# Bosch Rexroth ctrlX (Pro) {% hint style="warning" %} The ctrlX Interface is currently in **Beta** and will be officially released with **realvirtual Professional 6.3**. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} This interface requires the **REALVIRTUAL\_JSON** compiler define. See [Newtonsoft JSON](https://doc.realvirtual.io/advanced-topics/newtonsoft-json) for setup instructions. {% endhint %} ## Overview The ctrlX Interface connects realvirtual directly to any **ctrlX OS device** like the **Bosch Rexroth ctrlX CORE** controller. It uses the **realvirtual WebSocket Bridge** — a .NET 8 snap application running on ctrlX OS — to exchange PLC signals in real time via the ctrlX Data Layer. Communication uses the high-performance [WebSocket Realtime Interface v2 protocol](https://doc.realvirtual.io/components-and-scripts/websocket-pro#wire-protocol-v2-reference), enabling cyclic signal exchange at millisecond intervals. The ctrlX Interface extends the [WebSocket Realtime Interface](https://doc.realvirtual.io/components-and-scripts/interfaces/websocket-pro) with ctrlX OS-specific features: REST API authentication, device status monitoring, remote bridge configuration, ctrlX Data Layer settings, and diagnostics — all from the Unity Inspector. **Key capabilities:** * **High-speed signal exchange** via WebSocket with configurable publish intervals down to 5 ms * **One-click signal import** from ctrlX Data Layer with automatic signal discovery * **REST API integration** for device info, bridge status, and diagnostics * **Remote bridge configuration** (publish interval, browse paths, logging level) * **Data Layer settings** (min publish/sample intervals) * **SSL/TLS support** for secure connections through the ctrlX reverse proxy ## Architecture ``` Unity (realvirtual) ctrlX OS device ┌─────────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ │ ctrlX Interface ──┼── WebSocket v2 ──▶ WebSocket Bridge │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ───┼── REST API ─────▶ ctrlX Data Layer │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ PLC Runtime │ │ │ │ │ └─────────────────────┘ └──────────────────────────────┘ ``` The ctrlX Interface communicates with ctrlX OS devices through two channels: * **WebSocket v2** — High-speed cyclic signal exchange using the [WebSocket Realtime Interface v2 protocol](https://doc.realvirtual.io/components-and-scripts/websocket-pro#wire-protocol-v2-reference). See that page for the full wire format specification. * **REST API** — Authentication, device info, bridge configuration, Data Layer settings, and diagnostics. ## realvirtual WebSocket Bridge The **realvirtual WebSocket Bridge** is a .NET 8 snap application that runs on ctrlX OS. It bridges the ctrlX Data Layer to realvirtual Unity Digital Twins via the WebSocket Realtime Interface v2 protocol.

realvirtual WebSocket Bridge installed on a ctrlX OS device

The bridge includes a built-in status page accessible via the ctrlX OS web interface, showing connection status, signal counts, write activity monitoring, and browse path configuration at a glance.

realvirtual WebSocket Bridge status page showing connection status, signal counts, and write activity monitoring

The bridge: * Subscribes to ctrlX Data Layer nodes and publishes their values over WebSocket * Receives signal updates from Unity and writes them back to the Data Layer * Supports configurable browse paths, publish intervals, and logging levels * Can be configured remotely from the Unity Inspector {% hint style="info" %} The realvirtual WebSocket Bridge snap is **available from realvirtual on demand**. Contact [realvirtual](https://realvirtual.io) to obtain the bridge application for your ctrlX CORE device. {% endhint %} ## Setup ### Prerequisites 1. A **ctrlX OS device like ctrlX CORE** (physical or virtual) 2. The **realvirtual WebSocket Bridge** snap installed on the ctrlX OS device (available from realvirtual on demand) 3. Network connectivity between your PC and the ctrlX OS device ### Adding the Interface 1. In Unity, go to the menu **Tools > realvirtual > Interfaces > ctrlX Interface** to add the component 2. Enter the **ctrlX Address** (IP address of your ctrlX OS device) 3. Set **Username** and **Password** (default: `boschrexroth` / `boschrexroth`) 4. Click **Refresh** to verify the connection and see device info

ctrlX Interface Inspector

### Importing Signals 1. Make sure the ctrlX OS device is reachable and the bridge snap is running 2. Configure **Browse Paths** to point to your PLC symbols (e.g. `plc/app/Application/sym`) 3. Click **Import Signals** in the Connection section 4. The interface connects to the bridge, discovers all signals, and creates local PLC signal objects as children ### Quick Start 1. Add the ctrlX Interface to your scene 2. Enter ctrlX address and credentials 3. Click **Refresh** to verify connectivity 4. Configure browse paths for your PLC program 5. Click **Import Signals** to create signal objects 6. Press Play — signals exchange automatically ## Properties ### Connection | Property | Description | | ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **ctrlX Address** | IP address of the ctrlX OS device (e.g. `192.168.1.1`) | | **Username** | Login username for ctrlX REST API (default: `boschrexroth`) | | **Password** | Login password for ctrlX REST API (default: `boschrexroth`) | | **Use SSL** | Enable for `wss://` connections through the ctrlX reverse proxy. When enabled, port switches to 443 and path is set automatically | ### Status | Property | Description | | -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | | **ctrlX** | Device info: operating mode, hostname, OS version, architecture | | **Bridge** | Installed bridge snap version and status | | **WebSocket** | Current WebSocket connection state (Connected / Disconnected) | | **Signals** | Number of input and output signals | | **Comm Cycle** | Actual communication cycle time in milliseconds | | **Config** | Last configuration operation result | **Buttons:** * **Refresh** — Fetches device info and bridge status from ctrlX via REST API * **Test ctrlX** — Tests REST connectivity by authenticating and reporting the result * **Test Bridge** — Tests WebSocket connectivity to the bridge application ### Signal Import Configuration | Property | Description | | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Default Direction** | Direction for imported signals when no pattern matches (`Input` or `Output`) | | **Use Pattern Matching** | Enable name-based direction detection using the patterns below | | **Input Patterns** | Name substrings that identify signals Unity writes to the PLC (e.g. `"Unity"`) | | **Output Patterns** | Name substrings that identify signals the PLC writes to Unity | ### Bridge Configuration | Property | Description | | ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Publish Interval (ms)** | How often the bridge publishes signal updates over WebSocket (default: 5 ms) | | **Logging Level** | Bridge log verbosity: Debug, Information, Warning, or Error | | **Browse Paths** | Data Layer path prefixes for signal auto-discovery (e.g. `plc/app/Application/sym`) | | **Recursive** | Browse sub-folders recursively when discovering signals | Changes to bridge configuration are tracked and auto-applied after a short delay. ### Data Layer Settings | Property | Description | | ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Min Publish Interval (ms)** | ctrlX Data Layer global minimum publish interval in milliseconds (default: 10) | | **Min Sample Interval (µs)** | ctrlX Data Layer global minimum sample interval in microseconds (default: 10000) | **Buttons:** * **Get DL** — Reads current Data Layer subscription settings from ctrlX * **Apply DL** — Writes the configured values to ctrlX Data Layer settings ### Bridge Logs | Property | Description | | ---------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | | **Log Count** | Number of log entries to fetch from ctrlX diagnostics | | **Bridge Logs Only** | Filter to show only bridge snap log entries | | **Forward to Console** | Write each fetched log entry to the Unity console | **Buttons:** * **Fetch Logs** — Retrieves recent log entries from ctrlX OS diagnostics * **List Packages** — Lists all installed snaps on the ctrlX OS device ### Advanced | Property | Description | | ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **WebSocket Port** | TCP port for WebSocket communication (default: 8080, auto-set to 443 when SSL is enabled) | | **Update Cycle (ms)** | Communication thread update interval in milliseconds | | **Client Name** | Identification name sent during WebSocket handshake | | **Connect On Play** | Automatically connect when entering play mode | | **Only Transmit Changed** | Only send signals whose values changed since the last cycle | | **Auto Reconnect** | Automatically reconnect on connection loss | | **Debug Mode** | Enable detailed logging for troubleshooting | ## SSL / Reverse Proxy When **Use SSL** is enabled: * The port is automatically set to **443** * The WebSocket path is set to `/ctrlx-rv-bridge/ws` for routing through the ctrlX reverse proxy * All REST API calls use HTTPS * Self-signed certificates are accepted (common for ctrlX devices on local networks) When SSL is disabled, the interface connects directly to the bridge on port **8080** without encryption. ## Troubleshooting **"Refresh" shows no device info:** * Verify the ctrlX address is correct and the device is reachable (`ping`) * Check username and password — default is `boschrexroth` / `boschrexroth` * Use **Test ctrlX** to verify REST API connectivity **Bridge shows "not found":** * Install the realvirtual WebSocket Bridge snap on the ctrlX device * Check that the snap is in `active` state **WebSocket stays "Disconnected" during play:** * Verify the bridge snap is running on the ctrlX OS device * Check **WebSocket Port** matches the bridge configuration (default: 8080) * If using SSL, ensure port 443 is accessible and the bridge is behind the ctrlX reverse proxy * Enable **Debug Mode** for detailed connection logging **Signals not importing:** * Check that **Browse Paths** point to valid Data Layer nodes (e.g. `plc/app/Application/sym`) * Enable **Recursive** to discover signals in sub-folders * Verify the PLC application is loaded and running on the ctrlX OS device **Wrong signal directions after import:** * Configure **Input Patterns** and **Output Patterns** to match your naming convention * Or set the **Default Direction** to match the majority of your signals ## See Also * [WebSocket Realtime Interface (Pro)](https://doc.realvirtual.io/components-and-scripts/interfaces/websocket-pro) — Base protocol, wire format specification, and code examples * [Custom Interfaces (FastInterface)](https://doc.realvirtual.io/components-and-scripts/interfaces/custom-interfaces) — How to build your own interfaces * [Signal Manager](https://doc.realvirtual.io/components-and-scripts/interfaces/interface-tools/signal-manager) — Managing PLC signals * [Interfaces Overview](https://doc.realvirtual.io/components-and-scripts/interfaces) — All available interfaces * [ctrlX OS Overview](https://www.ctrlx-os.com/) — Information about ctrlX OS * [Bosch Rexroth ctrlX AUTOMATION platform](https://www.ctrlx-automation.com/) — Information about the automation toolbox