Creation and editing IGSS configurations can be time-consuming due to the nature of creating and editing the individual elements of the configuration, for instance creating diagrams, objects and descriptors.
Often these elements must be created by hand, even for configurations that are identical, which leads to an increased usage of time and the introduction of potential errors.
The autoconfiguration example
In response to requests for an easier method of quickly creating IGSS configurations, the IGSS development team has published an example of an autoconfiguration script for IGSS which creates a simple diagram and several objects and descriptors in the Demo configuration for IGSS version 13.
The autoconfiguration example is a sample project which shows how code that can build IGSS configurations by using the open interfaces to the IGSS configuration database could be written. The procedures are in no way complete but serve to illustrate the possibilities of how to automate IGSS configurations.
The objects and descriptors in the autoconfiguration example are selected to represent the principles of the most common tasks used to build an IGSS configuration. Only a limited number of properties on each object and descriptor are used, the remainder being default values.
The autoconfiguration example is packed in the AutoConfigExample.zip file and contains the following files:
- AutoConfigExample.sln
- AutoConfig Example.csproj
- Program.cs
- AssemblyInfo.cs
The autoconfiguration example is developed for use with Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 and is written in C#. Developers with an understanding of VB.NET or other .NET languages should be able to understand the ideas and translate or adjust the code. If you need the code for other programming environments, the entire code is contained in the Program.cs file.
The program.cs file
The code in the Program.cs file is heavily commented and contains tips, tricks and explanations that describe the code sections and may serve to inspire developers to expand the example and build their own, more fully featured autoconfiguration tool.
The Program.cs file is divided into five sections
- The main entry point running the tasks one by one
- Procedures perfoming tasks on the configuration MDB file
- Procedures perfoming tasks on the IGSS ODBC driver
- General unitilies
- Enumerations to be used for selected ODBC fields
You can find detailed information on the tables, their use and values for different enumerations in the interface help file.
Please note that a functioning understanding of SQL queries and the related .NET classes is required in order to gain full benefit from the autoconfiguration example.
When the autoconfiguration example is run from Microsoft Visual Studio 2015, IGSS should be shut down and IGSS ODBC driver must be started.
Although the autoconfiguration example automatically creates a backup of the IGSS configuration and any runtime errors that occur will restore the IGSS configuration and stop the execution of the autoconfiguration example, we always recommend backing up the configuration you are working on.
Technical note
You must have the ODBC driver 13 or newer installed on the machine in order to use the autoconfiguration example
The autoconfiguration example creates and places the following in the Global area:
- A new font called Testfont which is the Arial font.
- A new measurement unit called Testunit.
- Three new alarm texts called Test Analog high alarm, Test Digital alarm 1 and Test Digital alarm 2.
- a new diagram called TestDiagram
- an red ellipse descriptor
- a blue polyline descriptor with three vertices and a star and end point.
- an analog object called TestAnalog with its descriptor
- a digital object template called TESTDIGITALTEMPLATE
- a digital object based on the digital object template called TestDigital
- a Windows control button with bindings to the TestDigital digital object
- a table object without a descriptor and therefore is not displayed in the diagram. The table object is called Testtable.
- A copy of the TestDigital digital object called TestDigitalCopy as well as its descriptor.
See the illustration below for a display of the elements created in IGSS by the autoconfiguration example.
Usage
System Integrators and other personnel who work with creating and editing IGSS configurations can freely use the autoconfiguration example to create their own autoconfiguration programs.
An autoconfiguration program can be used to mass create entire configurations, for instance in the case of many identical configurations or be used to create a baseline configuration for further on-site customer-based development. A baseline configuration could contain standard templates, drivers, alarm texts, descriptors, images, etc.
You can download the Autoconfiguration example