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iFIX 2023

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iFIX 2023

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You are on page 1/ 55

Proficy iFIX 2023

Important Product Information (IPI)

GE Digital Proficy Historian and Operations Hub: Data Analysis in Context 1

Proprietary Notice
The information contained in this publication is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, General Electric Company assumes no
responsibilities for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies. Information contained in the publication is subject to change without notice.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, or stored in a database or retrieval system, or transmitted or distributed in any
form by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of General Electric
Company. Information contained herein is subject to change without notice.

© 2023, General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Trademark Notices
GE, the GE Monogram, and Predix are either registered trademarks or trademarks of General Electric Company.

Microsoft® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation, in the United States and/or other countries.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

We want to hear from you. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions about our documentation, send them to the following email
address:

[email protected]
Table of Contents

Important Product Information for iFIX 2023 1

What's New in iFIX 2023 1

Enhanced Failover Updates 1

Configuration Hub 2023 Support 3

Install Changes 4

New MQTT Client 4

Webspace 6.2 / 2023 Support 5

Updated Windows Support 5

Backup and Restore Updates 5

New Option in iFIX User Preferences 5

Default Alarm Summary Queue Size 5

Historian 2023 Support 5

The iFIX Screen Saver 6

New Option for Access Control 6

Updated Support for Third-party Applications 6

Support for Recently Updated GE Products 7

Release Notes for iFIX 2023 7

If You Are a First-time User... 7

Where to Go First for More Information 8

Licensing on Microsoft Common Controls Installed with iFIX 8

Installation 8

Installing as an Administrator 8

Installing iFIX 8

Installing iFIX with Terminal Services Enabled 9

Upgrade Notes 9

Before You Upgrade or Reinstall... 9

Upgrade Steps 10

Standard Chart Upgrade Notes 10

Pictures and the Upgrade 10

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. i

The Database and the Upgrade 11

DDA Drivers and the Upgrade 11

Custom *.fxg Files and the Upgrade 11

Restoring the Settings in the iFIX .INI Files 11

Upgrading Database Dynamos 12

Upgrading Application Toolkit files 12

Supporting VBA 6.5 After an Upgrade 12

Important Information for Windows Users 13

Accessing Remote OPC Servers in Windows 13

Troubleshooting iFIX Product Issues After the Install 13

My-T-Soft Window Display Issues 13

iFIX Does Not Start After an Upgrade 13

Unsupported Items and Recommendations 14

Enhanced Failover and Legacy Clients 14

Microsoft Office Document References in the iFIX WorkSpace System Tree 14

Ribbon View and Unsupported Microsoft Windows Themes 14

UNC Paths and Install 14

Running SCADA Nodes on Wireless Devices 14

Intel® Itanium® Processor 14

Alarm Viewer 15

Migration Tools are Removed from iFIX 6.1 15

FIX Desktop 15

Classic Historian 15

Migration Tools 15

Historian 4.5 and Earlier 15

Historian for SCADA 15

Speedstep Technology 15

IPv6 15

Unsupported Windows Operating Systems 16

Drivers and Operating System Compatibility 16

Discover and Auto Configure 16

ii © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

OPC and Running as a Service and on Some Operating Systems 16

Backwards Portability of Alarm ODBC Configuration 16

Backwards Portability of Process Databases 17

Backwards Compatibility of 5.9 Pictures 17

OPC Servers that Require an Access Path 17

Mission Control's Datascope Screen with 7.x Drivers 17

Using the Virtual Keyboard to Enter Large Amounts of Data 17

Using iFIX Objects in Other Applications 17

Modifying the ExpertGlobal.fxg or ExpertGlobals2.fxg 17

Data Bound Controls 18

Quit Method's SaveChanges Parameter 18

Find and Replace Object Outside of the WorkSpace 18

VisiconX and Large Databases 18

Microsoft Windows Related Issues 18

Updating Root Certificates 18

Incorrect Icons Appear in Start Menu or Desktop Shortcuts 18

iFIX WorkSpace Related Issues 18

WorkSpace Startup 18

Print to File Option Not Working Properly For Pictures or Schedules 19

Changing the System Year to 2038 Causes Unpredictable Behavior 19

Clicking the Calendar Control Shuts Down the WorkSpace 19

A Picture or Dynamo Appears Distorted in Logical Coordinate System 19

Guidelines for Using the iFIX Cross Reference Tool 19

Avoid Missing References in your Pictures 19

Close All Dialog Boxes in the WorkSpace Before Running the Report Wizard 20

Avoid Running the Report Wizard with Read-Only Files 20

Working with Other GE Products 20

Using Historian with iFIX 20

Working with iFIX Drivers 21

Using the PowerTool after Installing iFIX 21

Starting 7.x Drivers Automatically in iFIX 21

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. iii

Issues with Remote OPC Servers and the WorkSpace 21

Using Third-Party Products with iFIX 22

Upgrade Older Versions of Third-Party Controls 22

Use the MSFlexGrid Control Effectively 22

Licensing Issues with MSFlexGrid Control 22

Register Third-Party OPC Data Sources Properly 22

Optimizing iFIX Performance 23

Activate Duplicated Tags by Reloading the Database 23

For More Tips on Optimizing iFIX... 23

iFIX VBA Tips and Tricks 23

Code Example: Checking for a Null Value with the iFIX RealTime ODBC Driver 24

Code Example: Creating a VB Client Application Properly 24

Uninstall and Reinstall Issues 24

IMPORTANT Add/Remove Information for Historian 24

Company Name References 25

Fixed Defects in iFIX 2023 25

Known Issues in iFIX 2023 29

System Requirements for iFIX 2023 43

Software Requirements 44

Hardware Requirements - iFIX SCADA Server 44

Hardware Requirements - iFIX iClient (View) 46

Wireless Devices and iFIX 47

Virtual Machine Support 47

Remote Desktop (Terminal Server) Support 47

Compatibility with other GE Products 48

Index 49

iv © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Important Product Information for iFIX 2023

Refer to the following sections for key information on using iFIX:

l What's New in iFIX 2023

l Release Notes for iFIX 2023
l Known Issues in iFIX 2023
l Fixed Defects in iFIX 2023
l System Requirements for iFIX 2023

What's New in iFIX 2023

Welcome to the newest version of iFIX! The features of iFIX 2023 include:

l Enhanced Failover Updates

l Configuration Hub 2023 Support
l Install Changes
l New MQTT Client
l Webspace 6.2 / 2023 Support
l Updated Windows Support
l Backup and Restore Updates
l New Option in iFIX User Preferences
l Default Alarm Summary Queue Size
l Historian 2023 Support
l The iFIX Screen Saver
l New Option for Access Control
l Update Support for Third-party Applications
l Support for Recently Updated GE Products

Enhanced Failover Updates

iFIX 2023 includes the following updates to Enhanced Failover:

l The option to select which protocol to use for SCADA Synchronization communications for
Enhanced Failover: TCP or UDP. In previous versions, only UDP was available. TCP is a reliable, con-
nection-oriented protocol that handles message acknowledgement, retries, and so on. TCP can be
used to cover longer distances between Failover pairs, without a dedicated network, and with
fewer failures.
l New iFIX installations will default to TCP, while upgrades or use of an existing, pre-iFIX 2023 Sys-
tem Configuration Utility (SCU) file will continue to use UDP by default. Protocol selection is made
in the SCU’s SCADA Configuration dialog. It takes longer for SCADA Sync to initially get to an Act-
ive/Standby state with TCP than UDP. While TCP offers significant advantages, it does introduce
overhead as opposed to UDP, so it can be slower as a protocol. If speed is critical, we still provide
UDP support with its more stringent failover setup requirements.
l When using TCP for Enhanced Failover, the Primary and Secondary SCADA computers do not need
to be located near each other. When using UDP, the requirement to locate these computers in the
same location/room still applies.
l For Enhanced Failover, Gigabit-Ethernet cards (or better) are required for Data Sync Transport
communication. When using UDP, a dedicated card is required for Data Sync Transport com-
munication. When using TCP, one card can be used for both iFIX and Data Sync Transport

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 1

communication, although two are strongly recommended to avoid slower updates of data and
alarms on clients.
l When starting your SCADA pair the connection state flow displayed in SCADA Sync Monitor may
differ based on the protocol used. When using the TCP protocol, both SCADAs may spend a short
time in the Active state until the TCP connection is established and they negotiate their respect-
ive roles.
l The PDB snapshot that is synchronized between nodes is now compressed, reducing the size of
the snapshot and the time required for it to transfer.
l In previous releases, database snapshot synchronizations would occur as fast as possible. In iFIX
2023, the TimeSyncRateMilliSeconds parameter in SCADASync.INI has a default value of 15000,
meaning database snapshot synchronizations will take place every 15 seconds on clean iFIX
installs.
l The SCADASync.ini includes updates for new configurable parameters. For instance, you can now
configure ports for local SCADA and partner SCADA (in the ScadaSync.INI). If none is specified, the
port defaults to 53014 (hard-coded value in previous versions). You can also configure the file syn-
chronization retry count and timeout when a file transfer fails (in ScadaSync.INI, default count = 5,
timeout = 20 seconds).
l The ScadaRoleMgr.log file will no longer be overwritten each time ScadaRoleMgr.exe starts. It is
now a ‘rolling’ set of log files whose size and number can be configured using command line argu-
ments. See Log Files for Enhanced Failover for more information.
l When entering Maintenance Mode, the Primary will display a status of ‘Pending Maintenance
Mode’ until the Secondary has gone Active. Do not make any changes to the database on the
Primary until is has changed to ‘Maintenance Mode’.
l ScadaRoleMgr will decide which SCADA takes over when both nodes are found to be Active, based
on which node has had SAC active longer. As a result, the Secondary may become the Active node
in a case where both nodes are started at approximately the same time. To ensure the Primary
Node becomes Active on startup, configure a longer delay time in the SCU’s Task Configuration for
WSACTASK.EXE, using the 'D' (delay) parameter on the Secondary to give the Primary time to
start SAC first.
l If the Primary SCADA fails over to the Secondary SCADA due to a shutdown or connection loss,
the Secondary will remain active when the Primary comes back online. To make the Primary the
active SCADA again, you must execute a manual failover using one of the SWITCHSCADAROLE
fields of the Network Status Display (NSD) tag.
l For troubleshooting, iFIX 2023 includes a new ScadaSyncInfo.grf picture that demonstrates the
SCADASYNC tag fields; you can use this picture to view the current status of your SCADA Syn-
chronization process.
l For troubleshooting, you can log much better information about role change decisions and states
by adding the following command line parameters to ScadaRoleMgr in Fix.ini, and restarting iFIX
for them to take effect (/V = Verbose, /T = Troubleshooting): RUN=%SCADAROLEMGR.EXE /L /V /T
l If the partner SCADA is not configured to use the same protocol as this SCADA, a System Alert
Viewer message is displayed as well as a Debug message. There is also a Debug message if they
match.
l To pick up model changes, the Secondary will reload the model if it receives an updated model file
from the Primary (via file sync).
l There is a new SCADASYNC.A_PROTOCOL field to display the current protocol.
l Be aware that when upgrading to iFIX 2023, the existing SCADASync.ini file will no longer be over-
written, as it was in previous versions.

For more information, see the Enhanced Failover section of the iFIX documentation.

2 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Configuration Hub 2023 Support
iFIX 2023 includes support for Configuration Hub 2023. There were many enhancements for this release
including:

l Model updates. The iFIX model now allows you to reference parent substitutions, specify different
variable types, and include or exclude contained types by a template within an iFIX Model Type.
l New Project Configuration capabilities. You can now manage multiple iFIX Projects through Con-
figuration Hub and start or stop them as needed. Multiple iFIX nodes SCU and Security Settings
can be updated from one central Configuration Hub from any browser.
l Project Deployment capabilities. Project Deployment provides the ability to deploy (copy) key HMI
components and/or settings between iFIX SCADA or iClient (View) nodes. You now have the ability
to transfer key HMI components (including pictures, tag groups, color tables, and so on) quickly and
easily from one node to multiple other nodes. This eliminates the need to connect to each node
individually to make local updates, or to employ shared folders as a means of distribution.
l Proficy Authentication (UAA) 2023 provides identity-based security for Proficy-based applications
and APIs. It supports open standards for authentication and authorization, including Oauth2.
l Support for Operations Hub 2023. Operations Hub 2023 includes out-of-the-box high-per-
formance HMI graphics. It also includes an SVG graphics editor for creating new custom HMI graph-
ics that you can access from the Operation Hub plugin in Configuration Hub. HMI graphics are
accessible only with the latest version of Operations Hub layout.
l Operations Hub 2023 also supports a new Webspace widget for iFIX and CIMPLICITY that you can
use to view your HMI screens from the Operations Hub plugin in Configuration Hub.
l Support for the MQTT Protocol in Configuration Hub.

When upgrading, be aware of the following new prerequisites for using Configuration Hub 2023:

l To publish a Model when using iFIX 2023 with Operations Hub, you must use Operations Hub 2023.
Operations Hub 2023 must also be registered to same the Proficy Authentication to which iFIX is
registered.
l iFIX entities like the database name, tag names, alarm areas, model types, and model instances
must be unique. Ensure you use unique names when creating these items.
l When upgrading from iFIX 6.5 or 2022 to iFIX 2023, clear your browser cache and then re-register
iFIX with Configuration Hub for the new Project Settings to appear (click the Register iFIX Plugin
option on the Windows desktop, or from the iFIX Workspace on the Applications tab). Be aware
that iFIX Security must be enabled to access Configuration Hub. For steps, refer to iFIX Plugin
Registration.
l When multiple iFIX and Historian plugins are registered to Configuration Hub, they should all use
the same Proficy Authentication (UAA) Server Name. If Configuration Hub or Proficy Authentic-
ation Server are in a domain system, then a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) name should be
used for the Server Name.
l For Configuration Hub, it is recommended to use a display setting at 1920 x 1080 or greater with
scaling set to 100%.
l iFIX 2023 is compatible with Configuration Hub 2022 with Proficy Authentication 2022. However,
be aware that the deploy functionality will only work with iFIX 2023 nodes. iFIX 2022 nodes will
not be displayed in the list of target nodes when deploying.
l iFIX 2022 is compatible with Configuration Hub 2023 with Proficy Authentication 2023.
l Be aware that the scada.fix.shared.APPLICATION_DESIGNER group is not available by default
when you upgrade from iFIX 6.1 or 6.5. You must manually create the group with the required iFIX
application features, or update your existing groups to include the following iFIX application fea-
tures (if you want users in these groups to have access to and use Configuration Hub):

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 3

l Database Block Add-Delete
l Database Manager
l Database Reload
l Database Save
l Security Configuration
l System Configuration

For more information on Configuration Hub, click the Help button from the Configuration Hub application.
Or, open the Configuration Hub content from the GE Documentation web page.

Install Changes
The new integrated installer helps you install iFIX, Historian, IGS, Configuration Hub, Licensing, Oper-
ations Hub, and other Proficy related applications quickly and efficiently. The 2023 integrated installer
includes Operations Hub and all the new 2023 components. The integrated product installer streamlines
the deployment experience for iFIX, along with the other products it is often used with. The individual iFIX
install is no longer provided as a single download; it is included on the Integrated Installer with everything
you need to set up your SCADA system.

You can run the integrated installer from a command line or programmatically. A response file, SilentIn-
stallResponseFile.json, is saved to the install directory with the settings from your install. Use the fol-
lowing command line to run it:

D:\Setup\setup.exe -response SilentInstallResponseFile.json

where D:\ is the ISO mounted drive (the drive where the integrated installer is located).

IMPORTANT: If enabling access controls when installing iFIX, do not delete the user group created/used
by the iFIX installer (to apply ACLs) before you uninstall the iFIX product. Instead, uninstall iFIX first, and
then you can optionally remove this Windows group. If you accidentally delete this group, run the Con-
figureWizard.exe tool, which is found in the iFIX install folder (by default: C:\Program Files (x86)\Profi-
cy\iFIX). Restart the machine and then restart iFIX. Confirm that you can open the iFIX WorkSpace and
the Database Manager. After that, you will be able to uninstall iFIX if necessary.

For the full install steps, refer to the "Installing the iFIX Software" topic in the Getting Started guide.

New MQTT Client

In Configuration Hub 2023, you can now configure the MQTT Client and OPC UA Server. The MQTT Client
application can be installed along with the SCADA products using the iFIX Integrated installer.

iFIX 2023 can now leverage the MQTT Client application to handle and support MQTT data received from
the Client applications. Through MQTT Clients, you can access the published data from various devices
such as the sensors, units, and other PLCs. The data received by the MQTT Client is translated to OPC UA
data. The translated data is then used by the SCADA products to visualize and monitor the data. This
allows you to leverage the advantages of both MQTT and OPC UA protocols.

The MQTT Client establishes a connection with the MQTT broker and subscribes to the data that is pub-
lished on various topics. The published data received through the MQTT Client will then be translated into
the OPC UA data. The OPC UA clients in products such as iFIX and Operations Hub can connect to the
OPC UA server and subscribe to the data.

For more information on MQTT, see the Configuration Hub online help.

4 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Webspace 6.2 / 2023 Support
With iFIX 2023, the new Proficy Webspace includes:

l Support for new Microsoft Windows versions. Webspace now supports Microsoft® Windows® 11
and Microsoft® Windows® Server 2022. It also supports Microsoft® Windows® 10 (Build 21H2 or
higher).
l The latest version of Webspace also has its own web server and no longer requires IIS or Apache.
l Operations Hub 2023 also supports a new Webspace widget for iFIX and CIMPLICITY that you can
use to view your HMI screens from the Operations Hub plugin in Configuration Hub.

For more information on Webspace, see the Webspace online help.

Updated Windows Support

iFIX 2023 dropped support for:

l Microsoft® Windows® Server 2016

For a complete list of all supported operating systems, refer to the System Requirements tab.

Backup and Restore Updates

The iFIX Backup and Restore utility can now restore a Full Backup from a previous version of iFIX to iFIX
2023. Refer to the Overview of the Backup Process section of the Understanding iFIX help for more
information of how to use the Backup and Restore application.

New Option in iFIX User Preferences

The User Preferences in the iFIX WorkSpace include a new option on the Picture Preference tab: Open in
Read Only Mode. This setting is helpful when working with Webspace and Remote Desktop (Terminal
Server) sessions. By selecting this option, it will help you exceed the Windows limitation of 20 concurrent
user sessions of iFIX pictures. Refer to the Picture Preferences tab topic of the Understanding iFIX help
for more information the other iFIX picture preference settings.

Default Alarm Summary Queue Size

The default size of the Alarm Summary Queue changed from 200 to 10000.

Historian 2023 Support

Proficy Historian 2023 support provides:

l Storage of critical process data that is smaller and faster than using a relational database.
l Tight integration with CIMPLICITY and iFIX, allowing you to configure your tags all in one place.
l Native Proficy Historian for Cloud offering.

For more details on all the new features provided with Historian 2023, see the Historian 2023 doc-
umentation and the Cloud Historian documentation.

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 5

The iFIX Screen Saver
In iFIX 2023, support for the iFIX Screen Saver is back. There are a few changes in iFIX 2023, however,
that make configuration easier. For instance:

l Enable the iFIX Screen directly from the iFIX SCU's Local Startup options. You can configure more
by clicking the Settings option the Local Startup Definition dialog box. No need to configure it from
the operating system settings, outside of iFIX, like in previous releases.
l You can now configure a Wait time right from the SCU too. The wait time is how long the user ses-
sion that FIX.EXE runs in is idle before the screen saver is activated. You can enter a wait time of 1
to 9999 minutes.
l The iFIX Screen Saver is now supported in iClientTS and WebSpace sessions.
l iFIX must be restarted if you enable or disable the iFIX screen saver or if you change the screen
saver wait time. It does not need to be restarted if you change the screen saver options.

For upgraders, be aware that you can still continue to use the old way of enabling the iFIX screen saver
via the Windows Display settings and not via the iFIX SCU, but there are limitations. For instance, one lim-
itation could be that the iFIX Screen Saver will not work for Remote Desktop sessions. It is recommended
that you use the new, simpler way to configure the iFIX Screen Saver in the SCU.

For more information on the iFIX Screen Saver, refer to the iFIX Screen Saver topic in the Configuring
Security Features e-book.

New Option for Access Control

In iFIX 2023, the Access Control setting include a new option to restrict restrict the opening of pictures to
folders that have restrictions based on Access Controls. For example, if a user has pictures in a non-
default folder, such as C:\Temp\iFIXPictures, and the "Check folder permissions when opening iFIX Pic-
tures" option is enabled, that folder will need to be secured with the group name configured in the Con-
figure Wizard utility provided for Access Controls in order for the picture to be opened.

If you want to enable Access Controls or change your current settings, you can do so by using the Con-
figureWizard.exe provided with iFIX. The ConfigureWizard.exe can be found on the Start menu in the iFIX
folder, and then selecting the Setup Access Controls option. You can also access it from the iFIX install
folder; by default, this location is: C:\Program Files (x86)\Proficy\iFIX\ConfigureWizard.exe

For more information on Access Controls, refer to the Access Controls in iFIX topic in the iFIX Getting
Started guide.

Updated Support for Third-party Applications

The following third-party applications have been tested with iFIX 2023:

l iFIX Productivity Tools from Catapult (included on the iFIX install media). Includes updates to sup-
port the latest version of iFIX. The Productivity Tools are supported in English only.
l IGS 7.612. The latest IGS has three new premium drivers to meet your connectivity needs: IEC
61850, the DNP suite, and MQTT are now included.
l Dream Report 2020 for Proficy.
l Win911 version 4.20.10.

6 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Support for Recently Updated GE Products
iFIX 2023 includes support for the following recently updated GE products:

l Configuration Hub 2023.

l Operations Hub 2023.
l Historian 2023.
l Plant Applications 2023.

For a complete list of products and versions tested to work with iFIX 2023, go to the System Require-
ments tab and scroll to the Compatibility with Other GE Products section.

Release Notes for iFIX 2023

The following release notes are available for iFIX 2023:

l If You Are a First-time User...

l Installation
l Upgrade Notes
l Important Information for Windows Users
l Troubleshooting iFIX Product Issues After the Install
l Unsupported Items and Recommendations
l Microsoft Windows Related Issues
l iFIX WorkSpace Related Issues
l Guidelines for Using the iFIX Cross Reference Tool
l Working with Other GE Products
l Working with iFIX Drivers
l Using Third-Party Products with iFIX
l Optimizing iFIX Performance
l iFIX VBA Tips and Tricks
l Uninstall and Reinstall Issues
l Company Name References

If You Are a First-time User...

Run the Sample System or run iFIX in Demo Mode to Experiment with iFIX Projects First

If this is your first time using the iFIX product, try launching the Sample System from your desktop icon of
the same name. There is a specific chapter in the help documentation, under the heading Sample Sys-
tem, which will instruct you on how to interact with the Sample System in run mode. When configuring a
new iFIX system with Configuration Hub, and you want to use the Sample System, make sure you start
iFIX first before starting the Sample System.

You can also run iFIX in Demo mode. In Demo mode, you can run iFIX applications for 2 hours. To start in
Demo mode, start iFIX from command line using the parameter, like this:

Launch.exe /t
NOTE: You can run Sample System with an iFIX license by removing the /D switch from the Sample System shortcut.
However, be aware that you need to have an appropriate license installed for the Sample System to be fully functional.

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 7

Where to Go First for More Information
Check out the Getting Started with iFIX guide first. The first few chapters of this guide contains detailed
information about installing and upgrading iFIX, as well as supported configurations.

For a general overview of iFIX and the WorkSpace, refer to the Understanding iFIX electronic book.

For an overview of how to configure your iFIX system, refer to the Setting up the Environment electronic
book.

Licensing on Microsoft Common Controls Installed with iFIX

iFIX installs Microsoft common controls as part of the iFIX installation. These controls are used internally
by iFIX. You cannot use them directly unless you have installed a product that provides the license to
these controls, such as Microsoft Visual C++ or Visual Basic or have an Microsoft Office product installed.
Otherwise, you can download the appropriate distribution package from Microsoft's Knowledge Base.

Installation

Installing as an Administrator
You must install iFIX with a local Windows user account with administrator rights. See your Windows
manuals or online Help for information on creating this account.

Installing iFIX
Without an iFIX license, you can run iFIX applications for 2 hours in Demo mode.
NOTE: When configured for WebSpace, none of the iFIX SCUs on WebSpace Server should be configured to start iFIX as
service, as this is a unsupported configuration.

To install the product:

1. Log in as a user with Administrator rights.

2. Shut down any GE applications or services that run on startup. For instance, if you have Historian
Collectors configured to start when you start Windows, use the Services window to shut them
down.
3. Follow the steps on your screen. For more detailed information on installing your iFIX product, see
the "Installing the iFIX Software" section in the Getting Started with iFIX guide.
4. After the install completes install your license. For more information on installing and configuring
your license, refer to the GE Digital Support site: https://ge-ip.force.com/communities/en_
US/Article/GE-Intelligent-Platforms-Software-Product-Licensing.
5. Make sure that you restart your computer after you finish the install steps.
TIP: If you get a message that a necessary Windows security update for the Universal C Runtime component is missing
on this computer, be sure to install the Microsoft Update, KB2999226, and then try installing iFIX again. To install
KB2999226, you may need to install other updates first. Refer to the Microsoft web site for details. If you get any other
Windows error when you try to install iFIX, perform a Windows Update and then try to install iFIX again.
IMPORTANT: Be aware that if you do not already have .NET 4.6.1 installed and you choose to install iFIX, the .NET 4.6.1
install will run first. After it installs, you will be prompted to restart your computer. After the restart, the iFIX install con-
tinues. The install media must be available or connected to the target machine the entire time for the install to finish.

8 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Installing iFIX with Terminal Services Enabled
IMPORTANT: Be aware that all Terminal Server client users should be a member of the Remote Desktop
Users group.

Upgrade Notes

Before You Upgrade or Reinstall...

Before you upgrade, plan to upgrade all your iFIX iClient (View) nodes to the latest version, before upgrad-
ing the iFIX SCADA.

Before you upgrade the iFIX product installed on your computer, make sure you shut down all GE applic-
ations. It is important that no GE products are running when you run the iFIX installation program.

If you plan to uninstall iFIX before reinstalling, unregister the iFIX plugin for Configuration Hub before unin-
stalling iFIX.
IMPORTANT: Direct upgrades from iFIX 3.5 to the latest version of iFIX are not supported. To upgrade iFIX in this case,
upgrade to 5.8 first and then upgrade to the latest version of iFIX. Search the iFIX Upgrade Guide for "In-place Upgrades
vs. New Systems" for a table describing the upgrade paths.
NOTE: iFIX WebSpace must be uninstalled before/after the upgrade to iFIX 2023. Instead of iFIX WebSpace, WebSpace
5.0 needs to be installed and configured to work with iFIX.
IMPORTANT: If you are upgrading from a previous version of iFIX with failover enabled, and you want to use the
Enhanced Failover feature in iFIX 5.0 or greater, there are a number of issues that you must be aware of. For detailed
information and steps describing how to upgrade your failover system, see the Enhanced Failover and Upgrading" sec-
tion on the New Features tab.

Save copies of your existing .INI files with your application preferences and any custom files you create;
customized files may be overwritten during an upgrade. As such, you may need to integrate your custom
changes into the newer versions of these files after you upgrade.

Back up your existing iFIX projects. This includes the files in your LOCAL, Config Files Backup, PIC, and PDB
folders.

It is also recommended that you create a backup copy of your Alarm ODBC configuration file(s).

Export a report of your system configuration (SCU), for reference. (In the SCU, on the File menu, click
Report.)

Export a report of your security configuration, for reference. (In the Security Configuration application, on
the File menu, click Export.)

If you have an application created by an Integration Toolkit, Database Dynamo Toolkit, or System Exten-
sion Toolkit from iFIX 2.5 or earlier, and you want to use this application with iFIX 2023, do not uninstall
iFIX. You must install iFIX 2023 over your existing iFIX configuration. Your toolkit application will not run if
you uninstall your previous version of iFIX.

Be sure to obtain any toolkit updates that you need, prior to installing iFIX.
CAUTION: If you choose to integrate Historian with iFIX, make sure that your database tags have unique names. If
both your iFIX and Historian databases have the same tag name, when you import an iFIX tag into the Historian data-

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 9

base, the Historian tag will be overwritten with the tag of the same name from the iFIX database. For more inform-
ation, see Using iFIX with Historian and Troubleshooting Historian and iFIX.

If you plan to use Configuration Hub with iFIX, before you upgrade iFIX, delete the old OPC UA Con-
figuration certificate (iFIX_OpcuaConfigRoot.crt) from the Program Files (x86)\GE\iFIX\LOCAL\iFIX_
OpcuaConfigService\pki folder, and then upgrade to the latest version of iFIX.
IMPORTANT: If you forget to delete the OPC UA certificate before upgrading, you will need to follow the steps in this
topic in order to trust the certificate again after the upgrade.

After upgrading iFIX and Configuration Hub, you will need to add the APPLICATION_DESIGNER group in
iFIX Security Configuration, and then export it to Proficy Authentication. The group name from iFIX 6.5
contained a space character, which is not supported in the current version of Configuration Hub and is
why the group name is not migrated. Before you export the group, be sure that the APPLICATION_
DESIGNER group contain the following iFIX application features: Database Block Add-Delete, Database
Manager, Database Reload, Database Save, Enable Task Switching, OPC UA Confiugration Tool, Runtime
Visual Basic Editor Access, WorkSpace Configure, WorkSpace Runtime, and WorkSpace Runtime Exit.

After upgrading iFIX and Configuration Hub, you will need to manually add two missing privileges to the
ch_admin user. In the Navigation panel from Configuration Hub, select Proficy Authentication. From the
Users list, select the ch_admin user and add the following items to its group membership: scada.fix_
shared.IFIX_PROFICY_AUTH_ADMIN and scada.fix.shared_APPLICATION_DESIGNER.

Upgrade Steps
To upgrade to the latest version of iFIX, perform the following steps:

1. Confirm that you backed up all the applicable files. Refer to the Before You Upgrade or Reinstall...
section above for more details.
2. Shut down any GE applications or Proficy services that are running. For instance, if you have His-
torian Collectors configured to start when you start Windows, use the Services window to shut
them down.
3. Run the iFIX product install. A message box appears asking you if you want to upgrade your sys-
tem.
4. Click Yes to continue.
5. Follow the instructions on your screen.

Standard Chart Upgrade Notes

Be aware that after an upgrade, if you have Standard Charts with Classic Historian data for data sources,
that you may need to modify these data sources after an upgrade. When configured for use by pens in
the Standard Chart, single quotes in Classic Historian data sources are not stripped out after an upgrade.

Pictures and the Upgrade

Prior to iFIX 2023, when you opened a picture from a previous version of iFIX in the newer version, and
saved it, your picture was automatically updated to the newest version of iFIX. Pictures created with iFIX
5.5 (or earlier) were created with a Logical Coordinate System, which uses logical units for screen meas-
urements. The Logical Coordinate System allowed this automatic upgrading.

10 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

With iFIX 2023, pictures are not automatically upgraded because this version uses the Enhanced Coordin-
ate System for screen measurements. An expert is provided to easily upgrade pictures you select from
the legacy Logical Coordinate System to the new Enhanced Coordinate System.

You can use both the Logical and Enhanced Coordinate Systems with iFIX. For example, you can edit a leg-
acy picture before you upgrade it. By default, the Enhanced Coordinate System is enabled for new picture
creation. For more information on this expert and on coordinate systems, refer to the Creating Pictures
e-book
NOTE: Be aware that pictures with Enhanced Charts containing tag groups will display a message on upgrade.
However, pictures with Historical datalinks and Historical animations with tag groups will not.

Due to the design of the VisiconX objects in iFIX 5.0 and greater, it is recommended that you manually
replace your older VisiconX objects with the newer versions (if you are upgrading from a version of iFIX
prior to iFIX 5.0).

The Database and the Upgrade

Be aware that when you upgrade to iFIX 2023, the file size of your process database file will increase.

When you upgrade your database, the high and low engineering units (EGU) fields are converted from
single precision to double precision floats. This means the degree of accuracy (the Epsilon value) changes
from +/_0.00000012 to +/_0.00000000000000022. If you are using extreme ranges (very large or very low
values) for your EGU limits, you may possibly experience issues after an upgrade. To resolve these issues,
open the Database Manager, export your database and then re-import it. This procedure resets the block
values.

DDA Drivers and the Upgrade

If you are using DDA drivers, such as ROC, BR3 or MBR, you must reinstall them after upgrade. If the
driver installation files are unavailable, you can use a copy of your existing FIX.INI file to compare to the
one created after the upgrade. Then, copy the missing lines from your old FIX.INI file to your new FIX.INI
file.

Custom *.fxg Files and the Upgrade

Be aware that if you use custom .fxg files with iFIX and you choose to upgrade, you will need to re-
register these .fxg files after the iFIX upgrade. For more information on how to re-register the
WorkSpace, refer to the "Adding Files to the System Tree" topic in the Mastering iFIX e-book.

Restoring the Settings in the iFIX .INI Files

As you install iFIX, the product install program places a new version of the startup control file, FIX.INI, into
your iFIX Local folder. The previous version of this file is copied to the Config Files Backup folder, along
with the other configuration files.

If you configured Database Dynamos, also known as loadable blocks, or other custom programs to run as
part of iFIX startup, you should compare the new FIX.INI file in the Local folder against the FIX.INI file
stored in the Config Files Backup folder. If you find any changes between the two files, add the necessary
lines to the FIX.INI stored in the Local path.

Additionally, you should restore other .INI files as necessary, using the same process.

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 11

Upgrading Database Dynamos
Database Dynamos, also known as loadable blocks, will require updates to work with iFIX 2023. If you
have old Database Dynamos on your system, the iFIX install program will detect them, and generate a
warning message.

The GE Digital web site contains updated versions of the Database Dynamos supplied by GE Digital. To
obtain updated version of other dynamos, contact the vendor of that dynamo. To obtain the current ver-
sion of the Database Dynamo Toolkit, contact your local iFIX sales representative.

Upgrading Application Toolkit files

If you have an application created by an Integration Toolkit, Database Dynamo Toolkit, or System Exten-
sion Toolkit, and you want to use this application with iFIX 2023, do not uninstall iFIX. You must install
iFIX 6.1 over your existing iFIX configuration. After installing iFIX, rebuild your existing applications with
the newest toolkit available to ensure compatibility with iFIX 2023.

Supporting VBA 6.5 After an Upgrade

In VBA 6.5, certain event parameter data types are interpreted differently than in earlier VBA version.
For instance, one of these data types is the VBA ErrObject. The VisiconX Data Control uses the ErrObject
data type in two of its events.

If a picture created with an earlier version of iFIX contains a VisiconX Data Control, and also contains
VBA 5.5 scripts added for the VisiconX Data Control's ErrorOccurred event or ExecuteComplete event,
when the picture is opened in iFIX 2023, it will generate a compiler error indicating an invalid character '_
'.

This occurs because the ErrObject in VBA 5.5 is declared as type "VBA._ErrObject", and in VBA 6.5, it is
declared simply as "ErrObject".

To correct the compiler problem and make the scripts function correctly, make the following changes to
the event declarations:

iFIX 2.21 and earlier with VBA 5.5:

Private Sub vxData1_ErrorOccurred(pError As VBA._ErrObject)

End Sub

iFIX 2023 with VBA 6.5:

Private Sub vxData1_ErrorOccurred(pError As ErrObject)

End Sub

iFIX 2.21 and earlier with VBA 5.5:

Private Sub vxData1_ExecuteComplete(pStatus As VBA._ErrObject, sQuery As String)

End Sub

iFIX 2023 with VBA 6.35:

Private Sub vxData1_ExecuteComplete(pStatus As ErrObject, sQuery As String)

12 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

End Sub
NOTE: This problem may occur with other ActiveX controls and data types that GE has not directly encountered. If you
see problems, you should insert the control into a new picture, go to the VBA Editor, and examine the syntax used to
declare events for the control in the new picture. Use the information provided in this section to edit the event declar-
ations in the existing picture.

Important Information for Windows Users

Accessing Remote OPC Servers in Windows

Before you can access remote OPC servers in iFIX, such as through the Discovery and Auto-Assembly
Component (DAC) and the OPC Client driver, you must make sure that your firewall settings are correct,
and that the DCOM settings for your operating system are correct. For detailed steps on how to do this,
refer to the "Setting up for Remote OPC Server Access" chapter in the Getting Started with iFIX book.

Troubleshooting iFIX Product Issues After the Install

My-T-Soft Window Display Issues

If you install the My-T-Soft on screen keyboard for use with iFIX and experience window display issues,
such as the Minimize button being hidden off-screen, you can use the MYTSOFT.ini file to adjust the set-
tings of the application.

For example, when you have the WorkSpace in Ribbon view (the default), the caption bar with the Min-
imize icon is displayed off screen. It's there, but you cannot view it. >My-T-Soft allows you to customize
where the Minimize button positions itself through the MYTSOFT.ini file located in the iFIX install folder.
By changing the ButtonOffsetY=0 setting to a positive number, you can move the button down a specified
number of pixels, allowing the Minimize button and caption bar to show in full screen, when in ribbon
view. After this value is configured, the My-T-Soft keyboard will always display in that specified offset pos-
ition.

iFIX Does Not Start After an Upgrade

Be aware that when you install iFIX over an existing version, the security privileges for the iFIX folder may
allow Read and Execute permissions only. Limited permissions can cause various problems, such as the
inability to open the STARTUP.LOG file or to write to the Alarm Area Database files.

To change the security permissions on this folder, follow these steps:

1. Open Windows Explorer by clicking the Start button, and pointing to Programs, Accessories, and
then Windows Explorer.
2. Locate the folder to which you installed iFIX. (For example: C:\Program Files (x86)\Proficy\Proficy
iFIX.
3. Right-click the iFIX folder and select Properties from the right-click menu. The Properties dialog
box appears.
4. Click the Security tab.
5. Select the Users group in the top half of the dialog box.
6. Select the Allow check box for the Modify, Read & Execute, List Folder Contents, Read, and Write
permissions in the bottom half of the dialog box.
7. Click OK.

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 13

Unsupported Items and Recommendations

Enhanced Failover and Legacy Clients

An iFIX network that contains iFIX version 5.9 Enhanced Failover SCADA nodes and also contains older
iFIX client nodes may not be supported:

l An iFIX client node, installed with iFIX version 5.5 or later, is fully compatible with iFIX version 5.9
Enhanced Failover SCADA nodes.

l An iFIX client node, installed with iFIX version 5.1 and updated with the iFix51_Pulse10_Work-
space_019 SIM (Software Improvement Module), is fully compatible with iFIX version 5.9 Enhanced
Failover SCADA nodes.

l An iFIX client node, installed with iFIX version 5.1 and is not updated with the iFix51_Pulse10_
Workspace_019 SIM is not compatible with iFIX version 5.9 Enhanced Failover SCADA nodes.

l An iFIX client node, installed with iFIX version 5.0 or earlier, is not compatible with iFIX version 5.9
Enhanced Failover SCADA nodes.

IMPORTANT: In an Enhanced Failover pair, both SCADA nodes must have the same iFIX version installed
with all SIMs.

Microsoft Office Document References in the iFIX WorkSpace System Tree

You can no longer open new Microsoft Office documents (such as Microsoft® Excel or Word 2013 or 2016)
inside the iFIX WorkSpace. These documents will now launch separate in the associated Microsoft applic-
ation, outside of the WorkSpace.

If you want to archive these Microsoft applications along with your project with Backup and Restore or
Change Management, the Excel and Word documents must be saved to "App" sub-folder in the
WorkSpace system tree.

Ribbon View and Unsupported Microsoft Windows Themes

High Contrast themes are not supported when running the iFIX WorkSpace in Ribbon view.

UNC Paths and Install

Installing the product from UNC paths is not supported or recommended.

Running SCADA Nodes on Wireless Devices

It is strongly recommended that you do not run SCADA nodes on wireless devices. Running an iFIX SCADA
on a wireless device may impact performance, as most available wireless protocols fall below the recom-
mended bandwidth requirements.

Intel® Itanium® Processor

The Intel® Itanium® Processor is not supported for iFIX on 64-bit operating systems.

14 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Alarm Viewer
The Alarm Viewer is no longer installed as part of iFIX. If you are upgrading from a previous version of iFIX,
your pictures with Alarm Viewer objects will continue to work. At the time of this release, however, the
Alarm Viewer is not supported on a Windows 64-bit enabled operating system.

Migration Tools are Removed from iFIX 6.1

Migration tools are not supported from iFIX 2023 , if ODF files exist then user must use older versions of
iFIX to upgrade screens.

FIX Desktop
iFIX no longer supports FIX Desktop.

Classic Historian
As of 6.1, iFIX no longer supports Classic Historian and it has been removed from the program. Updating
to iFIX 2023 (or later) from a previous version will remove the Classic Historian binaries. Before updating,
make sure you have a plan to migrate your historical data to Historian Essentials, or some other per-
manent storage.

Migration Tools
iFIX 2023 does not support the FIX32 migration tools. If an .ODF files exists, that you want to convert, you
must use an older version of iFIX to upgrade screens first before opening the picture in iFIX 2023.

Historian 4.5 and Earlier

Historian 4.5 and earlier are not supported.

Historian for SCADA

Historian for SCADA version 4.5, 5.0, 5.5 are not supported with iFIX 6.1. Users with Historian for SCADA
4.5, 5.0, 5.5 will be required to upgrade to Historian Essentials.

Speedstep Technology
SpeedStep® technology is not supported and must not be enabled.

IPv6
FIX does not make use of any IPv6 functionality.

If you disable IPv6 to use WebSpace, make sure that your local HOSTS file does not contain any IPv6 ref-
erences. For example, remove the "::1 localhost" lines from the HOSTS file, and replace them a line that
references the IP address and the local host name (if necessary).

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 15

Unsupported Windows Operating Systems
The following are no longer a supported operating system for iFIX:

l Microsoft Windows Server 2016

Microsoft Windows 10 (32-bit support)
l Microsoft Windows 8.1
l Microsoft Windows 7
l Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2
l Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
l Microsoft Windows 2003
l Microsoft Windows XP
l Microsoft Windows XP Embedded
l Microsoft Windows 2000
l Microsoft Windows NT
l Microsoft Windows Vista

Drivers and Operating System Compatibility

Be sure to check with the vendor of your driver software to confirm that your driver supports the oper-
ating system you want to run it on.

Discover and Auto Configure

The Discover and Auto Configure (DAC) tool is no longer supported for use with iFIX.

OPC and Running as a Service and on Some Operating Systems

If you want to run the OPC Client driver as a service, iFIX must also run as a service. Likewise, if you want
to run iFIX as a service, the OPC Client driver must run as a service. You cannot run one as a service,
without the other also running as a service.

If you want to run the OPC Client driver on a specified operating system, be sure to check with the vendor
of your OPC Server software to confirm that your OPC Server supports the operating system you want to
run it on.

It is recommended that you install the latest OPC Core Components from the Downloads section of the
OPC Foundation web site: http://www.opcfoundation.org. The latest OPC Core components are designed
for use on a 64-bit OS.

Backwards Portability of Alarm ODBC Configuration

Once you open or create an Alarm ODBC configuration file in iFIX 2023, you cannot open that file on a
node running iFIX 2.6 or earlier. Opening the file on a node running iFIX 2.6 or earlier will cause unpre-
dictable results. It is recommended that you create a backup copy of your Alarm ODBC configuration file
before installing the latest iFIX version.

16 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Backwards Portability of Process Databases
To ensure a secure signing environment, GE Digital strongly discourages editing an iFIX 2023 process data-
base on an older-version node. If you open a 6.1 database on an older-version node, such as 2.6, you can-
not add or modify individual tags, although it is possible to modify the database, such as to delete and
duplicate tags. Do not do this.

Backwards Compatibility of 5.9 Pictures

The iFIX 2023 pictures are not backwards compatible in earlier versions of iFIX, such as iFIX 5.9, 5.8, 5.5,
5.1, 5.0, 4.5, 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, or 2.5. If you try to open an iFIX 2023 picture in an earlier version of the iFIX
WorkSpace, an error message appears stating that you need to upgrade your software to the newer
release, and the file does not load. If you use multiple versions of iFIX, store your pictures locally or use a
separate shared pictures path for each version of iFIX.

OPC Servers that Require an Access Path

The iFIX WorkSpace does not support OPC servers that require an Access Path, such as RSLinx. To use an
OPC Server like RSLinx with iFIX, configure the server so that it does not require a value for the access
path. In order to do this with RSLinx, use the following syntax: [topic]item.

Mission Control's Datascope Screen with 7.x Drivers

The Datascope screen in Mission Control does not work with version 7.x drivers. If you select a version 7.x
driver in Mission Control, you cannot use the Datascope button.

Using the Virtual Keyboard to Enter Large Amounts of Data

The virtual keyboard is designed for password and data entry. Avoid using this virtual keyboard for enter-
ing large amounts of text in Windows, as unexpected behavior may result. Certain combinations of key-
strokes may cause the virtual keyboard to display incorrect characters. The virtual keyboard should
behave as expected if you restrict its use to entering passwords and other data entry.

Using iFIX Objects in Other Applications

iFIX ships with several objects that are for internal use only. Please refrain from using these objects in
external applications. Some examples of these objects are:

l iFIX Alarm Summary Control

l iFIX Color Button Control
l iFIX Expression Editor Control
l iFIX WorkSpace Expression Editor

Modifying the ExpertGlobal.fxg or ExpertGlobals2.fxg

It is strongly recommended that you do not modify ExpertGlobal.fxg or ExpertGlobals2.fxg. If you do
modify either of these files, you may experience problems installing a subsequent SIM. If the modified
ExpertGlobal.fxg or ExpertGlobals2.fxg file has a newer date than the one in the SIM, the SIM installation
will fail. You will either need to remove the modified file or rename it to successfully install a SIM.

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 17

Instead of modifying the file, you can copy any of the experts from this file and incorporate them into your
own custom toolbar.

Data Bound Controls

Do not use Visual Basic Data Bound controls with iFIX. These controls are not supported by VBA.

Quit Method's SaveChanges Parameter

The SaveChanges parameter for the Quit method is not supported at this time. Regardless of the para-
meter you enter, you are prompted whether or not you want the option to save changes. If you select
Yes, you are prompted to switch to the Configure environment to save changes. If you select No, the
WorkSpace closes without saving changes.

Find and Replace Object Outside of the WorkSpace

The Find and Replace object is not accessible from clients that reside in a process outside the
WorkSpace. Any programs you create using Visual Basic will not support the Find and Replace feature.

VisiconX and Large Databases

Caution is advised when using VisiconX and large databases. VisiconX controls do not perform well with
really large databases.

Microsoft Windows Related Issues

Updating Root Certificates

If you are unable to run My-T-Soft, install the update for the root certificates. For more information and
for the update, see Microsoft knowledge base article KB931125.

Incorrect Icons Appear in Start Menu or Desktop Shortcuts

Windows saves a cached copy of all icons. If the icon cache becomes corrupt, incorrect icons may appear.

To fix this issue, display hidden files in Explorer, delete the icon cache file, and restart Windows. This
action restores the icon cache.

iFIX WorkSpace Related Issues

WorkSpace Startup
After starting the operating system, the first time the WorkSpace is started, you may notice that it takes
longer for the WorkSpace to start up. Subsequent WorkSpace startups will not experience the delay. The
delay is related to the number of pictures in the picture folder, so smaller projects may not experience
the delay.

18 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Print to File Option Not Working Properly For Pictures or Schedules
From the iFIX WorkSpace, when you open a picture or schedule and then click Print, the Print dialog box
provides a "Print to File" option. If you select this check box, the file is not created. A dialog box does not
appear requesting a file name. And, the file is sent to the printer, even though you selected the Print to
File check box. There is no known workaround for this issue.

Changing the System Year to 2038 Causes Unpredictable Behavior

If you change the system year to 2038, the iFIX WorkSpace may behave unpredictably and shutdown. This
is a C programming language Y2K issue and is caused by the standard time library in C. There is no known
workaround for this issue.

Clicking the Calendar Control Shuts Down the WorkSpace

If you double-click a calendar control in the iFIX WorkSpace configure mode, or if you single-click it in
WorkSpace run mode, it may shut down the WorkSpace. The Microsoft Calendar control causes similar
issues in other Microsoft Office products. This is a known Microsoft issue.

A Picture or Dynamo Appears Distorted in Logical Coordinate System

It is possible that when a picture or Dynamo set is created with the Logical Coordinate System at one res-
olution, it will appear distorted when viewed on a monitor with a different resolution. This may occur
because the default display properties of Windows are causing the autoscale function of iFIX to function
improperly, or are making a VBA form that prevents the picture or Dynamo from updating properly.

To correct this problem:

1. Open the Windows Control Panel.

2. Click the Appearance and Personalization link.
3. In the Personalization category, click the Customize Colors link.
4. Click the "Open classic appearance properties for more color options" link. The Appearance Set-
tings dialog box appears.
5. Click the Effects button.
6. Clear the Show window contents while dragging check box.
NOTE: The TrueColor graphic display option also distorts some Dynamos. We recommend that you avoid using it.

Guidelines for Using the iFIX Cross Reference Tool

Avoid Missing References in your Pictures

When you use the Cross Reference Tool Report Wizard to generate a report on a .GRF file that has a
missing reference, an error message appears in the background, and the Cross Reference Tool report gen-
eration is halted.

The report generation remains halted until you click on the Cross Reference Tool. This causes the fol-
lowing message to appear: "An action cannot be completed because a component (iFIX WorkSpace (Con-
figure) is not responding. Choose "Switch To" to activate the component and correct the problem."

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 19

Use the Switch To button and acknowledge the several dialog boxes that appear. To avoid this problem
altogether, check for missing references before running the report wizard.

Close All Dialog Boxes in the WorkSpace Before Running the Report Wizard
If you try use the Cross Reference Tool Report Wizard when certain dialog boxes are open in the
WorkSpace, such as the User Preferences or the Find and Replace dialog boxes, an error may occur.

For instance, the following message may display: "The Cross Reference application could not export VBA
script files. Your ExpertGlobal may be corrupted. Cross Reference is exiting."

Click OK to acknowledge this message and allow the Cross Reference application to exit. To prevent this
message from occurring in the first place, close all dialog boxes in the WorkSpace before you run the
Report Wizard in the Cross Reference Tool.

Avoid Running the Report Wizard with Read-Only Files

When you use the Cross Reference Tool Report Wizard to generate a report, the following message
appears if one or more of the files is read-only: "An action cannot be completed because a component
(iFIX WorkSpace (Configure)) is not responding. Choose "Switch To" to activate the component and cor-
rect the problem."

When you switch to the WorkSpace, this error appears: "Error number -2147211306. The file you are
attempting to open has been renamed outside the WorkSpace. Please make sure you have write access
to the file and try again."

Once you clear these messages, run the report again. Additionally, you can also use either of these tech-
niques to resolve this issue:

Remove the read-only attribute – Identify all files being searched for that have a read-only attribute.
Remove the read-only attribute.

Upgrade the file – Upgrade the file if you choose to leave the read-only attribute. To upgrade the file,
remove the read-only attribute on the file, open the file in the WorkSpace configuration mode, and close
the file. The file is automatically upgraded. You then have to add the read-only attribute to the file.

Working with Other GE Products

Using Historian with iFIX

Security Considerations

If security is enabled for Historian, and you do not have the necessary security group memberships, you
will not be able to use Mission Control to start or stop Historian collectors. To give the iFIX WorkSpace
and Mission Control access to the Historian collectors, configure a user name and password in one of the
following Historian dialog boxes:

l Configure the Historian Server(s) Access this dialog box by clicking Configure Historian Server on
the Historian toolbar.
l Historian Administrator Login Access this dialog box by opening the Historian Administrator and
clicking Main.

20 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Be sure to read the Historian IPI (Important Product Information) document for tips about using the
product in general.

Please refer to the following KB article, article ID:15129, for authentication information for WebSpace
and Historian: http://support.ge-ip.com/support/index?page=kbchannel&id=S:KB15129&actp=search

Regional Settings Considerations

The iFIX Scheduler and charts can use Historian data that supports Daylight Savings Time. However,
before allowing automatic Daylight Saving Time to be used in a production environment, you should test
your application under each of the following scenarios for proper behavior:

l While in Standard Time.

l While in Daylight Time.
l During the transition from Standard Time to Daylight Time.
l During the transition from Daylight Time to Standard Time.

Working with iFIX Drivers

Using the PowerTool after Installing iFIX

Each 7.x driver has a PowerTool. If you want to run the PowerTool configuration program of a 7.x driver
without running iFIX, you must have an iFIX key installed.

Starting 7.x Drivers Automatically in iFIX

The startup list in the SCU typically has the /A command line parameter in the IOCNTRL.EXE program.
The /A parameter is used to start all I/O drivers identified in the SCADA configuration of the SCU.

Use the Advanced tab of the PowerTool dialog box to set the Auto Start for each driver. If you do not use
the /A parameter and:

l the Auto Start setting in the PowerTool is set to On, 7.x driver starts automatically.
l the Auto Start setting in the PowerTool is set to Off, 7.x driver does not start automatically.

Issues with Remote OPC Servers and the WorkSpace

When remotely connected to some OPC servers, the iFIX WorkSpace does not shut down after exiting.
You may experience this issue with the following drivers:

l ABR
l GE9
l M32
l MBE
l OPC
l SI5
l SL4
l SI7

Refer to the GlobalCare web site for software downloads for I/O driver updates:

https://digitalsupport.ge.com

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 21

Using Third-Party Products with iFIX

Upgrade Older Versions of Third-Party Controls

Be aware that using an older version of some third-party controls, such as AMOVIE.OCX, may cause
memory overwrites. These overwrites may in turn cause iFIX to perform unpredictably. To avoid prob-
lems with third-party controls, be sure to use the most recent version of all third-party controls.

Use the MSFlexGrid Control Effectively

If you use the MSFlexGrid control in an iFIX picture, you may encounter slow performance when you try to
open or save your picture, or when you try to switch environments. To resolve this issue:

1. Open a new picture.

2. Drag and drop the MSFlexGrid control from the old picture into the new picture.
3. Delete the MSFlexGrid control from the old picture.
4. Save the old picture.
5. Drag and drop the MSFlexGrid control back into the old picture and re-save it.
6. Delete the new picture.

Licensing Issues with MSFlexGrid Control

When inserting an MSFlexGrid control into the WorkSpace, you may receive an error message indicating
that you do not have a license to use this control. If this occurs, you need to either install Visual Basic on
the computer where you are running WorkSpace, or add the licensing keys to the registry.

For more information, refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 318597.

Register Third-Party OPC Data Sources Properly

Certain third-party OPC servers do not support the ValidateItems call. If you try to connect to items in
that third-party OPC server through the iFIX Animations dialog box, you will get an error for items that
exist in your OPC server: "ItemName Source does not exist. Create or Use Anyway?"

To eliminate this error, you need to make the following registry change for the OPC data source.

1. Add the string value "ValidateItemsNotSupported" to \HKEY_CLASSES_

ROOT\FIX32\DataSources\OPCSERVERNAME key.
2. Set the string value to "true".

For example, if your third-party OPC server is installed as SOMEOPCSERVER, then you would add the
string value "ValidateItemsNotSupported" to \HKEY_CLASSES_
ROOT\FIX32\DataSources\SOMEOPCSERVER key, setting the string value to "true." This change verifies
that data items on OPC Servers not implementing the ValidateItems call can be read.

22 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Optimizing iFIX Performance

Activate Duplicated Tags by Reloading the Database

When you duplicate a tag in Database Manager, the new tag will only return a value once, unless you save
and reload your database. For example, if you have a link in a picture that monitors the current value of
an AI tag connected to a SIM register, you can duplicate this tag, rename it, and add a link to the picture
that monitors this new tag. However, after the first read, subsequent reads will not work until you save
and reload the database.

For More Tips on Optimizing iFIX...

Look up "optimization, introduction" in the online help Index. This link brings you to an Introduction in the
Optimizing Your iFIX System guide. This guide lists tips and strategies you can use while developing pic-
tures, writing scripts, and implementing your iFIX system.

iFIX VBA Tips and Tricks

Visual Basic for Applications, or VBA, is the standard scripting language built into iFIX. VBA can be used to
customize and extend the functionality of iFIX. Use these guidelines when creating applications in the
Visual Basic Editor from iFIX:

l Refrain from using punctuation marks, pound sign (#), and VBA reserved words within VBA file
names.
l Avoid generating a script within a script, that is currently executing. This causes unpredictable res-
ults.
l Do not use the WM_CLOSE SendMessage to close a user form; the object does not get destroyed
properly. If you must close a form with a script, use the WM_DESTROY SendMessage.
l Avoid referencing the Intellution iFIX Find and Replace Mechanism v1.0 Type Library in your pro-
ject. It causes an error when you compile your script.
l Be aware that a script based on an object's event should not call the DestroyObject method on
the parent of the same object. Doing so causes unpredictable results.
l If you are using any of the iFIX subroutines to write data back to the database, use the F_CV field
as the data link. Using the A_CV field may cause unpredictable results.
l Do not use the DblClick event when you configure a Data link for "In-Place" data entry. If you do,
the DblClick event does not execute.
l Do not access class modules that are declared as PRIVATE in an out of process environment, such
as user.fxg, expert globals, or any Global pages. This is not allowed.
l Be aware that when you change a source tag in iFIX, an automation error displays if you do not
allow iFIX enough time to establish the new connection before you read the InputValue property.
The wait time depends on the scan time of the event object source tag.
l If you set a tag with a static value as the source tag twice in a row, you will cause an automation
error.

For more information on using VBA in your iFIX projects, look up "summaries" or "scripting, in iFIX" in the
online help Index.

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 23

Code Example: Checking for a Null Value with the iFIX RealTime ODBC Driver
The iFIX RealTime ODBC driver was built to allow NULL values to be returned. For example, when check-
ing iFIX real time data for a tag that does not exist, a value of NULL is returned when the tag is not found.
In some instances, it may be helpful to check for the NULL value so that it is not counted as one string
returned. The following is an example of code that will allow you to check for the NULL value:
If Record.ID "" Then
MSG = "A valid record exists"
Else
MSG = "A null situation exists"
End If
MsgBox MSG

Code Example: Creating a VB Client Application Properly

Creating a VB client application that accesses the WorkSpace.Application object through early binding
causes unpredictable results. For example, the following sample script, which uses early binding, causes
the WorkSpace to terminate unexpectedly:
Private Sub Form_Load()
Dim iApp As CFixApp
Dim iSystem As Object
Set iApp = CreateObject("WorkSpace.Application")
Set iSystem = iApp.System
End Sub

To avoid this problem, replace the second line in the above sample script with the following line:
Dim iApp As Object

Uninstall and Reinstall Issues

If iFIX is used by multiple users, and you uninstall and then reinstall it to a different folder, you may exper-
ience issues with some users. These user issues can also occur in other versions of iFIX.

For example, say UserA installs iFIX to C:\LocationA, and then both UserA and UserB make use of iFIX. If
UserA uninstalls iFIX and then reinstalls iFIX to another location, say D:\LocationB, without deleting
C:\LocationA, UserB may experience issues. Although UserA will be able to use iFIX in its new location
without any problems, UserB will see several error messages if he tries to launch iFIX or the SCU, since
his registry paths still point to C:\LocationA.

As a workaround, open the Windows Registry and delete the HKEY_USERS\<USER'S ID>\Soft-
ware\Proficy\iFIX\ProjectPaths key which contains the old paths. For example, deleting the HKEY_
USERS\S-1-5-21-3882306234-4042192530-3641380709-1028\Software\Proficy\Proficy iFIX\Pro-
jectPaths key would alleviate this issue for a user with an ID of S-1-5-21-3882306234-4042192530-
3641380709-1028. After updating the Registry, be sure to restart iFIX.

IMPORTANT Add/Remove Information for Historian

If you choose to remove Historian from the Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel, do not remove
Microsoft system files if prompted to do so. This could cause critical operating system issues.

24 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Company Name References
All references to the entity formerly known as GE Intelligent Platforms or GEIP now refers to GE Digital.

Fixed Defects in iFIX 2023

Case # Area Description

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 25

Case # Area Description

26 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Case # Area Description

WorkSpace may crash

when calling GetSig-
1018815 WorkSpace nature from VBA script.
This issue is resolved in
iFIX 2023.
Runtime Model browse
window's header is not
DE179679 WorkSpace
translated. This issue is
resolved in iFIX 2023.
Unable to update tag’s
Alarm Area property
value in the Database
DE183225 Configuration Hub panel for all block types
for non-English iFIX. This
issue is resolved in iFIX
2023.
The Password text is not
masked while entering
the text in the password
DE180645 Configuration Hub
field in the OPCUA Tab's
details panel. This issue
is resolved in iFIX 2023.
Some field labels are cut
off in Database Manager
AI, DC, and ETR block dia-
DE182348 Database Manager
logs in the non-English
versions. This issue is
resolved in iFIX 2023.
iFIX Summary page not
loaded properly with
DE179410 Configuration Hub proper content. This
issue is resolved in iFIX
2023.
Unable to load iFIX plugin
when registered with
Non-English characters in
DE179525 Configuration Hub
Plugin Alias name. This
issue is resolved in iFIX
2023.
Database Manager keeps
appending characters in
the spreadsheet Descrip-
DE176414 Database Manager tion cell even after press-
ing the Return key when
entering some Pol-
ish/German/Swedish

© 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. 27

Case # Area Description

characters. This issue is

resolved in iFIX 2023.
01019294,
Low values seen in TR
01020506,
and ETR blocks. This
01030563, Database Manager
issue is resolved in iFIX
01027245,
2023.
01034477
Fails to create tag from
OPC UA Server when OPC
UA tag has a NULL value
1013125 Configuration Hub
for any data type. This
issue is resolved in iFIX
2023.
"WorkSpace may crash
when ""Resolving Files""
1005534 WorkSpace that contain a .NET con-
trol." This issue is
resolved in iFIX 2023.
Security log missing
entries for Security Area
999908 Database Manager
33. This issue is resolved
in iFIX 2023.
Alarm Summary acknow-
ledgment events are not
firing when tag requires
986906 WorkSpace
electronic signature. This
issue is resolved in iFIX
2023.
WorkSpace crash insert-
ing Batch Act-
955922 WorkSpace ivePhaseList.ocx. This
issue is resolved in iFIX
2023.
Find and Replace does
not always work cor-
rectly for Objects having
934291 WorkSpace
animation property in a
picture file. This issue is
resolved in iFIX 2023.
Duplicate alarms from
logical SCADA node in
992973 WorkSpace Alarm History window.
This issue is resolved in
iFIX 2023.
812231 WorkSpace Delay when performing a

28 © 2023 General Electric Company. All rights reserved.

Case # Area Description

Replace Picture. This

issue is resolved in iFIX
2023.
Database Manager does
not show previous tag.
1016304 Database Manager
This issue is resolved in
iFIX 2023.
Problem with OPC UA on
a Failover pair. On a
clean install,
IOCNTRL.EXE was getting
added to the SCU task
list after WSACTASK.EXE.
This can lead to all OPC
UA (OUA) tags going off-
scan when the Secondary
SCADA of a failover pair
DE197937 Enhanced Failover becomes active due to
the Primary SCADA being
shut down. The solution
is to edit the SCU's
Task List to move
IOCNTRL.EXE above/-
before WSACTASK.EXE.
This issue occurs on pre-
vious versions of iFIX (6.5
and 2022), but is resolved
in iFIX 2023.

Known Issues in iFIX 2023

Issue Area Description

Productivity Tools or OPC UA Client Configuration Tool Does Not Start

If you have iFIX with Productivity Tools installed and you upgrade from to
DE124575 Upgrade iFIX 2023, manually update the FIX.INI to include this entry at the end of
the [SCADA] section: RUN=%IFIX_CONFIG_SERVICE.EXE run -config ifix_
config_service.json. Restart iFIX after you save your changes.
OPC UA Clients Do Not Discover OPC UA Server on VMWare Image

When running iFIX with its OPC UA Server enabled on a computer that has
DE118716 OPC UA VMWare installed, you may find that you cannot discover the OPC UA
Server from clients on the local machine. In this case, you may repeatedly
see the following error in the iFixUaServer.log file: Error: "Registration with

Issue Area Description

Discovery Server failed." This occurs because the VMWare virtual network
adapter fails to respond during Discovery Server registration, which
causes the entire registration operation to time out.

In order to work around this, you can disable the VMWare network
adapter (if it is not used) in Control Panel. Otherwise, you will need to
manually enter the endpoint URL of the OPC UA Server into client applic-
ations, since they cannot find the server by discovery. Note that this issue
only affects discovery of the iFIX OPC UA Server and has no impact on fur-
ther connectivity or functionality of the iFIX OPC UA Server.
OPC Core Components subinstall displays a request to install a VC 2013
Redistributable (version 12.0.30501)

DE122938 Install This error occurs only on a fresh install. It occurs because the target sys-
tem already has the Microsoft VC++ 2013 Redistributable Update 5
(12.0.40660) installed. Acknowledge the message and continue. The install
will run properly despite the message.
Cannot open OPC UA Client Driver Configuration Tool When the Windows
Firewall is Enabled
OPC UA Client
DE120941 Add port 9444 to the Windows firewall exception list, along with any other
Driver
port associated with this driver that you want to include, such as ports
4855, 4856, and 4857.
iFIX UA client will not fully work with OPC UA Aggregators that change
iFIX OPC UA Cli- server namespaces dynamically
TA626596
ent
This is not supported in iFIX 2023.
Discover and Auto Configure Does not Support Long Tags Names or OPC
Discover and UA
TA592883
Auto Configure
These items are not supported in iFIX 2023.
Size of HPLinearGauges Dynamo Not Maintained After Upgrade

This is a known issue in iFIX 2023. When the HPLinearGauge Dynamo in pic-
DE114780 WorkSpace ture is upgraded with the iFIX 2023 Master Dynamo, then the updated
Dynamo will be reduced in length. There is no workaround for this issue
except to manually resize the upgraded Dynamo.
iFIX Collector Fails When Browsing iFIX Tags in the Historian Administrator

If you try to browse tags, for instance from the Add Multiple Tags from Col-
lector dialog box in the Historian Administrator, the iFIX Collector will fail.
Historian Integ-
DE92547 Be aware that you can still add tags, up to 199 characters long, for col-
ration
lection using FixToHist.exe.

This is a known issue with the Historian Collector in Historian 7.0 and has
been addressed in newer versions.
Bad WebHMI Server Name Entered Into User Preferences or Web HMI Pub-
DE91265 WorkSpace lish Screen Causes WorkSpace to Be Unresponsive

This is a known issue in iFIX 2023 and only occurs if a you enter a bad

Issue Area Description

server name.
OPC UA Server Does Not Start

If you have iFIX with Productivity Tools installed and you upgrade to iFIX
DE90938 Upgrade 2023, then the FIX.INI file does not contain an entry for the iFIX OPC UA
Server. As a workaround, manually update the FIX.INI to include this entry
at the end of the [SCADA] section: RUN=%IFIXUASERVER.EXE. Restart iFIX
after you save your changes.
HTC Tab is not Working With Historian Installed

DE90685 Mission Control In iFIX 2023, Historical Collector actions are no longer supported from the
iFIX Mission control application, mission.exe. Please use the Historian
Administrator UI instead.
Alarm Shelving Related Fields Are Not Shown in the Text Compare Report
Change Man-
DE89991 Alarm Shelving related fields are not shown in the Text Compare Report in
agement
the Change Management History window.
Alarm Shelving Status Incorrect When Alarms Are Sent Over AAM
DE84751 Alarm Shelving When using the Auto Alarm Manager (AAM) with Alarm Shelving, be aware
that the Alarm Shelving Status is incorrect when alarms are sent via AAM.
Altered Table Failing for Microsoft Access Database Due to Long Tag
Names and Descriptions

After upgrading to iFIX 2023, when using Microsoft Access to log Alarms
using ODBC, an error occurs. To use iFIX after an upgrade with Microsoft
Access requires a manual update to the Registry and an update of the
Microsoft Access database in Design View. The ALM_TAGNAME and ALM_
TAGDESC (if it exists) rows needs to be formatted as a LONGTEXT (MEMO)
field.

Use these steps:

1. In the Windows Registry, make the following entries for the MaxLock-
sLimit key: REG_DWORD and 0x00030d40 (200000). To find the MaxLock-
DE87524 Upgrade sLimit key, look to the Microsoft Office version-specific Registry entry
under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft.

2. Open Microsoft Access.

3. In Microsoft Access, open the database previously configured for Alarm

ODBC in iFIX prior to 6.1.

4. Right-click the table and select Design View.

5. Select the ALM_TAGNAME row, Data Type column, and then change
Text to Memo.

6. Repeat the previous step with the ALM_TAGDESC row, if it exists in the
table.

7. Save the Access database.

Issue Area Description

VisiconX Returns Oracle Error

When using VisiconX, be aware that you must configure your environment
variables correctly for Oracle. If you select the Microsoft OLE DB Provider
for ODBC Drivers as your data source, when you try to select an Oracle
table, you will experience an error. On the Oracle Client machine where
iFIX is installed, set the ORACLE_HOME environment variable to point to
the Oracle Admin Client installation directory.

For example:

1. Right-click My Computer and select Properties.

2. Click Advanced system Settings > Environment Variables.

US244795 VisiconX
3. In the System Variables panel, click New.

4. Add the ORACLE_HOME variable to the New System Variable box, then
click OK. For example: ORACLE_HOME-
E=C:\app\Administrator\product\12.1.0\client_1

5. Select the PATH variable in the System Variables panel, and click Edit.

6. In the Edit System Variable box, add the path to ORACLE_HOME at the
start of the PATH variable: %ORACLE_HOME%\bin

7. Restart the computer.

8. Attempt to connect through VisiconX again to test connection succeeds.

Alarm Summary Blink Rate/Refresh Interval is overridden by the Terminal

Server Throttle Configured in FixUserPreference.ini
Terminal
DE30309 Server/Remote The Alarm Summary Blink Rate/Refresh Interval is overridden by the Ter-
Desktop minal Server throttle configured in FixUserPreference.ini when running the
Alarm Summary on a Terminal Server Client or via the general Remote
Desktop connection.
Alarm Shelve Duration is Based on System Time
DE68669 Alarm Shelving Be aware that the durations are based off the system clock and not a
timer.
Alarm Area Mismatches for CTR, GAB, ITM, PAR, and P12 Loadable Blocks

For the CTR, GAB, ITM, PAR, and P12 blocks, an upgrade to iFIX 2023 does
Database Man- not fix issues with the Alarm Area 2 and Alarm Area 3 ordering. As a work-
DE85273 around, you need to export the database to a .CSV file, edit the Alarm
ager
Area 2 and Alarm Area 3 values, and then reimport the database back into
iFIX 2023 to fix the designated Alarm Areas. If the blocks are created using
iFIX 2023, there is no issue with alarm areas.
iFIX-SOA Ser- Tags Created After Connection Established to the SOA Server Appear Miss-
DE86292
vice Provider ing When Browsing Tag Properties on SOA Node

Issue Area Description

The workaround is to restart iFIX each time you add a new block type to
the existing iFIX database.
Identifier Too Long Error for Long Tag Name on Script Behind Event
DE71528 WorkSpace Microsoft Visual Basic limits character identifiers to a maximum of 255
characters.
Recipe Report Limits Tag Identifier to 100 Characters
DE75993 Recipes
This is a known limitation in iFIX 2023.
Quick Trend and Tag Control Panel Have Tag Length Limitations
DE81968 WorkSpace Tag Control Panel and Quick Trend Screens are limited to tag names of 234
characters.
Alarm Shelving and OPC UA Configuration Tool Security Features Not
Added to iFIX Administrative User on Upgrade
DE82453 Upgrade This is as designed for security purposes. After an upgrade, if you want to
update your administrative groups to include the new security features,
you will need to add them manually.
ToolTip Does Not Display Full 256 Character Tag Length in Command
Script Wizard for Schedules
DE79939 WorkSpace
Tooltip does not show full tag length in this case. This is a known software
limitation.
DE82077 WorkSpace Tag Status Screens Have Tag Length Limitations
There are limitations on screen that will not allow the full tag name to be
displayed in Tag Status pictures. Even with the use of tooltips, you are
restricted to 160 characters.
New Document Option Is Disabled in the System tree for Microsoft Word
and Excel Files

As a workaround, you can create the registry keys as described in the fol-
lowing articles. Restart the iFIX WorkSpace after doing making your
changes.
DE69641 WorkSpace
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_o365ad-
min/why-docobject-registry-keys-with-a-

value-of-16-are/24cd9c98-46a9-4c10-8ca1-cb3933bd7817

https://community.qlik.com/docs/DOC-14030
Tag Lookup Takes Longer Than Expected
DE80338 WorkSpace When browsing tags in the Expression Editor on a view node (iClient), it
may take 50% longer to perform the initial tag lookup.
Long Tag Name Not Readable or Shrinks in Enhanced Charts
Enhanced
DE66431 After inserting a Line Chart or XY Chart, a long tag name is not readable or
Charts
shrinks on the chart display.

Issue Area Description

iFIX Charts (with Historian data) Not Working on a System with Historian
Historian Integ- 7.0 Mirroring when Primary Historian Server is Unavailable
N/A
ration
iFIX 2023 currently does not support Historian 7.0 mirrored systems.
Sometimes the Values Displayed on the HPTanksAnim and HPLin-
earGauges Dynamos Are Cut Off.
DE17435 Dynamos Try saving the picture before switching to run mode or run the WorkSpace
in Full Screen mode. Disabling Zoom to Fit may also display the values cor-
rectly.
When Shape objects are aligned to each other with the Edge Width prop-
erty set to 0, the objects display a white line within GE Web HMI browser
client.

When a picture is created in iFIX with Shape objects that are aligned to
each other and the Edge Width property is set to 0, the objects in the
Web HMI
DE14743 exported picture display a white line when viewed within GE Web HMI.
Export
Workaround: If the Edge Width property is 0, set the Edge Style property to
“EdgeStyleNone” in the object’s property window, or set Edge Style to “No
Edge” via the object’s Right Mouse Menu option. Confirm that the objects
look correct in iFIX Configure mode. Then, save and export the picture for
Web HMI.
Some Anti-Aliased Lines that are Near Horizontal Appear Fuzzy

DE29895 WorkSpace With SmoothShapes (anti-aliasing) enabled, edge lines of some objects can
appear fuzzy when they are at certain angles... such as with line objects
when they are in a near-to-horizontal position.
Some Text Objects Draw Lighter than Normal

Text objects with a font size of 13 or smaller will draw without anti-ali-
asing regardless of the SmoothShapes setting in the picture. Size 13 fonts
with the bold property set will draw with anti-aliasing.

Text draws more clearly with SmoothShapes enabled at higher res-

olutions. Pictures that contain many text objects viewed at low resolution
DE26574 WorkSpace may display more clearly with the SmoothShapes property set to False.

Changing the font style from Regular to Bold, or increasing the font size
improves the readability of the text.

Dynamo sets with text objects that use small fonts may need to be edited
in pictures where SmoothShapes is enabled. Changing the font style from
regular to bold or increasing the font size improves the appearance of the
text within the Dynamo.
Anti-aliased Objects with Edge Style = 6 (inside frame) will See Color Out-
side the Object Frame
DE25183 WorkSpace Anti-aliased objects with edge style = 6 (inside frame) will see pixels for
the background color or fill color outside the object's frame. There is cur-
rently no workaround.

Issue Area Description

LineChartPopUpHist.grf and LineChartPopUpReal.grf Pictures Display an

Error when Switching from Configure to Run Mode

These popup pictures are meant for the associated Dynamo objects
DE29588 WorkSpace (Chart_LineHist and Chart_LineRealTime). When the Chart_LineHist or
Chart_LineRealTime Dynamo is dropped onto a picture, it displays the
associated popup screen to set the plot styles and time definitions. These
pictures are not meant to be edited directly.
An Error Message Appears when Trying to Start My-T-Soft after Installing
iFIX

If you see a "server not licensed" error message from IMG, start the service
DE28601 My-T-Soft manually. From Start menu, select My-T-Soft > License Information to
open the IMG application, and click the Start Service button. You can also
use the command line to start the service: Manage.exe START. After the
service starts, try to run My-T-Soft again.
VisconX dialog boxes display a few headings with clipped text (in Configure
mode only)

DE113972 VisconX When using the VisiconX controls, be aware that the Database and Record
Source tabs may contain some subheadings with clipped text. This is a
known issue due to a Microsoft coding limitation on text allowed on frames
used within frames. There is no known workaround at this time.
Unable to Configure Historian Server in the iFIX WorkSpace after installing
Historian 8.1 or 9.0 Client Tools one time
DE151572 Historian
When this issue is encountered, install the Historian 8.1 or 9.0 Client Tools
a second time on the iFIX system, restart, and then try again to configure.
The OPC UA Server cannot monitor more than 32,000 tag fields at a time
DE139692 OPC UA Server There is currently no support for more than 30,000 tags in the OPC UA
Server.
Model tags not initially shown in Expression Builder after Model Import
Configuration The workaround is wait a few minutes and do a refresh, or close the
DE150686
Hub WorkSpace and then restart after a few minutes. The indirect tags should
now be listed.
Deleted Shelve Policy Still Appears in Configuration Hub UI

Configuration If you delete a shelve policy in the Database Manager, it will still appear
DE145434 assigned to tags in the Configuration Hub UI. No error appears when you
Hub
open the tag in Configuration Hub. As a workaround, you need to manually
update the tag with a new policy.
Browse dialog opens slowly with IGS and IDS when connected to a large
configuration
Database Man-
DE137521 The browse button may take over a minute or more to open when with a
ager
large database. As a workaround, wait a few minutes for the database to
open.

Issue Area Description

WorkSpace will not start when the domain user is added to the secure
group after the install
DE137082 iFIX WorkSpace After adding a user to the iFIX secure users group on a Domain, you may
not have immediate access to iFIX resources (cannot run iFIX). Wait for a
few minutes and then try again.
Default Tag values always displayed with US Regional Settings
Configuration
DE152368 The iFIX plugin for Configuration Hub is only supported with English
Hub
regional settings.
The Progress Bar for the Publish does not Update Fast
Configuration
DE153297 Publish operation may take a while depending on the number of tags being
Hub
published to the active iFIX node. Please wait for the Done indication.
Configuration No error seen when publishing simultaneously - Second publish hangs
DE153266
Hub It is recommended that you only perform one publish operation at a time.
Firefox Browser - Model Tree: Object Type and Instance context menu
options are not working
Configuration In the Firefox browser, in the Model panel, if any Object Type/Object is
DE153266
Hub selected, and any right-click menu option is selected, then the operation is
not being done. The workaround is to select the overflow icon to do the
intended operation.
JSON Files for REST API Have Wrong Encoding

If you make an edits to an iFIX JSON file (for instance: ifix_auth_ser-

US472663 REST API vice.JSON or ifix_tag_service.JSON), be sure that you save the file with
UTF-8 encoding. For example, in Notepad, there is a drop-down for Encod-
ing in the bottom right-hand side of the Save As dialog box where you can
set the encoding before saving the file.
Configuration Hub Registration fails when machine name contains non-
Configuration English characters
DE155428
Hub Do not install Configuration Hub on computers with machine names con-
taining non-English characters.
Importing CSV configurations created on a different locale than the SCADA
Database Man- not working
DE156789
ager Importing CSV configurations that were created on a different locale than
the SCADA is not supported.
Unsupported Model Names Import Into Configuration Hub

Unsupported model names can be imported into Configuration Hub, but

Configuration you will not be able to edit or do further operation on them. For instance,
DE156901
Hub using API calls you can create a type or instance name which has more
than 256 bytes. You can also perform an import or export. More than 256
bytes is currently not supported.
DE166777 Configuration Database File Encoding in Configuration Hub and the iFIX Database is Dif-

Issue Area Description

ferent

Be aware that Configuration Hub supports only UTF-8 encoded files. The
iFIX Database Manager uses ANSI encoding.

If you export a .CSV database file from Configuration Hub, you need to
change the format from UTF-8 to ANSI before importing it into the iFIX
Database Manager. Open the .CSV file in Notepad, save the file with ANSI
Hub
encoding, and then import it into the Database Manager.

Likewise, to import a .CSV database file from the Database Manager into
Configuration Hub, the file format must be in UTF-8 format. If you exported
your .CSV file from the iFIX Database Manager, you must change the
format to UTF-8 before importing it into Configuration Hub.

This is known limitation.

The iFIX installation fails if the host name or computer name is greater
than 15 characters

The iFIX installation fails if the host name or computer name is greater
than 15 characters This limitation is because the network NetBIOS name
can be only 15 characters.
DE166800 Installation
With greater than 15 characters, you cannot set the iFIX Secure Mode-
Service user. Also, the Configuration Hub certificate will not be created
properly, making it so that you cannot log in to Configuration Hub.

As a workaround, keep the Computer name at less than 15 characters if

you want to use iFIX in secure mode or with Configuration Hub.
Non-English iFIX Tag Values are Not Getting Collected in Historian
DE166479 Historian Historical collection of iFIX tag names containing double-byte characters
are not currently supported. There is no known workaround at this time.
Object Type Variables Not Saved when Contained Type Alias and Variable
Confiugration Have the Same Name
DE152164
Hub
This is expected behavior.
Running an ActiveX Control Causes iFIX VBA to Not Function Correctly

When running the Plant Applications Report Server as a service (for the
Microsoft Excel Addin), you may experience issues if you do not have the
security settings correct for ActiveX controls.

If you see this message and ignore it or disable the control, you will also
ActiveX Con-
DE146496 experience issues: "Microsoft Forms: This application is about to initialize
trols
ActiveX controls that might be unsafe. If you trust the source of this file,
select OK and the controls will be initialized using your current workspace
settings."

To resolve this issue:

1. Log into the Plant Applications Report Server with the account the

Issue Area Description

report server services are configured to run as. (On a client system, skip
this step.)

2. Open Microsoft Excel and select File and then Options.

3. Click Trust Center, and then Trust Center Settings.

4. Select ActiveX Settings.

5. Select "Enable all controls without restrictions and without prompting..."

6. Click OK twice.

7. On the Report Server, restart the Plant Applications Report Server ser-
vices.

8. On the Client System, restart Excel.

NOTE: In newer versions of Microsoft Office or Excel, these settings do not

always work (depending on your version). In this situation, you will need to
modify the Registry:

1. As Administrator, run RegEdit.

2. Drill into the following folder: HKCU\Soft-

ware\Microsoft\Office\Common\Security.

3. Create a new DWORD 32bit Value: UFIControls Set Value: 1

4. Create a new DWORD 32bit Value: DisableAllActiveX Set Value: 1

5. Create a new DWORD 32bit Value: VBAWarnings Set Value: 0

For more information see KB article id 000020614 on https://di-

gitalsupport.ge.com/.
Older versions of the iFIX WorkSpace with Pictures that Contain a T_
DATA2 field Abort when Open in Run Mode

The workaround is to use the T_DATA field. T_DATA2 is not supported in

DE163450 WorkSpace older versions of iFIX. The T_DATA field is used for getting an array of data
from the TR or ETR block (to plot the pen in the chart). T_DATA is array of
16-bit integers.

While T_DATA2 is array of 32-bit integers.

Model Search and Filter Issues
Configuration If you try to filter the model view while the nodes are expanded, the filter
DE173820
Hub will not work. As a workaround, collapse the node view to apply the filter.
For the model, you can only apply the Search or the Filter at a time.
After Upgrading from iFIX 6.5 to 2022, iFIX Fails to Start
Integrated If upgrading from iFIX 6.5 to iFIX 2023 using the Integrated Installer, and
DE174216
Install iFIX 6.5 used Secure Mode and was running iFIX as a service, then iFIX will
fail to start after the upgrade. After upgrading, run the "Setup Access Con-

Issue Area Description

trol" utility from the Start Menu and set the service account and password.
Otherwise, iFIX will fail to start.
iFIX Installer Can Not Create IFIXUSERS Group when Machine Name Con-
tains non-English Characters
DE173848 Installation
Running iFIX on a computer with a machine name that contain non-English
characters such as æ, ø, å in the name is not supported.
OPC UA Client Working Prior to Upgrade, but Now Registration Shows Cer-
tificate Not Trusted

Before upgrading iFIX, delete the old OPC UA Configuration certificate

(iFIX_OpcuaConfigRoot.crt) from the Program Files
(x86)\GE\iFIX\LOCAL\iFIX_OpcuaConfigService\pki folder, and then
DE173697 Upgrade upgrade to the latest version of iFIX.

If you forget to delete the certificate before upgrading iFIX, you will need to
follow the steps in this topic in order to trust the certificate again after the
upgrade: https://www.ge.com/digital/documentation/confighub/g_ifix_con-
fighub_server_name_changes_ifix.html#g_ifix_confighub_server_name_
changes__ifix_certs1.
APPLICATION DESIGNER Group Does Not Migrate on Upgrade or Export to
Proficy Authentication After Upgrade

This issue occurs because Proficy Authentication does not support spaces
in group names. To resolve this issue after upgrading, create the group
again in iFIX and then export it to Proficy Authentication.

1. In the iFIX Security Application go to Edit > Group Accounts. The Group
Accounts dialog box appears.

2. Click Add and in the Group Name field enter APPLICATION_DESIGNER.

3. In the Application Features area, click Modify.

DE173572 Upgrade
4. Add the following application features: Database Block Add-Delete,
Database Manager, Database Reload, Database Save, Enable Task Switch-
ing, OPC UA Confiugration Tool, Runtime Visual Basic Editor Access,
WorkSpace Configure, WorkSpace Runtime, and WorkSpace Runtime Exit.

5. Click OK until you return the the Group Accounts dialog box.

6. With the APPLICATION_DESIGNER group selected, in the Add to Proficy

Auth section, select the Shared Prefix, and click Add Groups. A con-
firmation message box appears.

7. After confirming the message, select File > Save.

After Upgrading, the ch_admin User for Proficy Authentication is Missing
Some Privileges
DE174060 Upgrade
After you upgrade iFIX and Configuration Hub, log in to Configuration Hub.
From the Navigation Pane, under Proficy Authentication, select Security.

Issue Area Description

On the Security panel, click the Users link. Double-click the ch_admin user.
In the Details pane, in the Group Membership area, click Edit to open the
Group Membership dialog box. Select the check box for the following
groups: scada.fix_shared.IFIX_PROFICY_AUTH_ADMIN, and
scada.fix.shared_APPLICATION_DESIGNER, and then click Apply. Save your
changes. The APPLICATION _DESIGNER will give you access to iFIX in Con-
figuration Hub, while IFIX_PROFICY_AUTH_ADMIN will allow you to use
Proficy Authentication.
When an Operations Hub Model File is Imported, Instances Are Not seen in
Model List

Configuration Spaces are not supported in model or tag names in Configuration Hub. So
DE174332 for instance, if your Operation Hub model is imported into Configuration
Hub
Hub and the model names have spaces, the model instances will not be
seen the model list. As a workaround, update the model file to remove the
unsupported space characters before importing.
Getting "Failed to load plugin Application: Undefined" while Loading the
Configuration Remote iFIX Plugin
DE174443
Hub The Configuration Hub node and the iFIX node need to be in the same
domain or same workgroup.
Error Seen Frequently that iFIX is Not Started or Unable to Retrieve Local
Configuration Information
DE169376
Hub Make sure that Configuration Hub and iFIX server (or iFIX servers in
Enhanced Failover setup) share the same time zone and system locale.
Issues registering upgraded iFIX Server with remote Configuration Hub

When multiple iFIX and Historian plugins are registered to Configuration

Hub, all should use same Proficy Authentication (UAA) Server Name. If Con-
figuration Hub or Proficy Authentication Server are in a domain system
then Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) name should be used for Server
Name.

When iFIX 2023 is upgraded from a previous version of iFIX, sometimes the
iFIX Register to Configuration link shows as non-trusted. You will need to
recreate the iFIX_OpcuaConfigService certificate. The steps to do that are:
Configuration
DE174910 NOTE: If you experience any certificate issues when you open up Con-
Hub
figuration Hub, you can use these same steps to remove the certificates
and then re-add them.

1. From the iFIX install folder, open the iFIX Configuration Service Cer-
tificate Tool (iFixConfigServiceCertTool.exe) tool as an Administrator. By
default, this tool is found in the C:\Program Files (x86)\GE\iFIX\ folder.

2. Click Delete Certificates, and then click Delete Certificate Binding.

3. Create the new certificates by clicking the Create Certificates button.

4. Copy the iFIX_OpcuaConfigServer.crt and iFIX_OpcuaConfigServer.key

Issue Area Description

files from the C:\Program Files (x86)\GE\iFIX\CFG\iFIX_OpcuaCon-

figService\pki folder into the C:\Program Files (x86)\GE\iFIX\web\conf dir-
ectory.

5. Restart the computer.

6. Restart iFIX. When iFIX starts, and you open the Configuration Hub
Server Registration page to register Configuration Hub from the iFIX
WorkSpace, the trust should now appear on this page.
iFIX Database Name Issues with Capital Letters in German, French, and
Polish

Configuration For German, French, and Polish languages, when using Configuration Hub,
DE182433 the iFIX database name can only be in lower case letters. Do not use cap-
Hub
ital letters for the iFIX database file name in these languages; capital let-
ters in an iFIX database file name are not supported for German, French,
or Polish.
Configuration Publish Model to Operations Hub fails with Operations Hub 2022
DE197211
Hub If publishing a model from iFIX 2023, you must use Operations Hub 2023.
Alarms issue seen if Alarm Area and Model names are same
Configuration
DE194475 Alarm name, Tag name, and Model object instance names should not be
Hub
same.
Model browse - Can't browse children of a Type or Instance that has same
name as an alarm area
Configuration
DE194485 iFIX entities like the database name, tag names, alarm areas, model types,
Hub
and model instances must be unique. Ensure you use unique names when
creating these items.
Proficy Common and Proficy License Server folders are created at the
default location even if a different location was specified during the install
DE194980 Installation 'Proficy Common' and 'Proficy License Server' folders are created under
default location: C:\Program Files (x86)\Proficy. You cannot specify a cus-
tom location for these install folders with the integrated installer.
Unable to publish screens to Operations Hub using a remote Proficy
DE197305 Operations Hub Authentication (UAA) instance
This is a known issue in iFIX 2023. There is currently no workaround.
Login to Registration failing when iFIX Security path is using shared
mapped drive/UNC paths

When iFIX security configuration paths are set to reside on shared drives,
Configuration the login to the plugin registration page fails.
DE197220
Hub
Computers connected in a Work Group environment is not supported in
iFIX 2023 with shared drive Security Paths (using Configuration Hub).

In a domain environment, the shared folder should be given access to the

Issue Area Description

machine account from where the plugin registration occurs. For example:
say the folder to be shared is named "security" and located on Computer1,
and you want to access by iFIX from Computer2 and Computer2 is
registered to Configuration Hub. On Computer1, in Windows Explorer nav-
igate to the "security" folder, right-click it and select Properties. Click the
"Sharing" tab. Click the "Share…" button and add Computer2$ with read
permissions. This ensures that the folder is accessible to the Computer2
machine account. The login to the plugin registration page should now be
successful.
When iFIX is started as Service, the iFIX plugin fails to load in Configuration
Hub when iFIX Security Paths or any other SCU paths are using a shared
mapped drive/UNC paths

When iFIX is started normal mode, this issue will not be encountered.

Computers connected in a work group environment is not supported in

iFIX 2023 with shared drive paths (using Configuration Hub).

Configuration In a domain environment, the shared folder should be given access to the
DE197296 machine account from where the plugin registration occurs. For example:
Hub
say the folder to be shared is named "security" and located on Computer1,
and you want to access by iFIX from Computer2 and Computer2 is
registered to Configuration Hub. On Computer1, in Windows Explorer nav-
igate to the "security" folder, right-click it and select Properties. Click the
"Sharing" tab. Click the "Share…" button and add Computer2$ with read
permissions. This ensures that the folder is accessible to the Computer2
machine account. The login to the plugin registration page should now be
successful.
Files found under subfolders (for example: PIC\SUBFOLDER) are not dis-
played in the Deploy Panel
Configuration
DE193115 The iFIX 2023 Project Deployment feature does not support the deploy-
Hub
ment of pictures from subfolders. Only pictures in the default PIC folder
can be deployed.
After an Upgrade from iFIX 6.5/2022 to iFIX 2023 new panels show up
Configuration blank in Configuration Hub
DE182575
Hub When upgrading from iFIX 6.5 or 2022 to iFIX 2023 you must re-register
iFIX with Configuration Hub for the new Project Settings to appear.
If ACL is Not Configured, launch.exe or fix.exe unable to start when web-
space WSM cache is enabled

When iFIX Access Control is disabled, the Windows built-in Administrator

DE190281 Startup user account or a Standard user account (a user who only belongs to the
USERS group) can launch the iFIX Workspace from a Webspace session
without the UAC (consent.exe) appearing. However, any user who belongs
to the Administrators group will see the the UAC prompt. If iFIX Access
Control is enabled, no UAC promopts appear.
DE195093 Install Operations Hub install page Overwrites an existing ch_admin user pass-

Issue Area Description

word

If an instance of Proficy Authentication already exists, due to another

Proficy product install, enter the existing user name (for instance, ch_
admin) and the password in the installer.
iFIX Screen Saver Issues with Large, Multiple Monitor Setups
iFIX Screen With very large multiple monitor setups, the iFIX Screen Saver may not
N/A
Saver blank out the entire screen due to VBA limitations. There is currently no
workaround to this issue.
Webspace Issues with the iFIX Screen Saver when using "Loose Mode"

iFIX Screen When running Webspace Sessions in "Loose Mode" (using command-line
N/A options useApp=true&embed=false) or using the Desktop Client (Proficy
Saver
Webspace - AllUsers App), the iFIX Screen Saver experiences blank screen
issues. This is a known limitation and there is currently no workaround.
Can't start ihFixCollector.exe after uninstalling and then reinstalling His-
torian Client Tools

A workaround for this issues is to recreate the lost registry entries.

1. Uninstall the Historian Collectors.

2.Remove the iFixCollector and the iFixAECollector service entries using

DE197468 Historian the following commands. The iFixCollector and iFixAECollector service
entries should get removed from services.msc after executing these com-
mands.

sc delete ihFixCollector

sc delete ihiFixAECollector

3. Re-install the Historian Collectors.

Unable to register Configuration Hub or Proficy Authentication when client
secret contains a Special Character
iFIX Regis- The iFIX Registration page does not function when the Client ID or Client
DE198006
tration Secret for Configuration Hub or Proficy Authentication includes any char-
acters other than the alphanumeric character set from the English key-
board. This is currently a known limitation. There is no workaround.

System Requirements for iFIX 2023

l Software Requirements
l Hardware Requirements - iFIX SCADA Server
l Hardware Requirements - iFIX iClient/View
l Wireless Devices and iFIX
l Virtual Machine Support
l Remote Desktop (Terminal Server) Support
l Compatibility with other GE products

Software Requirements
GE recommends using the latest service packs for Windows operating systems. The minimum iFIX soft-
ware requirements include:

l One of the following operating systems:

l Microsoft® Windows® 11 Professional or Enterprise Edition.
l Microsoft® Windows® 10 (64-bit) Professional or Enterprise Edition.
l Microsoft® Windows® 10 IoT Enterprise with LTSC enabled. Use of iFIX for IoT is further
restricted by the iFIX Terms and Conditions, please see the iFIX Terms and Conditions for
details.
l Microsoft® Windows® Server 2022.
l Microsoft® Windows® Server 2019.
NOTE: Only English Windows IoT, with English regional settings, is supported with English iFIX; other language
operating systems or regional settings for Windows IoT are not supported.
TIPS: Since Microsoft Windows has continuous updates, you should run the Windows update feature to get the
latest Windows software for use with iFIX. Some operating systems require Microsoft KB2999226 to be
installed before you can install iFIX. For Windows Server 2012 R2, you must have KB2919442 and then
KB2919355 installed before installing KB2999226. For Windows 8.1, you just need KB2999226..
l Network interface software for TCP/IP network communication and certain I/O drivers.
l If you are using third-party software along with iFIX, make sure that the third-party software is
also supported for the operating system you are running iFIX on. For instance, if you are running
iFIX on Microsoft Windows Server 2019, your third-party software must also be supported on Win-
dows Server 2019.
l If using iFIX and Historian on the same machine, it is highly recommended to install iFIX first.
l An I/O driver for iFIX SCADA servers. GE supplies I/O drivers for many programmable controllers
or you may purchase a driver separately.
IMPORTANT: Be certain that before you purchase an I/O driver, that the driver is compatible with the hard-
ware and operating system that you intend to run it on. For example, if the driver is not supported on a specific
operating system, then you cannot use that driver with iFIX running on that operating system. For more inform-
ation on iFIX supported drivers and their respective operating systems, refer to the GE Digital support web site
at: http://ge-ip.force.com/communities/.
l If using VisiconX and Historian, you must install the Historian OLE DB driver.
l To run the iFIX Plug-in for Configuration Hub, the following browsers were tested:
l Google® Chrome
l Microsoft® Edge based on Chromium
l Mozilla® Firefox
l Apple® Safari (MAC OS)
NOTE: Sometimes the MAC OS cannot resolve the system name. In this case, update the hosts file. Also, you
will be required to manually install the Configuration Hub root certificate on the MAC OS.
l One of the following relational database applications, if relational database software is used with
iFIX:
l Microsoft® SQL Server 2017
l Microsoft® SQL Server 2019
l Oracle® 19c
l Microsoft® Access 2000 (or higher). Microsoft Access is supported for local installs only

Hardware Requirements - iFIX SCADA Server

For an iFIX SCADA server, the recommended minimum hardware requirements are:

IMPORTANT: The minimum requirements below assume that you are running a SCADA server without additional
applications (such as EDA applications) and a minimal amount of tags. If you want to run more applications or increase
your tag count, you will need to increase your hardware support for better performance. You should scale your system
based on number of tags. For Enhanced Failover, the following requirements apply to both the primary and secondary
computers.

l A 3.0 GHz Intel® Core™ i5 Processor or equivalent with 8GB of memory. For better performance,
please consider using a faster processor and more memory. When running Proficy Authentication
or Historian on the same server at the iFIX SCADA Server, we recommend at least 16 GB of
memory.
l SpeedStep® technology is not supported and must not be enabled.
l For time synchronization, the Windows Net Time and W32tm commands are both supported.
However, if using the W32tm command, be sure to use the /nowait instruction when resyn-
chronizing the clock. For example: W32tm /resync /nowait. The /nowait parameter instructs the
operating system to make a stepping adjustment against the time server.
NOTE: With virtual machines, the host and guest operating system need to synchronize against an external
physical Network Time Protocol (NTP) Server.
l The power save settings on your computer must be disabled. Do not use any power setting fea-
tures that affect CPU clock speed. For Enhanced Failover, the power save settings on both com-
puters and dedicated network card (NIC) must be disabled.
l For Enhanced Failover, Gigabit-Ethernet cards (or better) are required for Data Sync Transport
communication. When using UDP, a dedicated card is required for Data Sync Transport com-
munication. When using TCP, one card can be used for both iFIX and Data Sync Transport com-
munication, although two are strongly recommended to avoid slower updates of data and alarms
on clients. When using a network card dedicated for Data Sync Transport communication, it
should be disabled as an available LAN Redundancy Path under the Advanced section of your Net-
work Configuration. Additionally, the card dedicated for Data Sync Transport communication
should be the only card enabled under SCADA Configuration's Data Sync Transport Options. Net-
work cards must be of the same speed, and appear on the compatibility list for each card. It is
strongly recommended that the cards be of the same make and model number, and use the same
drivers.
l For Enhanced Failover, when using UDP, you must use a direct connection via a Cat6 crossover
cable, without going through any switches, hubs, or routers. Due to limited bandwidth and latency,
wireless networking technology should not be considered.
l For Enhanced Failover, when using UDP, the Primary and Secondary SCADA computers must be
located physically next to each other, in the same location/room.
l For Enhanced Failover, when using UDP, Jumbo Frames technology must be used on the dedicated
network. Jumbo Frames technology allows for an Ethernet frame of 9000 MTU for the payload,
compared to a frame of 1500 bytes without the Jumbo Frames.
l A minimum of 40 GB of free hard drive space for iFIX pictures, databases, alarm files, and other
data files, in addition to the free disk space required by the operating system for Windows
Updates. It is strongly recommended that many GBs of additional free space exist on the hard
drive to avoid performance issues.
l Be aware that iFIX alarm and historical data files grow dynamically. If you plan to perform extens-
ive alarm or data collection on a node, you may need more disk space on that particular node.
l Other GE products, such as Proficy Plant Applications and Proficy Historian, impose additional
requirements. Refer to the System Requirements in the associated product's electronic books for
that product's specific system requirements.
l 100 MBit or faster Full Duplex TCP/IP-compatible network interface adapter for iFIX network com-
munication between SCADA and Client nodes.
NOTE: iFIX does not support NetBIOS or IPv6.

l One free direct-connect USB port. Some touch screens, pointing devices, and I/O drivers require a
serial port. Additional ports for I/O hardware should be ordered with the computer.
l For Enhanced Failover, ensure that the following ports are open on your firewall: UDP port 53014
needs to open for the Sync Card and TCP 2010 needs to open for the SCADA NIC.
l SVGA or better color monitor with a 24-bit (16,777,216 colors) graphics card capable of at least
1024x768 resolution.
l Two-button mouse or compatible pointing device (such as a touch screen) that can open a context
menu.

Hardware Requirements - iFIX iClient (View)

For iFIX client computers, the recommended minimum hardware requirements are:

l A 3.0 GHz Intel® Core™ i3 Processor or equivalent with 4GB of memory. For better performance,
please consider using a faster processor and more memory.
NOTE: To use more than 4 GB of memory on a 32-bit platform you need to use Physical Address Extension
(PAE). For more information on PAE please reference: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/lib-
rary/windows/desktop/aa366796%28v=vs.85%29.aspx.
l SpeedStep® technology is not supported and must not be enabled.
l For time synchronization, the Windows Net Time and W32tm commands are both supported.
However, if using the W32tm command, be sure to use the /nowait instruction when resyn-
chronizing the clock. For example: W32tm /resync /nowait. The /nowait parameter instructs the
operating system to make a stepping adjustment against the time server.
NOTE: With virtual machines, the host and guest operating system need to synchronize against an external
physical Network Time Protocol (NTP) Server.
l The power save settings on your computer must be disabled. Do not use any power setting fea-
tures that affect CPU clock speed.
l A minimum of 20 GB of free hard drive space for iFIX pictures, databases, alarm files, and other
data files, in addition to the free disk space required by the operating system for Windows
Updates. It is strongly recommended that many GBs of additional free space exist on the hard
drive to avoid performance issues.
l Be aware that iFIX alarm and historical data files grow dynamically. If you plan to perform extens-
ive alarm or data collection on a node, you may need more disk space on that particular node.
l Other GE products, such as Proficy Plant Applications and Proficy Historian, impose additional
requirements. Refer to the System Requirements in the associated product's electronic books for
that product's specific system requirements.
l 100 MBit or faster Full Duplex TCP/IP-compatible network interface adapter for iFIX network com-
munication between SCADA and Client nodes.
NOTE: iFIX does not support NetBIOS or IPv6.
l One free direct-connect USB port. Some touch screens, pointing devices, and I/O drivers require a
serial port. Additional ports for I/O hardware should be ordered with the computer.
l SVGA or better color monitor with a 24-bit (16,777,216 colors) graphics card capable of at least
1024x768 resolution.
l Two-button mouse or compatible pointing device (such as a touch screen) that can open a context
menu.

Wireless Devices and iFIX
It is strongly recommended that you do not run SCADA nodes on wireless devices. Running an iFIX SCADA
on a wireless device may impact performance, as some wireless protocols fall below the recommended
bandwidth requirements.

Virtual Machine Support

As part of our development testing and qualification, we make extensive use of virtualized environments.
iFIX does not target any specific hardware or virtualized platform.

GE Digital will support the functional operation of the product that is running on a supported Operating
System in a virtualized environment and will address any functional issues related to the software.

GE Digital cannot guarantee performance of the software in the virtualized environment due to the wide
range of parameters associated to the hardware, configuration, memory settings, 3rd party software,
and the number of virtual sessions running on the same hardware, all of which can affect performance.

It is the responsibility of you, the customer, to ensure that the performance of the GE HMI/SCADA soft-
ware and application are adequate to meet the needs of their runtime environment. GE does not support
issues related to functionality that is not available as a result of running in a virtual machine. Examples
include the functionality of card level drivers such as Genius, RMX, SA85 and functions requiring direct
video access, or functionality of other software running in the same environment. It is your responsibility
to check with the vendor of those applications for their ability to run in a virtualized environment.

Each virtual machine instance that is using our software is required to have a valid license. The licensing
in a virtualized environment will depend on the access to a hardware key or a license server depending
on the selected license type.

Remote Desktop (Terminal Server) Support

The following Remote Desktop Client configurations were tested with iFIX:
NOTE: Remote Desktop Services should only be used for Remote Desktop (Terminal Server Client) Connections to run
iFIX in a remote desktop client session. Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Connection is not supported for installing software.
If you need to install software, use tools such as Team Viewer, VNC, or vSphere Web Client software.

l Microsoft Windows 10: Remote Desktop Connection Version 10.0.19041 – Remote Desktop Pro-
tocol 10.8
l Microsoft Windows 11: Remote Desktop Connection Version 10.0.22000 – Remote Desktop Pro-
tocol 10.10
l Microsoft Windows Server 2016: Remote Desktop Connection Version 10.0.14393 – Remote
Desktop Protocol 10.2
l Microsoft Windows Server 2019: Remote Desktop Connection Version 10.0.17763 – Remote
Desktop Protocol 10.6
l Microsoft Windows Server 2022: Remote Desktop Connection Version 10.0.20348 – Remote
Desktop Protocol 10.9

Compatibility with other GE Products
Several GE products work with iFIX. The following is a general set of versions tested to work with the iFIX
2023 product

Product Required Version

Batch Exe-
5.6.
cution
2022, 2023.
CIMPLICITY NOTE: iFIX continues to support accessing CIMPLCITY data through OPC DA and OPC
Alarms and Event.
Configuration
2022, 2023.
Hub
Proficy
2022, 2023.
Authentication
Operations
2022 SP1, 2023.
Hub
9.1, 2022, 2023.
Historian NOTE: If you are using VisiconX with Historian, you must install the Historian OLE DB
driver.
MQTT OPCUA
2023
Translator
Plant Applic-
ations 2022 SP1, 2023.
Dynamos
Task List 2.6 SP1, with latest SIM.
Workflow 2.6 SP1, with latest SIM.
6.0, 6.2/2023.
Webspace NOTE: When configured for WebSpace, none of the iFIX SCU’s on WebSpace Server
should be configured to start iFIX as service, as this is a unsupported configuration.
Win911 4.20.10.
DreamReport 2020 for Proficy.
7.612 or later

IGS NOTE: For a list of supported operating systems, refer to IGS article id 000004780 on
https://digitalsupport.ge.com/ with the latest downloads and information on the IGS
driver.

NOTE: For information on product compatibility with critical Microsoft security patches, go to the GE
Digital support web site:

https://digitalsupport.ge.com/communities/en_US/Article/Information-on-Product-Compatibility-with-
Critical-Microsoft-Security-Patches

You will need a customer login to access this page.

Index

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Crown DC-300A Series 2 Service Manual
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