Installing the iFIX Software

The Proficy product installer streamlines the deployment experience for iFIX, along with the other products iFIX is often used with. The Proficy installer supplies the default settings for you, based on the type of install you select, making it easier and faster to get your product installed. Any of the default settings configured with the Proficy installer can be updated after the install through the iFIX SCU.

The Proficy installer is the preferred way to install iFIX. In order to use iFIX with Configuration Hub, Configuration Hub needs to be installed only once. It does not need to be installed on all nodes. You can also install other components as required.

The log file for the iFIX install is named iFIX 2024_SETUP.LOG. The log appears in your Windows folder. This log file can be used to troubleshoot any issues that occur during the iFIX install.

See the steps below, or this Quick Start for help on getting started.

IMPORTANT:

Installing or uninstalling iFIX via a remote desktop connection or through a terminal server session is not supported.
When configured for WebSpace, none of the iFIX SCU’s on WebSpace Server should be configured to start iFIX as service, as this is an unsupported configuration.

Steps to Install iFIX with the Proficy Installer

To install iFIX from the Proficy installer:

From the install folder, double-click Setup.bat to run the installer. The Installation screen appears.
Select the option to install:
- SCADA Standalone Server
- SCADA Client
- SCADA with Remote Historian
Click Start.
When the License Agreement appears, read through the terms and click Accept to continue. The Install Location screen appears.
Leave the defaults, or specify another location.

Click Next to Continue. The Registration with Configuration Hub screen appears.

On this page you can register iFIX with Configuration Hub only if Configuration Hub and Proficy Authentication have been installed.

IMPORTANT: Be aware that any time you install a Proficy software product without registering that software with Configuration Hub during the installation process, you will need to run the Node Manager utility on the desktop before you can see that software show up centrally in the Configuration Hub > Administration > Node Manager panel.

If you have installed Configuration Hub and Proficy Authentication, enter the Base URL, Admin Client ID and Admin Client Secret for each. (Later, when you reboot your machine and log into Configuration Hub, the iFIX plug-in will appear in the Navigation pane, ready for use.) Click Validate.

NOTE: If you used the same credentials for both Configuration Hub and Proficy Authentication during installation, select the Use Configuration Hub Authentication Credentials check box in the Proficy Authentication section.
If you have not installed Configuration Hub and Proficy Authentication, click the check box to skip this step and continue the installation. You will have to use the Node Manager Configuration utility to register iFIX with Configuration Hub later, after installing both Configuration Hub and Proficy Authentication. See Registration with Configuration Hub. Click Next.

The Historian Details screen appears. For other install options, the Credentials screen appears.

Enter the data requested. If installing Historian with iFIX, you are presented with Historian options. Leave the defaults. If you want to enable security for Historian, select the Enable Historian Services Security check box; this will require additional steps (you can also perform these same steps later. If the Historian Data Path is different from what appears in this screen, enter it now.
Click Next. The Confirm Install screen appears.
Click Start. When the install completes a message appears.
Click Close. Another message appears. You can choose to install more products, reboot now or later.

After Restarting Your Computer

After you restart your computer and the install completes, update your product licensing. For information on installing and configuring your license, refer to the GE Support site.
Restart the computer again after licensing is configured. As the computer restarts, log in to Windows with the same user name (with Administrator rights).
Check if there are any required Service Packs or SIMs to install for iFIX on the GE Support web site, and install them.
If you just installed a SCADA Server, change the default iFIX Administrator password in the Security Configuration program. iFIX must be running to do this. For steps on how to change the password and other user account settings, refer to the Modifying a User Account topic in the Configuring Security Features e-book. Make sure you save this password.
If you are using iFIX on a Domain, in a client/server networking configuration, update the HOSTS file with the name of the iFIX SCADA Server, to ensure the highest reliability for connectivity. This update must be done on the server and all clients, as the contents of the HOSTS file should be identical on each node (client and server) in your TCP/IP network. If your iFIX SCADA Server node name is different from the computer name where iFIX is installed, you also need to add this name to each HOSTS file.

Steps to Install Configuration Hub with the Proficy Installer

NOTE: Configuration Hub only needs to be installed only once. It does not need to be installed on remote nodes.

To install Configuration Hub from the Proficy installer:

From the install folder, double-click Setup.bat to run the installer. The Installation screen appears.
Select the Common Components option to install.
Leave the defaults and install both Configuration Hub and Proficy Authentication.
When the License Agreement appears, read through the terms and click Accept to continue. The Install Location screen appears.
Leave the defaults, or specify another location.
Click Next to Continue. The Credentials screen appears.
Enter the required credentials. Be sure to retain these credentials for future use, as they cannot be reset without reinstalling.

IMPORTANT:

For the English Proficy installer, when entering the Client ID or Client Secret for Configuration Hub and Proficy Authentication during the install, be aware that you can only include English alphanumeric characters and the following symbols: ~`!@#$*()-_={}[]\'",.?/
For the English Proficy installer, even when installing on a non-English operating system, the non-English characters are not supported for the Client ID or Client Secret fields displayed in the installer.
For the translated Proficy installers, when installing on a non-English operating system, you can enter characters from that specific language in the Client ID and Client Secret fields displayed in the installer.

Click Next. The Confirm Install screen appears.
Click Start. When the install completes a message appears.
Click Close. Another message appears. You can choose to install more products, reboot now or later.
Register Configuration Hub with iFIX. See Configuration Hub Registration.