For purposes of this discussion, the term “portability” means reusability. In other words, being able to use the same Px View in different JACE stations without having to edit the ORD properties for bindings and hyperlinks. Another example of portability, is being able to use the same Px view in a JACE station and a Supervisor station without having to edit ORD properties. You can develop portable Px views by avoiding the use of absolute ORDs in bindings and hyperlinks. The reason to avoid using absolute ORD properties in Px views is that they are not portable between stations.

Bound label using absolute ORD

The floor plan graphic shown below has a bound label configured with a hyperlink to a detailed graphic for a specific device. You can see that both the ord binding and hyperlink properties use an absolute ord, meaning the value specifies the entire station slot path.

Figure 32.   Floor plan graphic using components configured with absolute ORDs

If you wanted to use the same floor plan graphic in the Supervisor station it you would have to create Niagara network proxy points and assign the same Px view (or you could use Px view export tags). In either case, the absolute slot path used in the Supervisor must be different than that used in the JACE.

Bound label using relative ORD

Here, you have the same scenario but in this case using relative ORDs instead of absolute ORDs.

Figure 33.   Floor plan graphic using components configured with relative ORDs

The same relative ORDs can be used in both the JACE and the Supervisor station since it is being applied against different base ORDs

Hyperlink using absolute ORD

The following example, the user has hyperlinked from the floor plan graphic to a more detailed graphic of the air handling unit (AHU). This detailed AHU graphic includes a button that is a hyperlink back to the floor plan graphic (FirstFloor). The button hyperlink is configured with an absolute ORD.

Figure 34.   Graphic that includes a button with a hyperlink configured with an absolute ORD

In order to use the above graphic in the Supervisor station, you must use Niagara network proxy points and assign a Px view or by using a Px view export tag.

The absolute ORD to the First Floor graphic in the JACE is different from that in the Supervisor.

Hyperlink using relative ORD

Using relative ORD properties, it is possible to navigate back up the tree by entering two periods in the path, similar to how directories can be navigated in a DOS command window.

Figure 35.   Graphic includes a button with a hyperlink configured with a relative ORD

Absolute versus Relative ORDs in HTTP/Fox tunneling

When using HTTP/Fox tunneling most people use absolute ORDs for hyperlinks such as below. Where the red text is the reference to the Supervisor, the green text is the tunnel reference to the JACE station, and the purple text is the ORD in the JACE station.

Figure 36.   HTTP/Fox tunneling using absolute ORDs for hyperlinks

Assuming that this is a Px graphic in the Supervisor station, the base ORD of the Px view will be the Supervisor station and can be used to make a relative tunnel hyperlink to the JACE.

Once you are tunneled to the Px view in the JACE, the base ORD of the Px view includes the information about connecting to the Supervisor.ip:192.168.4.29|fox:/192.168.4.136|station:|slot:/home|view:home

Using the syntax of proxyHost:| will essentially strip off the remaining tunnel ord syntax (fox:|192.168.4.136:|) and return the user to the Supervisor station. This could be useful when trying to access the system graphics from both the LAN and WAN. Meaning, the Supervisor station would have a different IP address depending on whether you are accessing while connected to the LAN or connecting via the WAN or public IP via the internet.