ComManager Object

The ComManager object encapsulates a complete WinCC OA manager, which runs in the same process range as the host application. Thus, there are some restrictions:

  • The ComManager cannot be used within WinCC OA (in Ctrl or in Vision).

  • The manager has to be started using the first instanced object and the init method.

  • The manager terminates the own process if the config file includes incorrect entries or if a connection to the Data and Event manager cannot be established. In this case also the host application is stopped.

The single methods are similar to the CTRL functions of the same name. The data point functions in CTRL use parameter arrays, which are not supported by the COM runtime layer. Thus, these parameters are VARIANTs that hold either a single value of the type or an array of these types. Also nested arrays are possible, for example, in case of a dpGetPeriod with several data points.

The methods provided by the ComManager are described in detail on the following pages. For an example see chapter EXCEL example.

Figure 1. Object catalog : ComManager object
Method Description
Init() Initializes (starts) the COM manager.
dpGet() Value query.
dpSet() Sets a value.
dpConnect() Builds a hot link to a data point.
dpConnectCB() Event as an reaction when a value changes.
dpDisconnect() Breaks down the hot link connection.
dpElementType() Returns the appropriate element type for a data point element.
dpGetAlias() Returns the alias of a data point element.
dpGetAsynch() Returns the historic values that were valid at specific time.
dpGetDescription() Returns the description of a data point element.
dpGetFormat() Returns the format of a data point element.
dpGetPeriod() Returns all values within a period.
dpGetUnit() Returns the unit of a data point element.
dpNames() Returns the data points that correspond to a type and a pattern.
dpQuery() Executes a query with the aid of SQL statements.
dpTypes() Returns the data point types that correspond to a specific pattern.
getLicense() Returns the number of the free licenses for the specified API type.
dpGetPeriodIntervall() Specific function for the Excel report.
dpGetAsynchIntervall() Specific function for the Excel report.
getTimeList() Specific function for the Excel report.