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Multi-line Text Entry Linked to Database

Hello,

I'm starting work on a conversion project from WonderWare/PLCs to DeltaV.  While I'm excited about it, there are a few things that WW is doing that I'm not sure how to achieve in DeltaV.

The first item is a multi line free-text entry box on some graphics. At this facility, the operators make notes on-screen for each of their wells.  This text box is connected to an SQL database; the graphic reads from it on open to display the text and writes to it at some point to save the altered text.

I need to do 2 things: 1) Locate a functional multi-line text entry box and 2) write VBA to connect and query an SQL (or MS Access would be acceptable) database.

In my mind, this is similar to the Alarm Help pop-up.  I would copy from that, but Emerson wrote a custom app to handle that interface.  I'm hoping it wasn't because Operate can't do this kind of thing natively.

Thanks!

Dave

• Access
• text
• SQL
• ODBC
• multi-line
• DeltaV

dave_marshall

• 21 Jun 2016 5:17 PM
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7 Replies

• MC_Chow

  

  • 21 Jun 2016 7:10 PM

  Could DeltaV Logbooks be an answer?

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• dave_marshall

  

  • 21 Jun 2016 10:11 PM

  In reply to MC_Chow:

  Hi MC,
  
  During our scoping I brought this up and while they are interested in Logbooks, they were firm on how they wanted their well screens to work.

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• Cedric Dawnhawk

  

  • 22 Jun 2016 8:57 AM

  In reply to dave_marshall:

  You can put a Microsoft Forms multi-line text box on a DeltaV graphic page. You then have all the power of VBA to do any updating and use an ODBC data source to connect to your database.

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• dave_marshall

  

  • 22 Jun 2016 3:15 PM

  In reply to Cedric Dawnhawk:

  Hi Cedric,
  
  I found the MS Form 2.0 text box and started experimenting with that. I haven't tried the ODBC connection piece yet, but it looks promising. Thank you!
  
  An additional question: Is there a newer version of the text box? I'm using DeltaV 12.3.1 and the text box doesn't work all that well. It seems to have a lot of problems with scrolling text - that is, if I type enough to cause it to scroll it will hide the top most line from me when I scroll or cursor back up. Its very odd.

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• Cedric Dawnhawk

  

  • 22 Jun 2016 5:04 PM

  In reply to dave_marshall:

  In the Properties of the text box have you tried setting the IsSelectable property to True? Without this I found some strange behaviour which looked as though it was due to the text box not being updated because it was not getting any "attention" from the system.

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• dave_marshall

  

  • 23 Jun 2016 3:47 PM

  In reply to Cedric Dawnhawk:

  Unfortunately, that didn't help. It acts just as you describe; I have to click outside the box to get it to refresh.

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• Cedric Dawnhawk

  

  • 23 Jun 2016 5:53 PM

  In reply to dave_marshall:

  As long as IsSelectable is true the only problem I have (on version 12.3) is that there is a delay in responding to the arrow keys. If IsSelectable is true then an outline should remain outside the text box when you move the mouse away.
  Another option is to put the multiline text box on a separate form where it does behave properly. The form could be opened when the operator double-clicks the text box on the main mimic. The operator enters the text in the box on the form, then clicks OK which updates the text box on the main mimic.

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