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Create and configure a layout

DeltaV Live layouts arrange and purpose regions of an operator's available screen real-estate and define which displays should appear in each region. The display surface of a layout can be either a single screen (monitor) or an entire video desktop that includes multiple screens. Layouts can also include multiple main graphics on a single large display, such as a large screen 4k display or a high-resolution wall-sized display. Layouts can also be designed accordingly for smaller screen devices or production floor HMI panels or stations.

Layouts are created based on monitor size and automatically resize to fit varying monitor sizes, allowing you to create one-size-fits-all displays rather than an individual display for each monitor size. Screens, which are graphic elements that represent an operator's physical monitors, define the total available layout space. Display frames, which are graphic elements that represent regions on a screen, are used to arrange a screen's available real-estate into regions and designate which level of displays open in each region.

This topic covers the following procedures:
  1. Creating a new single-monitor layout
  2. Configuring the layout properties
  3. Configuring the screen properties
  4. Configuring the display frame properties

Create a single-monitor layout

Layouts are created, configured, and managed in Graphics Studio, then published and assigned for use on DeltaV Live-enabled Operator Stations and remote client sessions. You can either build a custom layout from scratch or create a layout from a library template. Custom layouts start with a blank layout on which you add the desired number of screens and display frames, and then configure them as needed. Layout templates provide the screens, display frames, and recommended configuration. You can, however, modify templates as desired.

We are going to use a library template to create this layout.

  1. Launch Graphics Studio from the Start menu (Start → DeltaV Engineering → Graphics Studio).
  2. In the Explorer view, select the Graphics Explorer pane as the active pane.
  3. On the ribbon's Home tab, in the Graphics group, click New → Layout → 16 x 9 Single Monitor Layout.
    The new layout opens as a document tab and becomes available for editing in the document editing area. It is also added under the Layouts folder in the Graphics Explorer pane. Note that the layout name defaults to Layout1.
  4. At the top of the Graphics Configuration pane, click inside the name field and rename the layout to LytPractice.
  5. Click Enter to exit the name field.

Configure the layout properties

  1. In the Selection pane, verify that the layout is the selected graphic. (Click the Selection Pane tab to switch panes.)
  2. In the Graphics Configuration pane, in the Information property group, enter Layout Practice in the Title field.
  3. In the Background property group, observe that the Color property references a library standard called, S_DispBackColor."
  4. Click the diamond next to the Color field and select Set To Static Value from the context menu. Setting the value back to a static value removes the reference and allows you to modify the value.
    1. Click the Color drop-down arrow and select a new color.
    2. Observe that the layout background change colors.
  5. Click the Color diamond again and select Browse for Standard.
    1. Use the Browse dialog's Search field to easily find the S_DispBackColor standard (enter some part of the name, such as DispBack).
    2. Double-click the standard in the Name list.
  6. In the Graphics Configuration pane, select the Styling tab.
    1. Observe that many of the styling properties are already configured for you.
      Note

      All layout template properties reference the same standards. Therefore, if you created all layouts from a template, their appearance would be consistent.

  7. In the Graphics Configuration pane, select the Interaction tab.
    1. Observe the script in the OnOpen property field. To see the entire script, click inside the OnOpen field and press the down arrow key. Or, click the Edit Script icon () to open the Script Assistant and view the script there.
  8. Note that the LytPractice tab has an asterisk next to its name. The asterisk indicates that the layout has changes pending, and that it needs to be saved.
  9. Click the Save icon in the Quick Access toolbar. Or, press Ctrl+S to save.

Configure the screen properties

A screen element is the layout element on which a menu bar is configured. A menu bar provides access to alarm displays, commonly accessed DeltaV applications, alarm displays, and other helpful tools. A layout must have at least one menu bar.

  1. In the Selection pane, select Screen1.
  2. In the Graphics Configuration pane, select the Menu Bar tab.
  3. Attempt to deselect the Menu Bar is present on this screen checkbox.
    1. Note that you cannot deselect it because a layout must have at least one menu bar. If this layout contained multiple screens, only one screen would be required to have a menu bar present.
  4. Expand the Standard Buttons property group. The checked boxes indicate the buttons that will be present on the menu bar.
    1. Deselect the Batch Operator Interface and Batch History View check boxes.
    2. On the editing canvas, observe that these buttons disappear from the screen.
  5. Save the layout.

Configure the display frame properties

A display frame element is the layout element on which a navigation bar is configured. A navigation bar provides tools for navigating between the displays available on that workstation. A layout must have at least one navigation bar.

  1. In the Selection pane, select the Main1 display frame.
  2. In the Graphics Configuration pane, in the Display Frame property group, observe the property selections.
    1. Frame Type is set to Dynamic so that multiple displays can be opened in this frame.
    2. Initial Display is set to Named Display, which allows you to choose the initial display that will open in this frame when DeltaV Live is launched. Currently, Initial Display is configured to open the display named DeltaV.
    3. In the Initial Display field, note that the display name is a hyperlink.
    4. Press Ctrl and click the link to open the DeltaV display as a document tab.
    5. Close the DeltaV document tab by clicking the X next to its name.
  3. In the Navigation Bar property group, note that this display frame has a navigation bar enabled.
  4. In the Graphics Configuration pane, in the Automatic Display Coordination property group, observe that this display frame is configured to automatically open displays of any level, as well as other displays.
  5. In the Selection pane, select the AlarmBanner1 display frame.
  6. In the Graphics Configuration pane, in the Display Frame property group, observe the property selections.
    1. Frame Type is set to Static so that the Alarm Banner stays visible at all times in that display frame, and no other displays can open in this frame.
    2. Initial Display is set to Named Display, and configured to open the AlarmBan_b_HAC display.
  7. In the Navigation Bar property group, note that this display frame does not have a navigation bar enabled. Because this frame will not have a navigation bar, the Automatic Display Coordination property group does not appear in the Graphics Configuration pane.
  8. Save the layout.