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OPCconnect.com is an independent site dedicated to the needs of the software/solutions developer working with OPC (formerly OLE for Process Control). The site is run by Mike Dillamore, an engineer with more than fifteen years experience of the automation industry. To find out more, see 'About This Site'.

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Recent updates...

(updates also available via RSS feed)

2010-Mar-08	OPC Foundation newsletter The March 2010 edition of OPC Foundation's "OPConnect" newsletter has been distributed by email, and published as a web page. This issue includes details of some forthcoming OPC events. Past editions of the newsletter remain available, while Automation.com also runs a regular OPC newsletter.
2010-Mar-04	OPC Express Interface - additional downloads for OPC-F members While the Xi documentation and a subset of the reference code remains available from the original Express Interface site, a complete set of downloads may now be accessed by OPC Foundation corporate members. See our Xi page for details. Xi remains at Release Candidate level, reportedly until March 15th.
2010-Mar-01	OPC Express Interface - Updated Release Candidate The Xi Specification and Server Base Code has been updated to Release Candidate Version 2.01 and is available for download. Note that access is not restricted to OPC Foundation members only. The final release is scheduled for March 15th 2010.
2010-Feb-15	UA SDK Beta update A new Beta for Release 1.1 of the UA SDK is now available. This build (1.01.310.0) incorporates a number of changes including a completed HDA proxy, and a C++ version of the Local Discovery Server. Release 1.1 of the UA SDK will be the first to be supported by a Compliance Test Tool. These downloads are available to OPC Foundation Corporate Members only.
2010-Feb-14	Free UA server included in Ignition by Inductive Automation We've updated our listing of free UA servers to include Ignition by Inductive Automation - a cross-platform industrial application server written in Java.
2010-Feb-11	Updated UA SDK 1.00 Testing version The UA SDK and Sample Code have been updated to testing version 1.00.250.3. This release includes bug fixes, and adds a separate installer for the Local Discovery Server. If no issues are reported over the next 2 weeks this will be relabeled as a Stable build. The downloads are available to OPC Foundation Corporate Members only.
2010-Feb-09	OPC Express Interface - Release Candidate The Release Candidate version of the Xi Specification and Reference Code has been released and is available for download. Note that access is not restricted to OPC Foundation members only. The final release is scheduled for March 15th 2010.
2010-Feb-04	OPC Express Interface Webinar - now available online The recent OPC Xi webinar, produced by OPC Training Institute in conjunction with OPC Foundation and Emerson, is now available online - free with registration. The webinar looks at the OPC Xi, outlining the benefits, and drawing comparisons with classic OPC and OPC UA.
2010-Jan-22	UA SDK 1.00 update The UA 1.00 SDK and Sample Code have been updated to version 1.00.250.2. This full release version corrects a problem that prevented clients built with the .NET SDK from communicating with servers behind a NAT firewall. The downloads are available to OPC Foundation Corporate Members only.
2010-Jan-20	Prosys OPC UA Java SDK Released Prosys has worked as a member of the OPC UA Early Adopter Group to develop OPC Foundation's UA Java Stack. Prosys has now released its own OPC UA Java SDK, which improves on the UA Stack by adding significant application layer libraries and classes to speed up application development. See our UA SDKs page for details.
2010-Jan-20	UA Alarms and Conditions RC Specification Update A new Release Candidate version of the Unified Architecture Alarms and Conditions Specification is now available for download and review by OPC Foundation members. Written comments are sought.
2010-Jan-16	OPC UA white paper Our UA introduction page has a link to a new OPC Foundation white paper "Implementation of the OPC UA Information Model for Analyzers". The general scope makes the paper a case study that can be useful for the deployment of any OPC UA product.
2010-Jan-14	OPC Express Interface Webinar OPC Training Institute, in conjunction with OPC Foundation and Emerson, will run a free webinar on January 19: Introduction to OPC Xi. The webinar will look at the newest OPC specification, outlining the benefits, and drawing comparisons with classic OPC and OPC UA. See the OPC TI site for details and to register.
2010-Jan-02	UA SDK Beta update A new Beta for Release 1.1 of the UA SDK is now available. This build (1.01.308.0) incorporates a number of changes including enhanced support for COM servers and clients. Release 1.1 of the UA SDK will be the first to be supported by a Compliance Test Tool. These downloads are available to OPC Foundation Corporate Members only.
2009-Dec-21	OPC UA For Devices Companion Specification Released This specification is now available for download by OPC Foundation members. The purpose of this document is defined by its Scope section: - In today's automation systems devices from many different manufacturers have to be integrated resulting in effort for installation, version management and device operation. This challenge can be faced best with an open and standardized device model. This specification is an extension of the overall OPC Unified Architecture specification series and defines the information model associated with Devices. The model described in this specification is intended to provide a unified view of devices irrespective of the underlying device protocols.
2009-Dec-03	OPC General Assembly - Webinar recording available The recorded video and PowerPoint of the recent OPC Foundation General Assembly are now available. Highlights include updates on UA and Xi. Note that a GoToMeeting codec may be needed to view the video.
2009-Nov-24	DA 2 Compliance Test update OPC Foundation has updated the DA 2.05a module of its Compliance Test suite - available to Corporate Members of OPC Foundation. Various minor changes and bug fixes are included. Update: it seems revised DA 3 tests have also been just been published, though the OPCF Downloads page shows a September date at the time of writing.
2009-Nov-24	OPC UA For IEC 61131-3 Companion Specification Release Candidate The PLCopen/OPC Foundation Joint Working Group has made available a release candidate of the OPC UA For IEC 61131-3 Companion Specification. Foundation members are invited to review the specification and send comments by 2009-12-23. Applications supporting this new information model are being shown at the SPS/Drives in Nuremberg Germany, November 24-26.
2009-Nov-18	OPC Foundation General Assembly The annual OPC General Assembly webinar takes place Wednesday, December 2, 10:00 - 12:00 EST (15:00 - 17:00 UTC). The agenda includes updates on OPC UA and Xi. All members are invited to register.
2009-Nov-17	Express Interface licensing Following OPC Foundation adoption of Xi, we understand the specification and server base code will remain available under the Xi Public License. This is good news: it will ensure continued speedy adoption of Xi, and is sure to increase pressure on OPCF to make other specifications more readily available. Xi client and server sample code will be available only to OPC Foundation members, and first commercial toolkits should be appearing before year end.
2009-Nov-17	OPC Foundation confirms Xi adoption OPC Foundation has confirmed that the Express Interface is to become part of the OPC portfolio, after which it will be known as OPC Xi. A new Xi page at the OPCF site gives a summary of Xi and states "OPC Foundation is currently transferring all specifications and information associated with OPC Xi to this website". The community will be hoping the Xi group has ensured the continuing open availability of key deliverables as the specification transitions to an OPC standard.
2009-Nov-07	Express Interface With the new Express Interface gaining ground, we're giving it increased coverage with a new Xi page at OPCconnect.com.
2009-Nov-06	OPC-UA: new preview downloads from Unified Automation Unified Automation has released new Technical Previews of a UA graphical modeling tool, plus a UA to DA gateway product. See our UA Free Stuff page for download links.
2009-Nov-05	OPCF adds Roadmap to UA Software Downloads A new Beta for Release 1.1 of the UA SDK is now available. Identified as Build 307, this version is supported by a new roadmap page, explaining the purpose of each of the downloads. Also added is documentation for the COM interop comonents. These downloads are available to OPC Foundation Corporate Members only.
2009-Nov-03	OPC Foundation newsletter The November 2009 edition of OPC Foundation's "OPConnect" newsletter has been distributed by email, and published as a web page. This issue has preliminary news of planned events for 2010, incuding an international conference in Amsterdam. Past editions of the newsletter remain available, while Automation.com also runs a regular OPC newsletter.
2009-Oct-29	Express Interface to be part of OPC portfolio OPC Foundation is to work towards adoption of the Express Interface. Xi is a new .NET specification created by a group of automation vendors. This activity has taken place outside the control of OPC Foundation. The Xi specification is based on WCF (Windows Communication Foundation) and MMS (Manufacturing Messaging Service), and is backward compatible with OPC DA, AE and HDA. In essence, Xi solves the same problem as the original OPC specifications, but using Microsoft's current technology backplane - .NET, in place of the original COM. Working outside the auspices of OPC Foundation has allowed the Xi member companies to proceed quickly. Adoption could also be swifter, being unshackled from the restrictions placed by OPC Foundation on distribution of its own specifications and code. The announcement that OPC Foundation is setting up a task force to "create a plan for including Xi as part of the OPC Foundation umbrella" is interesting therefore. We must hope that the Xi group can maintain its prgamatic and open approach even in the face of this move to adopt. We'll have more on Xi in the near future.
2009-Oct-12	Intel OPC-UA Case Study Intel has worked together with Ascolab and Unified Automation to evaluate OPC-UA performance across a variety of Operating Systems (Windows, Linux, VxWorks, QNX, ...) and Intel CPUs. The case study (PDF) is available from Intel's website. This includes a summary only; detailed results will be published in a white paper later in the year.
2009-Oct-12	dOPC Client Toolkit Update Kassl has released new versions of its excellent dOPC Client Toolkits for Delphi and C++Builder. The primary enhancement is support for Delphi 2010. The company also offers a range of freeware client programs, plus a useful 'crap cleaner' for removing unwanted server registry entries.
2009-Oct-09	UA SDK Beta update A new Beta for Release 1.1 of the UA SDK is now available. This build (1.01.305.0) incorporates a number of fixes to the COM DA Proxy and COM DA Wrapper, as well as new Quickstarts. Release 1.1 of the UA SDK will be the first to be supported by a Compliance Test Tool. These downloads are available to OPC Foundation Corporate Members only.
2009-Sep-26	Prosys Sentrol adds support for Delphi & C++Builder 2010 Prosys Sentrol is an OPC client and server SDK for Delphi & C++Builder. Its advanced RAD framework and native code model offer a development platform that's arguably unsurpassed for productivity and performance. New version 5.1.0 brings Prosys Sentrol up to date with support for Delphi & C++Builder 2010.
2009-Sep-15	Kepware makes late entry to OPC server toolkit market Kepware has announced the launch of CID - Custom Interface Driver for KEPServerEX. This "OPC Toolkit that Isn't" allows development of an add-on driver application for the popular KEPServerEX server framework, with the two programs communicating via a shared memory pool. Find out more on our Toolkits page.
2009-Sep-15	Once more: another UA SDK 1.1 Beta A third Beta for Release 1.1 of the UA SDK is now available. Importantly, the COM DA Proxy now passes the DA2.05 and DA3.0 Compliance Tests, and there are also fixes for issues affecting communication across firewalls. Release 1.1 of the UA SDK will be the first to be supported by a Compliance Test Tool. These downloads are available to OPC Foundation Corporate Members only.
2009-Sep-15	Softing to provide OPC-UA technology for Wind River operating systems Industrial OS vendor Wind River has announced an extension to its Partner Validation Program, whereby partner companies will "provide their software solutions integrated and validated with the latest releases of Wind River's industry leading operating systems, VxWorks and Wind River Linux". One of four new partners listed, long time OPC vendor Softing will provide its OPC-UA Factory Gateway solutions.
2009-Sep-08	Further UA SDK 1.1 Beta A second Beta for Release 1.1 of the UA SDK is now available. Changes include improved COM DA support, and a significant number of bug fixes in the ANSI C stack. We're happy to see that the ReadMe now includes a change summary again. Release 1.1 of the UA SDK will be the first to be supported by a Compliance Test Tool. These downloads are available to OPC Foundation Corporate Members only.
2009-Sep-07	OPC UA: SDKs vs. stacks Recent discussions on the OPC Foundation forum have highlighted some confusion around the area of toolkit/SDK provision for OPC UA. To help clarify the situation, we've updated our UA toolkits page to explain the difference between stacks and SDKs, highlighting that OPC Foundation only offers a complete SDK for the .NET platform.
2009-Sep-06	Matrikon Product Updates Matrikon's OPC Explorer has been one of two or three essential test clients since the earliest days of OPC. The tool has continued to evolve, and in its latest incarnation adds support for OPC A&E - see our Free Clients page. A newer Matrikon product is Excel Reporter, allowing reporting on OPC DA and HDA data through Microsoft Excel. This, and other OPC/Office integration tools, are listed on our Tools & Techniques page.
2009-Sep-03	Delphi Code Updates Our Delphi conversions of the OPC custom interfaces, plus sample Delphi clients, have had minor updates for compatibility with new Delphi 2010.
2009-Sep-02	A Roadmap to UA Downloads Great to see OPC Foundation's Randy Armstrong blogging again. He has a handy post for developers on getting started with UA, tailored for various specific needs - e.g. "I am a developer and want to see code that can get me started". Recommended!
2009-Aug-31	New UA SDK Beta OPC Foundation has published the first Beta version for Release 1.1 of the UA SDK. Changes are not itemized in the readme - we hope this will change when the SDK comes to full release. A visit to the OPC Foundation bug tracking system apparently shows 18 issues resolved, of which 3 were major - all of these 3 in the Server Toolkit. Release 1.1 of the UA SDK will be the first to be supported by a Compliance Test Tool. The downloads are available to OPC Foundation Corporate Members only.
2009-Aug-24	Softing Toolkits for OPC UA Our UA SDKs page now references Softing's OPC Toolbox UA range, expected to be available 2009-Q4.
2009-Aug-06	New pages on OPC UA With OPC UA now fully released, we continue to enhance our coverage. New today are pages on OPC UA Free Stuff and SDKs and Toolkits.
2009-Jul-30	OPC UA SDK Released! OPC Foundation has today announced the release of UA SDK 1.00. This includes support for C/C++ and .NET development environments, along with source code and sample applications. Congratulations to all involved on the completion of a mammoth task! The downloads are available to OPC Foundation Corporate Members only.
2009-Jul-30	OPC UA Overview For Developers & Architects Webinar - Video and PowerPoint now available A recording of the recent UA webinar is now available to both members and non-members of OPC Foundation.
2009-Jul-26	Release Candidate updates for OPC Test Lab Specification The OPC Test Lab specification forms part of OPC Founation's enhanced certification logo program, covering Compliance Tests, Interoperability Workshops, and Independent Test Laboratories. Parts 6 and 7 of the spec, covering COM DA Server and Client test cases respectively, are now available in a new Release Candidate form. These documents are available to OPC Foundation members only.
2009-Jul-26	OPC UA Overview For Developers & Architects Webinar - Wednesday, July 29 A reminder that this OPC Foundation webinar is just a few days away. OPC Unified Architecture Overview For Developers & Architects Webinar: Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 10:00 EDT (14:00 UTC). The OPC Foundation site has full details.
2009-Jul-11	OPCconnect.com is evolving You may notice a few changes to OPCconnect.com starting today. OPC has evolved, and this will be reflected in our content - in particular we'll soon be giving more attention to UA, including toolkits, free trials and other solutions. If you're an OPC vendor offering anything in the UA space, please continue to keep us informed. Some older items will be going from OPCconnect.com, including our XML-DA Interop Server which has been used by numerous OPC developers over the last several years (thanks for working with us!). This has closed from today, to reflect the attention of the OPC community moving to UA.
2009-Jul-09	Updated Cyberlogic product info Our Free Clients and Free Servers listings are updated with current Cyberlogic trial product details. These include a time-limited demo of the company's new OPC Crosslink Suite, allowing data exchange between any combination of OPC DA servers and PLCs.
2009-Jul-03	New UA SDK Release Candidate brings introduction of OPC licenses The UA SDK, Sample Code and Help have been updated to Release Candidate version 1.00.240.1. This build incorporates new OPC Foundation license agreements: all binaries and documentation are subject to the terms of the "OPC Redistributables License Version 1.00" (PDF), while each source file is subject to one of 3 new licenses. Build 240.1 also adds a C++ Quickstart with a sample client and server, and reorganizes the Merge Modules. This is planned as the last Release Candidate before the full Release at the end of July. The downloads are available to OPC Foundation Corporate Members only.

See archive of earlier items.

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