isOPC Toolkit

OPC (OLE for Process Control) defines standard interfaces, which provide interoperability between applications of different vendors. The customer's demand of choosing applications and devices according to their performance can be fulfilled by the openness which OPC permits. But one obstacle for the entry into the OPC world is up to the higher initial cost in terms of development time compared to other driver interface standards (e.g. DLL).

The isOPC Server Toolkit – our OPC server generator – supports the developer who wants to implement its own OPC server by providing the necessary OPC functionality, thus reducing the effort for realising to nothing but the implementation of application specific algorithms. Even developers, who have no experience with OPC, are able to deliver OPC servers within a very short time.

Class Libary. The isOPC Toolkit contains a class library which provides the OPC interfaces defined in the OPC Data Access Standard v 2.0. It can be used to provide different levels of OPC: OPC DA v 1.0, OPC DA v 2.0, OPC DA v 1.0 plus v 2.0. The generated server comes without a graphical userinterface, therefore not relying for execution on the Microsoft Foundation Classes. The classes contained in the library can be inherited by application specific objects, thus extending them with the needed OPC functionality.

Project Wizard. When using the class library a project with ATL support is required. This conveniently is provided with the Wizard. That tool supports the generation of the OPC server frameworks. The toolkit user has to establish the correct data access only.

XML-Interface. When used in process an OPC server has to read configuration data of different SPS systems and I/O devices. Thanks to an integrated XML interface is OPC based servers can read XML device descriptions. The server generated by the isOPC Toolkit provides a custom as well as an automation interface to the client. The class library supports the offline and online configuration of the server's name space.

Interoperability ensured. The isOPC Toolkit was tested in interoperability workshops under the supervision of the OPC Foundation. Our toolkit proved its stability and practical orientation in cooperation with different OPC clients.

Version with Source Code. This version includes the sources of the class library (see library). So the user can adjust the toolkit according his special needs.

OPC Client Object. To implement OPC client functionality the OPC client object can be used. The object manages connections to different OPC servers and controls the data access.

ActiveX Client. We are offering an ActiveX client as a graphic interface. It can be integrated easily in office applications and serves as a data interface.