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Introduction

Every knowledge area domain has its own terminology, and software applications are no exception. While the nomenclature used on this platform follows market standards our platform uses industry-standard terms whenever possible, some specific terms may have special certain words may carry specific meanings in this context.

We recommend reviewing this glossary after you've gained some experience with the platform. Revisiting these definitions will help clarify key concepts and improve your efficiency when building applications.

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Glossary (A-Z)

This glossary includes the key terms and concepts used by our platform, as well as relevant technologies.

It is recommended to read this glossary at least once after using our platform for a few months. Reviewing the definitions and concepts, combined with your experience, will enhance your understanding of the system and improve your efficiency in creating applications.

Name

DevicePoint is

assigned an AccessType,

which defines its read/write behavior, including polling rate and

permissions

.

AlarmArea
A hierarchical grouping of AlarmGroups for structured alarm management.

Can contain child AlarmAreas, useful for large systems

.

AlarmGroup
A collection of AlarmItems sharing common properties. Simplifies configuration with settings like AckRequired, AutoAckTime, and Sound.

AlarmItem
A tag or expression monitored by the Alarm Module,

including condition, limit, deadband, and message settings.

AlarmGroup

A collection of AlarmItems sharing common properties. It simplifies alarm management with configuration properties like AckRequired, AutoAckTime, and Sound.

App Domain, Application Domain
A virtual, isolated environment

for running a .NET application

, providing process isolation.

Application, Project, Solution

"Project" applies to version 9.2

and earlier. "Solution" applies to version 10+. "Application"

refers to the functional use of the configuration.

Application Modules

Modules that

execute a system's internal logic and

transformations

,

including

Datasets, Reports, Scripts, and Displays.

Assembly
An executable file (.EXE or .DLL) created using managed code

within the .NET framework.

Asset Tree
A hierarchical

view of

variables

and templates reflecting equipment, recipes, setpoints, and other process data.

Audit Trail
Logs changes and events

during runtime execution, useful for diagnostics and compliance.

Build

compiles the solution

; Publish creates a read-only version for

deployment in

validated environments.

Labels used

to organize large

configurations across multiple tables.

Channels
Configuration object in the Devices Module

specifying communication protocol and settings.

Client

Software interacting with

the server or

runtime. Includes .NET

, HTML5

, and Remote Clients.

CodeBehind

In scripting, "Client Domain" refers to client-local values.

Client Connection
A runtime connection to the solution from a local or remote station. Does not include engineering sessions.

CodeBehind
Custom

VB.NET or C# code used for event handling, calculations, and

behavior

.

Can also

call Python classes.

Component, User Controls
Graphical controls used in displays. Includes buttons, inputs, and custom elements.

Connection Target

Defines the

data source

(Local Solution,

TagProvider, or Remote

source).

DatasetDBs
Settings in the Datasets Module for external database connections.

DatasetFile
A logical object in the Datasets Module for reading/writing

Component, User Controls

Graphical User Controls available for creating displays, including customizable objects and elements.

DatasetDBs

Connection settings created by the Datasets Module to communicate with an external database.

DataTemplate (UDT)

User-defined data structures that include variables and references to other templates, creating a hierarchical data structure.

DatasetFile

ASCII, Unicode, or XML

files.

DatasetTable

DatasetQuery
A configured SQL query in the Datasets Module

DatasetQuery

, with properties and methods for execution.

DatasetTable
A table mapping Tags to database columns for read/write operations.

DataTemplate (UDT)
User-defined data structure with nested variables and template references.

Designer, Solution Designer
The

interface used to configure FrameworX solutions.

Display / Screen

A window or frame of your application’s user interface, containing static or dynamic graphical elements.

Draw

Part of the Solution Designer used to draw and animate displays and synoptic screens.

DLL Hell

Visual container for user interface elements.

DLL Hell
Conflicts from shared DLLs in legacy systems, addressed by .NET’s assembly isolation.

Domain, Server Domain, Client Domain

Object value scope during runtime: Server-wide vs. Client-local.

Draw
Designer module for building synoptic screens and animations.

Dynamics and Animations

Definition for changes in the graphical elements attributes, driven by the values of real-time tags.

TagProvider Connections

Enable direct interaction with variables, tags and data structures in remote systems without creating specific tags, enhancing data access within the Unified Namespace.

Enumerations

Define potential values or ranges for a variable, mapping messages and colors to each state.

Forms, Report Forms

Rich Text documents that can include real-time tag values, tables, and symbols, saved as Text or PDF files.

Graphical Element

Components used in screens, such as shapes, checkboxes, or trend charts.

Image resources

Imported image files used as graphical elements in your solution.

Industrial icons

Pre-built icons designed for industrial automation applications.

Internal Module

Features and programs that implement internal system functions, running without user configuration.

FactoryStudio

A scalable product version for SCADA/HMI, IIoT Edge, and Gateway applications, built on Tatsoft’s FrameworX.

FrameworX

The software platform and underlying technologies and components.

FrameworX Unlimited

Changes to graphical attributes based on tag values.

Enumerations
Maps possible tag values to states, labels, and colors.

Form, Report Form
Rich text document that can embed real-time data and symbols; exportable to PDF.

FrameworX
The core software platform and runtime environment.

FrameworX Unlimited
Licensing model with unlimited Clients, Developers, and Connections.

FX EDGE
A FrameworX

deployment for edge computing scenarios.

FX MQTT Broker

Built-in MQTT broker in the FrameworX

platform.

FX MQTT Simulator

An MQTT Client simulator with Sparkplug, included in the product installation.

Simulator for testing MQTT Clients and Sparkplug payloads.

HistorianTag
Tag configured for storage in a HistorianTable, optionally referencing external sources.

Hot Updates (Hot Reload)
Apply offline changes to the runtime without restarting execution.

Industrial Icons
Pre-built graphics suited for industrial applications.

Internal Module
Background functionality that operates without user configuration.

Hot Updates (Hot Reload)

Apply offline solution changes without disrupting the runtime environment, maintaining stability and preventing downtime.

HistorianTables

Groups Tags for historical archiving, defining settings for storage and retention.

HistorianTag

Tags whose values are stored in a HistorianTable, including dynamic references to external data.

Project File

SQL Studio encoded database containing the Project configuration, with extensions .TPROJ and .TRUN.

Layout

.

Modifier (Device/Points)

Parameter for DevicePoints enabling custom access for arrays, bits, and strings.

Modular

Architecture
System design that splits functionality into interchangeable modules.

Module

Executable unit interfacing with the real-time database

.

Namespace

An address space with unique names for objects, grouping process variables, modules properties and methods, etc.

Logical space where named runtime objects exist.

Nodes

Device Module object defining the settings to physical devices, using the protocol defined in the DeviceChannel. Each Node contains one or more DevicePoints.

Online Configuration

Identifies the type of runtime object (

e.g., Display, Report, Script).

Objects, Runtime Objects

Visible objects in the Solution, accessed via scripts and displays, updated by the respective execution modules.

PanelType

Defines how graphical elements are organized, supporting Canvas and Dashboard types.

Canvas (or Process Screens): The elements are in a drawing surface, where each element has its specific location and size.

Entities managed and accessed in runtime via displays and scripts.

ObjectValues, PropertyValue
Runtime properties of Tags and system objects.

Online Configuration
Ability to edit running systems in real time.

Parameters (Tag Configuration)
Settings that define tag behavior and data handling.

Permissions, PermissionsGroup

Set levels of access for users, determining their capabilities within the solution.

Policies

Access levels and user role definitions.

Plugin

Subset of a FrameworX Solution, exported and imported using the Solution-Export command. Reusable components of a solution, containing Tags, Displays, or other objects.

Reusable component exported/imported from a solution.

Policies
Rules for login and user session handling.

Points, DevicePoint
Mapped values representing physical I/O or register addresses.

Process Modules
Modules such as

ObjectValues, PropertyValue

Properties defined for runtime objects, such as Tags and DeviceNodes.

PropertyWatch

Diagnostic utility to check and modify object values at runtime.

Parameters (Tag Configuration)

Defines behavior and value processing for Tags.

Process Modules

Alarms, Devices, and Historian that interface with the physical process.

Points, DevicePoint

Individual items read or written from/to DeviceNodes, mapping specific Tags to device registers or PLC I/O addresses. 

Product Family

Process Tag
Tag that reflects real-world data via devices or other sources.

Product Family
Platform variants: FrameworX, FactoryStudio,

MachineHMI,

EdgeConnect.

Product Family and Model

Defines runtime licensing requirements

.

Project File
In

versions before v10, contains project configuration (.tproj, .trun).

Protocols
Communication rules supported by the Devices Module.

Property or Attribute
Defined value of a runtime object.

PropertyWatch
Tool for live inspection/modification of values.

Protocols

Rules for communication between devices, supported by the software.

Solution

Application for real-time data built on the platform, including configurations for all Modules.

SolutionDB / SolutionDatabase

Database containing configuration information, with extension .dbsln.

Solution File / Solution Name

Configuration of an application saved in a .dbsln file, matching the solution name.

Property or Attribute

Associated value of a Tag or object.

, RunDB, Runtime Database, RtDB
In-memory database

that stores tag data during

execution

.

Rendering Engine

Graphics rendering engine supporting WPF, HTML5, and Portable Clients.

Reports WebData
Interfaces for JSON,

XML, HTML data exchange or file output.

Runtime
Phase where

the solution

executes in real time.

Runtime Database

The core in-memory

RuntimeUsers

Users created and retrieved from an external encrypted SQL database or other identification servers.

TargetPlatform

database used during solution execution.

Runtime Startup

The initialization of the

runtime,

handled by TStartup.exe or TServer.exe.

RuntimeUsers
Authenticated users stored in secure databases or identity providers.

DLLs referenced by scripts and displays.

ScriptClass

Reusable code library for use in script and display logic.

ScriptExpression

Single-line

code for simple runtime actions.

ScriptTask

Script block triggered by events or timers.

Smart

Graphical elements with dynamic properties and connections to real-time tags and templates.

Symbols
Reusable graphical components bound to data and templates.

Solution
A complete application configuration built using the platform.

Solution File / Solution Name
Saved configuration file (.dbsln) with the solution's name.

SolutionDB / SolutionDatabase
Database file storing the configuration of a solution.

StorageLocation
Defines where historian

data is saved or retrieved.

A named variable representing real-time

or historical data

.

Tag Type

Specifies the kind of data (e.g., Integer, Digital, Text).

TagProvider Connections
Enable live access to external data sources without redundant tags.

TargetPlatform
Specifies runtime host platform (Windows/.NET Framework or .NET 8/Linux).

Task (Script.Task)

A code program written in C#, VB.NET, or Python

.

Time-Series

Time-Series data is a collection of data points, often recorded sequentially over time. Each entry typically includes a data value and a timestamp (e.g., temperature reading at a specific time). Using UTC time helps align data from various time zones.

Sequentially recorded data points with timestamps.

Toggle
Switches a value between 0 and 1

Toggle

.

Trust, Partial Trust, Full Trust

Execution permissions: full vs limited system access.

shared data model for organizing, publishing, and consuming system data.

User
Any individual accessing the application via design or runtime interfaces.

Users

Anyone accessing the solution, either through the Designer Tool or in runtime mode (Displays).

Visibility (Tag Visibility)
Defines

WebData, Reports WebData

external visibility for tags: Public, Protected, or Private.