Sending E-mails from an Automation Object - Part 2

In Part 1 I discussed a script that allows your Galaxy to send e-mails through an SMTP server. The e-mail, while short and simple, was all contained within a single Execute script. This means that every single class used by the script is instantiated and initialized every time the script runs. Also, all the information that the script uses was hardcoded within the script itself.

Let's take advantage of the different execution types, UDAs, and the Declarations section to reshape the script into a better, optimized, and well-structured object. Details after the break.

Sending E-mails from an Automation Object - Part 1

Once in a while I hear people asking how to send e-mails from Application Server. As long as you have access, or rather your Galaxy has access to an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server, you can configure an object to perform this task using the System.Net.Mail namespace of the Microsoft .NET Framework.

After the break, I'll walk you through a basic script that will send e-mails though Gmail SMTP server. Later, in Part 2, I will describe a better, optimized version of the object and script.

An Overview of the Deployment Model in Application Server

In previous posts I provided an overview of the objects you get out of the box when you create a new Galaxy in Application Server. When discussing the System Objects I (very) briefly mentioned two important configurations of a Galaxy: the Plant Model and the Deployment Model.

Today I want to talk a little bit about the Deployment Model.

An Overview of the Plant Model in Application Server

In previous posts I provided an overview of the objects you get out of the box when you create a new Galaxy in Application Server. When discussing the System Objects I (very) briefly mentioned two important configurations of a Galaxy: the Plant Model and the Deployment Model.

Today I want to talk a little bit about the Plant Model.

An Overview of Application Objects in Application Sever

Following up on a previous post, A Quick Overview of Automation Objects in Application Server, let's take a closer look at the Application Objects.

While System Objects provide the infrastructure to distribute and run your application, and Device Integration Objects give you the means to access I/O from the Galaxy, it is the Application Objects the ones that allow you to model the equipment in the field. For example, valves, motors, conveyors, level and temperature transmitters, they are all modeled through Application Objects.

An Overview of Device Integration Objects in Application Server

Following up on a previous post, A Quick Overview of Automation Objects in Application Server, let's take a closer look at the Device Integration Objects.

DI Objects (for Device Integration) represents your controllers - PLCs, RTUs, or similar devices. They don't communicate directly to the controllers, but with a "driver" that speaks the actual controller's communication protocol; for example, Modbus or DH+. In the case of Wonderware "drivers", we are talking about Device Integration Servers: IO Servers or DA Servers.

Basically, the out-of-the-box Device Integration Objects allow your Galaxy to communicate with other applications through DDE, SuiteLink, or OPC. These applications can be Wonderware Device Integration Servers, 3rd-party OPC Servers, or any other applications that is a DDE, SuiteLink, or OPC server.

An Overview of System Objects in Application Server

Following up on a previous post, A Quick Overview of Automation Objects in Application Server, let's take a closer look at the System Objects.

As I indicated before, I consider the System Objects the infrastructure objects of the Galaxy (remember, Galaxy = project). These objects provide the pillars or foundation of your application, and define two important concepts in your project Galaxy: The Plant Model and the Deployment Model.

A Quick Overview of Automation Objects in Application Server

A project in Application Server consist of the configuration and assembly of automation objects. I will estimate that 99% of a Galaxy (that's how we call the projects) consist of these automation objects.

So let's take a quick look at the automation objects you get out of the box with Application Server (you can get more objects with other Wonderware products… or build your own with our toolkit).