OLE Objects

General

Information

• OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) means the linking of objects from other applications to one’s own application. Here, objects are not copied but linked. The advantage of this is that an object can be linked many times while being edited in one single application.
• In PLANTA you can use OLE for embedding program objects from OLE-capable applications. Other applications cannot embed program objects using the OLE procedure.
• The OLE objects can be embedded in all data fields of the Text type or they can be incorporated in data areas as independent OLE data items.

Information

• OLE objects are saved directly in the data base and are stored locally on the server.
• When a module which contains OLE objects is opened, they are saved in a temporary directory on the client side.

Create OLE Objects

OLE objects are created in the OLEs module.

Create OLE Data Items

Information

• Data items with Class class = 13 are required if different OLE objects are to be displayed for a particular data field depending on different values or if the OLE object is to be displayed as an independent field in the module.

Procedure

• Create a virtual data item with Class = 13 in the data table from which the DDI of the data area in which an OLE object is to be displayed stems.
  • The OLE object, e.g., is to be displayed in the project data area.
  • DDI of the project data area stems from DT461 Project.
  • The OLE data item is created in DT461 with virtual = .
• In the Data Items module,
  • select the value range type from the VR type listbox.
  • enter the required Check/calculation formula in the Value range field.
• Assign the OLE data item to the required data area.

Details

• It is possible to customize actions on the fields of the respective OLE data items.

OLE Data Items with Traffic Light Values

Information

• For the OLE data items with traffic light values, value ranges with VR type = PY are used. In these value ranges the threshold values are calculated and the global variables which are stored in the code and in which the threshold values are saved (limiting values for traffic light colors) are read out via the check_limit() function. For further information, see under Customizing with Threshold Values.

Embed OLE Objects

Embed Variable OLE Objects

Embed OLE in a button

• Select the requested OLE in the OLEs module and note down the ID.
• Enter the DBOLE prefix and the ID of the selected OLE object in brackets in the required data area on the DI004336 Button/IronPython in the Default value parameter, e.g.: DBOLE(000685).
• Save.

Embed OLE in a menu item

• Select the required OLE from the listbox on the OLE field in the line of the required menu item in the Menu Items module under Customizer → System Customizer → Users, Roles, Resources.
• Save.

Embedding Variable OLE Objects

Information

• In a particular field, different OLE objects can be displayed depending on the field values.

Procedure

• Create an OLE data item of class 13 and define a value range for this data item.
• Open the required data area.
• Assign the OLE data item at the corresponding position.
  • Set DF behavior = a and
  • Define DF width.

Product or Company Logo

Information

• The OLEs for product or company logos are stored for each module in the Product logo field in the Other Module Parameters module.
• When new modules are created, this field is filled with the 000704 Logo: project default logo.
• The default product logo can subsequently be replaced by an individual product logo.
• You have the option to use a particular product logo throughout the system.

Use a product logo system-wide

• Open the OLEs module
• Switch to the Product Logos module variant.

• Click on the Use system-wide as logo button for the newly created OLE.

  • The Do you want to embed the required graphic as a product logo system-wide? The product logo of all modules will be replaced by this logo. dialog message will be displayed.
  • Confirm this message with Yes.
  • Restart the program.
  • All existing modules of the system now have the new product logo.
  • For new modules, the new product logo is automatically set as the default product logo.

Customize the Layout of OLE Bars

Procedure

• Enter OLE DI, e.g. Total project estimate (DI023380), in the required data area, e.g. DA041019 in the Projects module.
• Make the following settings for this DI:
  • Window = 3
  • DF behavior = a (background)
  • Bar link (DF Python ID) = bar_pr_cd_by_prc (this is the Python ID of the bar on which you want to have an OLE displayed, in this case the Python ID of the bar for calculated dates)
  • Docking point = 2
• Result: In the Projects (MOD0099G2) module, the thumbs of the estimates are displayed in the middle of the bars for calculated dates.