Package Wizard - Dependencies

Use this page to select the conditions that must be met for this package to be deployed and for the package to perform its instructions. Depending on the condition you select, appropriate configuration options are presented in this page.

Important! Not all agents support all dependencies. For complete information about the features of packages supported by agents, refer to Package Features Supported by Axeda Agents.

The possible dependencies are:

o        Package - A package dependency limits the current package to assets that have had another package deployed to them.

o        Data Item - A data item dependency limits the current package to assets that have a data item that satisfies a given condition.

o        Registry - A registry dependency limits the current package to assets that have a certain value in their dependencies.xml file for a parameter that you want to test.

o        Defined Configuration (Axeda ConnectedConfiguration licensed Platforms only) - A defined configuration dependency limits the current package to assets matching the chosen defined configuration.

o        Custom - A custom dependency limits the current package to assets that meet the requirements of a custom component created as a dependency.

These dependencies are considered pre-process dependencies. For this type of dependency, the agents execute the package only if the evaluation of the comparison is true. For more information on dependencies, refer to Dependencies.

Procedure from this page

From this page, you can select the conditions that must be met for a package to be deployed and for the agent to perform its instructions.

To define dependencies

1.       From the list of dependencies, select a dependency. If you need to know which dependency is appropriate for the Agent running on the asset, refer to  Package Features Supported by Axeda Agents.

2.       Based on the type of dependency you select, the application prompts you for additional information:

§         Package - Select the operator for evaluating the condition (equals, not equal to, greater than, less than, and so on) and the name of the other package and its version number.

§         Data Item - Select the data item from the list of data items defined in the agent project running on the asset. Next, select the operator to evaluate the data item, and type the value to test against (condition). For example, you might choose Temperature, greater than, and type 100 as the value.

Note: Data items can be configured such that the Axeda Platform does NOT store them. Even though they are not stored, these data items are still visible in the Package wizard because the Axeda Gateway or Axeda Connector Agent runs the package and has all the data items, even if the Platform does not store them.

§         Registry - Select a parameter name from the list. Select an operator. Type the value of the parameter. For example, if you are checking the version number of a software package in the registry, type the version number. Examples of registered names that might appear in this list include: OS Version, OS Build number, Agent Version, Custom Component XYZ Version, or Acme Driver Version.

§         Defined Configuration (Axeda ConnectedConfiguration licensed Platforms only)  - To add a defined configuration dependency, you must have already added a defined configuration via the Configuration application. The available defined configurations are listed in the table of defined configurations. Select a defined configuration by selecting its radio button in the right column.

Tip! You can search for a specific defined configuration by typing in the fields above the Defined Configuration Name column and/or the Description column to search by Name and Description. Then click Filter.

§         Custom - To add a custom dependency, you must have already added a custom component. The name of the custom component appears in the list of dependencies. When you select it, the information about the component appears below the list box. You do not need to enter any additional information here.

Note: You can select to define a new custom component from this page. When you are ready to return to this page, click Cancel to return without adding the custom dependency or Finish to add the custom component and return to this page. If you chose to add the custom component, its display name appears in the list of dependencies so that you can select it.

3.       Click Add. The dependency appears in the list in the lower portion of the page.

4.       Click Next to set up the Instructions for the package.

Problems with this step of the wizard

o        No Registry parameters to select. If the agent has not contacted the server and uploaded its dependencies.xml file, you will not see any Registry parameter names in the list. You can use the Axeda® Service application to make sure that the agent is running on the asset and can communicate with the Axeda Platform; you can also see whether this file has been uploaded from the Uploaded Files module on the Asset dashboard of the Service application.

If the dependencies.xml file has not been created at the asset, refer to the instructions in the Axeda® Enterprise Server Installation and Maintenance Guide for creating this file, in Chapter 7, "Configuring the Axeda® Connected Product Management Applications".

Once the file exists, restart the agent so that the file can be uploaded to the Axeda Platform (when it registers, the agent uploads this file automatically; it periodically checks the file for changes, as defined in the project that is running).

o        No packages appear in the list. If you have not created any packages yet, you cannot set up any package dependencies. Decide on the order in which you want packages to run, and create them in that order so that you can set up package dependencies.

o        No data items appear in the list. The agent must be running its project and collecting data from the configured sources. To check the data items sent to the Axeda Platform by an asset, go to Data module on the Asset dashboard, for the asset in the Axeda® Service application.

o        How can I change the order of the dependencies? The dependencies are evaluated in the order in which you add them. In the list of added dependencies in the lower part of the page, use the up and down arrows to change their order.

o        How can I delete a dependency? Select the dependency's check box in the list in the lower portion of the page, and click the Remove button.