Hello All,

In our refinery we are making the painful migration to Experion from TDC 3000. We have new plants with new operators that already have Experion 301 but for our existing plants we are being very careful to return the functionality of the old TDC 3000 DCS that the "old" operators are already familiar with.

One of these is the Associated Display. In TDC 3000 once we click a point and press the ASSOC DISP key the Group Display for that point is shown on the screen. Honeywell's Experion engineers however are saying that cannot be done in Experion. Previously a script ran in all the native window graphics which said that once a point is highlighted and the ASSOC DISP is pressed then call the group display. so we believe that the same script needs to be written into the new HTML graphics which should allow ASSOC DISP to work. However we are not certain of the parameter name for this key in Experion. Any ideas anyone?

 

In the STB file (the button configuration file of your ES-T) the associated display button needs to be configured. You can check it via:

station > connection properties > toolbars tab > Customize > Keybord Shortcuts tab.

In our system F2 is the keyboard shortcut for associated display. If you double click it you can configure it:

Name: Associated Display
Action: Predefined Action
Predefined Action: Associated Display

You do have to start from the correct stb file or the associated display action might not be present. E.g. we started from the IKB_multiwindow.stb file as we have multiple windows and an IKB keyboard.

If the button is configured you can enter a display name in the assocdsp parameter of each point. When the point is selected (faceplate is active) and you press the associated display button the configured display is called.

In my opinion TPN connected Experion is a great world to be in. The system works great (as of release 300) and it has a lot more capabilities. Of course, these capabilities come with an increased complexity and having moved from TDC -> TPS -> Experion I know that there is a lot to learn. May I advise you to follow a few of the Honeywell courses?

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond Rudi. I really do appreciate it. However I believe that you may have misinterpreted the question a bit.

What we have noticed (and you may verify) is that the assocdsp parameter as offered in Control Builder only allows you to browse to a file location. (Now bear in mind that we are doing a migration so we do not yet have c300s nor control builder which is where this parameter may be easily configured for each point. We still have the LCN architecture "beneath" the Experion consoles complete with xPMs).

Also as I mentioned we already have a complete Experion system with C300 configured on another plant and in that system we have associated graphic displays to the points. We are well familiar with the STB file and setting Predefined Action etc. But that's not the problem.

The problem is that as far as we know group displays do not necessarily exist at a file location or in a directory as do graphics.

In TDC 3000 we were able to associate points to group displays by simply noting the group number and the location of the point in the group display. There was a script which ran every time ASSOC DISP key was pressed while a point was highlighted. The script took the group number and point position from each point and called up the pre-built group, highlighting the point location. Does anyone know how to reproduce that on Experion?

 

In our native window displays we have a target on the display which is configured (group number is set) in the target of the sub-picture that is clicked. Then, when this button is clicked the group display is called.

I didn't build this in HMI-WEB displays as groups where only used for trending. Now with ES-T's we use PHD or experion trends so they are no longer required. But, the same can easily be done.

On the LCN each point does have an $ASSOCDSP parameter but indeed it cannot be used to call-up groups for the reason you mention.

As every button can be configured using the STB file I cannot imagine one cannot start a script from it defining some action and command but at the moment this is out of my league.

I do see another work around however besides the button on each display. You could create (or extend your existing) context menu with a group item. When the operator right-clicks on an object the context menu pops up. If he clicks on the group item the group display is called. The group number for a point can be defined in several ways. You could use a parameter in the sub-picture which allows different groups the same point, you could also use a parameter on the point (that you offer for this function) or you could use a database that is searched from the context menu.

Note, right click is something the operator didn't have in native window and which can be put to good use. In our installation left click means I want to control, change set-points etc. right click means I want more information like we have interlock status, trend configuration, operating procedures etc. We've created our context menu using an active-X component but I think there are standard tools available which even make it easier.

I wish you success and please let me know if you have a solution.

 

Nessty,

In Experion you can select a point in a display, then press GROUP and it will take you to the group display. This is a built-in feature of Experion. There is no need for script as on TDC3000.

You can also reconfigure ASSOC DISP key to emulate a GROUP command.
If you need further details you can contact me at exlex4 a t gmail.com.

Regards,
exlex4

 

Hello Nessty,

I encountered the similar problem with you (when push one of the user define button on OEP Keyboard, configured sub-pictures will be showed up on TDC300. When push the button again, configured sub-pictures are invisible. But, in Experion system, how to use the same OEP button to trigger objects in HMIWeb?) May I know how did you resolve your problem?

 

Hi JoannaLee,

What exactly are the sub-pictures that you have coming up? If for example these are now HTML files in your Experion environment then you can easily configure these in your tool bar settings or STB files.

If you share a bit more we can all probably help you figure it out.

 

I haven't been on here a while but we eventually used that option as well as the right context menu option Rudi spoke about above, so thanks!