Configuring a run button and other specialized buttons in a form

About this topic

To create or edit forms, you must have VWorks Technician- or Administrator-level access. You should also have an understanding of how to create protocols in the VWorks software.

This topic describes the following:

•	Determining which run button to include

•	About including the Pause and Full Screen on/off buttons

•	About including other specialized buttons

•	Configuring the specialized buttons

The Form Designer window contains buttons that perform specific commands, which are available elsewhere in the VWorks window. You can find these buttons under Specialized Buttons in the Form Designer window.

Figure. Form Designer window Specialized Buttons area and the default buttons

 

For more details on creating forms, see Workflow for creating or editing a form.

Determining which run button to include

The following table describes four different options that you can use as the run button on your form. To configure these run buttons, except the Pushbutton control, see Configuring the specialized buttons in this section.

 

Run buttons		Description
Pushbutton control		Provides the most flexible way to run a protocol using a form, because you can allow the form users to choose which protocol to run and the number of run times. The Pushbutton control is under the General Controls area. For details on how to configure the Pushbutton control, see Adding form controls that allow editing or runtime data display and Example: Creating a scripted Pushbutton control in a form.
Run Protocol (default)		Opens the Run Configuration Wizard for the protocol, so that the user can enter the number of times to run, when to start the run, and the starting barcode. When the user clicks Finish in the wizard, the protocol starts, or is scheduled to start in the future. The Run Protocol button is available to the form user only if the protocol is open and no run is currently in progress. The form can be used to start different protocols, but only one instance of the form can be open and running a given protocol at a time. Setup requirements. In the Protocol Options area of the VWorks window, you must specify the form to use (.VWForm). You can also choose to automatically load the form file, so that the form opens automatically when the protocol is opened. If you export a protocol that has a specified form to use, the form file can be included in the exported files.
Run Specified Protocol		Starts the run for the specified protocol immediately. The Run Configuration Wizard does not appear in this case. Setup requirements. The properties for the button must specify the protocol file (.pro) and the number of times to run it.
Run Runset		Starts the specified runset. The Run Configuration Wizard does not appear in this case. If any runs are scheduled to start as soon as possible, a warning message asks the operator to make sure that the system is ready for the runs to start. Setup requirements. The properties for button must specify the runset file (.rst), and you must select the Use global context for variables check box for the form.

About including the Pause and Full Screen on/off buttons

IMPORTANT Be sure to include the Toggle Full Screen button in your form if you want the user to view the form in the full screen view.

When you open the Form Designer to create a form, the Pause and Full Screen on/off buttons are included in the form by default. If you accidentally remove these buttons, you can reselect the Pause Run and Toggle Full Screen controls from the Specialized Buttons area of the Form Designer window.

 

Buttons		Description
Pause Run (default)		Provides the same function as the Pause all button on the toolbar: pauses the run and opens the Scheduler Paused dialog box. For details, see Pausing the run. Include the Pause button in your form to give the form users a way to pause, continue, or abort the run when the form is in full-screen view and the toolbar is hidden.
Toggle Full Screen (default)		Changes the VWorks window between the normal view and full-screen view of the form: • Full screen on. Displays only the form in the VWorks window. Optionally, the view can include the Main Log, Pipette Log, Time Constraints Log, and Progress tabs. All other controls and areas, such as menus, toolbars, and the work area are hidden. • Full screen off. Displays the form as a tab in the protocol area of the VWorks window. IMPORTANT The full-screen view is an option only if the form includes the Toggle Full Screen button. IMPORTANT If you click the button in either view, you will exit the VWorks software.

The following figures show examples of the full screen on and off.

Figure. VWorks window with example form in full screen view

 

Figure. VWorks window with example form in tab view (full screen off)

 

About including other specialized buttons

In addition to the run buttons and the Pause and Full Screen on/off buttons, the Form Designer provides the following specialized buttons that you can include in your form:

•	Initialize All Devices button

•	Buttons for data entry values (print, reset, and save)

•	Menu Action button

Initialize All Devices button

If the simulation mode is turned off when you open a protocol, the software automatically loads the device file associated with the protocol and asks you whether you want to initialize the devices. If you want the form user to be able to initialize the devices manually while the form is displayed in full-screen view, you can include the Initialize All Devices button. This button is available under Specialized Buttons in the Form Designer window, and the button performs the same function as the Initialize all devices button in the Devices tab of the VWorks window.

Buttons for data entry values

The Data entry property, which enables form users to enter or edit values, is available for many of the Form Designer controls found under General Controls. The following buttons manage the data entry values that are entered by a form’s user.

 

Button	Description
Print Data Entry values	Prints all data entry values associated with the controls in the form, including values entered by the form user and default values that were not modified.
Reset Data Entry values	Resets all data entry values associated with the controls in the form to the default values. Alternatively, values can be reset automatically when the form is reopened if the Restore default values when loading check box is selected in the Form Designer window when creating the form.
Save Data Entry values	Saves the data entry values associated with the controls in the form so that the values persist until they are explicitly reset.

Menu Action button

IMPORTANT The Menu Action button gives a user who has VWorks Operator-level access the ability to perform actions that normally require Technician-level access.

You can use the Menu Action button to perform the following commands.

 

Menu Action button options	For details, see…
• Display Gantt Charts • Labware Editor • Liquid Library Editor • Pipette Technique Editor • System State Editor • Tip State Editor • Configure Labware • Backup, Restore (Backup Manager) • Log Management • Error Library • Inventory Editor • Global Options (Options command in the Tools menu)	These commands are also available in the Tools menu of the VWorks window. For a description of the Tools menu commands, see Tools menu. IMPORTANT These commands normally require VWorks Technician-level access.
• Export (exports the form and all associated files)	The Export command is also available in the File menu. For details on the Export command, see Exporting and importing protocols and associated components.
• Hit Picking Format wizard–Bravo	This command is also available in the Tools menu of the VWorks window. For a description of the Tools menu commands, see Tools menu. IMPORTANT This command normally requires VWorks Technician-level access.

Configuring the specialized buttons

To configure the specialized buttons:

1	If the button you are configuring is already in the Form Canvas area of the Form Designer window, go to step 4.

If the desired button is not yet in the form, click Specialized buttons, and drag the button to the Form Canvas area.

An invisible autogrid assists you in aligning the control in the form. To turn off the autogrid, press ALT while dragging the control into position.

2	In the Form Canvas area, click the button that you are configuring. A resizing box appears around the button’s border. To resize the button, drag one of the sizing handles.

Note that the corresponding properties appear for the selected button as the following figure shows.

Figure. Form Designer window displaying properties for the selected button

 

Note: Click Preview to display the image that the form’s user will see.

3	Edit the Properties of the button as required. The following table describes all the properties, but a given button may use only a subset of these properties.

 

Properties	Description
Icon	Optional. To select an image to use as an icon in addition to the button caption, click the field, and then click the button that appears. In the Open dialog box, locate and select the image file (.jpg, .png, .bmp, or .ico), and then click Open. Note: Icons for the run and pause buttons are installed in the following folder: …\Program Files\Agilent Technologies\VWorks\clipart
Caption	To change the label that appears on the button, type the new text in the field.
Font size	Optional. To change the font size for the selected control and subsequently created controls, type a new number in the field. Default: 10
Font color, Background color (button)	Optional. To change the font color for the selected control and subsequently created controls, click the field, and then click the that appears. In the palette list, select the color, or click Custom Color to open the Select Color dialog box and create a custom color. Default font color: Web Black Default background color: 240, 240, 240
Run Specified Protocol button only
Protocol file	To select the protocol that this form will run, click the field, and then click the button that appears. In the Open dialog box, locate and select the .pro file, and then click Open.
Number of times to run	Type the number of times the protocol will run after the form user clicks the run button.
Run Runset button only
Runset file	To select the runset that this form will run, click the field, and then click the button that appears. In the Open dialog box, locate and select the .rst file, and then click Open.
Menu Action button only
Action	Click the field, and then click the that appears. Click the command that you want the button to perform. IMPORTANT The menu action button gives a user who has Operator-level access the ability to perform the specified action, which may normally require Technician-level access.
Initialize All Devices button only
Device file	To select the device file that contains the devices for the corresponding protocol, click the field, and then click the button that appears. In the Open dialog box, locate and select the .dev file, and then click Open.

4	If you are configuring the Run Protocol button :

a	In the VWorks window protocol tab, under Protocol Options > Properties, click the Form to use field, and then click the button that appears.

b	In the Open dialog box, locate and select the form file that you are creating. (.VWForm), and then click Open.

c	In the Automatically load form file field:

•	Ensure the check box is selected (default) if the form should open automatically anytime the protocol is opened.

•	Clear the check box if the form should not open automatically when the protocol is opened.

 

5	If you are configuring the Run Runset button , make sure you select the Use global context for variables check box in the Form Designer window.

If you want the JavaScript variables used by the form's controls to interact with variables in the protocols, ensure that the Use global context for this protocol check box is selected in the Protocol Options for each protocol.

If one of the protocols uses its own private context (the Use global context for this protocol check box is not selected), you can include a getGlobalObject() JavaScript call in each case where a variable in the protocol must read from, or write to, one of the variables used by the form. For details, see VWorks-defined functions.

Note: If you want one control to overlap another control on the form, select the control that you want on top, and then click Bring selected control to front.

Related information

 

For information about...	See...
Workflow for creating or editing a form	Workflow for creating or editing a form
Forms and Form Designer overview	About forms for running protocols
Controls under General Controls in the Form Designer window	Adding form controls that allow editing or runtime data display
Controls under Specialized Display Controls in the Form Designer window	Adding indicators for elapsed time and progress to a form
Form properties in the Form Designer window	Setting the form properties
Creating a basic protocol	Workflow for creating or editing a form