Introduction

This User Guide and Technical Reference was designed to help you get the best results from your software. This document provides technical information and step-by-step instructions for all the tasks you need to create web-enabled HMI/SCADA programs.

Who should read this

This User Guide and Technical Reference is a comprehensive document designed to provide useful information for both novice and advanced users.

• New users: This publication uses a step-by-step, hands-on approach to the project development process. Be sure to read the introductory chapters describing the product's features and development environment.

• Experienced users: This publication offers advanced instructions, tips, and troubleshooting information to help you get the most out of your projects.

  Note: We assume you are familiar with working in a Windows environment, and we do not attempt to explain Windows navigation, file management, and so forth. If you are unfamiliar with any of these procedures, we recommend using the Windows Help feature (Start > Get Help) or consulting your Microsoft Windows documentation.

Contents

The information in this document is organized into the following sections:

Introduction

This section, which provides an overview of the features and architecture.

Installation

Step-by-step instructions for installing and uninstalling the full software, the thin client software, and the project runtime software for a variety of platforms.

Licensing

Describes the licensing scheme, as well as how to install and upgrade licenses on different platforms.

The development environment

A tour of the development environment. Also, some basic skills and techniques you should understand before you create a new project.

Project overview

Provides step-by-step instructions for creating and configuring a new project.

Tags and the project database

Explains basic concepts about the product database, tag types (arrays, classes, and pointers), tag values and parameters. Following the concepts discussion, this chapter provides instructions for creating and editing tags for your projects.

Screens and graphics

Explains how to use the different development tools to create project screens and graphics.

Alarms, events, and trends

Explains how to create and configure task worksheets and screen objects to save and display historical data.

Background tasks

Explains how to create and configure task worksheets for the other major background tasks.

Communication

Describes how to configure your project to read from and write to a device's registers, using a variety of communication drivers and protocols.

Project security

Explains how to set-up and manage a security system for your projects.

Project localization

Explains how to use the Translation Tool to translate the text in your projects from one language to another.

Debugging tools

Discusses how to test and debug projects using tools such as the Watch and Output windows. This chapter includes a list of possible error messages and methods for correcting those errors.

Remote management

Explains how to download, monitor, and debug projects from a remote runtime workstation.

IoT View

Explains how to use the platform-agnostic runtime for projects.

Thin clients and mobile access

Explains how configure and run your projects on the Web.

Database interface

Explains how to connect to compatible databases.

Troubleshooting

Provides instructions for verifying projects, describes some common development errors, and explains what to do if you need to contact a support representative.

Security guidelines

Explains how to securely deploy a project as an Industrial Control Systems (ICS) application.

Built-in scripting language

A reference for the built-in scripting language.

VBScript

A reference for using VBScript in projects.

Related documentation

You may want to review the following manuals in addition to this Technical Reference:

• Quickstart Guide: Provides basic information, including a systematic tutorial that allows you to develop a single project and become familiar with the product in a short time.

• Tutorial Manual: Describes how to build a project, step-by-step, with the main product features. You can use this document as a self-training manual.

• Drivers User Guides: Explain how to configure individual direct communication drivers, according to their unique protocol characteristics. One customized user guide is included with each driver.

  Note: All manuals are located in the Bin folder in the program directory. The Drivers User Guides are installed to the Drv folder in the program directory. You also can access technical information from the Help menu.