# Create vertical sliders

Use the Vertical Slider option on the Animation menu to create a graphic object that can control the value of a specified tag. With vertical slider animation, you define a path for the object, then use the mouse to move the object vertically along its path. The pixel position of the object is translated into values that are written to the tag.

A tag that has values input by slider animation can be used in an expression to attach animation to another object or group of objects. If the tag value is changed externally, the position of the slider will change as well.

Both vertical and horizontal slider animation can be attached to the same object.

You can attach vertical slider animation to drawing objects only. The exceptions are the image and panel objects, which only support visibility animation.

## To create a vertical slider

1. Draw an object that is to be the slider. It is also useful to draw an object, for example a line that represents the path the slider will move along.
2. Select the object then choose Vertical Slider from the Animation menu.
3. Type the name of the tag that will be associated with the slider.
4. Define the path for the slider by typing minimum and maximum pixel positions for the beginning and end of the path or by using Object Smart Path.
5. Select the method to use to calculate the minimum and maximum values that are written to the tag.
6. Specify a range of values for the expression.

   Tip: | The value of the tag will be proportional to the vertical position of the slider on the path defined by the minimum and maximum vertical offsets. If the object is halfway along the path, the value of the tag will be halfway between the minimum and maximum tag values.

## Options

- Tag

  Type the name of the tag to which values will be written.

- Expression range
  - Use tag's min and max property values

    If you have specified an HMI tag in the Tag box, click this button to use the tag's minimum and maximum values to define the range of values for the expression.

  - Use constant

    To use constant numeric values to define a range of values, click this button and specify values for minimum and maximum.

  - Read from tags

    To define the range of values using one tag's value for the minimum and another tag's value for the maximum, click this button and then specify a tag for minimum and another for maximum. Using this option, when the display opens and animation for an object is started, the tags' values are read once to set the minimum and maximum values. The tags are not read again after the display is opened, nor are the minimum and maximum values for the animation changed, even if the tag values change.

- Vertical Offset (Pixels)

  Offset refers to the position of an object in relation to some starting point. When you select an object, its position is considered the starting point, which gives it an offset of 0.

  - At Minimum

    Type the offset, in pixels, of the starting position for the slider's path, or drag the object to this position. The value is 0 for the position the object is in when it is selected.

  - At Maximum

    Type the offset, in pixels, of the end position for the slider's path, or drag the object to this position.

## See also

Attach animation to graphic objects

Use the Expression editor

Tag names with animation

Drawing objects

Object Smart Path