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COM
COM - Microsoft Interface stands for Component Object Model, a specification for developing modular software components which can be used by each COM compatible application. COM components can be easily integrated in such applications and can even be removed from an application at run time. COM components can be programmed in various different programming languages although C++ is used mostly. The specifications OLE, ActiveX and DirectX are based on the COM technology.
Objects for the COM Manager
ComManager Object
COM - dpGetDescriptionLang()
Returns the description of a datapoint element in all available project languages.

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Web Connectivity / Network Interfaces
Data exchange, APIs and web technologies
- APIs
  An overview of the APIs (Application Programming Interface) available in WinCC OA.
- COM
  COM - Microsoft Interface stands for Component Object Model, a specification for developing modular software components which can be used by each COM compatible application. COM components can be easily integrated in such applications and can even be removed from an application at run time. COM components can be programmed in various different programming languages although C++ is used mostly. The specifications OLE, ActiveX and DirectX are based on the COM technology.
  - Requirements for COM in WinCC OA
  - Objects for the COM Manager
    - ComManager Object
      - COM - Init()
        Initializes (starts) the COM manager.
      - COM - dpGet()
        Reads values from datapoint attributes and saves the values in variables.
      - COM - dpSet()
        Assigns values to datapoint attributes.
      - COM - dpConnect()
        Builds a hotlink to attributes of datapoint elements.
      - dpConnectCB()
        Event as an reaction when a value changes.
      - COM - dpDisconnect()
        Disconnects a hotlink.
      - COM - dpElementType()
        Returns the appropriate element type for a datapoint element
      - COM - dpGetAlias()
        Returns the alias of a datapoint element.
      - COM - dpGetAsynch()
        Returns the historic values that were valid at that time.
      - COM - dpGetAsynchIntervall()
        Executes a dpGetAsynch() in every interval. This is a specific function for the Excel report.
      - COM - dpGetDescription()
        Returns the description of a datapoint element.
      - COM - dpGetDescriptionLang()
        Returns the description of a datapoint element in all available project languages.
      - COM - dpGetFormat()
        Returns the format of the datapoint element.
      - COM - dpGetPeriod()
        Returns the values of datapoint attributes over a specific period.
      - COM - dpGetPeriodIntervall()
        Query of datapoint attributes over a specific period. This is a specific function for the Excel report.
      - COM - dpGetUnit()
        Returns the unit of a datapoint element.
      - COM - dpNames()
        Returns all datapoints corresponding to the specified type and pattern.
      - COM - dpQuery()
        Queries values of datapoint attributes with the aid of SQL statements.
      - COM - dpTypes()
        Returns all datapoint types that match the pattern.
      - COM - getLangIdx()
        Returns the index of the specified language in the project.
      - COM - getLicense()
        Returns the amount of licenses that are still free for the API type.
      - COM - getTimeList()
        Returns single datapoints within a period. This is a specific function for the Excel report.
    - ProjAdmin-Object
    - ProjAdminAuto Object
  - EXCEL example
- Prometheus Interface
  The Prometheus interface (also referred to as Prometheus client) serves as a bridge between WinCC OA and Prometheus. It facilitates the retrieval, processing, and exposure of data from the WinCC OA system to a Prometheus-compatible format. This allows Prometheus to monitor and alert based on the data fetched from the WinCC OA system.
- SIMATIC PLC Discovery
  In increasingly dynamic automation environments and the merging of IT with OT, the SIMATIC PLC Discovery can help with the connection of newly added S7/S7+ devices by showing you all the devices in the network
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  The WinCC OA JavaScript Manager for Node.js is a manager that allows for the integration of the TypeScript/JavaScript runtime environment Node.js® into WinCC OA.
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  SIMATIC Unified AR is an industrial Augmented Reality app that allows to display and operate HMI screens (WinCC Unified) and web applications (WinCC OA Dashboard) in real production environments.
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- XML-RPC
  XML-RPC (Extensible Markup Language Remote Procedure Call) allows software on different operating systems to make procedure calls over the internet. XML-RPC uses HTTP for the transport and XML for the encoding. It sends the procedure call to a remote server through HTTP. The call is an XML document and it receives the response as XML.
- REST Reporting API
  The REST Reporting API is integrated into the Standard web server and can be activated via the config entry [restRporting] enabled.
- Distributed systems
  Distributed systems in WinCC OA allow to connect two or more autonomous WinCC OA systems via a network.
- Dist-Management
  Configuring and maintaining a distributed system in WinCC OA requires a high amount of engineering effort due to a high number of settings and configuration steps that must be applied on several systems. The Dist-Management reduces the engineering effort and simplifies the necessary settings.
- XMPP
  XMPP (formerly Jabber) is mostly used in chat (instant messaging) applications and allows near real time communication between two or more parties. It can, e.g., be used to push information from a WinCC_OA project server to one or more persons, even allowing the recipient to send a confirmation back to the server.
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Basic information about terms and functions within the documentation.
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COM - dpGetDescriptionLang()

Returns the description of a datapoint element in all available project languages.

Synopsis

HRESULT dpGetDescriptionLang([in] BSTR vDpName, [in, defaultvalue(-3)] int iMode, [out, retval]VARIANT *vDescription);

Parameter


Parameter	Description
vDpName	Datapoint element or datapoint
iMode	Mode for the operating mode
vDescription	The description of the datapoint element or datapoint

Description

This function returns the description of the specified datapoint element in all available project languages.

If the value -3 (default) is used for the iMode parameter, the ComManager uses the default value from the config file. Otherwise, the mode is used as described in the CTRL function dpGetDescription().

Example

(See ComSample.xls, CComSample)

Public Sub dpGetDescriptionLang()Debug.Print
moComManager.dpGetDescriptionLang("_mp_ANALOG2.analog.value")End
Sub

Assignment

COM