Solution Settings & Tools (Reference)

The Solution module provides centralized configuration for solution-wide settings and tools for managing solution components. Access via Solution in the Solution Explorer.

Parent Page: Designer (Reference)

Related Topics:

Solution Settings (Concept) - Understanding solution configuration
Managing Solutions (How-to) - Step-by-step procedures
Plugins and Templates - Reusable components

Navigation Pages

Page	Type	Purpose	Access
Settings	Configuration	Global solution parameters	Solution → Settings
Categories	Configuration	Organization labels	Solution → Categories
Import Tags	Tool	Tag import wizards	Solution → Import Tags
Import Plugin	Tool	Plugin integration	Solution → Import Plugin
Export	Tool	Backup and plugin creation	Solution → Export
History	Tool	Event tracking and audit	Solution → History

Component	Purpose	Access
Settings	Global configuration	Solution → Settings
Categories	Organization labels	Solution → Categories
Import Tags	Tag import wizards	Solution → Import Tags
Import Plugin	Plugin integration	Solution → Import Plugin
Export	Backup and plugins	Solution → Export
History	Event tracking	Solution → History

Key Concepts

Target Platform

Defines the operating system and framework for the solution:

Platform	Framework	Use Case
Windows Only	.NET Framework 4.8	Windows-specific features
Multiplatform	.NET 8	Linux and cross-platform

Product Family and Model

Licensing configuration for production deployment:

Aspect	Purpose	Impact
Product Family	License type	Feature availability
Product Model	Point limits	Tag count restrictions

Plugins

Self-contained solution components:

Reusable across solutions
Include tags, displays, scripts
Version controlled
Update managed

Typical Workflow

Initial Setup

Verify Settings - Check Target Platform and Product Model
Define Categories - Create organizational structure
Import Tags - Bring in existing definitions
Add Plugins - Include reusable components

Development

Use Categories - Apply to new objects
Export Regularly - Create backups
Track History - Monitor changes
Update Plugins - Keep components current

Deployment

Validate Settings - Confirm production configuration
Export Solution - Create deployment package
Review History - Check recent changes

Module Navigation

Solution Explorer Location

Solution Explorer
??? Solution
    ??? Settings
    ??? Categories
    ??? Import Tags
    ??? Import Plugin
    ??? Export
    ??? History

Quick Access

Direct navigation: Click module name
Search: Type "Solution" in search box
Recent: Check Recent Items on Welcome page

Common Tasks

Task	Location	Purpose
Change platform	Settings	Switch Windows/Linux
Set license	Settings	Configure Product Model
Organize objects	Categories	Apply labels
Import from CSV	Import Tags	Bulk tag creation
Add components	Import Plugin	Reuse standards
Backup solution	Export	Save complete copy
Create plugin	Export	Make reusable parts
Review changes	History	Audit trail

Data Storage

Configuration Location

All Solution module settings stored in .dbsln file:

Setting	Table	Encrypted
Settings	SolutionSettings	Yes
Categories	Categories	Yes
Plugin Info	PluginRegistry	Yes
History	SolutionHistory	Yes

Temporary Folders

Solution-Data folder structure:

Solution-Data/
??? Designer/     # UI settings
??? Runtime/      # Execution cache
??? Git/          # Export files
??? Backup/       # Build backups

Integration Points

With Other Modules

Module	Integration	Purpose
UNS	Tag import	Define data model
Devices	Import wizards	Configure channels
All modules	Categories	Organization
All modules	Export/Plugin	Packaging

External Systems

System	Via	Purpose
CSV Files	Import Tags	Bulk configuration
ControlLogix	Import wizard	PLC integration
Git	Export	Version control
Other solutions	Plugins	Reuse

Best Practices

Settings Management

Set Target Platform early
Match Product Model to license
Configure Python path if needed
Set Culture Info for localization

Category Usage

Define before creating objects
Use consistent naming
Apply to all object types
Associate with symbols

Plugin Management

Version control plugins
Document plugin contents
Test before updating
Keep update history

Export Strategy

Regular full backups
Export before major changes
Create plugins for standards
Use Git integration

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Problem	Cause	Solution
Can't import tags	Wrong format	Check CSV headers
Plugin fails	Version mismatch	Update plugin
Export too large	Many images	Exclude images
History missing	Not enabled	Enable in settings

Validation

Check	Method	Expected
Platform correct	Settings page	Matches target
License valid	Settings page	Matches production
Categories defined	Categories page	All needed labels
Plugins current	History page	No updates pending

Child Pages

Configuration Pages:

Solution Settings - Global configuration
Solution Categories - Organization system
Solution Import Tags - Tag import wizards
Solution Import Plugin - Plugin integration
Solution Export - Backup and plugin creation
Solution History - Event tracking