A configuration system for a process plant uses module class objects to assist
in configuring, organizing and changing the control and display activities within
the process plant. Each module class object generically models or represents a
process entity, such as a unit, a piece of equipment, a control activity, etc.,
and may be used to create instances of the object, called module objects, which
represent and are tied to specific equipment within the process plant. The module
class objects may represent process entities of any desired scope, which means
that a single module class object may be used to configure the control and display
activities of process entities of any desired scope within the process plant, instead
of just at a control module level. In particular, module class objects of a large
scope may be used to configure large sections or portions of the process plant,
which makes configuration of the process plant easier and less time consuming.
A module class object may be a unit module class object reflecting a physical unit
within the process plant, an equipment module class object reflecting a physical
piece of equipment within the process plant, a control module class object reflecting
a control module or scheme within the process plant, or a display module class
object reflecting a display routine that provides information to a user within
the process plant.