Hide action slot on BooleanWritables

The ability to batch edit slots is the primary use of the Batch Editor. For NiagaraAX-3.6 and later systems (Workbench and JACE controllers), you can also edit slot flags (Config Flags). For example, you can set or clear the “Operator” flag on slots, or set or clear the “Hidden” flag on slots.

In this example, we will hide the emergencyActive slot on a number of BooleanWritable components. Step numbers correspond to the numbers in the graphics.

1. To locate the components to edit, we’ll use the Bql Query Builder (Click Find Objects to display the Bql Query Builder) and narrow the search by drilling down in the nav tree.

   Figure 14. Narrowing the search

   
   
   
   
   

2. To further narrow the search we’ll select the module and component by choosing (Custom Type) from the ‘Of Type:’ drop-down list.

   This opens two additional lists: one for the module and the other for the component.

3. Knowing that a BooleanWriteable is in the control module, we choose control from the drop-down list.

   Figure 15. Choosing component type

   
   
   
   
   

4. Next we choose the component type from the component drop-down list and click OK.

   To find the module and component type, refer to the ‘Type’ column on the slot sheet. The module and component type are displayed in the format: module:component.

5. Finally, we click Edit Slot Flags, set Slot to emergencyActive, set Flag to Hidden, set action to Set Flag and click OK.

   Figure 16. Edit Slot Flags dialog box

   
   
   
   
   

   All the slot flags change and the Batch Editor displays the results.

   Figure 17. BatchEditor Results

   
   
   
   
   

6. To confirm the change, check the slot sheet for one of a changed component.

   Figure 18. Fragment of a slot sheet showing the change

   
   
   
   
   

   In Figure 18, the “h” in the Flags column indicates that the hidden flag for slot emergencyActive has been set.

Set the offnormal high limit on alarm extensions

In this example, we will change the temperature high limit from 100˚ to 95˚. We’ll also demonstrate how to use the right-click pop-up menu to selectively clear items that you don’t want to include in the change.

1. In the Batch Editor Bql Query Builder (double-lick ProgramService and click Find Objects) configure ‘Of Type’, (Custom Type) as follows.

   Figure 19. Bql Query Builder configured to locate OffnormalAlgorithm

   
   
   
   
   

   The OffnormalAlgorithm is the component used to define the conditions that trigger an alarm.

2. In this step we select and clear from the Object field the objects we do not want to change.

   Figure 20. Selected objects to be removed

   
   
   
   
   

   The quickest way to clear items from the Object field is to click the Clear Selected Items icon in the toolbar. If you’re using the pop-up menu, right-click in the blank area of the Object field otherwise you may inadvertently deselect an object.

3. Click Edit Slot and choose the highLimit property from the Property drop-down menu.

   Figure 21. Choosing the property to edit

   
   
   
   
   

4. Set the New Value field to 95 and click OK.

   Figure 22. Setting the property

   
   
   
   
   

   The Batch Editor changes the objects. This may take a few seconds. Then it displays the results.

   Figure 23. Results

   
   
   
   
   

5. To close the BatchEditor Results, click OK.

6. Check the property sheet for one of the points to ensure that the change was made.

   Figure 24. Property sheet

   
   
   
   
   

Increase history record count

In this example we will expand the capacity of the history databases that currently hold 500 records to allow them to hold 600 records. First we will do a wide search for all historyConfig containers, starting from the Config folder in the nav tree. Then, we will clear the containers configured to hold less than 500 records. And finally, we will change the capacity property on the remaining historyConfig containers.

1. Using the Bql Query Builder, search for all historyConfig container slots.

   Figure 25. Bql Query Builder

   
   
   
   
   

2. Expand the window slightly so you can see an additional column.

3. To add a capacity column to the Object field, click the Select Columns icon () in the toolbar.

   Figure 26. Adding the capacity column

   
   
   
   
   

4. To clear the historyConfig slots configured to hold less than 500 records, click the Clear Selected Items icon in the toolbar.

   Figure 27. Highlighted historyConfig container slots to be cleared

   
   
   
   
   

5. Click Edit Slot, change the capacity property to 600 records and click OK.

   Figure 28. Capacity changed to 600 records

   
   
   
   
   

   The results indicate the change was made and the capacity column changes to reflect the change.

   Figure 29. Capacities changed