Twinpack - The Library Package Manager for TwinCAT

The Twinpack Package Manager is a powerful and user-friendly package management tool for TwinCAT libraries. It is designed to empower the TwinCAT community by enabling seamless sharing and distribution of libraries, fostering collaboration, and facilitating the exchange of specialized components among developers. It acts as a versatile platform akin to NuGet, allowing users to efficiently manage and deploy their custom-built modules.

With TwinCAT 3.1.4026, Beckhoff introduced a package manager which emphasizes the installation and maintenance of the TwinCAT Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and other software components tightly integrated with Beckhoff's proprietary offerings. While Twinpack and Beckhoff's package manager contribute to the advancement of TwinCAT technology, Twinpack stands out for its community-driven ethos, encouraging innovation, customization, and knowledge exchange among users, while Beckhoff's package manager centers on providing a streamlined experience for their official software installations.

Table of Contents

• Installation
• Using a Package
• Sharing a Package
• Disclaimer

Installation

To use the Twinpack Package Manager, follow these steps:

1. Download the latest installer.
2. In the installation process you will be asked to optionally register yourself for publishing your own packages. Type in a valid email address to get your login information right after the installation of Twinpack
3. Twinpack supports multiple versions of Visual Studio and TwinCAT XAE Shell. Select the IDEs, which Twinpack should be installed for.
4. Click on "Install".
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Using a Package

To install a package from the Twinpack Server, follow these steps:

1. Open a TwinCAT solution and navigate to a PLC.
2. Right click the References item of your PLC
3. Click 'Twinpack Catalog...'
4. Browse or search for the desired package.
5. Click on the package to view details.
6. Click on the "Add" button to install this package and add it to the referenced libraries.
7. Wait for the installation process to complete. If you are installing packages for the first time and they come with a license you will be asked to confirm their license agreement in order to advance.
8. Twinpack automatically installed the package on your System and added it as a reference to your PLC.
9. Follow the library documentation or instructions to incorporate its functionality into your project.

Sharing a Package

To share your own TwinCAT library as a package with the TwinCAT community, please follow these guidelines:

1. Open a TwinCAT solution and navigate to the PLC library you want to share with the community
2. Right click the PLC item and click 'Twinpack' -> 'Publish ...'
3. In the dialog, which opens, fill in the information describing your package.
   • Distributor (mandatory): The name you enter here will be exclusively associated with your Twinpack Account, and it will serve as a unique identifier for all your upcoming packages.
   • Version (mandatory): This is the initial version of your package. Once you publish your package for the first time, you have the flexibility to release newer versions in the future.
   • The Advanced menu is specifically designed for enterprise users of Twinpack. It enables them to configure packages for private usage by controlling the audience that can access and download the package (i.e. employees of a company). Contact us if you are interested in this feature.
   • Other information is optional and self-explanatory. However, note that all information, except for 'notes', is linked to a package rather than a specific version of a package. The latter may be used to give a short changelog so users know what changed since the previous release.
4. Click publish to make Twinpack
   • Check all objects of your library
   • Upload the library as a package to the Twinpack server making it available for the community

After the initial upload of your library as a package, you may publish newer versions of your library. Users of Twinpack will be notified whenever a newer version is available in the Twinpack Catalog.

Please note that your package should meet certain standards and guidelines to ensure its quality and compatibility with TwinCAT. If you don't have any guidelines yet, here are some suggestions.