Operations & Data Entry · PI Vision Custom Symbol

How to Add a Sound Alarm to AVEVA PI Vision

Everything you need to get the PIForge Sound Alarm symbol running on your AVEVA PI Vision server — installation, license activation, and a tour of every feature with live video.

What this solves

Installation — 5 steps, about 10 minutes

1. 1

   Download the package

   Purchase the symbol at piforge.app and download the ZIP from your profile. It contains four files: the symbol script (.js), two templates (.html) and an icon (.svg).

2. 2

   Copy the files to the PI Vision server

   Extract all four files into the PI Vision extension folder on the server: %PIHOME64%\PIVision\Scripts\app\editor\symbols\ext\ (create the ext folder if it does not exist yet). Use %PIHOME64%, not %PIHOME% — on a PI server those are different trees and PI Vision is only in the 64-bit one.

3. 3

   Restart the PI Vision application

   Recycle the PI Vision application pool in IIS (or run iisreset), then hard-refresh the browser (Ctrl+F5) so the new symbol script is loaded.

4. 4

   Add the symbol to a display

   Open a display in edit mode. The new symbol appears in the symbol palette on the left. Select it, then drag a tag or AF attribute onto the canvas.

5. 5

   Activate the license

   Open Format Symbol, paste the license key from your purchase email into the License field, and save. The watermark disappears immediately — no restart needed.

What you can do with it

L3/L2/L1

Three-Level Alarm — Critical, Major, Warning

One symbol, three thresholds, instant visual and audio escalation

As your process value rises through L1 Warning, L2 Major, and L3 Critical thresholds, the Sound Alarm symbol escalates automatically — changing background color, triggering the corresponding alert sound, and holding the alarm until acknowledged.

• L1 Warning (yellow), L2 Major (orange), L3 Critical (red) — configurable colors
• Background and border change instantly at each threshold crossing
• Each level plays its own sound — 10 built-in options per level
• Priority cascade: L3 always overrides L2, L2 overrides L1

General

Flexible Alarm Conditions — High, Low, Exact, Range

Not just 'greater than' — configure the exact condition your process needs

High-value alarms are the default, but real processes need more. Configure the Sound Alarm for low-value conditions, exact-match states, or any comparison operator. Enable or disable the entire alarm without removing the symbol from your display.

• Operators: > (High), < (Low), =, >=, <= — covers every alarm condition
• Enable/Disable toggle: silence without deleting — perfect for maintenance windows
• Blink effect: pulsing animation draws attention on busy control room displays
• Show/hide label and value independently for clean or detailed layouts

Display Colors

Your Alarm Colors, Your Brand

Customize every color — normal state, each alarm level, text

Standard red/yellow/green doesn't fit every control room. Map your plant's color standards to each alarm level. Changes apply instantly on the symbol, no page reload required.

• Per-level alert color: override the default red/orange/yellow to match your standard
• Normal background: transparent, dark, or any solid color for any display theme
• Text color: high contrast on any background
• Live preview: color changes reflect immediately in the symbol

Frequently asked questions

Will the sound play on every client browser?

It plays in the browser showing the display. Browsers require a user interaction before audio can start, so the display needs to be clicked once after loading — on a permanently open wall display that is a one-time action.

Can I use my own sound files?

Yes, each of the three thresholds can be given its own audio, so a warning and a trip do not sound the same.

Does Sound Alarm work with my PI Vision version?

Yes — PI Vision 2019 R2 through 2023+ are supported. The symbol uses the standard PI Vision extensibility model, so regular version upgrades do not break it, and one year of compatibility updates is included.

Do I need to install anything on client PCs?

No. The symbol is installed once on the PI Vision server; every browser client gets it automatically from there.

How is it licensed?

One license covers one PI Vision server, with unlimited displays and unlimited users on that server. The key is delivered instantly by email after purchase.

Can I try it before buying?

Every feature is demonstrated in live video on the product page, and a free symbol (Combo Chart Free Edition) is available on GitHub to validate the install workflow end to end. If you need a formal quotation or have to go through procurement, use the Request a Quote button on the product page.

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