Tips for Synopta

 

Below you will find a number of tips on how to use Synopta. New tips will be posted on this page regularly.

Creating shortcuts to web pages

Saving the arrangement of windows on your desktop

Using the Help function in Synopta

Log Off Automatically

Accentuating Graph Lines

Displaying Week Data in Tables

Adding shortcuts to custom toolbars
Adding a window to your favourites

Creating shortcuts to web pages

The Internet has become an indispensable tool to many growers. Synopta allows you to easily create shortcuts to web pages which you frequently use. To create a shortcut, proceed as follows:
In the Summaries group in Synopta Explorer, click on 'Web pages' with the right mouse button, and then select 'New'.

A new window will appear where you can set the properties of the shortcut, i.e. the name of the page and its Internet address (URL) (e.g. this Synopta tips page).

To open the web page, click on the Summaries group, click on Web pages, and then select the Synopta tips page.

 

Saving the arrangement of windows on your desktop

One of Synopta’s unique features is that it lets you view a number of windows on the screen simultaneously. This enables you to display a large amount of information, especially if you are using more than one monitor. By saving a desktop, you can store the group of windows shown on the screen and open it again later with one click of the mouse. A group may include any type of window (i.e. graphs, tables, web pages, setpoint graphs, settings, etc.).

To save the arrangement of windows on your desktop, proceed as follows:

• Open the windows you wish to save as a group
• On the desktop toolbar, click on the Save button.
• Enter a name for the desktop and click on OK.

The next time you wish to open this group of windows, simply select the name of the desktop you have just saved.

If you no longer use certain desktops after a while, you can delete them using the View menu.

 

 

Using the Help function in Synopta

The Synopta software includes comprehensive help to assist users.

1. Help is available for each readout and setting.
To open the Help screen

• Activate the variable value in question and then press the F1 key while holding down the Ctrl key
• Click on the right mouse button and select ‘Variable Help’
  

CTRL+F1

The help screen will open and you will be shown information on the variable in question. Help can be accessed in this way anywhere in the software, including the custom summaries.

2. Press F1 to access the Synopta help.
If a setpoint graph is active, for instance, press F1 to display information on setpoint graphs.

F1

You can also search the index or search for a specific term in the help screen.

Log Off Automatically

You can set up Synopta to automatically log off while you are away from the computer. If another user wishes to use Synopta during that time, he or she will have to log in under his or her own user name. The benefit of automatically logging off is that it prevents unauthorised use of your climate computer and ensures that all users must log in under their own names. The latter means that any alarm confirmations and changes to settings will be registered under the name of the person responsible.

To automatically log off, click on the Tools menu and select Options. Then, tick the box marked ‘Automatic log off after…(min.)’ and set the desired time. You can also specify the period of the day during which the automatic log off function is enabled.

 

Accentuating Graph Lines

Synopta allows you customise graphs to better suit your needs. For instance, you can make a particular line stand out by adjusting the line’s colour and curve weight. To do so, click on the ‘Curve properties’ icon and adjust the Colour and Curve Weight settings as desired.

Displaying Week Data in Tables

You can use tables to display data (e.g. averages and maximum and minimum values) from a specific week. To do so, first create a table. Next, click on the ‘Time’ tab and select the day that the table should start from. You can choose a day of the week (i.e. Monday to Sunday), the current day and the next day. Then select whether you wish to display data from the previous, current or a specified week. Click on OK to generate the table.

 

Adding a window to your favourites

You will probably consult certain windows more than others. To quickly access frequently-used windows, you simply add them to your list of Favourites. You can add virtually any type of window to your Favourites: windows showing settings, graphs, custom summaries or web pages. To do so, proceed as follows:
• In Synopta Explorer, click on a window with the right mouse button. A selection menu will appear.
• From this menu, select 'Add to Favourites'. The item you have selected has now been added to your list of Favourites.

Adding shortcuts to custome toolbars

To create a toolbar with shortcuts, proceed as follows:
• In the Tools menu, click on ‘Customize’ and select the ‘Toolbars’ tab.

 

• Click on ‘New’.

• Now select the summaries, tables, graphs or controls you wish to add as a shortcut to the toolbar.
• Name the toolbar and click on OK to create the toolbar.

The toolbar you have just created will be shown below the other toolbars. Use the mouse to change the location of the toolbar. You can also modify existing toolbars in the Toolbars tab. To do so, follow the same procedure.