OPCcalc® and EDICTvb.Net (v.4.5.0)

OPCcalc® and EDICTvb.Net (v.4.5.0)

OPCcalc® is a vendor-neutral, process calculation framework for OPC data. OPCcalc allows you to easily create and manage process calculations that read and write current and historical OPC data.
Learn more about OPCcalc…

EDICTvb.Net™ is a process calculation framework for OSISoft PI. EDICTvb.Net allows you to easily create and manage process calculations that read and write current and historical PI data.
Learn more about EDICTvb.Net…

Version 4.5.0 Release

Version highlights:

  • Visual Studio 2017, .Net Framework 4.5
  • Equation Editor updates
  • Equation Database updates

Visual Studio 2017,  .Net Framework 4.5

Equation library projects now support building/compiling using Visual Studio 2017 and MSBuild v15. Debugging of equation libraries and user functions is also supported in Visual Studio 2017. Visual Studio 2017 supported versions include Enterprise, Professional, and Community.

Previous versions required Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 for product applications and therefore product installation. This has been changed to Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5. As part of requiring .NET Framework 4.5 we no longer support building equation libraries with Visual Studio versions before Visual Studio 2012. .NET Framework 4.5 will also require Windows 7 SP1 or later (client OS) or Windows Server 2008 SP2 or later

Equation Editor Improvements

  • View equation library changes/diff
    The Equation Editor saves a backup of each equation library after each save, creating a collection of versions over time. The Editor now provides a tool to compare different versions of an equation library. The tool can be accessed via the “Changes” button in the Libraries Tool Window. Diffs can also be sent to Visual Studio for viewing.
  • List of libraries
    The Libraries tool window now provides a filter box for filtering by library name. A library file can be shown in Windows Explorer by right-click…Show in Windows Explorer
  • Tags list sorting
    The Tags tool window allows sorting by its different columns
  • Code editor: move lines up/down
    Lines can be moved up or down by making a selection, or leaving the cursor on a line, and using “Alt+Up Arrow” or “Alt+Down Arrow”
  • Code editor: go to line
    Jump to any line in a file via “Ctrl-L” or through the “Edit” > “Goto line” top menu item.
  • Open the library files folder in Windows Explorer
    New menu item “Tools” > “Open library files folder…”
  • Functions sorted case-insensitive
    The Functions tool window will sort functions without regard for case. Now functions starting with capitals will not come before functions starting with lower-case letters that may be earlier in the alphabet.
  • Build log persistence when switching between libraries
    Switching tabs no longer clears the build log. Instead the build log will show the most recent build of the selected library.

Equation Database updates

  • Search fields
    The left (search fields) and right (search results) are now separated by a splitter whose location can be controlled with the mouse. Moving this splitter to the right will increase the width of the search fields for users with longer tag names.
  • Tag wildcards
    In previous versions the output and input tag search fields allowed the selection of * or a specific tag name from the dropdown. These fields now allow text entry and the inclusion of wildcards * (match 0 or more characters) and ? (match 1 character)
  • Command line database rebuild
    An existing equation database can be rebuilt to update the library information for libraries in the current database.
    The command is
    EqDB.exe REBUILD
  • Log files
    • If running interactively, any message that appears in a message box dialog will be logged to DataPath\log\eqdb_ui.log (current instance of EqDB.exe)
    • If running a command line rebuild, all messages for the most recent build will be written to the DataPath\log\eqdb_rebuild.log. No messages will be displayed to the user during the rebuild
  • Equation Server name stored with libraries
    When modifying the libraries in the database, the Equation Database application assumes that it is running on the Equation Server and uses the local machine name as the Equation Server name stored with each library in the database.
    A new option on the Modify Database screen allows the user to change the name of the Equation Server stored with the libraries when the database is modified.

Interested in trying out the new releases?

Request a Demo download of OPCcalc

Request a Demo download of EDICTvb.Net