Software Instruction Manual

IQ–MSD Turbo 1.4 Advanced IQ System Software

Page 45

3 Designing Graphics Plates

Fortunately you don’t have to be an artist to create an attractive graphics plate because we have included a wide

array of pre-made graphic objects which are easy to use. They are listed in the graphics plate Toolbox (see

Figure 2.22). We’ve also included a number of pre-configured objects for many IQ components. We call them

GDMs or Graphic Display Modules because they graphically display many of the monitor and control features of

our IQ components. Before we delve into the details of graphics plate design, let’s discuss a few general principals.

3.1 Overview

There are two things to consider before designing a graphics plate: its purpose and its intended user. You may

want to write down the purpose and then list all the things that it will need to carry out that purpose. The purpose

will determine which types of control and monitor objects will be required. It is important to consider the intended

user or operator in order to design a graphics plate that is as friendly and easy-to-use as possible for the operator.

What is the skill level of the operator? How much control should he or she be allowed to have over the system?

How will the graphics plate be used under various conditions—including emergencies? These questions are

important to designing a good graphics plate. Sometimes you will need to design more than one graphics plate for

an operator. They can be linked with system buttons that allow the operator to jump from one graphics plate to

another.

3.1.1 A Simple Example

Usually the best graphics plate designs are the simplest. Let’s look at a very simple example. A doctor’s office

needs a graphics plate so one of its staff can control the background music level of the patient waiting room from

a remote location. Channel 1 of a Crown amplifier with an IQ–P.I.P.–MEM module drives the loudspeakers in the

waiting room.

Let‘s begin by answering the two questions we posed earlier:

Purpose: The purpose of the graphics plate will be to control the background music level in a waiting

room. To accomplish this the staff member will need to monitor the output level of Channel 1 of the amplifier

and control the input attenuator control on Channel 1 of the IQ–P.I.P.–MEM.

Operator: The skill level of the operator is low. They are not familiar with audio and so the graphics plate

design must take this into account. In addition, the sound level should never be turned completely off

because it is also used by the alarm system.

You could begin by placing a GDM for the IQ–P.I.P.–MEM on the graphics plate. One will be automatically placed

there if the Display control on the graphics plate control block is set to Selected mode

and the Sel control of the