HowTo create documentation for OPC variables

[vix]

I created a LabVIEW project which uses Network-Published Shared Variables to act an OPC Server.

This approach is described in some KBs or tutorials on NI website (for example here and here).

This works as expected but now I need to create documentation for my customer to describe how to interface to my variables inside the OPC server. I think I should describe which OPC item is available, with its name, data type, meaning.

I'm not an expert on this kind of docs, so I ask:

• could someone provide a link to some docs describing OPC items?
• is there a NI (or third party) tool which generates this kind of documentation from the OPC server itself? At least, OPC item names and values?

[jeffneuner]

If you put your OPC items into a library, you can "export" to a simple csv file.  

The .csv file is self-documenting, with the variable name, data type, etc.. all information for each variable.

Also, you can do the reverse opertion.

If you create csv file with variable names, you can import them into a library.

here is a sample library and shared variables

and here is the corresponding csv file:

You right-click on the library in your project to see the import / export options

[vix]

Thanks for the info, but in my project I create the shared variable dynamically.

Is there a way to generate the same info from inside the "NI Distributed System Manager" where I see the variables while the application is running?

[Dagaror]

Why do not to try to generate that information in a report automatically with LabVIEW?

Since you use the dynamically creation I think is the best solution.

Have a nice day.