Preview mode for configuration logic

Abstract

The described techniques enable plant personnel to avoid the time and labor-intensive process associated with traditional design systems by enabling users to design, test, and 'preview' control logic for controlling a process before downloading the control logic to a configuration database or process controller in the plant. This enables the quick testing and improvement of control logic during the design phase, avoiding the time-consuming iterative process of designing, downloading to a database, propagating to a live controller, and testing on the physical controller. It also separates testing of logic and non-logic aspects of a controller configuration, enabling a user to finish designing the control logic before downloading the configuration to the controller, where she only needs to test non-logic aspects of the configuration.