Creating Advanced Symbols

In its simplest form, a symbol is a graphic made up of drawing elements on the graphic canvas in the Graphics Editor. Each drawing element has a series of associated properties that can be used to customize the element. When you drag a symbol onto a graphic a symbol instance is created.

In practice, a symbol is a reusable graphic image that represents a piece of equipment, floor, or any component or entity. A symbol can also represent a command on a graphic.

 

Select the topic related to your task:

Create and Configure a Symbol for a Custom Data Point

Scenario: You want to display one or more properties for 50 points of the same point type. For example, you want to view the object name, present value, and units of data points that have these three properties in common. You will create a reusable symbol that displays the three properties of a custom data point and then associate a data point to each symbol instance.

In our example, we are using a text element.

To create the custom symbol, select the procedure below:

  1. From the File menu, select New Symbol.
  • A blank, tabbed symbol template displays in the Graphics Editor work area.
  1. Click a drawing element and then draw a shape on the canvas to represent the data point information block, for example a rectangle.
  1. To format the drawing element, select it on the canvas, and from the Property View, format the shape as needed. In this example, do the following:
  • Expand the Rectangle property, and set the Radius X and Radius Y properties to: 10. The rectangle corners are rounded.
  • Expand the Colors property, and in the Background field, type: gray. The rectangle background changes to gray.
  1. From the ribbon on the Home tab, in the Elements group, click the Text element, and then draw a text box in the rectangle. Repeat this action, until you have three text boxes. Format and organize the text boxes as needed.
  1. For each Text property, do the following:
    a. In the Property Viewer, expand the Text property, and in the Text field, type the name of the data point property. For example, Object_Name.
    b. From the Evaluation Editor, in the Property field, make sure Text is selected from the drop-down menu, and in the Expression field, type: {*};.Property_Name
    In our example, for the Object Name property enter the star substitution as follows: {*};.Object_Name
    c.     Repeat the procedure for each property you want to display in the information block. In this example, the remaining properties are: Units ({*};.Units) and Present Value ({*};.Present_Value)
  1. Click Save As .
  1. Navigate to the library where you want to save the symbol and in the Name field, type a name for your symbol.
  1. Click Save.
  1. You can now drag the symbol from the library and drop it on the graphic and associate a data point with it. For more information, see Adding Data Points and Symbols to a Graphic Using the Library Browser.

Create a Customized HQ Symbol

You can customize any existing HQ symbols so that they display a regional or customized version of that symbol in your project graphics.

  1. In System Browser, select Management View.
  1. Expand the Project node.
  1. Navigate to System Settings, and then expand the Libraries folder.
  1. Expand the L1-Headquarter library folder, and navigate to the Symbols library that contains one or more symbols you would like to create a customized symbol for.
  1. Select the Graphics tab.
  • The symbols in the symbol libraries display in the Library Browser.
  1. Click the symbols you want to create a customized symbol for.
  1. Click Customize.
  1. Click OK.
  • The symbols are added to the Symbols folder and display in the Graphics Editor.
  1. Modify the symbol as required for your region.
  1. Click Save.
  • The updated symbol is now saved in the Regional Symbol folder, and the original symbol remains in the original library folder with Localized Symbol displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the symbol thumbnail image.

 

Associate a Symbol with an Object Model

  1. In System Browser, select Management View.
  1. Select Field Networks > [device].
  1. From the Object Configuration tab, double-click the text Object Model.
  • The Models and Functions tab displays.
  1. Click the Models and Functions tab, and then scroll down to the Symbols section.
  1. In System Browser, select the Manual Navigation check box.
  1. Navigate to the Symbol Library folder where the symbol you want to associate to the object model is saved.
  1. Right-click the Symbol folder, and from the menu that displays on right-click, select Send to Secondary Pane.
  • The Symbol Browser displays in the Secondary pane, and displays the symbols from the folder you selected in System Browser.
  1. Drag the symbol you want to associate to the object model and drop it into the Symbols section of the Models and Functions tab.
  • The symbol is now associated with the object model.
  1. To make the symbol the default symbol of the object model, right-click the symbol in the Symbols pane, and from the menu that displays on right-click, select Set as Default.
  1. Click Save .
  • You have now associated the symbol with object model, and made it the default symbol for the object model, as well.

 

Associate a Symbol with an Object Type

  • You want to associate a symbol with a data point or object model, so that any instance of that object model on a graphic, displays the associated symbol.
  • System Manager is in Engineering mode.
  1. In System Browser, selected Management View.
  1. Select System Settings > Libraries.
  1. Navigate to and expand the system library that the object model is associated with, for example, BA.
  • The associated library objects display.
  1. Expand the Specific Devices objects tree and then select the appropriate system library block.
  1. Expand the Object Models folder.
  1. Click the object model you want to associate a symbol to.
  1. From the Models and Functions tab, expand the Symbols section.
  1. Do one of the following:
  • Open a second instance of Desigo CC by clicking Summary Bar’s Activate System Manager .
  • From the second instance of the software:
    a. In System Browser, select Management View.
    b. Select System Settings >Libraries folder.
    c. Navigate to the appropriate symbols folder.
    Or
  • Open an instance of Microsoft Windows Explorer and navigate to the appropriate symbols library in the [Installation Drive]:\[Installation Folder]\[Project Name]\Libraries folder.
  1. Click the symbol you want to associate with the object model, and then drag the symbol to the Models and Functions Symbols section.
  • The symbol displays in the symbols section.
  1. To make the symbol the default symbol, right-click the symbol and select Set as Default.
  • The symbol is now the default symbol that will display when this object type is used on a graphic.

 

Delete a Customized Symbol

  • You have a customized symbol you want to delete. Deleting the customized symbol does not affect the original symbol.
  • System Manager is in Engineering mode.
  1. Navigate to the appropriate library where the customized symbol is located.
  • If you place the mouse over the original symbol, the tooltip lists the locations of the customized symbols, or, if you use the Library Browser List View to display the symbols, the Customized column, displays the location of any customized symbols.
  1. Click Delete .
  1. Click Yes.
  • The customized Symbol is deleted from the library, and the original Symbol no longer displays Customized .

 

Related Topics

For background information, see Symbols.

For workspace overview, see Graphics Editor Library Browser.