Back by popular demand, the sixth edition of our ADISRA SmartView Q&A Blog has arrived. Over the past year, these technical deep dives have been well-read posts, inspired entirely by your questions. With every edition, new and thought-provoking topics pour in from developers, engineers, and integrators eager to push ADISRA SmartView to its limits. We enjoy seeing this kind of collaboration and knowledge-sharing across our community of customers and partners, and we are excited to keep the conversation going.
From advanced scripting and rule-based logic to project optimization and hidden productivity boosters, this Q&A tackles some of the most requested technical topics we have received. Whether you are a first-time user or a seasoned customer, you are sure to discover something new to make your next application more efficient, scalable, and intelligent.
And we want to keep the momentum going!
If you have a question, challenge, or favorite “aha moment” in ADISRA SmartView, send it our way (info@adisra.com) for a chance to be featured in our next Q&A blog, or in our upcoming webinar, “Tips, Tricks, and Hidden Treasures in ADISRA SmartView,” on October 20th at 9:30 a.m. CDT. To register, use this link.
Let us dive in and uncover more of what makes ADISRA SmartView such a powerful platform for modern industrial automation.
Recipe-Related Questions
The Recipe Document lets you save and load a specific set of tag values during runtime. This function is commonly used to manage production settings — such as ingredient mixes, temperature levels, or liquid quantities — ensuring consistency and efficiency in your process. Recipes can be stored in either a .RCP or a .XML file format.
The Recipes folder, found in the Navigation Tree, is where all Recipe Documents are stored. You can create and manage multiple Recipe Documents within this folder.
The “Default” Recipe type provides a simple and efficient way to load and save a list of tags in a data file.
For example, in a paint factory where production changes every eight hours, each product requires different machine input settings. The most efficient way to update these parameters at the right time is by creating separate recipes for each paint type and loading the appropriate one when needed. See the example below:
1) What’s the difference between a .rcp file and an .rpf file?
The .rcp files represent Recipe Documents created within the engineering environment (see image below). These files contain key information such as tag configurations, triggers, recipe paths, and other related settings.
Image 1
The image above shows a Recipe named Recipe1, which is saved in the application folder with the .rcp extension.
It is also worth noting that you can create a new Recipe Document (.rcp) programmatically using the System Function (SVRecipe.CreateRecipe). This function has several variations, but its primary purpose is to create a recipe document and associate tags with it.
However, the .rcp file is not the recipe data itself; it defines the structure of the recipe. The .rpf file, on the other hand, is the actual recipe file that contains the tag values.
The image below illustrates an example of an .rpf file, which can be saved or loaded on demand by the user.
Image 2
The Test2.rpf file was generated by triggering the @SaveRcp tag linked to the “Save” button. This action creates a new .rpf file that includes the three tags defined in the Recipes1 document (NewTag1, NewTag2, and NewTag3). The saved values reflect the tag states at the exact moment the recipe was saved.
This enables you to store multiple .rpf files, each containing different sets of values, and load them as needed.
2) What’s the difference between SVRecipe.CreateRecipe and SVRecipe.Save?
As mentioned above, the SVRecipe.CreateRecipe function allows you to add or edit a new .rcp file at runtime. ADISRA SmartView includes several similar functions that let users create application documents, such as drivers, directly during runtime, rather than only in the engineering environment. Depending on the parameters used, this function will create a new Recipe Document and automatically load it into the project.
Image 3
The image above shows the CreateRecipe function being executed through the “Create Recipe” button. In this example, a new, empty recipe document named ReceitaTeste.rcp was generated (since the tag list parameter was not used). Once created, the new recipe automatically appears in the Navigation Tree on the left.
The SVRecipe.Save function can be used in place of the @SaveRcp trigger tag shown in image2. It is responsible for saving a new recipe file that includes the configured tags and their current values at the time of saving.
3) When should I use SVRecipe.CreateRecipe and when should I use SVRecipe.Save?
The SVRecipe.CreateRecipe function, as explained above, is used to create new Recipe Documents during runtime. While most users typically create their Recipe Documents in the engineering environment, this function provides an additional option for applications that require customization or dynamic configuration at runtime.
Once the Recipe Document has been created, either with CreateRecipe or directly in the engineering environment, you can use SVRecipe.Save to generate a new .rpf file or update an existing one.
4) Can an .rpf file be predefined before runtime?
It is possible to predefine an .rpf file before runtime, but it is generally easier to create and save it using the ADISRA SmartView tools, then edit it as needed. In the example shown (image2), the .rpf file follows the structure below.
NewTag1|#|10
NewTag2|#|5
NewTag3|#|18
On our website, you can find an example application called Food Line Control System, which demonstrates how to use the Recipe Module, available here. There is also a separate example highlighting the Recipe Management System feature, which you can explore here.
Alarms
Alarms are used to signal a fault or potential error condition based on a tag’s value. They can display on-screen alerts to notify operators, send notifications via email or WhatsApp, or even trigger automated actions, such as adjusting settings or stopping a machine. Alarm data can also be stored for later analysis, either in a proprietary file format or within a SQL database.
A previous blog discussing ADISRA’s Alarm System can be found here. In addition, several example applications demonstrating alarm functionality are available here, along with two feature demos, Alarm History Export Demo and Alarm Sound Demo, which you can explore here.
Can ADISRA SmartView SCADA play a sound or audio alert when a new alarm is triggered, and automatically mute it once the alarm is acknowledged?
Yes, ADISRA SmartView SCADA can play a sound or audio alert when a new alarm is triggered and automatically mute it once the alarm is acknowledged.
You can find a demo application that showcases this feature here. It plays a sound whenever there is an alarmed or normalized tag that has not been acknowledged. To use this functionality in your own project:
- Copy the Util folder from the demo and paste it into your application. This folder contains the sound player and the audio file needed for the alert.
- Replicate the “AlarmSound” Service from the demo to enable the sound and mute behavior.
Once configured, your system will audibly alert operators to new alarms and automatically stop the sound once the alarms are acknowledged.
OPC Server
ADISRA SmartView includes a built-in OPC UA Server designed to share tag values with remote OPC UA Clients. Although it is not technically classified as a “driver,” the OPC UA Server is a vital communication component in many industrial applications. It enables the sharing of tag values from PLCs (connected through drivers), as well as operator inputs, configuration settings, and production data, all seamlessly accessible to remote OPC UA Clients.
How can we connect our Rockwell Automation Allen‑Bradley CompactLogix PLC OPC Client to the OPC Server so that all of its local tags are accessible in ADISRA SmartView?
Below are the steps to connect the ADISRA SmartView OPC Server to a Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley CompactLogix controller.
To configure the OPC UA Server, click on the Settings tag in the Engineering Environment. In the ribbon below, select the OPC Server tab. Clicking this tab will open the OPC UA Server Settings dialog box.
- Open OPC Server Settings
2- Enable the OPC Server, then note the connection address displayed in the green rectangle, you will need this address to configure the OPC Client connection.
3- Create the tags that will be used for reading and/or writing data.
4- On the right side of the screen, under the Properties section for each tag, you’ll find an option labeled “OPC.” Enable this option and select how you want each tag to interact with the OPC connection.
5- After enabling and creating the tags, save your application and then switch to Runtime Mode to begin operation.
6- Next, we will configure the OPC Client. Since the CompactLogix PLC configuration screens are not available, we will use UAExpert as an example OPC Client; most PLC OPC settings are quite similar. In the image below, you can see where to connect to the ADISRA SmartView OPC Server.
7- Enter the OPC Server address.
8- The server has been successfully detected.
9- Now, connect to the server.
10- After connecting to the server, you will see a list of all the tags created in ADISRA SmartView displayed below.
Graphics
How can I create a blinking object that changes the color of another object when it’s activated?
Click on the symbols and choose the one you are interested in. Let us say, for example, it’s this spindle. When the configuration menu appears, simply add @blink to the Visible property to create the blinking animation.
To change the color, switch the Color Mode to “Shaded.” This enables color customization for the symbol.
Next, go to Fill, click “Dynamic,” add your expression, and set the value to True, as shown in the screenshot.
Conclusion
ADISRA SmartView continues to evolve, offering powerful tools to simplify development and enhance productivity in industrial automation. Whether you are configuring recipes, working with alarms, setting up OPC communications, or exploring dynamic visual effects, our goal is to make your experience intuitive and efficient.
Remember, ADISRA Support is always here to assist you with any questions or concerns. We are just a message away at support@adisra.com, chat with us on our website here, or call us at 512-993-2949.
If you would like to schedule a private demo to see ADISRA SmartView in action, click here. To download ADISRA SmartView, click here.
We also invite you to send us your questions and topic suggestions for our upcoming blogs or for inclusion in our next webinar at the end of the month. Your feedback helps shape future content and ensures we cover the topics most important to you. Send your questions and topics to info@adisra.com.
Tips, Tricks, and Hidden Treasures in ADISRA SmartView
October 30th, 2025, at 9:30 am CDT/9:30 AM COT/2:30 pm GMT/9:30 pm WIB
Discover the hidden features inside ADISRA SmartView that can save you time, simplify your workflow, and make application development easier than ever. In this webinar, our expert will guide you through lesser-known tools, shortcuts, and best practices that are often overlooked but can significantly impact productivity and project success. Whether you are new to ADISRA SmartView or an experienced developer, you will come away with practical tips and tricks to build smarter, faster, and more efficient applications.
Secure your spot today: Register Here
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