154 Student Guide

15. Introduction to Visual Basic for Applications _________________

Chapter 15

Introduction to Visual Basic for Applications

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 iFIX Fundamentals

15. Introduction to Visual Basic for Applications _________________

Section Objectives

This section begins a topic that will be used throughout the remainder of the course. That topic
is scripting. iFIX uses Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) as its scripting language. Scripting
can be used in many places throughout iFIX. This section includes:

• Introduction to Visual Basic for Applications

• Differences between Visual Basic and VBA
• Using VBA within iFIX

Many of the terms introduced in this section will be referenced later in the course.

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 154 Student Guide

15.1. Application Development Flowchart ________________________

SCADA Server iClient (HMI)

System System
Configuration Configuration

I/O Driver
Configuration

Graphics
Development
Process Database
Development

Alarm Alarm
Configuration Monitoring

Security Security
Configuration Configuration

Configure Archived Data

Data Archiving Monitoring

Figure 15-1: Application Development Flowchart (showing Graphics Development)

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 iFIX Fundamentals

15.2. Visual Basic for Applications Overview _____________________

A. Terminology:
• VB - Visual Basic
- usually refers to Microsoft® Visual Basic® 5.0 or 6.0
- this is external to iFIX and VBA
• VBA - Microsoft® Visual Basic® for Applications
- an object-oriented and event-driven development environment that
supports Microsoft forms and ActiveX
- usually referred to as it is integrated into iFIX
- used throughout Microsoft products for customization
◊ adding a toolbar in Excel
◊ creating a form in Access
• VBE - Visual Basic Editor
- part of VBA
- accessible from the Intellution WorkSpace

B. Differences between Visual Basic for Applications and Visual Basic

• Visual Basic uses Visual Basic for Applications as its central code engine
• VB allows you to create executables and ActiveX Controls
• VBA allows you to customize and to extend the capabilities of a product
• Slight variations in the specific names of some events and properties

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 154 Student Guide

15.2. Visual Basic for Applications Overview ____________________

Visual Basic Visual Basic

for
Applications

Figure 15-2: VBA versus VB

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 iFIX Fundamentals

15.3. Using VBA in iFIX________________________________________

A. Within iFIX, use VBA to:

• Animate objects in pictures
• Automatically generate pictures or objects
• Read from and write to database blocks
• Automatically run other applications
• Incorporate custom security features
• Create custom prompts and messages for operators
• Access ODBC data sources
• Incorporate and communicate with third-party and custom ActiveX controls
• Write custom wizards for frequently-performed tasks

B. Overview
• VBA code is saved in either:
- a picture (GRF file)
- a schedule (EVS file)
- a global object (User.fxg)
• Scripting in iFIX allows access to:
- standard VBA components
- all exposed iFIX objects and their properties, methods, and events
◊ see Figure 15-3 for definitions
• The properties, methods, and events available for an individual object are based
on the object class
- Example:
◊ Rectangle objects do not have the same font properties as text
objects
• Objects respond to events based on scripts that are written for each event
- scripts can be written for one event, some events, or all events, depending
on what needs to be accomplished

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 154 Student Guide

15.3. Using VBA in iFIX ______________________________________

VBA Terminology
Objects Comprised of data and procedures that are treated as a unit
Each object has its own properties, methods, and events that can
be used to write scripts
Examples: Rectangle, Timer, Schedule Event
Properties Characteristics of an object
Examples: color, size, location in the picture
Methods Subroutines that effect the behavior of object
Examples: such as scale or refresh
Events Actions that the object recognizes, such as when a user clicks the
mouse on the object or changes its size
If a script is associated with an event, the script executes when
the event triggers or occurs
Events can occur as a result of user action, program code, or other
occurrences in iFIX
Examples: mouse click, value reaches a threshold

Figure 15-3: VBA Terminology

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 iFIX Fundamentals

15.3. Using VBA in iFIX ______________________________________

C. Assigning scripts to objects

• There are two ways to assign VBA scripting to objects:
- using Command Experts
- using the Visual Basic Editor (VBE)

D. Task Wizard
• Tool used to access all experts
• Experts are separated into categories:
- Animation
- Command
- Database
- Data Entry
- Picture
- Report

E. Using Command Experts

• These experts are object based
• Code is inserted for common actions
• Examples:
- Open a picture
- Write a value to database block
• Using the Experts:
- select the object the script is to be assigned to
- select the Command Expert button for the desired command

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 154 Student Guide

15.3. Using VBA in iFIX ______________________________________

Data Entry
Open Picture
Close Picture
Replace Picture
Open Digital Tag
Close Digital Tag
Toggle Digital Tag
Acknowledge Alarm

Figure 15-4: Command Experts

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 iFIX Fundamentals

15.4. VBA Examples __________________________________________

A. Example
• VBE – Visual Basic Editor
• Figure 15-5 shows an example of a simple script using the VBE
- Line 1 - creates the script (or subroutine) called Rect5_Click()
◊ this is a script connected to an object called Rect5
◊ the script is run when the Rect5 object is clicked
- Line 2 - runs the command CloseDigitalPoint
◊ this sends a value of 1 to the data source listed
- Line 3 - tells the script to stop executing
• See pages 15-12 and 15-13 for additional sample scripts

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 154 Student Guide

15.4. VBA Examples _________________________________________

Figure 15-5: Sample Script

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 iFIX Fundamentals

15.4. VBA Examples _________________________________________

Private Sub RoundRect1_Click()

OpenPicture "Picture2"

End Sub

Figure 15-6: Scripting Example 1

Private Sub Rect1_Click()

WriteValue 30, "fix32.node8.ao1.f_cv"

End Sub

Figure 15-7: Scripting Example 2

Private Sub Oval1_DblClick()

AcknowledgeAllAlarms "Picture2"

End Sub

Figure 15-8: Scripting Example 3

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15.4. VBA Examples _________________________________________

Private Sub Rect2_Click()

Rect2.RotationAngle = Rect2.RotationAngle + 20

End Sub

Figure 15-9: Scripting Example 4

Private Sub Rect3_Click()

Dim iValue As Integer

iValue = ReadValue("fix32.node8.AI1.f_cv")

If iValue < 50 Then

RampValue "50", False, "AO1"
Else
MsgBox "Value over 50"
End If

End Sub

Figure 15-10: Scripting Example 5

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 iFIX Fundamentals

15.5. Summary Questions _____________________________________

1. What are the differences between VB and VBA?

2. Describe some of the places in iFIX where scripting can be used.

3. Give examples of properties used in iFIX.

4. Give examples of events used in iFIX.

5. Give examples of methods used in iFIX.

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