How it works

Let's define a simple structure and create an instance in MAIN

TYPE stProduct :
    STRUCT
        Name  : STRING;
        Color : enumColors;
        Price : REAL;
    END_STRUCT
END_TYPE

After you run Inxton.Builder you should see in your [PlcProjectName]Connector project generated class stProduct.g.cs. This class contains :

public Vortex.Connector.ValueTypes.OnlinerString Name { get ;}
[Vortex.Connector.EnumeratorDiscriminatorAttribute(typeof (enumColors))]
public Vortex.Connector.ValueTypes.OnlinerInt Color { get ;}
public Vortex.Connector.ValueTypes.OnlinerReal Price { get ;}

In your Wpf project, add this line of code to the XAML definition.

xmlns:vortex="http://vortex.mts/xaml"

So it looks like this.

<Window
    x:Class="MainHmi.MainWindow"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
    xmlns:local="clr-namespace:MainHmi"
    xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
    Title="Inxton.Package.Vortex.Essentials"
    xmlns:vortex="http://vortex.mts/xaml"
>

your definition may vary

Setup your [PlcProjectName]Connector - example

• We created MainWindowViewModel

namespace MainHmi
public class MainWindowViewModel
{
    public MAIN MAIN { get; }

    public MainWindowViewModel()
    {
        var plc = new MainPlc.MainPlcTwinController(Tc3ConnectorAdapter.Create(null, 851)); // "null" for localhost TwinCAT3 runtime
        plc.Connector.BuildAndStart();
        MAIN = plc.MAIN;
    }
}

• Add this ViewModel as DataContext for the view

<Window.DataContext>
    <local:MainWindowViewModel />
</Window.DataContext>

• Apply INXTON magic

<vortex:RenderableContentControl DataContext="{Binding MAIN.product}" />

What's going on?

Inxton will parse your PLC project and create C# objects of your PLC objects (structures, function blocks, enums ...).

• Name : STRING; → INXTON → OnlinerString Name
• Color : enumColors; → INXTON → OnlinerInt Color
• Price : REAL; → INXTON → OnlinerReal Price

When you Bind to a specific object using RenderableContentControl, Inxton will look into the C# class, and it will find Name, Color and Price attributes.

Now Inxton will create an appropriate view for every type and inject ViewModel.

How is Inxton looking for views

Let's take

• PLC ................ → INXTON → ....................... → PC
• Name: STRING; → INXTON → OnlinerString Name;

Inxton will try to find OnlinerBaseTypeControlView which translates into OnlinerString + Control + View.

Inxton will not find this view because it doesn't exist. But when you look at the definition of OnlinerString

public class OnlinerString : OnlinerBaseType<string>, ..., 

It inherits from OnlinerBaseType, so Inxton has few more options. It will try to find OnlinerBaseTypeControlView

Inxton will find this View in assembly Vortex.Presentation.Controls.Wpf and namespace Vortex.Connector.ValueTypes, and it will create it.