Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk View Site Edition Users Guide - Manual (Page 498)

F ACTORY T ALK V IEW S ITE E DITION U SER ’ S G UIDE
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Embedding an object in a graphic display increases the size of the graphic file,
because the embedded object includes information about its source application. This
lets you double-click the object and modify it using the source application.
If you convert the object, you can no longer modify it using its source application.
However, you can use the editing tools in the Graphics editor to work with the object.
Working with ActiveX objects
ActiveX objects are software components supplied by products independent from
FactoryTalk View, such as Microsoft Office 2003, Visual Basic, and many other third-
party applications.
For example, you can embed the Microsoft Forms ActiveX objects in an FactoryTalk
View graphic display.
By embedding an ActiveX object in a FactoryTalk View display, and then assigning
properties or specifying handlers for the object’s events, the object can interact with
FactoryTalk View.
Data is passed between an ActiveX object and FactoryTalk View using tags.
If you attach a tag to an ActiveX object’s Value property, the object’s behavior changes as
the tag’s value changes.
Exchanging data with tags
To pass data between an ActiveX object and FactoryTalk View, the ActiveX object must
supply information in the same format as the tags, with which the data is exchanged.
For example, if the ActiveX object is connected to an HMI tag, the ActiveX object must
provide information that is compatible with the analog, digital, or string format of the tag.
FactoryTalk View does not support pointer parameters in an ActiveX object.
Attributes of ActiveX objects
An ActiveX object has three types of attributes that expose its features:
 Properties are named characteristics and values of an object, such as shape, color,
position, or number.
 Events are actions triggered by the ActiveX object in response to an external action
on the object, such as a mouse click.
FactoryTalk View supports the use of windowed ActiveX controls only. You cannot use
windowless ActiveX controls in an FactoryTalk View graphic display.