6. Animated Picture Animation Speed

  • Animated picture speed overview.
  • Animated picture speed configuration.
  • Runtime example.

Animation Picture Speed Overview

Animated picture files can combine more than one type of animation (e.g. movement and scaling and blinking, etc) to create a complex animation affect. By assigning value and percent ranges to one expression, you can cause the runtime animation to speed up or slow down based on changes in the expression value.

Currently animated files are saved as .gif files.

Animated Picture Speed Configuration

1 Place an animated graphic image on the screen.
2 Insure the .gif file transparency settings remain transparent.
3 Select animation speed settings.

Place an animated graphic image on the screen.

Follow the steps to place a graphic picture object on a CimEdit screen and select if the file should be embedded or linked .

Insure the .gif file transparency settings remain transparent.

In order to maintain all of the transparent sections in the animated .gif, the object must have no CimEdit line or color fill.

  1. Select Colors in the Properties - Object dialog box.
  2. Select the following.
Field Select
1 Line Style None (unless you want the image to have a border).
2 Fill Style No fill
Important: The CimEdit display transparency feature in the Image section in the Properties - Object dialog box does not apply to animated .gif files. This feature is not supported.

Select animation speed settings.

The speed that the animated .gif ??displays in CimView is calculated against the actual animated .gif speed.

  1. Select Image in the Properties - Object dialog box.
  2. Select the following.
A Expression
B Expr. min/max
C Percent min/max
A Expression

A point ID or expression that will determine the animated .gif speed.

Opens the Edit Expression dialog box.
Displays a Point Popup menu.
Note: When the Expression field is blank, the animated .gif runs at its original speed during runtime.
B Expr. min/max

The min and max expression values define the lowest and highest value that the animation will respond to. Values between the min and max will cause the animation to speed up or slow down.

Min

Minimum value of the point ID or expression.

This value or lower will cause the object animation speed to be the lowest calculated speed.

Max

Maximum value of the Point ID or expression.

This value or higher will cause the object animation speed to be the highest calculated speed.

C Percent min/max

The min and max percents define the lowest and highest animation speed as a percent ??of the original animated .gif speed.

The animation percent speeds between the min and max represent the expression value relative to the Expr. min/max values.

Min

Percent of the original animation speed that will display when the expression speed is equal to or lower than the expression minimum speed.

Max

Percent of the original animation speed that will display when the expression speed is equal to or higher than the expression maximum speed.

Runtime Example

A .gif file

  • Displays a kiln with an animated fire
  • Represents the kiln heat; the faster the animated fire speed, the higher the heat.
  • Has 10 frames; each frame runs for 1 second; the 10 second speed will display when the expression value is 25.
  • Is configured to use the default Expr. min/max and Percent min/max values.
Field Min Max
Expr. min/max 0 100
Percent min/max 0 400

During runtime, the animated .gif displays as follows.

Expr. Value ??Percent Speed Animation Speed* Example
0 0% 0 sec.
12.5 50% 20 sec.
25 100% 10 sec.
50 200% 5 sec.
100+ 400% 2.5 sec.

*Animation Speed is seconds/10 frames.