Control Anything, Over Anything, from Anything, Anywhere
Stardraw Control 2010 is the multi-award-winning, software-based universal control platform designed to create custom User Interfaces that can control any remotely-controlled or monitored hardware. Its open-architecture approach means that it maximizes flexibility and minimizes costs, allowing you to employ off-the-shelf hardware as core components in your control system and extend functionality almost without limitation.
Stardraw Control 2010 generates customized, Standalone or Client/Server control programs that can control any device over any protocol. It is fast and flexible with an ease of use that belies its underlying power: using its drag-drop interface and intuitive design environment, systems can be configured and controlled without having to write a single line of code.
Thanks to Stardraw Control 2010's support of WebServices you can also use any device that supports HTTP or runs a browser as an interface device to talk to your Stardraw Control system; this includes iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad. For these you can create your own UIs using the technologies and tools that best suit your needs and the client device itself, e.g. for iPad, using webpages written in your preferred HTML editor.
Stardraw Control 2010's open approach to system architecture means that you can utilize non-proprietary hardware to control any type of system. All that's needed is something to host the control program, like a desktop, laptop, tabletPC or UMPC, and something to talk to the hardware being controlled, i.e. a gateway device. This means that overall, Stardraw Control solutions can be deployed at a fraction of the programming time and hardware cost of conventional control systems.
- New in Stardraw Control 2010
- Use of .NET 3.5 (previous versions employed .NET 1.1).
- Stardraw Control 2010 exploits all the platform benefits of the .NET 3.5 framework. These include:
- 32- and 64- bit support.
- The very same generated executable will run as a native 32-bit application on a 32-bit computer and as a native 64-bit application on a 64-bit computer thus maximizing CPU potential.
- Support of Parallel Extensions.
- The generated executable can take advantage of as many processors as are available (dual core, quad core, 8 core, 16 core etc) thus maximizing hardware potential.
- Support of Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)
- This is a graphical subsystem that enables rich user interface features such as 3D and animation.
- It allows UIs to be written in XAML and deployed not just as applications but also through browsers using SilverLight.
- Support of Windows Communication Foundation (WCF)
- Support of Language Integrated Query (LINQ)
- Fully compatible with Stardraw Control 2007. Simply import any existing 2007 projects to use them in Stardraw Control 2010.
- Support of XP x64, Vista x64 and Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit.
- Event Logging.
- Generated executables write all events to a self-contained log (.txt) file during use so that the installer can review any and all events over any time frame to analyse and diagnose system activity remotely at any time.
- Integration with Visual Studio 2008 (including free Express edition).
- Visual Studio is the professional software development environment of choice.
- Developers can now write drivers in whatever .NET language they prefer, including C# 3.0, and debug control programs using VS2008:
- ...exploit all of the professional development tools within Visual Studio, such as IntelliSense and references to external assemblies, classes etc.
- ...and debug control programs while they are running, allowing serious developers to set breakpoints, examine and set values etc.
- Windows MCE Integration.
- Control programs can be integrated within the Windows Media Center Edition UI and are optimized for use with MCE remote control handsets.
- Generic HTTP / WebServices driver.
- Now, not only can Stardraw Control control any hardware, but anything that talks http can talk to any system that contains Stardraw Control.
- In other words you can control anything, from anything, anywhere.
- Topology View
- The Topology View is where you begin designing your system by selecting products, showing connections and defining properties.
- Choose products from a comprehensive listing of thousands of devices from hundreds of different manufacturers
- Click on any device to view and set properties such as IP address
- Define logical interconnections between the products in your system
- Create new drivers using the Product Wizard.
- Forms View
- The Forms View allows you to create and program your User Interface.
- Drag and drop to create custom User Interfaces, or use pre-configured, customizable templates
- Controls include buttons, switches, faders, knobs, dials, meters, alphanumeric displays, images etc, all fully configurable
- Catch and react to any system or UI event, and assign any action to any control
- Control Programs
- The objects and actions defined in the Topology and Forms Views are used to create Control Programs.
- Control programs are compiled to self-contained, standalone or Client/Server .EXEs that can be run on any Windows system with .NET framework 3.5, including Desktops, Laptops, TabletPCs and UMPCs
- Control programs can be edited, amended and re-compiled at any time, without additional cost.