Create a free-form dashboard using controls and indicators to visualize the tag and system data gathered from your distributed systems.

Note This dashboard type is deprecated. NI recommends that you use tile dashboards instead of free-form dashboards for new visualizations you create.
  1. In the SystemLink web application, click Custom Applications » Dashboards.
  2. From the drop-down, click New freeform dashboard.
    You can also click Import to browse for an existing dashboard.
  3. Enter a name for the dashboard.
  4. Optional: Add a description or change the dashboard's workspace.
  5. Click OK.
    The dashboard editor opens.
  6. At the top of the editor, select the screen size for which you want to optimize your dashboard.
  7. Drag the control or indicator you want to use to visualize tag data onto the panel.
    For information about which data types controls and indicators accept, refer to the tag formatting help.
  8. Bind input properties to tag values.
    You can find all tags currently stored on your server in Tags.
    • Drag and drop the tag into the value field in the configuration pane or click the square next to the value field and type the tag name. The field text turns blue to indicate you are selecting a tag. The following image shows a Boolean tag bound to the value of a check box control.

    • If you are binding an Items control, such as a drop-down list or radio button group, click Bind as tags to interpret the string displayed in the control as a tag. For more information on specifying values for Items controls, refer to the Items control help.
    • To create more complex bindings, such as binding one control or indicator property value to another, refer to the binding syntax help.
  9. Optional: To specify a hard-coded value, clear the tag value from the field and click the square next to the field to enter the value.
  10. In the configuration pane, specify any other customizations for the input or output in your dashboard, such as format and display options.
  11. Repeat steps 7 through 10 for any other inputs or outputs you want to include in the dashboard.
  12. Click Save and Play to view your dashboard.
  13. To make more changes, click » Edit.