specs/overview/S_PLAYER

Tulip Player

The Tulip Player is an Electron-based application built by Tulip for operators to run Tulip apps. These apps are created on the "App Editor" Page.

Once installed on a device and configured by a user with "create" permissions for Stations, it can run the set of apps and versions that are determined by the "Shop Floor" Page.

The Tulip Player is meant for "production" use cases, in other words, for running the published versions of apps in order to store production data.

Here are the environments that can run the Tulip Player:

Operating SystemMethodRequirements
MacOS/WindowsDownloadable Application from Tulip WebsiteWindows 10, 64 bit processor, 4 GB RAM
MacOS/WindowsChrome BrowserWindows 10, 64 bit processor, 4 GB RAM
iPadOSSafari browserRecommend testing for each class of device you intend to use.
iOSSafari browserRecommend testing for each class of device you intend to use.
AndroidDownloadable Application from Google Play StoreAndroid OS 5.1 or later. Recommend testing for each class of device you intend to use.
Thin ClientsDownloadable Application from Tulip WebsiteRecommend testing for each class of device you intend to use.

It supports the following devices on Windows with no external configuration:

  • RFID Scanners
  • Some barcode scanners
  • The default camera on the device running the Player
  • USB Footpedals

It supports the following devices on Android, macOS, iOS, iPadOS:

  • Barcode scanners that output as a keyboard

Initialization Process

The Tulip Player can be opened via two methods: 1. By a machine via a URL string 2. By a human on their computer's desktop or internet browser

By Machine

This method does not require authentication. The Player is automatically authenticated when it is installed on the machine, and can be opened via a URL string through other programs on the machine that the user has the appropriate credentials to access.

Human Input

There are two ways to initialize the Player via human input- either via the credentials of a Tulip user or via a single-use link that is provided by a Tulip user.

  1. Download the Tulip Player from download.tulip.co.

Tulip User Authentication

  1. Launch the Tulip Player Application on your tablet, laptop or phone.
  2. Type your Tulip account name into the open window (Ex: 'my_instance'.tulip.co is the account name)
  3. A user with "create" permissions for stations must enter their email and password to authenticate the device.
  4. Name the device (e.g 'Station 1 Touchscreen')
  5. Choose an existing Station or create a new one.
  6. If you would like to run the "Development Version" of the app in the Player, you must open up the "Shop Floor" page in Tulip and change the Station settings to run the "Development Version" of all permitted apps.

Operator Authenticaton

  1. Click the single-use shareable link that has been provided by a Tulip user.
  2. Enter your badge ID to prove your identity.
  3. Name the device (e.g 'Station 1 Touchscreen')

Running Applications on the Tulip Player

The Tulip Player collects data from applications that were originally created by Tulip users. App data is stored in the Tulip database when the app is "completed". An app is "completed" when a Trigger with the "Complete App" transition is executed.

Once data is stored from an application, it cannot be modified or deleted. The main components of the Tulip Player:

  1. The menu screen - Individual apps are shown according to their location in the nested hierarchy of app groups. From this screen an operator can:
    • Change their preferred language
    • Sign out - When a user logs out the display will show the login screen. To login an operator must again input their username and password.
    • Search for an app by name (note, only apps assigned from the stations UI show up in this menu)
    • Mute Sounds - Mute all default sounds that are created by navigation buttons while running apps in the Player
  2. Timed Logout - If there are no user UI actions (button presses), or device inputs (barcode scanners), for a predetermined amount of time, the display will log the user out and show the login screen. The amount of time is determined on the Account Settings Page.
  3. Saving Data - Any time an application is run to completion a core data set is captured and stored in the database, along with any other variables that the User has configured to store into the application. For more information see the Application Audit Trail doc.

Page Connections

The Tulip Player Menu can be accessed by pressing the "Menu" button within any running Tulip app.

Model Connections

Here's how apps run in the Player can manipulate different Models in the Tulip system.

User

View

  • Within apps, a user can view all the values within User Fields associated with users that are included in an Embedded Table Widget.
  • Within apps, a user can view the name of the logged-in user via the Variable Text Widget.

Edit

  • Within apps, a user can edit the values of each individual User Field for a given user if they fire a Trigger with relevant actions.

Table

View

  • Within apps, a user can view an entire table via the Embedded Table Widget.

Table Record

View

  • Within apps, a user can view a single Table Record via the Table Record Text Widget.
  • Within apps, a user can view many Table Records from a single Table via the Embedded Table Widget.

Edit

  • Within apps, a user can edit the values of a Table Record when they run a Trigger with relevant actions.

Create

  • Within apps, a user can create a Table Record when they run a Trigger with relevant actions.

Delete

  • Within apps, a user can delete a Table Record when they run a Trigger with relevant actions.

Station

Create

  • A user can create a new station while they are initializing the Tulip Player by choosing "New Station" in the initialization flow and then entering a Station name.

View

  • Within apps, a user can view the name of the station where the app is being run via the Variable Text Widget.

Variable

View

  • Within apps, a user can view the value of the variable when the app is being run via the Variable Text Widget.

Step, Signature Step, Regular Step, Form Step

View

  • Within apps, a user can view the steps that they are sent to via Trigger logic.

Widget, Form Input

View

  • Within apps, a user can view Widgets and Form Inputs that have been embedded on the Step that they are currently viewing.

App Version Completion

Create

  • Within apps, a user can create an App Version Completion by firing a Trigger with a "Complete App" Transition.

View

  • Within apps, a user can view past App Version Completions via an embedded Table analysis.

Analysis

View

  • Within apps, a user can view analyses that are embedded on the current step via the Analysis Widget.

Player Device Mapping

Create

  • A user can create a new Player Device Mapping by clicking the "Tools" option in the navigation bar on a Windows operating system and selecting "Barcode Scanner".

Edit/View/Delete

  • A user can edit or replace a Player Device Mapping by clicking the "Tools" option in the navigation bar on a Windows operating system and selecting "Barcode Scanner" and then entering new values.

Player Install Details

These are the details associated with each unique install of the Player.

NameDescription
LanguageChoose the language for all the text in the Player Menu. Choices include English, German, Spanish, French, Italian and Japanese
App VersionThe installed version of the Tulip Player
DeviceThe name of this install of Tulip Player when referenced within Tulip
Serial NumberThe unique identifier for this install of the Tulip Player
Navigation AudioA boolean value to turn default navigation sounds on or off
Device Input LanguageChoose whether barcode scanners should attempt to output in English or the keyboard's default language
Clear All DataWhen a user chooses this option, all configuration settings will be discarded and a Tulip user will need to reauthenticate the Player as if it had just been installed for the first time

Requirements

IDRequirement
35Automatic logout user from system after a configurable amount of inactivity time
56Apps can be used without external keyboard and mouse.
75Ability to send notifications from any content screen. Ie. email, txt message, alarms.
105Support of Tulip operation on mobile devices
244Ability to view and print a version of App that define a specific Master Batch Record (MBR) or Master Device Record (MDR). The report shall contain all steps, procedures, parameters, input materials, output materials, calculations, labels and annotations.
255Ability to verify that equipment (room, suite, area, etc.) meets routine cleaning requirements and prevent process start if cleaning status requirement is not met prior to start of processing.
462Ability to view and display the material history record for a specific batch/lot and material
802All records shall be Original; all originally recorded data shall be maintained.
806All records shall be Enduring, ie. store, managed and unalterable for the full retention period.
807All records shall be Available and can be accessed for review, audit or inspection over the lifetime of the record (retention period).
811All records, electronic signatures, and audit trails must be protected to ensure they are readily retrievable throughout a pre-configured retention period.
814Ability to view, display and and print accurate and complete records, including any attachments, electronic signatures and their associated audit trails.
848The ability to discern invalid or altered records. Ability to annotate data is changed. For GMP or critical data changes annotation can be configured as required.