Dialog | AseptSoft Documentation

A Dialog is a reusable operator interaction template used in Algorithm Design conditions. Dialogs prompt the operator with a message and collect a response — such as a confirmation, a numeric input, or a selection from buttons.

💡 In pharmaceutical terms: Dialogs are the points where the automation system pauses and asks the operator for input — "Confirm CIP solution concentration is correct", "Enter batch ID", "Acknowledge that manual valve V-301 is in the closed position". In a GMP environment, dialog responses are typically recorded in the batch record as evidence of operator involvement.

📋 Properties

Property	Type	Description
Name	Text	Unique identifier for the dialog (e.g., "ConfirmCIPStart", "EnterTemperature")
Title	Text	Display title shown in the dialog window header
Description	Text	Additional description or context for the dialog
Message	Text	The prompt text shown to the operator
Result Type	Selection	What type of response is expected (see table below)
Buttons	List	Clickable action buttons (each with Name, Control Type, Description, Title)
Non-Button Controls	List	Input controls for data entry (each with Name, Control Type, Description, Title)

📊 Result Types

The Result Type determines what kind of response the dialog collects from the operator:

Result Type	What It Means	Example Use
Whole number	Operator enters a whole number	"Enter batch count"
Decimal number	Operator enters a decimal number	"Enter target temperature (°C)"
Yes / No	Operator selects Yes or No	"Is the line drained?"
Free text	Operator enters free text	"Enter batch ID"
Button selection	Operator clicks one of the defined buttons	"Select cleaning agent: Caustic / Acid / WFI"
Confirmation	Operator confirms or cancels	"Confirm CIP start?"
Continue or Abort	Operator chooses to continue or abort the process	"Tank not empty. Continue or abort?"
Continue or Restart	Operator chooses to continue or restart the current step	"Temperature not reached. Continue or restart?"

🔧 Control Types

Dialogs can contain buttons and non-button input controls:

Control Type	Category	Description
Button	Button	Clickable action button
Checkbox	Input Control	Toggle option (on/off)
Radio Button	Input Control	Exclusive selection (one of many)
Text Field	Input Control	Free-text entry field
Numeric Input	Input Control	Whole number entry field
Decimal Input	Input Control	Decimal number entry field

Each control has a Name, Title, Description, and Control Type. Controls are automatically assigned a unique ID when added.

🏷️ Dialog Types

Dialogs can also serve different purposes beyond simple operator prompts:

Dialog Type	Purpose
Dialog	Standard operator interaction — prompts and collects input
Fault	Fault notification requiring operator acknowledgement
Alarm	Alarm notification with operator response options
Warning	Warning message with options to proceed or take corrective action

🔗 How Dialogs Are Used

Dialogs are referenced in condition expressions within the Algorithm Design. When a condition triggers a dialog:

The dialog window appears with the defined Message
The operator interacts with the buttons and controls
The operator's response is returned as the Result Type value
The condition logic uses the response to determine the next action

📖 How To: Create Dialogs for a CIP Process

Open Module Data — Navigate to the Data panel in the Module Ribbon and open the Module Data window.
Go to the Dialogs tab — Select the Dialogs section.
Create a new Dialog — Click "Create new" and give it a clear name (e.g., "ConfirmCIPStart").
Set the title and message — Write a clear, actionable prompt for the operator (e.g., Title: "CIP Start Confirmation", Message: "Confirm that all manual valves are in the correct position and CIP solution is prepared.").
Choose the result type — Pick the appropriate response type:
- "Confirmation" for yes/cancel prompts
- "Decimal number" for numeric entry (e.g., temperature, concentration)
- "Button selection" for multi-choice decisions
Add controls (optional) — Add checkboxes, text fields, or numeric inputs if you need the operator to provide additional data.
Reference in Algorithm Design — Use the dialog name in the Algorithm Design Prompt field. AseptSoft will show a live preview of the dialog.

🏭 Example: CIP Confirmation Dialog

Property	Value
Name	ConfirmCIPStart
Title	CIP Process Confirmation
Message	"Confirm that all manual valves are in the correct position and CIP solution is prepared at the specified concentration."
Result Type	Confirmation
Dialog Type	Dialog

🏭 Example: CIP Solution Concentration Entry

Property	Value
Name	EnterCIPConcentration
Title	CIP Solution Concentration
Message	"Enter the measured concentration of the CIP caustic solution (% w/w)."
Result Type	Decimal number
Controls	Decimal Input ("Concentration % w/w")

🏭 Example: Cleaning Agent Selection

Property	Value
Name	SelectCleaningAgent
Title	Select Cleaning Agent
Message	"Select the cleaning agent for this CIP cycle."
Result Type	Button selection
Buttons	"Caustic (NaOH)", "Acid (H3PO4)", "WFI Rinse Only"

🏭 Example: Sterile Breach Warning

Property	Value
Name	SterileBreachWarning
Title	Sterile Boundary Breach Detected
Message	"A sterile boundary valve has been opened unexpectedly. The sterile status of the system may be compromised. Do you want to continue or abort?"
Result Type	Continue or Abort
Dialog Type	Warning

🛠️ Common Operations

Operation	Description
Create	Add a new dialog from the Module Data window
Edit	Modify dialog properties, add/remove controls
Duplicate	Create a copy with all buttons and controls deep-copied
Delete	Remove a dialog
Search	Filter by title, description, name, or control names
Add Control	Add a button or input control to the dialog
Remove Control	Remove a control from the dialog

📋 Module Data — All module data types
🧠 Algorithm Design — Where dialogs are used in condition logic
Build Condition Field — Building conditions that reference dialogs
Build Action Field — Building actions that use dialog results
📐 Process Design — Process steps where dialogs appear