Data exchange between controls – ctrlX Data Layer Remote Connection

[nickH]

Introduction

The whole Data Layer of a control can be shown in the Data Layer of another control via the Data Layer remote connection. This is a build in feature of the ctrlX Data Layer, you don't need to install any additional app or need any additional license. The communication between the controls is based on tcp and therefore NRT. 

Prerequisites

The only prerequisite is, that the control got to be in the same network. In the following I will show how you can set this up with two ctrlX COREs in the same network (ip1: 192.168.1.1 , ip2: 192.168.1.2), but you could as well use any other ctrlX OS device as well.
ctrlX CORE or other ctrlX OS devices connected in the same network

Step-by-Step guide

The configuration of a Data Layer remote connection can be easily done via the ctrlX CORE web UI by one simple create request to the node “devices/remotes” in the Data Layer (Settings -> Data Layer), with the following payload:

{
 "name" : "otherControl",
 "address" : "tcp://<user>:<pw>@192.168.1.2"
}

create the child node at devices/remotes in the ctrlX Data Layer

Check the output in the Data Layer

Now you can already access the Data Layer of the other control at this path: “devices/remotes/otherControl”. This data can be accessed by you as a user and also by any other app running on this ctrlX CORE or ctrlX OS device. This configuration is stored persistent in the App Data on the ctrlX CORE since V1.20. (Note: for older versions the remote Data Layer connection can be also used, but the configuration is not persistent) 

The Data Layer of the "otherControl" (192.168.1.2) in the Data Layer of the first control (192.168.1.1)

Documentation

• See also this section in the Documentation

Further Information

• How to do a access to a limited set of nodes: See this thread.

[Rathinavel]

Hello,

"tcp://boschrexroth:boschrexroth@192.168.1.2"

in the above, does "boschrexroth" is the username & password of the ctrlX core with IP 192.168.1.2

Rathinavel L

[nickH]

Yes this is true. In this example "boschrexroth" is the user name and the password of the ctrlX CORE with the IP-Address 192.168.1.2.

[TrainerJohanna]

Hi,

what are the reasons if I "lose" my connection and how can I solve the problem (without restarting the CORE)?
In my set up I have 3 ctrlX COREs connected to a switch via port XF51.
Each CORE has a data layer remote connection to the other two. 
CORE 1 now lost the connection to CORE 2, but CORE 2 still has a connection to CORE1.
After restarting CORE 1 it worked again.

Thanks for your help.

[nickH]

Hi @TrainerJohanna 

how does it look when you lose your connection? Maybe it would be helpful if we look directly on your PC. 

Best regards, 

Nick  

[nattomi]

Hello,

Is it possible to set this communication up between 2 x virtual CoreX, running on the same PC?

I have tried to setup using the ports I have setup with portforwarding, on a 2.6.2 image but it did not work.   "address" : "tcp://boschrexroth:boschrexroth@127.0.0.1:3069".

Please advise,

Thanks