Composite Shape Scaling for Graphical HMI Editors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing graphic display editors for process control systems distort visual parameters of composite shapes during resizing, leading to undesirable behaviors such as stretching, thickening, or truncation of sub-elements, and require modification of deep copies for each resizing instance, limiting the ability to create scalable and maintainable graphical representations.
Innovation Solution
A graphic display editor that uses scaling parameters associated with sub-elements to calculate and apply scaling factors during resizing, preventing distortion and allowing for non-destructive resizing of composite shapes, with the option to adjust these parameters at configuration time or runtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If composite shapes are resized in existing graphic display editors, then the size of the composite shape changes, but the visual parameters of sub-elements become distorted (stretching, thickening, truncation)
Solution Approach 1:
The composite shape is divided into sub-elements, each with its own scaling parameters. The editor applies different scaling factors to different sub-elements based on their baseline parameters, allowing selective scaling that preserves visual integrity while changing overall size.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the scaling parameters of sub-elements dynamically during resizing operations. By adjusting scaling factors based on baseline parameters stored in the database, the system maintains proper visual proportions while allowing the composite shape to resize.
2Adaptability or versatility
If deep copies are created for each resizing instance, then each instance can have custom dimensions, but the complexity of managing multiple copies increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single composite shape definition in the database serves multiple purposes and can be instantiated multiple times with different scaling parameters. Each instance references the same base definition but applies different scaling factors, eliminating the need for separate deep copies while maintaining customization.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating deep copies of the entire composite shape definition, the system creates lightweight references to the base definition with associated scaling parameters. This allows multiple instances to be created efficiently without duplicating the underlying shape data.
Data Source
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AI summary
Parameters associated with sub-elements of a composite shape may determine how the sub-element is scaled during resizing of the composite shape. A graphical display editor may use the scaling parameters to calculate various scaling factors that are then applied to the sub-elements of each composite shape during resizing. The editor may apply the scaling parameters to the sub-elements for resizing in one or more axes (e.g., the length, width, and height or X, Y, and Z axes, etc.) to adjust the composite shape for a particular graphical display. The editor may apply the scaling parameters directly to each sub-clcmcnt to prevent any distortion of those sub-elements. The configured scaling parameters may then be linked to the composite shape so that, at runtime, the parameters are applied to the composite shape and its sub-elements. The scaling parameters may be applied to both composite shapes and animations associated with the composite shapes.