Project Constraints

Each project you create can be set with constraints in the development stages. When these constraints are exceeded the following alert window will appear:

Contraints are managed with an xml file which has the same name of the project plus the ".Constraints" extension. These files contain default values which can be changed. The purpose of these constraints is to set projects with certain limits to prevent them from becoming too big for the chosen platform they are to be run on.  However, please keep in mind that any value changes made to these contraints may affect project performances.

Furthermore, there are some items which consent certain information in the project structure, such as that shown in the Project Explorer Window, to be displayed or hidden.

The various attributes in the  ".Constraints" file must be inserted in the right order so that they can be valued correctly. Proceeding this, the ".Constraints" file will be proposed once again with the list of all the attributes that have been set with the default value in the correct order:

Each attribute means:

• MaxNumVariables: maximum number of variables that  can be entered in the project's RealTimeDB

• MaxNumScreens: maximum number of screens that the project can have

• MaxNumScripts: maximum number of basic scripts that can be entered in the project

• AllowScriptInScreen: allows the script code to be edited within the screen or its objects (default value is "true")

• AllowILInScreen: allows the IL codes to be edited within the screen or in its object (default value is "true")

• MaxNumScreenObjects: maximum number of objects that can be inserted on one screen.  One symbol counts as one object

• MaxScreenSizeCx: maximum length set in pixels that a screen can be set with

• MaxScreenSizeCy: maximum height in pixels that a screen can be set with

• MaxDaysAgeHistoric: specifies the maximum project historical table age in days. This setting is used in the Historical Log tables, the variable Trace DB tables, and in Data Logger tables. This value is also used in project design mode to reduce the default age of the various historical logs, in cases where values may be more than the set limit.

• MaxCacheBeforeFlush: consents the maximum size of the cache to be specified before the system unloads data in files. This value represents the "Max. cache size" property from the "ODBC manager" properties group, for the project historical logs or for DataLoggers.

• MaxNumberRecordsDL: consents the entry of a further control on Data Loggers. Frequency values or age values that produce a total number of records higher than this limit, set through the constraints, will not be accepted. The "Tot. Nr. Records" property allows you to see the total number calculation of records estimated for a determined Data Logger. This calculation uses the age set in the historical and the sampling frequency in this formula:
  
  Total Nr.  Records = (Data Max.Age/Sampling Frequency)*2
  
  ie: When setting  MaxNumberRecordsDL  = 68400 in the constraints file, it will not be possible to change the ""Data Max Age" or the Sampling Frequency if this results (Data Max.Age/Sampling Frequency)*2 > 68400
  Only the "MaxDaysAgeHistoric" value is used when creating a new  project, while the MaxNumberRecordsDL value is controlled only when the Data Logger age or sampling frequency are being edited

• AllowGradientFill: when set at 0, consents all the properties, for setting the back color Gradient types of screens and objects, to be hidden

• EditVariables: when set at 0 the "Real TimeDB" node in the Project Explorer window will not be displayed, the "Edit Real Time DB  Variables" will be disabled from the project's  Edit menu (right mouse click), the "Edit Realtime DB Variable..." and "Add a New Variable (Tag)" from the Project Explorer's window's command panel will also be disabled

• EditDrivers: when set at 0 the 'List Com.Drivers' sub-node from the RealTime DB group in the Project Explorer window and the "Add New Comm.Driver" from the same menu of the "Real TimeDB group and the "Add New Comm.Driver" item from the Project's Explorer's command panel will also be disabled

• EditStructures: when set at 0 the "List Structure Prototypes" sub-node from the RealTime DB group in the Project's Explorer window and the "New Structure Definition" from the Real time DB edit menu and the "Add a new Struct Prototype" item from the Project's Explorer window's command window will both be disabled.

• EditScreens: When set at 0 the "Screens" node in the Project's Explorer window will not be displayed, the "Add a new Screen" from the edit menu (right mouse click), the "Insert a new screen in the Project" item in the Project's Explorer window's command panel and the "New Screen" icon from the Toolbar will all be disabled

• EditScripts: when set at 0 the "Basic Script" node in the Project's Explorer window will not be displayed, the "Add a new Script" the edit menu (right mouse click), the "Insert a new Basic Script in the Project" in the Project Explorer window's command panel and the "New script" icon in the Toolbar will all be disabled

• EditShortcuts: when set at 0 the "Shortcuts" node in the Project Explorer window will not be displayed, the "Add a new Shortcut" item from its edit menu (right mouse click), and the "Add a new Shortcut" from the Project Explorer window's command panel and the "new shortcut" icon in the toolbar will all be disabled

• EditMenus: when set at 0, the "Menus" node in the Project Explorer window will not be displayed, the "Add a New Menu" item from the  edit menu (right mouse click), the "Add a new Menu" from the Project Explorer window's command panel and the "New Menu" icon in the ToolBar will all be disabled

• EditParameters: when set at 0, the "Parameter Files" node will not display in the Project Explorer window, the "Add a new Parameter File" from the edit menu (right mouse click), the "Add a new Parameter File" item from the Project Explorer window's command panel and the "New Parameter File" icon from the ToolBar will all be disabled

• EditUsers: when set at 0, the "Users and User Groups" node will not be displayed in the Project Explorer window

• EditDLRs: when set at 0, the "DataLoggers And Recipes" node will not be displayed in the Project  Explorer window

• EditAlarms: when set at 0, the "Alarm List()" node will not be displayed in the Project  Explorer window

• EditEvents: when set at 0, the "Event Object List" node will not be displayed in the Project  Explorer window

• EditSoftLogic:  when set at 0, the "Soft Logic" node will not be displayed in the Project  Explorer window

• EditScreenNavigation:  when set at 0, the "Screen Navigation Editor" node will not be displayed in the Project  Explorer window

• EditSchedurs:  when set at 0, the "Scheduler Object List" node will not be displayed in the Project  Explorer window

• EditScaling: when set at 0, the "Scaling Object List" node will not be displayed in the Project  Explorer window

• EditChildProjects:  when set at 0, the "List Child Projects" node will not be displayed in the Project Explorer window, the "New Child Project....' item in the edit menu (right mouse click), the "New Child Project...." item in the Project Explorer window's command panel will all be disabled

• EditNetwork: when set at 0, the "Network Services" node will not be displayed in the Project  Explorer window

• EditOPCDACOM:  when set at 0, the "OPC Client DA (COM) " node will not be displayed in the Project  Explorer window

• ShowExtendedBrowseTag: when set at 0, allows the "OPC", 'Network' and "Comm. I/O Drivers" tabs to be hidden in the Tag Browser window. This should stop programmers from inserting dynamic addresses to variables (Fixed I/O address)

• AllowBlockProject: when set at "1" consents the  "proprietary format file" button to show in the project's Property Window

The properties that are not in this file are to be considered active, meaning as if set at 1.  However, those that have been inserted will be managed according to the value entered in the file. Please keep in mind that all the above listed properties may be modified by the programmer and the new settings will be acquired by the project when opened again afterwards  (this means that you will need to close and reopen the project after having modified the  ".Constraints" file).

When using the Wizard to create a new project, Movicon will search for an existing ".Constraints" file that has the name of the project to be created. This file is searched for in the Movicon installation folder. When found, it is then copied to the project's destination folder with the project name and ".Constraints" extension.

The files originally created in the installation phase are:

Win32.Constraints: file containing the Windows 32/64 bit project constraints

WinCE.Constraints: file containing WinCE project constraints

j2se.Constraints: file containing j2se terminal project constraints

j2me.Constraints: file containing j2me mobile phone project constraints