Using PLC Items
(Original Document)
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At a Glance
When you open the application, Trending Tool creates an empty document named Trending Tool by default. You can then add variables to the document to create a configuration.
Browsing PLC Variables
A PLC item corresponds to an automated system variable.
To browse for a variable, follow the steps below:
Step
Action
1
Click on the Add variables.. command from the contextual menu in the Trend diagram tab. This command opens the Data Selection editor, which enables you to browse in the Data Selection dialog box.
2
If the item you are looking for does not appear, you can directly type its identifier in the editing field.
NOTE: Special case for integer type items: an integer type item can correspond to an integer type variable but also to several boolean type variables. Thus, a 16-bit integer can correspond to 16 boolean type variables, each of them representing the developments of each of the bits of the item.
Adding Variables
Follow the steps below to add a variable:
Step
Action
1
Open the Data Selection dialog box (see above), enabling you to add a variable.
2
Browse the required items you want to monitor.
3
Depending on the type and number of selected items:
  1. Your selection contains one or more variables of the bit or floating type: in any case, you obtain boolean or floating variables.
  2. You have only selected one integer type item: you may create one integer variable or several boolean variables using the Recording of an integer dialog box.
4
Click on the OK button to open a dialog box featuring all the available choices described in step 3.
5
If an error message appears, check the syntax of the variable in the program.
NOTE: Unknown type items are likely to be integers.
Further information on properties of integers are in Recording of an Integer.
Renaming Variables
New variables are named according to the identifier of the item to which they are connected.
You can change this name at any time by following one of the procedures below:
Step
Action
1
Click twice (with a gap between clicks) on the name of the variable you want to change on the Trending Tool variables tree and change the name using the context-sensitive editor displayed by Trending Tool. Click on another area of the interface or press the Return key to close the editor and confirm your changes.
2
In the statistical data area of the recording (Trending Tool interface), click twice (with a gap between clicks) where the variable's name is displayed. The data table's cell changes into a text editor in which you can type the variable's name. Finally, press the Return key or click on another area of the interface to close the editor and confirm your changes.
The different properties of the variables existing in Trending Tool are detailed in variable properties.
Arranging variables in Trending Tool
The added variables are arranged in lists displayed by module. You can change the order of the variables at any time:
  1. You can arrange the variables using the Copy & Paste and Drag & Drop functions in the statistical data area of the recording window (Trending Tool Interface). These functions enable you to easily move or copy variables from one module to the other.
You will find additional information on module management in the Using Modules.
Deleting Variables
To delete variables from a Trending Tool configuration, select the variables you want to delete in the statistical data area of the recording (Trending Tool Interface) and use the Delete command from the contextual menu or the Delete key.
Displaying the Properties of a Variable
Each Trending Tool variable has numerous properties.
To change these properties:
Step
Action
1
Select the variable in the recording window with the mouse pointer.
2
Use the Properties.. command from the contextual menu to open the dialog box containing the variable's properties.
You can also use the context-sensitive menu (right button) in the statistical data area of the recording window to edit the properties of a variable, or click twice on the variable in rapid succession.
Recording Integers Dialog Box Options
The Recording integers dialog box enables you to select the acquisition mode for integer items transmitted to Trending Tool by the PLC.
The table below gives a brief explanation on each of the variables available on the dialog box:
As an Integer
Add the item to the current configuration as an integer. The variable will be a number represented by a series of values or a curve.
As a set of bits
Enables you to select only certain bits from those used by the item. Each of the selected bits will be represented in Trending Tool as a boolean value.
Is it?
This section enables you to specify the nature of the variables added to the configuration. For optimal readability, variables are differentiated by their nature in the Trending Tool FA diagram. You can change the defined nature of a variable at any time using the Properties dialog box of each variable.
An input
Select this option to specify that the added variables are automated system inputs or analyzed system inputs.
An output
Select this option to specify that the added variables are automated system outputs or analyzed system outputs.
An internal value
Select this option to specify that the added variables are values internal to the automated system or to the analyzed system. This is the default type given by Trending Tool to the variables.
Cancel
Cancel creation of the variables and close the dialog box.
Help
Open a window featuring an online help related to this dialog box.