Maple Systems Silver Series Installation And Operation Manual page 7

Introduction 3
characters of varying fonts and sizes and graphics shapes such as icons, bitmaps, or pictures. Using pictures instead of words
or characters often greatly simplifies the operation of the OIT, making the OIT much more intuitive to use.
Some OITs use touch screen displays while others use a membrane-style keypad. Membrane-style keyboards are best used in
applications in which the keypad is likely to become dirty. Touch screen displays are placed over the OIT screen thus
providing much more flexibility than typical membrane-style keypads. Because of this, switches can be created on a touch
screen that appear only when needed.
The Maple Systems Silver Series OITs are graphics-based touch screen OITs. Before we get any further into the operation of
these OITs, it is necessary to define some terms that will be used throughout this manual.
Projects
The OIT has two basic segments of internal memory. The code memory contains the information required by the OIT that
controls how it operates such as the features supported and how it communicates to a PLC. The OIT programmer does not
have the ability to change code memory. The project memory pertains to all of the window screens created and any other
features that the OIT programmer can create using the EZware-500 configuration software. Therefore, the term project is
used to designate the file that is sent to the OIT from the EZware-500 software.
Objects
An object is any action that the OIT performs while it is communicating to the PLC. In order to get the operator interface
terminal to 'do anything', you must program the OIT with objects. Objects perform actions such as display text or graphics,
write a value to a PLC register, or display an alarm. Objects most often are graphics shapes that are to be displayed on the
OIT screen. For example, a Text Object is used to display text on the OIT. But objects are also used to configure the OIT to
perform some action. For example, a PLC Control Object tells the OIT to continuously monitor a PLC register that is used
by the PLC to request a new window. Some objects can display a graphics shape on the OIT screen and perform some
action. For example, a Toggle Switch Object creates a graphic object on the OIT that when pressed, activates a bit in the
PLC.
Graphics Object
A graphics object is any text, icon, or picture that can be displayed on the OIT. Graphics objects are further defined by how
they are composed or created. A Text Object is a graphics object that displays text on the OIT screen. A Bitmap Object is a
graphics object that displays a bitmap on the OIT screen. Bitmaps are files stored in the OIT to display pictures. A Shape
Object is a graphics object that displays a shape on the OIT screen. Shapes are also files stored in the OIT to display
pictures. Shapes differ from bitmaps in that shapes are stored using a vector-based file format whereas bitmaps use a
pixel-based file format. Each format has its advantages and disadvantages. We will not go into any more detail about bitmap
objects and shape objects until later in this manual. For now, think of them as objects used to display pictures on the OIT
screen. Finally, a Group Object is the most complex type of graphics object. It is a combination of other objects. Briefly, a
group object consists of one or more objects that are 'grouped' together and stored as one object. A good example is a
keypad, which is really a combination of several keys each designed to perform a specific task. When grouped together, a
keypad can be stored as a group object for use in other projects or windows.
Windows
A window is a screen that can be displayed on the OIT. Windows can be full-sized to completely cover the OIT display or
partially sized. Any partially sized window is usually referred to as a popup window. Windows can appear on the OIT
display by a request from the PLC or by a press from the touch screen. Windows can be configured to any size. Once a
window is displayed, it can be moved around the OIT display, removed from the display, or minimized to an icon. Windows
can even overlap each other. Each window can display graphics objects and there is no limit to the number of graphics
objects that can be placed on each window. The Silver Series is capable of storing up to 1999 windows , but the actual limit
is determined by the total amount of memory used for the application. A more in-depth discussion of windows is covered in
later chapters. For now, think of windows as screens that can be displayed on the OIT.
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