We want to have a popup that is always visible on the run screen, so an operator can push a button to request for help from a tech. I was thinking about placing an operator-assignment in a thread, and then whenever the operator pushes the button to request help that would turn on an output to a light above the station. One problem with this is that since it is in a thread, as soon as you press the button for help it automatically appears again which might be acceptable. But with this being in the thread it is blocking other popups that we would like to display. Any ideas on a way to make this work, without adding a physical pushbutton? 

@abeachy_HG24 you would need to do some Java  to have an overlay button similar to what we do, you should post on the Universal Robots developper forum and request this. Looke here: http://www.universal-robots.com/plus/developer/

This forum is meant for UR+ developper, in short you could develop a URCaps to get your help button.

I guess it's not an option to have the operator go in the IO tab and turn on and IO that you would name "help" ?

@Etienne_Samson Okay I will do that.
That is an option. My boss wasn't too fond with relying on the operator to go to the I/O tab and then push the correct output. I don't think it would be that difficult or cause any problems doing it that way. But just trying to explore different options. 

@abeachy_HG24 that's what I thought and I understand your boss point of view, when you have the operator go in those panels it's quite easy to do something you are not suppose to and then jam your whole production line. So I'd go with either a physical switch wired into the IO, or a custom java program built into the URCaps to get your help button.

@Etienne_Samson would it be difficult to do the custom java program for URCaps?

Unless you develop an overlay like Robotiq has done for the grippers and FT sensors the button would not be visible on the run screen. Currently the UrCaps do not appear on the run screen, only on the program screen. This is an issue that we have raised with the UR development team. We would like to be able to create custom buttons as well, for instance, a larger Run/Pause/Play button. 

@abeachy_HG24 use an event to call the popup through the internal dashboard server. Popups from the dashboard server do not have "blocking" therefore all important popups will show in front. Once the stack light goes on DO[0]=On whoever is in charge will have to turn the DO[0] off through the I/O tab in order for the help popup to re-appear on the screen. Try it out and let me know if this works for you!

@Kaleb_Rodes That works for allowing the more important popups to come up but as soon as the popup for help appears, the output turns on. Then after pressing okay on the popup and going into the I/O tab and turning the output back off, the help popup reappears but the output also turns back on.