Date/Time Exercise

Exercise

Exercise: Production Batch Timestamping

Please follow the exercise below to understand Date/Time functionality.

Configuration

The following configuration is used to set up this exercise.

Tag Configuration

1. Create the following tags:
   1. BatchStartTime
      • Data type: STRING
      • Initial value: (leave blank)
   2. BatchStarted
      • Data type: BOOL
      • Initial value: 0

Script Configuration

2. Create the following script:
   1. RecordBatchStart
      • Running type: Periodic (e.g., 1000 ms)

// Check if the batch has just been started
if (tag.read("BatchStarted") == 1) {

    // Get current timestamp in milliseconds
    var current = Date.now();

    // Convert timestamp into a readable date string
    var dateObj = new Date(current);
    var formatted =
        dateObj.getFullYear() + "/" +
        ("0" + (dateObj.getMonth() + 1)).slice(-2) + "/" +
        ("0" + dateObj.getDate()).slice(-2) + " " +
        ("0" + dateObj.getHours()).slice(-2) + ":" +
        ("0" + dateObj.getMinutes()).slice(-2) + ":" +
        ("0" + dateObj.getSeconds()).slice(-2);

    // Write the formatted date/time to the BatchStartTime tag
    tag.write("BatchStartTime", formatted);

    // Reset trigger to prevent repeating
    tag.write("BatchStarted", 0);
}

This script is used to capture the system time when a batch begins. The script uses built-in date commands available.

Project Configuration

3. Configure the project to match the layout shown in the image. It should include a date/time object, three text displays, and a Momentary Button.

4. Label the text displays as "Current Time:" and "Batch Started At:", and rename the Momentary Button to "Start Batch".

5. Drag the BatchStartTime tag onto the new text display in the second row.

6. For the Momentary Button, go to On Press > Tag > Set Tag Value and assign the BatchStarted tag with a value of 1. This will trigger the script to capture the current time.

Project Deployment

1. Click Tools > Launch Simulator to start the Canvas Simulator.

2. Press the Start Batch button.

3. The BatchStartTime string will update with the exact timestamp, while the Date/Time object continues displaying the live system time.

4. Each time the operator starts a new batch, the timestamp updates accordingly.