Dynamic images (string manipulation)

Ignition
1

Hello Everyone,

I wonder how I can manipulate a part of a string, here is what I want to accomplish:

the string “image path” is for example c:/file1.jpg, c:/file2.jpg, c:/file3.jpg, c:/fileN.jpg
now I want to change the image shown determine with an integer value, so that when my Int = 3 I get file3.jpg, when Int = 1 I want to see file1.jpg

How can I insert a variable into the image path? Or more general how can I integrate a variable into a string value?

Regards Johannes

2

You can create dynamic strings for the image path of a component. Just use an Expression binding and pass in a property for the file number like this example:"Builtin/Agitator/Agitator "+{Root Container.Image.status}+".png"The only problem is that you can’t fetch a file off of your hard drive. You have to import the files you want to use into the gateway using the Image Browser in the designer.

3

:thumb_right: thank you Robert!

4

Is there any way to dynamically add images into the gateway for use in the project? We have an application where we are directing picking operations in a warehouse. Typically we show an image of the current product to pick. This image comes from a network file with the product part number as the file name. We have been using custom software to do this (not Ignition). I am looking into replacing the custom interface software with Ignition but I have not found a way to duplicate this feature.

5

We’d be interested in this capability too. For an entirely different use though.

6

I was able to use the document viewer and pull a .gif image from my hard drive without going through the gateway import. You may be able to work that into your system.

7

That may work for Alex but for our use we need to be able to access the images from multiple workstations as we overlay polygons on the image (e.g. using a Paintable canvas) and it would become a nightmare to maintain image stores across multiple locations.
I realise we could have a network share and access the images from there but that would be difficult to set up as our network environment includes multiple VLANs that are Firewalled.

8

There are various other ways you could accomplish this.

  1. If you serve them up via a web server (IIS, apache, etc) then you can use them directly. Our image component will load any image over an [tt]http://[/tt] url. Just set the path property to the URL, and you’re good to go.

  2. If you serve them up over a windows file share or have them on the local computer, you can program up the Paintable Canvas component to display them, like so:

[code]from java.net import URL
from javax.imageio import ImageIO

Use this for a local file

#url = URL(“file:C:/my graphics/something.png”)

Use this for a windows file share

url = URL(“file:\\file_server\my graphics\something.png”)

icon = ImageIO.read(url)

event.graphics.drawImage(icon, 0, 0, event.source)
[/code]

9

Thanks Carl.
As usual you guys are right on the ball :thumb_left: