# Create graphic displays

A graphic display presents the operator's view of plant activity. It can show system or process data and provide operators with a way to write values to the data source. The components that make up a graphic display are called graphic objects.

Graphic objects can be:

- created in the Graphics editor
- copied and pasted from another graphic display or library
- dragged and dropped from another graphic display or library
- imported from DXF or WMF files

You can use these types of objects in graphic displays:

- Drawing objects - geometric and freehand shapes, images, and text. You can animate a drawing object by attaching animation to it using a tag or expression. The drawing objects are listed on the Objects > Drawing menu.
- Interactive objects - push buttons, indicators, numeric, and string input objects, and other objects listed on the Objects menu. You can apply visibility animation to these objects.
- ActiveX objects - objects such as sliders, check boxes, radio buttons, Web browsers, and so on. You could use an ActiveX object to change a tag value, by connecting the tag to an ActiveX control property.

  The types of ActiveX objects available depend on the software installed on your system. Make sure you use ActiveX controls that work with the operating system of the run-time computer. You should have both the version of the control for Windows 7 SP1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2016 operating systems, and the version for Windows CE.

  To use an ActiveX object, on the Objects menu select ActiveX Control.

  Tip: | Project settings affect how your graphic displays look. Specify project settings before you create graphic displays.

## To create a new graphic display

1. To open the Displays editor, use one of these methods:
   - From the File menu, select New > Display
   - In the Graphics folder in the Explorer window, right-click the Display icon and select New.
   - In the Graphics folder in the Explorer window, drag and drop the Display icon into the right pane.
2. From the Edit menu, select Display Settings.
3. In the Display Settings dialog box, specify the background color and any run-time settings that you require.
4. Use tools from the toolboxes and toolbars to draw and arrange the objects in the graphic display. Use the palettes to apply fill and color before or after drawing an object.
5. Attach animation to simple drawing objects, as required, to animate them with real-time data. For interactive and ActiveX objects, you can attach visibility animation only. Visibility animation controls the conditions under which the objects appear in graphic displays at run time.
6. Choose Save from the File menu to save the graphic display.

All graphic files are given the extension .gfx.

## See also

Edit graphic displays

Edit fine details with the keyboard

Drawing objects

The Graphics editor