Ignition 8.1.44: Workstation Update, New DNP3 Driver Setting, Document Data Type In Vision
With Halloween coming up soon, the release train delivers some fantastic treats for Ignition users (no tricks, we promise!).
Ignition 8.1.44 offers greater consistency for Perspective Workstation, a new advanced setting for the DNP3 Driver, and the addition of a document data type in Vision.
Workstation’s JxBrowser Update
You can look forward to a more consistent experience in Perspective Workstation with 8.1.44, and a lot less bugs! We’ve upgraded JxBrowser (which is used for Workstation’s browser windows) to 7.40.0, which includes Chromium 127.0.6533.73. This new version of JxBrowser uses Swing instead of JavaFX. Please be aware that due to this change, Workstation will no longer support the following operating systems: Windows 8 and older, or macOS Sierra 10.12 and older.
The JavaFX implementation of JxBrowser causes a higher number of regressions, so by making the change to the Swing implementation you’ll have reduced exposure to JxBrowser bugs. Swing also has much better support for multi-windowed desktops, and its rendering performance is better for JxBrowser.
A major reason for making this switch is that it will let us upgrade the embedded version of Chromium more frequently in the future. This is an important capability, since JxBrowser and Chromium are updated pretty often. Now, we’ll be able to follow along with those updates a lot more closely than we have in the past, providing you with a more seamless user experience as a result.
New Octet Strings Setting For The DNP3 Driver
8.1.44 adds greater convenience to the DNP3 Driver by enabling the reading of octet string points (byte arrays) as string types — without scripting. Please note that this new feature is specifically for the latest DNP3 Driver, not the legacy version.
Previously, it was a little bit of a pain to turn octet string point values into a string in the Ignition tag system. Since the expression language doesn't support operating on array values, converting the byte array value to a string required a custom scripting function. But now, you can have the DNP3 Driver model and deliver these values as strings with automated ease, simply by using the “Octet Strings Are Strings” advanced setting.
Document Data Type In Vision
The variety of data type options for Vision just got bigger in 8.1.44. Now, in addition to the existing integer, long, short, float, double, Boolean, string, color, date, and dataset options, you can also select “document” as a data type in Vision's custom properties.
This option is a way to store types of data that are along the lines of a JSON structure into a tag itself. The ability to do this already exists in Perspective, and you’ll now have that same functionality in Vision. With the document data type you’ll be able to view structures similar to how you can in Perspective, with a nested JSON structure look.
The Next Release Train Is En Route
Find out more about these updates in the 8.1.44 release notes and the Ignition user manual. And if you have any Ignition feature requests on your wishlist, be sure to stop by the ideas portal and let us know about them. The next release train is scheduled to pull into the station in early January, and will deliver a winter wonderland of new Ignition features.