dl-breadcrumbs__homedl-breadcrumb-item__separatorConfiguration and programmingdl-breadcrumb-item__separatorProgramming with CODESYSdl-breadcrumb-item__separator...dl-breadcrumb-item__separatorCODESYS Visualizationdl-breadcrumb-item__separatorReference, Programmingdl-breadcrumb-item__separatorVisualization Elementsdl-breadcrumb-item__separatorVisualization Element 'Trace'
dl-pagination__prev-inactivedl-pagination__prev-activedl-pagination__next-inactivedl-pagination__next-active
Visualization Element 'Trace'dl-permalink__symbolPermalink

Symbol:

_cds_icon_trace_2

Category: “Special Controls”

The element displays the graphical curve of variable values. In addition, variables can be configured to control the view.

Element properties

“Element name”

Example: ‎Velocity‎

“Data Source”

Location where the trace data is buffered.

_visu_icon_application:

  • “<local application>”: The trace record is listed below the local application. The visualization that contains the trace is located below this application.

    When the application is downloaded, the trace configuration is downloaded to the local device. During execution, the data is stored locally in the trace buffer.

  • “ <data source name>”: Data source that identifies the remote device where the trace record is created.

    When the local application is downloaded with the visualization, the trace configuration is downloaded to the remote device. During execution, the trace buffer is filled, and the trace data is transferred and then displayed in the local visualization as HMI.

    Example: ‎DataSoure_PLC_A‎

    Note: The trace buffer is filled only if the remote application is being executed. The data recording is started when the local visualization is started.

“Application”

Application where data was recorded.

_cds_icon_arrow_down: Lists all applications that are present below the data source.

Requirement: A remote data source (not “<local application>”) is referenced in the “Data source” property.

“Type of element”

“Trace”

“Trace”

_visu_icon_trace“ <name of trace configuration>”: Opens the “Trace Configuration” dialog where you can modify the trace configuration.

Element property 'Position'

The position defines the location and size of the element in the visualization window. This is based on the Cartesian coordinate system. The origin is located at the upper left corner of the window. The positive horizontal x-axis runs to the right. The positive vertical y-axis runs downwards.

“X”

The x-coordinate of the upper left corner of the element

Specified in pixels

Example: ‎10‎

“Y”

The y-coordinate of the upper left corner of the element

Specified in pixels

Example: ‎10‎

“Width”

Specified in pixels

Example: ‎150‎

“Height”

Specified in pixels

Example: ‎30‎

Tip: You can change the values in “X”, “Y”, “Width”, and “Height” by dragging the corresponding symbols _visu_icon_position_element to another position in the editor.

“Angle”

Static angle of rotation (in degrees)

Example: ‎35‎

The element is displayed rotated in the editor. The point of rotation is the center of the element. A positive value rotates clockwise.

Tip: You can change the value in the editor by focusing the element to the handle. When the cursor is displayed as a rotating arrow _visu_icon_rotate_statically, you can rotate the element about its center as a handle.

_visu_img_selected_rectangle_with_handle

(1): Handle

Note: If a dynamic angle of rotation is also configured in the property “Absolute movement  Internal rotation”, then the static and dynamic angles of rotation are added in runtime mode. The static angle of rotation acts as an offset.

“Show cursor”

_cds_icon_option_activated: A cursor (vertical line) is displayed at the mouse position. The trigger and variable values where the cursor points are displayed as a tooltip.

“Overwrite existing trace on PLC”

_cds_icon_option_activated: If a trace with the same name is on the PLC, then it is overwritten at download with the configuration that is defined here.

“Number format”

Number format of values in the tooltip in printf syntax (example: %d, %5.2f).

Element property 'Control variables'

The control variables are assigned automatically when you click “Insert elements for controlling Trace”.

“Reset Trigger”

Variable (‎BOOL‎).

Standard control variable: ‎bResetTrigger‎

‎TRUE‎: Resets the triggering. After the action is executed, the variable is set automatically to ‎FALSE‎.

“Start Trace”

Variable (‎BOOL‎).

Standard control variable: ‎bStart‎

‎TRUE‎: Starts the Trace. After the action is executed, the variable is set automatically to ‎FALSE‎.

“Stop Trace”

Variable (‎BOOL‎).

Standard control variable: ‎bStop‎

‎TRUE‎: Stops the Trace. After the action is executed, the variable is set automatically to ‎FALSE‎.

“Save Trace to a file”

“Save Trace”

Variable (‎BOOL‎).

Standard control variable: ‎bStore‎

‎TRUE‎: Saves the current trace configuration and the data that is stored in the development system to a file. When the action is ended, the variable is set automatically to ‎FALSE‎.

“File name”

Variable (‎STRING‎) that contains the file name of the file to be saved.

Standard control variable: ‎sStoreFilename‎

“Load trace from file”

“Load Trace”

Variable (‎BOOL‎).

Standard control variable: ‎bRestore‎

‎TRUE‎: Reads the file specified below and loads its contents into the trace editor. The file contains a trace configuration and possibly also trace data. To do this, the stored trace configuration must match the application where the trace configuration is located. When the action is ended, the variable is set automatically to ‎FALSE‎.

Note: A trace configuration can be loaded from a file only under special circumstances. The file must have been created with exactly the same (running) application with which it will then be loaded. The consequence of changing the running application (for example by downloading again) is that a file which was previously created from the application cannot no longer be read into the application. Even external manual changes to the file can cause this. You should edit only those configuration settings that have an effect on displaying the variables. If you change variable definitions directly in the file (for example by replacing variable x with v y), then the file cannot be loaded.

“File name”

Variable (‎STRING‎) that contains the file name of the file to be read.

Standard variable: ‎sRestoreFilename‎

Element property 'Center'

The properties contain fixed values for the coordinates of the point of rotation. This point of rotation is shown as the _visu_icon_center_point.png symbol. The point is used as the center for rotating and scaling.

“X”

X-coordinate of the point of rotation

“Y”

Y-coordinate of the point of rotation

You can also change the values by dragging the symbols (_visu_icon_center_point.png) to other positions in the editor.

Element property 'Absolute movement'

The properties contain IEC variables for controlling the position of the element dynamically. The reference point is the upper left corner of the element. In runtime mode, the entire element is moved.

“Movement”

“X”

Variable (numeric data type). Defines the X position (in pixels).

Example: ‎PLC_PRG.iPos_X‎.

Increasing this value in runtime mode moves the element to the right.

“Y”

Variable (numeric data type). Defines the Y position (in pixels).

Example: ‎PLC_PRG.iPos_Y‎.

Increasing this value in runtime mode moves the element downwards.

“Rotation”

Variable (numeric data type). Defines the angle of rotation (in degrees).

Example: ‎PLC_PRG.iAngle1‎.

The midpoint of the element rotates at the “Center” point. This rotation point is shown as the _visu_icon_center_point.png symbol.

In runtime mode, the alignment of the element remains the same with respect to the coordinate system of the visualization. Increasing the value rotates the element to the right.

 _visu_img_prp_rotation

“Interior rotation”

Variable (numeric data type). Defines the angle of rotation (in degrees).

Example: ‎PLC_PRG.iAngle2‎.

In runtime mode, the element rotates about the point of rotation specified in “Center” according to the value of the variable. In addition, the alignment of the element rotates according to the coordinate system of the visualization. Increasing the value in the code rotates clockwise.

The rotation point is shown as the _visu_icon_center_point.png symbol.

Note: If a static angle of rotation is specified in the “Position  Angle” property, then the static angle of rotation is added to the variable angle of rotation (offset) when the visualization is executed.

 _visu_img_prp_inner_rotation

You can link the variables to a unit conversion.

The “X”, “Y”, “Rotation”, and “Interior rotation” properties are supported by the "Client Animation" functionality.

See also

Element property 'State variables'

The variables control the element behavior dynamically.

“Invisible”

Variable (‎BOOL‎). Toggles the visibility of the element.

‎TRUE‎: The element is not visible at runtime.

The “Invisible” property is supported by the "Client Animation" functionality.

These properties are available only when you have selected the “Support client animations and overlay of native elements” option in the Visualization Manager.

“Animation duration”

Defines the duration (in milliseconds) in which the element runs an animation

  • Variable (‎integer value‎)

    Example: ‎Menu.tContent‎ with ‎VAR tContent : INT := 500; END_VAR‎

  • Integer literal

    Example: ‎500‎

Animatable properties

  • “Absolute movement”, “Movement”, “X”, “Y”

  • “Absolute movement”, “Rotation”

  • “Absolute movement”, “Interior rotation”

  • “Absolute movement”, “Exterior rotation”

The animated movement is executed when at least one value of an animatable property has changed. The movement then executed is not jerky, but is smooth within the specified animation duration. The visualization element travels to the specified position while rotating dynamically. The transitions are smooth.

“Move to foreground”

Moves the visualization element to the foreground

Variable (‎BOOL‎)

Example: ‎bIsInForeground‎ with ‎VAR bIsInForeground : BOOL := FALSE; END_VAR‎

‎TRUE‎: At runtime, the visualization element is displayed in the foreground.

‎FALSE‎: At runtime, the visualization element is displayed in the layer where it was inserted in the visualization editor.

Element property 'Access rights'

Requirement: User management is set up for the visualization.

“Access rights”

Opens the “Access rights” dialog. There you can edit the access privileges for the element.

Status messages:

  • “Not set. Full rights.”: Access rights for all user groups : “operable”

  • “Rights are set: Limited rights”: Access is restricted for at least one group.