FactoryTalk View SE: Setting Up your System and Using VBA. Shawn Boike Technical Support Engineer

Conference Call Information Dial (866) 391-9099 Conference ID: 90419073 Copyright © 2011 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All rights reserved.

Agenda Domain or Workgroup? Sample configurations and considerations when deploying an SE system 2. An introduction to display based Visual Basic for Applications with example This seminar will discuss two topics related to FactoryTalk Site Edition. It is our assumption the audience has a working knowledge of FTView SE especially with regard to deploying a project and display creation. These two subjects The first subject discusses the two available Windows networks, workgroups and domains, a brief description of how those networks are created, and functional requirements when an SE application is deployed. The second subject is Visual Basic for Applications within the SE environment All references to Knowledgebase articles are listed at the end of the presentation Copyright © 2011 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All rights reserved.

Networks – Domains or Workgroups Within Windows you are offered two types of networks: Workgroup Microsoft Windows definition of their simple configuration of computers known as a peer-to-peer network P2P networks allow resource and file sharing between computers that belong to the same network Workgroups are not managed and information is shared first come, first served Domain A logical group of computers that share a central directory database called an Active Directory The Active Directory (also known as a Domain Controller) controls the authentication of the users and computers within the Domain Information paths are defined and managed which builds a more stable network Copyright © 2011 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All rights reserved.

Workgroup Client FTSP Directory FTView SE Server Client User – Admin Password - Rockwell Client C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc To create a workgroup simply attach the PC’s to a switch, ensure their IP addresses are all in the same subnet (if they are not being bridged with a router), then configure their system properties to connect to the same workgroup name Configuration is easy to configure, but no central point for maintenance and control. Low cost since it only requires the PCs themselves, but limited to 10 PC maximum Although not required for some network applications, time synchronization is very difficult and essential for SE functionality Install FTView SE Application, server, clients FTView SE considerations Add common user to Admin group. This will help the client authenticate to the server Configure the HOST file on each PC (C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc) with the IP address and name of each PC. SE uses name resolution and if the client or server does not have an IP address for a PC name, it will fall to the HOST file to tell it. Keeping it up to date will ensure a proper connection. On any XP PC, disable Simple File Sharing (Windows Explorer, Tools, Folder Options). SFS disables the needed security placed on windows folders. Do not use Fast User Switching. Uncheck the boxes from Start>Control panel>Users>change the way this user logs into windows On Server 2008, Vista, Windows 7 turn off UAC (start>administrative tools>local user policies) When making Windows Linked users, be sure you keep the PC names constant. If the PC name changes the user will corrupt. User – Admin Password - Rockwell User – Admin Password - Rockwell FTSP Directory FTView SE Server RSLinx Enterprise Client Copyright © 2011 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2011 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All rights reserved. Domain Core Switch Clients Active Directory/ Domain Controller FTView SE HMI Server 1 FTView SE HMI Server 2 FTView SE Data Server FactoryTalk Directory Domains can be large sets of computers in network segments either on the same subnet through multiple segments. Set up computers within their segments connected to switches and routers Establish the Active Directory Add PCs to the Domain Configure Group Policies, Proxy servers, etc This provides a more stable platform since there is one point to manage users and policies, but sometimes those policies have adverse effects on an SE install since often the people who manage the Domain are not the people who manage the SE application SE Considerations Add the FT directory to the domain Add the SE servers (HMI and Data) and install clients If domain is across several subnets connected with routers, open port 2222 for TCP and UDP to allow Live Data to flow from data server to client. Keep the time well synchronized Keep PCs and users authenticated and part of the domain, avoid “DMZ” situations Keep backup AD server. If one goes down the Windows action of multi-master replication can cause a lot of unwanted traffic on the network Avoid Group policies that could interfere with the SE server-client activities such as IIS and DCOM Slow network applications can be the result of a poorly managed domain. Rockwell recommends a Domain configuration if possible regardless of the number of computers Copyright © 2011 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Brief Word About IIS and DCOM Internet Information Service is required for a Network SE App Default installation is different across operating systems Please refer to Knowledgebase article 62951 for a complete list of Windows OS and IIS installation procedures Distributed Component Object Modeling (DCOM) No longer needed by Tag DB, but can be used by 3rd part OPC servers Other SE components still use it (Datalog Reader), do not block it with a policy IIS is essential to a FTView Network application (A local app does not need it). The needed components are often not installed with several operating systems. Copyright © 2011 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Beginner’s Guide to SE VBA Assume a working knowledge of VBA (i.e. for Excel) or VBScripting Codes like Visual Basic, but conforms to the SE Object Model Display Objects are Exposed to Visual Basic Programming Most API’s available like ADO Not launched as separate program, but runs when a display is opened or an element activates Client based. No VBA on server Use VBA SPARINGLY and only if SE cannot provide the needed function It is intended to enhance the project, not as the development platform Refrain from Forms Each open client will run same VBA Example – How to make a popup happen on an event Visual Basic for Applications was created by Microsoft to enhance its office products. We have incorporated VBA into SE to enhance the ability of SE to meet our customers needs Although VBA runs within the SE client, you can access the client model from an external VB program. Refer to Knowledgebase article 38811 for more information During the example I will go through a small project and make several mistakes a beginning programmer could make. Copyright © 2011 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All rights reserved.

Knowledgebase Articles FactoryTalk View SE Best Practices TOC Knowledgebase Article 37110 http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/37110/kw/37110 Recommendations for Writing Visual Basic for Applications in RSViewSE http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/30399 VBA Error Handling for Communication Events Tips & Best Practices http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/35147 Installing IIS for FactoryTalk View SE v5.10 http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/62951/kw/62951 Gaining Access to the SE Display Client Object Model Using a Custom Visual Basic (VB) Executable http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/38811/kw/38811 Copyright © 2011 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All rights reserved.

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