Most functionality in Xentara is provides by Xentara skills. A skill is a set of functionalty that allows Xentzara to perform a specific task. The Xentara EtherCAT skill, for example, allows Xentara to communicate with devices using the EtherCAT protocol. The Xentara InfluxDB skill allows Xentara to write data into an InfluxDB time-series data base. The Xentara FMU skill allows xentara to execute Functional Mockup Units that conform to the FMI standard.

Most skills are loaded dynamically using plugins. These skills must be separately installed, and require a separate skill license.

Xentara also has a number of built-in skills, that provide additional element types without installing additional plugins, and that do not require an additional license.

Skill Elements

Skills work by providing additional element types Skill elements are just regular Xentara elements, except that they require certain skill to be installed. They have the same basic semantics and usage as built-in Xentara elements. However, each skill element will expose additional attributes, events, and/or tasks that implements the individual functionality for the specific element type.

Please refer to the documentation for the specific skill for information about the elements that the skill provides, and which attributes, events, and tasks they expose.

A special type of skill element is a skill data point, that represents a single input and/or output the skill provides.