QuickOPC User's Guide and Reference
Console Interaction
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Introduction

The Console Interaction Provider uses standard console, available on most systems, for user input and output.

QuickOPC uses the Console Interaction Provider whenever the Environment.UserInteractive Property returns true, and the Windows Forms Interaction Provider does not take precedence. Note that it is also possible to use the Windows Forms Interaction in console applications, by referencing the Opclabs.QuickOpc.Forms package in the console-based project.

 

Example Interactions

The example below triggers the component to ask the user whether he/she wants to accept the server's HTTPS certificate.

.NET

// This example shows how in a console application, the user is asked to accept a server HTTPS certificate.

using System;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA.OperationModel;

namespace UADocExamples.Interaction
{
    partial class AcceptCertificate
    {
        public static void Https()
        {
            // Do not implicitly trust any endpoint URLs. We want the user be asked explicitly.
            EasyUAClient.SharedParameters.EngineParameters.CertificateAcceptancePolicy.TrustedEndpointUrlStrings.Clear();

            // Define which server we will work with.
            UAEndpointDescriptor endpointDescriptor = "https://opcua.demo-this.com:51212/UA/SampleServer/";
            
            // Instantiate the client object.
            var client = new EasyUAClient();

            UAAttributeData attributeData;
            try
            {
                // Obtain attribute data.
                // The component automatically triggers the necessary user interaction during the first operation.
                attributeData = client.Read(endpointDescriptor, "nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10853");
            }
            catch (UAException uaException)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("*** Failure: {0}", uaException.GetBaseException().Message);
                return;
            }

            // Display results.
            Console.WriteLine("Value: {0}", attributeData.Value);
            Console.WriteLine("ServerTimestamp: {0}", attributeData.ServerTimestamp);
            Console.WriteLine("SourceTimestamp: {0}", attributeData.SourceTimestamp);
            Console.WriteLine("StatusCode: {0}", attributeData.StatusCode);
        }
    }
}

COM

// This example shows how in a console application, the user is asked to accept a server HTTPS certificate.

class procedure AcceptCertificate.Https;
var
  AttributeData: _UAAttributeData;
  Client: OpcLabs_EasyOpcUA_TLB._EasyUAClient;
  ClientManagement: TEasyUAClientManagement;
  EndpointDescriptor: string;
begin
  // The configuration object allows access to static behavior.
  ClientManagement := TEasyUAClientManagement.Create(nil);
  ClientManagement.Connect;

  // Do not implicitly trust any endpoint URLs. We want the user be asked explicitly.
  ClientManagement.SharedParameters.EngineParameters.CertificateAcceptancePolicy.TrustedEndpointUrlStrings.Clear();

  // Define which server we will work with.
  EndpointDescriptor := 'https://opcua.demo-this.com:51212/UA/SampleServer/';

  // Instantiate the client object.
  Client := CoEasyUAClient.Create;
  try
    // Obtain attribute data.
    // The component automatically triggers the necessary user interaction during the first operation.
    AttributeData := Client.Read(EndpointDescriptor, 'nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10853');
  except
    on E: EOleException do
    begin
      WriteLn(Format('*** Failure: %s', [E.GetBaseException.Message]));
      Exit;
    end;
  end;

  // Display results.
  WriteLn('Value: ', AttributeData.Value);
  WriteLn('ServerTimestamp: ', DateTimeToStr(AttributeData.ServerTimestamp));
  WriteLn('SourceTimestamp: ', DateTimeToStr(AttributeData.SourceTimestamp));
  WriteLn('StatusCode: ', AttributeData.StatusCode.ToString);

  FreeAndNil(ClientManagement);
end;

 

The program output may look like this:

Console - Accept HTTPS certificate

Console - Accept HTTPS certificate

 

 

 

The example below triggers the component to ask the user whether he/she wants to accept the server's instance certificate.

.NET

// This example shows how in a console application, the user is asked to accept a server instance certificate.

using System;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA.Engine;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA.OperationModel;

namespace UADocExamples.Interaction
{
    partial class AcceptCertificate
    {
        public static void Instance()
        {
            // Do not implicitly trust any endpoint URLs. We want the user be asked explicitly.
            EasyUAClient.SharedParameters.EngineParameters.CertificateAcceptancePolicy.TrustedEndpointUrlStrings.Clear();

            // Define which server we will work with.
            UAEndpointDescriptor endpointDescriptor = "opc.tcp://opcua.demo-this.com:51210/UA/SampleServer";
            // Require secure connection, in order to enforce the certificate check.
            endpointDescriptor.EndpointSelectionPolicy = UAMessageSecurityModes.Secure;
            
            // Instantiate the client object.
            var client = new EasyUAClient();

            UAAttributeData attributeData;
            try
            {
                // Obtain attribute data.
                // The component automatically triggers the necessary user interaction during the first operation.
                attributeData = client.Read(endpointDescriptor, "nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10853");
            }
            catch (UAException uaException)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("*** Failure: {0}", uaException.GetBaseException().Message);
                return;
            }

            // Display results.
            Console.WriteLine("Value: {0}", attributeData.Value);
            Console.WriteLine("ServerTimestamp: {0}", attributeData.ServerTimestamp);
            Console.WriteLine("SourceTimestamp: {0}", attributeData.SourceTimestamp);
            Console.WriteLine("StatusCode: {0}", attributeData.StatusCode);
        }
    }
}

COM

// This example shows how in a console application, the user is asked to accept a server instance certificate.

class procedure AcceptCertificate.Instance;
var
  Arguments: OleVariant;
  AttributeData: _UAAttributeData;
  Client: OpcLabs_EasyOpcUA_TLB._EasyUAClient;
  ClientManagement: TEasyUAClientManagement;
  EndpointSelectionPolicy: _UAEndpointSelectionPolicy;
  ReadArguments: _UAReadArguments;
  Result: _UAAttributeDataResult;
  Results: OleVariant;
begin
  // The configuration object allows access to static behavior.
  ClientManagement := TEasyUAClientManagement.Create(nil);
  ClientManagement.Connect;

  // Do not implicitly trust any endpoint URLs. We want the user be asked explicitly.
  ClientManagement.SharedParameters.EngineParameters.CertificateAcceptancePolicy.TrustedEndpointUrlStrings.Clear();

  // Define which server we will work with.
  ReadArguments := CoUAReadArguments.Create;
  ReadArguments.EndpointDescriptor.UrlString := 'opc.tcp://opcua.demo-this.com:51210/UA/SampleServer';
  // Require secure connection, in order to enforce the certificate check.
  EndpointSelectionPolicy := CoUAEndpointSelectionPolicy.Create;
  EndpointSelectionPolicy.AllowedMessageSecurityModes := UAMessageSecurityModes_Secure;
  ReadArguments.EndpointDescriptor.EndpointSelectionPolicy := EndpointSelectionPolicy;
  ReadArguments.NodeDescriptor.NodeId.ExpandedText := 'nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10853';

  Arguments := VarArrayCreate([0, 0], varVariant);
  Arguments[0] := ReadArguments;

  // Instantiate the client object.
  Client := CoEasyUAClient.Create;

  // Obtain attribute data.
  // The component automatically triggers the necessary user interaction during the first operation.
  TVarData(Results).VType := varArray or varVariant;
  TVarData(Results).VArray := PVarArray(Client.ReadMultiple(Arguments));

  Result := IInterface(Results[0]) as _UAAttributeDataResult;
  if Result.Succeeded then
  begin
    AttributeData := Result.AttributeData;
    // Display results.
    WriteLn('Value: ', AttributeData.Value);
    WriteLn('ServerTimestamp: ', DateTimeToStr(AttributeData.ServerTimestamp));
    WriteLn('SourceTimestamp: ', DateTimeToStr(AttributeData.SourceTimestamp));
    WriteLn('StatusCode: ', AttributeData.StatusCode.ToString);
  end
  else
    WriteLn('*** Failure: ', Result.ErrorMessageBrief);

  VarClear(Results);
  VarClear(Arguments);
  FreeAndNil(ClientManagement);
end;

 

The program output may look like this:

Console - Accept instance certificate

Console - Accept instance certificate

 

 

The example below triggers the component to ask the user whether he/she wants to accept an instance certificate whose domain does not match the URL used to connect to the server.

.NET

// This example shows how in a console application, the user is asked to allow a server instance certificate with
// mismatched domain name.

using System;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA.OperationModel;

namespace UADocExamples.Interaction
{
    class AllowEndpointDomain
    {
        public static void Main1()
        {
            // Define which server we will work with.
            // Note that extra '.' at the end of the domain name. For the purpose of this example, it allows us to address
            // the same domain, but cause a mismatch with what the names that are listed in the server instance certificate.
            UAEndpointDescriptor endpointDescriptor = "opc.tcp://opcua.demo-this.com.:51210/UA/SampleServer";
            
            // Instantiate the client object.
            var client = new EasyUAClient()
            {
                // Enforce the endpoint domain check.
                Isolated = true,
                IsolatedParameters = {SessionParameters = {CheckEndpointDomain = true}}
            };

            UAAttributeData attributeData;
            try
            {
                // Obtain attribute data.
                // The component automatically triggers the necessary user interaction during the first operation.
                attributeData = client.Read(endpointDescriptor, "nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10853");
            }
            catch (UAException uaException)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("*** Failure: {0}", uaException.GetBaseException().Message);
                return;
            }

            // Display results.
            Console.WriteLine("Value: {0}", attributeData.Value);
            Console.WriteLine("ServerTimestamp: {0}", attributeData.ServerTimestamp);
            Console.WriteLine("SourceTimestamp: {0}", attributeData.SourceTimestamp);
            Console.WriteLine("StatusCode: {0}", attributeData.StatusCode);
        }
    }
}

COM

// This example shows how in a console application, the user is asked to allow a server instance certificate with
// mismatched domain name.

class procedure AllowEndpointDomain.Main;
var
  AttributeData: _UAAttributeData;
  Client: _EasyUAClient;
  EndpointDescriptor: string;
begin
  // Define which server we will work with.
  // Note that extra '.' at the end of the domain name. For the purpose of this example, it allows us to address
  // the same domain, but cause a mismatch with what the names that are listed in the server instance certificate.
  EndpointDescriptor := 'opc.tcp://opcua.demo-this.com.:51210/UA/SampleServer';

  // Instantiate the client object.
  Client := CoEasyUAClient.Create;
  // Enforce the endpoint domain check.
  Client.Isolated := true;
  Client.IsolatedParameters.SessionParameters.CheckEndpointDomain := true;

  try
    // Obtain attribute data.
    // The component automatically triggers the necessary user interaction during the first operation.
    AttributeData := Client.Read(EndpointDescriptor, 'nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10853');
  except
    on E: EOleException do
    begin
      WriteLn(Format('*** Failure: %s', [E.GetBaseException.Message]));
      Exit;
    end;
  end;

  // Display results.
  WriteLn('Value: ', AttributeData.Value);
  WriteLn('ServerTimestamp: ', DateTimeToStr(AttributeData.ServerTimestamp));
  WriteLn('SourceTimestamp: ', DateTimeToStr(AttributeData.SourceTimestamp));
  WriteLn('StatusCode: ', AttributeData.StatusCode.ToString);
end;

 

The program output may look like this:

Console - Allow endpoint domain

Console - Allow endpoint domain

 

 

Configuration

You can configure parameters of the Console Interaction by finding ConsoleInteractionParameters in the shared plug-ins configurations, and changing properties of the object obtained.

// This example shows how to completely turn off interaction in a console application.

using System;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA.Engine;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA.OperationModel;

namespace UADocExamples.Interaction
{
    partial class ConsoleInteraction
    {
        public static void TurnOff()
        {
            // Do not implicitly trust any endpoint URLs. 
            EasyUAClient.SharedParameters.EngineParameters.CertificateAcceptancePolicy.TrustedEndpointUrlStrings.Clear();

            // Completely disable the console interaction.
            EasyUAClient.SharedParameters.PluginSetups.FindName("UAConsoleInteraction").Enabled = false;

            // Define which server we will work with.
            UAEndpointDescriptor endpointDescriptor = "opc.tcp://opcua.demo-this.com:51210/UA/SampleServer";
            // Require secure connection, in order to enforce the certificate check.
            endpointDescriptor.EndpointSelectionPolicy = UAMessageSecurityModes.Secure;
            
            // Instantiate the client object.
            var client = new EasyUAClient();

            UAAttributeData attributeData;
            try
            {
                // Obtain attribute data.
                // The operation will fail, unless you set up mutual trust using certificate stores.
                attributeData = client.Read(endpointDescriptor, "nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10853");
            }
            catch (UAException uaException)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("*** Failure: {0}", uaException.GetBaseException().Message);
                return;
            }

            // Display results.
            Console.WriteLine("Value: {0}", attributeData.Value);
            Console.WriteLine("ServerTimestamp: {0}", attributeData.ServerTimestamp);
            Console.WriteLine("SourceTimestamp: {0}", attributeData.SourceTimestamp);
            Console.WriteLine("StatusCode: {0}", attributeData.StatusCode);
        }
    }
}

The example below configures the component to use uncolorized console output, and then triggers some user interaction.

.NET

// Shows how to configure the OPC UA Console Interaction plug-in by turning off the output colorization.

using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using OpcLabs.BaseLib.Console.Interaction;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA.Engine;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA.OperationModel;

namespace UADocExamples.Interaction
{
    partial class ConsoleInteraction
    {
        public static void ColorizeOutput()
        {
            // Configure the shared plug-in.

            // Find the parameters object of the plug-in.
            ConsoleInteractionParameters consoleInteractionPluginParameters =
                EasyUAClient.SharedParameters.PluginConfigurations.Find<ConsoleInteractionParameters>();
            Debug.Assert(consoleInteractionPluginParameters != null);
            // Change the parameter.
            consoleInteractionPluginParameters.ColorizeOutput = false;


            // Do not implicitly trust any endpoint URLs. We want the user be asked explicitly.
            EasyUAClient.SharedParameters.EngineParameters.CertificateAcceptancePolicy.TrustedEndpointUrlStrings.Clear();

            // Define which server we will work with.
            UAEndpointDescriptor endpointDescriptor = "opc.tcp://opcua.demo-this.com:51210/UA/SampleServer";
            // Require secure connection, in order to enforce the certificate check.
            endpointDescriptor.EndpointSelectionPolicy = new UAEndpointSelectionPolicy(UAMessageSecurityModes.Secure);
            
            // Instantiate the client object.
            var client = new EasyUAClient();

            UAAttributeData attributeData;
            try
            {
                // Obtain attribute data.
                // The component automatically triggers the necessary user interaction during the first operation.
                attributeData = client.Read(endpointDescriptor, "nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10853");
            }
            catch (UAException uaException)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("*** Failure: {0}", uaException.GetBaseException().Message);
                return;
            }

            // Display results.
            Console.WriteLine("Value: {0}", attributeData.Value);
            Console.WriteLine("ServerTimestamp: {0}", attributeData.ServerTimestamp);
            Console.WriteLine("SourceTimestamp: {0}", attributeData.SourceTimestamp);
            Console.WriteLine("StatusCode: {0}", attributeData.StatusCode);
        }
    }
}

COM

// Shows how to configure the OPC UA Console Interaction plug-in by turning off the output colorization.

class procedure ConsoleInteraction.ColorizeOutput;
var
  Arguments: OleVariant;
  AttributeData: _UAAttributeData;
  Client: OpcLabs_EasyOpcUA_TLB._EasyUAClient;
  ClientManagement: TEasyUAClientManagement;
  ConsoleInteractionParameters: _ConsoleInteractionParameters;
  EndpointSelectionPolicy: _UAEndpointSelectionPolicy;
  ReadArguments: _UAReadArguments;
  Result: _UAAttributeDataResult;
  Results: OleVariant;
begin
  // Configure the shared plug-in.

  // The configuration object allows access to static behavior.
  ClientManagement := TEasyUAClientManagement.Create(nil);
  ClientManagement.Connect;

  // Find the parameters object of the plug-in.
  ConsoleInteractionParameters := IUnknown(ClientManagement.SharedParameters.PluginConfigurations.Find('OpcLabs.BaseLib.Console.Interaction.ConsoleInteractionParameters')) as _ConsoleInteractionParameters;
  // Change the parameter.
  ConsoleInteractionParameters.ColorizeOutput := False;

  // Do not implicitly trust any endpoint URLs. We want the user be asked explicitly.
  ClientManagement.SharedParameters.EngineParameters.CertificateAcceptancePolicy.TrustedEndpointUrlStrings.Clear();

  // Define which server we will work with.
  ReadArguments := CoUAReadArguments.Create;
  ReadArguments.EndpointDescriptor.UrlString := 'opc.tcp://opcua.demo-this.com:51210/UA/SampleServer';
  // Require secure connection, in order to enforce the certificate check.
  EndpointSelectionPolicy := CoUAEndpointSelectionPolicy.Create;
  EndpointSelectionPolicy.AllowedMessageSecurityModes := UAMessageSecurityModes_Secure;
  ReadArguments.EndpointDescriptor.EndpointSelectionPolicy := EndpointSelectionPolicy;
  ReadArguments.NodeDescriptor.NodeId.ExpandedText := 'nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10853';

  Arguments := VarArrayCreate([0, 0], varVariant);
  Arguments[0] := ReadArguments;

  // Instantiate the client object.
  Client := CoEasyUAClient.Create;

  // Obtain attribute data.
  // The component automatically triggers the necessary user interaction during the first operation.
  TVarData(Results).VType := varArray or varVariant;
  TVarData(Results).VArray := PVarArray(Client.ReadMultiple(Arguments));

  Result := IInterface(Results[0]) as _UAAttributeDataResult;
  if Result.Succeeded then
  begin
    AttributeData := Result.AttributeData;
    // Display results.
    WriteLn('Value: ', AttributeData.Value);
    WriteLn('ServerTimestamp: ', DateTimeToStr(AttributeData.ServerTimestamp));
    WriteLn('SourceTimestamp: ', DateTimeToStr(AttributeData.SourceTimestamp));
    WriteLn('StatusCode: ', AttributeData.StatusCode.ToString);
  end
  else
    WriteLn('*** Failure: ', Result.ErrorMessageBrief);

  VarClear(Results);
  VarClear(Arguments);
  FreeAndNil(ClientManagement);
end;

 

The program output may look like this:

Console - Turn off output colorization

Console - Turn off output colorization

 

 

 

See Also

Examples - OPC UA Interaction