Hi Folks,
I'm developing an application where I can plot charts from PLC values.
The charts get saved as a .gif once the X axis plot value has been reached (NumericUpDown3.Value), points get cleared, new chart gets renamed and chart starts to fill again.
For development purposes away from the machine, I am using a timer to plot the data, instead of the SubscriptionDataReceived event.
All works great when the form is not minimised - all charts save perfectly (see FORM MAXIMISED attachment).
But when the form is minimised, it only plots a line 1 pixel wide x 324 pixels high (see FORM MINIMISED attachment).
If i maximise the form again, it plots again.
I need the data to still plot and save the chart when the form is minimised.
See simplified code below, I have omitted any code that is not needed to explain my issue:
Imports System.Windows.Forms.DataVisualization.Charting
Public Class Form1
Private Recording As Boolean
Private Description As String
Private Chart1 As Chart
Private ChartDirectory As String
Private ChartTitle As String
Private ChartFileName As String
Private Sub CheckExistsCreateFolderSaveChart()
Dim ChartDirectoryPath As String = ChartDirectory & "\" & Description
If Not Directory.Exists(ChartDirectoryPath) Then
Directory.CreateDirectory(ChartDirectoryPath)
End If
Chart1.SaveImage(ChartDirectoryPath & "\" & ChartFileName, ChartImageFormat.Gif)
End Sub
Private Sub SetChartTitleAndFilename()
Dim DateTimeNow As Date = Now
ChartTitle = Description & DateTimeNow.ToString(" (yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss)")
Chart1.Titles(0).Text = ChartTitle
ChartFileName = Description & DateTimeNow.ToString(" (yyyy_MM_dd_HH_mm_ss)") & ".gif"
End Sub
Public Function GetRandom(ByVal Min As Integer, ByVal Max As Integer) As Integer
Static Generator As System.Random = New System.Random()
Return Generator.Next(Min, Max)
End Function
Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
Chart1 = New Chart
GroupBox4.Controls.Add(Chart1)
With Chart1
.BorderlineColor = Color.Black
.Anchor = AnchorStyles.Left + AnchorStyles.Top + AnchorStyles.Right
.Location = New Point(6, 25)
.Size = New Size(1314, 324)
.Visible = True
.Enabled = True
End With
End Sub
Private Sub Button8_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button8.Click
If Button8.Text = "Start Recording" Then
'Clear all
Chart1.Titles.Clear()
Chart1.Legends.Clear()
Chart1.ChartAreas.Clear()
Chart1.Series.Clear()
'Title
Dim Title1 As New Title
Chart1.Titles.Add(Title1)
Description = TextBox7.Text
With Title1
.Font = New Font("Arial", 10)
.Alignment = ContentAlignment.TopCenter
.Position.Auto = False
.Position.X = 0
.Position.Y = 1
.Position.Width = 50
.Position.Height = 6
.Text = Description
End With
SetChartTitleAndFilename()
'Legend
Dim Legend1 As New Legend
Chart1.Legends.Add(Legend1)
With Legend1
.TitleFont = New Font("Arial", 10)
.Font = New Font("Arial", 10)
.Docking = Docking.Top
.Alignment = StringAlignment.Center
.Position.Auto = False
.Position.X = 50
.Position.Y = 1
.Position.Width = 50
.Position.Height = 5
.BackColor = Color.Transparent
.LegendItemOrder = LegendItemOrder.ReversedSeriesOrder
End With
'Chart area
Dim ChartArea1 As New ChartArea
Chart1.ChartAreas.Add(ChartArea1)
With ChartArea1
.Position.Auto = False
.Position.X = 0
.Position.Y = 0
.Position.Width = 100
.Position.Height = 100
.InnerPlotPosition.Auto = False
.InnerPlotPosition.X = 5
.InnerPlotPosition.Y = 7
.InnerPlotPosition.Width = 90
.InnerPlotPosition.Height = 76
.IsSameFontSizeForAllAxes = True
'Primary X axis
.Axes(0).MajorGrid.Enabled = True
.Axes(0).MajorGrid.LineColor = Color.Gainsboro
.Axes(0).LabelStyle.Font = New Font("Arial", 8)
.Axes(0).MajorTickMark.Size = 1.5
.Axes(0).MajorTickMark.Enabled = False
.Axes(0).IsMarginVisible = False
.Axes(0).IsLabelAutoFit = False
.Axes(0).LabelStyle.Angle = -90
.Axes(0).LineWidth = 0
.Axes(0).IntervalAutoMode = IntervalAutoMode.FixedCount
.Axes(0).Interval = NumericUpDown3.Value / 25
'Primary Y axis
.Axes(1).MajorGrid.Enabled = False
.Axes(1).LabelStyle.Font = New Font("Arial", 8)
.Axes(1).MajorTickMark.Size = 0.3
.Axes(1).MajorTickMark.LineColor = Color.Gainsboro
.Axes(1).IsMarginVisible = False
.Axes(1).IsLabelAutoFit = False
.Axes(1).IsStartedFromZero = False
.Axes(1).LineColor = Color.Gainsboro
.Axes(1).IntervalAutoMode = IntervalAutoMode.VariableCount
.Axes(1).TitleFont = New Font("Arial", 10)
.Axes(1).Title = "Primary Title"
'Secondary X axis
.Axes(2).Enabled = AxisEnabled.False
'Secondary Y axis
.Axes(3).MajorGrid.Enabled = False
.Axes(3).LabelStyle.Font = New Font("Arial", 8)
.Axes(3).MajorTickMark.Size = 0.3
.Axes(3).MajorTickMark.LineColor = Color.Gainsboro
.Axes(3).IsMarginVisible = False
.Axes(3).IsLabelAutoFit = False
.Axes(3).IsStartedFromZero = False
.Axes(3).LineColor = Color.Gainsboro
.Axes(3).IntervalAutoMode = IntervalAutoMode.VariableCount
.Axes(3).TitleFont = New Font("Arial", 10)
.Axes(3).Title = "Secondary Title"
End With
'Set recording flag
Recording = True
'Series 1
If Not String.IsNullOrEmpty(TextBox8.Text) Then
Dim Series1 As New Series
Chart1.Series.Add(Series1)
With Series1
.Name = TextBox8.Text
.Color = Button2.BackColor
If ComboBox1.Text = "Primary" Then
.YAxisType = AxisType.Primary
ElseIf ComboBox1.Text = "Secondary" Then
.YAxisType = AxisType.Secondary
End If
.ChartType = SeriesChartType.Line
End With
End If
'Series 2
If Not String.IsNullOrEmpty(TextBox9.Text) Then
Dim Series2 As New Series
Chart1.Series.Add(Series2)
With Series2
.Name = TextBox9.Text
.Color = Button3.BackColor
If ComboBox2.Text = "Primary" Then
.YAxisType = AxisType.Primary
ElseIf ComboBox2.Text = "Secondary" Then
.YAxisType = AxisType.Secondary
End If
.ChartType = SeriesChartType.Line
End With
End If
'Series 3
If Not String.IsNullOrEmpty(TextBox10.Text) Then
Dim Series3 As New Series
Chart1.Series.Add(Series3)
With Series3
.Name = TextBox10.Text
.Color = Button4.BackColor
If ComboBox3.Text = "Primary" Then
.YAxisType = AxisType.Primary
ElseIf ComboBox3.Text = "Secondary" Then
.YAxisType = AxisType.Secondary
End If
.ChartType = SeriesChartType.Line
End With
End If
'Series 4
If Not String.IsNullOrEmpty(TextBox11.Text) Then
Dim Series4 As New Series
Chart1.Series.Add(Series4)
With Series4
.Name = TextBox11.Text
.Color = Button5.BackColor
If ComboBox4.Text = "Primary" Then
.YAxisType = AxisType.Primary
ElseIf ComboBox4.Text = "Secondary" Then
.YAxisType = AxisType.Secondary
End If
.ChartType = SeriesChartType.Line
End With
End If
ElseIf Button8.Text = "Stop Recording" Then
If MsgBox("Are you sure you want to stop recording?", vbQuestion + vbYesNo + vbDefaultButton2, "PLC Tag Logger") = DialogResult.Yes Then
'Set recording flag
Recording = False
CheckExistsCreateFolderSaveChart()
End If
End If
End Sub
Private Sub Timer2_Tick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Timer2.Tick
SevenSegment1.Value = 10
SevenSegment2.Value = 90
SevenSegment3.Value = GetRandom(30, 71)
SevenSegment4.Value = GetRandom(45, 56)
If Recording Then
Dim SeriesCount As Integer = Chart1.Series(0).Points.Count
If SeriesCount = NumericUpDown3.Value + 1 Then
CheckExistsCreateFolderSaveChart()
For Each Series In Chart1.Series
Series.Points.Clear()
Next
SetChartTitleAndFilename()
End If
Dim TimeNow As String = Now.ToString("HH:mm:ss")
Chart1.Series(0).Points.AddXY(TimeNow, SevenSegment1.Value)
Chart1.Series(1).Points.AddXY(TimeNow, SevenSegment2.Value)
Chart1.Series(2).Points.AddXY(TimeNow, SevenSegment3.Value)
Chart1.Series(3).Points.AddXY(TimeNow, SevenSegment4.Value)
End If
End Sub
End Class
Any help much appreciated as always,
Thanks a million,
Regards,
Conor
