Realm Display Setup Tags
Not counted towards your tag license limit.
The usage of the Realm Display Setup tag is described in the VTScada Thin Client Server chapter. It exists only to hold configuration settings that set the level of control granted to operators connecting to an application from a VTScada Internet Client (VIC). There are no widgets, no log-enabled variables and no group memberships.
Realm Display Setup tags do not apply to mobile device connections.
The ID tab of every tag includes the same common elements: Name, Area, Description, and Help ID.
Name:
Uniquely identifies each tag in the application. If the tag is a child of another, the parent names will be displayed in a separate area before the name field.
You may right-click on the tag's name to add or remove a conditional start expression.
Area
The area field is used to group similar tags together. By defining an area, you make it possible to:
- Filter for particular tag groups when searching in the tag browser
- Link dial-out alarm rosters to Alarm tags having a particular area
- Limit the number of tags loaded upon startup.
- Filter the alarm display to show only certain areas.
- Filter tag selection by area when building reports
When working with Parent-Child tag structures, the area property of all child tags will automatically match the configured area of a parent. Naturally, you can change any tag's area as required. In the case of a child tag, the field background will turn yellow to indicate that you have applied an override. (Orange in the case of user-defined types. Refer to Configuration Field Colors)
To use the area field effectively, you might consider setting the same Area for each I/O driver and its related I/O tags to group all the tags representing the equipment processes installed at each I/O device. You might also consider naming the Area property for the physical location of the tag (i.e. a station or name of a landmark near the location of the I/O device). For serial port or Roster tags, you might configure the Area property according to the purpose of each tag, such as System or Communications.
You may define as many areas as you wish and you may leave the area blank for some tags (note that for Modem tags that are to be used with the Alarm Notification System, it is actually required that the area field be left blank).
To define a new area, type the name in the field. It will immediately be added. To use an existing area, use the drop-down list feature. Re-typing an existing area name is not recommended since a typo or misspelling will result in a second area being created.
There is no tool to remove an area name from VTScada since such a tool is unnecessary. An area definition will exist as long as any tag uses it and will stop existing when no tag uses it (following the next re-start).
Description
Tag names tend to be brief. The description field provides a way to give each tag a human-friendly note describing its purpose. While not mandatory, the description is highly recommended.
Tag descriptions are displayed in the tag browser, in the list of tags to be selected for a report and also on-screen when the operator holds the pointer over the tag’s widget. For installations that use the Alarm Notification System, the description will be spoken when identifying the tag that caused the alarm.
The description field will store up to 65,500 characters, but this will exceed the practical limits of what can be displayed on-screen.
This note is relevant only to those with a multilingual user interface:
When editing any textual parameter (description, area, engineering units...) always work in the phrase editor. Any changes made directly to the textual parameter will result in a new phrase being created rather than the existing phrase being changed.
In a unilingual application this makes no difference, but in a multilingual application it is regarded as poor practice.
Help Search Key
Used only by those who have created their own CHM-format context sensitive help files to accompany their application.
Realm Display Setup Tag: Settings tab
The settings tab controls the overall display options. The first drop-down selector is where you choose which realm the settings will apply to. Only realms that include the current application will be available in the list.
You also have the option of making the settings apply to all realms that include this application, rather than just one at a time. To decide whether to use that option, you must choose whether you want to provide different settings to different VIC stations - which would be done via different realms. Changes to this tag take effect immediately. There is no need to restart the application after adding or changing a Realm Display Setup tag.
You can add exactly one Realm Display Setup tag for each realm that includes the application.
Fixed Size Window, Resizable Window or Full Screen
Running full screen implies that the window width and height will be whatever the full (maximum) screen size is.
The full screen option does not apply to Anywhere Client connections.
When a VIC is running in full screen, the Windows title bar and other window borders will not be displayed.
If Fixed Size Window is selected, you gain more control over the VIC window at the server side, while not allowing size control at the VIC. You will be able to set the VIC window size and page style options at the server with this option selected.
The operator will still be able to move the window around on his screen, and will be able to minimize and restore it, provided that the Disable Min/Max Buttons option has not been selected.
Note that if the specified Fixed Size is larger than the resolution of the computer running the client session, scroll bars will appear on the display.
By selecting Resizable Window, you provide the client with the greatest level of control. Operators will be able to re-size their screen at will, limited only by the optional minimum width and height that you may set in this dialog box.
Your choice of display option will affect which of the remaining controls on the screen are available. The description of each of those controls will tell you which window options it is relevant for.
Note that leaving the initial Window Width and Height blank (if available) will result in the VIC taking the maximum screen area as its initial size upon opening.
Initial Window Width and Height Fields
If you have selected Fixed Size Window above, these controls set the window width and height for the client. If you have selected Resizable Window, then these controls set only the initial window size for the first time the application is opened on the client. On subsequent startups, the resizable window will remain at whatever dimensions the operator set.
If Full Screen has not been selected and these two values are also not set, the following configuration options (if set) will be used to determine a default size:
If BrowserWidth and BrowserHeight are defined in the application properties, these values will be used.
Otherwise, if DispMgrWidth and DispMgrHeight are set in the application properties, those values will be used.
Otherwise, the default width and height will simply fill the screen.
These settings are maintained by the client and so (for a re-sizable application) apply only for the first time the client is opened.
Horizontal Instances / Vertical Instances
Applies only to the VIC. Does not apply to Mobile Clients or VTScada Anywhere Clients.
Create multiple instances of the VTScada screen, each of which can be positioned on its own monitor. The result is similar to the effect of DispMgrHoriz and DispMgrVert on desktop installations.
A multi-monitor VIC is restricted in its behavior to full screen without borders, and DispMgrExtendedDesktop = 1 or equivalent. All monitors must be the same size and resolution, and must be arranged with the primary display in the top left corner.
Minimum Window Width and Height Fields
Sets the minimum width and height that the client is able to resize to. Defaults to 25 pixels.
If these values are not set for a resizable client, then the application will check the configuration file to see whether DispMgrMinWidth and DispMgrMinHeight have been set and if so, will use those. Otherwise, no minimum values will be set.
This option is not available if Full Screen option is selected. Does exactly what it says to the Min/Max buttons at the top right of the client's screen.
Available only if the Resizable Window option is selected. Forces the VIC screen to maintain a constant aspect ratio (width to height) while it is being re-sized.
Realm Display Setup Tag: Page Style tab
The Page Style tab includes settings that apply to VIC sessions that display in Full Screen Mode (as set on the Settings tab). This is a list of which elements of both the Title Bar and the Task Bar you wish to make visible.
Elements of the Title Bar and Task Bar:
Provides a series of yes-or-no check boxes controlling which parts of the title bar should be displayed on the VIC including whether the title bar should be displayed at all.
Provides a series of yes-or-no check boxes controlling which parts of the task bar should be displayed on the VIC including whether the task bar should be displayed at all.
Realm Display Setup Tag: Windowed Page Style tab
The Windowed Page Style tab includes settings that apply to pages that display as windows - whether Fixed Size or Resizable, as selected in the Settings tab. The bar items are the same as for the previous tab.
Title Bar Style:
Provides a series of yes-or-no check boxes controlling which parts of the title bar should be displayed on the VIC including whether the title bar should be displayed at all. An image to refresh your memory of the various parts of the screen is included with the previous topic, Page Style tab.
Task Bar Style:
Provides a series of yes-or-no check boxes controlling which parts of the task bar should be displayed on the VIC including whether the task bar should be displayed at all.
Realm Display Setup Tag: Startup Page tab
First page at startup
Provides you with control over which page will open first for users connecting to the realm associated with this tag. You may select the application's default startup page (as configured in the Display tab of the Application Configuration dialog), the last page viewed (for that user), or you may select any page within the application to use as the start page.
Realm Display Setup Tag: Map Page tab
Map Restrictions
Control how much or little of an area an operator may view. 2, being the furthest zoom level allows an operator to view the entire globe. Typically, a closer view is adequate.
You may also enable Area Limiting, as described in Limit the Map Area.
Realm Display Setup tags work without being drawn.