In GE iFIX 2023, an existing screen file that behaves as a compiled artifact is not a text-based source document you can safely edit and round-trip outside iFIX. Treat export, editing, and deployment as separate operations: an exported representation such as SVG does not by itself provide a supported path back into an editable iFIX screen.
Does the file you have contain editable screen source?
First identify exactly what you exported or copied. The key distinction is between a screen representation that another tool can display and the project data that iFIX can use to edit and run the screen. A file being readable, text-based, or exportable does not prove that it preserves the original objects, bindings, or other editable information.
| Reading or artifact | What it indicates | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Existing screen opens for editing within the iFIX project | You have an in-application editing path. | Check whether the desired change can be made in the editor or through supported iFIX scripting. |
| Only a copied or compiled screen artifact is available | Copying may support moving the artifact between machines, but does not make its source editable. | Locate the editable project or source on the authoring system. |
| An SVG or other exported representation is available | It may be useful as an exported view, but export alone does not establish a supported re-import workflow. | Confirm whether the exact export format and iFIX 2023 tools support round-trip import. |
If the screen is editable in the project, continue with an in-application workflow. If all you have is a compiled artifact or export, do not start by modifying it externally and assuming iFIX can reconstruct the original screen.
Does export mean the screen can be re-imported?
No. Export and import are separate capabilities. A proprietary compilation step can make the runtime screen usable without exposing the editable source structure. An exported SVG can describe visible graphics while omitting or flattening information needed for an operational screen, such as interactive behavior or application-specific associations. The export extension alone cannot decide whether a reverse conversion exists.
Check the documentation and tools for the actual format and iFIX 2023 version in use. Confirm that the documented operation is an import into an editable screen—not merely viewing, publishing, or copying a screen artifact. If no documented round-trip path exists, treat the export as a deliverable for viewing or reference, not as a replacement for the iFIX project.
Can the required change be made inside iFIX?
Next identify the change. A visual adjustment such as resizing a window may be achievable with scripting inside iFIX; the available information points to an SDK that may support this kind of work. That is different from editing compiled screens with an external text-processing tool. Confirm the SDK's applicability to the installed iFIX version and the specific screen operation before designing around it.
| Requested change | Preferred path | Decision point |
|---|---|---|
| Modify a screen that remains editable | Use the iFIX project editing workflow. | Verify the change in the project and runtime. |
| Automate supported adjustments, such as resizing | Investigate scripting or SDK functions executed within iFIX. | Confirm supported operations and version compatibility. |
| Transform compiled files outside iFIX | Do not assume an external editor can preserve or rebuild the screen. | Find editable source or use a documented import tool. |
What should you check before choosing a recovery path?
Trace the screen from the operator display back to its editable project. Record the screen name and the exact file or artifact available, then determine whether the original project can be opened for editing. If the operator display works but the project cannot be edited, the runtime artifact and its editable source are not interchangeable.
- Open the relevant project using the iFIX 2023 environment available to the engineering team and test whether the screen opens in an editor.
- If it does, make a controlled test change in the project rather than changing a deployed copy.
- If it does not, locate the authoring project or confirm the format-specific import capability in applicable product documentation.
- If automation is needed, check the iFIX SDK and scripting documentation for the exact operation and version before writing a script.
- Keep the original project and current deployed screen available for comparison while validating the change.
This sequence separates a missing-source problem from an import-format problem and from a supported in-application scripting task. It also prevents an export artifact from being mistaken for a recoverable project.
How do you deploy and verify the resolving branch?
For an editable project, make the change in iFIX, save it through the project workflow, and validate the resulting screen in the target runtime. For an SDK or script-based change, test the script inside the applicable iFIX environment and verify that it changes only the intended screen behavior. Do not treat successful export or file copying as proof that the screen is editable or that the change has been applied.
Compare the edited screen with the expected operator view and exercise the affected controls or window behavior. Confirm that the runtime reflects the change, then retain the validated project and deployment artifact together. If only a compiled screen is available and no supported import or source project can be found, the next step is recovering the editable project—not repeatedly editing the exported file.
Frequently asked questions
How do I edit a compiled GE iFIX 2023 screen?
Locate the editable project and open the screen through iFIX. Copying a compiled artifact between machines does not make its source editable.
Can I export an iFIX screen to SVG and import it back?
An SVG export does not prove that iFIX can reconstruct an editable screen from it. Check for a documented import operation for that specific format and iFIX version.
How do I automate resizing iFIX screens?
Check the iFIX SDK and in-application scripting documentation for the installed version and the specific screen operation. Test the supported method inside iFIX rather than editing compiled files externally.
How do I verify an iFIX screen change?
Open the changed screen in the target runtime, compare it with the expected operator view, and test the affected controls or window behavior. Confirm the deployed runtime—not just the exported file—shows the change.