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Getting Started

Step by Step to Success

Getting Started

The following example describes the creation of a simple operator app with OPC-UA communication. The example app consists of a view with a display of the current temperature and an input field for the limit value entry.

  • Step 1:
    Create the Operator App

    The operator app is created with the Unified-E App Designer via drag and drop. Programming skills for app development are not required. Your app will automatically run on Android, iOS and Windows devices.

    Create new Project

    1. Please download the Unified-E App Designer and follow the installation instructions.
    2. Start the Unified-E App Designer. From the main menu, select File -> New.
    3. Become familiar with the intuitive interface. You will see the project navigation on the left, the view editor with the properties area in the middle, and the catalog with the drag & drop view elements on the far right.

    Set up Communication with the Endpoints

    The next step is to determine which endpoints or datapoints (e.g. PLC variables, SQL queries) the operator app should communicate with.

    1. Open the Endpoint Editor by double-clicking the "Endpoint_1" node in the "Project Navigation" area.
    2. Click on "..." in the adapter area and select the OPC UA adapter in the dialog.
    3. Set the address to the OPC UA adapter. Details can be found in the manual, which is opened with the PDF button. You can also choose a different endpoint adapter that can be reached from the App Designer PC.
    4. Add the two datapoints "Current temperature" and "Limit value" in the datapoint list. New datapoints can be created with the "+ Add new datapoint" button.
    5. Set the address and datapoint properties in the table as shown in the image below.

    Configure View via Drag & Drop

    Now that you've defined the datapoints, switch back to the Views editor to configure the views of the control app.

    1. Open the view editor again by double-clicking on the node "View_1" in the project navigation.
    2. Use the mouse to drag two "Standard panel" areas onto the "Add panel here" placeholder.
      Then set the display text in the properties in the lower window area analogue.
    3. Insert temperature display:
      • Use the mouse to drag the area element "Display" to the placeholder "Add element here".
      • Select the newly created display and set the display text under "Description" in the properties area.
      • In addition, under Value, set the display type to "Numeric" and the datapoint "Endpoint_1: Current temperature".
    4. Insert limit entry:
      • Use the mouse to drag the area element "Value input" to the placeholder "Add element here".
      • Select the newly created value entry and set the display text under "Description" in the properties area.
      • In addition, under Value, set the display type to "Numeric" and the datapoint "Endpoint_1: Limit".

    Test App Configuration

    The created app can be tested without publishing on the App Designer PC. The app test can use simulated values ​​or values ​​of a real endpoint with endpoint connection. The current values ​​of the data points are displayed under Endpoint_1.

    1. Test with simulated values:
      • Start the test with the command 'Run -> Start (Simulator)'.
      • You can change the values ​​in the datapoint table under the 'Simulated Values' ​​column.
    2. Test with endpoint connection:
      • Make sure there is a connection between PC and endpoint.
      • Start the test with the command 'Run -> Start'.
  • Step 2:
    Set up Gateway PC

    If your operator app communicates directly with the endpoints without a gateway, then you do not need the app manager and can go straight to step 3.

    For gateway communication, the Unified-E App Manager program must first be downloaded and installed on the PC in production or on the machine. This makes the PC a gateway in production and the link between endpoints and HMI devices. All endpoints must therefore be accessible from the gateway PC.

    Install App Manager

    1. Download App Manager:
    2. Start App Manager and set up license:
      Licensing App Manager : The functions of the App Manager are only released after logging in with a gateway license. This is requested when starting the application. If you have not yet purchased a license, you can continue with a free trial license.

      The quickest way to get to the trial license is as follows:

      • In App Manager select the tab "Communication".
      • Under "Gateway login" select the link "Free license".
      • In the "Free Gateway License" dialog (see below), select "Free trial license".
      • Click on "Apply". After about one minute, the messaging service is enabled for firewall-friendly communication. After successful setup, the status "The gateway is ready for use" appears in the upper right corner.
    3. Setting for later installations directly from App-Designer:
      In order to later be able to register the app package to be published either locally or remotely via the network from the App Designer, the following setting must be set in the App Manager:
      • In the App Manager, under Settings (icon with the gear in the main menu), select the tab "Security".
      • Set the checkbox "Install apps remotely" (see picture).
      • Safety Note: This check box should only remain set during the test phase. During production, the checkmark should not be set and for security reasons an update should always be done on the App Manager.
  • Step 3:
    Publish the App Package

    After creating the operator app in step 1 and setting up the gateway PC in step 2 (only necessary if communication is to take place via the gateway), an app package must be generated and published back in the App Designer from the operator app. This app package is then subsequently installed on the HMI device (eg smartphone). When publishing the app package, it must again be differentiated whether the operator app should later communicate indirectly via the gateway or directly with the endpoints.

    Publish App Package for Gateway Communication

    1. Deploy App Package:
      • In the App-Designer main menu, start the command "Run" -> "Publish App Package".
        Then, a dialog appears to publish the app package.
      • In the dialog below, select "Gateway Communication".
      • Click "Next" to generate the app package and publish it in the next step.
    2. Publish App Package:
      The created App Package file from the App Designer is saved as a uea file and can now be installed in the Unified-E App Manager. This example assumes that App Designer and App Manager are installed on the same PC. Proceed as follows:
      • Select the option "Use this PC".
      • Under "Choose action" select the option "Add new app" and enter the app name "Get started".
      • Selecting the "Publish Now" button installs a new operator app in App Manager.

      If the App Manager were installed on a remote PC, then remote publishing is done by entering the gateway license and app name, as shown here:

      • Select the option "Use gateway name".
      • Enter the fully qualified gateway name and the password assigned to you during licensing.
      • Under "Choose action" select the option "Add new app" and enter the app name "Get started".
      • Selecting the "Publish Now" button installs a new operator app in App Manager.

    Publish App Package for Direct Communication

    1. Deploy App Package:
      • In App Designer, in the main menu, start the command "Run" -> "Publish App Package".
        Then, a dialog appears to publish the app package.
      • Select "Direct communication" in the dialog below. For testing purposes, a direct license is not required, so app package signing requires the option "Developer mode: no signing required".
      • Click "Next" to have the app package generated and ready to be published in the next step.
    2. Publish App Package:
      The created app package file is saved as a .uea file and is now available to HMI users.
      There are several variants:
      • Send app package as attachment by email to authorized users.
      • Deploy the app package via Http on the network and announce the URL of the app package.
      • App package is downloaded by the authorized users directly from the App Designer Computer by scanning the QR Code (see dialog below).
  • Step 4:
    Install the App Package on the Operator Device

    To run the created operator app, it must be embedded in a base app from the app stores. The basic app must first be installed on the operating device (eg smartphone) and serves as a kind of operator app container.

    Install Base App "Unified-E" from the Store

    1. Download and install Base App "Unified-E" from the Store
      The following platforms are currently supported:
      • Windows version 7.0 or higher: download from our Downloads section
      • Android from version 5.0: download via Google Play
      • iOS from version 8.0: download via the App Store
    2. Registering the Operator App
      Here, too, it must be distinguished whether the operator app should communicate directly via the gateway or directly with the end points.

    Register Operator App for Gateway Communication

    This requires the app manager and the base app. In App Manager, an authorized user must first start the registration process for the operator app. Subsequently, the operator app is registered on the smartphone by scanning a registration code.

    1. Administrator:
      • Start Unified-E App Manager.
      • In the app manager, select the tab "All apps".
      • Select the operator app in the left area.
      • Click on the "Register" button in the "Users" area.
      • In the screen 'Register new user' enter the user name and select 'Start'.
    2. App User:
      • Start Unified E Basic App.
      • Use the '+' icon to navigate to app registration.
      • In the following screen in the "Gateway Communication" area, select the "Scan" button.
      • Then scan the QR code from the dialog in the App Manager. This completes the registration process.

    Register Operator App for Direct Communication

    In this example, the OPC UA server must be accessible directly from the HMI device (eg smartphone) via WLAN, so that a direct communication between smartphone and OPC UA end point is possible.

    There are several options for registering the operator app..

    Option 1:
    Register app package via URL in the base app

    1. Start the Unified-E base app.
    2. At the top right, select the '+' icon to register the app.
    3. In the next screen in the "Direct Communication" section, select the "Scan" button and scan the QR code from the "Publish App Package" dialog in the App Designer. This completes the registration process.

    Option 2:
    App package will be emailed to Smartphone (for iOS & Android). In this case, the basic app must open the email attachment (.uea file). After assigning a new app name, the operator app is registered.

    1. Open the app package from the email attachment with "Unified-E".
    2. In the following screen, select "New App", assign new name and click the "Apply" button.
      This completes the registration process.
  • Step 5:
    Start the Operator App!

    The registered operator app can now be started in the start view of the Unified-E base app. The view configured in step 1 appears.

    Done...

    let's go!