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Tech Notes

Tech Note: 089

How to Implement Time Considerations with AVEVA Historian and IDAS Systems

When working with Wonderware Historian and IDAS, it is important to take time into serious consideration. With IDAS historical data storage there is a term called the "Real-Time Window", which is a period of time behind and ahead of the Wonderware Historian system time, where values coming into the system are considered "valid" and will be stored properly. With Wonderware Historian the real-time window can be any value coming into the system between -30 seconds and +999 milliseconds. Time offset and discarded data can be a result of improper time synchronization. The purpose of this document is to help identify...

Tech Note: 088

How to Modify Default Actions for ArchestrA Graphics

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It may become useful to use an ArchestrA graphic for a purpose other than the original design. For example, say you like the look of the ArchestrA graphic titled "ButtonGlossyDotMomentaryOrange", but you want to use it for both a direct type action and then use the same graphic for a toggle type action. This document will relay a general procedure to accomplish this by using the preceding example.

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Tech Note: 087

How to use the ArchestrA Bulk Import utility to import Wonderware InTouch Tags

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With the release of the ArchestrA Bulk Import Utility, it is possible to directly convert Wonderware InTouch tagnames into the ArchestrA IDE (Integrated Development Environment) as application objects. This tech note details the basic procedure required to perform this task with a select set of Wonderware InTouch tags under a single alarm group. Specifically, this example involves importing discrete and analog tags used to represent pumps and PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) control loops.

Please note that the procedure for larger applications or 3rd party HMIs may be more involved. For further details on using the ArchestrA Bulk Import utility please...

Tech Note: 082

Resolving slow WindowMaker load times for Wonderware InTouch managed applications

Default Wonderware InTouch application settings can result in long waits opening ArchestrA IDE managed applications containing a large number of windows with embedded ArchestrA Graphics. Each window is programmatically opened to complete the initial load of all ArchestrA graphics in the development environment. Adding a setting to the application's INTOUCH.INI file can vastly improve the initial load times in Wonderware InTouch WindowMaker for instances when this delay adversely affects the speed of development. This document lists the steps necessary to locate and add the LoadAllActiveXOnStartup flag set to zero in the managed application's INTOUCH.INI file.

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Tech Note: 80

How to use the $PingNode Object Template in Wonderware Application Server

This tech note describes how to use a custom $PingNode object template created for Wonderware Application Server. Object based on that template provides ping status for a given machine (node).

The $PingNode object template includes the Ping script that can be customized to provide additional features. By default the enabled object will ping the configured node every 10 seconds and report general status and reply time. It also can be configured to alarm if a ping timeout is incurred.

This type of information should be useful for monitoring system health of network hardware and other machines that are not part...

Tech Note: 079

How to install Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter on different operating systems

Wonderware Industrial Application Server uses the Suitelink protocol (a proprietary TCP/IP wrapper) and the NMX protocol (Network Message Exchange) to communicate with I/O devices and platforms/objects in the application galaxy. The Archestra Integrated Development Environment (IDE) uses the NMX protocol to communicate with and deploy objects to platforms in the galaxy (this requires a valid network connection for development and testing operations). In the absence of a network adapter or valid network connection, Microsoft's Loopback Adapter may be installed to satisfy the Archestra IDE's requirement for a valid network connection.

The Microsoft Loopback Adapter will prevent the Archestra IDE from closing...

Tech Note: 077

How to resolve Language Switching Dictionary XML Import errors

The release of Wonderware InTouch 9.5 Service Pack 1 added a comprehensive Runtime Language Switching feature. This Runtime Language Switching feature gives developers the ability to create applications where the displayed language can be changed at runtime based upon the requirements of the user.

In addition, Wonderware released the Language Switching Translation tool: a Microsoft Excel file that can be used to export or import an application's text fields to and from an XML file for easier translation.

Developers may not have access to Microsoft Excel during application development or may use a text editor to add the text translations to...

Tech Note: 076

Configuring the DDESuitelink Client Object in the ArchestrA IDE

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This tech note details the procedure used to configure DDE (Data Dynamic Exchange) and Wonderware Suitelink client connections using Wonderware Application Server and the ArchestrA IDE (Integrated Development Environment). The DDESuiteLinkClient object available in Archestra IDE provides a client connection to DDE or Suitelink servers so that data can be read and written to external data sources such as a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller).

This tech note consists of three parts:

  • Part 1 - details the process of configuring and deploying a new instance of the $DDESuiteLinkClient template for communication with a data source
  • Part 2 - details testing of the...

Tech Note: 075

How to Automate the Update Function Feature in Wonderware ActiveFactory IndustrialWorkbook

This Tech Note provides the procedures necessary to automate the Refresh Function on every function in the Wonderware ActiveFactory IndustrialWorkbook.

This procedure is beneficial when working with Excel spreadsheets that contain many ActiveFactory functions. By default the Refresh Sheet function of Wonderware ActiveFactory IndustrialWorkbook does not refresh new cell population. Because of this users would need to select and refresh every individual function in the workbook.

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Tech Note: 074

How to configure Wonderware DASABCIP for unsolicited message handling

For certain classes of critical alarms, it may be best to allow the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) to notify the data clients immediately rather than waiting for a polling interval to update the alarm point at the HMI (Human Machine Interface). For this type of event, certain Allen Bradley PLCs (i.e. ControlLogix family) have the ability to send unsolicited messages to clients. This tech note provides the procedure to configure a Wonderware DASABCIP topic to accept unsolicited messages.

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