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About Genesis Language: Visual C++ Version: 1.2 Size: 4.041 Kb Installation File: 1794 Kb
Download Counters 1017 visitors since Aug 2011 100 downloads from TGMDev Awards of Genesis
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OPC OPC is an acronym that stood originally for OLE for Process Control. As well as OLE does not mean 'Object Linking and Embedding' anymore, OPC is now the name given to the set of standard specifications for communications between devices from differen suppliers. The goal of OPC is to provide a common interface between Windows applications. OPC is based on COM and DCOM technology of Microsoft and the specifications define the COM objects, the objects interfaces and the objects methods that can be used to transfer data between OPC Servers and clients. The OPC Servers handle the gory details to access data into proprietary devices and provide the interfaces to allow any OPC Client to access these data through standardized interfaces. Using OPC, the methods (in OPC Clients) to access the data are always the same, whatever the OPC servers that provides the data. Abundant literature exists about OPC technology. Googling the Web provides a huge amount of informations... Genesis Genesis 1.2 is a free Windows application that connects to any OPC Server (in the limits of the testing done up to now) and handles data acquisition in a very simple an intuitive way. The application also displays the data graphically for easy and visual data inspection. Features can be divided in three sections (see below for details)
Genesis 1.2 is developped using the latest tools available from Microsoft and following the standard techniques and recommandations for the development of applications for Windows XP and Windows 7. The application has been tested extensively to verify its correct behaviour and memory management and to determine its effectiveness on different computers including network-linked computers. However, Genesis 1.2 is a freeware and is provided 'AS IS'. TGMDev disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, and have no liability for any direct or indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use of this program, even if advised to the possibility of such damages. If you plan to use Genesis 1.2 to perform critical data acquisition, you must take the necessary actions prior its use to certify the effectiveness of the application for the intended purposed. You must be ready to assume any risk arising out of the use of the application. The copyrights for Genesis 1.2 belong to TGMDev. You are allowed to copy and distribute this software provided that it remains in an unaltered and free (except a small fee for the software distribution) Genesis Overview Back to Top Genesis 1.2 screen are made of three main parts: 
Located on the top of the screen, the ribbon is the new standard paradigm of user interface. Buttons and other controls are enabled/disabled according to the active main view.  The main view is a standard tabbed view from where actual views can be selected: The Output Panes are reachable through the bottom tabbed view. There is one Output Pane for each main view. The Output Panes are automatically selected when the main view is selected. At any time, the Output Pane can be closed, leaving more space for the Genesis views. 
OPC Server Connection Back to Top Genesis 1.2 configuration is done in three steps:
The first step is the OPC Server selection. Click on the Ribbon button 'Select OPC Server' and select the OPC Server from the Dialog Box. 
The Second step is the OPC Group addition. Click on the Ribbon Button 'Add OPC Group', enter the OPC Group and confirm with 'Ok'. Use consistent naming for the OPC Group... 
Besides the obvious name definition, the Group Addition Dialog Box is used to define the update rate. By default, its value is 100 ms but it must be changed to a greater value for slow connection. Typically, 1000 or 2000 ms is enough in most cases.... 
The Third step is the OPC Item addition in an OPC Group. Select the Ribbon Button 'Add OPC Item(s)' and Select Item(s) from the OPC Server List. 
The Dialog Box for Items Addition makes the Configuration really easy ... 
OPC Data Acquisition Back to Top The control of the OPC Data Acquisition by Genesis 1.2 is done through the buttons and others controls of the Ribbon and results are displayed on the OPC Data View. 
The OPC Data View shows three areas:
This area is used to define how data acquisition will start: This area show the data attributes at the time of OPC acquisition: Item Name, Item Description, Time of Acquisition, Value, Quality and Data Type This is the main area where historical data are displayed. Note that the header of the Historical Data Control can be modified using the Ribbon ComboBox 'Tag Display' Three options are available: At startup (with no Genesis Project loaded or configured), the OPC Data Acquisition is not available. The Button 'Start Acquisition' is disabled. 
Once a Project is loaded or the Data Acquisition is Configured (see OPC Server Connection), the Ribbon Button 'Start Acquisition' is enabled. Clicking on the button will start OPC Data Acquisition. The progress bar will show the time to the next acquisition. 
As the Data Acquisition is running, the Ribbon Button 'Stop Acquisition' is enabled. The 'Clear Historical Data' will remain disabled up to the first data acquisition. 
At any time, the Data Acquisition can be interrupted by clicking on the Ribbon Button 'Stop Acquisition'. The 'Resume Acquisition' will be enabled, so that the Data Acquisition can be restarted if required. 
With the Data Acquisition running, Genesis 1.2 can be configured to save acquired data to Text File ( in csv format) periodically. Clicking on the Ribbon Button 'Automatic OPC Data Saving' triggers a dialog box for autosave configuration: default storage path and filename root. 
From that time, and as showed on the Ribbon Check Box 'Automatic OPC Data Saving', Genesis 1.2 will save the acquired data with the frequency selected. 
Looking at the Data List Control, Genesis 1.2 can be configured to scroll the data list so that the last acquired data will be always displayed on the bottom of the Data List Control. 
At any time also, the data already acquired can be stored in a Text File (in csv format) by clicking on the Ribbon Button 'Export OPC Data (csv)'. These files can be imported into Excel to perform additional data manipulation and/or charting. 
Genesis 1.2 will trigger the Dialog Box to get the required information for data file storage... 
At any time, the data already acquired can be copied to the Clipboard by clicking on the Ribbon Button 'Copy Data to Clipboard'. Data can then be pasted to Excel to perform additional data manipulation and/or charting. 
OPC Data Chart Back to Top The Data acquired by Genesis 1.2 are displayed graphically in the Chart View. 
The OPC Chart View provides the basic features to customize the graphical display of the OPC Data already acquired.
Clicking on the Ribbon Button 'Set Chart Title' triggers the Dialog Box where Chart Title and Title Visibility are defined. 
This Ribbon Button allows the control of the Chart background Color. To visually see the impact on data readbility, the background color of the Tag Attributes List Control is also modified. The Panels 'Left Axis' and 'Right Axis' show three checkboxes to control the Automatic or Manual settings of the axis (mininimum and maximum values) Clicking on the Tag Attributes List Control triggers the Dialog Box to define the Line Attributes: 
The following attributes can be modified: The Ribbon Buttons of the Panel 'Pen Selection' are used to select and/or unselect all pens configured in the Chart. The pen can be individually selectec by clicking int the CheckBoxes of the Tag Attributes List Control. 
This Panel is used to control the apparence of the Chart Legend. The following attributes can be modified: The OPC Data displayed on the Chart can be stored in a Text File (in csv format) by clicking on the Ribbon Button 'Save Graph Data (csv)'. These files can be imported into Excel to perform additional data manipulation and/or charting. 
The OPC Data displayed on the Chart can be copied to the Clipboard by clicking on the Ribbon Button 'Copy Data to Clipboard'. Data can then be pasted to Excel to perform additional data manipulation and/or charting. 
The Chart displayed in the View can be stored in an Image File (in 4 different formats) by clicking on the Ribbon Button 'Save Graph as Image'. 
Clicking on the Ribbon Button triggers the Dialog Box to specify image attributes 
The Chart displayed in the View can be copied to the Clipboard as an image by clicking on the Ribbon Button 'Copy Image to Clipboard'. 
Pasting in Paint or any Similar Aplications gives the following picture: 
The developpment of Genesis 1.2 was simplified thanks to the help of the sample 'A Simple OPC Client' provided by Kepware. 
The features of Genesis 1.2 have been heavily tested using the Simulation OPC Server from Matrikon. 
Additional testing was performed using OPC Servers from different PLC suppliers, mainly RSLinx from Allen-Bradley. 
The OPC configuration, the OPC data acquisition and graphical display has been tested extensively with Windows XP and Windows 7 to check Genesis 1.2 performance and correct memory handling behaviour. The CPU Load of Genesis 1.2 have been verified to assess the impact of the application on the PCs running Genesis.
Precision on Data Acquisition Time have been checked under normal computer usage (that is, with start and stop of other programs on the machine, such as Visual Studio 2010, Excel, Word, WinAmp, ... Here are the results for a Data Acquisition with a frequency of 10 seconds.
Bug Report Back to Top Please report any bug to Thierry.Marneffe@skynet.be Safe Use of Genesis 1.2 Back to Top The TGMDev computers are protected by the latest version of Norton Internet Security. To the best of our knowledge, the application is virus-free. Also, Genesis 1.2 is garanteed to be spyware-free.
Feedback about Genesis 1.2 Back to Top Please use the following form to send feedback or feature request .. Download Genesis 1.2 Back to Top The application Genesis 1.2 is written according to the standard techniques and recommandations for the development of applications for Windows. The application has been tested extensively to verify its correct behaviour and memory management and to determine its effectiveness on different computers including network-linked computers. The author makes no warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, with regard to this application and not be liable in any event for any direct, incidental or consequential damages, loss of profit or data, interruption of businees arising out of the performance or use of this program, even if the author has been advised to the possibility of such damages. Download and Use of this software indicate your acceptance of these terms and conditions.
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| © 2000-2012 TGMDev | Date of Last Modification: 10-Jan-2012 |
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