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FactoryTalk Optix Studio Help

Getting started
Become familiar with the terminology, design concepts, and workflows present in the FactoryTalk® Optix™ environment and create your first project.
Creating projects
Create a project and your application logic.
- Projects
  A project contains different components that you use to create FactoryTalk Optix Applications.
- Version control
  Create versions of a project by committing changes that you make. By default, all projects have version control.
- Communication drivers
  Use communication drivers to establish connections with controllers and import tags. Use controller tags to design application logic.
- OPC UA
  FactoryTalk Optix Studio is compliant with the OPC UA (OPC Unified Architecture) standard and can communicate with any OPC UA client or server.
- Graphic objects
  Use predefined graphic objects to add visual components to FactoryTalk Optix Applications. Use Presentation Engines to display the UI at runtime on different viewports.
  - Editor
    Open the editor for the user interface by opening a container object.
  - Predefined graphic objects
    FactoryTalk Optix offers a series of predefined objects such as buttons, switches, labels, and containers for creating user interfaces.
    - Base controls
      Use base controls objects to implement user interface elements that enable interaction with the application.
      - Label
        Displays text that describes an item.
      - Text box
        Inserts and displays text at runtime.
      - Spin box
        Increases or decreases a numerical value by entering the value or using buttons.
      - Editable label
        Displays an editable description of an item.
      - LED
        Displays a Boolean value in the form of an on LED or an off LED.
      - Button
        Generates events to perform methods.
      - Momentary button
        Generates events to perform methods. Includes Minimum hold time and Maximum hold time properties.
      - Toggle button
        Generates events to perform methods. Includes a Modified value event.
      - Delayed button
        Generates events to perform methods. Includes a MouseLongPress event.
      - Switch
        Sets and displays a Boolean value.
      - Checkbox
        Sets and displays a Boolean value using select and clear.
      - Option button
        Selects a mutually exclusive option in a group.
      - Linear gauge
        Sets or displays an integer value within a range of possible values.
      - Circular gauge
        Sets or displays an integer value within a range of possible values.
      - Date and time
        Displays date and time data in a specific input format.
      - Duration
        Displays the duration data.
    - Containers
      Use container objects to structure your application and create user interface navigation.
    - Contents
      Use contents objects to embed media into your application interface.
    - Data controls
      Use data controls objects to visualize data in your application interface. Get data from project nodes or a database.
    - Drawings
      Use drawings objects to add shapes and images to your application interface.
    - Presentation engines
      A presentation engine object displays UI elements at runtime.
    - Style sheets
      Use style sheet objects to customize the style of graphic object types and instances.
  - Manage graphic objects
    Create, edit, move, and delete graphic object types and instances.
  - Graphic objects layout
    The layout of a user interface for a FactoryTalk Optix Application depends on the elements defined for each of the graphic object components.
- Libraries
  Libraries contain object definitions that you can add to your projects.
- Project nodes
  Use the Project view pane to create and manage the contents of a project. Project view displays a tree structure comprised of nodes. The nodes are objects and variables organized in folders.
- Dynamic links
  Dynamic links join a parent node (variable) with a source node (another variable or object property).
- Converters
  Use converters to transform the source value and then assign the value to the parent node.
- Events
  An event is a message that generates at runtime to indicate that a certain situation has occurred.
- Aliases
  An alias is a variable type that points to a source node with a NodeId property. Aliases allow you to have instances of an object display different values. For example, using an alias, an instance of a single motor faceplate can show data for multiple motors dynamically.
- Alarms
  An alarm is an event that indicates the status of a process or machine at runtime. Alarms indicate that something requires attention or intervention, such as a variable reaching a critical value. For example, a temperature variable may change from the normal set value and activate the alarm.
- Recipes
  Recipe schemas contain the list of ingredients to use in recipes in your manufacturing system. Modify a recipe using the editor.
- Logger
  A logger object records data and stores it in a database.
- Database
  A Database object represents a project-embedded database or an external database.
- Reports
  Use a Reports object to design, layout, and generate PDF reports. Reports can include data extracted from FTOptixApplication and databases.
- Users, groups, and roles
  Users, groups, and roles are part of a security policy and determine how user access is controlled for an application at runtime. Add and manage users and groups from the dashboard page or Project view.
- Authentication
  Select the user authentication modes available at runtime and configure the required password policy for users defined in FactoryTalk Optix Studio.
- Translations
  Translation allows users in different locales to use FactoryTalk Optix Studio applications because the application displays in the language of the user at runtime. Use a localization dictionary to translate text strings shown in messages and on labels and switches in your project at runtime.
- Audit signing
  Audit signing enforces additional confirmation for critical tasks and improves the security of your project. Set up audit signing to trigger an electronic signature workflow for specific users or groups when they access selected FactoryTalk Optix Application areas or perform specific actions.
- Retentivity storage
  Retentivity storage enables you to retain changes made to the project at runtime in a data store.
- FTP
  File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is used to communicate and transfer files between computers that are on a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) network.
- IoT
  The Inter of Things (IoT) describes physical objects that are embedded with sensors, controllers, software, and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over communication networks.
- Sessions and locales
  A session is a runtime context in which a user executes read and/or write operations based on their permissions.
- System object
  The System object provides the network configuration for your system through network and IP settings. Add the System object to access system settings such as date and time and IP addresses of the network interfaces at runtime or to restart the system.
- File signature and verification
  Sign files electronically and verify the integrity of the signed files.
- Extended properties
  Use extended properties to add extra information to tags and data types.
- Direct Drives Connectivity
  Use Direct Drive Connectivity feature in your projects to enable PowerFlex drives.
- Object and variable references
  This section contains information about using the FactroyTalk Optix application interface objects and variables and a reference of the properties and values of each item.
Extending projects
Use C# to implement custom functionalities into your application logic.
Deploying projects
Compile projects to FactoryTalk Optix Applications and then deploy the applications to target devices.
Tutorials
Tutorials and short procedures to help with designing your own FactoryTalk Optix Applications.
21CFR Part 11 Regulation Compliance
Get acquainted with specific FactoryTalk® Optix setup instructions to comply with the 21 CFR Part 11 Regulation.

Duration

Displays the duration data.

Example

Figure 1. Duration - five minutes

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