COMPACT HMI AND

COMPACT HMI EDITOR

OPERATIONS MANUAL

Super Systems Inc.

7205 Edington Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45249
513-772-0060
Fax: 513-772-9466
www.supersystems.com
 Compact HMI and Compact HMI Editor Operations Manual

Super Systems Inc.

USA Office Super Systems Europe
Corporate Headquarters: Unit E, Tyburn Trading Estate,
7205 Edington Drive Ashold Farm Road, Birmingham
Shipping Address: B24 9QG
7245 Edington Drive UNITED KINGDOM
Cincinnati, OH 45249 Phone: +44 (0) 121 306 5180
Phone: (513) 772-0060 http://www.supersystemseurope.com
http://www.supersystems.com

Super Systems México Super Systems China

Sistemas Superiores Integrales S de RL de CV No. 369 XianXia Road
Acceso IV No. 31 Int. H Parque Industrial Room 703
Benito Juarez Shanghai, CHINA
C.P. 76120 Queretaro, Qro. 200336
Phone: +52 442 210 2459 Phone: +86 21 5206 5701/2
http://www.supersystems.com.mx http://www.supersystems.cn

Super Systems India Pvt. Ltd.

A-26 Mezzanine Floor, FIEE Complex,
Okhla Indl. Area, Phase – 2
New Delhi, India 110 020
Phone: +91 11 41050097
http://www.supersystemsindia.com

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Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5
Compact HMI Editor ........................................................................................................................ 7
Installation................................................................................................................................... 7
Prerequisites ........................................................................................................................... 7
Installation Procedure ............................................................................................................. 7
Solution Overview ........................................................................................................................ 9
Panels .......................................................................................................................................... 9
SSi Options ..............................................................................................................................11
Tags (Tag Management) .............................................................................................................12
Expression Editor .......................................................................................................................17
Expression Operators, Constants, and Functions ..................................................................18
Display Conditions ......................................................................................................................20
How Conditions are Prioritized ...............................................................................................24
Tag Usage ...................................................................................................................................27
Controls ......................................................................................................................................28
Indicator Label ........................................................................................................................29
Control Button ........................................................................................................................31
Image Box ...............................................................................................................................34
Exporting for the Touch Screen .................................................................................................35
Interacting with the Touch Screen .............................................................................................36
Using the Main Menu..................................................................................................................36
File ..........................................................................................................................................36
Edit ..........................................................................................................................................38
Format ....................................................................................................................................39
Tools .......................................................................................................................................39
Help.........................................................................................................................................40
Using the Design Environment Toolbar .....................................................................................43
Compact HMI (Use on SSi Touch Screen) ......................................................................................46
Prerequisites and Installation ....................................................................................................46
Use with Compatible Touch Screens .........................................................................................46
Example of Compact HMI Touch Screen Application Design and Rendering ............................46
Example Designs ....................................................................................................................46

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Preparing Solution for Touch Screen .....................................................................................52

Running the Compact HMI Solution .......................................................................................54
Revision History .............................................................................................................................56
Appendix 1: Software Best Practices .............................................................................................57
When Configuring Connections and Tags in Compact HMI Editor .............................................57
Backing Up Touch Screen Files (.cfxml and .tdx) ......................................................................57
When Saving Multiple Solutions .................................................................................................57
Backing Up Development Files ..................................................................................................58
Appendix 2: Font Measurement Units ...........................................................................................59
Appendix 3: Typical Wiring Diagrams ............................................................................................60

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Introduction
Compact HMI is a software platform that allows you to create customized HMI screens using an
application called Compact HMI Editor. A programmed HMI screen can contain a graphical
display of equipment, graphical display of process data, and objects used for interaction with
equipment. These screens can then be run on a compatible touch screen that works with Super
Systems Inc. (SSi) 9000 Series controllers. The touch screen application from SSi that provides
the framework for running customized HMI screens is Compact HMI.

Compact HMI can handle communications via the Allen-Bradley DF1, Modbus TCP, and Modbus
RTU communication protocols. Using Allen-Bradley DF1, for example, with the touch screen
connected to a compatible data device (such as a MicroLogix 1400 PLC via an RS-232 serial
connection), Compact HMI can perform I/O operations with the data device and can access
register values within the data device. Design tools within Compact HMI Editor allow you to
program evaluations of register values and design multiple panels for use by the operator.

Figure 1 illustrates the components that make up a Compact HMI system.

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Figure 1 - Compact HMI Platform components

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Compact HMI Editor

Installation

Prerequisites
Compact HMI Editor has prerequisites that must be fulfilled in order for the program to run
properly. These include:
 A computer with Windows XP, Vista, 7, or 8
 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5. Compact HMI Editor setup will install this package if it is not
already present on the computer where Compact HMI Editor is being installed (see Figure
4). Version 3.5 is required.
In order to use the screen you create with Compact HMI Editor, you need a Super Systems touch
screen with Compact HMI. Refer to the “Use with Compatible Touch Screens” section for more
details.

Installation Procedure
Insert the Compact HMI Editor installation media
into the USB port, CD/DVD drive, or other proper
location. Open Windows Explorer and browse to
the folder containing the Compact HMI Editor
Figure 2 - Example Installation Files
installation files. You will see installation files
like those shown in Figure 2.

Double click on the “CompactHMIEditorSetup.msi” file.

If Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 is installed, the Setup Wizard will appear (Figure 3). If .NET
Framework 3.5 is not installed, the Setup Wizard will first prompt you to install .NET
Framework 3.5 (Figure 4). .NET Framework must be installed before Compact HMI Editor is
run. An Internet connection is needed in order to download the required files for .NET
Framework 3.5.

Figure 4 - .NET Framework 3.5 Setup Screen

Figure 3 - Compact HMI Editor Setup Wizard screen (will appear if needed)

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The installation URL for .NET Framework 3.5 is http://www.microsoft.com/en-

us/download/details.aspx?id=21, if for some reason it cannot be installed properly using the
Setup Wizard.

When ready to proceed with installation of Compact HMI Editor, click the Next button on the
first screen of the Setup Wizard. The screens below show typical screens that will appear in a
Compact HMI Editor installation (Figure 5).

Figure 5 - Compact HMI Editor Setup Screens (in succession)

Once Compact HMI Editor is installed, you may begin using it.

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Solution Overview

A Solution is a collection of files that will be translated into a complete HMI during runtime.
Each screen within a solution is called a Panel. Each Panel represents individual screens
accessible via the touch screen. Therefore, a Solution can also be defined as a collection of HMI
Panels.

Compact HMI Editor creates display files for each Panel. When Compact HMI Editor is first
started, it will load a new Solution. You will be able to add Panels to the Solution.

Figure 6 - Compact HMI Editor Design Environment

Panels
You can add a Panel by using File  New  Panel or right clicking on the Solution name in the
Solution Explorer in the upper right part of the screen and selecting Panel. The Panel will serve
as a container for your display and command controls. Each Panel can have independent
communication setups and basic visual properties. Compact HMI communicates with a data
device using Allen-Bradley DF1, Modbus RTU, and Modbus TCP communications.

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The most common settings to be modified on the Panel are the BackgroundImage and
BackColor (under Appearance) and the Target Device (under the SSi grouping). The Target
Device can be modified at the Panel level. The Panel size should match the resolution of the
target screen, which is determined by the Target Device selection.

Figure 7 - Design Environment with Panels Added

Figure 7 shows a Design Environment view with multiple Panels. On the bottom right is a view of
the Panel's properties.
NOTE: The first Panel created is called “Main” by default. You may change the name of this
Panel (or any others) as you wish. See Table 1 for descriptions of Panel properties and an
example properties grid in Figure 8.

Remember that Panels can be arranged in the order in which you want them to appear in
Compact HMI on the touch screen. To reorder Panels, simply click and drag each tab into the
order in which you wish it to appear.

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Appearance
BackColor The background color of the
Panel
BackgroundImage The background image used
for the Panel
BackgroundImageLayout The layout used for the
background image. Possible
settings are:
 None: Image will be
applied with no changes to
its appearance.
 Tile: Image will be tiled
multiple times in the
background (the smaller
the image's dimensions,
the more frequently it will
appear). Figure 8 - Panel properties grid
 Center: The image will be
centered in the
background.
 Stretch: The image will be
stretched to fit the
background area.
 Zoom: The image will be
enlarged within the
background area. Note
that the visible part of the
image will appear larger
than it otherwise would.
Behavior
DoubleBuffered Do not change this setting.
Design
(Name) Identifies the name used in
code to identify the object
Locked Determines whether the
control can be moved or
resized
Layout
AutoScaleMode Determines how the form or
control will scale when screen
resolution or fonts change
SSi
See the “SSi Options” section below.

Table 1 - Panel properties

SSi Options
The active panel must be selected for this to be visible. If a control object is currently selected,
for example, the options will not be visible. Figure 9 shows what the options look like in the
Design View.

Figure 9 - SSi Options

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Target Device: The touch screen device model on which the Compact HMI will be running.
Models can be selected from a drop-down list. Typically, the models will start with “TPC-“ and
end in a number, sometimes followed by one or more letters.
 If the model starts with “TPC-3,” the screen size is usually 3.5”.
 If the model starts with “TPC-6”, the screen size is usually 5.7”.
 If the model starts with “TPC-12”, the screen size is usually 12.1”.
 If the model starts with “TPC-15”, the screen size is usually 15.1”.
 Finally, if the model starts with “TPC-17”, the screen size is usually 17.1”.
This setting will determine the size of each panel in the Solution and is extremely important. An
incorrect setting will result in the panels being rendered incorrectly—or not being rendered at
all—on the touch screen.

Contact SSi at (513) 772-0060 for help with setting up these options.

Tags (Tag Management)

Compact HMI Editor includes a database framework that allows you to associate connections
with tags and tags with register locations. Each connection is identified by a user-defined name
along with relevant connection details. Each tag is associated with a 16-bit word register. All of
the connection, tag, and register data is contained in a “tags database” that Compact HMI
maintains. This approach allows you to configure Compact HMI to access data in a
straightforward and organized fashion.

To access the tags database, click on Tools  Tags (Figure 10) in the Compact HMI Editor main
window.

Figure 10 - Tag Management

The Tag Management window will appear (Figure 11). In the example screen shot in Figure 11,
the window is populated with connection, tag, and bit data. More information is provided in this
section on how to configure connection, tag, and bit settings.

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,
Figure 11 - Tag Management window

In the Tag Management window, you can perform several actions:

 Create a new connection name and define the connection parameters;
 Create a new tag under a connection name and associate it with a register location;
 Name tags and register bits associated with tags by using specific designations such as
Input, Output, and Alarm;
 Identify bits that are associated with a bit alarm;
 Filter tags by search string (partial strings are okay); and
 Remove existing connections, tags, and bit definitions.

In the Tag Management window, the File menu provides these options: Add Connection, Add
Tag, and Close. Select Add Connection to add a new connection, Add Tag to add a new tag, and
Close to close the Tag Management window.

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Connection properties are first defined in the New Connection window (Figure 12). The
parameters that must be set are as follows:

For Allen-Bradley DF1 Connections

(Example: Figure 12)
 Connection Type: The protocol used
for communication between
Compact HMI and the data device.
Available settings are DF1,
ModbusRTU, and ModbusTCP.
 Connection Name: The user-defined
name for the Connection.
Recommended: Use a Connection
Name that can be easily associated
with the data device and register
locations from which Compact HMI Figure 12 – New Connection window (DF1)
will be reading and writing data.
 Host Address: The address of the
touch screen. Normally, this setting  Read Count: The default number of registers,
can be kept as the default. starting with the Read Offset, that will be read.
 Target Address: The address of the The default is 100. This value must not exceed
data device. Normally, this setting the number of registers actually defined within
can be kept as the default. the data device.
 COM Port: The COM (serial) Port
with which the Compact HMI touch Generate Tags checkbox: When checked, this
screen will be connected to the data checkbox will cause tags to be generated. The tags
device. This must match the actual generated will be based on the Read Offset and
COM Port on which the serial cable Read Count defined in this menu. For example,
is connected to the touch screen. with default settings, the tags generated will start
 Read Offset: The register address “N7:0” and end “N7:99”. Bits will be created for
where Compact HMI starts reading. each tag as well (Bit 0 through Bit 15).
This must be defined to the word
level within the data device. Prefix Tag: When tags are generated, they are
numbered sequentially. The prefix is added to the
The default COM Port is COM 2. number. For example, if the text “PLC” is entered
Some touch screens may have only in the Prefix Tag field, the resulting tags would be
one COM Port. In such a case, COM 1 named “PLC1”, “PLC2”, “PLC3”, and so on.
will need to be used for the data
device connection, and an Ethernet
connection will need to be used for
the SSi 9000 Series controller.

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For ModbusRTU Connections

(Example: Figure 13)
 Host Address: The address of the
touch screen. Normally, this setting
can be kept as the default.
 Target Address: The address of the
data device. Normally, this setting
can be kept as the default.
 COM Port: The COM (serial) Port
with which the Compact HMI touch
screen will be connected to the data
device. This must match the actual Figure 13 – New Connection window (ModbusRTU)
COM Port on which the serial cable
is connected to the touch screen.  Baud Rate: The rate (in units per second) at
which communications bits are sent between
The default COM Port is COM 2. the touch screen and data device. The default is
Some touch screens may have only 19200.
one COM Port. In such a case, COM Generate Tags checkbox: When checked, this
1 will need to be used for the data checkbox will cause tags to be generated. The tags
device connection, and an Ethernet generated will be based on the Read Offset and
connection will need to be used for Read Count defined in this menu. For example, if
the SSi 9000 Series controller. the Read Offset is 0 and the Read Count is 100, the
tags generated will be named Tag0, Tag1, and so
 Read Offset: The register address
on, through Tag99.
where Compact HMI starts reading.
This must be defined to the word
Prefix Tag: When tags are generated, they are
level within the data device.
numbered sequentially. The prefix is added to the
 Read Count: The default number of
number. For example, if the text “PLC” is entered
registers, starting with the Read
in the Prefix Tag field, the resulting tags would be
Offset, that will be read. The default
named “PLC1”, “PLC2”, “PLC3”, and so on.
is 100. This value must not exceed
the number of registers actually
defined within the data device.

For ModbusTCP Connections

(Example: Figure 14)
 IP Address: The IP address of the
data device.
 Port: The port number on the data
device through which the data
device will exchange data.
 Read Offset: The register address
where Compact HMI starts reading.
This must be defined to the word
level within the data device.
 Read Count: The default number of
Figure 14 – New Communications Window (ModbusTCP)
registers, starting with the Read

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Offset, that will be read. The default Prefix Tag: When tags are generated, they are
is 100. This value must not exceed numbered sequentially. The prefix is added to the
the number of registers actually number. For example, if the text “PLC” is entered
defined within the data device. in the Prefix Tag field, the resulting tags would be
named “PLC1”, “PLC2”, “PLC3”, and so on.
Generate Tags checkbox: When
checked, this checkbox will cause tags
to be generated. The tags generated will
be based on the Read Offset and Read
Count defined in this menu. For
example, if the Read Offset is 0 and the
Read Count is 100, the tags generated
will be named Tag0, Tag1, and so on,
through Tag99.

Connection types can be changed after

a connection is defined. To do this, right
click on the Connection Name, select
“Change Connection Type”, and select
the Connection Type desired. See an
example in Figure 15.
Figure 15 - Change Connection Type option

The Edit menu allows you to copy an existing connection or tag with all of its properties and bit
settings. Do this by first selecting the item you want to copy, then click Copy in the Edit menu,
and then click Paste in the Edit menu. The new (copied) item will be added to the tags list as
“ItemName – Copy(number)”. Using the Edit menu’s Delete option, you can remove an item.
Finally, using the Find & Replace option, you can direct Compact HMI Editor to search for a
specific string of text in tag names and replace that text names with text that you enter.

The Sort menu allows you to order connection names and tags alphabetically (by name) or by
address (in the case of tags, that is the register address associated with the tag). Sorting can be
performed in ascending or descending order.

Using the tag properties grid, you can name the tag
set and address offset, and enter a brief description.
See Figure 16.

The default name of the tag will be “NewTagx”,

where x is a sequential number. The Address Offset
will be applied to the Data Offset previously assigned
to the Panel. For example, referring to Figure 9 and Figure 16 - Tag "Data" fields
Figure 16, if a Data Offset of N7:0 and Address Offset
of 4 are defined, the actual register being evaluated
will be N7:4.

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Each register is made up of 16 bits. The bits are

numbered 0 through 15. Compact HMI Editor allows
you to name each bit, add a brief description, and
identify whether the bit is an alarm bit (see Figure
17).

If “Is Alarm Bit” is set to False, Compact HMI will not

identify the bit as an alarm bit; if “Is Alarm Bit” is set Figure 17 - Bit fields
to True, then Compact HMI will identify the bit as an
alarm bit. The default setting for this field is False.
This feature is intended for future use.

Once configured, tags are used with Compact HMI’s control objects to help determine display
conditions and other characteristics of a control system.

Please refer to Appendix 1: Software Best Practices, “When Configuring Connections and Tags
in Compact HMI Editor,” for information on best practices for configuring connections and tags
in Compact HMI Editor.

Expression Editor

The Expression Editor is used in conjunction with two Control properties: Display Expression
and Display Conditions. The Expression Editor will be displayed when Display Expression or
Display Conditions is selected (for example, from the Control Properties Grid).

NOTE: Some Display Conditions (described in more detail below) and the Expression Editor
utilize Tags.

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Figure 18 - Expression Editor window

Expression Operators, Constants, and Functions

Tag names identify register locations within a data device. Each register is constituted by a word
containing 16 bits. Compact HMI Editor provides ways of evaluating values contained within data
device registers against values defined by the user. In order to program valid expressions, it is
important to understand the expression syntax used in Compact HMI.

A Tag can be called using the following syntax:

Tag(“[ConnectionName]TagName”) where ConnectionName is the name of a defined
connection and TagName is the name of a defined Tag within that connection.

A particular bit can be called according to one of the following two syntaxes:

1. Tag(“[ConnectionName]TagName.BitName”) where ConnectionName is the

name of a defined Connection, TagName is the name of a defined Tag within that
connection, and BitName is the name of a defined bit within the register represented by
TagName.
2. Bit(BitNumber,Tag(“[ConnectionName]TagName”)) where BitNumber is the
number of a bit (0 to 15) within the register represented by TagName that is part of the
connection ConnectionName.

In most cases, Tags and bits will be called for the purpose of:
1. Calculating a value, which will typically be displayed and sometimes scaled before being
displayed; or
2. Evaluating a condition as True or False.

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Table 2 provides details on the operators, constants, and functions that can be used in Compact
HMI Editor; the purpose of each; and examples of how they may be used in a valid expression.

Operator/Constant/ Purpose Examples of Use in Valid Expression

Function
Operators and Constants
+ Performs an addition Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) + 15

- Performs a subtraction Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) - 15

* Performs a multiplication Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) * 15
/ Performs a division and Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) / 15
keeps the decimal value
(division) Note: 3/2 returns 1.5
\ Performs a division and 1 / Tag(“[Connection1]N7:1”)
drops the decimal value
(modulus) Note: 3\2 returns 1
^ Performs an exponential Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) ^ 3
calculation (calculates a
number raised to a certain 3^3
power)
Pi Returns the value of Pi, Pi + Tag(”[Connection]N7:0”)
which is the ratio of the
circle’s circumference to its Note: Pi by itself returns 3.14159265358979
diameter
Logical Operators
< Less than Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) < Tag(“[Connection1]N7:1”)
> Greater than Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) > 1

And Inclusive of more than one (Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) < 10) and

condition (Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) > 5)
<= Less than or equal to Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) <= 3

>= Greater than or equal to Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) >= 3

Or Inclusive of either/or (Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) < 1) or (Tag(“[Connection1]N7:3”) >

condition 14)
<> Not equal to Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) <> Tag(“[Connection1]N7:1”)

= Equal to Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0.1”) = 0

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Operator/Constant/ Purpose Examples of Use in Valid Expression

Function
Xor Inclusive of one condition, (Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) <= 15) xor
exclusive of a second (Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”) = 5)
condition
Math Functions
Abs Absolute value Abs(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”))
Exp Calculates base e raised to a Exp(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”))
specified power
Note: Exp(3) calculates e to the power of 3
Log10 Base 10 logarithm Log10(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”))

Log10(100) returns 2
Sin Sine (trigonometric) Sin(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”))
Asin Arcsine or inverse sine Asin(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”))
(trigonometric)
Min Minimum Min(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”),Tag(“[Connection1]N7:1”),
Tag(“[Connection1]N7:2”),Tag(“[Connection1]N7:3”))
Max Maximum Max(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”),Tag(“[Connection1]N7:1”),
Tag(“[Connection1]N7:2”),Tag(“[Connection1]N7:3”))
Sqrt Square root Sqrt(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:1”))
Cos Cosine (trigonometric) Cos(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:1”))
Acos Arccosine or inverse cosine Acos(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:1”))
(trigonometric)
Tan Tangent (trigonometric) Tan(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:1”))
Atan Arctangent or inverse Atan(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:1”))
tangent (trigonometric)
Logical Functions
If Returns a value of TRUE or If(Tag(“[Connection1]N7:0”)<Tag(“[Connection1]N7:1”),1,0)
FALSE
Syntax: Note: If(2<3,1,0) returns 1
If(condition,return_if_true
,return_if_false), where
condition is the condition
evaluated, return_if_true
is the value returned if the
condition is true,
return_if_false is the
value returned if the
condition is false)
Table 2 - Expression Operators, Constants, and Functions in Expression Editor

Display Conditions
Display Conditions determine display elements for control objects by using the results of
evaluated expressions. The display conditions are found in the properties grid for controls. You
can also bring up the display conditions by double clicking on the control object for which you
want to set the display conditions.

NOTE: Some Display Conditions and the Expression Editor (described in more detail above)
utilize Tags.

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Figure 19 - Display Conditions window

Figure 19 shows the base window that appears when Display Conditions are opened. Note the
expanded list of options shown below the (Add Condition) button. You can also access these
options from the File  Add Condition menu selection. Both show the categories of display
conditions that can be applied to a control based on evaluations described in “Expression
Editor“. These categories are as follows:
 Background Color affects the background color of the control.
 Position affects the position of the control.
 Size affects the size of the control.
 Text affects the text displayed within the control.
 Text Color affects the color of the text displayed within the control.
 Visibility affects whether the control is visible (true) or not (false).

Once you have added a condition, Compact HMI Editor will create a category for the condition,
as shown in Figure 20. The number of conditions in each category will be the total number of
conditions that have been added to that category. Each condition will have the name of the
category to which the condition applies until you change the condition’s name, as described
below.

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Figure 20 - Conditions window with conditions added

To change the name of the condition, click on the name of the condition shown in the “Name”
field of the property grid (Figure 21).

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Figure 21 - Changing condition name

The “Text” field contains the text that will be displayed when the condition is applied.

The “Expression” field determines whether the condition is true or false, in this case. Setting up
an expression is described in “Expression Editor”.

To delete a condition, simply right click on the condition in the list on the left bar, and then click
Delete (Figure 22), or use the “X” ( ) button.

Figure 22 - Delete option

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How Conditions are Prioritized

Compact HMI will evaluate each condition in a linear order—from top to bottom as each
condition appears in the list of conditions in Compact HMI Editor. To change the priority of a
condition, simply use the arrow buttons ( and ) or right click on the condition whose
priority you want to change and click “Move Up” or “Move Down” as needed.

As conditions are evaluated as true or false, the following rules will be applied:

 When a condition is false, no action will be taken.

 When a condition is true, the action associated with that condition will be implemented.

 When more than one condition in a single category is true, the last condition that is true
will be the condition whose associated action is implemented.

 When all of the conditions in a single category are false, the setting associated with that
category will be set to the default.

Consider the following cases.

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The examples below could apply to a number of scenarios. For illustration, assume that Compact HMI controls were developed for a
batch furnace. When designing the HMI, the interface designer wanted to make sure that the control clearly indicates conditions
such as running and alarm states so that the operator is aware of the those states. The following are programmed conditions that
were evaluated as true or false by Compact HMI and how those evaluations affect the actions taken within a condition category on the
control.

Case 1: All Conditions Are Evaluated as True

In the first example, a control’s background color is changed based on running conditions of the furnace. RedBackgroundColor,
BlueBackgroundColor, and YellowBackgroundColor are true. However, the YellowBackgroundColor action will be the one
implemented and seen by the user; the reason for this is that YellowBackgroundColor occurs after the other two in the list of
conditions. If RedBackgroundColor should take priority over BlueBackgroundColor and YellowBackgroundColor,
RedBackgroundColor should be moved so that it occurs after the other two in the list.

Category Condition Name Order of Condition True or False Result

Evaluation within
Category
Background Color RedBackgroundColor First Machine is in alarm True Background color
state implemented
Background Color BlueBackgroundColor Second Machine is running True Background color
implemented
Background Color YellowBackgroundColor Third Machine is not True Background color
running implemented
Table 3 - Example of Condition Evaluation (All True)

Case 2: At Least One Condition Is Evaluated as True, the Others as False

In this example, text displayed in a control changes based on whether an alarm state is present, the furnace is running normally with
no alarms, the furnace is shut down, or the furnace is starting up. In the case of the Text category, AlarmActiveText is true;
therefore, text programmed for the AlarmActiveText condition will be the text shown. Compact HMI evaluated the remaining Text
conditions and found them to be false. Therefore, even though AlarmActiveText occurs first in the Text category, it will still be the

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condition whose text is displayed on the control. This does not change until (A) AlarmActiveText is evaluated as false or (B) one of the
conditions following AlarmActiveText is evaluated as true.

Category Condition Name Order of Condition True or False Result

Evaluation within
Category
Text AlarmActiveText First One or more alarms True Alarm text
are on displayed
Text NormalOpText Second Machine is running False No change
with no alarms
Text ShutdownText Third Machine is shut down False No change
Text StartupText Fourth Machine is starting up False No change
Table 4 - Example of Condition Evaluation (At Least One True, Others False)

Case 3: All Conditions Are Evaluated as False

The HMI programmer wants a control to be visible when a heating cycle is running and the user wants to manually control the cycle’s
output; this is the default setting for the control. The HMI programmer set up the control so that the control will not be visible when
either the heating cycle is not running or the furnace is in Auto (non-manual) mode. In this case, the heating cycle is running and the
machine is not in Auto mode. Both conditions in the Visibility category are evaluated as false; therefore, the default action (to display
the control) is taken.

Category Condition Name Order of Evaluation Condition True or False Result

within Category
Visibility HeatModeOff First The heating cycle is False No change
not running
Visibility AutoModeOn Second The machine is in False Control is displayed
Auto mode (output
cannot be manually
adjusted)
Table 5 - Example of Condition Evaluation (All False)

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Tag Usage
A
The purpose of the Tag Usage window is to help identify how tags are used within a Compact
HMI Solution. Tags fit into one of three usage categories:
1. In Use: The tag is defined and is used within the current Solution.
2. Unused: The tag is defined and is not used within the current Solution.
3. Orphaned: A tag is referenced in the current Solution, but it is not defined. An orphaned
tag must be defined, replaced, or removed from the Solution before the Solution can be
deployed.
Each time a tag is used in a control within the current Solution, that tag will be shown in the list.
Tags are defined in the Tag Management window. See the Tags (Tag Management) section on
page 12 for more details.

Figure 23 below shows the layout of the Tag Usage window. Following that is a description of
the window’s features.

A B C D E F G
H

I J K L

M N O
P
Figure 23 - Tag Usage window

The features and fields shown in this window are described in the following list.
A. In Use tab: Shows tags that are in use in the Solution.
B. Unused tab: Show tags that are defined, but not in use in the Solution.

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C. Orphaned tab: Shows tags that are referenced in the Solution but not defined in Tag
Management.
D. Search Results tab: Displays the results of a tag search.
E. Search field: Provides a text entry field for searching for tags.
F. Magnifying glass: When pressed, begins a search for a tag string entered in the Search
field.
G. Refresh button: Updates the current tag listing.
H. Control Properties area: Allows the user to modify the properties of the control
associated with the currently selected tag.
I. Connection: The connection with which the tag is associated.
J. Tag: The tag name.
K. Panel: The Panel in which the tag is used.
L. Control: The Control in which the tag is used.
M. Replace Tag button: Allows the user to replace the currently selected tag with a different
defined tag. NOTE: This feature should be used with care. Tag replacements cannot be
undone.
N. Tag Management button: Opens the Tag Management window. See page 12 for more
details.
O. Done button: Closes the Tag Usage window.

Controls
Compact HMI includes multiple control objects available for use in designing Panels. All
controls will have customizable states that can be applied, allowing the user to conditionally
change many of the properties of the controls. These states are described in more detail in the
“Display Conditions” section.
 The Indicator Label is used for creating graphical displays of data. The user can specify
the format in which the data will be displayed.
 The Image Box is used to display an image on the Panel.
 The Control Button is used for controlling the process data. The control button supports
the following actions: Set Bit, Reset Bit, Toggle Bit, Send Value, Ask User and Send
Value, and Open Menu.

Once the control is added to the Panel, you can select the control and edit its properties. All of
the controls use an offset from the base read defined in the Panel object.

Controls are in the Toolbox on the left side of the visual editor. These controls are what you will
use to display data or take action. Adding a Control is as simple as double-clicking the Control
you want to add.

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Indicator Label

Figure 24 - Indicator Label

The Indicator Label provides a display of data or bit state information to the user. More
specifically, the Indicator Label has the ability to display static text, conditional text based on an
expression, raw data, or data formatted from an expression. Select the data device tag in the
properties grid at right. Apply a tag from the tags database to the data device tag. See Table 2
for descriptions of Indicator Label properties and an example properties grid in Figure 25.

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Appearance
Background Color The color to display in the
background
Display Conditions Conditions for changing the
way data is displayed. More
details are in the “Display
Conditions” section.
Displays Text If true, label will display the
text in the ‘Text’ field by
default; otherwise, it will
display a data value defined
in the Data group
Font
Name Name of the font to use
Size Size of the font, based on
the unit specified in Unit
Unit The unit on which the size
of the font is based. See
Appendix 2: Font
Measurement Units for
more information.
Bold If true, displays text in Bold
GdiCharSet This setting should not be
changed without first
contacting Super Systems
Inc.
GdiVerticalFont This setting should not be
changed without first
contacting Super Systems
Inc.
Italic If true, displays text in
Italics Figure 25 - Indicator Label properties grid
Strikeout If true, displays text with
Strikeout
Underline If true, underlines text
Text The default text to display.
Text Alignment Aligns text based on one of
nine available alignment
settings
Text Color The color of the displayed
text
Data
Display Expression The expression that defines
what data is displayed
Format The format in which to
display the data. For
example, #.## would
format data with a ones
place and two decimal
places.
Units The units of the displayed
data (°F, for example)
Design
(Name) Indicates the name used in
code to identify the object
Locked Determines whether the
control can be moved or
resized

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Layout
Dock Defines which borders of
the control are bound to
the container
Location Coordinates of the upper
left corner of the control.
X X coordinate of upper left
corner of control
Y Y coordinate of upper left
corner of control
Size The size of the control in
pixels.
Width Width of the control in
pixels
Height Height of the control in
pixels
Table 6 - Indicator Label properties

Control Button

Figure 26 - Control Button

The Control Button can display data in exactly the same way as the Indicator Label by
processing the display tag, but it can also interact with the user and write Control data to the

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data device based on the Compact HMI configuration. To configure control action, define the
data device tag to write to (also known as the Destination). The Press Action and Release Action
controls the behavior of the button. The controls have the following options.
 None is no action.
 SetBit writes a value of “1” to the bit identified in the Target Bit of the Destination
register.
 ResetBit writes a value of “0” to the bit identified in the Target Bit of the Destination
register .
 ToggleBit toggles the bit identified in the Target Bit of the Destination register.
 WriteValue sends the value specified in Write Value to the Destination register.
 AskUserAndWriteValue will present the user with a numeric keypad and will write the
user-provided value to the Destination register.
 OpenMenu will display a menu that allows the user to navigate between other Panels or
return to the 9000 Series controller screen. It is important that each Panel include a
Control Button with this Action; otherwise, there is no way to navigate away from this
Panel once selected.
 OpenScreen will open the Panel designated in the Screen property

Text in this control object will be centered at the top of the object.

Control Button properties are discussed in Table 7. An example properties grid is shown in
Figure 27.

Appearance
Background Color The background color
Display Conditions Conditions for changing the way
data is displayed. More details
are in the “Display Conditions”
section.
Displays Text If true, label will display the
text in the ‘Text’ field by
default; otherwise, it will
display a data value defined in
the Data group
Font
Name Name of the font to use
Size Size of the font, based on the
unit specified in Unit
Unit The unit on which the size of
the font is based. See Appendix
2: Font Measurement Units for
more information.
Bold If true, displays text in Bold
GdiCharSet This setting should not be Figure 27 - Control Button properties grid
changed without first
contacting Super Systems Inc.
GdiVerticalFont This setting should not be
changed without first
contacting Super Systems Inc.
Italic If true, displays text in Italics
Strikeout If true, displays text with
Strikeout
Underline If true, underlines text

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Text The default text to display.

Text Color The color of the displayed text
Behavior
Password A password that must be
entered to activate the Control
Button
Press Action The action taken when the
button is pressed (see above
description)
Release Action The action taken when the
button is released (see above
description)
Data
Display Expression The display tag for the data
Format The format for the data
Unit The units of the displayed data
(°F, for example)
Design
(Name) The name of the control.
Locked Determines whether the
control can be moved or
resized.
Layout
Dock Defines which borders of the
control are bound to the
container
Location Coordinates of the upper left
corner of the control.
X X coordinate of upper left
corner of control
Y Y coordinate of upper left
corner of control
Size The size of the control in pixels.
Width Width of the control in pixels
Height Height of the control in pixels
Table 7 - Control Button properties

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Image Box

Figure 28 - Image Box

The Image Box is used to display graphics on the panel. It will not be tied directly to data.
However, like all other controls, its properties can be modified through conditional formatting.
Image Box properties are described in Table 8. An example properties grid is shown in Figure 29.

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Appearance
Display Conditions Conditions under which
the image is displayed
or not displayed.
Image The image the control
will display. Compact
HMI Editor will convert
the selected image to a
format Compact HMI
understands and embed
the converted image in
the Solution when you
save the Solution.
Transparency Color The color for the
transparency behind the
image (if chosen by the
user).
Design Figure 29 - Image Box properties grid
Name The name of the
control.
Locked Determines whether the
control can be moved.
Layout
Dock Determines the position
(alignment) of the
image
Location Coordinates of the
upper left corner of the
control.
Size The size of the control
in pixels.
Table 8 - Image Box properties

Exporting for the Touch Screen

When you are ready to export your Solution to the
touch screen, select Tools  Export Device Files
(see Figure 30). This option will create a folder
containing all of the Panel and Tag files needed for
Compact HMI on the touch screen. These files are
saved to a folder on your computer, allowing you to
transfer the files to the device manually (by using a
flash drive, Compact Flash card, or other compatible
data transfer device), back up the files, or perform
other tasks with them as necessary. Note that the
files saved to the touch screen device are not the
Solution files saved on the development computer.

The user has the option of saving certain Panels (and

not others) and the runtime executable files (which
are used on the touch screen) when exporting the
device files the specified path. This will allow the
user to create project templates with multiple Figure 30 - Export Device Files window

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screen layouts, but only use the appropriate Panels

at runtime.

Please refer to Appendix 1: Software Best Practices, “Backing Up Touch Screen Files (.cfxml
and .tdx)”, for information on best practices for backing up touch screen files.

NOTE: The “Use with Compatible Touch Screens” section contains an example of how these
files are used.

Interacting with the Touch Screen

NOTE: These features have been tested only on the 5.7 inch touch screen using a USB
connection.

Compact HMI Editor can also write the Panels in your Solution directly to the touch screen using
Tools  Send Solution to Device when the touch screen is connected via USB using Mobile
Device Center (Windows Vista, 7, & 8) or ActiveSync (Windows XP). Compact HMI Editor will
clear the .cfxml files from the touch screen's CompactRealtime folder and save the Panels in
the Solution to the touch screen.

Please refer to Appendix 1: Software Best Practices, “Backing Up Touch Screen Files (.cfxml
and .tdx)”, for information on best practices for backing up touch screen files.

Using the Main Menu

The Main Menu in Compact HMI Editor is comprised of five option headings, as shown in Figure
31. The option headings are File, Edit, Format, Tools, and Help. This section describes each of
the options under each option heading.

Figure 31 - Main Menu Bar

File

Figure 32 - File menu

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The File menu contains the following options:

 New is used to create a new Panel or a new Solution. New Panels can also be created in
the Solution Explorer. If a new Solution (a collection of Panels) is created and the
current Solution has not been saved, Compact HMI Editor will prompt the user with the
option to save the current Solution before opening a new one.
 Open Solution allows you to open a saved Solution (.cresln) file.
 Close Solution allows you to close the currently open Solution. If the Solution has not
been saved, you will be prompted with the option to save the current Solution.
 Save saves the current Solution.
 Save As saves the current Solution with a new file name.
 Recent Solutions will bring up a list of Solutions that were recently open in Compact HMI
Editor.
 Exit exits the program. If the current Solution has not been saved, Compact HMI Editor
will prompt the user with the option to save the current Solution before opening a new
one.

Please refer to Appendix 1: Software Best Practices, “When Saving Multiple Solutions” and
“Backing Up Development Files,” for information on best practices for saving and backing up
developments files in Compact HMI Editor.

Edit

Figure 33 - Edit menu

The Edit menu contains the standard Windows editing options.

 Undo will reverse the previous action performed in Compact HMI Editor.
 Redo will repeat a previously reversed action.
 Cut will remove a selected component and save it to the Clipboard.
 Copy will copy a selected component to the Clipboard so that it can be duplicated.
 Paste will place the content most recently copied to the Clipboard in the active window
or field.
 Delete will remove the selected component without copying it to the Clipboard.
 Select All will select all of the components that can be selected in the active window or
field.

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Format

Figure 34 - Format menu

The Format menu contains the following options:

 Align contains options to change the alignment of multiple objects.
o Align Lefts moves multiple selected objects so that their left edges are aligned
o Align Centers moves multiple selected objects so that their horizontal centers
are aligned
o Align Rights moves multiple selected objects so that their right edges are aligned
o Align Tops moves multiple selected objects so that their top edges are aligned
o Align Middles moves multiple selected objects so that their vertical middles are
aligned
o Align Bottoms moves multiple selected objects so that their bottom edges are
aligned
 Make Same Size contains options to make the width, height, or both width and height of
multiple selected objects the same.
 Horizontal Spacing contains options to increase, decrease, or equalize the horizontal
spacing between multiple selected objects.
 Vertical Spacing contains options to increase, decrease, or equalize the vertical spacing
between multiple selected objects.
 Center in Form allows you to center the selected controls within the form horizontally or
vertically.
 Order allows you to arrange a selected object so that it appears in front of other objects
that overlap it (Bring to Front) or so that it appears behind other objects that overlap it
(Send to Back).

Tools

Figure 35 - Tools menu

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The Tools menu contains the following options:

 Tags will bring up the Tags window. See Tags (Tag Management) for more information.
 Export Device Files exports the files that would normally be saved to the touch screen
device. See Exporting for the Touch Screen for more details.
 Send Solution to Device will send the current Solution to a connected device so that the
device can utilize the programmed screens. See Interacting with the Touch Screen for
more details.

Help
The Help menu (Figure 36) contains three options: About, Language, and Check for Updates….

Figure 36 - Help menu

Selecting About will bring up the “About” window, which will show version information on the
software. See Figure 37 for an example.

Figure 37 - About screen (example)

Selecting Language allows you to set the language in which Compact HMI operates: English or
Spanish (Español). See Figure 38.

Figure 38 - Language option

Selecting Check for Updates… will direct CompactHMI Editor to check for updates to the
software and to the executable files that run on the touch screen. An Internet connection from
the PC is required in order to do this. IMPORTANT: Save all open files before checking for
updates. Failure to do so will result in work being lost since the previous save.

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If an update is found: If no updates are found:

CompactHMI Editor will prompt you on whether CompactHMI Editor will present a
you want to download the updates (Yes) or not window indicating that no updates are
(No)—see Figure 39. available (Figure 41).

Figure 39 - Download Updates prompt

Figure 41 - "No Updates Available" window
If you click “Yes”, the software will close; updates
will be downloaded and then installed. A status
window will appear while the updates are being
downloaded and installed (Figure 40).

Figure 40 - Update status window

Once the updates are installed, CompactHMI Editor will restart.

Touch Screen Files: Automatic Updates include files that will be needed for Compact HMI on the
touch screen. In order to copy updated touch screen files to the touch screen, follow the
procedure below.
1. Locate the TouchScreen subfolder in the folder where Compact HMI Editor is located. An
example is shown in Figure 42 (where the subfolder is
“C:\SSi\Bin\CompactHMI\TouchScreen”).

Figure 42 - TouchScreen folder (for updated touch screen files)

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2. Insert a USB drive into a USB port on the computer.

3. Copy the files from the “TouchScreen” subfolder to the USB drive.
4. Remove the USB drive by selecting “Eject Mass Storage” from the System Tray options
(Figure 43) and then taking the flash drive out of the USB port. If an error appears, make
sure that all files have finished copying and that any windows showing the USB drive or
its contents have been closed.

Figure 43 - "Eject Mass Storage" option

5. With the touch screen on, exit the SSi controller application if it is open. (Refer to the
controller manual or contact SSi at (513) 772-0060 if you have questions about how to do
this.) The operating system screen will appear once the controller application is shut
down. It will look similar to the screen pictured in Figure 44.

Figure 44 - Touch Screen Operating System Screen

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6. Insert the storage medium into an

available USB port on the touch screen.
Often, a port can be found on the back
of the touch screen, as shown in Figure
45.

Figure 45 - Inserting USB Drive into USB Port on

Touch Screen Device

7. Double-tap on “My Device” on the touch screen desktop. Then copy the touch screen
files from the USB drive to the Compact HMI (destination) folder. The destination folder
will be the \CompactRealtime folder on the destination drive.
NOTE: A message will likely appear asking if you want to overwrite existing files. Simply choose
“Yes.”

Using the Design Environment Toolbar

The Design Environment contains a horizontal toolbar with icons representing many of the
common options used in Compact HMI Editor. See Figure 46.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Figure 46 – Toolbar

The table describes the use of each tool in the toolbar.

Tool Name Description

Opens a new panel for the current Solution, displaying the

1
New Panel new panel in the Design Environment

Brings up a dialog box to open a saved Solution (a file saved

Open Solution
by Compact HMI Editor with the .cresln extension; described
2
further in
Solution Overview)

Saves the current Solution

3
Save

Removes a block of text, a control object, or other editable

4 Cut component of a Solution, and saves it to the Windows
Clipboard so that it can be pasted elsewhere

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Tool Name Description

Copies a block of text, a control object, or other editable

5 Copy component of a Solution, and saves it to the Windows
Clipboard so that it can be pasted elsewhere

Places a block of text, a control object, or other editable

6 Paste component of a Solution in an active field or Design
Environment component (i.e., Panel)

Removes a block of text, a control object, or other editable

7 Delete component of a Solution, but does not save the removed
component to the Windows Clipboard

Reverses the previous action

8
Undo

Performs an action that was previously reversed

9
Redo

NOTE: All of the “align” options (10 through 15 below) align objects relative to a particular
point or axis. For example, Align Lefts will align selected objects so that they share the same
left alignment axis, while Align Middles will align selected objects so that they share the
same vertical middle. Multiple objects are selected by pressing Ctrl+Left Click or Shift+Left
Click as they are selected with a mouse.

Moves multiple selected objects so that their left edges are

10
Align Lefts aligned

Moves multiple selected objects so that their horizontal

11 Align Centers centers are aligned

Moves multiple selected objects so that their right edges are

12
Align Rights aligned

Moves multiple selected objects so that their top edges are

13
Align Tops aligned

Moves multiple selected objects so that their vertical

14 Align Middles middles are aligned

Moves multiple selected objects so that their bottom edges

15 Align Bottoms
are aligned

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Tool Name Description

Arranges a selected object so that it appears in front of

16
Bring to Front other objects that overlap it

Arranges a selected object so that it appears behind other

17 objects that overlap it
Send to Back

Opens the Tag Usage window (see the Tag Usage section on
18 page 27)
Tag Usage
Table 9 - Tools in the Toolbar and Their Use

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Compact HMI (Use on SSi Touch Screen)

Prerequisites and Installation

An SSi touch screen is required. In order to run Compact HMI Solutions, the SSi touch screen
must be Compact HMI-aware (programmed to recognize Compact HMI Solutions).

SSi designs, customizes, and implements Compact HMI for each touch screen.

Use with Compatible Touch Screens

Compact HMI runs on the touch screen in the \CompactRealtime folder. The \CompactRealtime
folder should have the following file types present:
 .cfxml. Each .cfxml file contains the data for a Panel within the Solution. There will be as
many .cfxml files as there are Panels in the Solution.
 .tdx. The .tdx file is the tags database file. This contains the data for the tags that have
been set up in the Solution.
 .dll. DLL files are required in order for Compact HMI to run properly on the touch
screen.
 .exe. The .exe file is an executable file that is run when Compact HMI is started.

There is no additional configuration necessary other than getting a copy of your primary touch
screen interface that supports Compact HMI; your primary touch screen interface will handle
starting, stopping and interacting with the Compact HMI application for you.

When your Compact HMI-aware interface is handling your Compact HMI Solution, the Menu
button will not take you directly to the Menu. Instead, it will give you the option of going to the
Menu or going to the Compact HMI Solution.

Example of Compact HMI Touch Screen Application Design and Rendering

Once a solution is designed in Compact HMI Editor and saved to a Compact HMI-aware SSi
touch screen, the interface can be accessed through Compact HMI. This section illustrates
examples of Panels that can be set up as part of a solution in Compact HMI in a furnace control
system and how those Panels can be saved from Compact HMI Editor and subsequently opened
in a Compact HMI-aware touch screen as a Compact HMI application.

Example Designs

In this example, a designer has created four Panels for a furnace control system. These Panels
are as follows:

 Main Panel. The Main Panel provides an overview of essential furnace statuses (such as
combustion status and high/low gas pressure alarms) and allows for control of essential
furnace functions (such as locking and unlocking the furnace door). This is the Panel that
will appear when the Compact HMI application is first opened on a compatible touch screen.
The Compact HMI Editor view is shown in Figure 47; the Compact HMI (Touch Screen) view
is shown in Figure 48.

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Figure 47 - Main Panel (Compact HMI Editor)

Figure 48 - Main Panel (Compact HMI - Touch Screen)

Note the Screens button at the bottom of the Panel. Each Panel has one of these buttons. When
pressed, the button will bring up a menu allowing the user to select one of the other panels or
to open the controller touch screen main menu. See the example in Figure 49. This menu is
programmed into the panel using the OpenMenu option as part of the Control Button in
Compact HMI Editor (more information on this can be found in the “Control Button” section).

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Remember that Panels can be arranged in the order in which you want them to appear in
Compact HMI on the touch screen. To reorder Panels, simply click and drag each tab into the
order in which you wish it to appear.

Figure 49 - Screens menu (Compact HMI - Touch Screen)

 Alarms Panel. The Alarms Panel shows alarms that have been configured in the system. If
an alarm is active, typically the attributes of the alarm display will be programmed to
change (for example, color and visibility). In the example, inactive alarms are displayed in
black text. If an alarm is active, the operator will be able to acknowledge it or take the
appropriate action to correct the alarm condition. The Compact HMI Editor view for the
Alarms Panel is shown in Figure 50; the Compact HMI (Touch Screen) view is shown in
Figure 51.

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Figure 50 - Alarms Panel (Compact HMI Editor)

Figure 51 - Alarms Panel (Compact HMI - Touch Screen)

 Presets Panel. In the example, this Panel is used to enter furnace control presets. The
Panel also displays setpoints and process variables (PVs) for parameters such as
combustion air pressure. The Compact HMI Editor view for this Panel is shown in Figure 52;
the Compact HMI (Touch Screen) view is shown in Figure 53.

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Figure 52 - Presets Panel (Compact HMI Editor)

Figure 53 - Presets Panel(Compact HMI - Touch Screen)

 Furnace Panel. The Furnace Panel provides furnace status information and allows the
operator to control operations such as starting fans, locking and unlocking doors, etc. A
visualization depicts the status of the furnace in real time. The Compact HMI Editor view for

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this Panel is shown in Figure 54; the Compact HMI (Touch Screen) view is shown in Figure
55.

Figure 54 - Furnace Panel (Compact HMI Editor)

Figure 55 - Furnace Panel (Compact HMI - Touch Screen)

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Preparing Solution for Touch Screen

There are two main ways to prepare the Solution to be run on the SSi touch screen:
1. Sending the Solution from Compact HMI Editor directly to the touch screen device; and
2. Exporting the device files to a storage device and copying the device files to the
CompactRealtime on the touch screen’s storage medium.
These methods are described in more detail in the Exporting for the Touch Screen and
Interacting with the Touch Screen sections.

Once the designer has verified that all of the Panels have been set up properly, the designer can
prepare the Solution for use on an SSi touch screen. (The Solution can also be implemented on
the touch screen for testing purposes, when needed.)

Suppose the designer decides to utilize method #2 (exporting and copying the device files to the
touch screen’s storage medium). The designer follows these steps:
1. Save Solution in Compact HMI Editor (using File  Save or File  Save As).
2. Using the Tools  Export Device Files option, export the device files to a USB drive or
other storage medium. This process is depicted in Figure 56.

Figure 56 - Exporting Device Files

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3. Once the files are successfully

exported, eject the storage medium by
using the “Safely remove hardware”
option in Windows (typically found by
expanding the system tray and selecting
the “remove hardware” icon, an
example of which is shown in Figure
57).

Figure 57 – “Safely Remove Hardware” icon

4. Turn on the touch screen.

5. Once the touch screen is on and the startup has completed, exit the SSi controller
application. (Refer to the controller manual or contact SSi at (513) 772-0060 if you have
questions about how to do this.) The operating system screen will appear once the
controller application is shut down. It will look similar to the screen pictured in Figure
58.

Figure 58 - Touch Screen Operating System Screen

6. Insert the storage medium into an

available USB port on the touch screen.
Often, a port can be found on the back
of the touch screen, as shown in Figure
59.

Figure 59 - Inserting USB Drive into USB Port on

Touch Screen Device

NOTE: SSi recommends that you back up touch screen files onto a USB drive or other
storage medium before overwriting those files (which is part of the procedure described
in Step 7). Touch screen files are the .cfxml and .tdx files contained in the
\CompactRealtime folder. If your organization has a backup system in place, these files
should be backed up using that system.

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7. Double-tap on My Device on the touch screen desktop. Remove any .cfxml and .tdx files
from the \CompactRealtime folder. Then copy the device files from the storage medium
to the drive from which the touch screen runs Compact HMI (this is typically the drive
from which the touch screen runs the SSi controller application). The destination folder
will be the \CompactRealtime folder on the destination drive. An example of this
procedure is depicted in Figure 60.

Figure 60 - Copying Device Files to CompactRealtime Folder

The Solution should now be ready.

Running the Compact HMI Solution

Once the designer has set up the Solution to be run on the touch screen, the designer restarts
the touch screen to load the SSi controller application. When started, each SSi controller touch
screen has a standard screen that will first be displayed. As explained in the “Use with
Compatible Touch Screens” section, if the touch screen is Compact HMI-aware and has
Compact HMI screens saved to the proper location on the storage card, a menu like the one
shown in Figure 61 will be displayed on the standard screen.

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Figure 61 - Compact HMI Menu on Example Screen

Selecting Compact HMI will cause the touch screen software to open the Compact HMI
application.

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Revision History

Rev. Description Date MCO #

New Initial release 10/22/2013 2127
A Added Modbus communications capabilities 4/30/2014 2137
as well as program menu changes; added
3.5” screen/Compact HMI wiring diagram
B Added Tag Usage section; replaced Compact 11/23/2015 2169
HMI Editor screen images as needed; added
connection options; added revised wiring
diagrams.

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Appendix 1: Software Best Practices

This appendix is intended to provide guidelines for setting up and using the Compact HMI
platform. SSi recommends observing these guidelines, as they have been found to enhance the
usability and functionality of the software.

When Configuring Connections and Tags in Compact HMI Editor

When configuring Connections and Tags, the following principles should be followed:
 Make sure that the Connection Type (DF1, ModbusRTU, or ModbusTCP) is configured
correctly, preferably before tags are added and named.
 Make sure that the Data Offsets are configured correctly. Remember that the Data
Offset must be set individually for each Tag.
 Make sure that the Connection Name is easily associated with the connection to the data
device.
 Make sure that each Tag Name allows for easy identification of a Tag’s register location.
However, avoid making a Tag Name so specific that it could create confusion. For
example, a tag name of “N7:1” would allow for easy identification of the Tag’s register
location (provided that the Data Offset and Address Offset are configured correctly). On
the other hand, a tag name of “Motor A On” could create confusion if the Data Offset
does not align with the correct register.

Relevant Section: “Tags (Tag Management)”, page 12

Backing Up Touch Screen Files (.cfxml and .tdx)

SSi recommends that you back up touch screen files onto a USB drive or other storage medium.
Touch screen files are the .cfxml and .tdx files contained in the \CompactRealtime folder. If your
organization has a backup system in place, these files should be backed up using that system.

Relevant Sections: “Exporting for the Touch Screen,” page 35; “Interacting with the Touch
Screen,” page 36

When Saving Multiple Solutions

When creating multiple Solutions, it is important to maintain a meaningful sub-folder hierarchy.

This hierarchy will assist with differentiating between multiple Solutions, as well as prevent
errant Panels from being transferred to the touch screen. The following suggestion will become
more apparent as you progress through this manual. As an example, let’s assume a Solution
has been created for FURNACE #1. The following hierarchy is recommended:

C:
SSi:
Bin:
CompactHMI:
FURNACE #1

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In the above example, the User must create the FURNACE #1 sub-folder. The Solution files will
be saved in that folder and include the .cresln, .tdx and .xml files.

Relevant Section: “Using the Main Menu”  “File,” page 36

Backing Up Development Files

SSi recommends that you back up development files onto a USB drive or other storage medium.
If your organization has a backup system in place, these files should be backed up using that
system.

Relevant Section: “Using the Main Menu”  “File,” page 36

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Appendix 2: Font Measurement Units

The following are font measurement units used in determining how fonts are sized.

Unit Type Description

World Specifies the world coordinate system unit as the unit of measure.
Pixel Specifies a device pixel as the unit of measure.
Point Specifies a printer's point (1/72 inch) as the unit of measure.
Inch Specifies the inch as the unit of measure.
Document Specifies the document unit (1/300 inch) as the unit of measure.
Millimeter Specifies the millimeter as the unit of measure.

Source: Microsoft Developer Network.

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Appendix 3: Typical Wiring Diagrams

This appendix contains typical wiring diagrams for Compact HMI-configured touch screens in the 3.5”, 5.7”, 12.1”, 15”, and 17” sizes that are
connected to a compatible data device and 9000 Series controller. Different touch screens may require different connection methods based
on their configuration. Call SSi at (513) 772-0060 with any questions.

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3.5” Touch Screen

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5.7” Touch Screen

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12.1” Touch Screen

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15” Touch Screen

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17” Touch Screen

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