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Software Installation
In order to install, just click on the MSIX file, which installs in just a couple of seconds to install FrameworX as a Windows App.
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When the application is running, you can right-click on its icon in the Windows Taskbar and select "Pin to Taskbar" to create a shortcut for easy access. Otherwise, when you want to execute it, type "FrameworX" in the Windows search box. |
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The first time you Edit and Run solutions after a new installation, Windows Firewall may request authorization. Just press OK if that prompt is shown. Windows Server and Enterprise 2019 and older need update to use the new .MSIX extension. In this case, it is easier to install using the FrameworX-Setup.exe application. |
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About the MSIX installationMSIX is a new Microsoft standard for installations, offering significantly faster installation times. However, the installation folder is predefined by the OS (under \Program Files\WindowsApps) and it is installed only for the current user. MSIX requires Windows 10, version 1709 or later; or Windows Server 2022 or later. Using FrameworX-Setup.exe for Server InstallationsFor computers that do not support the MSIX standard, or when installing in production environments, such as factory-floor servers or data centers, it is preferable to have more control over the installation folder and to install for all users of the computer. The traditional Setup.exe installation allows customization of the installation folder and installs the application for all users. .NET and Multi-Platform Applications To create solutions to other operating platforms like Linux, .NET 8 is required. If you receive a warning that .NET 8 is not available on your computer, it will not prevent you from configuring solutions targeting Windows only, but it will prevent multi-platform solutions. To install the .NET 8, follow the link in the installer message, or you can find the .NET 8 Desktop Runtime installer from Microsoft here: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet/8.0. Be sure to pick the version that matches your CPU architecture, which is likely x64. (And don't pick the "SDK" or ".NET Runtime" or other versions - just the ".NET 8 Desktop Runtime") |
Solutions Manager and Demos
When you open the software, the first user interface you’ll see is the Solutions Manager tool, which will list the solutions on your computer and allow you to create, edit, or run them.
The list will show a few Demos that were installed with the product.
You can either use the "New" button to create your own solution, or first explore our demo solutions. You can also download additional demos and examples from Solution Examples.
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To open a demo solution, simply select it |
System Requirements
The tables below show the system requirements for the proper installation and operation of the Product.
Installation System Requirements
Hardware
Minimum
Recommended
CPU
Intel Core 2 Duo
Intel Core i7
RAM
4 Gb
8 Gb
Operation System
Windows 10
Windows 10
Disk Space
2 Gb
10 Gb
Display Resolution
1024 x 768
1280 x 1024 or higher
.NET Framework
v4.8
v4.8
1. Downloading and Installing FrameworX
We commend downloading our evaluation version to start exploring our software. You can do that by filling out the form here.
We offer a FREE TRIAL with:
Two hours of resettable runtime
Multiple demo projects to use, review, and learn from
500 communication points
Access to all the features in the platform
Access to all our standard communication protocols
MQTT Broker
OPC Client and Server
The Engineering Environment is enabled to edit projects for 30 days with no time restrictions. After the 30-day evaluation period, your project will open but with limited access to the entire project. Project Information access is enabled.
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You can execute Project Examples and Demos with the Free Trial. For simple applications that show casing-specific functionality, check Solution Examples. For complete demos of typical applications, check Demo Projects Overview |
When you install FrameworX for the first time, just click Install. It takes less than a minute!
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Time Limit The Runtime will run for two hours. You will need to restart it during your 30-day evaluation period. The Runtime will not run after 30 days. Contact Sales if an additional access license is needed. |
2. Managing and Running Solutions
When you first open the software, you'll find a list of your current solutions. By default, you'll find all of our demos installed. Before creating your own solution, we recommend exploring our demos!
For new users, we recommend starting with the Brewery Demo. In this solution, we’ve built a brewery line from scratch, using all of the main software features. At our training site, you’ll find a free course that explains how we did this, from creating a project to adding alarming capabilities.
To open a Solution, just selectfrom the list and click "Run" to |
start executing it or "Edit" to |
see how it was created. You can also double-click the solution to load it. |
In order to know what features each demo includes, check the page Demo Solutions. When you open a Solution, you'll find the following Welcome Window |
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Navigate to Runtime, and press the Run Startup button to execute the Solution. |
Creating a New Solution
If you want to create your own solution, simply click "New" in the Solution Manager, and follow the wizard steps.
Creating a new Solution consists of three phases. First, you must choose which version of the Product Family you'll use and click Next. The features included in your selection will be represented by the icons on the bottom of the page.
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Our platform doesn't require a license for you to explore the engineering space! With the evaluation version, you'll be able to run the solution for only 2 hours, but there are no limitations on engineering time. |
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The first step is to select the Product that the solution is intended to use. To facilitate multiple scenarios in a cost-effective way, FrameworX has its product line organized into families and models. More information can be found in Product Family.
Once you've selected the product |
, you must choose what kind of |
solution you'll build |
, Windows or Multi-Platform.
Finally, you can add a |
description and |
choose a template for your solution here as well |
. For this example, |
you can select "HeaderLayout". When you're ready, simply click "Create New Solution". |
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Creating a new solution may take a minute - once Once loading is complete, you'll see our Home Page, that contains all of the basic information for this solution.
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By default, our Solution Explorer Navigation is filtered by All Modules and Features. If you wish to work with a simplified version of the platform, simply change the filter in the first box. |
In the homepage you can also change the Theme you'll be using: we offer five different options (Light, Dark, Indigo, Blue and Live). By default, Light will be selected.
4. Creating a Unified Namespace
The Unified Namespace is the data model your solution will be using.
This is where you'll create your tags, which represent real-time and historical data variables that modules can read, write, and subscribe to.
Tags are Local (created within FrameworX) or Remote (dynamically accessed via ExternalTags Sources connectivity). The ExternalTags Sources enable direct interaction with variables in remote systems, bypassing the need to create specific tags in the project. It establishes connections with tags sources which can be set up in a table or directly in the assets, enhancing the versatility of data access and exploration in the Unified Namespace.
Additional metadata, known as Tag Attributes (e.g., last update time, quality status, description), are automatically generated upon tag creation.
To start, we'll create one tag as example.
5. Using the Data Explorer
The DataExplore tools allows you to easily perform data mining and monitoring from various data sources, including MQTT Brokers, OPC-UA, PLCs and SQL databases.
Each Data Source has specific features suitable that connection, but all tools share common look and fell, and similar workflows. This section will present those common workflows, and the specific features for each connection type, which include:
MQTT: Run Built-in Broker or the publisher simulator. Browse data from any broker.
OPC-UA: Run Built-in Server or simulator. Browse data from local or remote servers.
ControlLogix PLCs: Discover ControlLogix PLC in your network, connect to browse its data structure.
SQL Queries: Explore SQL database and build new queries visually.
6. Using Device Protocols
The Devices module implements real-item data communication with a wide variety of field devices and industrial protocols.
The Devices module supports standard interfaces like OPC-UA, OPC-DA and MQTT, Hart, and many proprietary protocols to various PLCs manufacturers.
The connectivity also includes IT protocols, like SNMP and Ping, and connection with Historian tools, such as OSIsoft PI, GE Historian, InfluxDB and Canary.
To maintain an organized and efficient communication structure, devices are grouped into channels based on their communication protocol and settings, and further organized into nodes representing individual devices or stations.
Channels are responsible for managing communication protocols and drivers, while Nodes handle multiple threads pointing to the configured Channels. Understanding the relationship between Channels and Nodes is essential for efficient data exchange.
- Channels: execute processes based on communication protocols and drivers, configuring the required protocol or driver for a specific device. To create a new channel, navigate to Devices → Channels and click on "New Channel" Fill in the necessary information in the "Create New Channel" window and confirm by clicking "OK." The new channel will appear as a row in the table.
- Nodes: perform multiple threads pointing to the Channels, ensuring efficient data exchange and minimizing latency. To configure nodes, go to Devices → Nodes and input the required information. Columns can be added or removed by right-clicking the column heading area. Device node configuration properties include Name, Channel, PrimaryStation, BackupStation, SyncDate, SyncStation, SyncSettings, TemplateID and Description, each serving a specific purpose.
the Designer homepage, the main UI for editing your solutions.
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→ Go to Solution Configuration for a step-by-step guide on adding content to your first solution. |
Licensing And Registration
To deploy into production and run without time limitations, you'll need a license. Information about your license and links to activate it can be found on the Solutions Manager page, where you can choose between online and offline activation. See more about Licensing and Activation.
If you don't have a license yet, feel free to reach out at sales@tatsoft.com.
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Click on the "Your License" title, at the left side, to navigate to the Page License Information, with all the information about your current license, and the to tool to add or modify the license. |
Next Steps, Exploring More Features
With these
7. Mapping Tags
8. Create the Display to show the data
9. Running the application, .NET and HTML5
10. Licensing And Registration
Exploring More Features
With these ten steps, you've learned the basic on working with FrameworX and you're ready to continue your journey.
To learn moreOnce you're ready, we recommend you:
- Learn how to start designing your solution in Solution Configuration.
- Look the Platform Overview to learn about the overall features of the platform.
- Explore the Tutorials for more comprehensive exercises on the platform.
- Explore the User Guide, that goes into detail on each module.
- Sign in at the Training Site to access free videos and training courses
- Check out Take a look at our Solution Examples, that showcase showcasing different aspects and functionalities of the platform.
- Join our community forum and exchange ideias!
You can also schedule a an introductory meeting with one of our onboarding specialists here.
Feedback
Please provide us with feedback on our software and documentation.
Share your ideas for new features or specific training topics on our website.
We look forward to engaging with you and making progress together.
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