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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.

    • 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.

      • Nodes

        Organize project nodes into folders and visualize the project information model.

        • Create a folder

          Create a folder to contain nodes in your project.

        • Move a node

          Drag a node to move it to a new location in Project view.

        • Rename a node

          Change the name of a node in your project to depict what the node represents in your system.

        • Delete a node

          Delete a node to remove it from the project. Deleting a node removes any references to other nodes. If the deleted node references other nodes, you are prompted to remove all of the references to other nodes.

        • Search for nodes

          Use Search in Project view to search for and filter project nodes in the tree structure.

        • Navigate nodes

          Navigate project content in Project view.

        • View node references

          View references to display all of the objects in the information model that reference a node.

        • View type instances

          View instances of a type, such as a window, to view all instances in the information model where the type exists.

        • Copy paths to nodes

          Copy a path to a single node or copy paths to multiple nodes.

        • Display information model graphs

          Visualize information models of FactoryTalk Optix projects in the form of graphs.

      • Objects

        An object is an element that represents a physical or non-physical component in the project. A type is a model or template object for creating instances of an object.

      • Variables

        A variable is an attribute of an object. Assign a value to a variable to display the value at runtime.

      • Enumerations

        Define enumerations to group semantically related constants. Such constants, or enumeration members, may be useful for some property values.

      • Paths

        You can use path shortcuts when developing your application logic.

    • 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.

Nodes

Organize project nodes into folders and visualize the project information model.
Note: See Terms dictionary to learn more about the node definition.
To manage nodes:
  • Create a folder
  • Move a node
  • Rename a node
  • Delete a node
  • Search for nodes
  • Navigate nodes
  • View node references
  • View type instances
  • Display information model graphs

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