Data Display Vick's Market User manual

Display User Manual
DDJ06822001 27-Jun-03 Page 1
Vick’s Market
Graphics Board Display
User Manual
Title Page
2003 Data Display Ltd
No part of this document may be reproduced by any process without the prior written permission from Data Display Ltd.
The information in this document is provided for reference only. While every effort has been made to make sure it is accurate and
complete, Data Display Ltd does not accept any liability arising out of the application or use of the information or products described
herein. Moreover, Data Display Ltd reserves the right to alter specifications or procedures without notice.
This document may contain or refer to information or products protected by copyright or patents and does not convey any license under
the patent rights of Data Display Ltd nor the rights of others.
All products referred herein are trademarks of their respective owners.
Publication details:
Title: Graphics Board Display User Manual
Issue: 1
Issue Date: 27-Jun-03
Part Number: DDJ06822001
P. O. Number: 4076
Produced by:
Product Support Department
Data Display Ltd
Deerpark Industrial Estate
Ennistymon, Co. Clare
Ireland

Display User Manual
DDJ06822001 27-Jun-03 Page 2
Table of Contents
1Introduction.........................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Scope.......................................................................................................................................................3
1.2 Purpose....................................................................................................................................................3
1.3 System.....................................................................................................................................................3
2Software.............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 System Requirements .............................................................................................................................4
2.2 Conventions used in this Manual.............................................................................................................4
2.3 Installation................................................................................................................................................5
2.4 Comms Selection.....................................................................................................................................6
2.5 Pin Connections for RS232 .....................................................................................................................6
3GRAFIT 1.18ß Software ©..................................................................................................................7
3.1 Getting Started.........................................................................................................................................7
3.2 Exiting from the Software.........................................................................................................................7
3.3 Accessing Help........................................................................................................................................7
3.4 Screen Layout and Symbols....................................................................................................................8
3.4.1 The Caption Bar...................................................................................................................................8
3.4.2 The Speed Bar.....................................................................................................................................9
3.4.3 The Menu Bar ......................................................................................................................................9
3.4.4 The Canvas..........................................................................................................................................9
3.4.5 The Status Line....................................................................................................................................9
3.5 The Menu Bar........................................................................................................................................10
4Examples..........................................................................................................................................30
4.1 How to Setup a Graphics Frame...........................................................................................................30
4.2 How to create a simple animation with effects. .....................................................................................30
4.3 Adding text to a Graphics frame............................................................................................................30
4.4 Displaying the Date, Time or Temperature............................................................................................31
4.5 Notes on importing Clipart.....................................................................................................................32
5Trouble Shooting ..............................................................................................................................33
5.1 Software.................................................................................................................................................33
5.2 Hardware ...............................................................................................................................................33
6Effects ..............................................................................................................................................34
6.1 ON/OFF Effects .....................................................................................................................................34
6.2 Character Fonts.....................................................................................................................................35
7Maintenance.....................................................................................................................................35
7.1 Maintenance Instructions.......................................................................................................................35
7.1.1 Cleaning the Display..........................................................................................................................35
7.1.2 Preventative Maintenance..................................................................................................................35
7.2 Technical Support..................................................................................................................................35
8Specifications ...................................................................................................................................36

Display User Manual
DDJ06822001 27-Jun-03 Page 3
1 Introduction
1.1 Scope
The scope of this document covers the back to back Graphics Board Display, Master and Slave for
the Vicks Market Project.
1.2 Purpose
The purpose of the document is to provide the relevant information to enable the user to operate and
maintain the Display Board correctly.
1.3 System
The Vick’s Market Display system comprises of a back to back Graphics Display Board, two Control
Boxes and the GRAFIT graphics software package. The Display is 32 pixels high by 144 pixels wide
and uses ultra-bright amber LED technology. The housing is fabricated from aluminium extrusion.
The Control Boxes contain the Modem for remote communication and a Temp Probe and Temp
Controller to allow the Display to show the Temperature. The wiring from the Modem and Temp
Controller are routed to the V53 Logic Boards in the Displays via cable glands at the bottom of the
Box.
The Display is controlled from a host PC using the GRAFIT graphics software. Users can create and
edit both text and graphic messages. The Display Board can show a combination of static and
scrolling messages, normal, large, and/or specialized fonts as well as various ON/OFF effects such
as Flash, Jump, Wipe Sparkle etc.
Warning
Only trained and authorised personnel should do tests and maintenance on this Display
Board System.

Display User Manual
DDJ06822001 27-Jun-03 Page 4
2 Software
The Display Boards are operated using the text and graphic based GRAFIT software package. The
user can edit general text messages, time and date messages as well as draw and create their own
single frame graphics or multi-frame sequences and animations.
This chapter contains information to enable the installation and configuration of the software.
2.1 System Requirements
It is assumed that the reader is familiar with the use of an IBM PC or compatible computer and with
the basic Microsoft Windows terminology. It is also recommended that the user is familiar with
Microsoft Paintbrush to better edit graphic frames for the display.
The minimum hardware and software requirements to run the
GRAFIT software are as follows:
Processor: Pentium 1 or higher
Memory: 16MB
Display: VGA (15 inch or larger recommended), 256 colors, 16-bit color
Software: Microsoft Windows 95or later
Disk Space: 10MB minimum free space for GRAFIT plus space for database
and event log storage. ( Bitmaps, Gifs, Tiffs, etc.)
Comms COMM Port 1, 9 Pin serial port must be available.
Other: Mouse or other pointing device. Since the Display system is
normally connected to COM1 is important to ensure that there is
no conflict with the mouse or other pointing device.
2.2 Conventions used in this Manual
Menu Commands
This manual uses a shorthand method when referring to a series of menu commands e.g. ‘Choose
the About option from the Help menu’ is shown as
Help|About .
Clicking the Mouse buttons
The term ‘Click’ denotes clicking the left mouse button.

Display User Manual
DDJ06822001 27-Jun-03 Page 5
2.3 Installation
The GRAFIT software package is supplied on floppy disk. To install the software, do the following
steps:
1. Insert the GRAFIT Software Disk into your floppy drive.
2. Click the
Start button, then select Settings|Control Panel .
3. Double-click the
Add/Remove Programs icon and follow the instructions shown on the
screen.
4. Click on the
Next > button to begin the installation and follow the on-screen instructions.
5. When the process is complete, all files are stored in the C\GRAFIT folder unless the
destination folder has been changed.
Figure 3.2 –Installation Screen.
Add GRAFIT to the Start menu or your Desktop by creating a short-cut as described in your
Windows User Manual. The executable file to run the software package is as follows:
GRAFIT Version 1.18ß = C:\GRAFIT\GRAFIT.EXE

Display User Manual
DDJ06822001 27-Jun-03 Page 6
2.4 Comms Selection
While the Display is primarily controlled remotely over a network using the Modem installed in the
Control Box, it may also be controlled directly from a local PC or Laptop via RS232.
To control the Display locally using a Laptop with the GRAFIT software, a 3 core, RS232 cable will
be required with a 9-way or 25-way D Type connector at one end to connect to the COM Port 1 on
the Laptop. For Pin Connections, refer to section
3.5 .
The COMMs Port configuration on the GRAFIT software will also need to be changed. To
reconfigure the COMMs port setting from Modem to RS232, do the following steps:
1. Run the GRAFIT software package.
2. Select Options|Display.
3. Click on the COMs button and click on the MODEM button.
4. Remove the phone number from the Number field in the Modem Options dialog
box.
5. Click on the OK buttons to exit.
To revert back to Modem operation, do steps 1 to 3 as above and enter the telephone number in the
Number field in the Modem Options dialog box. Click on the OK buttons to exit.
2.5 Pin Connections for RS232
When wiring the serial cable of the display to a IBM Compatible computer connect the wires to the
PC as follows:
9-way (DB9) port
25-way (DB25) port
Pin
Function
Pin
Function
2
Serial In (White)
2
Serial In
3
Serial Out (Red)
3
Serial Out
5
Ground( Black)
7
Ground

Display User Manual
DDJ06822001 27-Jun-03 Page 7
3 GRAFIT 1.18ß Software ©
3.1 Getting Started
To start GRAFIT, select 'Start|Programs|Shortcut' to GRAFIT.EXE.
3.2 Exiting from the Software
There are three ways to exit from the software:
1. Use the normal menu command. Click on
'Frame/ Exit ' and click on the 'Yes' button of the
dialog box.
2. Click on the Close button in the top right-hand corner of the screen, and click on the
'Yes'
button of the dialog box.
3. Press the ALT and F4 keys together, and click on the
'Yes' button of the dialog box.
3.3 Accessing Help
Help is available in the GRAFIT application and may be accessed in the following ways:
•By reading the status bar at the bottom of the screen when a menu option is
highlighted.
•Select Help|Help or Help|About.
•Press F1 to view context sensitive help for the menu option selected.
•Most dialog boxes have HELP buttons.

Display User Manual
DDJ06822001 27-Jun-03 Page 8
3.4 Screen Layout and Symbols
This section gives details of the Graphic User Interface (GUI) for the GRAFIT application. The
components of the GUI are the Caption Bar, the Speed Bar, the Menu Bar, the Canvas (the main
area of the window) and the Status Line at the bottom of the screen. When selected, many of the
main menu items open Dialog Boxes.
Note: For single color Displays, red is used as the default color.
Figure 4.1 - The Main GRAFIT User Interface.
3.4.1 The Caption Bar
The Caption Bar contains the name of the software application GRAFIT followed by the current view
title and the resolution.
Caption Bar
Speed Bar
Menu Bar
Canvas
Co-ordinates
Lines
Palette
Tools

Display User Manual
DDJ06822001 27-Jun-03 Page 9
3.4.2 The Speed Bar
The Speed Bar consists of five buttons that are used to directly access Frame Menu options.
Clears or Blanks current frame Previous/ Next Frame
Load frame from a file on disk Play animation
Saves frame to a file on disk Stop animation
Undo latest changes to image Frame number of Animation
3.4.3 The Menu Bar
The Menu Bar is the primary means of accessing all the menu commands and should always be
kept visible. If a menu command is followed by an ellipsis (…), choosing the command opens a
dialog box. If the command is followed by an arrowhead () the command leads to another menu
selection. If the command has neither an ellipsis nor an arrowhead, then the action occurs as the
command is chosen or. For further information on the use of windows, icons, mouse and menus
refer to the Microsoft Windows User Manual.
3.4.4 The Canvas
The Map is the main central area of the ‘application’ window. Using the commands from the menus,
the user is able to create text/ graphics frames on the Canvas.
3.4.5 The Status Line
The status line appears at the bottom of the main window. It shows useful information as well as
brief explanations of menu items.

Display User Manual
DDJ06822001 27-Jun-03 Page 10
3.5 The Menu Bar
Frame
This menu provides options for dealing with single bitmaps only. Only the working
frame is effected using options in this menu.
Clear
Blanks/clears the current frame.
Delete
This option allows you to delete any frame from the frame list/sequence provided
that there are two or more frames in the sequence.
Insert
This option is like the 'Frame/Load' except that the frame loaded is inserted into the
frame list after the current frame, provided that there is frame space left in which to
store it. This allows you to insert a frame into a sequence.
Load
Selecting 'Load' under the 'Frame' menu produces a dialog box from which the user
may select any of the file types listed. For example .bmp, .gif, .pcx, .tga or .tif.
FIELDS
File Name:
To select a file, click on a '.BMP' file listed under 'File Name' in the dialog box or type
in the name of the required '.BMP' file in the space given under 'File Name'.
List Files of Type:
Clicking on this option with the left mouse button pulls down a menu from which the
user may choose what type of files he wishes to see in the 'File Name' selection
menu.
Folders:
Option to select the subdirectories from which the user is able to view the files
contained in the subdirectory under the field 'File Name'.
Drives:
Lists local Drives where images may be stored.
BUTTONS
OK
Accept configuration as entered and load file.