JP2008033572A - Screen generating apparatus, screen generating program and recording medium for recording this program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simulate operation for showing an image displayed by a host computer on a screen displayed on a programmable display. <P>SOLUTION: An screen editor 3 in an editor computer 3 has not only an screen generating part 311 generating the screen but also a simulation part 312 and a VNC client part 314. The simulation part 312 simulates display of screen data read out of a project file of a storage device 33. The VNC client part 314 enables a VNC server part 43 to start an application program of an application part 44 by receiving instruction of the simulation part 312 in simulation operation of the simulation part 312. The VNC client part 314 displays an image displayed at this time on the screen of displaying simulation by acquiring the image from the VNC server part 43. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a screen creation device and a screen creation program having a function of simulating the operation of a user screen displayed on a programmable display.

  The programmable display has an interface with the host controller (PLC, inverter, temperature controller, etc.), and displays the operating status of the devices connected to the host controller and gives control instructions to the devices. It is an operation type display device having a function of receiving input from a screen. In general, since the programmable display has a graphic display function, it can display an operation panel, a switch, an indicator lamp, and the like, and serves as an operation terminal in the control system.

  The screen displayed on such a programmable display can be created by the user by using a computer (editor computer) in which screen creation software (screen editor) is installed, according to the specifications of the control system. When creating a screen, a user configures a desired screen using an object such as a component provided by the screen editor in the editor computer, a drawing function, and the like.

  The above parts are images representing switches, numeric keys, meter displays, graph displays, etc., and are prepared in advance in a screen editor in a library format so that they can be combined and handled as actual parts. In addition, the above-described component is used in combination with an image representing the component and setting data for expressing the dynamic change of the image at a designated position on the screen. The setting data is stored in the memory of the programmable display as part of the screen data.

  The created screen is transferred to the programmable display as a data format that can be decoded by the programmable display as screen data. When the host controller is in operation, output components such as a meter display on the screen displayed on the display unit of the programmable display dynamically change according to the state of the device connected to the host controller. Further, an input operation on the screen to an input component such as a switch is given to the device as a control instruction.

  In addition, the created screen is usually completed by being modified or changed by debugging in order to operate correctly as originally designed before being transferred to the programmable display. In order to perform such debugging, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, in the editor computer, the display operation is simulated so that the screen is displayed on the programmable display device, and the display operation of the screen is defective. Check if it is.

  In the simulation method disclosed in Patent Document 1, the PLC input / output data set by the user is accumulated in a database in time series together with the created screen, and the PLC is actually operated by reproducing it. The change of the parts constituting the screen is simulated in substantially the same manner as the screen displayed on the programmable display. Thereby, the display state of the screen can be simulated on the editor computer in the same state as the PLC is actually operating without operating the PLC.

  In recent years, attempts have been made to apply a remote computer remote operation function that is widely used in general personal computers to the field of FA (Factory Automation). The remote computer remote operation function is a function that allows the server computer to be operated in the same manner as a client computer operates its own computer.

  For example, in Patent Document 2, a VNC (Virtual Network Computing) server provided in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus supplies a maintenance screen to a control computer, and a screen received by a VNC viewer of the control computer is displayed on a browser maintenance screen. Are listed.

Therefore, introduction of a remote computer remote control function into the programmable display is also conceivable. For example, it is conceivable to open and display a PDF file normally displayed on a personal computer and various application files on a screen displayed on a programmable display. Thus, it is desirable to use the resources of the personal computer with a programmable display. If this is realized, for example, by preparing a PDF file of guidance showing the operation procedure of the screen in the server computer and operating the programmable display device with the client computer, by operating the server computer from the programmable display device The PDF file of guidance can be displayed on a programmable display.
JP 2001-282326 A (published on October 12, 2001) JP 2003-282387 A (released on October 3, 2001)

  However, in the method of simulating the screen display described in Patent Document 1, it is not assumed that the programmable display has the remote computer remote operation function as described above. For this reason, when simulating screen display, it is not possible to simulate the operation of displaying an image displayed on the server computer on the screen.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to simulate the display of a screen having a function of outputting a file managed by a server computer in a state displayed on a programmable display.

  A programmable display device according to the present invention is a screen creation device for creating a screen displayed by a programmable display device. In order to solve the above problems, a simulation means for simulating the display operation of the screen, and a simulation by the simulation means Image sharing means for sharing an image with the host computer by acquiring an image displayed on the host computer via a network during execution of the image, and displaying the image as a shared image in the screen It is characterized by having.

  In the above configuration, when the screen display operation is simulated by the simulation unit, the image displayed on the host computer is acquired by the image sharing unit via the network. As a result, the image is shared between the screen creation device and the host computer, and the image is displayed as a shared image in the simulated screen.

  As described above, when the display of the screen is simulated by the image creating apparatus, the display of the image displayed by being incorporated in the simulated screen can also be simulated.

  In the screen creation device, the image sharing means communicates with the host computer based on acquisition procedure information indicating a procedure for acquiring the shared image set on the screen. It is preferable that the shared image is acquired from the host computer by operation. Thereby, the acquisition procedure information set in advance on the screen by the image sharing means (information indicating the location of the file for displaying the image, information on the operation procedure until reaching the location of the file, etc.) By operating the host computer based on the above, a desired image can be easily obtained from the host computer.

  In the screen creation device, it is preferable that the simulation unit sets the acquisition procedure information in the screen based on a procedure in which a user operates the host computer from the screen creation device. As a result, the acquisition procedure information is set on the screen by the actual operation performed by the user, so that the input operation by the user for setting the acquisition procedure information on the screen can be omitted, and the setting of the acquisition procedure information is simplified. Can be done automatically.

  The screen creation program of the present invention is a program for operating any one of the screen creation devices, and causes a computer to function as each means. The screen creation program is provided by being recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. As a result, the above function can be realized when simulating the display operation of the screen in which the function of outputting the file information managed by the server computer is incorporated.

  As described above, the screen creation apparatus according to the present invention includes the simulation unit and the image sharing unit. Therefore, when the screen display operation is simulated, the image displayed by the host computer is incorporated. The displayed operation can also be simulated. Therefore, there is an effect that it is possible to facilitate debugging of a screen using such a function of remotely operating the host computer.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 as follows.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the control system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a programmable display 2, an editor computer 3, a server computer 4, a network 5, a PLC 6, and a target system 7.

  The programmable display 2 is connected to a client computer 3 and a server computer 4 via a network 5. The network 5 is a communication network including a local area network (LAN) including the Ethernet (registered trademark) that can perform communication using a common communication protocol (common communication protocol) and the Internet.

  In accordance with a sequence program (such as a ladder program) created by the user, the PLC 6 captures the state of the input device 8 via the input unit and outputs it at every predetermined scan time such as several tens of ms. A control instruction is given to the device 8 for use.

  As the input device 8, devices such as sensors (temperature sensors, optical sensors, etc.) and switches (push button switches, limit switches, pressure switches, etc.) are used. As the output device 8, an actuator, a relay, a solenoid valve, a display, or the like is used. These devices 8 are arranged in required parts of various target systems 7 such as a production line and constitute a part of the control system 1.

  The device 8 may be a specific area in a data memory (not shown) for storing data manually input from an input device such as the touch panel 26 described later. The device 8 may be a specific area in the memory in the PLC 6.

  The memory (device memory) in the PLC 6 stores data (word data or bit data) indicating the state of the device 8 (output value from the device 8 or set value to the device 8) in an area specified by the device address. is doing. In the memory, a word device and a bit device are set. The word device is set as an area for storing word data such as numeric values as input / output data, and is designated by a word address (device address). The bit device is set as an area for storing bit data such as an on / off state, and is set by a bit address (device address). With such a setting, the device 8 can be controlled simply by accessing an arbitrary word device or bit device in the memory by designating the device address, or information regarding the state can be individually taken out.

  In the following description, the device address is appropriately referred to as an address.

  The programmable display 2 is provided with an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU, and is a dedicated computer that realizes an operation function and a display function unique to the programmable display by displaying input operation and display screen data created by the user. is there. The programmable display 2 that is preferably used as the HMI device of the control system 1 is an operation for displaying the state of the device 8 on the screen based on the screen data determined by combining processing definition information (tag) described later. The operation for controlling the state of the device 8 according to the operation on the screen is specified.

  This programmable display 2 acquires the state of each device 8 that displays the state on the display screen via the PLC 6 by communicating with the PLC 6 via the serial cable 9. For example, the programmable display 2 displays the state of each device 8 on the display 25 described later. It has a function to display the status. The programmable display 2 has a function of instructing the device 8 to control the state of the device in response to an operation on the touch panel 26 described later.

  The acquisition / change of the state of the device 8 may be instructed each time, or a temporary memory space is prepared in the programmable display 2, and when acquiring / changing, the memory space is accessed and a predetermined It is also possible to communicate with the PLC 5 at every time interval or every predetermined event to synchronize with the entity to which each address is assigned.

  In order to realize the above functions, the programmable display 2 includes an HMI control unit 21, a data memory 22, a work memory 23, a display 25, a touch panel 26, and an interface unit (I / F in the figure) 26. , 27. Hereinafter, each main part of the programmable display device 2 will be described in detail.

  The VRAM 24 stores the image of the screen data called from the project file in the data memory 22 as dot data in the order of display in the horizontal direction in order to display on the display 25. The display 25 is preferably a flat display such as a liquid crystal display, an EL display, or a plasma display in order to configure the programmable display 2 to be thin. The touch panel 26 is an input device provided for performing touch input on the display screen of the display 25.

  The interface unit 27 is a communication control unit for the programmable display device 2 to communicate with the editor computer 3 and the server computer 4, and is connected to the network 5. The interface unit 27 is configured to perform network communication based on the IP addresses of the client computer 3 and the server computer 4.

  On the other hand, the interface unit 28 is a communication control unit for the programmable display 2 to perform serial communication with the PLC 6, and each is connected by a serial cable 9. Further, the interface unit 28 includes the same number of communication ports as the number of connectable PLCs 6 so that a plurality of PLCs 6 can be connected. Here, the correspondence relationship between the manufacturer and model name of the PLC 6 and the communication port to which the PLC 6 is connected is set in advance as connected device data by the user. In addition, the PLC 6 is assigned a connected device name such as PLC-A, PLC-B, PLC-C,... According to the communication port to be connected, and this connected device name is also added to the connected device data. included. The reading / writing of the data with respect to the bit device or word device of PLC6 as described above is performed by designating the connected device name together with the address.

  The interface unit 28 performs communication using a communication protocol corresponding to the manufacturer and model of the PLC 6 based on the connected device data. The connected device data and the communication protocol are stored in, for example, a data memory 22 described below.

  The data memory 22 is a memory for storing data such as a project file and the above communication protocol, and FEPROM (Flash Erasable and Programmable ROM) is used. Since FEPROM is a rewritable read-only flash memory, it plays the role of a hard disk drive in a general personal computer. A flash memory does not have a movable part and is resistant to impacts, and thus operates stably even in a poor ambient environment.

  The project file is a screen file in which data of one or more user screens (unit screens configured by screen data for one frame) displayed on the programmable display 2 are collected. The project file is usually composed of a series of a plurality of related screen data corresponding to the target system 7 or a product manufactured by the target system 7. This project file is stored in a different file format (file format readable by the HMI control unit 21) from a project file created by a screen editor, which is screen creation software.

  The programmable display device 2 selects one screen data based on a unique screen number assigned to each screen number from the project file, and displays a user screen based on the screen data.

  The screen data includes a base screen to be displayed on the display 25, component data, processing definition information to be described later assigned to each component, and the like. This screen data includes a graphic data part and an address data part. The graphic data part stores graphic data and selected parts for the mark created by the user, and the address data part corresponds to the graphic data part, and the address and address for the input mark or part are input. The comment corresponding to is stored. Specifically, each mark or part in the graphic data portion is associated with a corresponding comment and address in the address data portion.

  Comments include event names such as the operating state (start, stop, etc.) of the device 8, codes corresponding to the device 8 such as SW and lamp corresponding to the switch, LAMP, operation instructions, and control targets The physical quantity that becomes. Comments can also be handled as variables. The comment defined in this way is associated with a desired device address corresponding to the device 8 in advance.

  The screen data includes process definition information (tag) that defines various processes performed in relation to the user screen. This processing specification information is created for each event to be executed on the base screen. Basically, the file number (screen number) of the base screen on which the display processing is to be executed and the base screen are executed. An event name for specifying the operation content to be performed and reference information including one or a plurality of data referred to for each execution event are provided as a set.

  In the programmable display device 2 according to the present embodiment, as the above-described tag, a display tag indicating the correspondence between the region (display range) on the base screen and the device address of the device corresponding to the display in the region, and the screen A touch input tag indicating the correspondence between an area (input range) and an address corresponding to a touch input to the area is defined. Furthermore, in this embodiment, each tag can be associated with at least one of a plurality of user screens.

  Further, the screen data includes display area data such as coordinates for defining an area (VNC display area) for displaying the image data acquired from the VNC server unit 43, and an area for acquiring the image data displayed in the VNC display area. The area specification data for specifying is included. The screen data includes a trigger condition (trigger condition) for displaying an image of the image data in the VNC display area, and a parameter for specifying a data file for displaying the image to be displayed in the VNC display area. Etc. Examples of the trigger condition include touch of a predetermined button on the user screen, change of bit data of a predetermined bit address of the PLC, and the like. Examples of the parameter include a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating the location of the file in the server computer 4 and a path.

  The work memory 23 is composed of, for example, a DRAM, and is used for temporary storage of data exchanged with the PLC 6 in addition to being used for work during arithmetic processing such as display control. In particular, the DRAM has a state memory area for exchanging the state of the device 8 (the contents of the device address) stored in the memory of the PLC 6 with the memory of the PLC 6.

  The HMI control unit 21 is a functional block realized by causing an arithmetic processing means such as a CPU provided in the programmable display 2 to execute the HMI control program. The above-mentioned HMI control program can be recorded on a recording medium configured to be separable from the programmable display 2 and may be installed in the programmable display 2 from the recording medium. The HMI control program is individually prepared for each model in order to exhibit a function corresponding to the model of the programmable display device 2.

  The above recording media include tape systems such as magnetic tapes and cassette tapes, magnetic disk systems such as flexible disks and hard disks, optical disk systems such as CD-ROM, MO, MD, and DVD, IC cards (including memory cards), optical A card system such as a card is preferred. In addition, the program medium may be a medium that carries a fixed program including a semiconductor memory such as a mask ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash ROM, or the like.

  Further, if the control system 1 is configured to be connectable to a communication network including the Internet, it may be a medium that carries the program in a fluid manner so as to download the program from the communication network. However, when the program is downloaded from the communication network in this way, the download program may be stored in advance in the programmable display 2 or may be installed from another recording medium.

  The HMI control unit 21 performs central control operations of the HMI function, such as display control of a user screen, control of an input operation via the user screen, and control of communication with a connected device such as the PLC 6. The HMI control unit 21 includes a VNC (Virtual Network Computing) client unit 211, a display processing unit 212, and an input processing unit 213.

  The VNC client unit 211 is communicably connected to the server computer 4 and communicates with a VNC server unit 41 (to be described later) of the server computer 4 to request an operation right from the VNC server unit 43 or from the VNC server unit 43. The acquired image data is transferred to the display processing unit 212 or the trigger condition from the input processing unit 213 is transmitted to the VNC server unit 43. The VNC client unit 31 has the above VNC client function in order to perform the above processing. The programmable display device 2 functions as a remote access client that remotely operates the server computer 4 by including the VNC client unit 31 described above.

  The display processing unit 212 is a display execution program (runtime) that performs processing to acquire the state of the device 8 and display it on the user screen. The display processing unit 212 reads necessary information among the state information indicated by the bit device or the word device set in the memory in the PLC 6 into the work memory 23 in a timely manner, and repeatedly reads the display tag. Then, the part of the expression format designated by the display tag is displayed on the display 25 in a designated area on the screen in a form corresponding to the read value. As a result, a display operation that changes in accordance with a change in the state of the bit device or the word device is executed, and the state of the device 8 acquired from the PLC 6 is reflected in the display state of the component on the user screen.

  The display processing unit 212 displays the image data from the VNC server unit 43 received by the VNC client unit 211 in the above-described VNC display area provided in the screen data.

  The input processing unit 213 performs processing for giving a control instruction to the device 8 by input (touch input or numerical input) via the touch panel 26 on the user screen. The input processing unit 213 repeatedly reads out the above-described input tag and specifies a range (an effective input coordinate range in which the input is valid) for specifying an input position in a predetermined area of the user screen included in the reference information in the input tag. ), And the operation specified by the event name specifying the operation of the touch panel 26 (numerical value input operation, ON / OFF operation, etc.) is set as a bit device or word device in the memory in the PLC 6. For example, in the case of a numerical input operation, numerical data or the like is written as a control instruction to the word device, and in the case of an ON / OFF operation, a new bit state is written as a control instruction to the bit device. Thereby, in the PLC 6, the set control instruction is executed as the above-described operation, and the state of the device 8 changes.

  Further, the input processing unit 213 passes the above-described trigger condition for acquiring a desired file from the server computer 4 to the VNC client unit 211.

  Next, the editor computer 3 will be described. The editor computer 3 has a CPU, a memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), an external storage device (hard disk drive, MO drive, etc.), a display device and an input device (keyboard, mouse, etc.) as in a general-purpose personal computer. ing. The editor computer 3 includes a screen editor 31, an interface unit (I / F in the figure) 32, a storage device 33, and a video memory 34.

  The screen editor 31 includes a screen creation unit 311, a simulation unit 312, an event control unit 313, and a VNC client unit 314.

  The interface unit 32 is connected to the common network 5 in order to communicate with the programmable display 2 and the server computer 4.

  The screen editor 31 is a functional block realized by a computer constituting the editor computer 3 executing an application program (screen creation program). This screen creation program is a program recorded on a recording medium configured to be separable from the editor computer 3, and can be installed in the editor computer 3 from this storage medium. This recording medium is a computer-readable recording medium similar to the recording medium on which the aforementioned HMI control program is recorded. The editor computer 3 functions as a screen creation device by including the screen editor 31.

  The screen creation unit 311 is a basic part having screen creation / editing functions in the screen editor 31. In order to realize this function, the screen creation unit 311 can create a user screen, which is a user's own screen, such as a switch, a lamp, a numeric keypad, various displays (for example, a numerical display, a meter display, and a graph display). Etc.), various tag setting functions, drawing functions, text input functions, and the like. As components, not only components having a single function but also components having a plurality of functions such as a composite switch, a counter, and a timer are prepared. The components are registered in a library format so that the user can easily select them, and input tags, display tags, and the like corresponding to the functions of the components are assigned in advance. The screen creation unit 311 can create a customized component by adding a tag to a graphic created by the user using the tag setting function.

  In addition, the screen creation unit 311 determines the range designated on the base screen by the user's mouse operation or the like as the above-mentioned VNC display region, and causes the screen data to have display region data such as coordinates determined thereby. The screen creation unit 311 also causes the screen data to have the above-described trigger conditions and parameters set by the user.

  When creating a user screen using such a screen editor 31, a project file is created in advance. Then, on the base screen that is expanded in a screen editing window (not shown) that is opened by designating the project file, the user designates the placement position of the parts in accordance with a predetermined operation procedure, so that the base screen is displayed. Parts are arranged. The created screen data of each unit screen is stored in the storage device 33 with a unique screen number assigned as the screen of the designated project file.

  The simulation unit 312 is a functional part that performs a screen display simulation as described in Patent Document 1 described above, and is incorporated in the screen editor 31. The simulation unit 312 develops the user screen read from the project file in the storage device 33 in the video memory 34 and simulates the display operation of the user screen based on the simulation data stored in the storage device 33 in advance. The simulation unit 312 has a display processing function equivalent to the display processing unit 212 of the programmable display device 2 in order to perform display processing of screen data.

  The simulation data includes the screen number of the user screen created by the screen creation unit 311, the object (parts etc.) on the user screen, the device address, and the input / output data of the PLC 3 set by the user or the operation on the screen The contents (such as touch operation of the bit switch) are combined to form a record, and the records are registered in the folder provided for the programmable display 2 provided in the storage device 33 in the order in which the records are generated.

  The simulation data includes the above-described display area data, area designation data, trigger conditions, parameters, and the like. These are also stored in the storage device 33 as elements forming the above record.

  The simulation data may be provided for a plurality of other programmable displays (not shown). As the folder name in this case, for example, an appropriate name such as a station name of the programmable display 2, for example, “Node A” for the A station or a model name of the programmable display 2 is used.

  The simulation unit 312 searches for a record in a later-described folder designated by the user and, based on the screen number of the user screen to be displayed based on the obtained record, the application data of the screen editor 31 from the project file in the storage device 33. Read (load) the screen data. Further, the simulation unit 312 reads the screen data and rewrites the device address data included in the record read from the simulation data to the input / output data, thereby changing the display state of the object on the user screen to the rewritten input / output data. Change accordingly.

  Further, the simulation unit 312 represents that display control by the VNC client unit 314 is performed when a user screen in which a VNC display area is set is opened when the above-described trigger condition is satisfied during execution of the simulation operation. A display event is generated, and display control in the VNC display area is passed to the VNC client unit 314.

  Further, the simulation unit 312 is an operation in which the user actually accesses the VNC server unit 43 from the VNC client unit 314 using the remote computer remote operation function while the VNC client unit 314 and the VNC server unit 43 are activated. An access procedure (acquisition procedure information) to a desired file indicated by performing the above may be set as setting information (parameter) on the user screen. Thereby, since the screen creation unit 311 sets the parameters, it is possible to save the user from inputting the access procedure, and to avoid erroneous input.

  The event control unit 313 is activated upon receiving the display event generated by the simulation unit 312 and adds simulation data for VNC display such as the display region data, parameters, and region designation data to the display event. It is passed to the VNC client unit 314.

  The VNC client unit 314 has a VNC client function in order to realize the same function as the VNC client unit 211 described above. When the VNC client unit 314 receives a display event from the event control unit 313, the VNC client unit 314 performs display processing on the VNC display area based on display area data, parameters, and the like added to the display event. Specifically, the VNC client unit 314 sends the IP address, account name, and password of the editor computer 3 to request access (connection) to the server computer 4, and obtains image data such as area designation data and parameters. The display event to which the necessary data is added is transmitted to the server computer 4.

  When an access request is received by the server computer 4, the VNC client unit 314 communicates with the server computer 4 via the network 5 using the VNC protocol. Further, the VNC client unit 314 acquires image data in a state in which the file specified by the parameter is opened in the server computer 4 through the VNC server unit 43 and develops the image data in the video memory 34, which is shown in the display area data on the user screen. The image is displayed in the VNC display area.

  Subsequently, the server computer 4 will be described. Similarly to the editor computer 3, the server computer 4 has a general-purpose personal computer configuration, and includes a CPU, memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), external storage device (hard disk drive, MO drive, etc.), display device and input device (keyboard, Mouse). The server computer 4 also includes an interface unit (I / F in the figure) 41, an event control unit 42, a VNC server unit 43, an application unit 44, a storage device 45, a display processing unit 46, and a video memory 47. .

  The event control unit 42, the VNC server unit 43, and the display processing unit 46 can be recorded on a recording medium configured to be separable from the server computer 4, and can be installed in the server computer 4 from this storage medium. This recording medium is a computer-readable recording medium similar to the recording medium on which the aforementioned HMI control program is recorded. The display processing unit 46 may be a function realized by the OS (operating system) of the server computer 4.

  The interface unit 41 is connected to the common network 5 in order to communicate with the programmable display 2 and the editor computer 3.

  The event control unit 42 is activated in response to a display event from the VNC client unit 314, and passes the display event and the IP address, account name, and password from the VNC client unit 314 to the VNC server unit 43. Further, the event control unit 42 receives the image data from the VNC server unit 43 and passes it to the VNC client unit 314.

  In response to the display event from the event control unit 42, the VNC server unit 43 activates and operates an application program designated by the application unit 44. Also, the VNC server unit 43, in response to a request for transmission of image data from the VNC client units 314 and 211, converts the image data of the area designated by the area designation data among the currently displayed images into the video memory 47. Are transmitted to the VNC client units 211 and 314.

  The application unit 44 includes various application programs that are activated and operated by the VNC server unit 43. As these application programs, for example, a viewer that displays PDF files and various data files, a browser that displays HTML files (data files) stored in a Web server, and the like are prepared. The application program reads the data file specified by the above parameters from the storage device 45 or another server (such as a Web server) and opens (displays) the data file.

  The display processing unit 46 develops the image in the video memory 47 in order to display the file opened by the application program started by the VNC server unit 43.

  Here, the simulation operation of the user screen in the control system 1 configured as described above will be described.

  First, the simulation unit 312 of the screen editor 31 is activated. When the user designates a desired user screen by a screen number or the like, the simulation unit 312 reads the screen data of the user screen from the project file in the storage device 33 and develops the screen data in the video memory 34. In this state, the simulation unit 312 reads the simulation data into a work memory (not shown), and displays the object display state in the screen data in the video memory 34 based on the input / output data included in the simulation data and the operation content on the screen. To change. Thereby, a display processing operation substantially equivalent to the display processing operation performed by the display processing unit 212 of the programmable display device 2 is realized in the editor computer 3.

  Further, when the simulation operation is executed, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a user screen 101 having a VNC display area 101a is opened, and a switch operation on the user screen 101, a change in bit data of a bit device, and the like. When the trigger condition is satisfied, the simulation unit 213 performs VNC display processing. At this time, the simulation unit 312 generates a display event when the above trigger condition is satisfied. As a result, display control in the VNC display area 101 a is transferred to the VNC client unit 314.

  When the VNC client unit 314 receives a display event via the event control unit 313, the VNC client unit 314 transmits the display event to the server computer 4 to request access. In the server computer 4, when the VNC server unit 43 is notified that the display event is received from the VNC client unit 314 from the event control unit 43, the VNC server unit 43 connects based on the IP address, account name, and password added to the display event. Allow.

  On the other hand, the VNC client unit 314 communicates with the VNC server unit 43 of the server computer 4 via the network 5 using the VNC protocol, and requests the VNC server unit 43 for image data of a file to be displayed in the VNC display area. In response to the request, the VNC server unit 43 activates and operates the application program designated in the application unit 44. The activated application program is read from the storage device 44 or another server so as to display an image of the data file specified by the parameter.

  When the data file is opened by the application program, the display processing unit 46 expands the image data of the file in the video memory 47. The VNC server 43 transmits the image data expanded in the video memory 47 to the VNC client unit 314. When acquiring the image data, the VNC client unit 314 develops the image data in the video memory 34 and displays the image data in the VNC display area. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the image of the file opened by the server computer 4 is displayed in the VNC display area 101a. In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, a text of a PDF file indicating the operation procedure of the user screen 101 is displayed.

  As a result of the above simulation, the screen data is debugged as necessary, and the screen data is completed. This screen data is transferred as a project file from the editor computer 3 to the programmable display 2 and stored in the data memory 22.

  When displaying a user screen including a VNC display area on the programmable display device 2, the VNC client unit 211 operates in the same manner as the VNC client unit 313, and the display processing unit 212 operates in the same manner as the simulation unit 312. Thereby, the resource of the server computer 4 can be incorporated and displayed on the user screen displayed on the programmable display 2 using the remote computer remote operation function.

  As described above, in the control system 1 according to the present embodiment, the screen editor 31 includes the simulation unit 312 and the VNC client unit 314. As a result, when the function of displaying the image of the file managed by the server computer 4 is incorporated when simulating the display of the screen data, the VNC client unit 314 provides the VNC server unit to realize the function. The server computer 4 is pseudo-operated by communicating with 43 to obtain a display image of a desired data file, and the editor computer 3 displays the display image. Specifically, the image data in the VNC display area is acquired from the VNC server unit 43 and displayed to open the file stored in the server computer 4 in the programmable display 2 on the displayed screen. Can be simulated in the editor computer 3.

  As a result, not only a normal user screen simulation but also a complex operation of calling a resource image of the server computer 4 by a touch operation or the like on the user screen can be simulated. In addition, since the editor computer 3 as a screen development environment can provide a debugging evaluation environment including VNC display, the editor computer 3 can manage user screens as application data.

  In the present embodiment, the editor computer 3 and the server computer 4 are configured by independent computers and are configured to communicate via the network 5, but the functions provided in the computers 3 and 4 are provided. You may comprise in the same computer.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope shown in the claims. That is, embodiments obtained by combining technical means appropriately changed within the scope of the claims are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  The screen creation device of the present invention is a computer that creates a screen by simulating the screen when a resource image of a computer connected to a network is incorporated into a screen displayed on a programmable display using a remote desktop function. Therefore, it can be suitably used for a control system for displaying the above screen on a programmable display.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the control system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the user screen displayed by simulation in the editor computer of the said control system. It is a figure which shows the user screen in which the image of the file of the server computer displayed by simulation in the editor computer of the said control system was integrated.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control system 2 Programmable display 3 Editor computer (screen creation apparatus)
4 server computer 5 network 21 HMI control unit 31 screen editor 33 storage device 34 video memory 43 VNC server unit 44 storage device 45 display processing unit 46 video memory 211 VNC client unit 212 display processing unit 213 input processing unit 311 screen creation unit 312 simulation Part (simulation means)
313 VNC client part (client means)

Claims (5)

In the screen creation device that creates the screen displayed by the programmable display,
Simulation means for simulating the display operation of the screen;
During execution of simulation by the simulation means, an image displayed on the host computer is acquired via a network, so that the image is shared with the host computer and the image is displayed as a shared image in the screen. And a screen creation device.   The image sharing means communicates with the host computer and operates the host computer based on acquisition procedure information indicating a procedure for acquiring the shared image set on the screen, thereby operating the host computer. The screen creation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a shared image is acquired from the host computer.   The screen creation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the simulation unit sets the acquisition procedure information in the screen based on a procedure in which a user operates the host computer from the screen creation apparatus.   A screen creation program for causing a computer that realizes the screen creation device according to claim 1 to function as each means.   The computer-readable recording medium which recorded the screen creation program of Claim 4.

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