Please read the Usability and Feature Changes in PowerVision 2.9 before upgrading a configuration built with previous versions of PowerVision Configuration Studio. There is a link to the document at the bottom of this post.
This release includes a number of new features and improvements including...
Major 2.9 Changes
- The PowerVision main toolbar and the tools dropdown have been redesigned to be simpler and easier to use.
- The Open dialog now is used for creating new configurations from templates and opening existing configurations.
- The Validate, Create and Load Install buttons have been combined in one convenient dialog. The Firmware dialog simplifies generating firmware for all types, Configuration and Full installs. You will also be able to save previously created files to a disk or thumb drive without having to create again.
- Open a configuration from anywhere. The requirement that the source, *.murphyConfig, reside in the DB's folder has been removed making it possible to organize the source files in your own directory structure.
- A new configuration source file format, PowerVision Project (*.pvproject), makes it possible for source control systems to easily see differences each time a save is performed.
- A major focus has been for PowerVision Configuration Studio 2.9 development to support the new hardware platform (M2).
- New Communication Conduit (TCP Conduit). The TCP conduit offers enhance features now such as the Remote Dialog and will be used as a unified communication method for all display communications. The TCP conduit uses the standard Google Protocol Buffer API.
- Remote Dialog for Debugging, TCP Conduit. A new dialog that supports new features including triggering an event on a display, activate touch events on a display, downloading files from script directories, reboot and reboot to loader, among other useful features.
- Include in API. This property found on programming elements makes it possible to edit the element via the PowerVision Toolkit.
- Flow Container Alignment. Container widgets may now be used to flow elements.
- The PowerVision Toolkit improvements. When used with the TCP conduit, this small software package operates very similar to the new Remote Dialog.
- PowerVision 2.9 requires the DotNet framework 4.6.1.
- Overall UI Changes-PowerVision is being migrated to a newer UI library which is better supported on modern Windows releases like Windows 10.
- DM Internal Message-A new shape in activity programs on color displays is available to easily create an internal DM message without using scripting.
- Separate logging events for CAN Port 2 and Percent Output variables have been added.
- Units validation has been improved.
- Finding Activity program references directly has been improved.
- Finding image references has been added.
- Copy/Paste J1939 Groups has been added.
- Supports adding J1939/NMEA parameters to a device while on the Library tab.
- Filter on Free Form Message name to find a message in a list.
- Copy/Paste Free Form Messages between configurations directly without using the Import/Export tools.
- Edit the unit on any variable, even variables that are linked to a system application.
- Shutdown to Load Firmware Action - allows a configuration update from the configuration UI so that users don't have to go to the bootloader/firmware install tools directly.
- Wormhole Widget - Allows for a container to be shown in two places. Helps to reduce the need for a complex container to be duplicated in multiple pages. There are some restrictions.
- It is possible to show animated start logos at bootup.
- Support for JPEG images.
- Additional analog video features - It is now possible to show an overlay on top of a video. In addition, video can be stretched, mirrored or flipped.
- Digital Video Widget - features playback of video files in H.264 format.