In order to use the specific display objects for ibaQPanel, you have to create a panel where the display objects (=tools) are placed.

When you create an ibaQPanel by clicking on the button  in the toolbar, the program will automatically switch to design mode. In this mode, the panel and the objects can be changed in size, shifted and their properties can also be changed. The following picture shows an empty panel in design mode.

The panel will be shown first as a black plane.

To change the properties of the panel, double click the panel. The properties dialog will open.

You can enter a name for the panel.

Automatically hide toolbar

If this option is chosen, the toolbar only appears in design mode when the mouse moves over the upper limit of the window. When fading in, the toolbar slides across the panel; the panel itself, however, will not be moved to the bottom.

Background

You can choose a fixed color or image file for the background and a color for the area outside the panel. You can change the color by clicking on the color field.

If you want to use a graphic as background image, please click on the checkbox Image and choose the desired graphic via the browser button.

Several options are available for displaying the image under Image mode:

    • Tile: Tile arrangement of the image in the object

    • Center: the image is displayed in its original size in the center of the object

    • Zoom: the image is fitted into the object in its original size ratios

    • Stretch: the image is adapted to the object in height and widths

    • None: the image is displayed in its original size

If the Backup picture in layout file option is activated, the image is saved in the layout.

Size

Here, you can enter the size of the panel in pixel and choose the background (solid color or graphic file).

Automatically extend QPanel dimensions for objects outside the panel

If you copy elements from one panel to another, they will be displayed in the target panel at the same position as in the source panel. If the target panel is too small, the element will be shifted to the border or is not visible anymore. If this option is enabled, the target panel will be automatically enlarged so that the copied element fits the panel.

It is possible to create and configure several panels. They can be shifted and positioned as docking windows like common ibaPDA signal displays or arranged one behind the other in form of tabs.

The elements on the panel define its minimum size. If you want to reduce the size of the panel, the elements have to be moved or removed.

General notes on full screen mode

When using the full screen display during operation, the usual ibaPDA client window will be covered completely. However, it can be useful to keep the tabs for various panels or signal displays, in order to e.g. easily switch from one view to another. In this case, a range is reserved in the upper screen for the tabs with the panel names (20 pixel). You decide if the tabs are seen or hidden in the menu layout with “Signal display without tab”. This margin area has to be considered during dimensioning the panel for full screen display so that the panel is neither too large nor to small. To determine the maximum panel size for the full screen display, this value has to be subtracted from the vertical pixel size of the monitor.

The following table contains panel sizes for some usual screen formats:

Monitor size

Panel size for full screen mode

with tab

without tab

1024 x 768

1024 x 748

1024 x 768

1280 x 1024

1280 x 1004

1280 x 1024

1600 x 1200

1600 x 1180

1600 x 1200

1366 x 768

1366 x 748

1366 x 768

Objects

Here you can enable or disable the dynamic behavior of all objects. You can also also decide whether the dynamic regions should be displayed only for the selected objects or for all the objects on the panel. This can be useful to align multiple regions to each other.