Abstract: Graphic elements and graphic displays are provided for use in a process environment to display information to one or more users about the process environment, such as the current state of devices within a process plant. The graphic elements and displays include one or more objects, each of which includes a visualization, which depicts an entity within the process environment, a property associated with the depicted process entity and a routine that operates in conjunction with the visualization and the property to cause a change in the-visualization based on a change in the property, or to cause a change in the process environment based on user input through the visualization. In this manner, the graphic objects can be used to create displays that graphically illustrate, through animations and other visual operations, the changing state of the process or detected events within the process.

Abstract: A user interface system for a process plant includes a graphic display editor to configure a process graphic display having a graphic display element representative of a process plant element of the process plant. The process graphic display is specified via configuration information set forth in a declarative language. A graphics rendering engine generates a depiction of the process graphic display during runtime based on commands derived from the configuration information set forth in the declarative language. The configuration information for the process graphic display may be stored as an object, which, for instance, may include first and second portions to define a graphical parameter and identify a data source, respectively. The graphical parameter may be directed to defining a graphical depiction of the process plant element and, to this end, may be set forth in a formal in accordance with the declarative language.