Visualization Element: Alarm Banner

Symbol:

Category: Alarm Manager

The element is a simplified version of the alarm table. It visualizes a single alarm only. In the element properties, you specify which information is shown. You define the appearance of the element and the variables that control the element behavior.

Tip

The alarm banner displays active alarms only. If the alarm is acknowledged, then it disappears from the alarm banner.

Tip

The Alarm Banner visualization element cannot be inserted into a visualization in the POU pool.

Element properties

Are all element properties available?

All properties are available only after you select the Advanced option or the All categories filter in Properties.

Element name	Example: `GenElemInst_1` Tip Assign individual names for elements so that they are found faster in the element list.
Element Type	Alarm Banner
Data source	If you intend to use a remote alarm configuration, then you have to specify the name of the remote application here. If you do not specify anything, the alarm configuration will be located locally.

Alarm Configuration

Alarm groups	Opens the Select Alarm Group dialog where you define the alarm groups that you want to display
Priority from	Lowest priority for alarm display (0 to 255)
Priority to	Highest priority for alarm display (0 to 255)
Alarm classes	Opens the Select Class Group dialog where you define the alarm classes that you want to display
Filter by latch 1	The generated alarms (previous and current) can be filtered by the contents of Latch variable 1, which is specified in the configuration of the alarm group. In Filter type, you define whether or not the filtering is performed by a string value or a numerical value. Filter variable: Indicates what the alarms are filtered by. Possible entries: Application variable of data type `STRING` or `WSTRING` Examples: `PLC_PRG.strFilterVariable`, `'STRING'` Directly a literal value Filter type: Integer value that determines by which criteria the latch variable value is used for filtering. Possible entries: Numeric variable from the application Example: `PLC_PRG.diFilterType` Directly a value Example: `2` Possible values `0`: No filtering `1`: Filter by alarms whose latch variable 1 contains the string specified in Filter variable. Example: Filter variable contains `Error 1`, latch variable 1 of various alarms of type `STRING` and has the value `Error 1`. Result: Only these alarms are displayed. `2`: Filter by alarms whose latch variable 1 contains the typed literal specified in filter variable according to IEC 61131-3. Example: `T#1h2s`, `DINT#15`, `REAL#1.5`, `FALSE` `3`: Filtering for alarms whose latch variable 1 contains a numeric value which corresponds to the specified LINT literal. The exact type is not relevant here. Therefore, the value of the latch variables has to be in the range of 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807. All other values: The behavior is not defined and can change in the future.
Filter by time range	The generated alarms (remote, historical, local) can be displayed for a specified time range. Note You use the Filter type to define whether filtering by time range is enabled or disabled. Filter variable, from: Variable of data type `DT` or `DATE_AND_TIME` for the start time that the alarms are displayed Example: `PLC_PRG.filterTimeFrom` Filter variable, to: Variable of data type `DT` or `DATE_AND_TIME` for the end time that the alarms are displayed. Example: `PLC_PRG.filterTimeTo` Filter type: Variable of integer data type that determines whether Filter by time range is enabled or disabled Possible values: `1`: Filtering is enabled `0`: Filtering is disabled

General table configuration

Filter criterion	For the Alarm Banner element only Most important: The alarm with the highest priority (lowest value) is displayed. Newest: The most recent alarm is displayed. None
Internationalization (format strings)	Options for specifying the format string As a fixed string Example: `yyyy-dd-MM` As a reference to a text list entry <text list name>.<ID> A format string is defined there for each language.
Date format	Example: `DateTime.AlarmDate`
Time format	Example: `DateTime.AlarmTime`

Columns: Column [<n>]

By default, columns [0] and [1] are preconfigured with Timestamp and Message.

Note

Animations (dynamic text, font variables), texts, and tooltips are not supported.

Create new	Adds another column
Delete	Deletes the selected column
Width	Width of the column (in pixels)
Type of data	Note Time stamp For use in a TargetVisu or WebVisu, you can control the date and time format using global string variables of the `Alarmmanager.library`: `AlarmGlobals.g_sDateFormat` Example: `AlarmGlobals.g_sDateFormat := 'MM.yyyy';` `AlarmGlobals.g_sTimeFormat` Example: `AlarmGlobals.g_sTimeFormat := 'HH:mm';` Possible information which can be displayed in the column: Bitmap Time stamp: Date and time of the last status change of the alarm. Time stamp active: Date and time of the last activation of the alarm Time stamp inactive: Date and time of the last deactivation of the alarm Time stamp acknowledge: Date and time of the last acknowledgment Value: Actual value of the expression Message: Output of the message text Priority: Alarm priority Class: Alarm Class State: Alarm state Remote device Acknowledge comment: Comment when acknowledging Confirm User ID: User ID when acknowledging Latch variable <n>: Value of the selected latch variables
Text alignment	Alignment of the contents in the column Left Centered Right

Tip

You can programmatically switch the local time zone of the system time to universal time (UTC).

When the variable VisuElems.Visu_DateTime.DisplayUTC is set to TRUE, the system time is displayed as universal time (UTC). By default, the variable VisuElems.Visu_DateTime.DisplayUTC is set to FALSE so that the system time is displayed in the local time zone.

For the display of date and time values, you can extend the respective format string with the time zone code Z. For an output in local system time, the offset is then displayed in universal time (UTC). For example, dd:MM:yyyy HH:mm:ss:ms:Z outputs 01.08.2021 12:00:00:001:+02:00. When universal time (UTC) is displayed, the UTC code is also displayed. 01.08.2021 10:00:00:001:Z

Position

The position defines the location and size of the element in the visualization window. This is based on the Cartesian coordinate system. The origin is located in the upper left corner of the window. The positive horizontal X-axis runs to the right. The positive vertical Y-axis runs downwards.

X	The X-coordinate (in pixels) of the upper left corner of the element Example: `10`
Y	The Y-coordinate (in pixels) of the upper left corner of the element Example: `10`
Width	Specified in pixels Example: `150`
Height	Specified in pixels Example: `30`

Tip

You can also change the values by dragging the box symbols to other positions in the editor.

Text properties

The properties get fixed values for the text properties and act on the texts configured in Texts → Text or Texts → Tooltip.

Font

Example: Default

: The Font dialog opens.

: List box with style fonts

Font color

Example: Black

: The Color dialog opens.

: List box with style colors

Transparency

Integer (value range from 0 to 255)

The transparent value determines the transparency of the respective color.

255: The color is opaque.

0: The color is completely transparent.

Note

If the color is a style color and already has a transparency value, then this property is write-protected.

Control variables

Acknowledge

Variable (BOOL)

Example: bAckSelBanner

A rising edge at the variable has the effect that all displayed alarms are acknowledged.

Acknowledge all

Variable (BOOL)

Example: bAckBanner

A rising edge at the variable has the effect that all alarms are acknowledged, even those which are not visible.

Warning: All alarms, including those that are not visible, are acknowledged.

Acknowledge comment

Variable (STRING, WSTRING)

Variable which can contain a comment to acknowledge alarms. This is saved together with the current user in the database, whereby the user is determined automatically.

Note: Up to 255 characters are possible.

Handling of multiple active alarms

Switch automatically	: The display in the alarm banner is switched automatically according to the time to the next alarm as configured in Every N second.
Every N second	Time period until the next switching Available only if Automatic switch is selected.
Next alarm	Variable for switching to the next alarm Available only if Automatic switch is not selected.
Previous alarm	Variable for switching to the previous alarm Available only if Automatic switch is not selected.
Multiple alarms active	Variable that has the value `TRUE` if multiple alarms are active

Center

	The properties contain fixed values for the coordinates of the point of rotation. The rotation point is displayed in the editor as the symbol and is used as the center for rotation and scaling. Tip You can also change the values by dragging the symbol to another position in the editor.
X	X-coordinate of the point of rotation
Y	Y-coordinate of the point of rotation

Absolute movement

The properties can be assigned to IEC variables for controlling the position of the element dynamically. The reference point is the upper left corner of the element. At runtime, the entire element is moved.

Movement
X	Variable (numeric data type) for the X-position (in pixels) Example: `PLC_PRG.iPos_X` Container variable: `Container.Width` For more information, see: Optimally Adjusting the Position and Size Increasing this value at runtime moves the element to the right.
Y	Variable (numeric data type) for the Y-position (in pixels) Example: `PLC_PRG.iPos_Y` Container variable: `Container.Height` For more information, see: Optimally Adjusting the Position and Size Increasing this value at runtime moves the element downwards.
Rotation	Variable (numeric data type) for the angle of rotation (in degrees) Example: `PLC_PRG.iAngle1` The midpoint of the element rotates at the Center point. This rotation point is shown as the symbol. At runtime, the alignment of the element remains the same with respect to the coordinate system of the visualization. Increasing the value rotates the element to the right.
Interior rotation	Variable (numeric data type) for the angle of rotation (in degrees) Example: `PLC_PRG.iAngle2` At runtime, the element rotates about the point of rotation specified in Center according to the value of the variable. In addition, the alignment of the element rotates according to the coordinate system of the visualization. Increasing the value in the code rotates clockwise. The rotation point is shown as the symbol. Note If a static angle of rotation is specified in the Position → Angle property, then the static angle of rotation is added to the variable angle of rotation (offset) when the visualization is executed.

Tip

You can combine the variables to a Unit conversion.

Tip

The X, Y, Rotation, and Interior rotation properties are supported by the "Client Animation" functionality.

State variables

The variables control the element behavior dynamically.

Invisible

Variable (BOOL) for toggling the visibility of the element

TRUE: The element is not visible at runtime.

Tip

The Invisible property is supported by the "Client Animation" functionality.

Animation

Tip

These properties are available only when you have selected the Support client animations and overlay of native elements option in the Visualization Manager.

Animation duration

Variable for the duration (in milliseconds) in which the element runs an animation

Variable (integer value)
Example: Menu.tContent with VAR tContent : INT := 500; END_VAR
Integer literal
Example: 500

. Animatable properties

Absolute movement, Movement, X, Y
Absolute movement, Rotation
Absolute movement, Interior rotation
Absolute movement, Exterior rotation

The animated movement is executed when at least one value of an animatable property has changed. The movement then executed is not jerky, but is smooth within the specified animation duration. The visualization element travels to the specified position while rotating dynamically. The transitions are smooth.

Move to foreground

Variable (BOOL) for setting the element in the foreground

TRUE: At runtime, the visualization element is displayed in the foreground.

FALSE: At runtime, the visualization element is displayed in the layer where it was inserted in the visualization editor.

Example: bIsInForeground with VAR bIsInForeground : BOOL := FALSE; END_VAR

Access Rights

Note

Available only when a user management is set up for visualization.

Access Rights button

Opens the Access Rights dialog. There you can edit the access privileges for the element.

. Status messages:

Not set. Full rights.: Access rights for all user groups : operable
Rights are set: Limited rights: Access is restricted for at least one group.