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Understanding Projects

This page is the best starting point inside the User Guide path because every later task depends on having the right project open and organized correctly.

Start Here​

Use this page when:

  • you can already open Editor
  • you need to create, import, organize, or identify a project
  • you are about to continue to tags, views, alarms, or data

Before You Continue​

Make sure:

  • Editor opens successfully
  • you can reach the Project Manager
  • you know whether you are creating a new project or opening an existing one

If you are still at installation or first launch, return to Getting Started first.

If you want copy-ready project names, folder names, and follow-on module examples, use Configuration Sample Data.

What You Should Be Able to Do After This Page​

After reading this page, you should be able to:

  • explain what a project contains
  • identify the main areas of the Project Manager
  • know which actions matter on day 1 and which actions can wait until later

Day-1 Focus​

For a first project, focus on only these actions:

  1. create or open a project
  2. enter the engineering workspace
  3. leave backup, restore, encryption, and version housekeeping for later

What is a Project?​

In AI SCADA, a Project is the container for your entire application system. It stores all configurations, views, tags, scripts, and alarms needed to build and run your industrial automation solution.

When to Use Projects?​

  • Development: Configure tags, design views, and write scripts in the Editor
  • Deployment: Deploy projects to Vision runtime for production monitoring
  • Version Control: Create backups and maintain multiple versions of configurations
  • Collaboration: Share projects across teams and sites

Understanding the Project Manager​

📷 [UG-PROJ-UNDER-01] Project Manager interface showing three main areas Reuse note: Strong reuse candidate: GS-FIRST-01.

The Project Manager interface consists of three main areas:

Top Toolbar​

Quick access to project operations that don't require selecting a project:

  • Create New Project - Start a blank project
  • Create New Folder - Organize projects into virtual folders
  • Open Existing Project (Desktop) - Add local project files to the list
  • Import Project (Web) - Upload project files from your browser
  • Search Projects - Filter projects by name (fuzzy search)
  • Refresh List - Sync the latest project list (useful when using Web and Desktop simultaneously)
  • Deploy to Vision - Push projects to runtime devices over the network

Project List Area​

Displays folders and project files with key information:

  • Project name
  • Creation time
  • Last modified time
  • Storage path

Folder Operations:

  • Move to another folder
  • Rename
  • Delete (with option to delete local files)

Project Operations:

  • Move to folder
  • Rename (updates both database and local file)
  • Create Copy (duplicates configuration with new project ID)
  • Export (Web only - download to local machine)
  • Delete (with option to delete local files)
  • Backup Data (creates .cmsback file)
  • Restore Data (from .cmsback file)
  • Encrypt Project (password-protect project access)

Bottom Toolbar​

Batch operations (visible only when projects/folders are selected):

  • Batch Move - Move multiple items to a folder
  • Batch Delete - Delete multiple items at once

💡 Tip: Folders in the Project Manager are virtual - they exist only in the database for organization, not as physical directories on disk.

Next Steps​

Now that you understand the Project Manager interface, continue with the most practical next action:

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