Display screen generation apparatus, factory automation system, and display screen generation method

A display screen generation method of generating a display screen in a display apparatus connected to a programmable logic controller (PLC) to which a plurality of equipment are connected, the display screen generation method comprising:

• an information acquisition step of acquiring an equipment information file and device allocation information, the equipment information file concerning the plurality of equipment and being created in advance by another device, the device allocation information concerning a device allocation of the plurality of equipment and the PLC and being created in advance by still another device that is different from the device having created the equipment information file;
• and
• performing an automated display screen generation process, the automated display screen generation process including
• extracting network information including the acquired network configuration information and displaying the extracted information as target network candidate list;
• setting, in response to user selection of a target network candidate, a network configuration for a display screen to be generated;
• displaying a list of candidate screen frames, each candidate screen frame corresponding to a different screen type, selected from an input/output type, an operation type, and a command type;
• setting, in response to user selection of a candidate screen frame, a screen type, for the display screen to be generated;
• displaying, in accordance with the set screen type, a display content setting screen which displays a candidate list of display items based on the acquired equipment information file and tagged with allocation information acquired from the acquired device allocation information, where the candidate display items include candidate equipment which the user can select whether to include in the generated display screen;
• setting, in response to user selection of one or more selected candidate display items, display content for the display screen to be generated;
• displaying, a layout setting screen including a candidate list of screen layouts corresponding to the set display items associated with the set display content;
• setting, in response to user selection of a candidate screen layout of the display screen, a screen layout for the display screen to be generated;
• generating the display screen by arranging a screen frame corresponding to the set screen type in accordance with the set screen layout, and displaying the set display content;
• and
• generating and displaying a confirmation screen for the generated display screen, the confirmation screen comprising the generated display screen and a first button for allowing a user to confirm completion of the generated display screen and a plurality of second buttons for changing one or more set items including the set network, the set screen type, the set layout, and the set display content.