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Thread: complex ui design.

  1. #1
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    Default complex ui design.

    Has anyone ever built a UI like this in dataflex?

    https://alexsentcha.files.wordpress....dhydroform.png
    Click image for larger version. 

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    if so, how?
    Michael Mullan.
    Danes Bridge Enterprises.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    There is just today. Tomorrow is a concept
    that is mostly theoretical. -- GM Wylie
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  2. #2

    Default Re: complex ui design.

    PLC monitoring?

    Gotta love the dutch and spelling error

    I have built completely custom controls (not exactly this kind of thing) in html.
    You could probably also built quite a bit of it in Xaml.

    It really depends on how interactive this UI is on what one should/could do
    For example does the water level rise or is it a static image?

    If all of it is static except for a few things then it is very do-able.
    If there's lots of things you have to be able to tweak then it becomes more of a challenge.

    Perhaps it is also good to look outside of DataFlex itself for building the control and wrap it into an activex.

    Btw, gdPicture.net might also work for this type of thing.
    Also built some really nifty things in that (well OK, it was the precursor gdImage Pro)

    --
    Last edited by wila; 18-May-2020 at 04:56 PM.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: complex ui design.

    yes PLC monitoring. I have a generic tool that 'supervises' some PLC's (embedded devices that control valves and switches and sensors) I need to be able to draw schematic's LIKE the example, but not exactly that.

    I think I need controls that represent:

    • a valve open/closed/error state
    • a pressure gauge 0-100psi, with low/ok/high bands.
    • a hydraulic actuator, with animation, opens / closes.


    plus a bazillion text boxes with numbers in, all with background colors that indicate in-spec / out-of-spec

    It's at times like this that I really get frustrated that almost all the development effort at DAW is focused on the web. I KNOW it was the best decision that they could make, and they are doing a brilliant job of it, but I could really use some more flexible windows controls about now.
    Michael Mullan.
    Danes Bridge Enterprises.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    There is just today. Tomorrow is a concept
    that is mostly theoretical. -- GM Wylie
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  4. #4
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    Default Re: complex ui design.

    Michael,

    Have seen something like that in a Dutch railroad application written by Frank van de Beemt. He gave a presentation at an EDUC about this.

    You can create such an interface with the graphics library but it takes some time before you get it done.
    Regards,
    Data Access Worldwide
    Vincent Oorsprong

  5. #5
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    Default Re: complex ui design.

    Hi Michael Mullan,

    It is good to know that more developers are working on this.

    I got into the fun last year in my spare time and crawling.

    At first, I didn't think of such a sophisticated interface (sorry for my humble one), but as you don't start the house with painting, I would say that this is the least of the problems.

    As I avoid using third-party libraries, a limitation of Dataflex, it is up to the command: Channel, where it is possible to control up to 9 standard Arduino boards, which in turn can control + - 15 sensors.

    Why still only 9 today?
    Legacy DOS command, when there was no thought of going beyond com4 and there was no USB.

    Likewise, the direct_input / direct_output command did not keep up with developments and I ended up receiving support, thanks to the excellent Wil and his website:
    https://www.vdf-guidance.com/ContribPage.asp?Page=PKGWINAPISERIALI&ContribRecId =73

    The commands helped to configure the port speed without using the CMD, including recognizing and configuring the speed of a Bluetooth card model: HC-05.

    But direct_input / output was unable to act, with the port configured correctly.

    I started on the web and soon discarded it, as reported in:
    https://support.dataaccess.com/Forums/showthread.php?64590-What-is-the-equivalent-of-the-End_Of_Data-command-on-a-cWebEdit-object

    In your case it is clear, what are the sensors, then I would answer:

    Yes, it is possible to do something very close to the one presented, using Dataflex, but I agree that in addition to the Progressbar, trackbar, it could have a round object, to simulate analog clocks. . .

    So we are two in that desire.

    As I now have 2 arduino boards (Nano and Uno) and 4 sensors to play with, I need to review the format of my interface, as the goal is to display all the boards and sensors simultaneously and without the need to open, several sections of the program.

    So, taking advantage of your topic, would it be possible to make a call to the same module in a single menu, with the same effect as the simultaneous call of the program, without the need to duplicate a view, which in theory just changes the channel?

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Best Regards,

    Edgard

  6. #6
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    Default Re: complex ui design.

    I have the communication part finished. The PLC that I have uses simple CGI calls using cHttpTransfer class. This works well.
    I'm worrying about the visual interface.

    /MM
    Michael Mullan.
    Danes Bridge Enterprises.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    There is just today. Tomorrow is a concept
    that is mostly theoretical. -- GM Wylie
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  7. #7
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    Default Re: complex ui design.

    If the UI is not acive i.e. nothing that responds to mouse events, then this could be done with the Codejock label control and XAML. Sorry, I have not done anything like this - just know it can be done.
    Ian Smith
    (Member of the SigCj project)

  8. #8
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    Default Re: complex ui design.

    They're gonna need buttons on there to reset particular errors and such.

    :-(
    Michael Mullan.
    Danes Bridge Enterprises.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    There is just today. Tomorrow is a concept
    that is mostly theoretical. -- GM Wylie
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  9. #9
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    Default Re: complex ui design.

    Can the cjButton class use bitmaps or icons to pretend to be different shapes?
    Michael Mullan.
    Danes Bridge Enterprises.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    There is just today. Tomorrow is a concept
    that is mostly theoretical. -- GM Wylie
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  10. #10

    Default Re: complex ui design.

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Mullan View Post
    Can the cjButton class use bitmaps or icons to pretend to be different shapes?
    As you can read here:
    Interactive XAML with codejock

    the label object can catch a mouse event.
    You can put any picture under it that you want, but... IIRC the mouse click for the label object is only at complete object level.
    So pretty much just like a button with a picture on it.

    The codejock grid can catch it at other levels (not just cell levels).

    You might be able to do something with that.
    There's some demo code on that page to play with.

    --
    Wil

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