Memory Views and Data Views

[Mike Nash]

I have a few more questions regarding data views and memory views and how they are or are not stored with a project.

1) On a couple of computers that have a known issue with either opening or closing these views, I have found that if I open the .dmd file created on a computer that has no issues, the views are there in the buggy computer and work just fine (as long as I don't close them.) I do have all three files dmd creates on the "good" machine.

2) This leads to "what is saved with a project?" This preservation of memory views only seems to work if I just close the project with them open and open the project again by opening the file, not just connecting to the PLC and it finding the matching file for me.

3) If I Debug>Data View>Open a data view, the name in the title bar or tab, if it is docked, is the complete filename including the path. This pretty much leaves them all looking same-named if I don't have them open and really wide. Is there an easy way to rename them, even if it just while they are open in that session?

4) Will there be some way later to save memory views like data views? I can obviously save them in the roundabout fashion mentioned above.

5) Will we have a means of toggling those views off and on? I love the memory views, but I have to drag them out of my way to see the ladder, but can't drag them off screen entirely (with only one monitor that is). I would love to have a keystroke or icon or even menu selection for that. The title bar right click hide is a little too good as I still haven't found any of those again. I usually wouldn't need so many open and single columned at that, but for this job it has been super useful.

[franji1]

I split this out on a separate thread since it is a good discussion topic.

1. It should work.  HOWEVER, there are issues on a SLOW/OLD computer with MULTIPLE Memory Views open, especially with lots of other views open (lots of code-blocks, XRef, Status ON).  Memory Views are memory hogs (relatively speaking).

2. The Project file itself (.dmd) contains a lot of information.  Program, System Configuration, Element Documentation, Rung Comments, Memory Images, et. al.

The .WSP (workspace) file contains the general layout information for that project when it last closed.  This includes the window position, MDI views that were opened/position.  It also stores the CONTENTS of your Data Views and your Trend Views, along with the details of your Memory Views.

The .DLO (Designer Layout) file contains the detailed layout information for all the various dockable/floatable views, specifically, where/how they are docked and with what other dockable views they are grouped with.

3. We currently do not allow you to re-name the window title of a saved data view.  The general windows standard is that if the view is sourced from a file, then that file name is shown in the title bar of the window.

If you want to rename the window AND file, just do Debug->Data View->Save As... to a different name.  If you want to rename just the window title, we currently do not have a way to manipulate the name of a DISK-BASED data view.  One work-around is to copy the contents of the view to a "new" Data View (that is NOT disk-based).  To do this easily, click on column header for the first column, the column that shows the row# (i.e. the cell in the top left corner of the grid).  This will select the ENTIRE Data View.  Hit Ctrl+C to COPY the contents into the Windows clipboard, then open a NEW Data View and hit Ctrl+V to PASTE that content into this new Data View.  Now, you can rename the title by right clicking on the Data View and selecting Options... and in the top of the second column of Options is the edit field for the Title name.

4. Not sure what you want to do.  The Memory Image editor lets you save the OFFLINE contents of your specific Memory Image values to your project.  Is this what you are wanting to do?

5. We are wanting to have a toggle to hide/show ALL floating views.  We understand that people with single monitors cannot take as much advantage of these dockable/floatable views as you can in a multi-monitor setup.  This toggle idea is a good work-around.  We could tie it to a keystroke and to a "sticky" button on one of the Offline/Online toolbars.

Going back to 1 and 2. One special note on this - if you are storing your project on a SERVER, the WORKSPACE and LAYOUT files are IGNORED for systems OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT IT WAS LAST OPENED ON.  For example, if you have a PC in your office with 3 monitors, super high resolution.  Then you attempt to re-open that project on a DIFFERENT computer, say a laptop with 1024x768 resolution, we IGNORE the LAYOUT information, because that is SPECIFIC to the COMPUTER that you LAST OPENED it on.  Could this be your situation?

[Mike Nash]

1. Strangely, it's the two oldest, slowest ones that don't bomb out. They do however, have the cross reference follows cursor quirk.

2. (Going Back) It's multiple different resolution computers that seem to open the views just fine though they may be in different locations. I am copying the three files from one computer to another. Trying to open one across a network wasn't wanting to happen - at least anytime soon - so I haven't tried that again. I really didn't mean to the first time.

3. The copy/paste to new data view will work for me, thanks.

4. I have 6 memory views open, single column each but ranges are V700-V799, D700-D799, V300-V699, D300-D699, TR1-TR16 and SS0-SS60. I just want to be able to open those layoutsagain for those particular ranges. The cell contents aren't what I am asking about saving as I can import and export from their menus. (I think that export and open in Excel for me feature is fantabulous!)

5. That would be great. I love multiple monitors, I just don't always have the luxury, especially on-site where I may be lucky to get a trashcan for a desk or even just a 5 gallon pail and my lap.

[franji1]

2. (Going Back) It's multiple different resolution computers that seem to open the views just fine though they may be in different locations. I am copying the three files from one computer to another. Trying to open one across a network wasn't wanting to happen - at least anytime soon - so I haven't tried that again. I really didn't mean to the first time.

The MDI layout and dockable/floatable layout information is SUPPOSED to be ignored when the project is opened on a PC that did not match the PC that wrote it.  However, it appears that it is trying to load SOME of the content/layout information when opened from "another" PC.  This is not right.  We will look at it.

[Mike Nash]

Please, please don't fix it before the real fix is out! I LIKE that it pulls in the content and layout even if it isn't perfect. Without it, I can't even open a memory view on two machines and one is "theoretically" not old and slow. (In reality I am in the old XP laptop and making changes to the PLC before the newer Win 7 even realizes I have attached a mouse. I honest to goodness wired power up to a 9 slot and 6 slot rack including stripping a power cord and plugging it in between turning the Win 7 laptop on and it finding the mouse.)

Also, what will happen if I have a 2nd monitor one time and not the next? That happens a lot for various reasons. The 4 computers I use ALL have different screen resolutions.

I also figured out that double clicking the memory view or data view title bar docks it and I can pop them back out, one at a time, back into size and position in the workspace. It's probably these little GUI shortcuts that I am so clueless on that makes things seem harder than they are.

[franji1]

Also, what will happen if I have a 2nd monitor one time and not the next? That happens a lot for various reasons. The 4 computers I use ALL have different screen resolutions.

If certain "views" end up being "off screen", You can hit Ctrl+Shift+L to perform a Window->Default Layout menu operation which prompts you to perform the following:

1. Dock All Dockable Windows: Data Views, et.al.
2. Place Offline, Online, and Ladder Palette toolbars in their default positions
3. Turn OFF all other Toolbars.

There is no other good way to navigate/move floating windows or floating toolbars, hence the need for this "Reset".  It is actually NOT the DEFAULT Layout, but more of a Centralize Layout or Home Layout operation.