# Graphic objects and drawing elements

The Objects menu in the Graphics editor provides the graphic objects and drawing elements that you use to create visual representations of processes and activity in a plant.

Graphic objects are of three types:

- Simple drawing objects - The objects on the Drawing submenu are simple drawing elements that require no setup. These include geometric and freehand shapes, text, and images. You can combine these to create more complex objects and animate them by attaching a tag or expression.
- Objects that require setup - Other objects need the user to enter specific information about the object's runtime appearance and behavior. These include push buttons, numeric and string input and display objects, indicators, gauges, graphs, keys, and the objects on the Advanced submenu.
- ActiveX objects - consist of third-party ActiveX controls that can provide functionality such as sliders, check boxes, radio buttons, Web browsers, and so on. The ActiveX objects available to you depend on the software installed on your system.

Graphic objects can be:

- created on a display using the Graphics editor
- copied and pasted from a standard graphic display, global object display, library, or another Windows application
- dragged and dropped from a standard graphic display, global object display, library, or another Windows application
- copied to the clipboard from another Windows application, then pasted into the graphic display
- created by another Windows application and inserted into the graphic display using object linking and embedding

  Tip: | You can use all the items on the Objects menu, except ActiveX objects, to create global object displays.

## See also

Create graphic displays

Attach animation to graphic objects

About ActiveX objects

Keywords: graphic object