How to create an Custom Aspect with Aspect Express to 800xA 6.0 using Visual Studio and C#
I would like to ask for help regarding some issues I am having when trying to create an Aspect.
My settings are:
- Windows 2012 R2
- Aspect Express Builder 5.1
- 800xA 6.0
- Visual Studio 2015 (Visual C #)
1) I am trying to create a new Aspect Express using Aspect Express 5.1 for version 6.0 of 800xA. It is possible?
2) The Aspect Express Builder 5.1 documentation gives an example using Visual Basic 6. I would like to use something a bit more current like Visual Studio and C #. Is this possible or does Aspect Express Builder 5.1 only work with Visual Basic 6?
3) Actually, I'm trying to create a DLL to be imported via Aspect Express Builder 5.1, but I'm having problems and I can not find a solution. I'm using Visual Studio. I'm creating a simple C # class library project. I add the references to "Aspect Express 1.0 Type Library" and "Aspect Automation 1.0 Type Library" and also make the settings for Register for COM interop. Additionally, in the AssemblyInfo.cs file, I declare ComVisible to be "true." I build the project and the DLL is generated. When trying to import in Aspect Express Builder 5.1 an error message is displayed containing ".... dll does not contain any type library information. Please select another file". I have tried to register the DLL manually via the terminal, but nothing solves this. I no longer know if the problem is something wrong that I am doing or if it is because of the version of Aspect Express Builder 5.1. Visual Basic does not work correctly in Windows 2012 R2. Anyway, I do not know where else to go. I also find no manual or tutorial for this purpose.
Can someone help me please?
Voted best answer
I try to do some work on the same topic.
This is what i found out:
- Seems ABB intends to drop out the whole ActiveX technology out of 800xA and replace it with native dotnet assemblies. So using Aspect Express Builder will be a misstake, even if you get it to work now. Can someone of the ABB staffs confirm this?
- ABB included a pdf called "2PAA107043-510_A_en_System_800xA_5.1_.NET_Aspects_Programmers_Guide.pdf" in there documentation fo 800xA v5.1. This document describes how to make a aspect in C#. Is this part of v6.0 too?
- I was able to write a small demo aspect in C#. It works, but it has a bad drawback: it displays a "This aspect view is not signed by ABB. Please contact your supplier." warning above the aspect. The documentation says: "To become an approved supplier and to get implementation bindings signed, contact the product supplier responsible for Process Portal A.". I asked my ABB supplier 3 times over 1 year, but got no answer until now. Seem ABB silently reject 3rd party aspects.
Answers
Looking over the API interface changes in recent years they seem to be occurring mostly in the ABB.xA.Base.*.dll libraries. The entry point into the 800xA system via ABB.xA.Base.IDisposableBaseServices (as described in the '2PAA107043-510_A_en_System_800xA_5.1_.NET_Aspects_Programmers_Guide.pdf' is certainly the most recent one. This interface also works in SV6 and in beta versions of the upcoming SV 6.1.
Odairjt: Relating to your more recent question regarding Aspect Express, I did a search of our internal database I did not find any documents that relate to Aspect Express and SV 6 or Aspect Studio and SV 6. I would recommend you follow Ordoban's advice and try to use the info from the above mentioned NET_Aspects_Programmers_Guide.pdf to create your custom aspect.
Ordoban: I had asked how to get rid of the "This aspect view is not signed by ABB. Please contact your supplier." message about 5 years ago and still have not gotten a reply. So it's not just people outside of ABB who don't get an answer to this question. I will, however, make another attempt, and in the unlikely case that I get an answer, I will forward it to you.
Hi Ordoban and MichaelVach.
Thank you very much for your help. They really gave me a good direction. I will look for the document cited and work this way.
Again, thank you very much for your effort in helping me.
Maybe also helpful: my overwhelming example project
Installation:
- copy the ErsteForm.dll into the 800xa bin folter (in my case c:\Program Files (x86)\ABB Industrial IT\Operate IT\Process Portal A\bin\)
- doubleclick the .add file
- create some of the new TestAC aspect
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