IoT Tips

In this video we cover the installation of the UploadThing module. This video applies to ThingWorx Analytics 52.2 till 8.0. This is no longer applicable with ThingWorx Analytics 8.1   Useful links: How to copy files from Windows to Linux Updated Link for access to this video:  Installing Thingworx Analytics Builder: Part 3 of 3  

In this video we cover the different configuration steps required for ThingWorx Analytics Builder extension This video applies to ThingWorx Analytics 52.1 till 8.1.   Note though: - this video uses Classic Composer, the same operations can be done using the New Composer starting with version 8.0 as illustrated in the Help Center - For release 8.1, the Settings menu differs from previous versions, see Video Link : 2079 between times 00:12 sec to 00:40 sec for up to date menu selection.   Updated Link for access to this video:  Installing Thingworx Analytics Builder: Part 2 of 3

In this video we cover: a short introduction of Thingworx Analytics Builder The import of the Thingworx Analytics Builder extension   This video applies to ThingWorx Analytics 52.1 till 8.1   Updated Link for access to this video:  Installing Thingworx Analytics Builder:  Part 1 of 3

The following videos are provided to help users get started with ThingWorx: ThingWorx Installation Installing ThingWorx (Neo4j) in Windows ThingWorx PostgreSQL Setup for Windows ThingWorx PostgreSQL for RHEL ThingWorx Data Storage Introduction to Streams Introduction to Value Streams Introduction to DataTables Introduction to InfoTables ThingWorx Concepts & Functionality Introduction to Media Entities Using State Formatting in a Mashup Configuring Properties ThingWorx REST API REST API (Part 1) REST API (Part 2) ThingWorx Edge SDK Configuring File Transfer with the .NET SDK ThingWorx Analytics *new* Getting Started with ThingWorx Analytics Part 1 Getting Started with ThingWorx Analytics Part 2 Installing ThingWorx Analytics Builder Part 1 of 3 Installing ThingWorx Analytics Builder Part 2 of 3 Installing ThingWorx Analytics Builder Part 3 of 3 Creating Signals in the Analytics Builder How to Access the ThingWorx Analytics Interactive API Guide ThingWorx Widgets How to Create and Configure the Auto Refresh Widget How to Create and Define a Blog Widget How to Create and Configure a Button Widget How to Use the Divider and Shape Widgets How to Create and Configure a Chart Widget How to Use a Contained Mashup How to Use the Data Filter Widget How to Use an Expression Widget How to Create and Configure a Gauge Widget How to Create and Configure a Checkbox Widget How to Use a Contained Mashup Widget How to Use a Data Export Widget How to Use the DateTime Picker Widget How to Use the Editable Grid Widget Using Fieldset and Panel Widgets How to Use the File Upload Widget How to Use the Folding Panel Widget How to Use the Google Location Picker How to Use the Google Map Widget How to Use a Grid Widget How to Use an HTML TextArea Widget How to Use the List Widget How to Use a Label Widget How to Use the Layout Widget How to Use the LED Display Widget How to Use the List Widget How to Use the Masked Textbox Widget Navigation in ThingWorx: Using Menus, the Navigation Widget, Link Widget, and Contained Mashups How to Use the Numeric Entry Widget How to Use the Pie Chart Widget How to Use the Property Display Widget How to Use the Radio Button Widget How to Use the Repeater Widget How to Use the Slider Widget How to Use the SQUEAL Search Widget How to Use the Responsive Tab Widget How to Use the Tag Cloud Widget How to Use the Tag Picker Widget How to Use the TextArea and TextBox Widgets How to Use the Time Selector Widget How to Use the Tree Widget How to Use the Value Display Widget How to Use the Web Frame Widget How to Create and Define a Wiki How to Use the XY Chart Quick note: Thread will be updated with more videos as they are added.

This document has been created to assist customers with the upgrade process when moving from a legacy version of ThingWorx to the latest release. It provides a checklist of activities that are critical to achieving a successful upgrade. The goal of the document is not to define the in-depth technical details required for the upgrade but to highlight how to carefully plan the overall activities and general methods beforehand.  Additional planning activities can apply and should be added based on individual circumstances.  While this section is primarily geared towards upgrading an existing installation, the proposed outline below can also be adapted to new installations as well. Note that while the information contained within this document is high-level, PTC cannot guarantee that this checklist will be entirely accurate for your particular environment. Also note that using the information in this document might require specific knowledge, skills, and expertise with PTC products and other required third-party applications. Activity     1. Establish ThingWorx Support channels of communication     2. Review the ThingWorx Installation Guide in its entirety before proceeding     3. Identify necessary resources and contacts for the upgrade process     4. Determine if any server or network architecture changes are necessary     5. Identify a roll-out plan for the upgrade process     6. Install and configure ThingWorx based on the roll-out plan ___ 1. Establish ThingWorx Support channels of communication The eSupport Portal provides important technical information and access to materials that will be helpful in all stages noted in this planning guide. It is important to navigate and become familiar with the resources that exist on this site and learn how to use them effectively. Many of the materials to which this technical brief links can be accessed from this site, including the Customer Support Guide, which provides an overview of PTC technical support services and communications channels. ___ 2. Review the ThingWorx Getting Started Guide in its entirety The ThingWorx Getting Started Guide contains useful information for all customers moving to the newest release of the platform. This guide will help new and returning users to understand the installation/upgrade process, and also prepare for any necessary architectural changes. PTC strongly recommends reviewing this guide in preparation for the upgrade procedure. ___ 3. Identify necessary resources and contacts for the upgrade process Installation will require knowledge of OS user permissions, firewall settings, and database access. Having the correct teams involved in the installation will help in achieving a successful upgrade. Installing successfully potentially requires collaboration between multiple groups at your company. This can include, but is not limited to, the following resources: A designated ThingWorx administrator A member of your local information technology team A member of your database administrator group ___ 4. Determine if any server or network architecture changes are necessary After identifying the stakeholders necessary for a successful installation, PTC recommends re-evaluating your system and network specifications. Many factors can play a role in determining if architecture changes are needed, such as an increase in the number of connections to the platform since the previous release or higher hardware recommendations for the server hosting the platform. As a starting point to this discussion, PTC recommends reviewing “Platform Server Requirements” section of the “ThingWorx Platform System Requirements” guide. ___ 5. Identify a roll-out plan for the upgrade process                The upgrade process will involve the following main components: Backup data by exporting all entities from the system as well as copying the ThingworxStorage folder (aside from additional backups performed with the back-end database, if applicable) Once all entities and data have been exported, check the Application Log to ensure successful export.  If any errors is present in the Application log, please contact Technical  Support for troubleshooting before proceeding with the upgrade. Uninstall previous ThingWorx version Upgrade server/network components based on requirements document Install/upgrade required software components based on requirements document Install ThingWorx Restore data from backup For complete details on the installation/upgrade process and configuration of the above components, please refer to the available installation and reference materials on the PTC Reference Documents page. Care should be taken when upgrading to the latest release. After any internal testing has been performed based on your company’s requirements, a hard date should be set to perform the upgrade within a production environment. Any users of the current version should be made aware of this upgrade date so that they can prepare for any outages accordingly. To minimize any downtime associated with the upgrade process, ThingWorx recommends performing the upgrade process during off-hours or overnight. ___ 6. Install and configure ThingWorx based on the roll-out plan After approval, proceed with the installation and configuration of the platform based on the finalized roll-out plan.

This document contains information that should be reviewed before installing or upgrading to the latest version ThingWorx for both new and existing customers. Note that many of the links in this document require that you have created and validated an account on the PTC website. Account Creation For users who do not yet have an active maintenance agreement, an account can be created by accessing the Basic Account Creation page.  With a basic account, you will have access to the ThingWorx Community, product documentation, and support articles. Also, a basic level account will grant access to our new Developer eSupport Portal, which is a great resource for users of all levels to become more proficient with ThingWorx and the emerging world of IoT in general.  For more details on the new Developer eSupport Portal, please refer to our Getting Started with the New eSupport Portal guide. For users having an active maintenance agreement with PTC that have not yet created an account on the PTC website, a new customer account can be created by accessing the New Customer Account page.  With a customer-level account, you will have access to all basic account links listed above, plus access to download all licensed PTC products.  You will also have access to our dedicated application support team.  In order to create a customer account, you will be asked to provide your Customer Number, and one of either your Service Contract Number (SCN), Sales Order Number (SON), or Site Number.  This information will have been included in documentation sent to your company by your PTC Sales Representative. If you have any questions or concerns in relation to the account creation process, please contact us using the Web Account Case Logger. Document Structure Throughout this document, references will be made to specific documentation related to the ThingWorx Platform.  A listing of links to this supporting documentation will be provided at the end of this article for all supported releases of the ThingWorx Platform. Please reference this link to review documentation specific to the release version being installed in your local environment. Overview of Changes For a complete listing of new features and enhancements introduced in the latest version of the ThingWorx Platform, please refer to the Release notes documentation, which is included within the platform downloadable zip file. In addition to providing brief descriptions of each enhancement, this document indicates where you can find more comprehensive coverage where applicable. Release notes are also available online for review.  For a complete listing of release notes for all supported releases of ThingWorx, please refer to the link at the end of this document. Required Software The following table lists the files that are required for a complete installation of the ThingWorx Platform: Component Link Oracle JDK Oracle JDK Download Page Apache Tomcat Apache Tomcat Download Page PostgreSQL PostgreSQL Download Page Full details on installing and configuring the above files are provided in the ThingWorx Installation Guide for all supported OS environments.  Please also take note of any version requirements for the above files based on the version of the ThingWorx Platform being installed.  Version requirements are noted in the ThingWorx System Requirements guide. ThingWorx Installation Files The desired version of the ThingWorx platform can be obtained through the PTC eSupport Site (reminder: maintenance agreement required). The file is provided in a zip format, that starts with a name "MED-XXXXXX-CD...”, where X is some digit.  Once the directory is unarchived, the Tomcat-deployable file is Thingworx.war.  Release notes are included within the zip archive. Installation and Reference Documentation In addition to the listing at the end of this guide, all installation and reference documentation is also available online from the PTC Reference Documents page. To locate documentation within this link related to the latest release of ThingWorx, follow these steps. Set the Product field to ThingWorx. Set the Reported Release appropriately. Narrow the search results by setting the Document Type field if desired, or leave this set to All Document Types. Leave the User Role field set to the default All User Roles selection. It is strongly recommended to review the following documents at minimum: ThingWorx Platform System Requirements Installing ThingWorx (For new installations) Upgrading ThingWorx (For customers migrating from an older release) Upgrade Planning for Returning Customers For existing customers who are upgrading from a prior release of the ThingWorx Platform, PTC offers an Upgrade Planning Guide that can help in preparing for the upgrade process. This guide provides a checklist of activities that are critical to performing a successful upgrade to the latest version of ThingWorx. PTC recommends reviewing this guide for assistance in planning for the upgrade process. Additional References and Troubleshooting The following table lists common reference material and troubleshooting material involving the installation of the platform. General Functionality Frequently Seen Errors upon launching the ThingWorx application Link "HTTP Status 401 - Could not handle request" error when attempting to access a new PostgreSQL-based installation of ThingWorx Link Contacting Technical Support Should you have any questions about the installation process, or if you encounter any issues during the process, our qualified team of technical support engineers are available to assist you. With an active maintenance agreement for ThingWorx, you will have access to web-based technical assistance as well as live phone-based support. Contact details vary, depending on you region. For comprehensive information on how to obtain technical support, please refer to our online Customer Support Guide. Links to Documentation for Supported Releases of ThingWorx For links to supporting documentation for current and legacy releases of ThingWorx, please refer to the following article: Where to Find ThingWorx Documentation

New to ThingWorx and looking to get up to speed on using the platform?  The new Developer eSupport Portal is here to help! This guide will walk you through the process of gaining access to the Developer eSupport Portal, and will also provide a quick overview of the various content that you will be able to leverage.  Before you know it, you will have all the tools and knowledge needed to begin creating simple applications within the platform and begin establishing connections to a wide array of devices, industrial systems, enterprise applications, cloud services, etc. Creating an Account For users that have already created an account through the PTC eSupport website, you should be all set. Simply use your existing account credentials to access the Developer eSupport Portal.  For those who do not yet have an account, you can create one by using one of the following links: For customers with an active maintenance agreement, follow the link to create a Customer Account For users who do not yet have a maintenance agreement with PTC, follow the link to create a Basic Account Your account level will determine what you will have access to within the Developer eSupport Portal. Through the remainder of the guide, we will take note of areas where access rights may vary. Getting Acquainted with the Develop eSupport Portal Now that you have an account, you will have access to our Developer eSupport Portal.   There are three main areas to focus on in the portal: the Search Area, the various Content Category buttons, and the Learning Path. Search Area At the top of the page, you will find a search text box that will allow you to quickly sift through all of our available content, including various support articles, reference documents, training content, and post from our ThingWorx Community forum.  Simply type in any topic revolving around the ThingWorx platform that you are interested in learning about and initiate the search.  Looking for information on how to make better use of our search engine? Click on the Advanced Search link beneath the search text box to learn how to find that exact document or support article you are looking for. Content Categories Beneath the search area, you will find various content category buttons that will help direct you to commonly-accessed areas of the eSupport website.  As you click on each content category, a pop-up window will appear with additional popular links related to that category.  Here is a quick summary of each category: Getting Started This category will direct you to links related to setting up your own instance of the ThingWorx platform.  It also contains links to various getting started documents related to the ThingWorx Platform and the world of IoT. Courses and Tutorials This category will provide information on various learning resources related to the ThingWorx platform. ThingWorx Community This category will provide links to our ThingWorx Community site, a forum where developers can interact with one another.  You can also find various documents and blogs written by our expert staff that revolve around using the platform and provide information on recommended field practices. Recommended Readings This category provides links to popular reference documentation and supporting articles related to the ThingWorx Platform. Support This category provides links to various support outlets, like our Knowledge Base articles and the ThingWorx Community.  There is also information on contacting our expert Application Support Engineers for those with customer-level accounts. Marketplace This category provides information on the ThingWorx Marketplace, a website where developers can build and publish innovative applications, add-ons, and extensions for the ThingWorx Platform and share them with the ThingWorx Community. By utilizing these pre-built components, you can expand upon the out-of-the box functionality and develop your own applications more quickly using these components. Learning Path To the right of the search area, you will find your personalized path to success.  This path has been put together by our educational team to help you get up to speed on using the ThingWorx platform as quickly as possible.  You can keep track of your progress as you work through the learning path by checking off each completed item.  Let’s quickly discuss the various elements of the path. Explore MOOCs This link will take you to all of our available massive open online courses, or MOOCs. These are short courses intended to introduce you to the concepts of the technology involved in the Internet of Things. Not all of the courses in this area will feature the ThingWorx Platform front and center, but will introduce you to various skills and concepts that will be used as you dive deeper into the platform and the world of IoT. Access the ThingWorx Community Now that you have created an account, you will have access to the ThingWorx Community, a forum where you can interact with other ThingWorx developers and members of the ThingWorx support team.  This is a great place to discover how other users are developing applications within the ThingWorx platform.  You will also have access to various documents and blog posts written by our expert staff that will introduce you to new product features, or introduced you to various field practices that you may find useful when writing your own applications. Finally, this is also a great area to ask questions if you are looking for some assistance as you develop your own applications. Complete a Quick Start This link will direct you to our quick start areas.  Here, you will be given access to a temporary ThingWorx instance and guided through various examples centered on building applications and connecting devices to the platform.  The Application QuickStarts will show you just how rapidly you can design functional applications within the platform, while the Device QuickStarts will demonstrate just how easy it is to connect your devices to the platform, collect data from them, and display them within your applications.  You will also have access to a general tour of the ThingWorx platform in this area, which will walk you through the basic elements of our developer environment, the ThingWorx Composer. Download & Install the ThingWorx Platform The next step in this process will be to install and configure your own local instance of the ThingWorx platform.  For customers with an active maintenance agreement, you can obtain the ThingWorx platform install files from the eSupport Downloads page.  For users with basic accounts, we will be providing access to an evaluation version of the platform. View Learning Resources This link will take you to the PTC Learning Connector.  Here you will discover IoT-based case studies and talks, gain access to short learning tutorial videos centered on key platform functionality and concepts, gain access to a wide array of knowledge base articles written by our expert application support engineers, and access ThingWorx Reference documentation. Explore the Help Center The PTC Help center provides access to all PTC product documentation.  With regards to ThingWorx, this includes access to ThingWorx Utilities, Converge, and Edge Connectivity documentation, in addition to the ThingWorx Platform documentation itself.  Links are provided for both the current release and supported legacy release versions of the platform. Create an Application After going through the previous steps in the learning path, you should now have all the necessary information to begin designing your own ThingWorx application. Try creating an application that takes full advantage of the various IoT concepts used so far that will help you meet your business needs.  And of course, feel free to go back and reference any of the provided material in the previous steps to help you accomplish this task. Get Certified This link provides information on the PTC certification plans for the ThingWorx platform. Various levels of certification are available for application developers, connectivity developers, platform developers, system engineers, and architects intending to develop professional-level applications.  Becoming certified is a great way to showcase your skills and talents in the emerging world of IoT that top employers are seeking. Feedback We hope that you find the Developer eSupport Portal helpful in getting up-to-speed on the world of IoT and the ThingWorx platform!  We are also very interested in hearing more about your own experience with the portal. If you would like to let us know, please click on the Feedback link beneath the search area to send your comments directly to us.  We look forward to hearing from you, and will always strive to make the portal as helpful and efficient as possible.

This is a reference document on how to move existing or fresh install ThingworxStorage location. Note: As of Thingworx 7.0 the platform-settings.json file has changed and therefore the newest version needs to be used  to change the location of the folders. Please refer to this guide pg.45-46 to see the new .json file.http://support.ptc.com/WCMS/files/170230/en/Installing_ThingWorx_7.1.pdf  A sample json is attached at the bottom of this document. Here are the main bullet points that need to be kept in mind when performing a migration process: ThingworxPlatform directory has to be in the same partition as where the Tomcat is installed. I.e. if your tomcat is in /apps, the ThingworxPlatform should also be in /apps, not in root. Note: if ThingworxPlatform will be placed in a different partition than the tomcat, create a THINGWORX_PLATFORM_SETTINGS environmental variable that will point to the correct location. Refer to the Installation Guide for details. Before modifying the location of the platform-settings.json, stop tomcat. There is no need to undeploy the Thingworx app, but do rename the existing folders (as a way of copying/preserving data if any exists) “ThingworxStorage” to “ThingworxStorageCopy” and “ThingworxBackupStorage” to “ThingworxBackupStorageCopy”. If this is a fresh install, proceed to step 3.. Modify the platform-settings.json to have desired locations for the ThingworxStorage folders. Start the tomcat. New ThingworxStorage and ThingworxBackupStorage will be created in the new location. Note: if there is any data in the ThingworxStorage (see ThingworxStorageCopy and ThingworxBackupStorageCopy from step 2), stop the tomcat and place the contents of the original folders into the new ones or just replace the directories. For Postgresql  scenarios: Ensure postgresql database is running. If fresh install/no need to preserve data,  and in case of 401 error, clean the existing database via the script and run the two scripts to install and setup DB and Schema. Start tomcat and verify connection. If data does need to be preserved, then run the schema update script to update from 6.5 to 6.6. then to 7.0 and 7.1 respectively, depending on which version you are starting with. To change the location of where postgresql would write data, find the thingworxPostgresDBSetup.sh script open it to edit: tablespace_location="/ThingworxPostgresqlStorage" Then re-run the DBsetup and Schema setup while tomcat is stopped. For assistance in resolving any difficulties related to the migration process, please contact Thingworx Technical Support.

Scripto Editor is an enhanced Groovy Script Editor that allows the developer to compile and test uploaded Groovy Scripts on the fly.  Please note that Scripto Editor is not a replacement for an IDE and should be used mainly for debugging Groovy Scripts. Installation: Download the Javascript Scripto Editor archive attached to this post. Install the archive as a custom app - Log into the Axeda Platform - Navigate to Administration > More Links -> Extended Applications - Click Browse and select the file downloaded in step 1. - Set the URL as "ScriptoEditor" - Set the Default Index as ScriptoEditor.html - Set Dsplay Mode as Standalone - Optionally enter a ​Description​, such as Scripto Editor for Groovy Objects​ - Click Upload Open Scripto Editor by navigating to https://yourServicelink.axeda.com/apps/ScriptoEditor/ScriptoEditor.html Log in using your Axeda Platform credentials Double click any previously uploaded Groovy Script in the list to open Add or edit parameters in the Properties sidebar Test the script by clicking the Test tab in the sidebar and clicking "Run Test" Results will appear in the console at the bottom of the screen Save the Groovy Script by clicking "Save"Note: if the session expires before you have finished editing, the application will alert you with a pop up "Http Request Error".  You will be unable to save your changes - at this point it is recommended to open a new tab and copy over your changes back into Scripto Editor.  For this reason, Scripto Editor is not a replacement for an IDE and should be used sparingly for on-the-fly debugging.Additionally, any changes made in Scripto Editor will need to be manually copied back into the local development source code. WARNING: Scripto Editor has a 1000 line code limit.  If your custom objects are longer than this, Scripto Editor will truncate them when saving!!

This document is designed to help troubleshoot some commonly seen issues while installing or upgrading the ThingWorx application, prior or instead of contacting Tech Support. This is not a defined template for a guaranteed solution, but rather a reference guide that provides an opportunity to eliminate some of the possible root causes. While following the installation guide and matching the system requirements is sufficient to get a successfully running instance of ThingWorx, some issues could still occur upon launching the app for the first time. Generally, those issues arise from minor environmental details and can be easily fixed by aligning with the proper installation process. Currently, the majority of the installation hiccups are coming from the postgresql side. That being said, the very first thing to note, whether it's a new user trying out the platform or a returning one switching the database to postgresql, note that: Postgresql database must be installed, configured, and running prior to the further Thingworx installation. ThingWorx 7.0+: Installation errors out with 'failed to succeed more than the maximum number of allowed acquisition attempts' Platform being shut down because System Ownership cannot be acquired error ERROR: relation "system_version" does not exist Resolution: Generally, this type of error point at the security/permission issue. As all of the installation operations should be performed by a root/Administrator role, the following points should be verified: Ensure both Tomcat and ThingworxPlatform folders have relevant read/write permissions The title and contents of the configuration file in the ThingworxPlatform folder has changed from 6.x to 7.x Check if the right configuration file is in the folder Verify if the name and password provided in this configuration file matches the ones set in the Postgres DB Run the Database cleanup script, and then set up the database again. Verufy by checking the thingworx table space (about 53 tables should be created)     Thingworx Application: Blank screen, no errors in the logs, "waiting for <url> " gears running be never actually loading, eventually times out     Resolution: Ensure that Java in tomcat is pointing to the right path, should be something like this: C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.8.0_101\bin\server\jvm.dll 6.5+ Postgres:   Error when executing thingworxpostgresDBSetup.bat psql:./thingworx-database-setup.sql:1: ERROR: could not set permissions on directory "D:/ThingworxPostgresqlStorage": Permission denied     Resolution:     The error means that the postgres user was not able to create a directory in the ‘ThingworxPostgresStorage’ directory. As it's related to the security/permission, the following steps can be taken to clear out the error: Assigning read/write permissions to everyone user group to fix the script execution and then execute the batch file: Right-click on ‘ThingworxPostgresStorage’ directory -> Share with -> specific people. Select drop-down, add everyone group and update the permission level to Read/Write. Click Share. Executing the batch file as admin. 2. Installation error message "relation root_entity_collection does not exist" is displayed with Postgresql version of the ThingWorx platform. Resolution:     Such an error message is displayed only if the schema parameter passed to thingworxPostgresSchemaSetup.sh script  is different than $USER or PUBLIC. To clear out the error: Edit the Postgresql configuration file, postgresql.conf, to add to the SEARCH_PATH item your own schema. Other common errors upon launching the application. Two of the most commonly seen errors are 404 and 401.  While there can be a numerous reasons to see those errors, here are the root causes that fall under the "very likely" category: 404 Application not found during a new install: Ensure Thingworx.war was deployed -- check the hard drive directory of Tomcat/webapps and ensure Thingworx.war and Thingworx folder are present as well as the ThingworxStorage in the root (or custom selected location) Ensure the Thingworx.war is not corrupted (may re-download from the support and compare the size) 401 Application cannot be accessed during a new install or upgrade: For Postgresql, ensure the database is running and is connected to, also see the Basic Troubleshooting points below. Verify the tomcat, java, and database (in case of postgresql) versions are matching the system requirement guide for the appropriate platform version Ensure the updrade was performed according to the guide and the necessary folders were removed (after copying as a preventative measure). Ensure the correct port is specified in platform-settings.json (for Postgresql), by default the connection string is jdbc:postgresql://localhost:5432/thingworx Again, it should be kept in mind that while the symptoms are common and can generally be resolved with the same solution, every system environment is unique and may require an individual approach in a guaranteed resolution. Basic troubleshooting points for: Validating PostgreSQL installation Postgres install troubleshooting java.lang.NullPointerException error during PostgreSQL installation ***CRITICAL ERROR: permission denied for relation root_entity_collection Error while running scripts: Could not set permissions on directory "/ThingworxPostgresqlStorage":Permission Denied Acquisition Attempt Failed error Resolution: Ensure 'ThingworxStorage', 'ThingworxPlatform' and 'ThingworxPostgresqlStorage' folders are created The folders have to be present in the root directory unless specifically changed in any configurations Recommended to grant sufficient privileges (if not all) to the database user (twadmin) Note: While running the script in order to create a database, if a schema name other than 'public' is used, the "search_path" in "postgresql.conf" must be changed to reflect 'NewSchemaName, public' Grant permission to user for access to root folders containing 'ThingworxPostgresqlStorage' and 'ThingworxPlatform' The password set for the default 'twadmin' in the pgAdmin III tool must match the password set in the configuration file under the ThingworxPlatform folder Ensure THINGWORX_PLATFORM_SETTINGS variable is set up Error: psql:./thingworx-database-setup.sql:14: ERROR:  could not create directory "pg_tblspc/16419/PG_9.4_201409291/16420": No such file or directory psql:./thingworx-database-setup.sql:16: ERROR:  database "thingworx" does not exist Resolution: Replacing /ThingworxPostgresqlStorage in the .bat file by C:\ThingworxPostgresqlStorage and omitting the -l option in the command window. Also, note the following error Troubleshooting Syntax Error when running postgresql set up scripts

Not as simple a question as it sounds.  There more options than some might think and choosing the right one can be the difference between a well performing application and one that struggles as it scales up in size.  There are options both internal and external to the Thingworx platform that can be used.  Each has their own use cases and cost considerations.   Internal to Thingworx there are three options as the storage provider PostGreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server (Azure SQL for PTC hosted systems) and InFlux DB.  PostGreSQL can be used for storing the Thingworx model structure and data,  and is an open source technology, meaning no additional cost.  SQL Server allows the same model and data storage but has licensing costs associated.  Both perform well up to an estimated 500 Gb of data storage (this is a rough estimate dependant on use case).  For very high volume data InFlux is the choice, it performs well for large data sets.   External to Thingworx you can use virtually any data storage technology the provides a JDBC connector or even one that has a driver that can be used to create a Thingworx Extension via our SDK or edge SDKs.  The platform knows how to use JDBC drivers so this can easily be used to connect to relational data storage like Oracle.   The first real question to ask when making the choice of where to store data is, what does my data look like?  Many systems are adapted or migrated from legacy systems which may include relational data, others simply have this structure by necessity.  If the data will need to use complex SQL to retrieve (like using joins, like, cursors, temp tables, etc.) then store the data in a true relational database.  If it is simple historical data, time series data or data that does not require compounding or recursive calculation to be useful, then keep it in platform data storage.   The second question to ask is, how much data will I be storing.  This adds a bit of complexity to where data is best stored.  There is no limit to the number of records in any data structure however, the Thingworx Platform storage is optimized to store and retrieve time series data, using the ValueSteam and Stream types built into the Platform.  This is the most common IoT data structure and in this case you can refer back to the previous information when choosing  the correct backend storage.  Data tables can be used when contained in small data sets (around 100,000 records or less) you can use Platform storage for this as these are intended for largely static data structures.  Retrieving data when DataTables grow larger than this will begin to slow performance quickly. This is because currently Thingworx will do a full scan of the data, in this specific type of structure, when querying because all of the logic for the query or filter is done on the platform, not on the database (this will likely change in a future version).  So small amounts of data can be quickly loaded and parsed in memory. NOTE (Neo4j specific): In datatables if you add a index to a column, these indexes are used when calling "FindDataTableEntries" but not when using "QueryDataTableEntries".   Streams and ValueStreams, however, are optimized for time series data.  In these structures Thingworx has built in datetime filters that allow for very fast retrieval of data based on a date range.  When the number of records returned after the date range is applied is still a very large number (100,00 - 200,000) you may see a drop in performance of a query at that point.  Just as before, all records, after the date filter is applied, are returned to the Platform and further query and filtering are done in memory.   The querying/retrieval of data is commonly where the greatest performance issues are seen.  Using a JDBC connector to send the query to the database (even if it is PostGreSQL, SQL Server Or InFlux) can help, or if the historical data is not queried regularly you can move this data to a separate Thingworx data store (another DataTable or Stream).   That would leave only large data sets of non-time series data as the outlier.  This scenario could perform equally well (or poorly) primarily on how the data will be retrieved. If there are loose relationship between the data that need to be used then a relational system that would allow these to be executed on the database server is preferred.  Sequential data that does not need this type of processing could be stored in InFlux.   This is a base outline of considerations when designing data storage on your application.  Most use cases are unique and may have additional considerations around process and cost.

A user can make a direct REST call to Thingworx platform, but when it comes to a website trying to make a REST call. The platform server blocks the request as it is a Cross-Origin request. To enable this feature, the platform server needs to allow Cross-Origin request from all/specific websites. Enabling Cross-Origin request can be done by adding CORS filter to the server. CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) specification enables the cross-origin requests from other websites deployed in a different server. By enabling CORS filter, a 3rd party tool or a website can retrieve the data from Thingworx instance. Follow the below steps inorder to update the CORS filter: Update web.xml file (located in $CATALINA_HOME/conf/web.xml) For Minimal Configurations, add the below code: <filter> <filter-name>CorsFilter</filter-name>   <filter-class>org.apache.catalina.filters.CorsFilter</filter-class> </filter> <filter-mapping>   <filter-name>CorsFilter</filter-name>   <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>         // "*" opens platform to all URL patterns, recommended to use limited patterns. </filter-mapping> NOTE: the url-pattern - /* opens the Thingworx application to every domain. For advanced configuration, follow the below code: <filter> <filter-name>CorsFilter</filter-name> <filter-class>org.apache.catalina.filters.CorsFilter</filter-class> <init-param> <param-name>cors.allowed.origins</param-name> <param-value> http://www.customerwebaddress.com </param-value> </init-param> <init-param> <param-name>cors.allowed.methods</param-name> <param-value>GET,POST,HEAD,OPTIONS,PUT</param-value> </init-param> <init-param> <param-name>cors.allowed.headers</param-name> <param-value>Content-Type,X-Requested-With,accept,Origin,Access-Control-Request-Method,Access-Control-Request-Headers</param-value> </init-param> <init-param> <param-name>cors.exposed.headers</param-name> <param-value>Access-Control-Allow-Origin,Access-Control-Allow-Credentials</param-value> </init-param> <init-param> <param-name>cors.support.credentials</param-name> <param-value>true</param-value> </init-param> <init-param> <param-name>cors.preflight.maxage</param-name> <param-value>10</param-value> </init-param> </filter> <filter-mapping> <filter-name>CorsFilter</filter-name> <url-pattern>/* </url-pattern>   // "*" opens platform to all URL patterns, recommended to use limited patterns. </filter-mapping> NOTE: update the cors.allowed.origin parameter with the desired web address Save web.xml file Restart tomcat For additional information, please follow the official tomcat reference document: http://tomcat.apache.org/tomcat-7.0-doc/config/filter.html#CORS_Filter Tested this using an online Javascript editor (jsfiddle) and executing the below script <script> var data = null; var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); xhr.open("GET", "http://localhost:8080/Thingworx/Things", true); xhr.withCredentials = true; xhr.send(); </script> The request was successful and list of things are returned.

Here are some tips on how to submit a ticket to the ThingWorx technical support team and what to expect. Providing a typical minimum information is always a good practice to lessen the questions and unnecessary back-and-forth communication prior to the actual investigation of the problem. Open a new ticket for each separate issue. We do track every technical issue that comes in. If the ticket is being submitted for troubleshooting: Please provide the versions of Thingworx, Tomcat, java; Operating System and specs. Attach the list of the extensions used. Include a detailed description of the problem; if applicable, include the screenshots. Evaluate the business impact caused by the issue. Optional: state the method of contact preference, whether it's a phone or email, and time if applicable. Expect a support engineer (SE) to establish the first contact via email, letting known of the case ownership, and further investigation. If the ticket is being submitted for enhancement request or improvement: Please provide a clear description of the feature, use case(s), expectations and any additional details that might play a role in prioritizing the request. Once the ticket has been created, it will be assigned to a support engineer (SE) who will then place a request (Jira) to R&D and provide a Jira # to the point of contact in the support ticket Enhancement requests and improvements are always considered; however, the delivery is not guaranteed. Once an SE provides the case contact with the Jira #, the support ticket will be closed, and the point of contact may reach out to the SE at any time to check on the status of the Jira. If the ticket is being submitted for a bug or a defect: Please provide the versions of Thingworx, Tomcat, java; Operating System and specs. Include a clear description of the problem, expected result, current result; a Evaluate the business impact. If reproducible, include the steps. Optional: include the entities and data (.xml, .json if applicable) to demonstrate the issue Once the ticket has been created, it will be assigned to a support engineer (SE) who will then place a request (Jira) to R&D and provide a Jira # to the point of contact in the support ticket (assuming no further information is required) The R&D will provide an estimate release after the issue is evaluated. Upon sending the ETA to the case contact, the SE will close the support ticket.

PostgreSQL is a powerful, open source object-relational database system that provides unlimited database size. Thingworx 6.5 introduces PostgreSQL as persistence provider and supports High Availability. Main advantages with Thingworx Postgres are 1. Highly customizable PostgreSQL also includes a framework that allows developers to define and create their own custom data types along with supporting functions and operators that define their behavior. Triggers and stored procedures can be written in C and loaded into the database as a library, allowing great flexibility in extending its capabilities. 2. Synchronous replication PostgreSQL streaming replication is asynchronous by default. Synchronous replication offers the ability to confirm that all changes made by a transaction have been transferred to one synchronous standby server. This extends the standard level of durability offered by a transaction commit. The only possibility that data can be lost is if both the primary and the standby suffer crashes at the same time. 3. Write ahead logging for fault tolerance The Write Ahead Log (WAL), is the feature of PostgreSQL that allows it to recover data, usually up to the point where the server stopped. As you make changes to your data, PostgreSQL aggressively writes those changes to the WAL. PostgreSQL issues a checkpoint when a buffer limit is reached. When PostgreSQL restarts, it replays the changes from the WAL since the last Checkpoint, to bring the database back to the state of the last completed commit. Master node sends a live stream of data changes to the slave nodes through the WAL and slaves applies this data and stay up to date. 4. Point-in time recovery Point-in-time Recovery (PITR) also called as incremental database backup , online backup or may be archive backup. This mechanism use the history records stored in WAL file to do roll-forward changes made since last database full backup. With Point-in-time Recovery, database backup down time can totally eliminated because this mechanism can make database backup and system access happened at the same time. with PITR, we backup the latest archive log file since last backup instead of full database backup everyday. Thingworx streams data from the connected devices and postgres handles it with a greater scalability. In Thingworx, postgresql acts as a persistence provider that stores both run-time data and metadata about things. Run-time data is the data that is persisted once the things are composed and are used by connected devices to store their data. Streams and value streams fetch huge amounts of data, once the streaming data reaches a limit fo 50gb neo4j can't handle the performance. For example, for a singleStream that has 50 properties that gathers data from 10000 devices, it will quickly hit the memory limit with neo persistence provider. So, it is strongly recommended to choose postgresql for a better performance issues. Overview of Installing Thingworx PostgreSQL: Install latest version of Java and make sure environment variables are configured. Follow the instructions in Installing Thingworx 6.5​ to install tomcat. Instructions/commands may vary for different Linux flavors. Install PostgreSQL. For Linux/Unix environments, YUM-Installation Guidelines. Create 'ThingworxPostgresqlStorage' and 'ThingworxPlatform' folders in the root directory( / ), assign access permissions to the user. Copy modelproviderconfig.json file (from Thingworx download package) to 'ThingworxPlatform' folder. Execute ThingworxPostgresSchemaSetup and ThingworxPostgresDBSetup scripts (.bat for windows and .sh for Unix/Linux environments), for further instructions follow Getting Started with PostgreSQL ThingWorx Administrators Guide​. Restart the tomcat.