This list will increase, but I need to start with some basic components. The first version I need is HMI only together with a few other components:
| DataSource |
Generic definition of a source that can be connected to a HMI component to read/write data. This will be a named component that is implemented manually allowing us to generate code. |
| Form |
Window/Form used to hold everything else. Only components displayed over a Form is visible thought BSA allow invisible components outside the form. Form has options for Caption, System, minimalize, normal, maximize etc. Form is just the main container. Typical Form is a desktop window, but Form can also be a report or Web page. |
| Panel | A square container that holds other components. |
| Label | Text label. |
| String Edit | Single line text edit. |
| Number Edit | Specialized Number Edit. |
| Button | Button with style options. |
| Checkbox | Boolean checkbox. |
| ComboBox | Edit box with selectable list. |
| TextBox |
Multiline text edit field with optional mini-editor controls. |
| Group | A frame container with title in the border. |
| HScrollBar | Horizontal scroll bar. |
| VScrollBar | Vertcal scroll bar. |
| Image | Picture/Image. |
| Menu | Main Menu |
| MenuItem | Menu Item. |
| StatusBar | Status Bar |
| ToolBar | Tool Bar |
| TabBar | Bar with tabs allowing you to select one of many pages. |
| TabPage |
Container allowing one of many pages to be selected. The container outline the page area and link to an index component like TabBar. It can also visualize selected pages, but the pages are defined on separate Panel containers. |
| ListBox | Standard List Box. |
| TreeGrid | Grid/Tree hybrid allowing first column to be a Tree. |
| Layout Grid |
Invisible grid allowing other components/containers to be positioned and scaled. |
| Circular Gauge | Standard circular gauge. |
| Bar Gauge | Standard Bar Gauge. |
| RT Line Plot |
Specialized Real-Time Line Plot designed for high speed data visualization. |
| Led | Colored status indicator. |
| User Components |
All components are a visual representation with a property list used to generate code. So I want a list of “build-in” components that the user cannot change to get started, but I also want to give the user a capability to add their own content. I have to return to how to do this. |
| Gauge Designer |
A specialized gauge consisting of multiple layers put on top of each other. Should give the user an easy path to design theire own animated gauges. |
| Timer |
A mini state diagram allowing the user to specify a timer and what happens on that event. |
This list will change and grow. The main challenge here is to limit the scope of this first release so I actually can release a first version. Also keep in mind that we are not just designing the screens here, we are actually coding the content as well. I have fetched HMI content from standard GUI designers, but it is important to remember that this is a design specification used to generate code. That gives us far more automation options. Using Modbus as an example – I want to grab a Modbus map as data source and be able to create a fancy desktop application in minutes and literally have the same on desktop and web without thinking about it – it needs to be that easy.