Vertical Slider Vertical Slider
Sliders - Horizontal Slider Horizontal Slider
Touch Pushbuttons - Discrete Pushbutton
Value
Touch Pushbuttons - Action Action Scripts
Touch Pushbuttons - Show not supported
Window
Touch Pushbuttons - Hide not supported
Window
Line Color - Discrete Line Style
Line Color - Analog Line Style
Line Color - Discrete Alarm Line Style
Line Color - Analog Alarm Line Style
Fill Color - Discrete Fill Style
Fill Color - Analog Fill Style
Fill Color - Discrete Alarm Fill Style
Fill Color - Analog Alarm Fill Style
Text Color - Discrete Text Style
Text Color - Analog Text Style
Text Color - Discrete Alarm Text Style
Text Color - Analog Alarm Text Style
Object Size - Height Height
Object Size - Width Width

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 Restrictions for SmartSymbol Import 413

InTouch Animation Link ArchestrA animation

Location - Vertical Location Vertical

Location - Horizontal Location Horizontal
Percent Fill - Vertical % Fill Vertical
Percent Fill - Horizontal % Fill Horizontal
Miscellaneous - Visibility Visibility
Miscellaneous - Blink Blink
Miscellaneous - Orientation Rotation
Miscellaneous - Disable Disable
Miscellaneous - Tooltip Tooltip
Value Display - Discrete Value Value Display
Value Display - Analog Value Value Display
Value Display - String Value Value Display

Importing Action Scripts

When you import a SmartSymbol, all action scripts
associated with objects in SmartSymbol are imported as well.
An action script in a SmartSymbol becomes a script
animation in an ArchestrA Symbol.
Most of the predefined InTouch functions (QuickScripts) are
imported .

Mathematical Functions
The following mathematical functions in InTouch
WindowMaker are supported by the ArchestrA Symbol
Editor:
Abs, ArcCos, ArcSin, ArcTan, Cos, Exp, Int, Log, LogN,
Pi, Round, Sgn, Sin, Sqrt, Tan, Trunc

String Functions
The following string functions in InTouch WindowMaker are
supported by the ArchestrA Symbol Editor:
Dtext, StringASCII, StringChar, StringCompare,
StringCompareNoCase, StringFromGMTTimeToLocal,
StringFromIntg, StringFromReal, StringFromTime,
StringFromTimeLocal, StringInString, StringLeft,
StringLen, StringLower, StringMid, StringReplace,
StringRight, StringSpace, StringTest, StringToIntg,
StringToReal, StringTrim, StringUpper, Text,
wwStringFromTime

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System Functions
The following system functions in InTouch WindowMaker
are supported by the ArchestrA Symbol Editor:
ActivateApp

Miscellaneous Functions
The following miscellaneous functions in InTouch
WindowMaker are supported by the ArchestrA Symbol
Editor:
DateTimeGMT, LogMessage, SendKeys, WWControl,
WWExecute, WWPoke, WWRequest, IOSetRemoteReferences,
IOSetAccessName, IOReinitialize, IOReInitAccessName,
IOForceFailOver, IODisableFailover

Importing References
When you import a SmartSymbol, the following changes are
made to tags and references:

InTouch
SmartSymbol ArchestrA Symbol Example

Local Tags Prefixed with Real Memory Tag “TankLevel1” is

“InTouch:” converted to “InTouch:TankLevel1”
keyword
Local Tags Prefixed with Discrete Memory Tag
with “InTouch:” “[Link]” is converted to
dotfields keyword “InTouch:[Link]”
SuperTags Prefixed with Real Supertag member
“InTouch:” “Reactor1\Level” is converted to
keyword. You need “InTouch:Reactor1\Level”. You need to
to manually change the expression manually as
enclose the follows:
expression by the attribute(“InTouch:Reactor1\Level”);
following syntax:
attribute(“...”);
I/O Prefixed with Integer I/O Tag “Testprot:i00” is
References “InTouch:” converted to “InTouch:Testprot:i00”
keyword
Galaxy “Galaxy:” prefix is Galaxy Reference
References removed “galaxy:Pump1.Valve1” is converted to
“Pump1.Valve1”

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 Restrictions for SmartSymbol Import 415

The following items are imported with functional change:

InTouch SmartSymbol ArchestrA Symbol Example

Galaxy:ObjectTagname. “Galaxy:” prefix is “Galaxy:[Link].#VStrin

Property.#VString removed but g4” is converted to
#VString is not “[Link]”
supported. Applies
also for #VString1,
#Vstring2,
#VString3 and
#VString4
Galaxy:ObjectTagname. “Galaxy:” prefix is “Galaxy:[Link].#ReadSt
Property.#ReadSts removed but s” is converted to
#ReadSts is not “[Link]”
supported
Galaxy:ObjectTagname. “Galaxy:” prefix is “Galaxy:[Link].#WriteS
Property.#WriteSts removed but ts” is converted to
#WriteSts is not “[Link]”
supported
Galaxy:ObjectTagname. “Galaxy:” prefix is “Galaxy:Selection.Sel1.#E
Property.#EnumOrdinal removed but numOrdinal” is converted
#EnumOrdinal is to “Selection.Sel1”
not supported

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 417

Appendix A

List of Element Properties

This section shows you the properties of elements, the

canvas, element groups, and embedded symbols.

Each property has a purpose, a category it belongs to, where

it is used if it can be used in scripting at run time, and where
to find more information on how to use it.

The first part of this section contains an alphabetical list of

all properties, the second part shows a table for each category
of properties.

Alphabetical List of Properties

The following table contains a list of properties used by the:

• Elements.
• Canvas.

• Element groups.

• Embedded symbols.

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418 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Asterisk (*) marks properties that are specific to only one

type of element or the canvas, a group or an embedded
symbol.

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

AbsoluteAnchor* Purpose: Defines the absolute anchor point of the

source symbol. By default, this is the center point of all
elements on the canvas but can be changed.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Size Propagation and Anchor Points on page 45
AbsoluteOrigin Purpose: Defines an X, Y location relative to the top,
left (0, 0) origin of the symbol or window.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Embedded Symbol, Group, Path, Radio Button
Group, Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box, Calendar,
DateTime Picker, List Box.
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Changing Points of Origin in the Properties
Editor on page 128
Alignment Purpose: Controls the location of the text relative to
the bounding rectangle of the element.
Category: Text Style
Used by: Button, Text, Text Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Text Alignment on page 160
AnchorFixedTo Purpose: Determines if the anchor point is fixed to the
canvas when you resize, delete, or add elements
(Absolute), or if the anchor point is recalculated
relative to the element sizes and positions (Relative).
Category: Appearance
Used by: Embedded Symbol, Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Size Propagation and Anchor Points on page 45

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 Alphabetical List of Properties 419

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

AnchorPoint* Purpose: Defines the anchor X, Y location of the

embedded symbol.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Size Propagation and Anchor Points on page 45
Angle Purpose: Defines the current angle of rotation of the
element. 0 is always the top of the element relative to
the canvas. Angle is always determined relative to the
top of the element and rotates in a clockwise direction.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Group, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Rotating Elements by Changing the Angle
Property on page 125
AutoScale Purpose: If this property is set to True then the text is
stretched horizontally and vertically (larger or smaller)
to fit the bounding rectangle.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button, Text Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting Auto Scaling and Word Wrapping for a
Text Box on page 194
ButtonStyle* Purpose: Determines if the button appears as a
standard button or as an image.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring Buttons with Images on page 201

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420 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

CalendarColumns* Purpose: Defines the number of columns the calendar

object has.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Number of Calendar Month Sheets on
page 227
CalendarRows* Purpose: Defines the number of rows the calendar
object has.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Number of Calendar Month Sheets on
page 227
Caption* Purpose: Defines the text shown on the Check Box at
design time and at run time when the caption property
is not bound to a reference in the checkbox animation
panel.
Category: Text Style
Used by: Check Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Caption Text of a Check Box Control
on page 222
Checked* Purpose: Sets or gets the value of check box. This is
the initial value of the check box when the control is not
connected to a reference and is overridden at run time
with value of reference.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Check Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Default State of a Check Box Control
on page 221

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 Alphabetical List of Properties 421

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

.Color1 Purpose: Color1 is a sub-property of a FillColor,

UnfilledColor, LineColor or TextColor property. It is
used to change the first color of the fill, unfill, line or
text style if applicable.
Category: Depends on its source property
Used by: Depends on its source property
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Enabling and Disabling Elements for Run-Time
Interaction on page 185
.Color2 Purpose: Color2 is a sub-property of a FillColor,
UnfilledColor, LineColor or TextColor property. It is
used to change the second color of the fill, unfill, line or
text style if applicable.
Category: Depends on its source property
Used by: Depends on its source property
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Enabling and Disabling Elements for Run-Time
Interaction on page 185
.Color3 Purpose: Color3 is a sub-property of a FillColor,
UnfilledColor, LineColor or TextColor property. It is
used to change the third color of the fill, unfill, line or
text style if applicable.
Category: Depends on its source property
Used by: Depends on its source property
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Enabling and Disabling Elements for Run-Time
Interaction on page 185
ControlStyle Purpose: Defines the control style as Flat or 3D.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Radio Button Group, Check Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Layout of the Radio Button Group
Options on page 220 and Setting the 3D appearance of
a Check Box Control on page 222

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422 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Count Purpose: Indicates how many items there are in a list.

Category: not available at design time
Used by: Radio Button Group, Combo Box, List Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Using Radio Button Group-Specific Properties at
Run Time on page 221, Using Combo Box-Specific
Properties at Run Time on page 226 and Using List
Box-Specific Properties at Run Time on page 233
CustomFormat* Purpose: Defines the format to be used in the
DateTime Picker control for input of a date or time.
Category: Appearance
Used by: DateTime Picker
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring DateTime Picker Controls on
page 230
CustomProperties Purpose: The collection of CustomProperties defined
by the symbol.
Category: Custom Properties
Used by: Canvas, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Using Custom Properties on page 235
Description* Purpose: Contains a meaningful description of the
symbol.
Category: Graphic
Used by: Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Radius of Rounded Rectangles on
page 192
DefaultValue Purpose: The default time value to use for the control.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Calendar, DateTime Picker
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Default Value of the Calendar Control
on page 230 and Configuring DateTime Picker Controls
on page 230

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 Alphabetical List of Properties 423

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

DownImage* Purpose: Defines the image that is rendered in the

button element when it is clicked or held down.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring Buttons with Images on page 201
DropDownType* Purpose: Defines the type of combo box: simple, drop-
down or drop-down list.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Combo Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Type of Combo Box Control on
page 224
DropDownWidth* Purpose: Defines the width of the drop-down list.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Combo Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Width of the Drop-Down List on
page 225
DynamicSizeChange* Purpose: Determines if the embedded symbol
propagates the size changes from the source symbol.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Enabling or Disabling Dynamic Size Change of
Embedded Symbols on page 399

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424 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Enabled Purpose: When set to True enables the element at run

time and allows the user to interact with it. If the
property is set to False the user cannot use the mouse
or keyboard to interact with the element. Data changes
as a result of an animation or script still execute.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box,
Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box, Group, Path,
Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Enabling and Disabling Elements for Run-Time
Interaction on page 185
End Purpose: Defines the end of a line or H/V line as X, Y
location.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Line, H/V Line
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Start or End Points of a Line on page 155
EndCap Purpose: Defines the cap used at the end of the line of
an open element.
Category: Line Style
Used by: Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve, 2 Point Arc,
3 Point Arc
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Line End Shape and Size on page 193
FillBehavior Purpose: Determines how the Fill (Horizontal,
Vertical or Both) should be applied to the element.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Fill Behavior on page 153

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 Alphabetical List of Properties 425

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

FillColor Purpose: Defines the fill style used for the filled
portion of the element.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Radio Button
Group, Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box, Calendar,
List Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Fill Style on page 151 and Changing
Background Color and Text Color of Windows Common
Controls on page 217
FillOrientation Purpose: Determines the orientation of the fill when
the element orientation is any value other than 0.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Fill Orientation on page 153
FirstDayOfWeek* Purpose: Defines the first day of the week used for the
display of the columns in the calendar.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the First Day of the Week on page 228
Font Purpose: Defines the basic text font as defined by the
operating system.
Category: Text Style
Used by: Button, Text, Text Box, Radio Button Group,
Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime
Picker, List Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Text Font on page 159

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426 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Format* Purpose: Defines the format of the reference values.

This is only available for array mode.
Category: Appearance
Used by: DateTime Picker
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring DateTime Picker Controls on
page 230
HasTransparentColor* Purpose: Indicates whether or not the image applies a
transparent color. If True the image is rendered
transparent wherever a color in the image matches the
TransparentColor property.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Image
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Image Color Transparency on
page 198
Height Purpose: Defines the height of the element.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box,
Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Resizing Elements by Changing Size Properties
on page 120
HorizontalDirection Purpose: Determines the horizontal direction of the
fill for the element. Can be “Right” or “Left”.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Horizontal Fill Direction and Percentage
on page 154

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 Alphabetical List of Properties 427

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

HorizontalPercentFill Purpose: Determines the percentage of horizontal fill

for the element.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting Horizontal Fill Direction and Percentage
on page 154
HorizontalScrollbar Purpose: Determines if a horizontal scroll bar appears
on a list box control to allow the user to scroll the list
box items horizontally.
Category: Appearance
Used by: List Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Using a Horizontal Scroll Bar in a List Box
Control on page 233
Image* Purpose: Defines the image that is rendered in the
element. Any image format supported by the
application can be used.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Image
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Selecting a Different Image on page 200
ImageAlignment* Purpose: Controls the location of the image relative to
the bounding rectangle of the graphic. This property is
only applicable when the ImageStyle is set to Normal.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Image
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Image Alignment on page 197
ImageStyle Purpose: Defines how the image is rendered relative
to its bounding rectangle.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button, Image
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Image Display Mode on page 196

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428 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

IntegralHeight Purpose: Determines if the List Box size is an integral

multiple of the Font Size so that a finite number of
items fit in it without being clipped.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Combo Box, List Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Avoiding Clipping of Items in the Simple Combo
Box Control on page 225
Layout* Purpose: Defines the way the radio buttons are
arranged in the group (Horizontal or Vertical).
Category: Appearance
Used by: Radio Button Group
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Layout of the Radio Button Group
Options on page 220
LineColor Purpose: Defines the color and affects of the line or
border.
Category: Line Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Line Style on page 157
LinePattern Purpose: Defines the pattern of the line or border.
Category: Line Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Line Pattern on page 156

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 Alphabetical List of Properties 429

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

LineWeight Purpose: Determines the weight of the element’s line

or border. A value of 0 means that there is no line or
border.
Category: Line Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Line Weight on page 156
Locked Purpose: Locks or unlocks the element’s size, position,
orientation and origin. Other properties that can have
an affect on element size, position, orientation and
origin are also locked. These are element-specific.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box,
Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Locking and Unlocking Elements on page 130
MaxDropDownItems* Purpose: Defines the maximum number of items the
drop-down list shows.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Combo Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Maximum Number of Items to Appear
in the Combo Box Drop-Down List on page 226
Multiline* Purpose: Determines if the control shows several lines
of text that automatically wrap up when reaching the
right border of the control.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Edit Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring the Text to Wrap in an Edit Box
Control on page 223

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430 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

MultiplePopupsAllowed* Purpose: If False, ShowSymbol animations only show

within a single dialog window no matter how many
animations are invoked and regardless of how the
animations are configured. If True, ShowSymbol
animations show in separate dialog windows.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Radius of Rounded Rectangles on
page 192
Name Purpose: Gives the element a meaningful unique
name.
Category: Graphic
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box,
Embedded Symbol, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Radius of Rounded Rectangles on
page 192
NewIndex Purpose: Returns the index of the last value added to
the list. This is provided for migration of InTouch
Windows common controls.
Category: not available at design time
Used by: Combo Box, List Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Using Combo Box-Specific Properties at Run
Time on page 226 and Using List Box-Specific
Properties at Run Time on page 233

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 Alphabetical List of Properties 431

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

OwningObject* Purpose: Used as the ArchestrA object reference to

replace all "Me." references in expressions and scripts.
Everywhere there is a "Me." reference this object
reference is used instead. The object name can be set
either using a tagname or hierarchical name of an
AutomationObject.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Detecting and Editing the Containing
AutomationObject Instance on page 402
Radius* Purpose: Defines the radius of the corners of the
Rounded Rectangle.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rounded Rectangle
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Radius of Rounded Rectangles on
page 192
ReadOnly* Purpose: Determines if the user can type data into the
edit box.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Edit Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring the Text to be Read-Only in an Edit
Box Control on page 223
RelativeAnchor* Purpose: Relative anchor point of the source symbol.
By default, this is 0,0.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Size Propagation and Anchor Points on page 45

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432 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

RelativeOrigin Purpose: Defines the relative origin as X, Y location.

The location is relative to the center point of the
element (0, 0).
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Changing Points of Origin in the Properties
Editor on page 128
Scripts* Purpose: Defines a collection of scripts configured for
the symbol.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Adding and Maintaining Symbol Scripts on
page 351
SelectedValue Purpose: Reads the value of the selected item, or
selects the item with that value if it exists.
Category: not available at design time
Used by: Radio Button Group, List Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Using Radio Button Group-Specific Properties at
Run Time on page 221 and Using List Box-Specific
Properties at Run Time on page 233
ShowToday* Purpose: Determines if today's date is shown on the
calendar control.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Showing or Hiding Today’s Date on a Calendar
Control on page 228

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Alphabetical List of Properties 433

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Smoothing* Purpose: When False the graphics are rendered

normally, when True graphics are rendered with anti-
aliasing which produces a smoother appearing graphic.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Radius of Rounded Rectangles on
page 192
Start Purpose: Defines the start of a line or H/V line as X, Y
location.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Line, H/V Line
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Start or End Points of a Line on page 155
StartAngle Purpose: Defines the starting angle of an Arc, Pie or
Chord. 0 is always the top of the graphic relative to its
orientation. A positive number is clockwise from 0 and
a negative number is counter clockwise from 0. If a
negative number is used to set the property it is
automatically converted to a positive value.
Category: Appearance
Used by: 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point Chord, 3
Point Chord, 2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Changing Angles of Arcs, Pies and Chords on
page 205
StartCap Purpose: Defines the cap used at the start of the line
of an open graphic.
Category: Line Style
Used by: Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve, 2 Point Arc,
3 Point Arc
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Line End Shape and Size on page 193

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434 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

SweepAngle Purpose: Defines the ending angle of the Arc, Pie or

Chord. This angle is always measured from the start
angle.
Category: Appearance
Used by: 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point Chord, 3
Point Chord, 2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Changing Angles of Arcs, Pies and Chords on
page 205
SymbolReference* Purpose: Contains the exact location that the
Embedded Symbol is linked to. This can help the user
in locating the original definition for editing purposes.

Note This property is always disabled.

Category: Runtime Behavior

Used by: Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Detecting the Source Symbol of an Embedded
Symbol on page 396
TabOrder Purpose: Defines the tab order for the element. The
tab order is only used when navigating by the
keyboard. This property is valid only when the TabStop
property is set to true.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box,
Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box, Group, Path,
Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Editing the Tab Order of an Element on page 186

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 Alphabetical List of Properties 435

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

TabStop Purpose: Determines if the element can be navigated

to and can receive focus at run time.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box,
Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box, Group, Path,
Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Editing the Tab Order of an Element on page 186
Tension Purpose: Specifies how tightly the curve bends
through the control points of the curve.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Closed Curve, Curve
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Changing the Tension of Curves and Closed
Curves on page 204
Text Purpose: Defines the unicode text that is shown by the
element.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button, Text, Text Box, Edit Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Displayed Text on page 158
TextColor Purpose: Defines the color and affects applied to the
text.
Category: Text Style
Used by: Button, Text, Text Box, Radio Button Group,
Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box, Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Text Color on page 159 and Changing
Background Color and Text Color of Windows Common
Controls on page 217

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436 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

TextFormat Purpose: Defines the formatting string that is applied

to the text when it is shown.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button, Text, Text Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Text Display Format on page 158
TitleFillColor* Purpose: Determines the background solid color in the
title bar of the calendar control.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Title Fill Color and Text Color on a
Calendar Control on page 228
TitleTextColor* Purpose: Determines the text solid color in the title
bar of the calendar control.
Category: Text Style
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Title Fill Color and Text Color on a
Calendar Control on page 228
TopIndex* Purpose: Returns the index of the top most item in the
list. This is provided for migration of InTouch Windows
common controls.
Category: not available at design time
Used by: List Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Using List Box-Specific Properties at Run Time
on page 233
TrailingTextColor* Purpose: Determines the text solid color of the text for
the trailing days. The trailing days are days outside the
current month.
Category: Text Style
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Text Color for Trailing Dates in a
Calendar Control on page 229

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 Alphabetical List of Properties 437

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Transparency Purpose: Defines the transparency of the element. A

value of 0 means fully opaque and a value of 100 means
fully transparent.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Transparency Level of an Element on
page 183
.Transparency Purpose: Transparency is a sub-property of a
FillColor, UnfilledColor, LineColor or TextColor
property. It is used to change the transparency of the
fill, unfill, line or text style if applicable. The
transparency acts in addition to the transparency of the
element.
Category: Depends on its source property
Used by: Depends on its source property
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Enabling and Disabling Elements for Run-Time
Interaction on page 185
TransparentColor* Purpose: Defines the RGB color value that is used as
the transparent color.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Image
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Image Color Transparency on
page 198

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438 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

TreatAsIcon Purpose: If this property is set to False, the

animations defined on the graphics within the group or
embedded symbol take precedence over an animation
defined on the group or embedded symbol. If there are
no animations or the user clicked on an area of the
group or embedded symbol that does not have an
animation, then the group or embedded symbol
animation executes.
If the property is set to True, only the animation on the
group or embedded symbol is executed. The animations
within the group or embedded symbol never execute.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Group, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Editing the Embedded Symbol on page 393
UnFilledColor Purpose: Determines the element's unfilled area
appearance.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Unfilled Style on page 152
UpImage* Purpose: Defines the image that is used in the button
element when it is un-clicked or released.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring Buttons with Images on page 201
Value Purpose: Reads the value of the selected item, or
selects the item with that value if it exists. Its data type
depends on the control.
Category: not available at design time
Used by: Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Reading and Writing the Selected Value at Run
Time on page 218

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 Alphabetical List of Properties 439

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

VerticalDirection Purpose: Defines the vertical direction of the fill. Can

be “Top” or “Bottom”.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Vertical Fill Direction and Percentage on
page 154
VerticalPercentFill Purpose: Determines the percentage of vertical fill for
the element.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting Vertical Fill Direction and Percentage on
page 154
Visible Purpose: Determines the visibility of the element.
This property is configured at design time and used
only at runtime. At design time all elements are visible
irrespective of this setting.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box,
Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box, Group, Path,
Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Changing the Visibility of Elements on page 185

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440 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Width Purpose: Defines the width of the element.

Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box,
Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Resizing Elements by Changing Size Properties
on page 120
WordWrap Purpose: When set to True, the text in the button or
text box is formatted to fit as much text on a single line
within the horizontal bounding area of the element and
then continued to the next line. This continues as long
as there is vertical space.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button, Text Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Wrapping Text in Buttons on page 201
X Purpose: Defines the left position of the element.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box,
Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Moving Elements on page 107

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 List by Functional Area 441

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Y Purpose: Defines the top position of the element.

Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box,
Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Moving Elements on page 107

List by Functional Area

Each property of the elements, the canvas, element groups
and embedded objects belongs to one of the following
property categories:

• Graphic

• Appearance

• Fill Style

• Line Style

• Text Style

• Runtime Behavior
• Custom Properties

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

442 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Graphic Category Properties

The following table contains a list of properties in the
Graphic property category used by the:

• Elements.

• Canvas.

• Element groups.

• Embedded symbols.

It shows their purpose, where they are used and where to

find more information on how to use them.

Asterisk (*) marks properties that are specific to only one

type of element or the canvas, a group or an embedded
symbol.

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Description* Purpose: Contains a meaningful description of the

symbol.
Category: Graphic
Used by: Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Radius of Rounded Rectangles on
page 192
Name Purpose: Gives the element a meaningful unique
name.
Category: Graphic
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box,
Embedded Symbol, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Radius of Rounded Rectangles on
page 192

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 List by Functional Area 443

Appearance Category Propeties

The following table contains a list of properties in the
Appearance property category used by the:

• Elements.

• Canvas.

• Element groups.

• Embedded symbols.

It shows their purpose, where they are used and where to

find more information on how to use them.

Asterisk (*) marks properties that are specific to only one

type of element or the canvas, a group or an embedded
symbol.

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

AbsoluteAnchor* Purpose: Defines the absolute anchor point of the

source symbol. By default, this is the center point of all
elements on the canvas but can be changed.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Size Propagation and Anchor Points on page 45
AnchorFixedTo Purpose: Determines if the anchor point is fixed to the
canvas when you resize, delete, or add elements
(Absolute), or if the anchor point is recalculated
relative to the element sizes and positions (Relative).
Category: Appearance
Used by: Embedded Symbol, Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Size Propagation and Anchor Points on page 45

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444 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

AbsoluteOrigin Purpose: Defines an X, Y location relative to the top,

left (0, 0) origin of the symbol or window.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Embedded Symbol, Group, Path, Radio Button
Group, Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box, Calendar,
DateTime Picker, List Box.
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Changing Points of Origin in the Properties
Editor on page 128
AnchorPoint* Purpose: Defines the anchor X, Y location of the
embedded symbol.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Size Propagation and Anchor Points on page 45
Angle Purpose: Defines the current angle of rotation of the
element. 0 is always the top of the element relative to
the canvas. Angle is always determined relative to the
top of the element and rotates in a clockwise direction.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Group, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Rotating Elements by Changing the Angle
Property on page 125
AutoScale Purpose: If this property is set to True then the text is
stretched horizontally and vertically (larger or smaller)
to fit the bounding rectangle.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button, Text Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting Auto Scaling and Word Wrapping for a
Text Box on page 194

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 List by Functional Area 445

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

ButtonStyle* Purpose: Determines if the button appears as a

standard button or as an image.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring Buttons with Images on page 201
CalendarColumns* Purpose: Defines the number of columns the calendar
object has.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Number of Calendar Month Sheets on
page 227
CalendarRows* Purpose: Defines the number of rows the calendar
object has.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Number of Calendar Month Sheets on
page 227
Checked* Purpose: Sets or gets the value of check box. This is
the initial value of the check box when the control is not
connected to a reference and is overridden at run time
with value of reference.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Check Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Default State of a Check Box Control
on page 221
ControlStyle Purpose: Defines the control style as Flat or 3D.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Radio Button Group, Check Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Layout of the Radio Button Group
Options on page 220 and Setting the 3D appearance of
a Check Box Control on page 222

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446 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

CustomFormat* Purpose: Defines the format to be used in the

DateTime Picker control for input of a date or time.
Category: Appearance
Used by: DateTime Picker
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring DateTime Picker Controls on
page 230
DefaultValue Purpose: The default time value to use for the control.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Calendar, DateTime Picker
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Default Value of the Calendar Control
on page 230 and Configuring DateTime Picker Controls
on page 230
DownImage* Purpose: Defines the image that is rendered in the
button element when it is clicked or held down.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring Buttons with Images on page 201
DropDownType* Purpose: Defines the type of combo box: simple, drop-
down or drop-down list.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Combo Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Type of Combo Box Control on
page 224
DropDownWidth* Purpose: Defines the width of the drop-down list.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Combo Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Width of the Drop-Down List on
page 225

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 List by Functional Area 447

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

DynamicSizeChange* Purpose: Determines if the embedded symbol

propagates the size changes from the source symbol.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Enabling or Disabling Dynamic Size Change of
Embedded Symbols on page 399
End Purpose: Defines the end of a line or H/V line as X, Y
location.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Line, H/V Line
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Start or End Points of a Line on page 155
FirstDayOfWeek* Purpose: Defines the first day of the week used for the
display of the columns in the calendar.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the First Day of the Week on page 228
Format* Purpose: Defines the format of the reference values.
This is only available for array mode.
Category: Appearance
Used by: DateTime Picker
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring DateTime Picker Controls on
page 230
HasTransparentColor* Purpose: Indicates whether or not the image applies a
transparent color. If True the image is rendered
transparent wherever a color in the image matches the
TransparentColor property.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Image
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Image Color Transparency on
page 198

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448 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Height Purpose: Defines the height of the element.

Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box,
Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Resizing Elements by Changing Size Properties
on page 120
HorizontalScrollbar Purpose: Determines if a horizontal scroll bar appears
on a list box control to allow the user to scroll the list
box items horizontally.
Category: Appearance
Used by: List Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Using a Horizontal Scroll Bar in a List Box
Control on page 233
Image* Purpose: Defines the image that is rendered in the
element. Any image format supported by the
application can be used.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Image
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Selecting a Different Image on page 200
ImageAlignment* Purpose: Controls the location of the image relative to
the bounding rectangle of the graphic. This property is
only applicable when the ImageStyle is set to Normal.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Image
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Image Alignment on page 197

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 List by Functional Area 449

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

ImageStyle Purpose: Defines how the image is rendered relative

to its bounding rectangle.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button, Image
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Image Display Mode on page 196
IntegralHeight Purpose: Determines if the List Box size is an integral
multiple of the Font Size so that a finite number of
items fit in it without being clipped.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Combo Box, List Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Avoiding Clipping of Items in the Simple Combo
Box Control on page 225
Layout* Purpose: Defines the way the radio buttons are
arranged in the group (Horizontal or Vertical).
Category: Appearance
Used by: Radio Button Group
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Layout of the Radio Button Group
Options on page 220
Locked Purpose: Locks or unlocks the element’s size, position,
orientation and origin. Other properties that can have
an affect on element size, position, orientation and
origin are also locked. These are element-specific.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box,
Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Locking and Unlocking Elements on page 130

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

450 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

MaxDropDownItems* Purpose: Defines the maximum number of items the

drop-down list shows.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Combo Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Maximum Number of Items to Appear
in the Combo Box Drop-Down List on page 226
Multiline* Purpose: Determines if the control shows several lines
of text that automatically wrap up when reaching the
right border of the control.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Edit Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring the Text to Wrap in an Edit Box
Control on page 223
Radius* Purpose: Defines the radius of the corners of the
Rounded Rectangle.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rounded Rectangle
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Radius of Rounded Rectangles on
page 192
ReadOnly* Purpose: Determines if the user can type data into the
edit box.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Edit Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring the Text to be Read-Only in an Edit
Box Control on page 223
RelativeAnchor* Purpose: Relative anchor point of the source symbol.
By default, this is 0,0.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Size Propagation and Anchor Points on page 45

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 List by Functional Area 451

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

RelativeOrigin Purpose: Defines the relative origin as X, Y location.

The location is relative to the center point of the
element (0, 0).
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Changing Points of Origin in the Properties
Editor on page 128
ShowToday* Purpose: Determines if today's date is shown on the
calendar control.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Showing or Hiding Today’s Date on a Calendar
Control on page 228
Smoothing* Purpose: When False the graphics are rendered
normally, when True graphics are rendered with anti-
aliasing which produces a smoother appearing graphic.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Radius of Rounded Rectangles on
page 192
Start Purpose: Defines the start of a line or H/V line as X, Y
location.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Line, H/V Line
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Start or End Points of a Line on page 155

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452 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

StartAngle Purpose: Defines the starting angle of an Arc, Pie or

Chord. 0 is always the top of the graphic relative to its
orientation. A positive number is clockwise from 0 and
a negative number is counter clockwise from 0. If a
negative number is used to set the property it is
automatically converted to a positive value.
Category: Appearance
Used by: 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point Chord, 3
Point Chord, 2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Changing Angles of Arcs, Pies and Chords on
page 205
SweepAngle Purpose: Defines the ending angle of the Arc, Pie or
Chord. This angle is always measured from the start
angle.
Category: Appearance
Used by: 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point Chord, 3
Point Chord, 2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Changing Angles of Arcs, Pies and Chords on
page 205
Tension Purpose: Specifies how tightly the curve bends
through the control points of the curve.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Closed Curve, Curve
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Changing the Tension of Curves and Closed
Curves on page 204
Text Purpose: Defines the unicode text that is shown by the
element.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button, Text, Text Box, Edit Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Displayed Text on page 158

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 List by Functional Area 453

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

TextFormat Purpose: Defines the formatting string that is applied

to the text when it is shown.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button, Text, Text Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Text Display Format on page 158
Transparency Purpose: Defines the transparency. A value of 0
means fully opaque and a value of 100 means fully
transparent.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Transparency Level of an Element on
page 183
TransparentColor* Purpose: Defines the RGB color value that is used as
the transparent color.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Image
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Image Color Transparency on
page 198
UpImage* Purpose: Defines the image that is used in the button
element when it is un-clicked or released.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Configuring Buttons with Images on page 201

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454 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Width Purpose: Defines the width of the element.

Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box,
Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Resizing Elements by Changing Size Properties
on page 120
WordWrap Purpose: When set to True, the text in the button or
text box is formatted to fit as much text on a single line
within the horizontal bounding area of the element and
then continued to the next line. This continues as long
as there is vertical space.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Button, Text Box
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Wrapping Text in Buttons on page 201
X Purpose: Defines the left position of the element.
Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box,
Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Moving Elements on page 107

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 List by Functional Area 455

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Y Purpose: Defines the top position of the element.

Category: Appearance
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Status, Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box,
Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box,
Group, Path, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Moving Elements on page 107

Fill Style Group Properties

The following table contains a list of properties in the Fill
Style property category used by the:

• Elements.

• Canvas.

• Element groups.

• Embedded symbols.

It shows their purpose, where they are used and where to

find more information on how to use them.

Asterisk (*) marks properties that are specific to only one

type of element or the canvas, a group or an embedded
symbol.

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

FillBehavior Purpose: Determines how the Fill (Horizontal,

Vertical or Both) should be applied to the element.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Fill Behavior on page 153

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456 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

FillColor Purpose: Defines the fill style used for the filled
portion of the element.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Radio Button
Group, Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box, Calendar,
List Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Fill Style on page 151 and Changing
Background Color and Text Color of Windows Common
Controls on page 217
FillOrientation Purpose: Determines the orientation of the fill when
the element orientation is any value other than 0.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Fill Orientation on page 153
HorizontalDirection Purpose: Determines the horizontal direction of the
fill for the element. Can be “Right” or “Left”.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Horizontal Fill Direction and Percentage
on page 154
HorizontalPercentFill Purpose: Determines the percentage of horizontal fill
for the element.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting Horizontal Fill Direction and Percentage
on page 154

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 List by Functional Area 457

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

TitleFillColor* Purpose: Determines the background solid color in the

title bar of the calendar control.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Title Fill Color and Text Color on a
Calendar Control on page 228
UnFilledColor Purpose: Determines the element's unfilled area
appearance.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Unfilled Style on page 152
VerticalDirection Purpose: Defines the vertical direction of the fill. Can
be “Top” or “Bottom”.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Vertical Fill Direction and Percentage on
page 154
VerticalPercentFill Purpose: Determines the percentage of vertical fill for
the element.
Category: Fill Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Button, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting Vertical Fill Direction and Percentage on
page 154

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458 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Line Style Group Properties

The following table contains a list of properties in the Line
Style property category used by the:

• Elements.

• Canvas.

• Element groups.

• Embedded symbols.

It shows their purpose, where they are used and where to

find more information on how to use them.

Asterisk (*) marks properties that are specific to only one

type of element or the canvas, a group or an embedded
symbol.

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

EndCap Purpose: Defines the cap used at the end of the line of
an open element.
Category: Line Style
Used by: Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve, 2 Point Arc,
3 Point Arc
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Line End Shape and Size on page 193
LineColor Purpose: Defines the color and affects of the line or
border.
Category: Line Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Line Style on page 157
LinePattern Purpose: Defines the pattern of the line or border.
Category: Line Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Line Pattern on page 156

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 List by Functional Area 459

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

LineWeight Purpose: Determines the weight of the element’s line

or border. A value of 0 means that there is no line or
border.
Category: Line Style
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Text Box, Path
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Setting the Line Weight on page 156
StartCap Purpose: Defines the cap used at the start of the line
of an open graphic.
Category: Line Style
Used by: Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve, 2 Point Arc,
3 Point Arc
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Line End Shape and Size on page 193

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460 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Text Style Group Properties

The following table contains a list of properties in the Text
Style property category used by the:

• Elements.

• Canvas.

• Element groups.

• Embedded symbols.

It shows their purpose, where they are used and where to

find more information on how to use them.

Asterisk (*) marks properties that are specific to only one

type of element or the canvas, a group or an embedded
symbol.

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Alignment Purpose: Controls the location of the text relative to

the bounding rectangle of the element.
Category: Text Style
Used by: Button, Text, Text Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Text Alignment on page 160
Caption* Purpose: Defines the text shown on the Check Box at
design time and at run time when the caption property
is not bound to a reference in the checkbox animation
panel.
Category: Text Style
Used by: Check Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Caption Text of a Check Box Control
on page 222
Font Purpose: Defines the basic text font as defined by the
operating system.
Category: Text Style
Used by: Button, Text, Text Box, Radio Button Group,
Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box, Calendar, DateTime
Picker, List Box
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Text Font on page 159

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 List by Functional Area 461

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

TextColor Purpose: Defines the color and affects applied to the

text.
Category: Text Style
Used by: Button, Text, Text Box, Radio Button Group,
Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box, Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Text Color on page 159 and Changing
Background Color and Text Color of Windows Common
Controls on page 217
TitleTextColor* Purpose: Determines the text solid color in the title
bar of the calendar control.
Category: Text Style
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting Title Fill Color and Text Color on a
Calendar Control on page 228
TrailingTextColor* Purpose: Determines the text solid color of the text for
the trailing days. The trailing days are days outside the
current month.
Category: Text Style
Used by: Calendar
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Text Color for Trailing Dates in a
Calendar Control on page 229

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

462 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Runtime Behavior Group Properties

The following table contains a list of properties in the
Runtime Behavior property category used by the:

• Elements.

• Canvas.

• Element groups.

• Embedded symbols.

It shows their purpose, where they are used and where to

find more information on how to use them.

Asterisk (*) marks properties that are specific to only one

type of element or the canvas, a group or an embedded
symbol.

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Enabled Purpose: When set to True enables the element at run

time and allows the user to interact with it. If the
property is set to False the user cannot use the mouse
or keyboard to interact with the element. Data changes
as a result of an animation or script still execute.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box,
Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box, Group, Path,
Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Enabling and Disabling Elements for Run-Time
Interaction on page 185
MultiplePopupsAllowed* Purpose: If False, ShowSymbol animations only show
within a single dialog window no matter how many
animations are invoked and regardless of how the
animations are configured. If True, ShowSymbol
animations show in separate dialog windows.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Setting the Radius of Rounded Rectangles on
page 192

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 List by Functional Area 463

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

OwningObject* Purpose: Used as the ArchestrA object reference to

replace all "Me." references in expressions and scripts.
Everywhere there is a "Me." reference this object
reference is used instead. The object name can be set
either using a tagname or hierarchical name of an
AutomationObject.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Detecting and Editing the Containing
AutomationObject Instance on page 402
Scripts* Purpose: Defines a collection of scripts configured for
the symbol.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Canvas
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Adding and Maintaining Symbol Scripts on
page 351
SymbolReference* Purpose: Contains the exact location that the
Embedded Symbol is linked to. This can help the user
in locating the original definition for editing purposes.

Note This property is always disabled.

Category: Runtime Behavior

Used by: Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Detecting the Source Symbol of an Embedded
Symbol on page 396

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

464 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

TabOrder Purpose: Defines the tab order for the element. The
tab order is only used when navigating by the
keyboard. This property is valid only when the TabStop
property is set to true.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box,
Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box, Group, Path,
Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Editing the Tab Order of an Element on page 186
TabStop Purpose: Determines if the element can be navigated
to and can receive focus at run time.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box,
Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box, Group, Path,
Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Editing the Tab Order of an Element on page 186
TreatAsIcon Purpose: If this property is set to False, the
animations defined on the graphics within the group or
embedded symbol take precedence over an animation
defined on the group or embedded symbol. If there are
no animations or the user clicked on an area of the
group or embedded symbol that does not have an
animation, then the group or embedded symbol
animation executes.
If the property is set to True, only the animation on the
group or embedded symbol is executed. The animations
within the group or embedded symbol never execute.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Group, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Editing the Embedded Symbol on page 393

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 List by Functional Area 465

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

Visible Purpose: Determines the visibility of the element.

This property is configured at design time and used
only at runtime. At design time all elements are visible
irrespective of this setting.
Category: Runtime Behavior
Used by: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse,
Polygon, Closed Curve, 2 Point Pie, 3 Point Pie, 2 Point
Chord, 3 Point Chord, Line, H/V Line, Polyline, Curve,
2 Point Arc, 3 Point Arc, Button, Text, Text Box, Image,
Radio Button Group, Check Box, Edit Box, Combo Box,
Calendar, DateTime Picker, List Box, Group, Path,
Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: Yes
Info: Changing the Visibility of Elements on page 185

Custom Properties Group Properties

The following table contains a list of properties in the
Custom Properties property category used by the:

• Elements.

• Canvas.

• Element groups.

• Embedded symbols.

It shows their purpose, where they are used and where to

find more information on how to use them.

The Custom Properties group contains also any other custom

property you define.

Property Purpose, category, usage and further information

CustomProperties Purpose: The collection of CustomProperties defined

by the symbol.
Category: Custom Properties
Used by: Canvas, Embedded Symbol
Can be read by script at run time: No
Info: Using Custom Properties on page 235

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

466 Appendix A List of Element Properties

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 467

Appendix B

Windows Common Control List

Methods

You can use the methods of the Windows common controls to

manipulate the controls at run time by using them in
scripting.

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

468 Appendix B Windows Common Control List Methods

Overview of Windows Common Control List

Methods
The following table contains a list of methods you can use in
scripting to:

• Load and save the contents of the Edit Box control from
and to a file.
• Manipulate items in the lists of the List Box control and
Combo Box control.

Method Purpose, syntax and information

AddItem Purpose: Add an item (coerced to String) to the list. If

the list is sorted, then the new item is inserted at the
right position and selected if the list is unsorted, the
item is added to the bottom of the list.
Used by: Combo Box, List Box

Note This function does not work when using an Enum or

Array to populate the List Box.

Syntax: [Link](CaptionString);
Info: Adding and Inserting Items into a List on
page 363
Clear Purpose: Removes all items from the List. If the list is
bound, it clears the bound reference (array or enum) in
ArchestrA.

Note This function does not work when using an Enum or

Array to populate the List Box.

Used by: Combo Box, List Box

Syntax: [Link]();
Info: Deleting Items from a List on page 364
DeleteItem Purpose: Accepts an index as a parameter and
removes that item from the list. The first item in the
list has an index of 0.
Used by: Combo Box, List Box
Syntax: [Link](Index);
Info: Deleting Items from a List on page 364

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Overview of Windows Common Control List Methods 469

Method Purpose, syntax and information

DeleteSelection Purpose: Delete the currently selected item from the

list.
Used by: Combo Box, List Box
Syntax: [Link]();
Info: Deleting Items from a List on page 364
FindItem Purpose: Accepts a string as a parameter and returns
the index of the first item that matches the string. The
first item in the list has an index of 0.
Used by: Combo Box, List Box
Syntax: [Link](SearchString);
Info: Finding an Item in a List on page 365
GetItem Purpose: Returns the item associated with an index
supplied as a parameter to this function. The first item
in the list has an index of 0.
Used by: Combo Box, List Box
Syntax: ItemCaption = [Link](Index);
Info: Reading the Caption of a Selected Item in a List
on page 365
InsertItem Purpose: Inserts the supplied string after the current
selection in the List. Does not work if list is sorted.
Used by: Combo Box, List Box
Syntax: [Link](String);
Info: Adding and Inserting Items into a List on
page 363
SetItemData Purpose: Associates a value with an item in the list
which index is provided to the function. The first item
in the list has an index of 0.

Note This function only works when UseValuesAsItems is

set to false. It does not work when using an Enum or Array
to populate the List Box control.

Used by: Combo Box, List Box

Syntax: [Link](Index,Value);
Info: Associating Items with Values in a List on
page 366

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

470 Appendix B Windows Common Control List Methods

Method Purpose, syntax and information

GetItemData Purpose: Returns the value associated with the item

in the list which index is supplied to the function. The
first item in the list has an index of 0.

Note This function only works when UseValuesAsItems is

set to false. It does not work when using an Enum or Array
to populate the List Box control.

Used by: Combo Box, List Box

Syntax: Value = [Link](Index);
Info: Associating Items with Values in a List on
page 366
LoadList Purpose: Loads a list of strings from a file which name
is passed as parameter to the function. The default
location for files is the users folder, for example:
c:\documents and settings\username.

Note This function does not work when using an Enum or

Array to populate the List Box control.

Used by: Combo Box, List Box

Syntax: [Link](FileName);
Info: Loading and Saving Item Lists on page 366
LoadText Purpose: Loads a text from a file into the Edit Box
control. The default location for files is the users folder,
for example: c:\documents and settings\username.
Used by: Edit Box
Syntax: [Link](FileName);
Info: Configuring Edit Box Methods on page 362
SaveList Purpose: Save a list to a file which name is passed as
parameter to the function. The default location for files
is the users folder, for example: c:\documents and
settings\username.
Used by: Combo Box, List Box
Syntax: [Link](FileName);
Info: Loading and Saving Item Lists on page 366

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Overview of Windows Common Control List Methods 471

Method Purpose, syntax and information

SaveText Purpose: Saves the current text in the Edit Box

control to a file. The default location for files is the
users folder, for example: c:\documents and
settings\username.
Used by: Edit Box
Syntax: [Link](FileName);
Info: Configuring Edit Box Methods on page 362

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

472 Appendix B Windows Common Control List Methods

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 473

Index

A Alignment property 418, 460

[Link] 383 anchor points
.aaPKG file changing position 398
exporting client controls in 371, 386 hiding 399
exporting symbols to 76 setting 398
importing a previously exported 374 showing 399
importing client controls from 371, 374 AnchorFixedTo property 418, 443
importing symbols and graphic AnchorPoint property 419, 444
toolsets 75 Angle property 125, 419, 444
importing symbols from 75 Animation Summary 246
absolute point of origin 128 animations
AbsoluteAnchor property 398, 418, 443 adding to graphic element 246–247
AbsoluteOrigin property 418, 444 associating with client control contain
action scripts properties 385
importing with a SmartSymbol 413– comparing InTouch and
414 ArchestrA 412–413
starting with a key combination 60 comparison between InTouch and
ArchestrA Symbol Editor 58
triggers 313–314
configuration parameters by type 259
using 61–62
configuring action script 313–315
using to add an item to a Combo Box
control 363 configuring analog value displays 288
using to configure an element with configuring analog value
animation 314–315 pushbutton 310–311
using to load text into an Edit Box configuring blink 273–274
control 362 configuring Boolean fill style 261–262
ActiveFactory 370 configuring Boolean value
ActiveFactory TagPicker client displays 287–288
control 373, 378 configuring Boolean value
AddItem() method 363, 468 pushbutton 308–309

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

474 Index

configuring Calendar Control 340–341 enabling and disabling 250–251

configuring Check Box 333–334 fill direction 275, 277
configuring Combo Box 335–339 fill orientation 275, 277
configuring DateTime Picker 341–343 hiding list 248
configuring disable 295 importing from a SmartSymbol to
configuring Edit Box 334–335 ArchestrA graphic 412–413
configuring fill style 260–264 managing 258
configuring height 283–284 removing from a graphic element 249
configuring hide symbol 325 resetting default configuration
configuring horizontal location 280 values 252
configuring horizontal slider 304–306 reviewing graphic element
assignment 247
configuring line style 265–269
showing list 248
configuring List Box 343–347
sorting the list 258
configuring name displays 292–293
states 39
configuring orientation 284–286
switching between graphic
configuring percent fill horizontal 275–
elements 259
277
truth table state 40
configuring percent fill vertical 277–
279 types 245
configuring pushbutton 311–313 unfill color 275, 277
configuring Radio Button Group 328– validating configuration 251
333 anti-aliasing filter 188
configuring show symbol 316–324 application scripts 60
configuring status element 326–328 ArchestrA package file
configuring string value displays 289 exporting client controls 386
configuring string value exporting symbols to 76
pushbutton 311–313 importing previously exported client
configuring text style 269–273 controls 374
configuring time value displays 290– importing symbols and graphic
292 toolsets 75
configuring tooltip 294 ArchestrA Symbol Editor
configuring truth table fill style 262– adding animations from Animation
264 Summary 246
configuring user input 296–304 adding custom properties to a
configuring value display 287–293 symbol 52
configuring vertical location 281 animation replication 51
configuring vertical slider 306–307 animation summary 23
configuring visibility parameters 260 canvas 23
configuring width 282–283 Canvas drawing area 53
connecting to data sources 256–257 combining elements into a group 51
connecting to element properties 253– comparison of animations to
254 InTouch 58
connecting to element property comparison of supported data types to
references 254–255 InTouch 56
connecting with InTouchViewApp configuring the grid 88–89
attributes 256 converting data from InTouch 56
cutting, copying, and pasting 348 creating graphics 52–54
data type state 39 data sources 55
element-specific 326 description 15, 20

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Index 475

differences between InTouch Windows common controls 27–28

WindowMaker 49–52 arcs
differences between WindowMaker 49– changing sweep angle 206
52 setting starting point 205
disabling animations 250 setting sweep angle with handles 103
editing the source of an embedded arrowhead line end 193
symbol 397
attributes
element positioning 51
connecting animations 252–253
elements 24–29
connecting animations with data
Elements List 22, 22 sources 252
embedding source symbols contained in InTouchViewApp 256
an AutomationObject instance 392
reference mode 257
embedding source symbols contained in
referencing a SuperTag 256
AutomationObject template 391–392
static mode reference 257
enabling animations 250
writing to attributes with Secured
miscellaneous enhancements 52
Write or Verified Write security 352
opening symbols in read-only mode 17
auto image display mode 196
panning and zooming the canvas 82–87
AutomationObject instances
Properties Editor 23
creating a copy containing an embedded
redoing a specified number of undone symbol 403
changes 132
creating symbols 64, 68–69
removing an animation 249
inheriting symbols from a template 19
reviewing animations assigned to
location source of embedded
graphic elements 247
symbol 402
setting color of drawing area 53
selecting alternative embedded
setting style 183 symbol 401
showing and hiding panels 82 using for a single object 16
starting 81–82 AutomationObject templates
style replication 51 creating symbols 66–67
supported InTouch mathematical managing symbols 17
functions 413
re-using symbols 64
supported InTouch string
using for multiple instances of
functions 413
symbols 16
supported InTouch system
AutomationObjects
functions 414
creating an instance by embedding an
tools and palettes 21
ArchestrA symbol 20
Tools panel 22
creating ArchestrA symbols in 17
types of animations 58–59
hosting symbols 44
types of scripts 60
using me keyword to reference
undoing a single change 130, 131 attributes 30
undoing a specified number of AutoScale property 419, 444
changes 131
usability enhancements 50 B
using animations 55–59
basic objects 53
using to configure predefined symbol
bell-shaped color distribution 175
scripts 354–355
BindTo() method 242
using to review which animations are
assigned to elements 247 blink behavior 213, 215
viewing properties of embedded client Boolean data type 55
controls 386 Boolean fill style animation 261–262

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

476 Index

Boolean line style animation dragging elements 96

configuring 265–266 setting background color 88
setting line style and thickness 266 setting grid color 88
using default properties 267 show or hiding the grid 89
Boolean text style animation Caption property 420, 460
configuring 270–271 Check Board pattern property 179
setting default text style 271 Check Box animations 333
using default style 271 Check Box control
Brick pattern property 179 configuring 221
buttons ControlStyle property 222
automatically scaling text 200 data type 218
configuring with images 201 setting 3D appearance 222
description 200 setting caption text 222
down image 201 setting default state 221
DownImage property 201 Checked property 420, 445
drawing 94 chords
up image 201 changing start and sweep angle 206
using 200 setting sweep angle 205
wrapping text 201 circle line end 193
ButtonStyle property 419, 445 circular reference 42
buttonsUpImage property 201 Clear() method 364, 468
client controls
C ActiveFactory TagPicker 373
Calendar controls adding animation 385
changing colors 343 animating 385
configuring 226–230 binding properties to attributes or
configuring animations 340–341 element references 379–381
data type 219 configuring event logging
description 27 messages 384
description of date properties 226 configuring event scripts 382–384
resizing restrictions 119 description 30, 370
setting date for first time view 230 embedding 375–376
setting first day of week 228 embedding a symbol into an InTouch
application 30
setting number of calendar month
sheets 227 embedding into an ArchestrA
symbol 375
setting text color for trailing dates 229
exporting 386
setting title text color 228–229
exporting directly as ArchestrA
showing or hiding current date 228
package files 386
ShowToday property 432, 451
import failure message 372
TitleFillColor property 436, 457
importing 371–373
TitleTextColor property 436, 461
importing a previously exported
CalendarColumns property 420, 445 ArchestrA package 374
CalendarRows property 420, 445 importing previously exported client
Canvas controls 374
aligning elements to the grid 89 installing ActiveFactory TagPicker 373
changing grid size 88 organizing 374
changing grid subdivision size 88 properties of element container 377
description 53 securing 386

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Index 477

viewing additional information 386– setting focus scales width 178

387 setting for text 159
viewing and changing properties 377– setting from color disk and bar 166
379 setting from the custom palette 167
viewing assemblies 387 setting horizontal gradient 172
viewing class name, vendor, and setting image transparency 198
version 387
setting image transparency color 198
viewing objects and referencing
setting number in gradient 170–172
symbols 388
setting pattern background 180
color bar 166
setting pattern foreground 180
color disk 166
setting point based gradient 173
Color Picker 167
setting radial gradient 173
Color1 property 152, 421
setting solid from the Standard
Color2 property 152, 421
Palette 164–165
Color3 property 152, 421
setting the drawing area 53
colors
setting transparency 183
adding to custom palette 168
setting vertical gradient 172
analog alarm animation 59
setting with Color Picker 167
analog fill animation 59
setting with value input boxes 166–167
analog line animation 58
standard palette 165
analog text animation 59
triangular distribution 175
bell-shaped distribution 175
using for text animation 41
Canvas grid background 88
Combo Box animations
changing gradient variant 174
configuring array and captions 337–
changing with element style 184 338
discrete alarm animation 58, 59 configuring enum 339
discrete fill animation 59 configuring static 336–337
discrete line animation 58 types 335
discrete text animation 59 Combo Box controls
falloff distribution 176 clipping items 225
gradient direction properties 172 configuring 224–226
gradient properties 169 Count property 226
hue property 166 data types 218
locking focus scales width and description 27
height 178
loading an item list 366
luminance 166
MaxDropDownItems property 226
peak distribution 176
NewIndex 226
removing from custom palette 168
preventing clipping of items 225
RGB 166
saving an item list 366
saturation property 166
setting maximum number of items in
setting background of a Windows drop-down list 226
common control 218
setting type 224
setting center point of radial or point
setting width of drop-down list 225
based gradient 177
using properties at run time 226
setting custom gradient angle 174
condition scripts 61
setting distribution 176–177
Confetti pattern property 179
setting fill gradient 152
control points
setting focus scales 177–178
adding or removing 203
setting focus scales height 178

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

478 Index

changing the tension of curves 204 using to reference InTouch tag from
description 202 ArchestrA symbol 255
editing within a path graphic 142 validating 240
moving 202 CustomFormat property 422, 446
ControlStyle property 222, 421, 445 CustomProperties property 422, 465
Count property 226, 233, 422
Cross pattern property 179 D
curves data change scripts 61
adding control points 203 DataStatus animations
changing shape with control points 203 configuring 326–327
changing tension 204 restrictions 328
deleting control points 203 dates
drawing 93 setting customized format in DateTime
moving control points 202 Picker control 231
custom palette setting long format of DateTime Picker
control 230
adding colors to 168
DateTime Picker animations 341–343
description 167
DateTime Picker controls
loading 169
AbsoluteOrigin() property 418
removing colors from 168
changing background color 218
saving 168
configuring 230, 232
custom properties
CustomFormat() property 422
adding 237
data type 219
adding to a symbols 52
DefaultValue() property 422
configuring 238–239
description 28
connecting animations 254–255
Enabled() property 424
deleting 237
Font() property 425
description 30, 97, 235–236
resizing restrictions 119
Edit Custom Properties dialog box 236
setting date formats 230
external linking to InTouch tags 241
setting default value 232
group properties 465
time formats 231
linking to external sources 241
DefaultValue property 422, 446
managing 236–237
DeleteItem() method 364, 468
moving to a group 396
DeleteSection() method 364
overriding 241
DeleteSelection() method 469
overriding source symbol 394
Description property 422, 442
public 42
Diagonals pattern property 179
renaming 240
Diamon pattern property 179
resetting configuration to default
values 240 diamond line end 193
restoring default value and discrete data type 55
description 395 documentation conventions 13
reverting to original 242 down image 201
using binding 242–243 DownImage property 201, 423, 446
using to extend functionality of a DropDownType property 423, 446
symbol 31 DropDownWidth property 423, 446
dynamic size change 397, 399
DynamicSizeChange property 423, 447

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Index 479

E locating AutomationObject instance

that contains source symbol 402
Edit Box animations
overriding custom properties 394–395
configuring 334–335
propagating changes 44–46
Edit Box controls
renaming source symbols 393
configuring 222–223
restoring to original size of source
data type 218
symbol 395
description 27
selecting alternate AutomationObject
Editline property 223 instances 402
LoadText() method 362, 470 selecting alternate from
SaveText() method 362, 471 AutomationObject instance 401
setting default text 223 showing anchor point 399
setting text to read-only 223 viewing the source 396
setting text word wrap 223 Enabled property 424, 462
using methods to save and load text at End property 424, 447
run time 361 EndCap property 424, 458
elapsed time
data type 55 F
selecting as custom property 238 falloff color distribution 176
element mode 136 falloff gradient
Elements List 150 description 176
adding elements to group 134 FillBehavior property 153, 424, 455
description 22 FillColor property 425, 456
selecting elements from 98, 101 FillOrientation property 425, 456
using to change z-order of elements 122 fills
element-specific animations blink behavior 213
description 245 overriding appearance to indicate a
supported elements 326 change in quality 213
ellipses setting behavior 153
basic element 24 setting orientation 153
closed element 24 setting status override appearance
drawing 92 for 209
editing line properties 155 setting style 151, 157, 160
embedded symbols setting unfilled style 152
appearance 42 FillStyle property 152
changing 42 FindItem() method 365, 469
controlling size propagation 397 FirstDayOfWeek property 425, 447
converting to a group 396 float
creating an new AutomationObject custom property 239
instance 403 data type 55
description 19, 42 setting as a text display 158
editing 393–394 tension values 204
editing source 397 user input animation 296
embedding from Graphic Toolbox 390– focus scales
391 description 177
enabling dynamic size change 399–400 locking width and height 178
hiding anchor point 399 setting height 178
instantiating 43 setting width 178
Font property 159, 425, 460

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

480 Index

format painter gradients

copying element formats to target changing variant 174
elements 187 falloff 176
copying format of an element to peak 175
another 187 properties 170
copying the format of an element in setting bell-shaped 176
repetitive mode 188
setting custom angle 174
description 187
setting direction 172
Format property 426, 447
setting focus scales 177
functions
setting horizontal direction 172
importing from
setting number of colors 170
[Link] 383
setting peak with one or two colors 176
InTouch miscellaneous 414
setting point based 173
InTouch string 414
setting transparency 183
InTouch system 414
setting vertical direction 172
InTouch types that can be imported to
ArchestrA Symbol Editor 413–414 triangular 175
IOSetReferences() 243 using triangular 176
graphic elements
G absolute point of origin 128
Galaxy Browser 221, 226 adding animations 246–247
browsing for List Box control 233 adding control points 203
browsing properties in the List Box adding outlines to indicate non-good
control 233 status or quality 215
using to browse methods of the Combo adding to an existing group 134
Box control 335 adding to path graphics 146
using to browse methods of the Edit adjusting space between 113–118
Box control 334 adjusting the z-order 122–123
using to browse methods of the List Box aligning 108–112
control 343 aligning by centers 111
using to connect animations to aligning by points of origin 112
attribute references 252–253 aligning horizontally 109
using to connect animations to element aligning to Canvas grid 89
properties 254
aligning vertically 110
using to connect animations to element
property references 253–254, 254–255 appearance properties 443–455
using to connect animations to InTouch basic 24
tags 256 binding client control properties 380–
using to embed a client control into an 381
ArchestrA symbol 375–376 bringing one level forward 123
using to embed symbols from the bringing to front 123
Graphic Toolbox 391–392 changing angles of arcs, pies, and
using to select an alternate chords 205–206
instance 402 changing properties with scripts 360–
using to select an alternate symbol 401 361
using to show and select properties of changing start and sweep angle of an
elements or symbols 360 arc, pie, or chord 206
GetItem() method 365, 469 changing tab order 186
GetItemData() method 366, 470 changing the tension of curves 204
changing visibility 185

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Index 481

changing z-order within path configuring time value user input

graphic 145 animations 301–303
closed 24 configuring tooltips 294
configuring 326 configuring vertical location
configuring analog value display animations 281
animations 288 configuring vertical slider
configuring analog value pushbutton animations 306–307
animations 310–311 configuring width animations 282–283
configuring analog value user input connecting animations to ArchestrA
animations 298–299 attributes 252–253
configuring animation fill style 260– connecting animations to custom
264 properties 254–255
configuring animation line style 265– connecting animations to element
269 properties 253–254
configuring animation text style 269– connecting animations to InTouch
273 tags 255–257
configuring blink animation 273–274 control points 202–203
configuring Boolean value display copying and pasting animations 348
animations 287–288 copying locked and grouped 104
configuring Boolean value pushbutton copying, cutting, and pasting 104–106
animations 308–309 creating a group 133
configuring disable animations 295 custom properties 465
configuring discrete value user input cutting and pasting 105
animations 296–297
cutting and pasting animations 348
configuring elapsed time value user
decreasing space between 117
input animations 303–304
deleting 105
configuring height animations 283–284
deleting control points 203
configuring hide symbol
animations 325 description 50, 91–92
configuring horizontal location distributing 114
animations 280 dragging 96
configuring horizontal slider dragging and drawing 92–96
animations 304–306 duplicating 106
configuring name display editing controls points within path
animations 292–293 graphic 142
configuring orientation editing fill properties 150–154
animations 284–286 editing line properties 155–157
configuring percent fill horizontal editing properties 96–97
animations 275–277 editing start or sweep angle within path
configuring percent fill vertical graphic 141
animations 277–279 editing the name 150
configuring show symbol editing the tab order 186
animations 295, 322–324
enabling and disabling animations 250
configuring string value display
animations 289 enabling or disabling for run-time
interaction 185
configuring string value pushbutton
animations 311–313 fill style properties 455–457
configuring string value user input flipping 129
animations 299–300 flipping horizontally 129
configuring time value display flipping vertically 129
animations 290–291 graphic properties 442

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

482 Index

handles 98 rotating with mouse 124

hiding animation list 248 run-time behavior properties 462–465
hiding at run time 185 selecting 98–102
increasing space between 116 selecting all with Select All
inline editing 102, 103 function 100
InTouch types that can be imported selecting by lasso 100
with restrictions 411 selecting by mouse click 99
line style properties 458–459 selecting with Elements List 101
locking 130 sending one level backward 123
locking and unlocking 130 sending to back 123
moving 107–108 setting colors and transparency of a
moving by specifying X and Y gradient 184
properties 107 setting equal space between 115
moving control points 202 setting fill behavior 153
moving points of origin with mouse 127 setting fill gradient 152
moving the origin 127–128 setting fill orientation 153
moving with keyboard 108 setting line end shape and size 193–
moving with mouse 108 194
moving within path graphic 139 setting overlap when duplicated 106
open 24 setting text alignment 160–161
overriding appearance depending on setting text auto scaling 194
quality and status attributes 210–216 setting text color 159
overriding fill appearance to indicate setting text font 159
non-good status or quality 213 setting text properties 158–164
positioning with ArchestrA Symbol setting text word wrap 194
Editor 51 setting the radius of rounded
properties 417–441 rectangles 192
reference mode 257 setting transparency level 183
relative point of origin 128 setting unfilled style 152
removing all space between 118 showing animation list 248
removing animations 249 showing at run time 185
removing from a group 134 static mode reference 257
removing from path graphic 147 substituting references 349–350
resetting default animation values 252 supported InTouch types that can be
resizing 119–122 imported to ArchestrA 410
resizing by changing size swapping end points within path
properties 120 graphic 143–144
resizing proportionally 120 switching between animations 259
resizing to same height 121 task list 91–92
resizing to same size 122 text style properties 460–461
resizing to same width 121 ungrouping 133
resizing with mouse 119 unlocking 130
resizing within path graphics 140 unselecting 101–102
reviewing assigned animations 247 using the format painter 187–188
rotating 124 using undo and redo 131–132
rotating 90 degrees 126 validating animation configuration 251
rotating by changing Angle working with groups 132–135
property 125

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Index 483

Graphic Toolbox editing 155

creating copies of symbols 73 setting start and end points 155
creating generic symbols 64 handles
creating Graphic Toolsets 71 description 98
creating symbols 64–65 primary 98
customizing Graphic Toolsets 74 secondary 98
deleting Graphic Toolsets 73 HasTransparentColor property 195, 426,
editing hosting symbols 44 447
embedding source symbols 391 Height property 119, 426, 448
managing symbols 16 hide symbol animations 325
moving Graphic Toolsets 74 horizontal alignment 109
moving symbols to different Graphic Horizontal pattern property 179
Toolsets 72 horizontal scroll bar
renaming Graphic Toolsets 73 configuring 233
Toolsets folder 16 displaying with HorizontalScrollBar
using to store ArchestrA symbols 16 property 427
viewing class name, vendor, and HorizontalDirection property 426, 456
version of a client control 387 HorizontalPercentFill property 427, 456
viewing client control assemblies 387 HorizontalScrollBar property 427, 448
viewing read-only symbols 80 HorizontalScrollbar property 233
viewing referencing AutomationObjects
and symbols of client controls 388 I
Graphic Toolsets IDE
creating 71 configuring security 78
customizing 74 creating a new symbol 64
deleting 73 deriving an instance from a
moving 74 template 19
moving symbols 72 description 13
renaming 73 symbol management tasks 63
Grid pattern property 179 symbol management tools 63
groups Image property 200, 427, 448
adding elements to 134 ImageAlignment property 197, 427, 448
converting embedded symbols 396 images
creating 132–133 adding editing application 199
deleting 105 alignment positions 197
description 54 auto sizing 196
editing components within 135 configuring for buttons 201
moving custom properties 396 description 195
properties of 32 editing 198
removing elements from 134 enabling color transparency 198
selecting elements from 103 importing 94
ungrouping 133 placing on canvas 195
properties 195
H selecting replacement 200
H/V lines setting alignment 197
adding to path graphic 146 setting color transparency 198
drawing 92 setting display mode 196
setting editing application 198, 199

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

484 Index

setting frame size 196 importing SmartSymbol animation

setting status override appearance links 412–413
for 209–210 importing SmartSymbols into an
setting transparency color 198 ArchestrA symbol 54
stretching 196 importing SmartSymbols into
supported file formats 181, 195 ArchestrA symbols 406–409
tiled 196 instantiating a symbol 20
ImageStyle property 427, 449 keyword 38, 414
inline editing 102 linking symbol custom properties to
tags 241
InsertItem() method 363, 469
mathematical functions supported by
IntegralHeight property 225, 232, 428,
ArchestrA Symbol Editor 413
449
overview of ArchestrA integration 15
interaction animations
reference syntax to link a symbol to a
description 245
tag 241
types 259
restrictions to importing SmartSymbols
InternationalizedString data type 55 to ArchestrA Symbol Editor 410–411
InTouch starting ArchestrA Symbol Editor 81
animations 57–59 string functions supported by
basic objects 53 ArchestrA Symbol Editor 413
binding run-time behavior with supported graphic types that can be
animations 35 imported to ArchestrA 410–411
comparing script types to ArchestrA system functions supported by
scripts 60–62 ArchestrA Symbol Editor 414
comparison of animations to ArchestrA types of animations 58–59
Symbol Editor 58 types of scripts 60
comparison of supported data types to updating embedded symbols in
ArchestrA Symbol Editor 56 WindowMaker 44
configuring data source 55 using custom properties to reference a
connecting element animations to tag 31
tags 255–257 using custom properties with tags 235
connecting tags to ArchestrA using tag values in a symbol 38
symbols 55
wizards 54
converting data to ArchestrA Symbol
InTouch wizards 52
Editor 56
InTouchViewApp
data types 55
connecting animations with
differences between WindowMaker and
attributes 256
ArchestrA Symbol Editor 49
connecting attributes to
editing a symbol embedded in a
animations 256
window 70
managed InTouch application
embedded symbol containing a client
object 255
control 30
IOSetReferences() function 243
embedding symbol into a managed
application 381
embedding symbols 18 K
functions supported by ArchestrA key scripts 60
Symbol Editor 414 keywords
graphic objects not included in InTouch 38, 414
ArchestrA Symbol Editor 52 self-reference me 30
importing functions to ArchestrA
Symbol Editor 413–414

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Index 485

L
lasso 98, 100 SelectedValue property 233
Layout property 428, 449 setting item data 366
LineColor property 428, 458 TopIndex property 233
LinePattern property 428, 458 using horizontal scroll bar 233
lines using properties at run time 233
ArchestrA Symbol Editor basic LoadList() method 366, 470
element 20 LoadText() method 362, 470
blink behavior 215 Locked property 429, 449
element of a symbol 24
end shapes 193 M
overriding appearance to indicate a managed application 256
change in quality 207 MaxDropDownItems property 226, 429,
overriding appearance to indicate non- 450
good status or quality 214 message data type 55
selecting tool from Tools panel 22 messages
setting end shape and size 193–194 edit symbol confirmation 70
setting size of arrowheads 194 Not Found after deleting embedded
setting status override appearance symbol 77
for 209 security after user attempts to export a
used in path graphics 28 symbol without appropriate
LineWeight property 429, 459 permissions 78
List Box animations warning when overwriting colors in a
custom palette 169
configuring array and captions 345–
346 methods
configuring enum 346–347 AbsoluteOrigin property 418
configuring static 344–345 AddItem() 363, 468
types 343 BindTo() 242
List Box controls Clear() 364, 468
adding an item 363 configuring Combo Box and List
Box 363–367
associating items with values in a
list 366 configuring Edit Box 362
avoiding clipping of items 232 DeleteItem() 364, 468
configuring 232–233 DeleteSection() 364
Count property 233 DeleteSelection() 469
data type 219 FindItem() 365, 469
deleting a selected item from a list 364 GetItem() 365, 469
deleting all items from a list 364 GetItemData() 366, 470
description 27 InsertItem() 363, 469
finding an item in a list 365 LoadList() 366, 470
getting item data 366 LoadText() 362, 470
inserting an item in a list 363 SaveList() 367, 470
loading the item list 366 SaveText() 362, 471
NewIndex property 233 SetItemData() 366, 469
reading the caption of a selected item in using in scripting 361
a list 365 Multiline property 223, 429, 450
saving the item list 366 MultiplePopupsAllowed property 430,
462

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

486 Index

N peak gradient 175

Name property 430, 442 Percent pattern property 179
named scripts pies
removing from a symbol 359 changing sweep angle 206
renaming 358 setting starting point 205
names point based gradient 173, 177
changing in Properties Editor 150 points of origin 112
changing in the Elements List 150 polylines
NewIndex property 226, 233, 430 basic element of ArchestrA Symbol
Editor 24
normal image display mode 196
drawing 93
O inline editing 102
moving control points 202
outlines
part of path graphics 29
adding to elements to indicate non-good
status or quality 215 shaping with control points 103
description as quality status pop-ups 189
indicator 207 properties
replacing group handle 103 AbsoluteAnchor 398, 418, 443
resetting to default 216 AbsoluteOrigin 444
OwningObject property 402, 431, 463 Alignment 418, 460
AnchorFixedTo 418, 443
P AnchorPoint 419, 444
pan Angle 125, 419, 444
description 87 AutoScale 419, 444
using mouse 87 binding client control attributes 379
path graphics 29 ButtonStyle 419, 445
adding elements 146 CalendarColumns 420, 445
breaking the path 138 CalendarRows 420, 445
changing 138–145 Caption 420, 460
changing element z-order 144–145 changing element tab order with 186
creating 137 Checked 420, 445
description 50, 136 client control container 377, 385
editing element control points Color1 152, 421
within 142 Color2 152, 421
editing start or sweep angle of element Color3 152, 421
within 141 configuring fill style with 152
moving elements within 139 ControlStyle 222, 421, 445
removing elements 147 Count 226, 233, 422
resizing element within 140 CustomFormat 422, 446
swapping element end points CustomProperties 422, 465
within 143 DefaultValue 422, 446
viewing 136 Description 422, 442
path mode 136 DownImage 201, 423, 446
patterns DropDownType 423, 446
properties 179 DropDownWidth 423, 446
setting 180 DynamicSizeChange 423, 447
setting transparency 183 Enabled 424, 462
peak color distribution 176 End 424, 447

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Index 487

EndCap 424, 458 TabOrder 434, 464

FillBehavior 153, 424, 455 TabStop 186, 435, 464
FillColor 425, 456 Tension 435, 452
FillOrientation 425, 456 Text 435, 452
FillStyle 152 TextColor 435, 461
FirstDayOfWeek 425, 447 TextFormat 158, 436, 453
Font 159, 425, 460 TitleFillColor 436, 457
Format 426, 447 TitleTextColor 436, 461
HasTransparentColor 195, 426, 447 topIndex 436
Height 119, 426, 448 TrailingTextColor 436, 461
HorizontalDirection 426, 456 Transparency 437, 453
HorizontalPercentFill 427, 456 TransparentColor 195, 198, 437, 453
HorizontalScrollBar 427, 448 TreatAsIcon 438, 464
HorizontalScrollbar 233 UnFilledColor 438, 457
Image 200, 427, 448 UpImage 201, 438, 453
ImageAlignment 197, 427, 448 using Combo Box control at run
ImageStyle 427, 449 time 226
IntegralHeight 225, 232, 428, 449 using List Box controls at run time 233
Layout 428, 449 Value 218, 438
LineColor 428, 458 VerticalDirection 439, 457
LinePattern 428, 458 VerticalPercentFill 439, 457
LineWeight 429, 459 Visible 439, 465
Locked 429, 449 Width 119, 440, 454
MaxDropDownItem 429 WordWrap 201, 440, 454
MaxDropDownItems 226, 450 X 107, 440, 454
Multiline 223, 429, 450 Y 107, 441, 455
MultiplePopupsAllowed 430, 462 Properties Editor
Name 430, 442 changing absolute point of origin 128
NewIndex 226, 233, 430 changing element names 150
OwningObject 402, 431, 463 changing relative point of origin 128
Radius 431, 450 description 23
ReadOnly 223, 431, 450 editing properties with 96
RelativeAnchor 398, 431, 450 pushbutton animations
RelativeOrigin 432, 451 analog value 310–311
Scripts 432, 463 Boolean value 308–309
SelectedValue 233, 432 string value 311–313
selecting replacement image with 200
setting fill behavior 153 Q
setting fill gradient with 152 quality
setting text display format with 158 adding outlines to elements to indicate
setting text font with 159 status or non-good quality 215
ShowToday 432, 451 changing status to run named
scripts 352
Smoothing 433, 451
including Status element to show
Start 433, 451
icon 24
StartAngle 433, 452
monitoring symbol 207
StartCap 433, 459
overriding element appearance
SweepAngle 434, 452 depending on attributes 210
SymbolReference 396, 434, 463

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

488 Index

overriding element fill appearance to real

indicate non-good status 213 data type 55
overriding line appearance to indicate imported local tag types 414
non-good quality or status 214 supported data type for Windows
overriding text appearance to indicate common controls 218
non-good status 211–212 used in SuperTags 414
previewing all override rectangles
appearances 216
basic object 22
previewing override appearances 216
closed object 24
resetting override appearances to
drawing 92
default 216
elements of an ArchestrA symbol 20
showing 47
fill style 182
showing by overriding animations 47
selecting as basic object from ArchestrA
showing for elements 22
Symbol Editor 53
showing symbol status 207
references
using DataStatus animation 326
animation 22, 34
using Status element to create icon 207
AutomationObjects 76
using Status element to show
circular 42
status 25–26
element 30
using status to add outlines to
elements 215 keyword 30
using status to override appearance of substituting in elements 349–350
lines 214 to InTouch tag 31
using status to override fill appearance to InTouch tags 55
of elements 213 relative point of origin 128
using status to override text RelativeAnchor property 398, 431, 450
appearance of elements 211 RelativeOrigin property 432, 451
RGB color properties 166
R rounded rectangles
radial gradients 173, 177 description 192
Radio Button Group enlarging radius 192
configuring 219–221 reducing radius 192
data types 218 setting exact radius 192
Radio Button Group animations
configuring array and captions 330– S
332 SaveList() method 367, 470
configuring enum 332–333 SaveText() method 362, 471
configuring static 329 scripts
types 328 action triggers 313–314
Radio Button Group controls adding to a symbol 356–357
configuring 219 application 60
setting 3D appearance 220 binding 242
setting layout of options 220 changing properties of graphic
using properties at run time 221 elements 360
Radius property 431, 450 condition 61
ReadOnly property 431, 450 configuring animations 313–315
Readonly property 223 configuring for client controls 382–384

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Index 489

configuring predefined of a SmartSymbols

symbol 354–355 importing action scripts 413–414
configuring to symbols 351 importing into an ArchestrA
data change 61 symbol 54, 406–409
description 60–62, 351 importing tags and references 414–415
editing for symbols 358 importing tags and references to
error handling 353 ArchestrA symbols 414–415
execution order 352 restrictions to importing 410–415
importing from a SmartSymbol 413– Smoothing property 433, 451
414 snap-to-grid option 89
importing functions from square line end 193
[Link] 383 standard palette 165
key 60 Start property 433, 451
named 352 StartAngle property 433, 452
predefined 352 StartCap property 433, 459
removing from an ArchestrA Status element
symbol 359 using to indicate quality 25–26
renaming a named script 358 Status elements
security 352 associating with attributes and
setting time-out period for symbol animated elements 208
script 353 configuring DataStatus
substituting attribute references 359 animations 326–327
using 60–62 description 47, 50, 207
using methods 361 drawing 95
using with Combo box methods 363– drawing icon on canvas 207
367 overriding element blink behavior 213
using with Edit Box methods 362 overriding element fill appearance 213
using with List Box methods 363–367 previewing all override
While Showing 355 appearances 216
Scripts property 432, 463 resetting to default appearance 216
Secured Write 352 restrictions of DataStatus
security animations 328
configuring for symbols 78–79 setting appearance 208
enforcing by user role and setting default appearance 208–210
permissions 78 using 207–210
IDE user permissions 78 stretch image display mode 196
in client controls 386 string
in scripts 352 comparison between InTouch and
warning message after attempting to ArchestrA Symbol Editor
export symbol without appropriate animation 58
permissions 78 data type 55, 218
SelectedValue property 233, 432 finding 163
SetItemData() method 366, 469 matching 164
show symbol animations replacing 163
configuring 322–324 substituting 162
element attributes 316–321 substituting in text properties of an
ShowToday property 432, 451 element 158
SweepAngle property 434, 452

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

490 Index

symbol scripts editing embedded into an InTouch

actions against symbols 351 window 70
adding named type to a symbol 356– editing general properties 188–189
357 editing scripts 358
configuring predefined 354–355 embedded description 42
editing 358 embedding 390–392
error handling 353 embedding client controls 375–376
error messages from syntax errors 353 exporting to a .aaPKG file 76
execution order 352 hosted by AutomationObject 44
named 352 hosted by the Graphic Toolbox 44
predefined 352 importing from a .aaPKG file 75
removing from a symbol 359 importing SmartSymbols 406–409
renaming named type 358 importing SmartSymbols tags and
running when a condition becomes references 414–415
true 61 inherited 17
security 352 instantiating embedded 43
setting time-out period 353 instantiating with an
writing to attributes with Secured AutomationObject template 20
Write or Verified Write security 352 managed by Graphic Toolbox 16
SymbolReference property 396, 434, 463 managing 16
symbols managing in AutomationObjects 17
adding custom properties with monitoring and showing quality and
ArchestrA Symbol Editor 52 status 207–210
adding named scripts 356–357 monitoring quality and status 207
adding Windows common controls 217 moving between Graphic Toolsets 72
allowing multiple pop-ups 189 opening for editing 69
animations 35–41 organizing into Toolsets 16
appearance of embedded 42 placement in ArchestrA
changing embedded properties 42 environment 16
changing position of an anchor propagating changes 44
point 398 properties 30–34
configuring predefined scripts 354–355 removing scripts 359
configuring security 78–79 renaming 72
controlling size propagation of renaming scripts 358
embedded 397 renaming source and hosting
creating in AutomationObject AutomationObjects 393
instances 68–69 restrictions to importing
creating in AutomationObject SmartSymbols 410–415
templates 66–67 re-using 18–19
creating in Graphic Toolbox 64–65 script triggers 60
creating with the ArchestrA Symbol setting anchor point 398
Editor 20 setting the radius of rounded
creation methods 64 rectangles 192
data types 55–57 showing quality and status 47
deleting 77 showing quality and status by
description 15, 63 overriding 47
editing contained in an substituting strings 162
AutomationObject 70 supported file formats 195
editing description 189 types of animations 57–59

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

 Index 491

using anti-aliasing filter 189 setting to display 158

using buttons 200 setting to read-only in Edit Box
using custom properties 31 controls 223
viewing in read-only mode 80 setting word wrap in Edit Box
viewing references to a client controls 223
control 388 substituting strings 162–164
word wrapping 194
T wrapping for buttons 201
tab order 186 Text property 435, 452
description 186 TextColor property 435, 461
editing 186 TextFormat property 158, 436, 453
TabOrder property 434, 464 textures
TabStop property 186, 435, 464 description 181
tags setting 181
attribute reference to a SuperTag 256 setting transparency 183
binding animations to ArchestrA the 78
attributes 35 time
browsing for in a managed Calendar property 219
application 256 elapsed 238
connecting to element animations 255– formats for DateTime Picker
257 control 231
importing from SmartSymbols 414– setting customized in DateTime Picker
415 control 231
linking to symbol custom setting display in DateTime Picker
properties 241 control 230
SuperTags 256 title image display mode 196
using values in an ArchestrA TitleFillColor property 436, 457
symbol 38 TitleTextColor property 436, 461
technical support 14 tooltips
Tension property 435, 452 configuring animations 294
text TopIndex property 436
autoscaling 194 TrailingTextColor property 436, 461
drawing boxes 95 transparency level 183
overriding appearance to indicate a Transparency property 437, 453
change in quality 207
TransparentColor property 195, 198,
overriding appearance to indicate non- 437, 453
good status or quality 211–212
TreatAsIcon property 438, 464
placing on the canvas 95
triangular color distribution 175
scaling size for buttons 200
triangular gradient 175
setting Check Box control caption 222
truth table fill style animation
setting color 159
adding a condition 263
setting color for Calendar control 229
changing condition processing
setting color for trailing dates of order 264
Calendar control 229
configuring element 262–263
setting color in Windows common
deleting a condition 264
controls 218
setting default 263
setting default in Edit Box controls 223
using default in a truth table 263
setting font 159, 160–161
truth table line style
setting text display format 158

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide

492 Index

changing condition processing Windows common controls

order 269 changing color of background and
configuring 267–268 text 217–218
deleting a condition 269 configuring to write data 347
setting a condition 268 data types 218
setting default properties 268 description 217
using default properties 268 drawing 96
truth table text style animation methods 468–471
adding a condition 272 provided types 27–28
changing the condition processing reading and writing selected value at
order 273 run time 218–219
configuring 271–272 reading and writing selected values at
deleting a condition 273 run time 218–219
setting default properties 272 types 217
using default properties 272 value property 218
Windows controls
U drawing 96
UnFilledColor property 438, 457 listing 54
up image 201 wizards
UpImage property 201, 438, 453 InTouch 52, 54
using 54
V WordWrap property 201, 440, 454
Value property 218, 438
Verified Write 352 X
vertical alignment 110 X property 107, 440, 454
vertical gradients 172
Vertical pattern property 179 Y
vertical slider animations 306–307 Y property 107, 441, 455
VerticalDirection property 439, 457
VerticalPercentFill property 439, 457 Z
Visible property 439, 465 zoom
visualization animations description 87
description 245 selected element 85
hiding 260 specified area 86
showing 260 specifying value of 86
to a specified point 85
W to default value 85
While Showing script 355 using mouse 87
Width property 119, 440, 454 z-order
WindowMaker adjusting element order 122
deriving an AutomationObject instance changing tab order 186
by embedding an ArchestrA symbol 19 changing within path graphic 144–145
differences between ArchestrA Symbol linking path graphic elements by 29
Editor 49–52
marking embedded symbols for an
update 44
setting time-out period for scripts 353

Creating and Managing ArchestrA Graphics User’s Guide