What’s New in QuickOPC 5.34

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Previous: What’s New in QuickOPC 5.33

Key changes:

  • Live Binding Improvements
  • Packaging and Installation


Live Binding and Live Mapping

  • Added ability to bind/map OPC timestamps expressed in local time (as opposed to UTC). This is achieved by the new enumeration members DAItemMappingKind.TimestampLocal, UADataMappingKind.ServerTimestampLocal and SourceTimestampLocal.
  • When converting values to and from a value target, in addition to previously used type conversion methods, the mapping/binding now also attempts to use IConvertible interface on the value, when available. This results in greater flexibility, as more values will are converted to the proper type automatically.
  • Added a LinearConverter component that can be used with bindings/mappings. The component provide a linear conversion and its inverse, and also (optionally) allows output value clamping. The linear conversion is useful for proper scaling of values when the underlying OPC source does not directly have the desired value.

Live Binding

  • The Mapper property of DABinder and UABinder is now exposed in designer for configuration, and the exposed properties are serialized into code. This allows for some fine settings of the binder behavior.
  • With the help of QueuedExecution property on the mappers (see Live Mapping further below), and the fact that mappers and their properties are now exposed in the designer, the developer can now choose that the operations (such as Writes) are performed outside the calling thread, and therefore do not block. Typical usage involves a one-time Read or Write linked to a click on a button, which would otherwise block the user interface until completed.
  • Fixed problem when copying and pasting controls with bindings attached, where the copy of the bindings appeared with the originating control, instead of the new control.

Live Mapping

  • The DAClientMapper and UAClientMapper objects now have a Boolean QueuedExecution property (defaults to false). When set to true, the operations on the mapper are executed outside the calling thread, but still in the order of arrival. This allows non-blocking operation calls on the mappers. This functionality can also be used in Live Binding.

Examples

  • Changed examples that deal with OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) to use the demo services located on the Internet (opcua.demo-this.com), instead of connecting to local samples.
  • Changed examples that deal with OPC XML-DA to use the new URL of the sample server, http://opcxml.demo-this.com/XmlDaSampleServer/Service.asmx .
  • Verified that examples designed for Delphi XE7 work in the newer Delphi XE8 as well.

Packaging

  • Removed OPC UA Sample Applications 1.02 from the setup. The sample UA server needed for examples and demos in now accessible online (opcua.demo-this.com).
  • The (full) reference documentation in .CHM format is no longer contained in the installation package. Instead, the installer creates a shortcut in the Start menu, providing a URL from which the help file can be downloaded. Note that the concise reference is still installed with the product, and also the full reference that integrates into Visual Studio.
  • The OPC Foundation White Papers (part of Bonus Material) are no longer contained in the installation package. Instead, the installer creates a shortcut in the Start menu, providing a URL from which a ZIP file with the documents can be downloaded.
  • OPC UA SDK 1.01 COM Interop Components Redistributables are no longer contained in the installation package. Instead, the installer creates a shortcut in the Redist folder, providing a URL from which a ZIP file with the redistributables can be downloaded.

Installation and Uninstallation

  • The default installation option is now the Custom install.
  • The separate installable packages that QuickOPC uses (Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable, OPC Core Components, and OPC UA Local Discovery Server) are now all listed separately on the “Select Components” wizard page under “Included software we depend on”, and can be reviewed and enabled/disabled by the user.
  • Added HTML document “Uninstall Instructions”, available from the Start menu.
  • The Code Contract assemblies are no longer installed by default (but can still be enabled when custom install is selected by the user).
  • Significantly reduced the size of the installation package.
  • Increased the speed of installation.

StreamInsight Option

  • Merged the two assemblies (one for OPC “Classic” and the other for OPC-UA) into a single assembly.