Ignoring price and power, what really sets DAQFactory apart from the other SCADA and data acquisition tools is the ability to create, edit and debug your applications without ever having to stop the application and recompile. With DAQFactory you can start by setting up a few inputs and getting some data. Then, while DAQFactory continues to receive data, you can add a few screen elements, maybe a trend graph or two. The trend graph will immediately start displaying live data allowing you to see and develop your screens with real data. Move on and continue to develop the rest of your application live.

Once your application is complete and you are running, you can easily make modifications without ever stopping: add a few screen components, a new trend graph, add a new input, tweak a control script. Other applications would require you to stop, make the changes and restart. In DAQFactory, development and runtime are one and the same. We have a "runtime" license, but this is simply DAQFactory without the ability to make application changes.

In fact, you can go to a computer with only a DAQFactory runtime license, insert the hardware key option with a development license on it, switch to development mode, make a bunch of changes, save your document, pull the key and revert back to just the runtime license, all without ever stopping the application and without having to install any additional software.