Ignition runs on PanelView Plus 6

More than one customer has asked us if Ignition clients can run on PanelView Plus 6 operator terminals. Since PanelView Plus 6 terminals run on CE we figured it should work when using the Mobile Module. It turns out this is only partially true. The newer logic module, which runs CE version 6.0 with extended features (that last part is important), can run Ignition using the Mobile Module.

Rockwell was kind enough to provide us with a unit to try this out. The exact part number they provided us was 2711P-T12C4D9, which includes the extended features. My understanding is that the term extended features means it can run third party software and is packaged with a Word viewer, Excel viewer, PDF viewer and Media viewer. In this case we copied the open-source .NET VNCviewer.exe application onto the PanelView Plus 6 using a USB stick. This application works with the Ignition Mobile Module to deliver Ignition applications on the PanelView. VNCViewer can reference a separate configuration file with parameters to make it run in full screen mode, use 16 bit color and other settings.

While the Mobile Module normally utilizes the HTML 5 canvas component to deliver mobile applications, it is also a VNC server. The configuration for this is under the advanced checkbox in the mobile configuration section of the gateway. It's important to fill in the name of your project in this section.

Launch Clients Using the ME ActiveX Program Launcher
We got fancy and launched our Ignition client right from a PanelView application using the ME ActiveX Program Launcher. This ActiveX control is provided with FactoryTalk View ME. You must set the "program source" to path\vncviewer.exe and can set the "program parameter" to your VNCViewer configuration path\file.

One of the interesting things about this is that when your Ignition client is in full screen mode and you quit out of it, the VNCViewer also terminates. It seems to take a second click to do this.

Proof of Concept – Details Available Upon Request
This test was just a proof of concept. I'll write up all the fine details I know of and I will make them available to anyone who inquires. For example, I can provide you with my VNCViewer configuration file or project settings to make your screens scale properly without scroll bars.

I would not call the performance snappy, but depending on your situation this could be a good solution for you if you're trying to minimize the number of terminals on your floor. I would say give it a try and then decide.

One good thing is that the logic modules are separable from the screen unit and you can upgrade your logic modules using the Rockwell Step Forward program. The cost is somewhere between $1,100 and $1,500 with trade-in of your old logic module (which saves you $400 - $600 depending on the model). My understanding is that not every distributor supports this program, but I know Rexel in Sacramento does because they gave me this pricing.

Rethinking SCADA Software

One of the hardest things I'll ever do is try to explain what Ignition is because it can do so darn many things. This is frustrating for me because I want to tell people all about everything Ignition can do -- and I could overwhelm a person fast. It's sort of like trying to explain what a car is to a pioneer who has never seen one before, and you say, "not only can you drive across the Sierra Nevada mountains in an hour but you have windshield wipers in case it rains, you have this moving map to keep you from getting lost and you can listen to all your favorite music in stereo while you cruise 70mph over the hill." Man, he hasn't even comprehended what a car is yet.

Hopefully this video solves all of that and gets right to the point. If you want to share this video with someone else, paste this URL into your email: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RWmfIVDkN8

Ignition Mobile - The Backstory

You will soon see announcements about the Ignition Mobile Module. But in this post I want to tell you about the behind-the-scenes action leading up to its development.

For over five years, mobile access has been the most requested item for Ignition – overwhelmingly so. It's not that we took so long to develop it, but rather, we weren't settled on the best way to go about it. We didn't want to jump off rashly into using a poor model or short-lived technology that we would later regret using.

We hadn't settled on our approach until recently. The final product (which is still in beta testing) makes it look so simple, but what we've done behind the scenes is unprecedented. Ignition Mobile is based on the HTML5 canvas element. It can run on iPhone, iPad, iPod, Blackberry 6 or any Andriod-based device such as the Droid, DroidX or HTC smartphone. It doesn't require the JRE or any sort of plug-in at all.

The best part of all is that you don't need to develop separate special screens (unless you want to) because the screens you develop for standard deployment can be used for mobile as well. You can zoom and pan your existing applications such that even the most densely populated screens can be viewed and interacted with in amazing detail.

Technology Decisions

So how did we get there? We considered quite a few technologies because settling on the right technology was vital. Consider if we had selected Flash as our technology in light of Apple's recent decision not to support it on mobile devices. Silverlight Mobile technically holds promise but since it's likely to remain proprietary, and given Microsoft' proneness to abandon technologies in favor of newer ones every four years or so, we didn't think that was a good choice either. We considered many, many ways to make mobile and vacillated all over the place for years.

Finally I laid down some criteria: 1. Must be able to run on any modern mobile device. 2. Must not require a plug-in. 3. Must be able to reuse existing applications and not require duplicate mobile app development. 4. Must support zoom and pan. 5. Must be based on open standards. 6. Must be based technology that holds the best promise of longevity. 7. Must be secure. 8. Must be a simple to install module with near zero configuration.

Once those criteria were laid down things really started to move fast. Like I said before, we make it look easy, but there's a lot of technology behind it. In essence, when you launch from a mobile device it actually launches it on the server in the headless mode (resides in memory instead of going to your monitor). You can launch any number of these but you do use server resources, unlike the normal deployment model. What you see on the mobile device then is a picture of the application running on the server updated in real-time. Your clicks and other interactions are then fed back to the client application running on the server.

This is sort of like VNC but it doesn't project the desktop, only the application. And it does it into a webpage via the HTML5 canvas component. The canvas component is very fast and it allows you to zoom and pan for those devices that support that.

Surprised by the Results

Now we've got people running all over the office with cell phone in hand showing off the coolest new things in Ignition Mobile. Frankly, we did have our doubts this technological approach would really work. We didn't think it would be responsive enough. But in our early proof-of-concept testing we were left ecstatic because it worked so well. But as always, the devil is in the details. There have been many technological challenges while perfecting this technology but we've overcome them.

We really hope Ignition Mobile will generate as much excitement outside our office as it has inside. It is targeted to be available January 25.