About types of Px target media

PxEditor supports several client-side target media technologies. Consider the basic capabilities and limitations of these target media when you create a new graphic view.

Figure 1. New Px View


Note: Media values affect the initial contents of a Px file when you create it. Changing a view’s Media type (on a component Property Sheet) after the Px file is created does not actually change the Px file.

The client-side target media technologies are:

  • HxPx Media

    This media suite offers a set of server-side servlets and a client-side JavaScript library. With it you can create a real-time interface without the use of the Java plug-in. It requires only web standards: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

    If you are developing for a target media that is limited to browsers with HTML and CSS with no applet plugins available, be sure to test your Px views often in the appropriate browser as you proceed in your development. The goal of HxPx Media is to satisfactorily present your Px views in non-applet browsers, however, due to the difference in display technologies, you should verify that the Px view displays in the browser as you expect it to.

  • Mobile PxMedia (obsolete)

    Mobile Px pages are designed to enhance and enable widgets for presentation on a mobile device. You must select this option for your Px page if you expect to use the page on a mobile browser.

    Note: In latest version of Niagara, the legacy Niagara Mobile technology is deprecated. Although it continues to be supported and works as expected, you should not use it for any new projects.

  • Report Px Media

    Report Px pages are simply Px pages that have a Report Pane at the root level, for convenience. Report panes include a Page number Timestamp property in a single column table.

  • Ux Media

    Niagara 4.10 and later provides the Ux Media type for improved graphics performance on controllers. Use the Ux Media type to achieve faster graphics load time and enable instantaneous feedback on changing values. A built-in migration tool helps you convert your existing graphics to a contemporary UI based on browser standards.

  • Workbench PxMedia

    The Workbench PxMedia allows the standard Workbench software to run inside a web browser using the Java Plugin. Workbench uses a small applet to download modules as needed to the client machine and to host the Workbench shell. These modules are cached locally on the browser's hard drive.

Responsive design features

A responsively designed graphic adjusts automatically to the device that displays it. The framework supports mobile-friendly Px graphics that display on various devices: PC, cellphone, tablet and so on.

  • The display of a widget depends on the container size. The ResponsiveCanvasPane, FlowPane, and ResponsivePane components determine this size, which gives you control over how your graphics appear on a mobile device.

  • The ResponsiveMigration programObject, available in the pxEditor palette under the Tools folder, processes a directory full of Px files, applying responsive rules to them to optimize their display when viewed on mobile devices using HxPx.

HxPx provides consistency of views and graphics across PC and mobile platforms. With them you can create one graphic for use in multiple environments.

Flexible graphics and legacy Mobile Px views look and function the same in an HxPx View as they do in Workbench. This includes the Alarm Console, Scheduler view, Manager views and Property Sheet field editors.

Deprecated items

  • Fox, http, and platform tunneling. This means that any hyperlink (that is, ORDs in Px graphics) that is based on tunneling does not work.

  • Legacy Niagara Mobile technology is deprecated. Although it continues to be supported and works as expected, you should not use it for any new projects. Instead, use the mobile-friendly features of the HTML5 Hx Profile, which provides a significantly improved mobile user experience.

What’s New in Graphics

When creating a new Px page, in the New Px View window, you now have the option to select UxMedia under Target Media.
Figure 2. New PX View


Niagara 4.10 and later versions provide UxMedia, which improves graphics performance on controllers. Using UxMedia achieves faster graphics load times and enables instantaneous feedback for changing values. A built-in migration tool helps you convert your existing graphics to a contemporary UI based on browser standards.