i4designer Applications
Learn how to configure application mappings at level of i4connected and link them to an i4designer project.
The i4designer application projects can be published to the i4connected environment by means of a mapping system.
The scope of the mapping system is to link i4designer projects to predefined i4connected applications and keep the i4designer visualizations up to date, each time a project is published.
Tip
For more details about the WEBfactory's i4designer product please also visit our technical documentation here.
Viewing the list of Applications
The i4connected Applications are listed in the Applications panel which can be accessed by clicking the tile with the same name.
Users having the View applications and / or View all applications permissions enabled can see applications that they own or have been assigned to their user, by a system administrator.

The Applications panel
Regardless of the user's permission level, the list of Applications features a simple filtering mechanism allowing the users to easily pin point the desired Application.
Tip
For more details about the simple filtering mechanism please also check this article.
The Refresh toolbar button allows the user to manually update the list contents.

The Refresh button
Applications are displayed as cards, distributed in a scroll-able list view. Each Application card displays the Application name and description. By clicking a listed Application a drill-down panel is opened displaying the i4designer project visualization.

Example of an Application displayed in view mode
Note
Based on the security settings established at level of i4designer, the i4connected user can interact with the project components.
Adding new Applications
Based on the user's permissions, the Applications panel features a set of management options allowing the user to create new application or to edit the existing ones.
Hence, users having the Manage applications permission enabled can add new applications, by clicking the Add toolbar button.

The Add application button
The Add application panel features the following settings:

Application name - the name of the application.
Application description - the user-friendly description of the application.
Select owner - name of the new Application owner.
Note
When adding a new Application the creator user is by default set as owner.
However, the owner can be changed after the Application was saved, by all users having at least the Manage applications permission enabled.
Application connection code - the code of the i4designer project that enables the connection between i4designer and i4connected environments.
There cannot be multiple applications using the same connection code. Hence, if the user tries to reuse another application's connection code a validation error will be triggered.
Tip
The application connection code needs to be copied from the i4designer source project and pasted in the i4connected application.
The i4connected Connection Code can be found in Control Center, associated to your i4designer project.
The i4connected Connection Code at level of i4designer
After filling in all the required settings the user can click the Save button to add the new Application to the list, or the Close button to close the panel without saving the new entity.
Note
As soon as a new Application is created, all global entities (Key Performance Indicators, Measure Types, Measure Groups, Signal Types, Roles and Permissions) will be automatically synchronized with the associated i4designer project.
Editing Applications
By clicking the Edit buton associated to a listed Application, users having the Manage applications permission enabled can change the settings of an Application.

The Edit Application button
When opening an Application in edit mode, the user can change all the application information and settings:

The Edit application panel
Application name - the name of the application can be updated
Application description - the description of the application can be updated
Application owner - the owner of the application can be updated by clicking the owner selector button. The Select Users panel is opened allowing the user to chose the Application's owner.
The Select users panel
Application connection code - the conection code of the application can be updated.
After processing all the necessary changes, the user can click the Save button to update the selected Application, or the Close button to close the panel without saving any changes.
Note
When updating an Application, all global entities (Key Performance Indicators, Measure Types, Measure Groups, Signal Types, Roles and Permissions) will be automatically synchronized with the associated i4designer project.
Deleting Applications
Redundant Applications can be deleted by users having the Manage applications permission enabled while in edit mode, by clicking the Delete toolbar button.

The Delete button
The Delete application panel displays a confirmation code that the user is required to manually fill in, in order to proceed with the delete operation.

The Delete application panel
Warning
Before confirming the application deletion, the user should pay attention to the consequences involved by this operation.
In case the typed deletion code is incorrect, the system will warn the user and prevent the deletion operation.
If the correct deletion code has been typed, pressing the Delete button will permanently remove the Application.
Managing Applications role assignments
Users having the Manage applications permission enabled can add Application roles assignments, by clicking the Users toolbar button, of the Edit application panel.

The Users button
The Application role assignments panel lists all the users assigned to the selected Application. In this view, the already assigned users can be updated or new users can be added.

The Application role assignments panel
Tip
For more details about the Entity role assignments function, please also visit the dedicated article here.
Synchronizing Global Entities
As earlier indicated, global entities are automatically synchronized with the associated i4designer project, as soon as the Application was created or updated. However, in case further changes at level of these entities occur, they need to be manually synchronized, using the Synchronize Global Entities function.
This function is available for all users having the Manage applications permission enabled. To initiate the synchronization of global entities, the user only needs to click the Synchronize Global Entities toolbar button.

The Synchronize Global Entities button
When clicking the Synchronize Global Entities button, the synchronization process starts in background. As soon as the operation is finished, a toast message is displayed in the browser page.

Toast message - "Global entities synchronized"
The Synchronize Global Entities function enables the possibility to parse the following i4connected entities, to an i4designer project:
i4connected Entity | Description |
---|---|
Roles | Only the roles accessible for the currently logged in user are synchronized. |
Permissions | All the system permissions are synchronized, regardless of the currently logged in user's security level. |
Key Performance Indicators | All the system key performance indicators are synchronized. |
Measure Types | All the system measure types are synchronized. |
Measure Groups | All the system measure groups are synchronized. |
Signal Types | All the system signal types are synchronized. |
Tip
For more details about the i4designer integration with i4connected, please also visit our online technical documentation, here.
Synchronizing Signals
Users having the Manage applications permission enabled, can parse i4connected Signals, to an i4designer project, using the Synchronize Signals toolbar button.

The Synchronize Signals button
As soon as the Synchronize Signals button is clicked, the Synchronize Signals List panel is opened. On the first use, the list of signals is by default empty.
By clicking the Add toolbar button, the Signal List panel is opened, listing all the signals accessible for the currently logged in user.

The Signal List panel
After selecting one or multiple signals, the user can click the Select button, to add the signals to the Synchronize Signal List panel.

Signals added to the Synchronize Signal List
In this view, the added Signals will be accompanied by the Not synchronized icon , until the user clicks the Synchronize Signals toolbar button.

The Synchronize Signals button
Important
Unsynchronized signals will be removed from the list view, if the user does not synchronize the signals, before closing the panel.
Upon a successful synchronization, the icon is removed and a toast message is displayed, to confirm the successful operation.

The "Signals synchronized" toast message
At any point, the user can remove signals, from the Synchronize Signal List, by clicking the Delete button. After removing signals, the list needs to be resynchronized.

The Delete Signal button
Important
Removing signals from this view, does NOT delete the signal itself. The purpose of the remove function in this context, is to allow the user to easily update the list of signals, that will be synchronized with the i4designer project.
The Refresh toolbar button can be used, to manually update the list of Signals. However, if there are any unsynchronized signals in the list, these will be removed when using the refresh option.

The Refresh button
Further on, users having the Read Signals and / or Write Signals permissions enabled, can also open the listed Signals in edit mode, in order to process further changes.

The Edit signal panel
Tip
For more details about signals management, please also visit the dedicated article, here.
Since the list of Signals considers the security level of the currently logged in user, some Signals may display the Purged icon .
The Purged icon marks all the Signals that have been previously synchronized with the i4designer project, but otherwise are not accessible for the currently logged in user.
Since the user cannot synchronize these Signals, with an i4designer project, the user can click the Remove incorrect signals toolbar button, in order to clean up the list.

The Remove incorrect signals button
In case the list contains both incorrect and correct signals, the user can proceed with the synchronization operation.
Tip
For more details about the i4designer integration with i4connected, please also visit our online technical documentation, here.
Synchronizing Object Filters
Users having the Manage applications permission enabled can define Object Filters and consequently synchronize them with an i4designer project.
The Synchronize Object Filter List panel is opened as soon as the user clicks the Synchronize Object Filters button, of the Edit application panel.

The Synchronize Object Filter List panel
By default, the Synchronize Object Filter List panel is empty, allowing the user to Add, Refresh and Synchronize Object Filters.
The Add button opens the Add Object Filter panel.

The Add button
In this view, the user needs to fill in the Name and Description of the new Object Filter and proceed with selecting the Filter. The Select filter button opens the Object filters panel, allowing the user to select the desired entities, choosing from the lists of Sites, Areas, Organizational Units and Devices.

The Object filters panel
As soon as the desired entities are selected, the user can click the Apply&Close button, to return to the Add object filter panel.
Tip
For more details about the Object filters panel, please also visit the dedicated article, here.
To preserve the defined Object filter, the user can click the Save button.

The Add object filter panel
The new filter will be added to the Synchronize Object Filter List panel, accompanied by the Not synchronized icon . To parse the Object filter to the linked i4designer project, the user is required to click the Synchronize filters toolbar button.

Unsynchronized Object Filter
Important
Unsynchronized Object filters will be removed from the list view, if the user does not synchronize the filters, before closing the panel.
Object filters can be opened in edit mode, by all users having the Manage applications permission enabled. While in edit mode, the user can either change the Object filter parameters (Name, Description and Filter) or remove the filter, by clicking the Delete toolbar button.

The Delete button
As soon as the Delete button is clicked, the Delete object filter panel is opened. In this view, the user is required to manually fill in the deletion confirmation code and click the Delete button.

The Delete object filter panel
Tip
For more details about the i4designer integration with i4connected, please also visit our online technical documentation, here.
Synchronizing Event Filters
Users having the Manage applications permission enabled can define Event Filters and consequently synchronize them with an i4designer project.
The Synchronize Event Filter List panel is opened as soon as the user clicks the Synchronize Event Filters button, of the Edit application panel.

The Synchronize Event Filter List panel
By default, the Synchronize Event Filter List panel is empty, allowing the user to Add, Refresh and Synchronize Event Filters.
The Add button opens the Add Event Filter panel.

The Add button
In this view, the user needs to fill in the Name and Description of the new Event Filter and proceed with selecting the Filter. The Select filter button opens the Event filters panel, allowing the user to select the desired entities, choosing from the lists of Events, Event groups and Event types.

The Event filters panel
As soon as the desired entities are selected, the user can click the Apply&Close button, to return to the Add event filter panel.
Tip
For more details about the Event filters panel, please also visit the dedicated article, here.
To preserve the defined Event filter, the user can click the Save button.

The Add event filter panel
The new filter will be added to the Synchronize Event Filter List panel, accompanied by the Not synchronized icon . To parse the Event filter to the linked i4designer project, the user is required to click the Synchronize filters toolbar button.

Unsynchronized Event Filter
Important
Unsynchronized Event filters will be removed from the list view, if the user does not synchronize the filters, before closing the panel.
Event filters can be opened in edit mode, by all users having the Manage applications permission enabled. While in edit mode, the user can either change the Event filter parameters (Name, Description and Filter) or remove the filter, by clicking the Delete toolbar button.

The Edit Event Filter panel
As soon as the Delete button is clicked, the Delete event filter panel is opened. In this view, the user is required to manually fill in the deletion confirmation code and click the Delete button.

The Delete event filter panel
Tip
For more details about the i4designer integration with i4connected, please also visit our online technical documentation, here.