First, you will need to create the DLL for your snap-in:

1. Create a new "Class Library" project within Microsoft Visual Studio.
2. Add the following references to the project:
   1. IntelaTrac.Sdk
   2. SAT.Core
   3. Sat.Core.Desktop.UI
3. Add a new WindowsForm to the project (this will be the base form displayed on your application) with the following "using statement:"
   
   using IntelaTrac.Sdk;
   
4. Change the form's inheritance from "Form" to "ImcSnapInFormBase"
5. Add a new class called "NavigationItem" to the project.
6. Add the following "using statement" to the new class:
   
   using IntelaTrac.Sdk;
   
7. Set "NavigationItem" to inherit from "ImcNavigationItem"
8. Override the "OpenItem()" and "OpenItem(string title, System.Drawing.Icon icon)" items. Once overridden, the entry should typically resemble the following, where "form" is a static variable of the form inherited from ImcSnapInFormBase:
   
   

         public override void OpenItem()

         {

            if (form != null)

            {

               form.Activate();

            }

            else

            {

               this.OpenItem(string.Empty, null);

            }

         }

    

         public override void OpenItem(string title, System.Drawing.Icon icon)

         {

            if (form != null)

            {

               form.Activate();

            }

            else

            {

               form = new (your static form (SEE STEP 9))(title, icon);

    

             

               form.Closed += new EventHandler(this.FormClosed);

    

               //The call to ShowSnapIn() displays the form in the Management Center

               form.ShowSnapIn();

            }

         }
   

9. The static form defined in Step 8 requires the following constructor, fields, and properties:
   
   privatestring title;

   private System.Drawing.Icon displayIcon;

   public (your static form)(string text, System.Drawing.Icon icon)

   {

     this.title = text;

     this.displayIcon = icon;

     InitializeComponent();

   }

   public string Title

   {

     get { return this.title; }

     set { this.title = value; }

   }

   public System.Drawing.Icon FormIcon

   {

     get { return this.displayIcon; }

     set { this.displayIcon = value; }

   }
   public static void Close()

   {

     if (form != null)

     {

       form.Close();

     }

   }

   void FormClosed(object sender, EventArgs e)

   {

     form = null;

   }

10. Compile the DLL, and then copy it into the Management Center installation directory (by default: "\Program Files\AVEVA\Mobile Operator\Client").

Configuring the Management Center

You must next edit the Management Center's "sat.config" file to accept the new snap-in.

1. Open the "sat.config" file, located in the Management Center installation directory (by default: "\Program Files\AVEVA\Mobile Operator\Client") in a text editor such as notepad.
2. Find the "groups" section within sat.config (tagged with <Group> and </Group>).
3. Copy and paste the following template into the sat.config file appropriately (properly creating a new "Group" entry):
   
         <Group>
           <ID>CustomSnapInGroupID</ID>
           <Name>Custom Snap In</Name>
           <ToolTip>Custom SnapIn</ToolTip>
           <IconFile>Resources\world.ico</IconFile>
           <IsVisible>True</IsVisible>
           <Order>10</Order>
           <Items>
             <Items>
               <Entry>
                 <Key>
                   <Value Type="System.String, mscorlib">HelloWorldID</Value>
                 </Key>
                 <Value>
                   <Value Type="SAT.Desktop.UI.Navigation.NavigationItem, SAT.Core.Desktop.UI">
                     <ID>HelloWorldID</ID>
                     <Name>Hello World</Name>
                     <ToolTip>Hello World example program</ToolTip>
                     <IconFile>Resources\world.ico</IconFile>
                     <Executable>Imc.SnapIn.Example.WinForm.dll</Executable>
                     <WorkingFolder>
                     </WorkingFolder>
                     <TypeName>Imc.SnapIn.Example.WinForm.NavigationItem, Imc.SnapIn.Example.WinForm</TypeName>
                     <Order>0</Order>
                     <DynamicScopeContext>1</DynamicScopeContext>
                     <InstanceContext>0</InstanceContext>
                   </Value>
                 </Value>
               </Entry>
             </Items>
           </Items>
         </Group>
   
4. Edit the new Group section according to your needs, using the following explanation of variables as a guide.
5. Save changes to the SAT.CONFIG file.
6. IMPORTANT: Delete the Windows user's SAT.USER.CONFIG file. The location of this file differs by operating system. The following examples assume Windows installation to C: and use "LOGIN_NAME" to indicate the login name of the user:
   1. In Windows Vista and Windows 7: "C:\Users\LOGIN_NAME\AppData\Roaming\SAT\Data"
   2. In Windows XP: "C:\Documents and Settings\LOGIN_NAME\Application Data\SAT\Data"

Group Settings

ID: A user-assigned, unique ID for this Group (alphanumeric characters, no spaces).

Name: The name of the Group. This text will appear in the Navigation pane.

ToolTip: The text that appears when the mouse pointer hovers over the Group.

IconFile: The .ICO file used to represent the Group. (This path is relative to the Management Center's installation directory. As a "best practice," place icon files in the "Resources" directory like the template example.)

IsVisible: This flag controls whether or not the Group is displayed in the Management Center.

Order: An integer representing where this Group appears in the Management Center's Navigation Pane relative to other Groups. A Group with a value of 0 is placed at the top, a Group with a value of 1 just under it, and so forth. Note that all groups in the Management Center use an Order value; and avoid conflicts when assigning this number. (The Management Center ships with 8 groups by default.)

Snap-in Settings

Key - Value Type: A unique ID for the Snap-in (alphanumeric characters, no spaces). This must match the "Value - ID" setting described below.

Value - Value Type: Must be set to "SAT.Desktop.UI.Navigation.NavigationItem, SAT.Core.Desktop.UI"

Value - ID: A unique ID for the Snap-in (alphanumeric characters, no spaces). This must match the "Key - Value Type" setting described above.

Value - Name: The name of the Snap-in. This text will appear in the nagivation pane.

Value - ToolTip: The text that appears when the mouse pointer hovers over the Snap-in.

Value - IconFile: The .ICO file used to represent the Snap-in. (This path is relative to the IMC's installation directory. As a "best practice," place icon files in the "Resources" directory like the template example.)

Value - Executable: The full filename of the DLL used (excluding path).

Value - TypeName: This setting consists of two parameters separated by a comma. The first parameter specifies the DLL's namespace and class that inherited from ImcNavigationItem. The second parameter is the name of your assembly (without the ".DLL" extension).

Value - Order: An integer representing where this Snap-in appears within this Group relative to other Group entries.

Value - DynamicScopeContext: Must be set to 1

Value - InstanceContext: Must be set to 0