3. Object Rotation

About this task

  • Rotation overview
  • Rotation configuration
  • Runtime example

Rotation Overview

You can make the following objects rotate during runtime based on the value of one or two expressions.

  • Lines
  • Shapes
  • Text
  • Buttons
  • Groups
  • Frames
Note: One of the many useful applications for rotation is to place one or more gauges on the screen. The CimEdit Smart Object library provides you with gauges for which you only need to enter the expression they represent. During runtime, they will rotate to reflect the expression's value.

Procedure

  1. Select the object you want to rotate.
  2. Open the object's Properties dialog box.
  3. Configure the rotation.

    Rotation Configuration

    Select Rotation in the Properties dialog box.

    1. Rotation options are as follows.
    A Expression
    B Expr. min/max
    C Center offset
    D Min/max angle
    A Expression

    A point ID or expression that will determine the object location between the START and END positions.

    		 Opens the Expression Editor.
    		Opens a Popup menu.
    B Expr. min/max
    Min  
    Max  
    Note: If the Expression field contains a single point ID with no operations performed on it and the point has Display Limits defined, you may leave the Expr. Min/Max fields blank.

    CimView will use the Display Limits configured for the point ID for the expression minimum and maximum values when the screen file opens.

    C Center offset

    The Center offset specifies the x, y offset values where the center of the object will display during runtime.

    guide: Offset guidelines
    • Negative or positive numbers can be entered in either field.
    • The higher the entry the further the object will display from the object center.
    • 0,0 will cause the object to have no rotate in its default position.

    Manual Offset

    Enter the values that the object will be offset as follows.

    X Center offset from the expression value along the X axis.
    Y Center offset from the expression value along the Y axis.

    Automatic Offset

    1. Click the Quick Offset button to the right of the Center Offset field.

    The dialog box closes temporarily.

    1. Move the cursor on the CimEdit screen to the where you want the center of rotation
    2. Hold down the left-mouse button.

    The cursor turns into a crosshair, indicating the object center location, surrounded by a circle.

    The further the cursor moves from the original object center, the larger the circle becomes.

    1. Release the left-mouse button.

    The Properties dialog box re-opens.

    The coordinates established when the mouse button was released, display in the Center Offset fields.

    D Min/Max angle

    The Min/Max angle fields specify the object's minimum/maximum angles of rotation for the minimum/maximum expression values.

    • Negative or positive numbers can be entered.
    • The following values cause the to perform one full rotation around the center offset as the expression value increases from its minimum value to its maximum value.
    Rotation Min Max
    Clockwise 0 -360
    Counter clockwise (default) 0 360

    Runtime Example

    A jaw crusher's wheel rotation has the following specifications

    Exp. min/max 0, 100
    Min/max angle 0, -360
    • When the offset values are entered as 0, the wheel rests on the crusher with the red spoke to the left.
    • A center offset other than 0, 0 would move the wheel around the crusher, based on the expression value, as follows
    Minimum/maximum angles
    Value 0/25      
    25
    		     
    50
    		     
    75
    		     
    0 or 100