How do I interface Lookout with Visual Basic?

[Steve_McLain]

I've been doing some research and I think the best way to do it would be to utilize the OPC server.  However, I really don't have a good idea of how to do that.  Is there a dll that I need to call and set up to interface with it?  Do I need to set up an OPC server from the VB side?  Any direction would be nice.  Thanks!

[Ryan.S]

Lookout itself is an OPC Server. See this KB. http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/0AB36E6FB0DC82F986256D03004A76D6?OpenDocument

So, in VB, use datasocket to connect the Lookout OPC Server to read/write tags in Lookout.

Or, you can directly use datasocket to do communicate between Lookout and VB. Lookout does support datasocket.

Maybe DDE is another option. not sure.

[Steve_McLain]

I think a light just went on in my head... 

[Steve_McLain]

Okay, I can't figure out how to create a datasocket in Visual Basic .Net 2008.  I can't figure out how to grab info from the Lookout OPC server.  I'm a little worried I may not figure this one out.

[Mike@DTSI]

OPC .Net source code:

http://www.opcfoundation.org/DownloadFile.aspx/NET%20API/OPC%20.NET%20API%201.30%20Readme%203.00.htm?RI=315

[Steve_McLain]

Unfortunately, I'm not an OPC member.  I was trying to do this at low cost.  I keep running into the wall of the foundation.  Isn't there another way?

[Mike@DTSI]

Another:  http://www.kepware.com/Products/KEPServerEX_VB_Install.asp

[Steve_McLain]

I'm checking that one out right now.  I'll let you know how it goes.  Thank you so much for taking your time to help me.

[Steve_McLain]

Ok, I have to admit, I don't know what to do with this.  I found this on my own yesterday.  It runs an OPC simulator and provides me with some old VB6 code that I can't get to work for me.  Really, I just need to get the code that connects to the National Instruments.LookoutOPCServer and then grabs the value of a single expression.  I've searched high and low and haven't found it.  I'm running out of time to get this project done and I'm thinking I may have to do something along the lines of writing to a csv file and reading in vb from that.  This is a let down because I was sure the Lookout OPC thing was a good tool.  Apparently it's a tool that takes too much effort to utilize.

[Mike@DTSI]

I have had no real issues with the Lookout OPC.  You could also try the DDE method
Service: Lookout
Object: Process\Folder\Item

VB6 and VB.Net are slightly different, but is doable.