A Dynamo object is an object or group of objects that you store in a Dynamo Set and can use in all of your pictures, helping to create a consistent design across your operator displays. All Dynamo objects can be manipulated like any iFIX object. The Dynamo object is closest to the group object in behavior. For instance, you can drill-down into Dynamo objects within pictures to change individual objects.
You can create Dynamo objects out of both simple custom objects and objects with animations. In objects with animations, you can assign meaningful user prompts to Dynamo properties. These user prompts appear in the Dynamo Properties dialog box that opens when you double-click the Dynamo or when you first copy the Dynamo into a new picture.
Each Dynamo object includes five additional object properties:
- Dynamo ID – You cannot edit this field; it is a system assigned value. This value is a Globally Unique Identifier (GUID). The identifier is the same for a Master Dynamo in a Dynamo Set and all instances of the Dynamo object throughout all pictures. Use this identifier to identify instances of a Dynamo object with the Master Dynamo in a Dynamo Set.
- Dynamo Description – Provides a short description of the specific usage of the given Dynamo Instance. The number of characters that you can enter in this description are recorded in the Max_Dynamo_Desc_Length field. The Dynamo Description can be different for each Dynamo Instance. For the Master Dynamo, the description is empty and read-only.
- Master – You cannot edit this field; it is a system assigned value. When True, the selected Dynamo is a Master Dynamo (within a Dynamo Set). When False, this Dynamo is a Dynamo Instance (within a picture).
- Max_Dynamo_Desc_Length – You cannot edit this field; it is a system assigned value that is currently set to 256 characters. This field describes the maximum number of characters that you can enter into the Dynamo Description property, which is currently set at 256 characters.
- Revision – You cannot edit this field; it is a system assigned number for the revision. When you save a Master Dynamo inside of a Dynamo Set, and the Master Dynamo contains changes, the revision number is incremented. It's only when the Master Dynamo changes and then you save the Dynamo Set that this number increments on the Master Dynamo. iFIX uses Dynamo revision numbers during an update to determine when a Master Dynamo is newer than the Dynamo Instances created from it. Revision numbers are not updated when a Dynamo Instance within a picture is modified. During an update, when a Dynamo Instance does not equal the Master Dynamo revision number (that is, the revision number of the Dynamo Instance is lower than the Master Dynamo), the revision number on the Dynamo Instance is updated to match the Master Dynamo.
When you create a Dynamo and save it in a Dynamo Set, you create a Master Dynamo. You can use this Master Dynamo in your system pictures by dragging the Dynamo object from the Dynamo Set into a picture. If you assigned User Prompts to the Dynamo's Object Properties, the Dynamo's Property dialog box appears. This dialog box allows you to change the data sources for the Dynamo's properties.
You can create a report of Dynamo objects in your pictures, or pictures that contain specific Dynamos, by using the Cross Reference Tool. A Quick Report is generated when you run the Quick Dynamo Updater or the Dynamo Updater Wizard, both of which are available from the Dynamo Toolbar (Classic View) or on the Tools tab, in the Dynamos group, in the Dynamos list (Ribbon View).
See Also
Importing the Build Dynamo Wizard Toolbar
Creating Dynamo Objects without Animations
Creating Dynamo Objects with Animations
Creating Dynamos with Command Scripts
