Graphical Panel

Overview

Graphical Panel tool is used for designing use cases and test scenarios graphically.
User can visualize and modify Signals and Global Variables using a set of Toolbox Items.
User can trigger Messages and Scripts with Transmit Button.

Panel Root Form it is the design surface where user can drag and drop toolbox items.
Panel Operations user can respectively run panel, save panel, undo last changes, redo undone changes, cut, copy, paste and delete toolbox item(s).
Panel Properties user can rename the panel or select an adapter on which the panel will be listening.
Toolbox Items List the list of supported toolbox items.
Toolbox Item Properties contains the properties of the selected toolbox item (or panel root form if none is selected).

Common Properties

Name

Indicates the name used to identify the toolbox item, it should be unique within the panel.

Locked

Determines if the toolbox item can be moved or resized with mouse.

Location

Sets the toolbox item's coordinates within the panel.

Size

Sets the size of the toolbox item in pixels.

Linked Symbol

Sets the Symbol linked to the toolbox item, could be a Signal, a Global Variable, an MQTT Topic, a Message or a Script.

Direction

Indicates whether the toolbox item is in read-only mode (Rx) or read/write mode (Tx).

ValueType

Specifies whether the physical value or raw data should be displayed. It has an effect only on Signal Symbols.

Note

Each toolbox item support specific Symbol types.

Toolbox Items

The toolbox contains different set of tools:

Pointer

The pointer is a passive toolbox item, it is useful when user need to deselect an already selected toolbox.
Supported Symbols: None.

Input/Output Box

When linked to a Symbol, it will display the Symbol name and its value.
Supported Symbols: Signal, Global Variable and MQTT Topic.

Transmit Button

Transmit Button is used to trigger its linked Symbol when clicked.
Supported Symbols: Script and Message.

Checkbox

It will show checked status when the current value of the linked Symbol is equal to the checkbox's "Switch Value 'Checked'" property.
It will show unchecked status when the current value of the linked Symbol is equal to the checkbox's "Switch Value 'Unchecked'" property.
Otherwise it will show undetermined status.
Supported Symbols: Signal, Global Variable and MQTT Topic.

Radio Button

It will show checked status if the current value of the linked Symbol is equal to the radio button's "Switch Value" property.
Otherwise it will show unchecked status.
Supported Symbols: Signal, Global Variable and MQTT Topic.

Combo Box

It will contain the list of the linked Symbol's interpretations and show the interpretation equal to the Symbol's current value.
Supported Symbols: Signal and MQTT Topic.

Grid

The grid contains a list of Symbols, each row contains one Symbol with its value and the corresponding interpretation.
Supported Symbols: Signal, Global Variable and MQTT Topic.

Note

If the Symbol's current value does not have interpretation, it will show the Symbol's value under the interpretation column.

Signal Viewer

The chart contains a list of Symbols, Symbol's values will be drawn with the color displayed in the legend.
Supported Symbols: Signal, Global Variable and MQTT Topic.

Note

Signal Viewer will display the numeric values received in the last N seconds with N = History Duration.

Numeric Up/Down

It will display its linked Symbol's numeric value.
Supported Symbols: Signal, Global Variable and MQTT Topic.

Switch Indicator

It will show On status if the current value of the linked Symbol is equal to the switch indicator's "Switch Value" property.
Otherwise it will show Off status.
Supported Symbols: Signal, Global Variable and MQTT Topic.

Static Text

It will simply display the value of its "Text" property.
Supported Symbols: None.

Track Bar

It will display its linked Symbol's numeric value.
Supported Symbols: Signal, Global Variable and MQTT Topic.

Progress Bar

It will display its linked Symbol's numeric value.
Supported Symbols: Signal, Global Variable and MQTT Topic.

Analog Gauge

It will display its linked Symbol's numeric value.
Supported Symbols: Signal, Global Variable and MQTT Topic.

Led Control

It will show Green Light if the current value of the linked Symbol is equal to the led control's "Switch Value" property.
Otherwise it will show Red Light.
Supported Symbols: Signal, Global Variable and MQTT Topic.

Path Dialog

It will show its linked Symbol's value.
Supported Symbols: Global Variable.

Picture Box

Picture Box has an images list, each image is linked to a value.
The picture box will display the image linked to the current value of the linked symbol.
If no image linked to the current value, the default image will display.
If default image is not defined, picture box will display "No image linked to the current value".
Supported Symbols: Signal, Global Variable and MQTT Topic.

Settings

Default Image: Specifies the path of the image that will be displayed if there is no image linked to the current value of the linked symbol.
Images: The list of images an their linked values.

SizeMode: Specifies the picture's size mode.

Signal Sources

When linked to a Signal, the toolbox item will read/write Signal's value via the source defined in the Link To property.
Signal Symbol can be linked to Channel, Messages or Nodes.
By default, Signal Symbol is linked to Channel.

Channel

When linked to Channel, the toolbox item updates its value based on the linked symbol value received from the adapter.

Messages

Messages mean the list of messages in the scripting environment.
When the Symbol is a Signal and the Signal's parent Message is present in Messages, the toolbox item's value changes once the Signal's value changed.

Nodes

Nodes mean Rest Bus Simulation Nodes list in the scripting environment.
When the Symbol is a Signal and the Signal's parent Node is present in Nodes, the toolbox item's value changes once the Signal's value changed.

How To

In this section, few examples are presented using different toolbox items to simulate various scenarios.

Link a Symbol to a toolbox item

The toolbox item can have a Signal or a Global Variable or an MQTT Topic as a Symbol.

Signal as a Linked Symbol

To link a Signal to a toolbox item:

Drag and drop the toolbox item on the panel surface.
Select Signal from the Symbol property's drop down list.
Select a Signal in the opened pop-up.
Select a source from the Link To property's drop down list.

Global Variable as a Linked Symbol

To link a Global Variable to a toolbox item:

Drag and drop the toolbox item on the panel surface.
Select Global Variable from the Symbol property's drop down list.
Select a Global Variable in the opened pop-up.

MQTT Topic as a Linked Symbol

To link an MQTT Topic to a toolbox item:

Drag and drop the toolbox item on the panel surface.
Select MQTT Topic from the Symbol property's drop down list.
Select an MQTT Topic in the opened pop-up.

Link Symbols to a Grid

Recipe

Grid.
Database.
Global Variable.
MQTT Node

Steps

Open the collection editor form the " Linked Symbols" property.
Add and configure Symbols.
Click "OK" button to confirm.

Not configured Symbols won't be added to the grid.

Visualize and update Linked Symbols

Recipe

2 Grids linked to the same Symbol.
Database.
Started RBS node with an activated Message (the Message containing the Signal in the grids).

Steps

In the first grid, change the source of the Signal Symbol to Nodes and the direction to Tx.
In the second grid, change only the source of the Signal Symbol to Nodes.
Run the panel.

The other toolbox items present the same behavior.
The second grid is updated by the changes made in the first grid.

Trigger a Script from a panel

Recipe

Transmit Button.
A Script.

Steps

Link a Script to the Transmit Button.
Run the panel.
Trigger the Script by clicking the button.

Note

When triggering a Script, Transmit Button will remain checked until the Script is stopped.