The free SmartGraph3 software makes it possible for industrial customers to evaluate measurement data easily. The version 3.0.0. has been available since December 2014 and includes two new functions, which are very useful and work reducing: the user administration and the client server installation. Both work completely independently from each other, but they can be also used at once of course. Our IT partner Peter Rau wrote a good and easily understandable explanation for you in the following article.

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Client/Server
The optional division of the program “Client” (which is the user surface) and the “Server” (background processing) component is generated during the software setup. The following functions belong to the “background processing”:

• The communication with the attached devices (TCP/IP, USB, serial)
• The storage of measurement data („data base“).
• The storage of the protocol file
• The Smartgraph3 API interface
• The data for the (optional) user administration

The client component thus only covers the graphical user surface (and the inherent settings). In case the background processing is installed as own component, the communication between user interface and background processing takes place over a TCP/IP socket. During the installation of SmartGraph3, the user can chose how the background processing of the program should be installed.

For this, the following options can be selected:

• Program internal: the background processing takes places as “integrated into the program” meaning the behavior of the former versions of SmartGraph3. There is no separation between Client (user interface) and Server/ Service (background processing)
• Service on this PC: the background processing is installed as a service on the local computer and independent from the user surface. The TCP port for the communication between client/ user surface and server/ background processing can be changed if necessary.
• Service on a server: the background processing runs on another PC/ server. For this, SmartGraph3 needs to be installed on the PC/ server with the option “background processing = service on this PC” before.

Instead of “localhost” (the local PC), the IP address or the server name is entered in this case. Attention should be also paid to the fact, that the USB communication also takes place via the “server” here, meaning that devices which are linked to the client PC over USB interface, aren’t recognized by the software any more. Principally more than one client PC can access a server. If background processing is running as service (local or on a server), this has principal effects on the program’s behavior. If the background processing is running program internally, the functions (naturally) are only active if the program is started (meaning user surface is visible). If the background processing is installed as “service” (on the local PC or on a server), if independently from the user surface or also independently from a registered user at all – executed automatically, if the PC/server is running. Especially here a configured “automatic request” of devices, as a part of the background processing, is executed as soon as and as long as the PC runs. This happens separately, even if no user is logged-in or no user surface (SmartGraph3 program) was started.

User administration

The user administration can be activated at any time in the menu point “settings/users” (no matter of the background processing runs as service or not). When this menu point is opened for the first time, the user is asked if the user administration shall be activated/ initialized. If this is answered with “yes”, the log in data for the admin user needs to be inserted first and a password needs to be configured. The name can be changed afterwards, if necessary. The e-mail address has only an informative sense so far. In case the menu point will be opened again after creating an admin user, further users can be added (and be deleted if necessary).

The following roles can be assigned:

• Administrator: the user has all rights in the program, meaning this account can create other users, configure new network devices, change configuration for the present devices and look at the data of the devices.
• Device administrator: The user can’t create or delete other users, but she/ he can configure new network devices or execute configuration changes for the present devices and look at the devices’ data.
• Data analyst: this user can only look at the devices’ data but not create/ delete user accounts and she/ he also can’t configure network devices or perform configuration changes of the given devices.

The SmartGraph3 software can be downloaded at: Lufft.com/products/Smartgraph. In case of any questions about the Lufft industry products, you can also refer to Johannes Hoffmann, your sales contact person.

About the author: My name is Peter Rau and I’m a Diploma Engineer. Me and my partner Ulrich Behrenbeck run the so-called “Informatik Werkstatt GmbH” (which can be translated into “IT workshop”) since 1998. Since 2000, we have developed software for Lufft – such as the firmware of the hand held devices and controllers, the SmartView and SmartGraph data output software as well as the LCom application software.