Overview
Plugins are encapsulated solution components that can include displays, scripts, symbols, templates, and more. They can either be imported as a read-only, allowing for easy removal and update of plugins or as a merge, fully integrating the plugin into the solution and allowing the user to edit all components that come with the plugin. To know more about exporting/creating plugins, click here.
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Importing a Plugin
In Solution → Import Plugin
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Overview
On Edit → Projects → Plugins, you find all the information required to import a component into your projectsolution. Once you have an exported item from any other projectsolution, you will be able to import it in your own project.
On the top of the display, you will find these buttons:
solution.
Import plugins options | |
Add and merge to the solution | Fully merges the plugin into the solution, allowing the user to edit the plugin’s components directly in the Solution Designer. |
Add as read-only | Imports the plugin in an encapsulated manner. Ensures the possibility to safely remove or update them later. |
Plugin search options | |
Show plugins from local folder | Directly search the directory for any pre-built components available on your computer. |
Show components from Cloud | Shows the solution components available on the Cloud. |
Plugins info | |
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Name | The designated title assigned to the plugin. |
Preview | A preview image that represents the plugin. |
Source | Specifies where the plugin is stored, either locally or on cloud-based storage. |
Date modified | The most recent date when changes were made to the plugin. |
Version | The current release number of the plugin indicating its development stage or iteration. |
Product version | Specifies the version of the product on which the plugin was based. |
ReadOnly | This attribute indicates whether the plugin's settings or configurations can be altered. |
Description | A concise textual overview detailing the functionality or purpose of the plugin. |
In this section:
- Refresh: Refreshes the display; updating the grid with all the components that can be imported into the project. This list can contain any pre-created component available in your computer or in the Cloud.
- Add Component: This button opens the “Add Component” display where you can configure the properties of the component. This display allows you to select if the component will be an embedded component or if it will be added as a manageable plugin.
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If the component has been exported using the “Force as Plugin” option, the “Add as component” option (embedded in the project) will not be able to be selected. |
- Component: This button allows editing of the pre-created component, but it will not be possible if the “Contents Hidden” option was used to create it.
In the grid below these buttons, you will find all the components already exported and some information about them.
- Name: The name of the component.
- Preview: A preview image that represents the component.
- Source: The location of the component; it can be Local or in the Cloud.
- Version: The version of the component (e.g.: 0).
- Product Version: The version of the product used to create the component (e.g.: fs- 8.1.1).
- Plugin Installed : A check that represents if the plugin is already installed on the project or not.
Installed Plugins
On Run → Extensions → Installed PlugIns,you find information about the pre-installed plugins in the project.On the top of the display, you will find four buttons:
- Refresh: Refreshes the display; updating the grid with all the items that had already been imported into the project.
- Update: Search for updates in the Plugin, based on the version number.
- Remove: Remove the plugin and dependencies from the project.
- Import and Merge: If the plugin has not been created with the option "Force as Plugin" enabled, so you can convert the plugin into a component and merge it into your project.
In the grid below these buttons, you will find all the components already exported and some information about them.
- Name: The name of the component.
- Preview : A preview image that represents the component.
- Source: The location of the component; it can be Local or in the Cloud.
- Version: The version of the component (e.g.: 0).
- Has Update: A check that represents if there are available updates for the plugin.
Creating a New Plugin
Creating a new component or plugin is a very interesting feature if you have different projects that require similar structures/functionalities. The first step in this process is to create a new project that only contains the elements required to fulfill the desired purpose.
Once you have the project working, go to Run → Extension → Export. On the top of the display, you will find five buttons:
- Refresh: Refreshes the display; updating the grid with all the items that can be exported from the project. This list can contain scripts, tags, tables, devices, and any other pre-built item on your project.
- Check Selected Items: Check all the pre-selected items on the grid. You can use both the SHIFT and CTRL keys to select one or more items. The checked items will be exported at the end of the process. You can manually check them. Then, go to the “Export” column and edit it.
- Uncheck Selected Items: Uncheck all the pre-selected items on the grid. You can use both the SHIFT and CTRL keys to select one or more items. The unchecked items will not be exported at the end of the process. You can manually uncheck them. Then, go to the “Export” column and edit it.
- Export to Component: This button opens the “Make new component” display, where you can configure the properties of the component.
Under this display you have:
- Save as Text File: Export the components as a XML file while keeping the structure and information about the component.
- When you use the checkbox “Auto Check Dependencies”, whenever an object is checked, any secondary dependency on this object like tags, templates, images, will be checked too.
The tags created on the project can be used in many different configurations on the system; such as Alarms, Historian, and Devices. To include these configurations when you export a tag, you have three checkboxes:
- Alarm Items: Include the pre-configured alarm items for the specified tag.
- Tag Historian: Include the pre-configured tag historian information for the specified tag.
- Device Points: Include the pre-configured device points for the specified tag.
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