Flexible OPC Client Development in VS.NET, VB6 and More

Your Hosts Today: Win Worrall Application Engineer and Developer

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Renee Sikes

Application Engineer

Flexible OPC Client Development in VS.NET, VB6

and MoreAgenda – 45 Minutes OPC to Visual Studio.NET Overview OPCData.NET Overview Live training

Basic OPC functions Reading, Writing, Subscribing

Browsing via code and dialog Windows application Web application Connect to OPC UA Server

Discussion, Questions & Answers

Using Visual Studio as an OPC Client

When you configure an HMI, you configure an OPC client connection to the OPC Server.

In VS.NET you need an OPC client plug-in tool

Good Design and Planning Still Required Systems are only as

good as weakest link

Visual Basic to 1 OPC Server to 1-N Devices

Putting it to Work

Server Application

Client ToolPlug-In

OPC Client Plug-In Tools

Two Types – Free & Commercial

Free Wrapper Objects Available from OPC Foundation Requires understanding of key OPC interfaces and

working with handles & collections Community support only – no phone or email support

Commercial Software Tools Variety of types & languages available Details of OPC implementation abstracted for user User focuses on “read this”, “write that” Phone, email support usually included OPC Certified solutions are available

OPCData.NET

100% managed, native 32 and 64 bit .NET component

Targeted to Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 or 4.0 Works with VS 2005 and higher.

Easy to use API Abstracts much of the OPC work under the

hood Includes UA COM wrapper Multi-threaded, non-blocking design for high

performance Self-optimizing OPC Certified OPCData-COM available for ActiveX users

Typical Usage

Thin-client web applications

Building your own web service

Can be used from within any tool based on the Microsoft .NET Framework Thick-client .NET applications

Windows Forms or Windows Services

Your application with OPCData.NET

Your OPC-DA

Server

Your OPC-DA

Server

OPCData.NET API

Three main assemblies EasyOpcCommonNet.dll

Classes that hold common OPC information

EasyOpcDANet.dll Classes that work with OPC Data Access

EasyOpcDANetForms.dll Classes that work with OPC-DA from

Windows Forms applications (browsing dialogs)

OPCData.NET API

EasyDAClient is the main object that allows access to OPC DA servers

Browsing via dialog or code Allows simultaneous operations

multiple threads for improved efficiency

Error handling OPC-related errors, COM/DCOM errors,

errors returned from OPC server, errors detected by OPCData.NET library

Helper properties for increased control Synchronous and asynchronous operations,

timeout and hold periods, percent deadband

What is OPC UA?

Unified Architecture A collaborative working effort of the

OPC Foundation and it’s members since 1994

Objective to create a standard that Isn’t dependent on DCOM Can interoperate with non-Windows

platforms Is more secure than the original OPC Removes redundant code across

interfaces

Value of OPC UA

Common Usage InterfaceDA, A&E, HDA, Security, etc

Value of OPC UA

Common Usage InterfaceDA, A&E, HDA, Security, etc Requires less programming: eliminates/combines many OPC calls

OPC Classic DA:

IOPCSyncIO::Read IOPCAsyncIO::Read IOPCAsyncIO2::Read IOPCAsyncIO3::Read IOPCItemIO::Read

A&E: IOPCEventServer::GetConditionState

HDA: IOPCHDA_SyncRead::ReadRaw IOPCHDA_SyncRead::ReadProcessed IOPCHDA_SyncRead::ReadAtTime IOPCHDA_SyncRead::ReadModified IOPCHDA_SyncRead::ReadAttribute IOPCHDA_AsyncRead::ReadRaw IOPCHDA_AsyncRead::AdviseRaw IOPCHDA_AsyncRead::ReadProcessed IOPCHDA_AsyncRead::AdviseProcessed IOPCHDA_AsyncRead::ReadAtTime IOPCHDA_AsyncRead::ReadModified IOPCHDA_AsyncRead::ReadAttribute

OPC Unified Architecture

Read ReadHistory

Value of OPC UA

Common Usage InterfaceDA, A&E, HDA, Security, etc Requires less programming: eliminates/combines many OPC calls

Built-in Security through certificate exchangeNo DCOM! Enterprise Data Communications

Enables data sharing across enterprise

Unified Architectureenables communications

and data sharingenterprise-wide

EmbeddedEmbedded

ControllersControllers

MobileMobile

WorkstationsWorkstations

ServersServers

EnterpriseEnterprise

Live Demo

Basic OPC functions Reading and Multi Reads Writing and Multi Writes Subscribing

Browsing via code and dialog Windows application (VB.NET) Web application (C Sharp) Connect to OPC UA Server Smart Client Deployment

What Tools are Needed?

For all usage scenarios No tag count limits No limits on # of clients, # of servers

OPCData.NET Single PC Usage License (p/n 41283501) $595

OPCData.NET Single Developer + Runtime Free License (p/n 41283502) $995

OPCData.NET Additional Developers License (p/n 41283503) $395

OPC Data Client (p/n 41283508) $1495 OPCData.NET OPCData-COM

Support contracts also available (20% of List Price) Contact us for upgrade pricing from OPCWebClient

3.02

Contact Information & Other Learning Opportunities

Free Demo: http://opcwebclient.com/html/free_demo.asp

Questions later? Win Worrall

wworrall@softwaretoolbox.com 888-665-3678 x 1329 or 704-849-2773 x1329

Renee Sikes rsikes@softwaretoolbox.com 888-665-3678 x 1328 or 704-849-2773 x 1328

www.opcwebclient.com

Other learning opportunities Recording of this webinar Visit www.softwaretoolbox.com/webinars