How to draw mimics in zenon Editor

[nahala]

Hi All,

I want to draw the mimics of engine parts ,generators etc on zenon editor.How am I supposed to do that? do i need to draw all pictures using tubes ,rectangles and lines or can I use other cad tool? How generally people draw mimics?

Thanks & Regards,
Nahala

[herberto]

Take a look at the "Global Symbol library". This library is located at the bottom of the "Project Manager".
You will find plenty variations of tubes, motors, arrows, computer stuff, buildings, .. aso. Of course you can modify them by your needs.

In addition you can create your own symbols which you can assign either into the "Global symbol library" or into to "Project symbol libarary".

Rectangles, Lines, Circles, .. aso are so-called "Vector elements". Those elements are accessible either via the "Elements" Toolbar or via the menu bar "Vect. elements".

You may also have a look into the help documentation
- for symbols: Manual -> Pictures -> Symbols
- for vector elements: Manual -> Pictures -> Picture elements -> Vector picture elements

Regards,
Herbert

[markclemens]

you can create Mimic's (called symbols in zenon) also out of a selection of elements in a picture (screen).

So you can use all the facilities / elements available at creating a picture, then select all the elements you want to have in a symbol, and create a symbol out of these elements.

You can use raster graphic files like .bmp, .jpg, .gif (transparent and animated), .png etc. You can also use vector graphic files, created in other CAD tools, like .dxf or .plt, and import these files as vector elements into your picture. (then group and create a symbol out of it)

In a next step, you can right click on the symbol, and insert this symbol into the symbol library. One symbol library (the project library) is saved with the project itself, another, global symbol library, can be used for all projects.

Once you have the symbol in the library, you can insert it again in your picture as a linked symbol. (create an instance) Changing the symbol in the library, will affect all the derived linked symbols (instances) in your pictures.

In the symbol, you can define a variable (either local internal or from the PLC) e.g. for the dynamic color or flashing of an element. For example "Motor1.Status". When creating an instance of a linked symbol in a picture, you can replace Motor1.Status by Motor2.Status, by just entering a replacement string. E.g. replace *1* by 2. This not only works with variables but also with functions linked to elements in the symbols.

When you edit the symbol library, you can exclude properties of elements in the symbol, which should not be linked with the symbol in the library. For example you can exclude the property "text" of a text element in the symbol. This way when you create an instance of a symbol in a picture, it is a linked symbol, but you can change the property "text" for each instance. (like overwriting a method) You can still centrally change the look, feel and behaviour of the symbol globally in the library, affecting all instances, but the properties you exclude, remain unchanged and can be specified for each instance seperately.

With the next zenon version, 6.50, it will also be possible to use linked symbols from the library within linked symbols from the library, which again can be used in pictures.

Generally, symbols can be exported in XML, which allow for external modification or for creation your own repository of standard elements.

Whenever you have to use identical or similar elements in a picture, like e.g. a motor or a frame with company colors you use in each picture, you can create a symbol out of the frame you created once, and use it as a linked symbol in all your pictures. The frame may contain a text, or a variable showing the picture name.

When using structure variables in zenon, your symbols are objects rather than a group of elements. By using the symbol name as the object name, you can define "dummy variables" at the elements in the symbol, e.g. "status" "rotation" "temperature", which matches your datatype structure "Motor.status" "Motor.rotation" and "Motor.temperature". When you create a variable "Motor1" of this structure datatype "Motor", you can drag your Motor symbol into the picture, name it "Motor1" and your variables will be automatically linked!

These really amazing possibilities allow you to work very fast and flexible and easily re-use also parts of previous projects.

I can write on and on about the great features of symbols, but please try them out yourself and let me know if you have any questions.

[nahala]

Thanks very much for your replies. Now I am comfortable in drawing.
How to create a page like a table/excel sheet in zenon editor?Basically I want to create a list of all existing alarms with its unique id,description and status.it is different to picture alarm in zenon editor.Picture alarm displays alarms that are generated.I want to list out all existing alarms in the system.what type of picture can be used for that?

Also,I want to export this list to an excel sheet.How to do that?

[markclemens]

you can set an extended filter in the editor, and display only variables with alarms.

Also take a look at the document generator (Document wizard, Press Alt+F12 and select the wizard)