Configuration

The information in this topic and the following topics describes how to configure your development environment to create applications using AF SDK.

Note: The rest of the topics in this section provide information about how to configure your system so you can run the programming exercises in this guide. These steps are required only if you are configuring your own environment and are not necessary if you are using the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

There are two ways to configure an environment for developing applications. The easiest way is to simply sign up with OSIsoft Learning or PI Developers Club space within PI Square and create a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A VLE is a virtual computer that is configured with the appropriate versions of Data Archive, PI AF, Visual Studio, .NET, and AF SDK. Other than creating the VLE, no additional configuration is required. A VLE is available for this Getting Started Guide at a nominal cost. See the OSIsoft Learning page Training Cloud Environments for details.

The other way to configure an environment for developing applications is to use an existing Data Archive and PI AF database at your company or organization. To run the examples in this Getting Started Guide you must have the following:

• An operational Data Archive and PI AF system, preferably a system used for testing or QA work. Because this Getting Started Guide creates and edits tags and asset elements, you should not use a production system.

• AF SDK version 2.10.0. You can download the latest version from OSIsoft Customer Portal.

• .NET version 4.5. See the OSIsoft Tech Support page .NET 4.5 differences for more information.

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 or Microsoft Visual Studio Community edition (available free). Visual Studio Express 2017 is also available free from Microsoft.