Custom Data Connectors
Tricloud Nexus ships with a set of pre-built Data Connectors (MQTT, OPC-UA, Modbus, FTP/FileShare, Emulator, etc.). These connectors run at the Edge where they are close to equipment, work offline, and normalize incoming signals into a unified Nexus format.
In the case you need to connect to a source not yet supported, you can build your own connector with the Nexus SDK (C#). A complete, working walkthrough is available here:
Custom data connector sample: TextFile Data Connector (step-by-step + source)
When to build a custom connector
You have a proprietary protocol, file drop, web service, or device API not covered by the built-in types.
You need special processing or parsing logic at the Edge.
You want to standardize a non-standard data source, so downstream processing “just works.”
All custom connectors run on the Edge, inherit the same offline resilience, and become available to all child Assets/Tags under the Area in the Asset Hierarchy where they’re configured.
Build guide
Start from the sample Clone the TextFile Data Connector sample and use it as a template. It shows the full structure: configuration, run loop, error handling, and packaging.
Define configuration Add a strongly-typed settings class for your source (e.g., server URL, auth, path/node/topic, poll interval). Validate on startup; fail fast with clear messages.
Implement connect/read
Connect to the source (client/session/login).
Read or subscribe to values.
Normalize to Nexus measurements and publish for Tags to consume.
Package for the Edge Build your connector as a containerized module (as in the sample). Version it and publish to your module registry so it can be deployed alongside other Edge components.
Import Custom Data Connector Module Import the new module into the Module Store, specifying that the module is a Custom Data Collector. Define Parameters to match the expected configuration and environment variables.
Add to your hierarchy In the Designer: select the Area → Data Connectors → Add, choose your custom type, provide settings, and Deploy the hierarchy. The connector will run on the Edge and be usable by all child Assets/Tags.
Bind Tags On the relevant Asset(s), create Tags that reference your connector and specify the datapoint address (topic/nodeId/register/path, etc.). Choose the right measurement type (Analog/Digital/String) and optional aggregation.
Versioning & compatibility
Use semantic versioning for your connector image.
Keep configuration keys backward-compatible where possible; provide migration notes when you must change them.
Document limits (max throughput, message size), recommended scan rates, and failure modes.
Last updated
Was this helpful?