Quick Referece Guide To Tpd4v2_1
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Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v. 2.1 White Paper
August 2003 Copyright AMX Corporation, 2003. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system or translated into any language in any form by any means without the written permission of AMX.
For additional questions or suggestions, feel free to call us. AMX University 3000 Research Drive Richardson, TX 75082 Phone 469.624.8000 Fax 469.624.7192
Table of Contents
Table of Contents Introduction ...............................................................................................................1 New User Interface............................................................................................................ 1
TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements .......................................................................................1 Project Migration ............................................................................................................... 2 Applying Password Protection to Your Project File ........................................................... 2 Creating a Screen Saver ................................................................................................... 3 Importing Image Files To Your Project.............................................................................. 3 Setting General Properties: General Buttons .................................................................... 4 Working With Touch Styles and Active Touch .................................................................. 5 Masterless TCP/IP Transfers ............................................................................................ 6 Virtual NetLinx Master Properties Dialog .......................................................................... 8 Enter Access Password Dialog ......................................................................................... 8 Help Keyboard Dialog ....................................................................................................... 8 Reload Last Workspace Added to Preferences Dialog - Application Tab ......................... 8 Magnifier Window.............................................................................................................. 9 MDI Tabs Context Menu ................................................................................................... 9 Programming Tab Added to Properties Control Window ................................................ 10
Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
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Table of Contents
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Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
Introduction
Introduction Several enhancements have been made to TPDesign4 v. 2.1. This document is designed to introduce the new features and changes for existing TPD4 v 1.0 users.
New User Interface New updates have been made to the user interface for version 2.1.
TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements Feature enhancements to TPD4 v 2.1 covered in this document: !
Project Migration
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Applying Password Protection to Your Project File
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Creating a Screen Saver
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Importing Image Files To Your Project
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Setting General Properties: General Buttons
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Working With Touch Styles and Active Touch
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Masterless TCP/IP Transfers
Changes to TPD4 v 2.1 windows and dialogs: !
Virtual NetLinx Master Properties dialog
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Enter Access Password dialog
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Help Keyboard dialog
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Transparency added to Preferences Dialog
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Reload Last Workspace added to Preferences Dialog
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Magnifier Window
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MDI Tabs Context Menu
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Programming Tab added to Properties Control Window
This is not an all inclusive lists of changes for version 2.1. For more information on TPD4 version 2.1 look to the help file and the User Interface TPD4 Design class offered from AMX University.
Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Project Migration If a TP4 project file created with a previous version of TPDesign4 is opened (File > Open), the Project Migration dialog appears, prompting you to continue with the migration process. !
Click Yes to continue, then save the file.
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Click Cancel to abort the file open command.
Once the migration process is complete and the project file has been saved, this process will not have to be performed again.
Applying Password Protection to Your Project File TPDesign4 supports two levels of password protection for Project (.TP4) files: !
Read-only: the next time this Project file is opened, the Enter Access Password dialog appears, prompting the user to enter the correct password in order to gain write access to the file. The password is not required to open and view the file. Note that if a read-only file is opened without using the password, it cannot be saved under a new file name.
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Locked: the next time the panel file is selected to open; the Enter Access Password dialog appears, prompting the user to enter the correct password to open the file.
If the password is not entered correctly, the file will not be opened at all. These protection options are not Windows file attributes, and are only relevant within the context of the TPDesign4 application.
To apply password protection to the open Project file: 1. Select File > Project Properties to open the Project Properties dialog - Project Information tab. 2. Click the down-arrow next to Protection to select a level of password protection from the dropdown list (either read-only, locked or none). 3. Enter the password in the Password text field. Passwords can be from 1 to 259 characters in length. 4. Re-type the password in the Confirm field. If the passwords don't match, a “Passwords do not match” message box is displayed, in which case you'll need to re-enter the password, or reconfirm the password, or both. 5. Click Apply to save the changes and apply the specified password to the Project file.
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Creating a Screen Saver You can create a "screen-saver" for the panel as part of your project by using the Inactivity Page Flip option in the Panel Setup Information tab of the Project Properties dialog. 1. Select File > Project Properties to open the Project Properties dialog. 2. In the Panel Setup Information tab, click the down arrow next to the Inactive page flip field to display a list of all of the pages in this project. 3. Select the page that you want the panel to flip to when the panel is inactive for the amount of time specified on the panel. Project Properties dialog - Panel Setup Information tab Use the options in the Panel Setup Information tab of the Project Properties dialog to view/edit setup information associated with the active project/panel file. This dialog identifies the panel that this project is designed for, and indicates it's screen resolution. The options in this tab include: !
Refresh Frequency: Select the desired refresh frequency for the selected panel, from the drop-down list of supported refresh frequencies (based on the selected panel).
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Panel Strings: Use these three fields to specify text strings to appear on the panel, during these three conditions (Startup, Wakeup and Sleep). For example, if entered the string "Hello!" for the Wakeup string, the panel will display the message "Hello!" on wakeup.
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Power up page: Click the down-arrow to view a drop-down list of all pages currently saved in this project. Click to select the initial startup page for the panel.
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Inactivity Page Flip: Click the down arrow to select which page to flip to after the specified period of inactivity (set on the touch panel).
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Feedback Blink Rate: If you are using blinking button feedback in your project, use this field to specify the blink frequency, in 1/10th-second increments (default = 5).
Importing Image Files To Your Project To import image files into your Project 1. Select Panel > Resource Manager (or click the toolbar button) to open the Resource Manager dialog. 2. Open the Images tab. 3. Click the Import button to invoke the Open dialog. 4. Click the Overwrite resources with duplicate names checkbox to automatically overwrite any existing images that have the same file name as the image selected for import. If this option is selected, anytime an image with a duplicate file name is imported, it will replace the original image on every button or page that referenced that file name in the Project.
This functionality works in an identical manner for sound files.
5. Locate and select the file(s) to import. TPDesign4 supports most popular image formats. 6. Click Open to import the files to the Images tab.
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Notes on importing image files: !
When images of any supported file type (except PNG) are imported into a project, the files are automatically converted to JPGs. For this reason, if you import (or paste) a file that has the same name as a previously imported file (even if it has a different extension), TPDesign4 automatically adds the "copy of" prefix to the file. PNGs are not converted because they are already sufficiently compressed.
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The largest image size supported on the panels is 1280x1024. Any image files that are imported to the project that are larger than 1280x1024 are automatically scaled down to fit this maximum resolution. Any scaling that occurs is proportional, so that the image will not be stretched.
If you import an image file that has already been imported to the Images tab, the filename is changed to include the prefix "Copy of...". This is true even if the second version of the image file you have imported is of a different file type with a different extension.
Setting General Properties: General Buttons Once you have created a General button, you can use the General tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit general (non-state oriented) button properties. To edit any of the properties in the table, click on an item in the right-hand column to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following general button properties are supported for General buttons:
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Type – The Type (button type) defaults to the button type (General, Bargraph, Joystick, Multi-State General, Multi-State Bargraph, Text Area or Computer Control) that was set when the button was created. To change the button a different type, click Type to activate the button type drop-down menu, containing a list of all available button types. You can use this option to change the selected button's type.
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Name – This is the button name. To give the button a specific name (other than the default Button 1, Button 2, Button 3 etc.), click Name to activate the editable field, where you can type the new name (max. 50 characters).
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Lock Button Name – This option controls how the name of the selected button is managed by the program. When new buttons are created, by default the buttons are automatically given a sequential two-part name composed of the button number (relative to the number of buttons already created in the Project) and button type, separated by a colon (i.e. "Button 1 : general", "Button 2 : multi-state general", etc).
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Left/Top – Position values. The Left and Top rows indicate the position of the selected button, in pixels, relative to the upper-left corner of the Design View window. You can edit these fields to apply specific positioning info for the button. Note that if you select the button and manually move it around on the page, these constantly update to indicate the current position.
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Width/Height – Size values. The Width and Height rows indicate the dimensions of the selected button, in pixels. You can edit these fields to apply specific dimension info for the button. Note that if you select the button and manually resize it on the page, these constantly update to indicate the current dimensions.
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
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Above Popups – This option allows you the selected button(s) on a Main page to always remain on top of any popup pages (default = No). This option is not available for buttons on a popup page.
If you set this property on a button (on a main page), then copy that button to a popup page, the program automatically resets this property to No.
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Touch Style – This selection drop-down allows you to set a "touch style" for the selected button(s). Touch style describes the way buttons behave when pressed, in terms of the shape and border style used. For example, by using transparencies you could create a button that appears to be round (although the actual shape of the button is rectangular), in which case you may not the button to respond if the user presses outside of the circular border. See Working With Touch Styles and Active Touch for details.
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Border Style – To change the Border Style for the selected button, click Border Style, and select the desired border style from the drop-down list.
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Disabled – Indicates how the selected button is rendered. If the button is set as Disabled (select Yes from the drop-down), the button will be rendered by the panel in a subdued state (default = No).
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Hidden – Indicates wether or not the selected button is displayed on the panel. If the button is set as Hidden (select Yes from the drop-down), the button will disappear when transferred to the panel (default = No).
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Password Protection – Choose the level of password protection to associate with this button (none, one, two, three, or four).
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Page Flip – Click to view/create a list of page flips. Click the browse button (...) to open the Button Page Flip Actions dialog.
Working With Touch Styles and Active Touch TPDesign4 supports Active Touch technology, which allows you to control the way buttons behave when pressed, in terms of the shape and border style used. For example, by using transparencies you could create a button that appears to be round (although the actual shape of the button is rectangular), in which case you may not the button to respond if the user presses outside of the circular border. The use of Active Touch is set via the Touch Style button property (in the General tab of the Properties Control Window). There are three touch styles to choose from: !
Active touch: This touch style limits the active touch area to the visible area of the button. Areas of the button that are totally transparent will not respond to a press. For example, if you created a totally transparent button with no border and an icon, only the icon would respond to a press. Similarly, if a transparent button has a visible border but no icon, only the border will respond to a press. Touching the transparent areas of the button does not active the button.
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Active Touch requires total transparency on the button in order to work. To make a button totally transparent, set the Overall Opacity (state) setting to 0. If Overall Opacity is set to any other value (for partial transparency), Active Touch will not work. !
Bounding box: This touch style forces the panel to respond to a press anywhere within the rectangular boundaries of the button (regardless of transparencies or border styles).
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Pass through: This style allows the user to press "through" one button to press another button underneath. If there is no other button underneath the pass through button, the user simply presses the page (with no resulting action).
Masterless TCP/IP Transfers TPDesign4 v2.1 supports direct connection to G4 panels (via TCP/IP), for situations where the target panel is not connected to a NetLinx Master. In this situation, you can use your PC's Ethernet connection to connect directly to the panel, using your PC as a Virtual NetLinx Master. This feature is primarily intended for use by graphic designers, to allow them to create panel files and then test them on a panel without necessarily having access to a Master. There are three basic steps to Masterless TCP/IP file transfers: 1. Configure the touch panel for Masterless TCP/IP transfers 2. Configure TPDesign4 for Masterless TCP/IP transfers 3. Transfer the Files Using a Virtual NetLinx Master TCP/IP connection Configuring the Touch Panel for Masterless TCP/IP Transfers If it is not already powered up and connected, apply power to the touch panel and verify that it is connected to the LAN via the TCP/IP connector on the rear (or side) of the panel (G4 panels only). To configure the panel for Virtual NetLinx Master transfers: 1. Press and hold the grey Front Setup Access button (below the touch screen) for 3 seconds to access the Setup page. 2. Press the Protected Setup button to access the Protected Setup page. 3. Use the on-screen keyboard to enter the password (the default password is 1988). 4. Press the System Connection button to access the System Connection Setup page. 5. Select Ethernet as the Master Connection. 6. Select URL as the Connection Mode. 7. Set the System Number to 0 (zero). 8. Select the Master URL / IP input box and enter the IP address of your PC (displayed in the Virtual NetLinx Master Properties dialog). 9. Press the Back button to return to the Protected Setup page and press the Reboot button to reboot the panel. 10. After several seconds, the panel should appear in the online device tree, listed as Virtual NetLinx Master. Once you can see the device online, you may transfer panel files to and from the G4 device without the need for an intermediate NetLinx master.
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Configuring TPDesign4 for Masterless TCP/IP Transfers 1. Select Transfer > Connect to open the Connect dialog (or click the toolbar button). 2. Select [Virtual NetLinx Master] from the Connection drop-down list. 3. Click the Properties button to access the Virtual NetLinx Master Properties dialog, which displays the Host Name and IP address for your PC. 4. Write down the IP address. a. Enter this IP address as the Master's URL/IP on the System Connection Setup page on the touch panel. b. Once you have entered the IP address of the PC (acting as a Virtual NetLinx Master), press the Reboot button on the System Connection Setup page to reboot the panel. 5. Select Transfer > Sent to Panel to open the Send To Panel dialog. The panel should appear in the list of Online Devices. Once you can see the panel online, you may transfer panel files without the need for an intermediate NetLinx master. To receive files from the panel, select Transfer > Receive From Panel. Allow several seconds after the panel is rebooted for it to appear in the Online Device list in the Send To Panel or Receive From Panel dialogs.
Transferring Files Using a Virtual NetLinx Master TCP/IP Connection Once you have configured both the touch panel and TPDesign4 for Masterless TCP/IP Transfers, you are ready to transfer files to/from the panel without the need for an intermediate master: Sending Files To the Panel: 1. Select Transfer > Send to Panel to open the Send to Panel dialog. 2. Select any Options (Smart Transfer, Normal Transfer or Full Clean) as desired. 3. Click the Send button to initiate the transfer. The progress of the transfer is indicated in the Status column of the Transfer Status Window. Receiving Files From The Panel: 1. Select Transfer > Receive from Panel to open the Receive from Panel dialog. 2. Select any Options (Smart Transfer, Normal Transfer or Full Clean) as desired. 3. Click the Receive button to initiate the transfer. The progress of the transfer is indicated in the Status column of the Transfer Status Window. Powering Up and Connecting the Panel 1. Verify that an Ethernet cable is connected from either the rear (NXT models) or side (NXD models) of the panel to a valid Ethernet Hub. 2. Connect the terminal end of the PSN6.5 power cable to the 12 VDC power connector on the rear/side of the touch panel. 3. Verify the green Ethernet LED (from the rear Ethernet port) is illuminated (to indicate a proper connection).
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Virtual NetLinx Master Properties Dialog With selected as the Connection type in the Connect dialog, select Properties to access the Virtual NetLinx Properties dialog. This dialog displays the IP address(es) that you can use to communicate with G4 touch panels, without the need for an intermediate NetLinx Master.
Enter Access Password Dialog This dialog is invoked when you try to open a Project (.TP4) file that has been assigned password protection (via the Protection options in the Project Properties dialog). !
If the file was assigned Read-Only protection, the user has the option to click the ReadOnly button in this dialog to open the file, without any ability to save any changes.
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If the file was Locked, the user must enter the correct password in order to open the file at all.
Help Keyboard Dialog Select Help > Keyboard Map to open the Help Keyboard dialog, which displays a listing of all current hotkey assignments. This information is read-only. Additional features of this dialog include: Click to print the selected category of commands/hotkey assignments. Click to copy the selected category of commands/hotkey assignments to clipboard memory. !
Category: Click the down arrow to select a category of commands to display (select All Commands to view the entire list).
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Show Accelerators For: Click the down arrow to select which hotkey template to display.
Reload Last Workspace Added to Preferences Dialog Application Tab Reload last workspace has been added to the Startup tab of the Preferences dialog. To open the Preferences dialog Select Edit > Preferences. Reload Last Workspace This option will reopen the last panel file and the pages (including popup pages) that were open when the application was closed (assuming that a panel file was open when the application was closed). If the System Page Template was opened as part of the Workspace, the Reload last workspace option will cause the application to attempt to open the (passwordprotected) System Page Template as part of the last opened workspace. In this case you will be presented with the Enter Access Password dialog. Since there is not a password to unlock the file, by design the only option is to open the System Page Template as a Read-Only file.
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Transparency Added to Preferences Dialog - Appearance Tab Transparency has been added to the Appearance tab of the preferences dialog. To open the Preferences dialog Select Edit > Preferences. Transparency Transparent colors in TPDesing4 are represented by a checkerboard pattern. This set of options allow you to modify the way that the transparency checkerboard appears. In certain situations, changing the checkerboard style to different sizes, shades and/or colors can facilitate viewing and working with graphics. The Transparency checkerboard is visible on pages and popup pages that are transparent, in the State Manager when a state is transparent, and in the Button Preview when a state is transparent. !
Style: Click the down arrow to open a drop-down list of available checkerboard styles that can be used to represent transparency. The options are Light, Medium, Dark and Custom. If Custom is selected, the Custom Colors option is enabled (see below).
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Size: Click the down arrow to open a drop-down list of available checkerboard sizes. The options are Tiny, Small, Medium and Large.
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Custom Colors: If Custom was selected as the Style (see above), then you can specify a custom color combination for the checkerboard by selecting from these two drop-down lists.
Magnifier Window The Magnifier window allows you to magnify a given area of a design view for temporary viewing in a separate floating window, without zooming the entire design view. Select View > Magnifier Window (or click the toolbar button) to access the Magnifier Window. !
Right-click inside the Magnifier window to access the Magnify Control context menu, where you can select a zoom factor from 2 to 8 times actual size.
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This floating window is resizable and dockable.
MDI Tabs Context Menu Use the View > MDI Page Tabs option to toggle the MDI page tabs. When this option is enabled, a tab is displayed for each open page. The page tabs normally appear along the bottom edge of the Design View window area, but can be moved, toggled or modified via the MDI tabs context menu (right-click inside any of the tabs). There is a context menu associated with the MDI page tabs (right-click inside any page tab to open). The options in this context menu include: !
Close Page: Click to close only the page associated with the page tab that the context menu was opened from (this does not close the active page).
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Close All Pages in Panel: Click to close all open pages in the panel file.
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Close All Pages: Click to close every open page.
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Close All Pages in Panel Except: Click to close all open pages in this panel, except the one on top.
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Close All Pages Except: Click to close all open pages except the one on top.
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Tab Icons: Click to hide/show the icons that appear in the tabs by default. These icons can serve as a visual aid in that the icon color matched the color associated with the parent project in the Workspace Navigator (Pages tab).
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Show Panel Name: Click to display the panel name prior to the page name on the tab.
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Tabs on Top: Click to move the page tabs to the top of the Design View windows area.
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Tabs at Bottom: Click to move the page tabs to the bottom of the Design View windows area (default position).
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Hide Tabs: Click to hide the page tabs.
TPDesign4 displays up to a maximum of 10 page tabs. If you open more than 10 pages, the tabs automatically disappear.
Programming Tab Added to Properties Control Window A Properties Tab has been added to the Button properties window. It is only available for buttons and popup pages. To open the Button Properties window select View > Properties (or click the toolbar button).
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Properties Control - Programming Tab Click the Programming tab (at the top of the Properties Control window) to view/edit programming-related information for the selected button. This information is displayed in a table format, similar to the General tab. To edit any of the listed button properties, click on an item in the right-hand column to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both.
One feature of the Properties Control window (both tabs) is that you can click on any value in the right column, and drag it to another field. When you release the mouse button, the value is copied to the new location. With an item selected, the cursor will change to indicate any fields that cannot accept the selected value, and if the selected value is out of the acceptable range for a target field, TPDesign4 alerts you with an error dialog, and the original value is left unchanged. Setting Programming Properties: General Buttons Once you have created a General button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following programming properties are supported for General buttons: !
Feedback – Select the type of feedback to associate with this button (channel, inverted channel, always on, momentary, blink, or none).
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Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
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Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
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Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Level Control Type – These options allow General buttons to directly control a level without the need for NetLinx code. Select a level control type for the selected button (Absolute, Relative or None). These options require additional parameters to be defined.
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Absolute: The button acts like a preset and sets the level to the desired value.
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Relative: The button increments or decrements the current level value by a fixed amount.
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String Output Port – Select or enter the port to which the output string will be applied.
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String Output – Specify the output string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the output string and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
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Command Port – Select or enter the port to which the command string output will be applied.
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Command Output – Specify the command string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the command output and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
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Maximum command, string and text length = 4096 characters.
Setting Programming Properties: Multi-State General Buttons Once you have created a Multi-State General button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following programming properties are supported for Multi-State General buttons: !
Feedback – Select the type of feedback to associate with this button (channel, inverted channel, always on, momentary, blink, or none).
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Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
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Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
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Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Level Control Type – These options allow General buttons to directly control a level without the need for NetLinx code. Select a level control type for the selected button (Absolute, Relative or None). These options require additional parameters to be defined.
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Absolute: The button acts like a preset and sets the level to the desired value.
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Relative: The button increments or decrements the current level value by a fixed amount.
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String Output Port – Select or enter the port to which the output string will be applied.
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String Output – Specify the output string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the output string and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
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Command Port – Select or enter the port to which the command string output will be applied.
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Command Output – Specify the command string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the command output and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
Maximum command, string and text length = 4096 characters.
Setting Programming Properties: Bargraph buttons Once you have created a Bargraph button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both.
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The following programming properties are supported for Bargraph buttons: !
Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
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Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
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Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Level Port – Select or enter the port to which the Level code will be applied. Select 0 (Setup port) or 1 as the level port for this button.
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Level Code – Select or enter the level code sent to the master on the selected port. Select Auto-Assign to automatically assign the level code to this button.
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Level Function – Select Display Only, Active or Active Centering.
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Range Low – This field allows you to set the lower limit for the range used by this button (0 - 255). The default setting is 0.
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Range High – This field allows you to set the upper limit for the range used by this button (0 - 255). The default setting is 255.
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Range Inverted – If set to Yes, the range is inverted, so that the top of the level range is 0 and the bottom of the range is 255 on both the X and Y axis (default = No).
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Range Time Up – Specify the amount of time (in 1/10th seconds) it will take for the bargraph to go from the bottom to the top of the specified range. This option is only available if Active or Active Centering was selected as the Level Function (see above).
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Range Time Down – Specify the amount of time (in 1/10th seconds) it will take for the bargraph to go from the top to the bottom of the specified range. This option is only available if Active or Active Centering was selected as the Level Function (see above).
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String Output Port – Select or enter the port to which the output string will be applied.
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String Output – Specify the output string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the output string and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
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Command Port – Select or enter the port to which the command string output will be applied.
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Command Output – Specify the command string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the command output and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
Maximum command, string and text length = 4096 characters.
Setting Programming Properties: Multi-State Bargraph buttons Once you have created a Multi-State Bargraph button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the
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properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following programming properties are supported for Multi-State Bargraph buttons: !
Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
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Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
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Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Level Port – Select or enter the port to which the Level code will be applied. Select 0 (Setup port) or 1 as the level port for this button.
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Level Code – Select or enter the level code sent to the master on the selected port. Select Auto-Assign to automatically assign the level code to this button.
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Level Function – Select Display Only, Active or Active Centering.
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Range Low – This field allows you to set the lower limit for the range used by this button (0 - 255). The default setting is 0.
!
Range High – This field allows you to set the upper limit for the range used by this button (0 - 255). The default setting is 255.
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Range Inverted – If set to Yes, the range is inverted, so that the top of the level range is 0 and the bottom of the range is 255 (default = No).
!
Range Time Up – Specify the amount of time (in 1/10th seconds) it will take for the bargraph to go from the bottom to the top of the specified range. This option is only available if Active or Active Centering was selected as the Level Function (see above).
!
Range Time Down – Specify the amount of time (in 1/10th seconds) it will take for the bargraph to go from the top to the bottom of the specified range. This option is only available if Active or Active Centering was selected as the Level Function (see above).
!
String Output Port – Select or enter the port to which the output string will be applied.
!
String Output – Specify the output string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the output string and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
!
Command Port – Select or enter the port to which the command string output will be applied.
!
Command Output – Specify the command string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the command output and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
Maximum command, string and text length = 4096 characters.
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Setting Programming Properties: Joystick buttons Once you have created a Joystick button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following programming properties are supported for Joystick buttons: !
Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
!
Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
!
Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
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Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Level Port – Select or enter the port to which the Level code will be applied. Select 0 (Setup port) or 1 as the level port for this button.
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Level Code – Select or enter the level code sent to the master on the selected port. Select Auto-Assign to automatically assign the level code to this button.
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Level Aux – This (read-only) field indicates the auxiliary level sent to the Master on the selected port.
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Level Function – Select Display Only, Active or Active Centering.
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Range Low – This field allows you to set the lower limit for the range used by this button (0 - 255). The default setting is 0.
!
Range High – This field allows you to set the upper limit for the range used by this button (0 - 255). The default setting is 255.
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Range Inverted – If set to Yes, the range is inverted, so that the top of the level range is 0 and the bottom of the range is 255 on both the X and Y axis (default = No).
!
Range Aux Inverted – If set to Yes, only the Level Aux range is inverted (default = No).
!
String Output Port – Select or enter the port to which the output string will be applied.
!
String Output – Specify the output string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the output string and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
!
Command Port – Select or enter the port to which the command string output will be applied.
!
Command Output – Specify the command string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the command output and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
Maximum command, string and text length = 4096 characters.
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Setting Programming Properties: Text Area buttons Once you have created a Text Area button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following programming properties are supported for Text Area buttons: !
Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
!
Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
!
Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
!
Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
Setting Programming Properties: Computer Control buttons Once you have created a Computer Control button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following programming properties are supported for Computer Control buttons: !
Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
!
Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
!
Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
!
Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
!
String Output Port – Select or enter the port to which the output string will be applied.
!
String Output – Specify the output string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the output string and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
!
Command Port – Select or enter the port to which the command string output will be applied.
!
Command Output – Specify the command string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the command output and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
Maximum command, string and text length = 4096 characters.
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Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
August 2003 Copyright AMX Corporation, 2003. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system or translated into any language in any form by any means without the written permission of AMX.
For additional questions or suggestions, feel free to call us. AMX University 3000 Research Drive Richardson, TX 75082 Phone 469.624.8000 Fax 469.624.7192
Table of Contents
Table of Contents Introduction ...............................................................................................................1 New User Interface............................................................................................................ 1
TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements .......................................................................................1 Project Migration ............................................................................................................... 2 Applying Password Protection to Your Project File ........................................................... 2 Creating a Screen Saver ................................................................................................... 3 Importing Image Files To Your Project.............................................................................. 3 Setting General Properties: General Buttons .................................................................... 4 Working With Touch Styles and Active Touch .................................................................. 5 Masterless TCP/IP Transfers ............................................................................................ 6 Virtual NetLinx Master Properties Dialog .......................................................................... 8 Enter Access Password Dialog ......................................................................................... 8 Help Keyboard Dialog ....................................................................................................... 8 Reload Last Workspace Added to Preferences Dialog - Application Tab ......................... 8 Magnifier Window.............................................................................................................. 9 MDI Tabs Context Menu ................................................................................................... 9 Programming Tab Added to Properties Control Window ................................................ 10
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Table of Contents
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Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
Introduction
Introduction Several enhancements have been made to TPDesign4 v. 2.1. This document is designed to introduce the new features and changes for existing TPD4 v 1.0 users.
New User Interface New updates have been made to the user interface for version 2.1.
TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements Feature enhancements to TPD4 v 2.1 covered in this document: !
Project Migration
!
Applying Password Protection to Your Project File
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Creating a Screen Saver
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Importing Image Files To Your Project
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Setting General Properties: General Buttons
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Working With Touch Styles and Active Touch
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Masterless TCP/IP Transfers
Changes to TPD4 v 2.1 windows and dialogs: !
Virtual NetLinx Master Properties dialog
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Enter Access Password dialog
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Help Keyboard dialog
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Transparency added to Preferences Dialog
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Reload Last Workspace added to Preferences Dialog
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Magnifier Window
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MDI Tabs Context Menu
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Programming Tab added to Properties Control Window
This is not an all inclusive lists of changes for version 2.1. For more information on TPD4 version 2.1 look to the help file and the User Interface TPD4 Design class offered from AMX University.
Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Project Migration If a TP4 project file created with a previous version of TPDesign4 is opened (File > Open), the Project Migration dialog appears, prompting you to continue with the migration process. !
Click Yes to continue, then save the file.
!
Click Cancel to abort the file open command.
Once the migration process is complete and the project file has been saved, this process will not have to be performed again.
Applying Password Protection to Your Project File TPDesign4 supports two levels of password protection for Project (.TP4) files: !
Read-only: the next time this Project file is opened, the Enter Access Password dialog appears, prompting the user to enter the correct password in order to gain write access to the file. The password is not required to open and view the file. Note that if a read-only file is opened without using the password, it cannot be saved under a new file name.
!
Locked: the next time the panel file is selected to open; the Enter Access Password dialog appears, prompting the user to enter the correct password to open the file.
If the password is not entered correctly, the file will not be opened at all. These protection options are not Windows file attributes, and are only relevant within the context of the TPDesign4 application.
To apply password protection to the open Project file: 1. Select File > Project Properties to open the Project Properties dialog - Project Information tab. 2. Click the down-arrow next to Protection to select a level of password protection from the dropdown list (either read-only, locked or none). 3. Enter the password in the Password text field. Passwords can be from 1 to 259 characters in length. 4. Re-type the password in the Confirm field. If the passwords don't match, a “Passwords do not match” message box is displayed, in which case you'll need to re-enter the password, or reconfirm the password, or both. 5. Click Apply to save the changes and apply the specified password to the Project file.
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Creating a Screen Saver You can create a "screen-saver" for the panel as part of your project by using the Inactivity Page Flip option in the Panel Setup Information tab of the Project Properties dialog. 1. Select File > Project Properties to open the Project Properties dialog. 2. In the Panel Setup Information tab, click the down arrow next to the Inactive page flip field to display a list of all of the pages in this project. 3. Select the page that you want the panel to flip to when the panel is inactive for the amount of time specified on the panel. Project Properties dialog - Panel Setup Information tab Use the options in the Panel Setup Information tab of the Project Properties dialog to view/edit setup information associated with the active project/panel file. This dialog identifies the panel that this project is designed for, and indicates it's screen resolution. The options in this tab include: !
Refresh Frequency: Select the desired refresh frequency for the selected panel, from the drop-down list of supported refresh frequencies (based on the selected panel).
!
Panel Strings: Use these three fields to specify text strings to appear on the panel, during these three conditions (Startup, Wakeup and Sleep). For example, if entered the string "Hello!" for the Wakeup string, the panel will display the message "Hello!" on wakeup.
!
Power up page: Click the down-arrow to view a drop-down list of all pages currently saved in this project. Click to select the initial startup page for the panel.
!
Inactivity Page Flip: Click the down arrow to select which page to flip to after the specified period of inactivity (set on the touch panel).
!
Feedback Blink Rate: If you are using blinking button feedback in your project, use this field to specify the blink frequency, in 1/10th-second increments (default = 5).
Importing Image Files To Your Project To import image files into your Project 1. Select Panel > Resource Manager (or click the toolbar button) to open the Resource Manager dialog. 2. Open the Images tab. 3. Click the Import button to invoke the Open dialog. 4. Click the Overwrite resources with duplicate names checkbox to automatically overwrite any existing images that have the same file name as the image selected for import. If this option is selected, anytime an image with a duplicate file name is imported, it will replace the original image on every button or page that referenced that file name in the Project.
This functionality works in an identical manner for sound files.
5. Locate and select the file(s) to import. TPDesign4 supports most popular image formats. 6. Click Open to import the files to the Images tab.
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Notes on importing image files: !
When images of any supported file type (except PNG) are imported into a project, the files are automatically converted to JPGs. For this reason, if you import (or paste) a file that has the same name as a previously imported file (even if it has a different extension), TPDesign4 automatically adds the "copy of" prefix to the file. PNGs are not converted because they are already sufficiently compressed.
!
The largest image size supported on the panels is 1280x1024. Any image files that are imported to the project that are larger than 1280x1024 are automatically scaled down to fit this maximum resolution. Any scaling that occurs is proportional, so that the image will not be stretched.
If you import an image file that has already been imported to the Images tab, the filename is changed to include the prefix "Copy of...". This is true even if the second version of the image file you have imported is of a different file type with a different extension.
Setting General Properties: General Buttons Once you have created a General button, you can use the General tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit general (non-state oriented) button properties. To edit any of the properties in the table, click on an item in the right-hand column to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following general button properties are supported for General buttons:
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!
Type – The Type (button type) defaults to the button type (General, Bargraph, Joystick, Multi-State General, Multi-State Bargraph, Text Area or Computer Control) that was set when the button was created. To change the button a different type, click Type to activate the button type drop-down menu, containing a list of all available button types. You can use this option to change the selected button's type.
!
Name – This is the button name. To give the button a specific name (other than the default Button 1, Button 2, Button 3 etc.), click Name to activate the editable field, where you can type the new name (max. 50 characters).
!
Lock Button Name – This option controls how the name of the selected button is managed by the program. When new buttons are created, by default the buttons are automatically given a sequential two-part name composed of the button number (relative to the number of buttons already created in the Project) and button type, separated by a colon (i.e. "Button 1 : general", "Button 2 : multi-state general", etc).
!
Left/Top – Position values. The Left and Top rows indicate the position of the selected button, in pixels, relative to the upper-left corner of the Design View window. You can edit these fields to apply specific positioning info for the button. Note that if you select the button and manually move it around on the page, these constantly update to indicate the current position.
!
Width/Height – Size values. The Width and Height rows indicate the dimensions of the selected button, in pixels. You can edit these fields to apply specific dimension info for the button. Note that if you select the button and manually resize it on the page, these constantly update to indicate the current dimensions.
Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
!
Above Popups – This option allows you the selected button(s) on a Main page to always remain on top of any popup pages (default = No). This option is not available for buttons on a popup page.
If you set this property on a button (on a main page), then copy that button to a popup page, the program automatically resets this property to No.
!
Touch Style – This selection drop-down allows you to set a "touch style" for the selected button(s). Touch style describes the way buttons behave when pressed, in terms of the shape and border style used. For example, by using transparencies you could create a button that appears to be round (although the actual shape of the button is rectangular), in which case you may not the button to respond if the user presses outside of the circular border. See Working With Touch Styles and Active Touch for details.
!
Border Style – To change the Border Style for the selected button, click Border Style, and select the desired border style from the drop-down list.
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Disabled – Indicates how the selected button is rendered. If the button is set as Disabled (select Yes from the drop-down), the button will be rendered by the panel in a subdued state (default = No).
!
Hidden – Indicates wether or not the selected button is displayed on the panel. If the button is set as Hidden (select Yes from the drop-down), the button will disappear when transferred to the panel (default = No).
!
Password Protection – Choose the level of password protection to associate with this button (none, one, two, three, or four).
!
Page Flip – Click to view/create a list of page flips. Click the browse button (...) to open the Button Page Flip Actions dialog.
Working With Touch Styles and Active Touch TPDesign4 supports Active Touch technology, which allows you to control the way buttons behave when pressed, in terms of the shape and border style used. For example, by using transparencies you could create a button that appears to be round (although the actual shape of the button is rectangular), in which case you may not the button to respond if the user presses outside of the circular border. The use of Active Touch is set via the Touch Style button property (in the General tab of the Properties Control Window). There are three touch styles to choose from: !
Active touch: This touch style limits the active touch area to the visible area of the button. Areas of the button that are totally transparent will not respond to a press. For example, if you created a totally transparent button with no border and an icon, only the icon would respond to a press. Similarly, if a transparent button has a visible border but no icon, only the border will respond to a press. Touching the transparent areas of the button does not active the button.
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Active Touch requires total transparency on the button in order to work. To make a button totally transparent, set the Overall Opacity (state) setting to 0. If Overall Opacity is set to any other value (for partial transparency), Active Touch will not work. !
Bounding box: This touch style forces the panel to respond to a press anywhere within the rectangular boundaries of the button (regardless of transparencies or border styles).
!
Pass through: This style allows the user to press "through" one button to press another button underneath. If there is no other button underneath the pass through button, the user simply presses the page (with no resulting action).
Masterless TCP/IP Transfers TPDesign4 v2.1 supports direct connection to G4 panels (via TCP/IP), for situations where the target panel is not connected to a NetLinx Master. In this situation, you can use your PC's Ethernet connection to connect directly to the panel, using your PC as a Virtual NetLinx Master. This feature is primarily intended for use by graphic designers, to allow them to create panel files and then test them on a panel without necessarily having access to a Master. There are three basic steps to Masterless TCP/IP file transfers: 1. Configure the touch panel for Masterless TCP/IP transfers 2. Configure TPDesign4 for Masterless TCP/IP transfers 3. Transfer the Files Using a Virtual NetLinx Master TCP/IP connection Configuring the Touch Panel for Masterless TCP/IP Transfers If it is not already powered up and connected, apply power to the touch panel and verify that it is connected to the LAN via the TCP/IP connector on the rear (or side) of the panel (G4 panels only). To configure the panel for Virtual NetLinx Master transfers: 1. Press and hold the grey Front Setup Access button (below the touch screen) for 3 seconds to access the Setup page. 2. Press the Protected Setup button to access the Protected Setup page. 3. Use the on-screen keyboard to enter the password (the default password is 1988). 4. Press the System Connection button to access the System Connection Setup page. 5. Select Ethernet as the Master Connection. 6. Select URL as the Connection Mode. 7. Set the System Number to 0 (zero). 8. Select the Master URL / IP input box and enter the IP address of your PC (displayed in the Virtual NetLinx Master Properties dialog). 9. Press the Back button to return to the Protected Setup page and press the Reboot button to reboot the panel. 10. After several seconds, the panel should appear in the online device tree, listed as Virtual NetLinx Master. Once you can see the device online, you may transfer panel files to and from the G4 device without the need for an intermediate NetLinx master.
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Configuring TPDesign4 for Masterless TCP/IP Transfers 1. Select Transfer > Connect to open the Connect dialog (or click the toolbar button). 2. Select [Virtual NetLinx Master] from the Connection drop-down list. 3. Click the Properties button to access the Virtual NetLinx Master Properties dialog, which displays the Host Name and IP address for your PC. 4. Write down the IP address. a. Enter this IP address as the Master's URL/IP on the System Connection Setup page on the touch panel. b. Once you have entered the IP address of the PC (acting as a Virtual NetLinx Master), press the Reboot button on the System Connection Setup page to reboot the panel. 5. Select Transfer > Sent to Panel to open the Send To Panel dialog. The panel should appear in the list of Online Devices. Once you can see the panel online, you may transfer panel files without the need for an intermediate NetLinx master. To receive files from the panel, select Transfer > Receive From Panel. Allow several seconds after the panel is rebooted for it to appear in the Online Device list in the Send To Panel or Receive From Panel dialogs.
Transferring Files Using a Virtual NetLinx Master TCP/IP Connection Once you have configured both the touch panel and TPDesign4 for Masterless TCP/IP Transfers, you are ready to transfer files to/from the panel without the need for an intermediate master: Sending Files To the Panel: 1. Select Transfer > Send to Panel to open the Send to Panel dialog. 2. Select any Options (Smart Transfer, Normal Transfer or Full Clean) as desired. 3. Click the Send button to initiate the transfer. The progress of the transfer is indicated in the Status column of the Transfer Status Window. Receiving Files From The Panel: 1. Select Transfer > Receive from Panel to open the Receive from Panel dialog. 2. Select any Options (Smart Transfer, Normal Transfer or Full Clean) as desired. 3. Click the Receive button to initiate the transfer. The progress of the transfer is indicated in the Status column of the Transfer Status Window. Powering Up and Connecting the Panel 1. Verify that an Ethernet cable is connected from either the rear (NXT models) or side (NXD models) of the panel to a valid Ethernet Hub. 2. Connect the terminal end of the PSN6.5 power cable to the 12 VDC power connector on the rear/side of the touch panel. 3. Verify the green Ethernet LED (from the rear Ethernet port) is illuminated (to indicate a proper connection).
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Virtual NetLinx Master Properties Dialog With
Enter Access Password Dialog This dialog is invoked when you try to open a Project (.TP4) file that has been assigned password protection (via the Protection options in the Project Properties dialog). !
If the file was assigned Read-Only protection, the user has the option to click the ReadOnly button in this dialog to open the file, without any ability to save any changes.
!
If the file was Locked, the user must enter the correct password in order to open the file at all.
Help Keyboard Dialog Select Help > Keyboard Map to open the Help Keyboard dialog, which displays a listing of all current hotkey assignments. This information is read-only. Additional features of this dialog include: Click to print the selected category of commands/hotkey assignments. Click to copy the selected category of commands/hotkey assignments to clipboard memory. !
Category: Click the down arrow to select a category of commands to display (select All Commands to view the entire list).
!
Show Accelerators For: Click the down arrow to select which hotkey template to display.
Reload Last Workspace Added to Preferences Dialog Application Tab Reload last workspace has been added to the Startup tab of the Preferences dialog. To open the Preferences dialog Select Edit > Preferences. Reload Last Workspace This option will reopen the last panel file and the pages (including popup pages) that were open when the application was closed (assuming that a panel file was open when the application was closed). If the System Page Template was opened as part of the Workspace, the Reload last workspace option will cause the application to attempt to open the (passwordprotected) System Page Template as part of the last opened workspace. In this case you will be presented with the Enter Access Password dialog. Since there is not a password to unlock the file, by design the only option is to open the System Page Template as a Read-Only file.
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Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Transparency Added to Preferences Dialog - Appearance Tab Transparency has been added to the Appearance tab of the preferences dialog. To open the Preferences dialog Select Edit > Preferences. Transparency Transparent colors in TPDesing4 are represented by a checkerboard pattern. This set of options allow you to modify the way that the transparency checkerboard appears. In certain situations, changing the checkerboard style to different sizes, shades and/or colors can facilitate viewing and working with graphics. The Transparency checkerboard is visible on pages and popup pages that are transparent, in the State Manager when a state is transparent, and in the Button Preview when a state is transparent. !
Style: Click the down arrow to open a drop-down list of available checkerboard styles that can be used to represent transparency. The options are Light, Medium, Dark and Custom. If Custom is selected, the Custom Colors option is enabled (see below).
!
Size: Click the down arrow to open a drop-down list of available checkerboard sizes. The options are Tiny, Small, Medium and Large.
!
Custom Colors: If Custom was selected as the Style (see above), then you can specify a custom color combination for the checkerboard by selecting from these two drop-down lists.
Magnifier Window The Magnifier window allows you to magnify a given area of a design view for temporary viewing in a separate floating window, without zooming the entire design view. Select View > Magnifier Window (or click the toolbar button) to access the Magnifier Window. !
Right-click inside the Magnifier window to access the Magnify Control context menu, where you can select a zoom factor from 2 to 8 times actual size.
!
This floating window is resizable and dockable.
MDI Tabs Context Menu Use the View > MDI Page Tabs option to toggle the MDI page tabs. When this option is enabled, a tab is displayed for each open page. The page tabs normally appear along the bottom edge of the Design View window area, but can be moved, toggled or modified via the MDI tabs context menu (right-click inside any of the tabs). There is a context menu associated with the MDI page tabs (right-click inside any page tab to open). The options in this context menu include: !
Close Page: Click to close only the page associated with the page tab that the context menu was opened from (this does not close the active page).
!
Close All Pages in Panel: Click to close all open pages in the panel file.
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
!
Close All Pages: Click to close every open page.
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Close All Pages in Panel Except: Click to close all open pages in this panel, except the one on top.
!
Close All Pages Except: Click to close all open pages except the one on top.
!
Tab Icons: Click to hide/show the icons that appear in the tabs by default. These icons can serve as a visual aid in that the icon color matched the color associated with the parent project in the Workspace Navigator (Pages tab).
!
Show Panel Name: Click to display the panel name prior to the page name on the tab.
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Tabs on Top: Click to move the page tabs to the top of the Design View windows area.
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Tabs at Bottom: Click to move the page tabs to the bottom of the Design View windows area (default position).
!
Hide Tabs: Click to hide the page tabs.
TPDesign4 displays up to a maximum of 10 page tabs. If you open more than 10 pages, the tabs automatically disappear.
Programming Tab Added to Properties Control Window A Properties Tab has been added to the Button properties window. It is only available for buttons and popup pages. To open the Button Properties window select View > Properties (or click the toolbar button).
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Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Properties Control - Programming Tab Click the Programming tab (at the top of the Properties Control window) to view/edit programming-related information for the selected button. This information is displayed in a table format, similar to the General tab. To edit any of the listed button properties, click on an item in the right-hand column to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both.
One feature of the Properties Control window (both tabs) is that you can click on any value in the right column, and drag it to another field. When you release the mouse button, the value is copied to the new location. With an item selected, the cursor will change to indicate any fields that cannot accept the selected value, and if the selected value is out of the acceptable range for a target field, TPDesign4 alerts you with an error dialog, and the original value is left unchanged. Setting Programming Properties: General Buttons Once you have created a General button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following programming properties are supported for General buttons: !
Feedback – Select the type of feedback to associate with this button (channel, inverted channel, always on, momentary, blink, or none).
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Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
!
Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
!
Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
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Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
!
Level Control Type – These options allow General buttons to directly control a level without the need for NetLinx code. Select a level control type for the selected button (Absolute, Relative or None). These options require additional parameters to be defined.
!
Absolute: The button acts like a preset and sets the level to the desired value.
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Relative: The button increments or decrements the current level value by a fixed amount.
!
String Output Port – Select or enter the port to which the output string will be applied.
!
String Output – Specify the output string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the output string and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
!
Command Port – Select or enter the port to which the command string output will be applied.
!
Command Output – Specify the command string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the command output and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Maximum command, string and text length = 4096 characters.
Setting Programming Properties: Multi-State General Buttons Once you have created a Multi-State General button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following programming properties are supported for Multi-State General buttons: !
Feedback – Select the type of feedback to associate with this button (channel, inverted channel, always on, momentary, blink, or none).
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Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
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Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
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Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Level Control Type – These options allow General buttons to directly control a level without the need for NetLinx code. Select a level control type for the selected button (Absolute, Relative or None). These options require additional parameters to be defined.
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Absolute: The button acts like a preset and sets the level to the desired value.
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Relative: The button increments or decrements the current level value by a fixed amount.
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String Output Port – Select or enter the port to which the output string will be applied.
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String Output – Specify the output string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the output string and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
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Command Port – Select or enter the port to which the command string output will be applied.
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Command Output – Specify the command string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the command output and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
Maximum command, string and text length = 4096 characters.
Setting Programming Properties: Bargraph buttons Once you have created a Bargraph button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both.
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Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
The following programming properties are supported for Bargraph buttons: !
Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
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Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
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Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Level Port – Select or enter the port to which the Level code will be applied. Select 0 (Setup port) or 1 as the level port for this button.
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Level Code – Select or enter the level code sent to the master on the selected port. Select Auto-Assign to automatically assign the level code to this button.
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Level Function – Select Display Only, Active or Active Centering.
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Range Low – This field allows you to set the lower limit for the range used by this button (0 - 255). The default setting is 0.
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Range High – This field allows you to set the upper limit for the range used by this button (0 - 255). The default setting is 255.
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Range Inverted – If set to Yes, the range is inverted, so that the top of the level range is 0 and the bottom of the range is 255 on both the X and Y axis (default = No).
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Range Time Up – Specify the amount of time (in 1/10th seconds) it will take for the bargraph to go from the bottom to the top of the specified range. This option is only available if Active or Active Centering was selected as the Level Function (see above).
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Range Time Down – Specify the amount of time (in 1/10th seconds) it will take for the bargraph to go from the top to the bottom of the specified range. This option is only available if Active or Active Centering was selected as the Level Function (see above).
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String Output Port – Select or enter the port to which the output string will be applied.
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String Output – Specify the output string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the output string and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
!
Command Port – Select or enter the port to which the command string output will be applied.
!
Command Output – Specify the command string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the command output and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
Maximum command, string and text length = 4096 characters.
Setting Programming Properties: Multi-State Bargraph buttons Once you have created a Multi-State Bargraph button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the
Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
13
TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following programming properties are supported for Multi-State Bargraph buttons: !
Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
!
Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
!
Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
!
Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
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Level Port – Select or enter the port to which the Level code will be applied. Select 0 (Setup port) or 1 as the level port for this button.
!
Level Code – Select or enter the level code sent to the master on the selected port. Select Auto-Assign to automatically assign the level code to this button.
!
Level Function – Select Display Only, Active or Active Centering.
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Range Low – This field allows you to set the lower limit for the range used by this button (0 - 255). The default setting is 0.
!
Range High – This field allows you to set the upper limit for the range used by this button (0 - 255). The default setting is 255.
!
Range Inverted – If set to Yes, the range is inverted, so that the top of the level range is 0 and the bottom of the range is 255 (default = No).
!
Range Time Up – Specify the amount of time (in 1/10th seconds) it will take for the bargraph to go from the bottom to the top of the specified range. This option is only available if Active or Active Centering was selected as the Level Function (see above).
!
Range Time Down – Specify the amount of time (in 1/10th seconds) it will take for the bargraph to go from the top to the bottom of the specified range. This option is only available if Active or Active Centering was selected as the Level Function (see above).
!
String Output Port – Select or enter the port to which the output string will be applied.
!
String Output – Specify the output string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the output string and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
!
Command Port – Select or enter the port to which the command string output will be applied.
!
Command Output – Specify the command string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the command output and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
Maximum command, string and text length = 4096 characters.
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Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Setting Programming Properties: Joystick buttons Once you have created a Joystick button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following programming properties are supported for Joystick buttons: !
Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
!
Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
!
Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
!
Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
!
Level Port – Select or enter the port to which the Level code will be applied. Select 0 (Setup port) or 1 as the level port for this button.
!
Level Code – Select or enter the level code sent to the master on the selected port. Select Auto-Assign to automatically assign the level code to this button.
!
Level Aux – This (read-only) field indicates the auxiliary level sent to the Master on the selected port.
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Level Function – Select Display Only, Active or Active Centering.
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Range Low – This field allows you to set the lower limit for the range used by this button (0 - 255). The default setting is 0.
!
Range High – This field allows you to set the upper limit for the range used by this button (0 - 255). The default setting is 255.
!
Range Inverted – If set to Yes, the range is inverted, so that the top of the level range is 0 and the bottom of the range is 255 on both the X and Y axis (default = No).
!
Range Aux Inverted – If set to Yes, only the Level Aux range is inverted (default = No).
!
String Output Port – Select or enter the port to which the output string will be applied.
!
String Output – Specify the output string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the output string and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
!
Command Port – Select or enter the port to which the command string output will be applied.
!
Command Output – Specify the command string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the command output and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
Maximum command, string and text length = 4096 characters.
Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
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TPD4 v 2.1 Enhancements
Setting Programming Properties: Text Area buttons Once you have created a Text Area button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following programming properties are supported for Text Area buttons: !
Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
!
Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
!
Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
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Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
Setting Programming Properties: Computer Control buttons Once you have created a Computer Control button, you can use the Programming tab of the Properties Control window to set/edit programming-oriented button properties. To edit any of the properties, click in the right-hand table cell to activate the field. Depending on the item selected, you can either set the item manually, select from a drop-down menu, or both. The following programming properties are supported for Computer Control buttons: !
Address Port – Select or enter the port to which the address code will be applied.
!
Address Code – Select or enter the address code sent to the master on the selected port.
!
Channel Port – Select or enter the port to which the channel code will be applied.
!
Channel Code – Select or enter the channel code sent to the master on the selected port.
!
String Output Port – Select or enter the port to which the output string will be applied.
!
String Output – Specify the output string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the output string and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
!
Command Port – Select or enter the port to which the command string output will be applied.
!
Command Output – Specify the command string sent to the master on button push. Click the browse button (...) to open the Enter Text dialog. Enter the command output and click OK (or Cancel to exit without saving).
Maximum command, string and text length = 4096 characters.
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Quick Reference Guide to What's New in TPDesign4 v2.1
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