Typical operation

• real photos of user interfaces of the control
• classic screenshots in the development environment
• Export of the screens from the development environment as raster image

Disadvantages of the typical mode of operation

• direct access to control and machine is necessary
• often only possible with the support of the developer
• Test stands or in simulation environments may be necessary
• for localized controls, all steps to create must be repeated
• hardly parallel working of development and documentation possible

Technical illustrators typically lack access to the development environment and the know-how to use it. But “screenshots” of machine or plant controls can actually only be created in the development environment. Mostly even only on test stands or in simulation environments. Similarly, direct access to the machine or plant can be difficult, for example due to long distances, plants that have already been commissioned and handed over to the customer or subsequent updates.

Alternative method

An efficient alternative for suitable projects has proven to be the implementation of the screens of the control software as structured vector graphics with specifically manipulable objects. The graphically comparatively simple interfaces of the control system are completely reproduced as vector illustration. Since it can be assumed that a control software and its user interface are subject to a possibly long life cycle, attention must be paid to optimal changeability when creating the “vector screenshots”.

In the Corel DESIGNER provide for optimal changeability:

• Object styles
• External and internal referenced symbols
• Groups
• Levels

Even if the functional use of Corel functions should be clear, nothing works without a small pragmatic graphic concept. In this graphic concept, on the basis of one or more real screenshots of the control, object styles with properties and semantic naming as well as a systematic for symbols, groups and layers must be defined.

Advantages of the alternative working method

• best graphic quality
• very easy adjustment of every possible situation of the machine, also every faulty situation
• no direct access to control and machine necessary
• no direct support of the developer necessary
• very good preparation and implementation of the localization
• localization no longer takes place in the development department, but in the documentation department with a corresponding influence on language and terminology, and only then does it find its way back into the control system
• parallel working of development and documentation becomes possible
• grown independence from the development department
• grown possibility of influencing the design of the user interface

Disadvantages of the alternative method

• graphic concept must be created once
• graphic template must be created once
• screenshots have to be recreated practically manually