When a chart is called from an Ignition component or MES module script, execution begins at the Start Block. Optional user-defined Chart Parameters can be created for passing data values or arrays into and/or back from the chart.

Exactly one connection is required:

START — (output) Connects to the first Block in the sequence. When chart execution begins, this connection passes execution control to the first Block in the chart.

Parameters may optionally be created to pass data values into and/or back from the chart.

Connecting the Start Block

1. Click to select the Start Block.
2. Create any new Chart Parameters required, as shown below.
3. Drag into place onto the Design Grid the first Block in the chart sequence.
4. Click the Start Block again and draw a Connector (line) from any edge over to the new Block. When the chart is executed by one of the chart functions listed in system.mes.bc, the Start output passes execution control to this first Block in the chart sequence.

Configuring (optional) Chart Parameters

Create or Edit a New Chart Parameter

To create a new Chart Parameter, click . To edit an existing Chart Parameter, click or double-click on the parameter.

Configure or edit the Chart Parameter using the Edit Parameter dialog box.

Configure a Simple Data Type Parameter

1. Name the new parameter in Parameter Name (spaces are not allowed).
2. Select the Simple Data Type radio button.
3. Select a data type (String, Integer, Double or Date) from the drop-down list.
4. If not an array, enter an optional Default Value (quotes are not required around strings).
5. Click Save to save the parameter (or Cancel to quit the edits).

Configure a B2MML Schema

1. Name the new parameter in Parameter Name (spaces are not allowed).
2. Select the B2MML Schema radio button.
   
3. Select an available MES B2MML category from the drop-down list.
4. Click Save to save the parameter (or Cancel to quit the edits).

Configure a Complex Data Type Parameter

A Complex Data Type parameter is either a list or an array presented to the first Block in the chart sequence (as a Python list or dictionary, respectively).

1. Name the new parameter in Parameter Name (refer to the naming rules here: Complex Data Type Parameters).
2. Select the Complex Data Type radio button.
3. Click on the name of your new parameter in the Complex Parameter Structure area.
4. Click to add a row. Name it and select the Data Type in the Complex Node Editor area on the right. For an array instead of a list, select "Complex" from the Data Type drop-down. This will make this entry eligible for child elements.
5. Complete the list or array as needed.
6. Click Save to save the parameter (or Cancel to quit the edits).

Delete a Chart Parameter

To delete a Chart Parameter, click to highlight the parameter and then click .

Copy Selected Parameter to Clipboard

Click to highlight the parameter and then click . This copies the parameter's default value(s) to the clipboard.

Copy Selected Parameter's Default Value(s) as a Python String to Clipboard

Click to highlight the parameter and then click . This copies the parameter's Python dictionary structure to the clipboard as a Python-compliant String. Using the example MaterialCategory shown above, the clipboard will contain all of the dictionary key/value pairs (values are blank, but the quotes for them are present as placeholders (because the child items in this example are defined as type String):

Paste Clipboard to a New Chart Parameter

Once a Chart Parameter has been copied to the clipboard as described above (includes its default value or values), click to paste the clipboard contents into a newly-created parameter (will be named the same but have a suffix of underscore plus the next appropriate digit, such as "_1" then "_2", etc). The new parameter will also contain the original parameter's default value or values.

Create Material Definitions