IoT & Connectivity Tips

Beginning with version 8.4.0 ThingWorx Analytics Manager is now able to delete Jobs by filter. Underneath video demonstrates this capability.   

Beginning with version 8.4.0 ThingWorx Analytics Server can now automatically create metadata (Json file) based on the uploaded csv. file. Underneath video demonstrates the steps for automated metadata detection.

Key Points-8.4 installers can be used to install on clean machines and cannot be used for upgrading from previous versions-The current rule for upgrading via installer is that one must start from a clean build using the installer. After our future upgradable installer release, if one wants to upgrade, they must start with a twx installer installed versions.-The Flow only Installer is for Enterprise version customers running 8.4 or previous versions of ThingWorx and want ot add the flow capability.Unified Installer Framework-Common tool set, common UX-Unified product install experience Individual Product Installers-allow one to start using ThingWorx platform and applications faster-installs all components with single button click Improved Download Experience-new portal/wizard/image repositoryTrial Installers ThingWorx based installers-Navigate installer released in October 2018, installs the base twx (navigate), nav configuration and licensing wizardsThingWorx Flow installer included in

Euromap 63 Driver-Injection molding machines are generally unconnected-First out of the box connectivity in this market: was quickly followed by a Softing Euromap 63 driver-Provides personas across the enterprise visibility into IMM production -File based protocol-KEPServerEX access to a shared folder is required: read/write/edit/delete permissions are necessary can be a mapped drive -Timing is not well defined in specification:-File locking race conditions are possible-Driver designed to minimize issues-Manufacturers have implemented specification in different ways Testing has indicated significant variances Driver has relaxed parsing rules Allows for vendor inconsistency Fanuc Focas Ethernet DriverFanuc Focas Ethernet:-Driver to connect to Fanuc CNC Controllers-Fanuc controls ~80% of the CNC market (Siemens, Mazak, Okuma, Haas and Hedenhain control remainder) -ThingWorx has connectivity to all except Heidenhain-Prior to 8.4, ThingWorx could access summary information: Machine st

Hi, ThingWorx users! We’re excited to share that we have partnered with InfluxData to make time series analysis in ThingWorx even easier. InfluxDB is a database by InfluxData that is “built specifically for metrics and events that empower developers to build next-generation IIoT, analytics and monitoring applications.”   Why InfluxData?  Today, application developers expect robust querying capabilities, fast response time, easy ways of aggregating and pivoting on data and leveraging results for reporting and visualization. IT and devops administrators also expect cost-effective storage and easy ways of aging data through archiving and the ability to keep large amounts of historical data to satisfy analysis requirements.   That’s why we’ve partnered with InfluxData to make it easier for developers to store, analyze and act on IIoT data in real-time. With InfluxData, developers can build connected IIoT applications more quickly while still incorporating the following capab

With ThingWorx 8.4, Mashup Builder has been enhanced to allow users to be more productive and efficient in their application building experience. • Drag and drop targets have been improved in Mashup Builder. • The Mashup Builder workspace can be customized: the panels in Mashup Builder are able to be docked, moved, and configured.• Configure Mashup Parameters◦ In Mashup parameter configuration, you can control if you want to show To-Do tasks in the To-Do tab for parameters in contained mashups.◦ A new base type of JSON is available in Mashup parameters that allows you to add JSON to your contained mashup.◦ In Mashup parameter configuration, when you have a base type of INFOTABLE, you no longer need to select a data shape. A new entity type named Mashup Templates allows application developers to start creating a mashup froma template that includes layout, content, and service binding configuration. In this preview release, five default templates based on Flexbox are included.

This post adds to my previous post: Deploying H2 Docker versions quickly   In addition to configuring the basic Docker Images and Containers, it's also possible to deploy them with a TLS / SSL certificate and access the instances via HTTPS protocol.   For this a valid certificate is required inside a .jks keystore. I'm using a self-signed certificate, but commercial ones are even better! The certificate must be in the name of the machine which runs Docker and which is accessed by the users via browser. In my case this is "mne-docker". The password for the keystore and the private key must be the same - this is a Tomcat limitation. In my case it's super secret and "Password123456".   I have the following directory structure on my Operating System   /home/ts/docker/ certificates mne-docker.jks twx.8.2.x.h2 Dockerfile settings platform-settings.json <license_file> storage Thingworx.war   The Recipe File   In the Recipe File I make sure that I

ThingWorx offers Docker based installations utilizing existing PostgreSQL databases. In newer releases ThingWorx Docker installers also offer using other databases.   Personally I'm using a certain method of deployment where I can just easily exchange some files, create new images and have a H2 based environment running for some quick tests.   As H2 is a built-in database, I will not dive into setting up the platform-settings.json for other connectivity. However other databases can be connected to by adjusting the platform-settings.json. This might also require an internal Docker Network structure which I will not elaborate on here.   Note: the following procedure is not fully supported as it's not using the deployment methods provided by the installers!   Create the Directory Structure   My Directory structure looks the following (expanded for the 8.2.x branch):   /home/ts/docker/ twx.8.0.x.h2 twx.8.1.x.h2 twx.8.2.x.h2 Dockerfile settings platform-set

Let's assume I collect Timeseries Data of two temperature sensors, located next to each other. This is done for redundancy and ensuring the quality of measures. Each of the sensors is logged into its Property in ThingWorx and I can create a Timeseries for the individual sensors. However I would like to create a combined InfoTable that holds information for both sensors, but averages out their values.   Instead of reading values from a stream, I just create some custom data for both InfoTables. After this I use the UNION function to combine the two tables and sort them. Once they are sorted, the INTERPOLATE function allows to group the InfoTable by timestamp.   With this, I have combined the two sensor result into on result set. Taking the average of numbers will give closer results to the real value (as both sensors might not be 100% accurate). In case one sensor does not have data for a given point in time, it will still be considered in the final output.   InfoTable1:

This video shows the steps to install ThingWorx Analytics release 8.3  

Video Author:                     Christophe Morfin Original Post Date:            October 2, 2017 Applicable Releases:        ThingWorx Analytics 8.1   Description:​ In this video we will walk thru the installation steps of ThingWorx Analytics Server 8.1.  This covers the Native Linux installation though the steps will be similar for a docker installation on Windows or Linux.    

Hello,There have been some inquires about how can one use AngularJS for developing custom parts that can run in the ThingWorx environment. To address these inquires I have created a document that describes the process of integrating AngularJS with ThingWorx.The document attached comes with the source code for the examples presented throughout the document and an extension for AngularJS 1.5.8 and angular-material components.Feedback is appreciated.Thank you.

Help the ThingWorx product team with some key strategic questions about developing apps in the cloud!   Let us know what you think here!   Stay connected,Kaya

The .net-sdk can be configured to emit very detailed debugging and diagnostic information to a log file during execution. The .net-sdk uses the standard .NET System.Diagnostic infrastructure for Logging, as such, all configuration of the .net-sdk logger is done via the standard .NET Logging configuration system.By default, Logging is configured via the standard .NET “App.config” file.Log messages can be routed to any standard .NET TraceListener. Optionally, ThingWorx provides a FixedFieldTraceListener which can be used to output log messages to a file. The use of the ThingWorx provided FixedFieldTraceListener is recommended.The FixedFieldTraceListener when configured will automatically create a "logs" directory in the same location as (a sibling to) the running executable file (.exe). This "logs" directory will contain the log files.Every .NET Class can be configured as a specific “Trace Source” which emits log messages. It is recommended to add at least the following Trace Sources to

Warning This post is quite long, has various chapters and you might get bored reading it.If you just want a summary read the "Use case" and "Conclusion" chapter - and maybe the "Required Logic" chapter, because I made a cool graph for it. The rest is all about implementation... Introduction I recently had the opportunity to deliver a ThingWorx training for Saint Gobain. One of the use cases for their ThingWorx application is monitoring machine errors and outages on the production line. If an outage or error status is triggered, the machine operator will see a popup on the monitoring screen where he is forced to select a root cause. This root cause will then be persisted in ThingWorx for more data transformation, analytics and reporting - like cost analysis or optimization opportunities. During the training we were also discussing on how such a forced root cause monitoring can be implemented via Mashups and the usage of modal popups. I've compiled the details into this post as it might

This post is part of the series Forced Root Cause Monitoring via Mashups and Modal Popups To not feel lost or out of context, it's recommended to read the main post first. Testing the Mashups Open the rcp_MashupMain in a new browser window For this test I find it easier to have the rcp_AlertThing and the Mashup in two windows side-by-side to each other The Mashup should be completely empty right now Nothing in the historic table (Grid) The Selected Reason is blank The Checkbox is false In the rcp_AlertThing switch the trigger to false The following will now happen The new value will be automatically pushed to Mashup The checkbox will switch to true The validator now throws the TRUE Event, as the condition is met and the trigger is indeed true The TRUE Event will invoke the Navigation Widget's Navigate service and the modal popup will be opened The user now only has the option to select one of the three states offered by the Radio Button selector, everything else will be greyed out

This post is part of the series Forced Root Cause Monitoring via Mashups and Modal Popups To not feel lost or out of context, it's recommended to read the main post first. Create the Main Mashup Create a new Mashup called "rcp_MashupMain" as Page and Responsive Save and switch to the Design tab Design Add a Layout with two Columns In the right Column add another Layout (vertical) with a Header and one Row Add a Grid to the Row Add a Panel to the Header Add a Panel into the Panel(we will use a Panel-In-Panel technique for a better design experience) Set "Width" to 200 Set "Height" to 50 Set "Horizontal Anchor" to "Center" Set "Vertical Anchor" to "Middle" Delete its current "Style" and add a new custom style - all values to default(this will create a transparent border around the panel) Add a Label to the inner Panel Set "Text" to "Historic data of what went wrong" Set "Alignment" to "Center Aligned" Set "Width" to 200 Set "Top" to 14 Add a Panel to the left Column Add

This post is part of the series Forced Root Cause Monitoring via Mashups and Modal Popups To not feel lost or out of context, it's recommended to read the main post first. Create a Popup Mashup Create a new Mashup called "rcp_MashupPopup" as Page and Static Save and switch to the Design tab Design Edit the Mashup Properties Set "Width" to 500 Set "Height" to 300 Add a new Label Set "Text" to "Something went wrong - what happend?" Set "Alignment" to "Center Aligned" Set "Width" to 230 Set "Top" to 55 Set "Left" to 130 Add a new Radio Button Set "Button States" to "rcp_AlertStateDefinition" Set "Top" to 145 Set "Left" to 25 Set "Width" to 450 Set "Height" to 100 In the Workspace tab, select the "Mashup" Click on Configure Mashup Parameters Add Parameter Name: "selectedState" BaseType: NUMBER Click Done Save the Mashup Connections Select the Radio Button Drag and drop its Selected Value property to the Mashup and bind it to the selectedState Mashup Parameter Drag and drop

This post is part of the series Forced Root Cause Monitoring via Mashups and Modal Popups To not feel lost or out of context, it's recommended to read the main post first. Create Entities AlertStateDefinition Create a new StateDefinition called "rcp_AlertStateDefinition" In the State Information tab, select Apply State: Numeric from the list on the right hand side Create a new State: Less than or equal to "1" Display Name: "Something good" Style: a new custom style with text color #f5b83d (orange) Create a new State: Less than or equal to "2" Display Name: "Something bad" Style: a new custom style with text color #f55c3d (red) Create a new State: Less than or equal to "3" Display Name: "Something ugly" Style: a new custom style with text color #ad1f1f (red) with a Font Bold Edit the "Default" State Set the Style: a new custom style with text color #36ad1f (green) We will not use this style, but in case we need a default configuration it will blend into the color schema Save th

This post is part of the series Forced Root Cause Monitoring via Mashups and Modal Popups To not feel lost or out of context, it's recommended to read the main post first. Before we start Create a new Project called "RootCausePopups" and save it. In the New Composer set the Project Context (top left box) to the "RootCausePopups" project. This will automatically add all of our new Entities into our project. Otherwise we would have to add each Entity manually on creation.

This post is part of the series Forced Root Cause Monitoring via Mashups and Modal Popups To not feel lost or out of context, it's recommended to read the main post first. Required Logic The following logic will help us realizing this particular use case: The trigger property on the AlertThing switches from false to true. The MashupMain will receive dynamic Property updates via the AlertThing.GetProperties service. It will validate the value of the trigger Property and if it's true the MashupMain will show the MashupPopup as a modal popup. A modal popup will be exclusively in the foreground, so the user cannot interact with anything else in the Mashup except the modal popup. In the modal popup the user chooses one of the pre-defined AlertStateDefinitions. When a State is selected, the popup will set the State as a Mashup Parameter, pass this to the MashupMain and the popup close itself. When the MashupPopup is closed, the MashupMain will read the Mashup Parameter The MashupMain will

This post is part of the series Forced Root Cause Monitoring via Mashups and Modal Popups To not feel lost or out of context, it's recommended to read the main post first. Required Entities In this simplified example we'll just use a Thing to set a status triggering the popup. This Thing will have two properties and one service: Properties trigger (Boolean) - to indicate if an error status is present or not, if so - trigger the popup selectedReason (Number) - to indicate the selected reason / root cause chosen in the modal popup Service clearTrigger - to reset the trigger to "false" once a reason has been selected The selectedReason will be logged into a ValueStream. In addition to the Thing and the ValueStream we will need a StateDefinition to pre-define potential root causes to be displayed in the popup. We will use three states to be used in a traffic-light fashion to indicate the severity of the issue in a custom color schema. To display the monitoring Mashup and the popup we

Error: Exception: JavaException: java.lang.Exception: Import Failed: License is not available for Product: null Feature: twx_thingsPossible root cause: editing web.xml without further restart of the platform. In result, the product name does not pick up and the license path drops while the composer is still running,Fix: Go to LicensingSubsystem -> Services and run the AcquireLicense service.IF the issue does not get resolved, please contact the Support team, attaching your license.bin to the ticket.

Applicable releases: 8.3 and above   Description: In this video, we will see  Basic concepts of SVM Some scenarios for a better understanding

  Meet Anthony. Anthony came to PTC from a large industrial company as a user of Axeda, a leading device connectivity company that PTC acquired in 2014. With a background in aerospace engineering and experience in a variety of industries including life safety, healthcare, nuclear power, and oil and gas, Anthony has been working to create new value around innovation for customers transitioning to ThingWorx. When he’s not working on IIoT, he’s playing music on Cape Cod, photographing Hawaiian landscapes or bringing awesome inflatable chairs into the office.    You may recall from last week's post that Thing Presence is one of the top three features in 8.4 that you might not know about. This week, I spoke with Anthony for a deeper dive on Thing Presence. Check out how it went.   Kaya: What was the challenge users were facing that led us to create Thing Presence? Anthony: Axeda customers transitioning to ThingWorx were struggling with the connectivity use case and kept