On the web site, I see mentions of an upcoming open driver API for Ignition’s OPC-UA Server. Throughout random forum posts, I’ve seen mentions of a Module API …
Which API’s are actually planned to be developed and released, (besides the open driver API mentioned above) … ? Personally, I’m quite interested in what a Module API would offer …
Both are planned to be available within a few months. The driver API is actually a derivative of the module API. Finding the time to document these APIs separately is really the limiting factor right now in getting them out the door, but we’ll get to it soon enough.
It will be helpful to us as we frame the API to hear from interested parties regarding where their interests lie - as in what sort of things you’d be interested in using the API for.
At the moment, I’ve got two interests …
I’ve developed an ASP.NET Web Application with a SQL Server 2008 backend. For authentication, I’m using Membership, specifically a custom Membership provider. Depending on the scenario, I use a number of encryption algorithms for passwords. I’d like to develop a module that would allow integration of my Membership provider into Ignition for use as an Authentication Profile; I’ve been unable to find a method of doing so using Ignition’s built-in functionality. For reference, the following link provides a database diagram of the default implementation of the Membership provider ASP.NET provides: http://superpatrick.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/aspnet_membership_schema_updated.png. The three tables of interest are aspnet_Membership, aspnet_Users and aspnet_Applications.
I’ve also recently read about IronPython and I wouldn’t mind attempting an implementation of IronPython within Ignition, (possibly through a module) … of course, this is simply a thought that crossed my mind today and I haven’t invested any time into thinking about the details, (or the benefits of implementing such a thing) … I’m curious to see if I could use IronPython to make .NET code I’ve developed accessible within Ignition.
Another idea … I posted something similar to this a while back before Ignition came-to-be …
I’d like to create a module that would monitor a directory for XML files. The XML files would contain the definitions of a Transaction Group, (be it Standard, Historial, whatever). When an XML file is plopped within the monitored directory, the module would recognize it, validate it, import and enable it.
I could use this module to automate portions of my Ignition development. I can ellaborate a bit more if desired, preferably with a phone call or e-mail …
Great! These sorts of ideas are exactly why we built a module-based system in the first place - now we just need to get the API sorted out to let guys like you have at it.
Hi Carl,
I as well am working with a custom membership provider. I’m wondering if there has been any development efforts for a module/API of some sort to work with for authentication. Or even some sort of Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) authentication?
thanks
Justin
The Module SDK is available now. You can use the Module SDK to make your own authentication profile. That way your username / password and roles can come from another system.
