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OPC Browsing Dialogs

With QuickOPC, you can write OPC client code that browses OPC data from your code programmaticaly, but you an also use a ready-made set of rich user interface (UI) components. The OPC browsing dialogs provide interactive viewing and selection features and make it very simple to integrate such functionality into your application.

You can simply drag on of the provided browsing dialog components from the Toolbox, optionally configure its properties, and then invoke the browsing with a single method call.

Browsing dialogs are available for OPC clients supporting OPC Data Access, OPC Alarms&Events, OPC Unified Architecture, and even for tasks that combine multiple specifications in one project. There are also "universal" browsing dialog components that can be configured to browse just about anything related to OPC. For the ultimate flexibility, you can pick just the browsing controls themselves, and combine them with other controls on your form to achieve the desired functionality.

 

Useful links: Documentation / Knowledge Base

Dialog Examples

In total, there are 10 different dialogs available for OPC "Classic", and then there is a separate set of dialogs for OPC UA.

OpcServerDialog: A dialog box from which the user can select an OPC "Classic" server.

OpcServerDialog

OpcComputerAndServerDialog: A dialog box from which the user can select a computer and an OPC server residing on it.

OpcBrowseDialog: A dialog with various OPC nodes from which the user can select. This dialog can be configured to serve many different purposes.

OpcBrowseDialog

DAItemDialog: a dialog box from which the user can select an OPC Data Access item.

DAItemDialog

DAPropertyDialog: A dialog box from which the user can select an OPC Data Access property.

AEAreaOrSourceDialog: A dialog box from which the user can select OPC-A&E event areas or sources.

AEAreaOrSourceDialog

AECategoryDialog: A dialog box from which the user can select from OPC-A&E event categories provided by the OPC server.

AECategoryConditionDialog: A dialog box from which the user can select OPC-A&E category available on a specified event condition.

AEAttributeDialog: a dialog box from which the user can select OPC-A&E event attributes.

OPC Browsing Controls

With QuickOPC, you can create OPC client applications that allow the selection of OPC data (OPC browsing) to their end users. The OPC browsing controls provide interactive viewing and selection features that can be combined with other controls on the form to achieve the desired functionality.

You can simply drag on of the provided browsing control components from the Toolbox, optionally configure its properties, and it will automatically perform the OPC discovery and browsing, show results, and allow your users to select the OPC data they need.

Browsing controls support OPC Data Access, OPC Alarms&Events, and OPC Unified Architecture. The functionality of the controls is some respect similar to the browsing dialogs. Unlike with the dialogs, you have full freedom in creating your own visual appearance and behavior of the form, in case that the standard browsing dialog is not enough, or when you need closer integration with other parts of your application.

Control Features

There are two different controls available: one control is for for OPC "Classic" (and OPC XML-DA), and then there is a separate control for OPC-UA. The control names are OpcBrowseControl and UABrowseControl, respectively.

  • The controls can be configured to provide a tree view only, a list view only, or a combined tree view and list view.
  • Browsing (discovery) is possible for computers (hosts), OPC server, nodes (items) inside the OPC server, OPC properties, OPC A&E alarm areas and sources, access paths, etc.
  • When certain piece of information is not available by browsing, it can be entered manually. E.g. your user may add a known OPC-UA or OPC XML-DA server by entering its URL, or a hidden computer, etc.
  • Single-select or multi-select mode: you can allow the use to pick just one node, or a set of nodes (in the list view).
  • When placed onto a designer surface, the controls display just simulated data, without loading your system with unwanted OPC accesses and processing. When you run your application, the controls obtain live OPC data. Alternatively, you can instruct the controls to display the simulated data in runtime mode as well (this is useful e.g. for user training in off-line scenarios).

 

Useful links: Documentation / Knowledge Base

Control Examples

Examples of the controls in action are on the pictures below. Note that these are truly just examples; the flexibility of the controls allows many more combinations.

Tree And List Views:

Tree View Only:

OPC Unified Architecture:

 

Footnote & required disclosure: Connectivity Software (QuickOPC, Excel Connector, OPC Wizard, etc.) is a suite of software development kits (SDKs) for development of automation software applications. Installing Connectivity Software or its parts or options does not change system settings.