How to use Library Widgets

This section describes the key functionalities of Library Widgets and how they should be used.

The Library Explorer dock shows all Widget Libraries found in the library search path including the default Core Panel widgets.

To open the Library Info dialog (Figure 3), which shows more information about Widget Library, right-click on the Widget Library inside the Library Explorer dock and choose the Library Info action (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Open Library Info context menu action

In order to open the widget library where the selected library component is specified, right-click on the Library Widget inside the Library Explorer dock and choose the Open Widget Library action (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Library Widget context menu actions

Note: Library Info and Open Widget Library actions are not available for Core Panel Widgets.

To open Library Widget or Core Panel Widgets documentation, right-click on the Library Widget (Core widget) inside the Library Explorer dock and choose the Help action (Figure 4).

To modify the search path, select the User libraries path settings action from the Panel menu and the library search path settings dialog will be opened (Figure 5).

Figure 5. User libraries search path settings dialog

Note: After the libraries search path is modified you need to reload all Widget Libraries.

Note: After Widget Libraries are reloaded, the Library dock is reloaded automatically.

Library Widgets can be used in a Panel or another Widget Library by simply dragging and dropping them from the Library Explorer dock to the Panel (or Group/Sub-Panel) canvas (Figure 6).

When the Library Widget is added to the Panel, it is linked to its Widget Library and you can only change its position, size, name, and label. The Library Widget's child widgets cannot be changed in any way (moved, resized, deleted...).

Note: You cannot copy/paste new widgets to the added Library Widget. On the other hand, you can copy/paste widgets from the Library Widget to other Panel places and those widgets will become regular Panel widgets that can be changed.

In order to change a Library Widget's properties or change its child widgets you need to un-link the Library Widget from its library by selecting the Un-link Library Widget context menu action (Figure 7). When a Library Widget is un-linked from the Widget Library, it and all its child widgets become regular Panel widgets that can be regularly changed.

To easily open a Widget Library that is linked to the added Library Widget, click on the Library Widget and select the Open Widget Library (Figure 8) context menu action. SCADA will automatically open the Widget Library in separate Library Panel and navigate to the Library Widget.