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how to Print out a SFC from the Control studio

Hello all,

i'm using the DeltaV V12. can somebody help me, how i can print a Sequency Function Chart out of the Control Studio please?

Other how can i generally print out somthing out of the Contro studio please?

Thank you for your answer

Vista

2 Replies

  • Well the first thing you'll have to do is lower your expectations.  I spent some time with our Print function last year on v13, where we provided additional preview features.  I can't say there was any improvement in the capabilities of the Print function, but at least you can see if you want to print what is generated.

    If you look at some other posts relating to printing, you'll find suggestions to use an external utility that will process the FHX export file and generate a printable output for documentation purposes.  All Project groups I've talked to do not use the built in Print utility due to its many limitations.

    That said, (hopefully no one revokes my DeltaV Status as a result) I broke down all the features in the print dialog because I could not find any documentation in Books On Line as to what all the options mean and what the result will look like.  So here goes. Please click on any of the images below to enlarge them and see them at a higher resolution. 

    The first thing is to set the display size of your module to maximize the size of the SFC diagram.  If not, the diagram my occupy a small corner of the page.  I think V13.3 improved on maximizing the size of the image. 

    The top section allows the user to select number of copies, the print range as well as the output printer. If there is no physical printer, the computer can be set up with the Windows XPS Document Writer to capture the Print request to file.  If you load a PDF_Printer emulator, you can work with the file later.  The v13 preview enhancements are useful to see what will print as you choose to print certain pages or make changes to the Settings portion.  in v12, you have to print to see the result.  I strongly recommend a soft Printer that allows you to print to a file.

    Settings:

    Under Settings, the user can choose from a list of “presets”, which will set the various options available.

    This is intended to provide print options for a given purpose.  Once the print options have been selected, a Preset can be created for future use.  The presets can also be exported and imported between systems.  I did not spend much time with this feature.

    The Data Selection provides several options that can be included/excluded from the document.


    Below are some details on each of these options. 

    Parameters:

    This allows you to select to include Block Parameter data from either “All Blocks” or a “Selected Block”.

    With “Selected Block” chosen, the Module print out parameter data from Control Studio. If no block is selected in the diagram, the Module Level parameters will be printed. If one or more blocks are selected, their parameters will be listed at the end of the print out in the format shown below:


    Oddly enough, in v13.3,  the option for “All Blocks” results in no parameters being printed for the module.

    Hierarchy:

    This option, if selected adds the following to the print out.

    It shows the relative position of each block, step and transition. The blocks are arranged in columns, with the module being in the first column.  The module’s upper level blocks are listed in the second column.  An Embedded Block is shown with its blocks in the third columns, and finally, a second Embedded block, which is part of the first embedded block, has its Steps and Transitions in the fourth column.  Blocks are listed in alphabetical order, and not execution order.  This does show you the content of embedded composites, as in this case, the TEST_RELAY block is shown with its content, which includes the RELAY_SFC which also shows its content of Steps and transitions.

    Properties:

    This option includes the Module’s general properties. It lists the upper level blocks and configured alarms, the module description and other information, as shown below.

    The “Report” and “Name” are repeated for an unknown reason and the content includes a spurious Hexi-decimal code of unknown origin. I could not identify the significance of this value "01AF6C4E".

    History Records:

    This is a sub-selection to Properties, and if selected will show the parameters defined for history collection:

     

    Alarms:

    This option includes the configured alarms of the Control Module. All Alarms are included and listed in alphabetical order, as shown below:


     

    Step Actions:

    This option includes step actions of any SFC in the module, and provides a selection box for “All Steps” and “Selected Step”. Choosing “All Steps” includes the structured Text expressions of all defined Actions of all steps.  The Printout will still show the Module upper level Diagram, unless the user has selected a Step, at which point the diagram printed will be the one visible in Control Studio.

    If “Selected Step” is chosen, only the selected steps are included in the print out, and of course the diagram will be that of the SFC where the steps were selected from.


    Print Selection:

    This option is self evident, mostly. The user can select to print only the Text, only the Diagram, or include both.  Note that the option states Diagrams, yet only one diagram is ever included in a print out, and that is the diagram visible in Control Studio when the Apply Settings button is pressed. To print the diagram of any embedded Composites, you must select those to view in Control Studio and then manually Print that diagram

    Additional settings and options:

    The tabbed section allows additional formatting. Page Settings allows the user to select orientation and paper size.

    The Text Page Options allows for the addition of a header and footer to the text pages. Four preformatted variables can be dragged to the sections, in addition to free format text. 

     

    Note that these appear very close to the sheet margins and you may wish to add spaces to further position the text and data. The rest of the pages cannot be modified in their formatting.

     The Diagram Options allows some adjustment to the diagram. In Control Studio setup, the diagram size is defined in the Diagram Preferences dialog.  Once the diagram layout is acceptable, the print setup allows the user to further adjust the printout. 

    (Note that this behaves differently in the Explorer Print Setup.)

    Since the Print setup is independent of the diagram size settings, adjusting the diagram size may be required to obtain a desirable formatting of the diagram.

     

    The Banner option allows the Title block that appears on each module to be the same, or unique per module. The “Saved Banner Information” is defined in control studio, under Print.  Selecting the “Use custom Banner information” overrides the banner information in the module.  The customer banner settings can be stored in the Presets file.

    The banner only appears on the Diagram page(s). The following example shows the location of data entered in the four available fields.  The  Date Printed, Diagram page and referenced module information is always shown.

    Summary:

    As Control Module Classes are developed, the sheet size should be defined to fit groups of modules. For each unique module diagram size, a preset file can be created that best prints that module and its information.  This provides consistency in content and diagram formatting, provided the Diagram size is correctly adjusted prior to Printing. 

     Final comments:

    When Printing a module from DeltaV Explorer, the available options are different.  You cannot print the same information from Explorer as you can from Control Studio.  Explorer allows you to print multiple items at a time, but within certain constraints, like all in the same Plant Area.  You will have to experiment with that.

    I hope this was useful.  I personally avoid DeltaV Print options from Control Studio and Explorer.  Most individuals I've talked to use a screen capture to capture the diagrams and insert this in Word where they add module information that is bulk exported.  I've not worked with the external tools to be able to recommend one.  Maybe your local Emerson Sales office can help you in your world area.



    Andre Dicaire

  • I use the print function that way, that I first set the diagram size according the DIN ration of height and width which is roughly 1:1.41 for landscape or 1.41:1 for portrait.
    It doesn't matter what is the pixel setting in absolute but should not do too big on a small paper. You can't read a number with 3 pixel. :-)
    Good result is i.e. a diagram-size of ~2000:2800 on DIN A3 (Landscape) or 1000:1400 DIN4 Portrait.
    I set this diagram size first and frame it with a rectangle. So I know how much space I have for the function blocks and can arrange them accordingly to get a nice print out.
    If you set the height in multiple of one page, you might play also with the option i.e. 3 page height and one page width for SFC.
    The SFC would print out then on three pages, but if a step is on the page-break, sometimes some text get lost.
    Several rectangle for each page as Paper-raster could help here. Before print you might delete this without to save, or you prepare an empty control module with all your correct 'frames' you might need.
    BTW Guys, is it so much work to move and fix the links between function blocks, so that they do not overlapping?
    It take less than a minute for the most control modules to make them straight roman arranged.
    This include also the Emerson PCSD Library!
    If I find such a crowd module, I always must think about the developer more as a try and error mouse-clicker than an professional engineer. Also ignoring the FB execution order let my mood, trying to understand that genius development, sinking below the ground.
    Best Regards