Utilities

Abstract

Check out these articles and learn more details about the i4designer Utilities components and how to use them in your projects.

The components under the Utility category provides the user with various option to manipulate signal values by means of script definitions. Each component will be described in the upcoming sections of this article.

Tip

For a set of step-based tutorials describing the usage of the Utilities components, please visit the dedicated tutorials, here.

Local script

Abstract

Check out this article and learn more details about the i4designer Local script component and how can you use them in your projects.

The i4designer Local script is a utility component that enables the usage of temporary signals inside a client session, also known as Client-side signals.

The Client-side signals have multiple purposes, from simple things such as supporting state switching, based on client actions (ex. going in/out of a “selected” state when clicking on a button) to more complex scenarios:

Multiplexing/demultiplexing array signal values
Providing aggregated values as signals (ex. average/min/max value of log values over a certain time window)
Providing client-side scripting (client Vchannel functionality)

Given the fact that Client-side Signals only exist in the client application and have a life that is directly related to the session lifetime, there is no security concept around them. Client-side Signals can be written or read from any component.

Client-side signals are identified by the case-sensitive prefix: "local://". When the connector is requested such a signal, will be registered internally but it will not include the list of signals that are registered with the server.

The picture below illustrates the general behavior of the Local script component:

Representation of the Local script behavior

The Local script component can be found under the Utilities category:

The Local script component

Category	Property	Description
Common	Name	Sets the component's name.
Common	Object ID	Sets the Object ID of the component. By defining an object ID for the control, it can be passed as SignalPrefix when using parameter passing in navigation. The value of the Object ID can be used via a placeholder [OID] in other properties of this extension. The placeholder is supported in all signal properties, symbolic text, and states. Example: Setpoint [OID]
Signal	Input signal name	The name of the signals that will provide the input values of the script. The signals can be added as an array list, by manually filling in the name of the Signal(s).
Signal	Output signal name	The name of the signal to which the output will be written. If left empty, no writing will occur.
Configuration	Is async	If set to true, the function must return a Promise and it will be evaluated asynchronously. This allows to perform asynchronous operations (such as writing for the connector to perform an operation) and then writing the output value.
Configuration	Script body	Sets the JavaScript function body for processing the inputs. The function will receive three parameters that can be used in the script: values – an object which maps the signal name to a value (ex. values[“Local Second”]returns the current value of the local second) valuesArray – an array which contains the values of each signal from the InputSignalNames in the same order (ex. valuesArray[0] contains the value of the InputSignalNames[0] signal) signalService – the signal service instance which can be used in the script to gain full access to the signal operations. The value returned by the function will be written to the OutputSignalName if provided.
Transform	Width	Sets the width of the component using the up and down arrows to increase and decrease, or by manually typing the desired pixels value. The component width can also be adjusted directly on the design surface by means of mouse manipulation.
	Height	Sets the height of the component using the up and down arrows to increase and decrease, or by manually typing the desired pixels value. The component height can also be adjusted directly on the design surface by means of mouse manipulation.
	Angle	Sets the rotation angle using the up and down arrows to increase and decrease, or by manually typing the desired degree value. The component angle can also be adjusted directly on the design surface by means of mouse manipulation.
	Left	Specifies the X (horizontal) coordinate of the component, on the grid, using the up and down arrows to increase and decrease, or by manually typing the desired value. The component X coordinate can also be adjusted directly on the design surface by means of mouse manipulation.
	Top	Specifies the Y (vertical) coordinate of the component, on the grid, using the up and down arrows to increase and decrease, or by manually typing the desired value. The component Y coordinate can also be adjusted directly on the design surface by means of mouse manipulation.

Local array splitter

Abstract

Check out this article and learn how to use the Local array splitter component in order to break elements of a Signal.

The i4designer Local array splitter component is a utility component that allows the i4designer components to interact with individual array values in a simple and straightforward way.

The picture below illustrates the general behavior of the Local array splitter component:

Representation of the Local array splitter behavior

The Local array splitter component can be found under the Utilities category:

The Local array component

Category	Property	Description
Configuration	Array max size	If set, it will limit the number of signals for each array element. If not set, it will add signals as the array values are read and the array grows in size. Once signals are allocated, they will not be released unless the entire component is released. It is recommended to set this value if possible, otherwise, large numbers of signals can be created if the input signal value contains a large number of items.
	Array min size	If set, it will force the array to have a minimum size. This is useful for pre-creating local signals and it is also used when writing back the value to generate the array.
	Array name template	The name template is used for creating the local signals. The local signals will automatically have the ‘local://’ prefix and it should not be specified in the template. Two placeholders can be used in the name template. {InputSignalName}{Index} InputSiganlName - the name of the signal specified as input Index - the index of the value in the array (1-based)
	Array value type	The type of values that the array contains, If multiple value types can be in the array, then it should be set to "String". This is used for parsing the values and providing a native representation in the local signals, as well as for formatting them when writing to the output.
	Input array element quote	The quote character is used around each array element. By default, the " (double quotation mark) character is applied.
	Input array element separator	The separator is used between array elements. By default, the , (comma) character is applied.
	Input array left delimiter	The left array delimiter is used for parsing string arrays. By default, the [ (square open bracket) character is applied.
	Input array right delimiter	The right array delimiter is used for parsing string arrays. By default, the ] (square closed bracket) character is applied.
	Input array strip whitespace	If set to true, the parser will strip any whitespace between array elements and at the beginning and end of the array. If false, no stripping will be done inside the element quotes if they are defined, regardless of the value of this property.
	Input array type	Describes how the input array will be written: Native - the component expects the signal value to be an actual array. String - the component will parse the string signal value and will try to extract the array value out of it.
	Output array element quote	The quote character is used around each array element. By default, the " (double quotation mark) character is applied.
	Output array element separator	The separator is used between array elements. By default, the , (comma) character is applied.
	Output array left delimiter	The left array delimiter is used for parsing string arrays. By default, the [ (square open bracket) character is applied.
	Output array right delimiter	The right array delimiter is used for parsing string arrays. By default, the ] (square closed bracket) character is applied.
	Output array type	Describes how the output array will be written: Native - the component expects the signal value to be an actual array. String - the component will parse the string signal value and will try to extract the array value out of it.
	Output keep nulls	If set to true, null values will be written to the array, otherwise, only non-null values will be written.
	Output write buffering interval	The number of milliseconds used in Debounced/Sample/Throttle modes.
	Output write buffering mode	Describes how the writing to the output signal is done: None –as soon as a new value is written into one of the local signals, the whole array will be written to the output Debounced –after the OutputWriteBufferingInterval time elapses from the last change to any of the local signals, the value is written Sampled –every OutputWriteBufferingInterval milliseconds, the value will be written, independent of the values have changed or not Throttle –after the first change it will write the value after a maximum of OutputWriteBufferingInterval milliseconds. It will stop as soon as there are no more changes and the interval elapses. WaitAll –waits until all local signals corresponding to array elements are written to and then writes the output. Triggered –waits untilthe signalwith theOutputWriteTriggerSignalNamechanges it’s value
	Output write trigger signal name	If set and the OutputWriteBufferingMode is set to Triggered, it will trigger a write every time its value changes.
	Undefined default value	The default value is used when UndefinedValueHanding is set to UseDefaultValue. The default value is parsed/formatted according to the value of the ArrayValueType property.
	Undefined value handling	The default value is used when UndefinedvalueHandling is set to UseDefaultvalue. The default value is parsed/formatted according to the value of the ArrayValueType property. UseNull -signal values without a defined value will be treated as nulls when written to the output UseDefaultValue –signal values without a defined value will be replaced with the DefaultValue
	Write on read	If set to true, then every time the input value changes, it will go through the entire pipeline and write to the output.
Signal	Input signal name	The name of the signals that will provide the input values of the script.
Signal	Output signal name	The name of the signal to which the ouput will be written. If left empty, no writing will occur.
Common	Object ID	Sets the Object ID of the component. By defining an object ID for the control, it can be passed as SignalPrefix when using parameter passing in navigation. The value of the Object ID can be used via a placeholder [OID] in other properties of this extension. The placeholder is supported in all signal properties, symbolic text, and states. Example: Setpoint [OID]
Transform	Width	Sets the width of the component using the up and down arrows to increase and decrease, or by manually typing the desired pixels value. The component width can also be adjusted directly on the design surface by means of mouse manipulation.
	Height	Sets the height of the component using the up and down arrows to increase and decrease, or by manually typing the desired pixels value. The component height can also be adjusted directly on the design surface by means of mouse manipulation.
	Angle	Sets the rotation angle using the up and down arrows to increase and decrease, or by manually typing the desired degree value. The component angle can also be adjusted directly on the design surface by means of mouse manipulation.
	Left	Specifies the X (horizontal) coordinate of the component, on the grid, using the up and down arrows to increase and decrease, or by manually typing the desired value. The component X coordinate can also be adjusted directly on the design surface by means of mouse manipulation.
	Top	Specifies the Y (vertical) coordinate of the component, on the grid, using the up and down arrows to increase and decrease, or by manually typing the desired value. The component Y coordinate can also be adjusted directly on the design surface by means of mouse manipulation.