Introduction to Track Changes
The Track Changes tools
provides additionalprovide features
forfor logging and tracking
theengineering solution changes,
covering the following:including Recent Changes, Version Control, Cross-Reference, Use Count, and Unused Objects.
On this page:
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These tools enable audit trails, impact analysis, and solution optimization.
Access: Track Changes (in Solution Explorer)
Parent Page: DevOps & Version Control (Reference)
Navigation Pages
| Page | Purpose | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|
| Recent Changes | Change log with configurable persistence | Audit trail and navigation |
| Version Control | Table version tracking | Online configuration sync |
| Cross-Reference | Object usage locations | Impact analysis |
| Use Count | Usage frequency | Resource optimization |
| Unused Objects | Unreferenced objects | Cleanup candidates |
Core Functions
Change Tracking
Version Control tables maintain a summary, by Module and Configuration Table, of the current version and last modification of all elements in a solution. This data ensures consistency when connecting to Runtime for online changes.
Cross-Reference Engine
The Cross-Reference system powers:
- Find Results Panel in Designer
- Use Count calculations
- Unused Objects detection
- Impact analysis for changes
Limitations
Important: Cross-Reference only detects direct object usage. Indirect references are not tracked:
| Indirect Usage Type | Example | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| String references | Asset("/folder1/tag1") | Not detected |
| .Link property | TagReference via string | Not tracked |
| API access | External applications | Not visible |
| Dynamic references | Script-generated names | Not found |
| OPC UA/MQTT | External consumers | Not tracked |
Integration Points
With Designer
| Feature | Integration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Find Results Panel | Uses Cross-Reference data | Object search |
| Home Page | Shows Recent Changes | Quick access |
| Runtime Diagnostics | Compares versions | Online config |
| Double-click navigation | From any table row | Direct access |
With Runtime
The Version Control data enables:
- Online configuration verification
- Hot reload compatibility checks
- Change synchronization
- Version mismatch detection
Best Practices
Regular Maintenance
- Review Recent Changes daily
- Check Unused Objects weekly
- Monitor Use Count for optimization
- Verify Cross-References before deletion
Before Removing Objects
- Check Unused Objects table
- Verify no indirect references
- Confirm no external usage
- Use Find Results for verification
- Document removal reason
Change Management
- Configure appropriate auto-delete settings
- Keep audit trail for compliance
- Export changes for version control
- Review Version Control before deployment
Child Pages
- Recent Changes (Reference)
- Version Control (Reference)
- Cross-Reference (Reference)
- Use Count (Reference)
- Unused Objects (Reference)
TrackChanges Tables
Recent Changes
Presents the list objects modified in the Solution Configuration. See Recent Changes.
Version Control
Presents the summary of all configuration tables and its version. See Version Control.
Cross-Reference
Presents the list objects in use and its usage locations. See Cross-Reference.
Use Count
Presents the list objects in use, and the number of times it has been used. See Use Count.
Unused Objects
Presents the list objects created but not used in the configuration. See Unused Objects.In this section:
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