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 System | Method | Requirements |
---|
Windows | Downloadable Application from Tulip Website | Windows 10, 64 bit processor, 4 GB RAM |
Windows | Chrome Browser | Windows 10, 64 bit processor, 4 GB RAM |
MacOS | Downloadable Application from Tulip Website | 64 bit processor, 4 GB RAM |
MacOS | Chrome Browser | 64 bit processor, 4 GB RAM |
iPadOS | Safari browser | Recommend testing for each class of device you intend to use. |
iOS | Safari browser | Recommend testing for each class of device you intend to use. |
Android | Downloadable Application from Google Play Store | Android OS 5.1 or later. Recommend testing for each class of device you intend to use. |
Thin Clients | Downloadable Application from Tulip Website | Recommend 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
The Tulip Player can be opened via two methods:
- By a machine via a URL string
- By a human on their computer's desktop or internet browser
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.
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.
- Download the Tulip Player from download.tulip.co.
Tulip User Authentication
- Launch the Tulip Player Application on your tablet, laptop or phone.
- Type your Tulip account name into the open window (Ex: 'my_instance'.tulip.co is the account name)
- A user with "create" permissions for stations must enter their email and password to authenticate the device.
- Name the device (e.g 'Station 1 Touchscreen')
- Choose an existing Station or create a new one.
- 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 Authentication
- Click the single-use Registration Link that has been provided by a Tulip user.
- Enter your badge ID to prove your identity.
- Name the device (e.g 'Station 1 Touchscreen')
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:
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
The Tulip Player Menu can be accessed by pressing the "Menu" button within any running Tulip app.
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.
These are the details associated with each unique install of the Player.
Name | Description |
---|
Language | Choose the language for all the text in the Player Menu. Choices include English, German, Spanish, French, Italian and Japanese |
App Version | The installed version of the Tulip Player |
Device | The name of this install of Tulip Player when referenced within Tulip |
Serial Number | The unique identifier for this install of the Tulip Player |
Navigation Audio | A boolean value to turn default navigation sounds on or off |
Device Input Language | Choose whether barcode scanners should attempt to output in English or the keyboard's default language |
Clear All Data | When 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 |