GEDI, basics

GEDI is used for creating and editing panels. The graphics editor GEDI provides tools for creating and configuring graphic objects. These can be graphical representations of complete systems or just simple operating screens.

In the GEDI, you create and configure graphic objects and link these with "data points" that you have created in the PARA module (see chapter PARA module, basics). In the VISION module (see Module VISION, basics), you can see the runtime version of the panel.

Open the GEDI by adding the WinCC OA User Interface WCCOAUI to the console and by starting it with the command line option:

WCCOAui -m gedi

Changes in process statuses can be shown, for instance, by providing device icons with color surrounds, by setting switch representations or by messages in text fields. Changes in process variables can be displayed for example in trend diagrams or tables.

A detailed description of all functions and windows in the GEDI is provided in the first section Structure of module GEDI. You can access the GEDI functions from the menus in the menu bar (using the mouse or keyboard input) or from the toolbar buttons.

The chapter The icon bars contains a summary of the tool bars.

The chapter The menu bar describes the menu functions and how to use them.

The following windows are the most important windows in the GEDI module:

  • The project view window shows you the panels, scripts, libraries and images of your project. You can also specify your own colors.

  • The panel window shows a panel in development mode. The panel window constitutes the panel work area in the Gedi. In the panel window, you draw and edit the graphic objects. The Layers window (layer settings) is used for managing up to eight layers that lie on top of each other as sheets. Visibility rules still allow using control elements in a lower layer. The Object Sheet (Tab Order) is used to change the sequence in which the graphic objects are accessed using the tabulator (= Tab Order).

  • The Sheet shows the properties of the panels, graphic objects and references in one location for editing these object properties as well. You can also edit formats and defaults conveniently in the Property Sheet. The functions for text, line and surface formatting are all described together in the Property Sheet chapter.

  • The catalog window displays icons and names of reference panels and lets you drag & drop these icons into panels on the screen.

  • The Script Editor is used for editing scripts, and includes syntax-highlighting support. Tool tips save you referring to the Control manual, while a function selection list saves you tiresome typing time.

The second part of the module GEDI manual contains definitions and instructions for creating Simple graphics objects and Complex graphics objects with a separate chapter dedicated to each main topic. Numerous examples support you in exploring the GEDI for your own purposes.

Additional Notes

  • If you enter "-m gedi" or "-m para" as starting parameters for the UI manager, the password for the user "root" is asked.

  • The default font for the GEDI is "Noto Sans" which is installed as part of the WinCC OA installation (/data/fonts/). This applies for a newly installed version where no PVSS00ui.ini already exists.

    If a different default font has been set by a previous version or earlier installation and the PVSS00ui.ini was not removed, than this already defined font is used by default. The font for the panels and graphic objects can be changed in the property sheet of the graphics editor.

  • If you want to save panels under a name, which contains umlauts, WinCC OA does not offer full utf8 support under Windows. Therefore, use the system locale -> Control panel -> Region and Language (Icon view) ->Administrative -> Change System Locale.

    or Control panel -> Clock, Language and Region (in the category view) -> Region and Language -> Administrative -> Change System Locale.

    Please also consider the Naming Convention/ Notation for panels.