C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)
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6 Cielo Ciencia y Tecnología
·Publicada en C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)

Implementing Custom Asymmetric Multi-Monitor Layouts Beyond OS Project Editor Templates in WinCC

Implementing Custom Asymmetric Multi-Monitor Layouts Beyond OS Project Editor Templates in WinCC

To implement a custom asymmetric multi-monitor layout in SIMATIC PCS 7 WinCC (such as a 1x3 'pyramid' layout with one monitor centered on top and three monitors on the bottom) that exceeds the 6 standard templates in the OS Project Editor, select the closest matrix layout (e.g., 2x2 or 4-monitor) in the OS Project Editor, and then customize the pixel coordinate offsets and picture window positions in '@Screen.pdl'. Because the OS Project Editor generates fixed geometry scripts, overriding picture window properties ('Left', 'Top', 'Width', 'Height') or tailoring 'MonitorConfiguration.xml' maps each WinCC display area to your physical Windows desktop layout.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

In modern control room design, operator ergonomics often dictate non-standard display layouts. While the SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Project Editor provides six standardized multi-monitor arrangements (e.g., 1x1, 1x2, 2x1, 2x2, 1x3 horizontal, 1x4 horizontal), industrial plants frequently deploy custom physical arrangements—such as an asymmetric four-screen configuration featuring three horizontal operator screens on the desk and one overview display mounted above. Attempting to force an asymmetric layout through standard editor options fails because the wizard only understands rectangular matrices. This guide explains how WinCC manages virtual coordinate mapping, details manual adjustments to @Screen.pdl, and shows how to preserve custom layouts across software updates.

Architectural and System Mechanics

WinCC Multi-Monitor Display Architecture:

  • Windows Virtual Desktop Space: Windows treats multiple physical monitors as a unified continuous coordinate plane. For example, three 1920x1080 monitors side-by-side span (0,0) to (5760,1080). A fourth monitor placed above the middle monitor spans (1920, -1080) or shifts the coordinate origin.
  • The OS Project Editor Engine:
  • Reads the selected layout template and generates system display @Screen.pdl.
  • Places PictureWindow1 through PictureWindow4, binding each window to a calculated coordinate frame representing a monitor.
  • Writes layout metrics to MonitorConfiguration.xml.
  • Asymmetric Layout Challenge:
  • Predefined templates assume uniform grid arrays. When physical monitors are stacked asymmetrically (1 top, 3 bottom), standard coordinate offsets place windows across monitor boundaries or leave black voids.
  • Customization Strategy: Customize @Screen.pdl picture window coordinates directly in Graphics Designer and prevent the OS Project Editor from overwriting the file on subsequent runs.

Step-by-Step Engineering and Implementation Procedure

Step 1: Align Displays in Windows Display Settings

  1. Open Windows Display Settings on the OS Client PC.
  2. Arrange the 4 monitors to reflect their physical positions:
    * Monitor 2 (Left): Coordinate (0, 1080) (1920x1080)
    * Monitor 3 (Center): Coordinate (1920, 1080) (1920x1080)
    * Monitor 4 (Right): Coordinate (3840, 1080) (1920x1080)
    * Monitor 1 (Top Overview): Coordinate (1920, 0) (1920x1080)
  3. Ensure the desktop origin (0,0) aligns cleanly and set scaling to 100% across all screens.

Step 2: Run OS Project Editor with 4-Monitor Template

  1. In WinCC Explorer, open the OS Project Editor.
  2. Under the 'Layout' tab, select a 4-monitor configuration (e.g., 2x2 or 4-screen layout) matching your screen resolution (e.g., SIMATIC Standard 1920*1080).
  3. Complete the wizard to generate standard system files (@Screen.pdl, @Overview1.pdl, etc.).

Step 3: Customize @Screen.pdl Picture Window Geometry

  1. In WinCC Graphics Designer, open @Screen.pdl.
  2. Locate the four container picture windows: PictureWindow1, PictureWindow2, PictureWindow3, PictureWindow4.
  3. Open Properties -> Geometry for each window and configure the exact coordinates:
    * PictureWindow1 (Top Monitor): Left = 1920, Top = 0, Width = 1920, Height = 1080.
    * PictureWindow2 (Bottom Left): Left = 0, Top = 1080, Width = 1920, Height = 1080.
    * PictureWindow3 (Bottom Center): Left = 1920, Top = 1080, Width = 1920, Height = 1080.
    * PictureWindow4 (Bottom Right): Left = 3840, Top = 1080, Width = 1920, Height = 1080.
  4. Save @Screen.pdl.

Step 4: Protect @Screen.pdl from Future OS Project Editor Runs

  1. Whenever running OS Project Editor in the future, select the 'Basic Data' tab.
  2. Expand the display files list, locate @Screen.pdl, and uncheck the update box (or set to 'Do not overwrite').
  3. This preserves your customized coordinate matrix while allowing other system components to update.

Verification

To verify asymmetric multi-monitor layout:
1. Start WinCC Graphics Runtime on the 4-monitor client station.
2. Verify that runtime spans seamlessly across all four screens without clipping or overlapping.
3. Verify that Monitor 1 displays the plant overview header and alarms, while Monitors 2, 3, and 4 display independent technological process pictures.
4. Open an APL faceplate on Monitor 2; confirm that the popup renders cleanly within Monitor 2's boundaries.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Operational precautions:
- Display scaling in Windows must be set to exactly 100% on all monitors; differing DPI scaling factors (e.g., 125% on one monitor) causes WinCC coordinates to distort.
- All four monitors should ideally share identical native resolutions (e.g., 1920x1080) to avoid aspect ratio stretching.
- Rerunning OS Project Editor without protecting @Screen.pdl will overwrite custom coordinate geometry and restore default matrix positions.

Engineer FAQ

Q: How many layouts does the OS Project Editor support natively?

A: The OS Project Editor natively supports 6 rectangular grid layouts (1x1, 1x2, 2x1, 2x2, 1x3, 1x4).

Q: Can WinCC handle asymmetric monitor layouts?

A: Yes, by manually configuring picture window coordinates in @Screen.pdl to match the Windows desktop layout.

Q: What happens if Windows display coordinates change?

A: If Windows display settings are rearranged or cables swapped, picture windows will map incorrectly to physical screens until coordinates are re-aligned.

Q: Where is @Screen.pdl located?

A: In the GraCS directory of the WinCC OS project folder.

Q: Can different monitors run different resolutions?

A: While technically possible, mixing resolutions complicates coordinate calculations and can cause font distortion in standard APL faceplates.

Technical References

Related Articles

Related Tags

Multi-Monitor, OS Project Editor, @Screen.pdl, WinCC Layout, Asymmetric Monitors

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