You can use this option to set a limit for the number of ViewX document windows that can be open at the same time. For example, if you set the limit to 3, any user that logs on to the client will only be able to display three document windows at the same time. If the user tries to display additional documents, a message is displayed informing the user that they need to close a document before the new document can be displayed.

To define the maximum number of ViewX document windows that can be displayed simultaneously on the client, use the Maximum Windows spin-box to set the maximum amount. You can use a value from 1 to 100. The default value is 100.

If you attempt to open an additional document window when the maximum number has been reached, the following notification will appear.

To continue, place a check mark next to the document window(s) you would like to close, then select Close Window(s).

If any of the selected document windows include unsaved configuration changes, you will be prompted to save the changes.

Many ViewX documents have flashing elements on display. For example, Mimics can contain flashing objects and Lists and the Alarm Banner can both show flashing entries (these entries usually relate to items in alarm). The flashing elements are designed to attract the attention of operators so that they are made aware of site conditions as soon as possible.

The speed at which the elements flash between colors is defined via the Flash Rate setting on the Options window. This setting determines whether the colors flash Fast (change every 0.5 seconds, Medium (change every 0.75 seconds), or Slow (change every second).

Typically, you would set the Flash Rate setting according to your personal preference. However, on some systems, performance may be affected by the Flash Rate setting—if your PC has limited graphics hardware, fast and possibly medium Flash Rate settings may cause additional CPU usage. For this reason, we recommend that you choose the Slow Flash Rate setting on PCs with limited graphics capabilities.

To change the Flash Rate setting that is used for flashing effects on your ViewX client, use the Flash Rate combo box to set the amount of time between each stage in the flash sequence. You can choose from:

You can set a client PC to display ViewX in full screen mode. Full screen mode is particularly useful when the client PC is primarily used for interacting with Geo SCADA Expert, as it means ViewX always starts at its maximum size.

When ViewX launches in full screen mode, the following occurs:

• The ViewX title bar does not display
• The ribbon is minimized (see Minimize the Ribbon)
• The Quick Access Toolbar is hidden
• The File Menu button displays at a reduced size
• The Status Bar does not display
• The Minimize, Maximize, Restore and Close buttons do not display
• ViewX extends over the Windows taskbar.

To enable or disable full screen mode select the Start Full Screen check box to enable full screen mode or clear the check box to disable full screen mode.

Full screen mode only affects how ViewX is displayed when it first runs. If the current user has Can Toggle Full Screen enabled in their User settings (see Define the General Settings for a User in ViewX in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Security), they can turn off full screen mode. To do this:

• Select Full Screen from the Window command group on View tab.

Or:

• Use the F11 shortcut key.

The full screen mode should not be confused with the restricted workstation feature described below, which works in conjunction with UI lockdown functionality in Windows to restrict users to only accessing ViewX on that particular client PC.

Geo SCADA Expert's Restricted Workstation feature is designed to be used in conjunction with UI lockdown functionality in Windows®. For example, it might be the policy on your site to restrict workstation functionality, such that non-administrator-level users are prevented from shutting down the workstation, accessing the task manager, and so on. If the settings in Windows have been used to restrict workstation functionality for non-administrator-level users, you can select the Restricted Workstation check box to enforce the following rules:

• Run ViewX in full screen mode
• Prevent ViewX from being closed unless the ‘Can Close ViewX’ feature is enabled for the Guest user or the user account that is used to log on (see Define the General Settings for a User in ViewX)
• Prevent users from resizing the ViewX window.
  

Clear the Restricted Workstation check box to set the ViewX client to function as a normal, unrestricted workstation. Leave the check box clear, for example, on workstations on which operating functionality in Windows is not locked down for non-administrator-level users.

You can interact with ViewX from devices that do not have a keyboard such as touch-screen displays. This is made possible by ViewX's own on-screen keyboard feature which provides users with a virtual keyboard - they can select letters, numbers, and so on, on the on-screen keyboard instead of using a physical keyboard.

By default, ViewX's on-screen keyboard is disabled and you have to interact with ViewX by using a keyboard and mouse.

To enable or disable ViewX's on-screen keyboard, select the Enable On-Screen Keyboard check box to make the on-screen keyboard available for relevant displays. You can now interact with ViewX via devices that do not have physical keyboards.

The keyboard layout varies, depending on the user's Locale settings (see Define the Regional Settings for a User).

Clear the Enable On-Screen Keyboard check box to disable the on-screen keyboard feature. You will need to use a physical keyboard to interact with ViewX.

Whenever you are using Geo SCADA Expert, and you don't understand a feature, concept, or setting, you can get online help by:

• Pressing the F1 function key
• Selecting Help>Contents from the main menu.

For more information about using Geo SCADA Expert online help see Welcome to Geo SCADA Expert Help.

Geo SCADA Expert stores online help both on your local ViewX client and on the Geo SCADA Expert servers to which your ViewX client is connected. When you request online help, the default setting is that ViewX displays the local version of online help.

The local version of online help could be different to versions on the Geo SCADA Expert servers. For example, this might happen if you are using an old version of ViewX. In such a case, the local version of online help might not be synchronized with server-based Geo SCADA Expert database items. That is, the online help might not match the Geo SCADA Expert screens that you see and the context-sensitive (F1) online help might not work as you expect.

To ensure that the ViewX online help is fully synchronized with server-based Geo SCADA Expert database items, you can specify that ViewX should use Server-Side Help.

To specify that ViewX should use Server-Side Help select the Use Server Based Help check box.

You can use the ViewX Options window to determine if confirmation is required when the ViewX client closes. If the Confirm ViewX Close option is selected, a confirmation dialog is displayed when a shutdown is attempted.

You can add a clock to the status bar on a ViewX client. The clock can display times in UTC or local time and it takes the time from the Windows operating system (with any formatting applied before it added to the status bar).

The ViewX status bar clock is particularly useful on ViewX clients that are set to display in Full Screen mode, where the Windows taskbar clock cannot be seen.

To add a clock to the status bar on a ViewX client, enter the format for the time setting in the Clock Format field. The format has to comply with the Geo SCADA Expert time format (see Using OPC Time Formats). If you leave the field empty, the clock will not be displayed.

Select the UTC check box to set the clock to display the time in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) or clear it to display local time.

If you display a Mimic that contains an embedded Mimic, the embedded Mimic is loaded into memory on the client PC (into an area called the embedded Mimic cache). The file for the embedded Mimic can then be accessed locally by any Mimic that contains the embedded Mimic.

You can define the maximum number of embedded mimics that are held in the cache. When you display a Mimic that contains embedded Mimics, the embedded Mimics are stored in the embedded Mimic cache. To help minimize potential loss of performance, Geo SCADA Expert attempts to remove unused embedded Mimics from the cache if the number of cached embedded mimics reaches or exceeds the defined cache size. When the limit is reached or exceeded, Geo SCADA Expert removes the embedded Mimic files for any embedded Mimics that are not currently on in use, starting with the oldest files first.

We recommend that you only change the embedded cache size if specifically advised to do so by a Schneider Electric engineer.

When making changes to the size of the embedded Mimic cache, you can examine the effects by using the View feature for the embedded Mimic (available on the Options window). This allows you to see how many embedded Mimic files are being loaded in and out of the cache.

If you have been advised to change the embedded Mimic cache size, you will need to use the Options window to make the alterations, use the Embedded Mimic Cache Size spin-box to increase the cache size as advised.

You can view information about the embedded Mimic cache by selecting the View button that is next to the spin-box. This displays the Embedded Mimic Cache window which provides the following information:

The Miscellaneous section of the ViewX Options provides you with a Logout on Inactivity option. This option allows you to enable the system to automatically logout if the Inactivity Logout time has been configured and when the system is inactive and there are no open documents with pending changes.

Select the Logout on Inactivity check box to enable the system to logout automatically when the system is inactive for the time configured in the default security settings. Clear the Logout on Inactivity check box to disable the option.