Aspen Operator Training

Tutorial

In this example, you will learn how to use Aspen Operator Training with a
simple sample case. You will work with a sample simulation case in HYSYS,
which must be installed in the same machine as Aspen Operator Training. You
will then import these typical HYSYS values into a new Aspen Operator Training
project and connect to a new interface. The sample case is expanded to link a
spreadsheet cell in HYSYS with a value from the Aspen Operator Training OPC
server. The final step is an example of how the editor works and com-
municates.

Note: The completed sample files created in this tutorial are located in the AspenTech |
Aspen Operator Training | Samples folder.

You will perform the following steps:

1. Prepare the HYSYS case so that the relevant data can be accessed.
2. Create an Aspen Operator Training Editor project for each data source.
3. Create a trend curve and a map curve that will later be used in the pro-
cess diagram.
4. Set up the process diagram to display information to the user.
5. Run the project.
6. Configure the Aspen Operator Training OPC UA Server.
7. Connect to the Aspen Operator Training OPC UA Server.
8. Create a synchro project to link several Aspen Operator Training pro-
jects.
9. Run the projects in Runtime mode.

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 1

Step 1: Preparing the HYSYS
Case
In order to extract data from a HYSYS simulation case or any other data
source, you must first configure the case. For a HYSYS simulation file, you
must publish the variables that you want to use in the Aspen Operator Training
case, so you can access and link them. To publish variables in HYSYS, you must
create a Process Data Table (PDT) with the relevant variables in the sim-
ulation case.

The following procedure shows an example of creating a PDT in a HYSYS case.

1. Open the HYSYS case. In this example, open the Debutanizer Column
- Dynamic Model.hsc sample case (available in the AspenTech |
Aspen HYSYS | Samples folder).
2. From the Flowsheet/Modify ribbon tab | Hierarchy group, click the
Go to Parent button to return to the flowsheet.
3. Press F4 to access the Model Palette.
4. Add a Spreadsheet.
5. On the Spreadsheet tab of the Spreadsheet operation:
o In cell B3, type 0.
o In cell B4, type the following formula: =B3.

6. In the navigation pane, select Data Tables. On the Data Tables form,
click Add.
A new process data table is created.
7. To add variables, click the Add button at the bottom of the Data Table.
Use the Variable Navigator to add the following variables, and then click

2 Aspen Operator Training Tutorial

Done.

Flowsheet Object Variable

T-100 (COL1) PIC-101@COL1 Control Mode

SP
PV
OP
L Level
H Level
Input L Alarm Status
Input H Alarm Status
Gain
Integral Time Constant
Case (Main) SPRDSHT-1 B3
B4

T-100 (COL1) LIC-102@COL1 PV

LIC-101@COL1 PV

VLV-103@COL1 Percentage open

Butanes@COL1 Phase Mass Flow (Overall)

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 3

8. In the Data Table, specify the following values:
o For L Level, specify 1350 kPa.
o For H Level, specify 1400 kPa.
9. To connect Aspen Operator Training with HYSYS:
o In the Tag column, specify unique tag names, as shown in the
image below.
o Modify the Access Modes as shown in the image below.

Access Description
Mode
Read The variable in the Data Table can be read from Aspen
Operator Training.
Write The variable in the Data Table can be written from Aspen
Operator Training for specified HYSYS variables only. Cal-
culated HYSYS variables cannot be written from Aspen
Operator Training.
Read/Write The variable in the Data Table can be read from Aspen
Operator Training and written from Aspen Operator Train-
ing for specified HYSYS variables only. Calculated
HYSYS variables cannot be written from Aspen Operator
Training.

Caution: Make sure that No Transfer is not selected for any variable in
the data table.

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10. Change the Data Table Name to OPC_LINK.
11. From the Dynamics ribbon tab | Run group, click Integrator.
12. On the Integrator form, click Reset.
13. From the Dynamics ribbon tab | Run group, click Run.
Note: If the following error message appears: The dynamics assistant iden-
tified items which need attention. Would you like to resolve these first
and not run the dynamics?, click No.
14. Read the status messages in the trace window to ensure that the run is
successful.
15. Save your HYSYS case as Debutanizer Column - Dynamic Model_
Tut.hsc.
16. Close the HYSYS case.
Next, you will create an Aspen Operator Training Editor project for each data
source.

Step 2: Creating a New Aspen

Operator Training Project and
Connecting to HYSYS
1. Open Aspen Operator Training and log in as a user with access to Editor
mode.
2. To create a new Editor project, from the File menu, click New | Editor.
3. Select the Global tab.

4. Next to the Case Name field, click the button. On the Open dialog
box, navigate to the modified HYSYS case, and then click Open.
5. Perform the following actions:

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 5

o Select the Use Runtime License check box.
o Select the Simulator Visible check box to ensure that your
HYSYS case appears when you run the project.
6. Leave the remaining properties that appear on this tab at their default
values.
7. Select the Tags tab. This tab does not currently contain any specified
tags. To specify the required information, click Import Data Tables.
On the Import Data Tables view, select OPC_Link, and then
click Import.
Note: Alternately, you can click Add New Tag and manually enter the variables
from the Process Data Table created in the simulation case. In the Tag Name
field, you must specify the same tag name that was assigned to the variable in the
HYSYS case. Otherwise, the variable will not be read by Aspen Operator Training.

8. Set the PIC-101/CM tag as the Master to indicate that it is acting as

the data source.
Next, you will create a trend curve and a map curve that will later be used in
the process diagram.

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Step 3: Creating Trend and Map
Curves
In this step, you will create and define the following for use in the process dia-
gram later:

l A trend curve
l A map curve
To create a trend curve and a map curve:

1. Select the Plots tab.

2. To create a trend curve, in the Trends group, click Add New Trend.
3. In the Graphic Name field, specify Product Trend.
4. Click Add New Variable. The Select Tags view appears.
5. On the Select Tags view, select the check box associated with the
Butanes/Flow tag.
6. Click Create Items from Selected Tags.
7. To set the scale:
o For the Min Scale, retain the default value of 0.
o For the Max Scale, specify a value of 10,000.

8. To create a map curve, in the Maps group, click Add New Map.
9. In the Graphic Name field, specify Map Curve.
10. To define the operating point from the tags, specify the following:
o From the Operating Point X drop-down list, select PIC-
101/SP.
o From the Operating Point Y drop-down list, select PIC-
101/PV.
The map curve will show whether the SP is correctly tracking the PV.
11. Click Add New Curve.
12. In the first row of the Static Curves table, for the Curve Name, spe-
cify Target Line.

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 7

13. In the Static Curves table, click the ... button to add static points. The
Static Points for: dialog box appears.
14. On the Static Points for: dialog box, click Add twice to add two rows.
15. Specify the values shown below, and then click Ok.

8 Aspen Operator Training Tutorial

Next, you will set up the process diagram to display information to the user.

Step 4: Setting up the Process

Diagram
A Process Diagram usually appears as the Aspen Operator Training background.

Either:

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 9

l You can set up the Process Diagram manually, using the objects avail-
able in the Palette.
-or-
l You can import the Process Diagram from an existing graphic file.
To display variables in Aspen Operator Training, you must first add the objects
that show the variables values. To do so, click and drag the desired object from
the Palette to the Workspace.

Most of the objects in the Workspace can be linked to at least one of the project
tags, which must be selected in the Properties pane for the object.

In order to open the graphs defined in the Plots tab during runtime, you must
add a button (Graphic type) in the Aspen Operator Training workspace.

To set up the Process Diagram:

1. Select the Window 1 tab.

2. To access the Properties pane, from the Editor ribbon tab | Show
group, click Properties.
3. In the Properties pane, next to Canvas Background, click the ... but-
ton.
4. On the Brush Picker window, from the Select a Color drop-down list,
select Black as the color of the background. Click OK.
5. To access the Palette, perform one of the following tasks:
o From the Editor ribbon tab | Show group, click Palette.
-or-
o Press F4.
6. Add the elements to visualize the values from the simulation in the work-
space by dragging elements from the Palette to the workspace. From the
Palette, select and drag a LabelText item to the Window 1 workspace.
Change the Properties as follows:
o In the Text field, type SP.
o Next to Foreground, click the ... button. On the Brush Picker
window, from the Select a color drop-down list,

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select Chartreuse. Click OK.

7. From the Palette, select and drag an InputText item to the Window 1
workspace. Change the Properties as follows:
o From the Tag Name drop-down list, select PIC-101/SP.
o Next to Foreground, click the ... button. On the Brush Picker
window, from the Select a color drop-down list,
select Chartreuse. Click OK.
8. From the Palette, select and drag another LabelText item to the Win-
dow 1 workspace. Change the Properties as follows:
o In the Text field, type kg/cm2.
o Next to Foreground, click the ... button. On the Brush Picker
window, from the Select a Color drop-down list,
select Chartreuse. Click OK.
9. Add additional LabelText and InputText elements to build a layout sim-
ilar to the image below.

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 11

Object Type Property Specification
LabelText Text PV
Foreground Chartreuse
InputText Tag Name PIC-101/PV
Foreground Chartreuse
LabelText Text kg/cm2
Foreground Chartreuse
LabelText Text OP
Foreground Chartreuse
InputText Tag Name PIC-101/OP
Foreground Chartreuse
LabelText Text %
Foreground Chartreuse
LabelText Text PIC-101
Foreground Chartreuse
Rectangle* Stroke Chartreuse

*Adjust the Rectangle object so it forms a border around the other

items. Make sure the elements within the Rectangle are set to Bring
to Front (using the shortcut menu) and the Rectangle is set to Send to
Back.
10. Add a Controller object. On the Properties pane, next to Face Plate,
click the ... button to access the Controller Faceplate Editor.
11. Connect the Controller variables to the relevant tags as shown below,
and then click OK.

12 Aspen Operator Training Tutorial

12. On the Properties pane, specify the Controller properties as shown
below.

Field Specification

Header PIC

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 13

Field Specification
Footer 101
Stroke Chartreuse
Fill Black

13. Add an Alarm and change its properties as shown in the image below.

The Alarm alerts you when a desired variable reaches a pair of certain
values, defined as Alarm Value 1 and Alarm Value 2.

14 Aspen Operator Training Tutorial

Field Description

X and Y Indicates the position of the top-left corner of the object with respect
to the top-left corner of the Window canvas (X = 0, Y = 0 indicates
the top-left canvas corner).

Width Indicates the dimensions of the object. You can change these values.
and
Height

Alarm Use the drop-down list to assign a tag.

Tag

Default The text that appears inside the Alarm object.

Text

Font Select this check box if you want the font of the text to be resized
Auto together with the size of the shape (Width and Height).
Size
Font The size of the font used when the Font Auto Size check box is
Size cleared.
Alarm The Alarm Shape displays the Alarm Fill 1 and Alarm Text 1 when
Value Alarm Tag value is less than this Alarm Value 1. This alarm value
1 takes priority over Alarm Value 2.
When specifying Alarm Value 1 and Alarm Value 2, we recom-
mend that you use the lower value for Alarm Value 1.
Alarm Click ... to access the Brush Picker and select the color to display when
Fill 1 the variable reaches Alarm Value 1.
Alarm Text that appears inside the Alarm object when variable reaches
Text 1 Alarm Value 1.
Alarm The Alarm Shape displays the Alarm Fill 2 and Alarm Text 2 when
Value Alarm Tag value is equal or greater than this Alarm Value 2.
2
Alarm Click ... to access the Brush Picker and select the color to display when
Fill 2 the variable reaches Alarm Value 2.
Alarm Text that appears inside the Alarm object when variable reaches
Text 2 Alarm Value 2.

14. Add another Alarm and change its properties as shown in the image
below.

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 15

15. Add a new window to the project. To do so, from the Editor ribbon tab

16 Aspen Operator Training Tutorial

| Simulation group, click Add Canvas Tab.
16. On the new Window 2 tab, add a LabelText. On the Properties pane,
specify the properties as shown below.

Field Specification

Text ToR

Tag Name ToR

17. Click Add Canvas Tab to add a new window to the project. The fol-
lowing procedure demonstrates how to build a real operator interface.
18. On the Properties pane, in the Header field, rename the window to
Column Screen.
19. Next to Canvas Background, click the ... button. On the Image
Picker tab of the Brush Picker window, next to Image, click the ...
button. On the Open dialog box, navigate to the Aspen Operator Train-
ing | Samples folder, and then select DistillationColumn.png.
Click Open. Click OK.
20. Make the following changes to the properties:

Field Specification

Window Width 1200

Window Height 650

21. Add Level, InputText , Valve, and Trend elements to build a layout
similar to the one in the picture below.

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 17

Object Type Property Specification
Level Width 16
Height 46
Fill Green

Level Tag LIC-101/PV

InputText Tag Name LIC-101/PV

Level Width 12
Height 40
Fill Green

Level Tag LIC-102/PV

InputText Tag Name LIC-102/PV

Valve Width 27
Height 19
Fill LightGray

Face Plate - VLV-103

Valve Open-
ing [%]
InputText Tag Name Butanes/Flow

18 Aspen Operator Training Tutorial

Object Type Property Specification
ActionButton Screen Column
Screen
Action Type Graphic
Text Trend
Curve Product Trend

22. From the File menu, click Save as. On the Save As dialog box, specify
a File name (for example, Debutanizer_AOT). The project will be
saved in Aspen Operator Training (.aot) format in the selected folder. By
default, it is saved in the Database folder.
23. From the Editor ribbon tab | Simulation group, click Test Project. A
new window appears, corresponding to a new Runtime instance for the
project which is currently being edited.

24. If you click the button in the lower-right corner to view logs,
the log window should not include any error messages (indicated in red).
25. Click File | Save. Then click File | Close | Close Current Project to
close the project.
Next, you will run the project.

Step 5: Running the Project

To run the project:

1. From the File menu, click Open | Runtime.

2. On the Open dialog box, navigate to the file that you saved in the pre-
vious step, and then click Open.
3. After the project is loaded, from the Runtime ribbon tab | Application
group, click Run to start the integrator. The values on the screen update.
Note: If the following error message appears: The dynamics assistant iden-
tified items which need attention. Would you like to resolve these first
and not run the dynamics?, click No.
4. In the Runtime mode, you can use the Faceplate view of the Controller to
change the SP, OP, Control Mode (Auto, Manual, or Off), gain, integral
time, and low and high alarms. To open the faceplate, select the Con-
troller on the window, and open the Properties panel.
5. To improve visualization, click the Undock button to undock the face-
plate.

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 19

The High Alarm is activated.
6. Change the SP to 1340. The High Alarm disappears, and the Low
Alarm appears.
Note: This process may take several minutes. For faster performance, within
HYSYS, on the General tab of the Integrator, clear the Real time check box.
7. Click File | Close | Close Current Project to close the project.
Next, you will configure the Aspen Operator Training OPC UA Server.

Step 6: Configuring the

OPC UA Server
After installing Aspen Operator Training, you must configure the Aspen Oper-
ator Training OPC UA Server. The OPC UA Server is installed as a Windows ser-
vice. In this tutorial, you will set up the standard configuration. Follow the
procedures shown below.

Setting up the Standard Configuration

Task 1: Using the UA Client Configuration Helper to Generate a

Certificate
To use the UA Client Configuration Helper to generate a certificate:

1. In the Aspen Operator Training | Tools folder, right-click UaCli-

entConfigHelperNet4.exe and select Run as administrator.
The UA Client Configuration Helper window appears.
2. On the UA Client Configuration Helper window, next to the Applic-
ation field, click Browse. On the Open dialog box, specify the program
for which you want to generate certificate. Select

20 Aspen Operator Training Tutorial

AspenOperatorTraining.exe, and then click Open.

3. Click Create UA Configuration. The tool generates the UA Config

File.
4. Click Edit UA Configuration. The UA Configuration window appears.

5. Click Certificates. The Certificate Helper window appears. This win-

dow manages the certificates for the selected application. You must con-
figure certificates for the Windows store type.

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 21

6. Type the Certificate Name, and then click Create. A certificate file is
created.
7. Click Export. The certificate is exported as a .DER (or .CER) file in the
same directory as the UA Client Configuration Helper. Click OK.
8. On the UA Configuration widow, click Save and Close.
9. On the UA Client Configuration Helper window, click Done.
Now AspenAOTUATestClient.exe is ready to connect to the
UA Server.

Task 2: Connecting to the UA Server

To connect to the UA Server:

1. In the Aspen Operator Training folder, right-click

AspenAOTUATestClient.exe and select Run as administrator.
The Aspen Operator Training UA Server Test Client window
appears.
Note: In order to use the Aspen Operator Training UA Server Test Client,
the OPC UA Local Discovery Server must be installed on your machine.

22 Aspen Operator Training Tutorial

2. On the Aspen Operator Training UA Server Test Client window,
next to Find UA Servers, specify the UA server. The default server
name is http://localhost:3438/AOT/OpcUAServer. If necessary,
you can obtain the server name by checking the following:
a. In the Aspen Operator Training | UAServer folder, right-click
uaPLUS.Net4.exe. Select Run as administrator.
The Aspen OPC UA Server window appears.
b. On the Aspen OPC UA Server window, examine the Endpoint URLs
field.
3. Click Connect Server.
The Server State field displays Running.
4. Click Browse TreeList.
5. In the tree view, expand UaServer and make sure that the DAplugin
node appears.
6. Keep this window open while performing Steps 7 through 9.

Task 3: Import the Certificate to the Server Machine

To import the certificate to the server machine:

1. If the server and client are located on different machines, you must copy
the client certificate .DER file to the server machine.
2. In the Aspen Operator Training |Tools folder, right-click UaServer-
ConfigHelperNet4.exe and select Run as administrator.

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 23

Use this tool to import the certificate to the server machine. The client
will communicate with the server, and the server will check for the cer-
tificate on the client machine; if it exists, the connection is permitted.
The UA Server Configuration Helper window appears. This window
manages the configuration files.
3. On the UA Server Configuration Helper window, next to the Server
Application field, click Browse. On the Open dialog box, in the Aspen
Operator Training | UAServer folder, select uaPLUS.Net4.exe, and
then click Open.

4. Click Edit UA Configuration. The UA Configuration window appears.

5. In the Security Policies group, make sure that the unsecured check
box is cleared.

6. Click Certificates. The Manage Certificates window appears.

24 Aspen Operator Training Tutorial

7. On the Manage Certificates window, click Import a Client Cer-
tificate. On the Open dialog box, select the certificate that you copied,
and then click Open.
8. Click OK.
9. Click Save and Close.
10. On the UA Server Configuration Helper window, you can click
Firewall Exceptions to manage the firewall settings for the applic-
ation. On the Firewall Settings window, edit the firewall exception set-
tings for the selected application.

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 25

11. Click Done.
12. If the client and the server are located on different machines, you must
copy the UA Server .DER certificate file to the client machine and import-
ing it using the UA Client Configuration Helper.
The UA Server can now communicate with the UA Client.
Note: If you need to change the server address in a project included in a Synchro project,
you must either:
l
Reattach the changed project to the Synchro project.
-or-
l
Edit the value within the Synchro project.

Next, you will connect to the Aspen Operator Training OPC UA Server.

26 Aspen Operator Training Tutorial

Step 7: Connecting to the Aspen
Operator Training OPC Server
Aspen Operator Training has an option to use an embedded server for the
OPC server. You will create an OPC server project. The OPC server must be loc-
ated on the same machine as Aspen Operator Training.

In this step, you will link the HYSYS simulation file to a tag from the OPC server
to demonstrate the connection.

1. In the Aspen Operator Training | folder, right-click AspenOper-

atorTraining.exe and select Run as administrator.
2. From the File menu, click New | Editor to create a new project.
3. Select the Global tab.
4. From the Connection Type drop-down list, select OPC Server.
5. In the Global OPC Settings group, from the Server Type drop-down
list, select OPC UA.
Note: OPC DA is also available for selection.
6. For the Server Address, you can either:
o Keep the default server address.
-or-
o Specify the actual server address of your machine.
7. Select the Tags tab.
8. Click the Add New Tag button. A new row appears in the table.
9. Specify the following details:

Field Specification

Editor Name Random.Int1

Tag Name Random.Int1

Master check box Selected
Low Limit 0
High Limit 10

Default Value 2

10. Select the Window 1 tab.

11. Add an InputText element.
12. Specify the following properties:

Property Specification

Tag Name Random.Int1

Is Read Only check box Cleared

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 27

13. Click File | Save as. On the Save As dialog box, specify a File name
(for example, OPC_AOT). The project will be saved in the Aspen Oper-
ator Training Editor .aot format in the selected folder.
Within the Editor mode, you can test the project to make sure it works
correctly.
Note: In order to do so, you must make sure that you have access to the Runtime
mode and the Editor mode.
14. From the Editor ribbon tab | Simulation group, click Test Project. A
new window appears, corresponding to a new Runtime instance for the
project which is currently being edited.
15. After the Runtime finishes loading, from the Runtime ribbon tab |
Application group, click Run to start the communication.

If you click the button in the lower-right corner to view logs,

the log window should not include any error messages (indicated in red).
16. To make sure that the communication is working properly, from the
Runtime ribbon tab | Simulator group, click Open Communication.
The Runtime Communication window appears.
On the Runtime Communication window, tags defined in the project
appear, along with their current value and the timestamp of the last
good value. At the frequency defined (on the Global tab), the tag values
are updated in this window.
17. On the Window 1 tab, change the InputText value to 3.
18. On the Runtime Communication window, check that the value for the
tag Random.Int1 is updated to reflect your change.
19. Close the Runtime Communication window.
20. From the File menu, click Close | Close All Projects.
Next, you will create a synchro project to link several Aspen Operator Training
projects.

Step 8: Creating a New Synchro

Project in the Editor
Establishing communication with two data sources (HYSYS and the OPC Server
in the case of the present sample) requires you to define a project file for each
one of the data sources. You already performed this task in Steps 4 and 5 of
this tutorial. Now, to establish a link between them, you must create a new Syn-
chro project.

The role of the synchro project is to combine individual project files into a
single communication space. At the beginning of a Runtime execution, a syn-
chro project matches all tags sharing the same editor name, establishes a link
between them, and updates the values after a change occurs.

28 Aspen Operator Training Tutorial

To create a Synchro project:

1. From the File menu, click New | Synchro.

2. On the Synchronizer tab, click Add New.
3. On the Open dialog box, navigate to the first Aspen Operator Training
project created in this tutorial (Debutanizer_AOT), and then
click Open.
4. Select the project and click Make Master to ensure that screens from
the selected project are used for visualization during runtime. The
icon is added to the project, indicating that it is the master project.
5. Click Add New to select another Aspen Operator Training project.
6. On the Open dialog box, navigate to the second Aspen Operator Training
project created in this tutorial (OPC_AOT). Click Open.
7. To save the synchro project, click File | Save as. Specify a new File
name (for example, Combined_AOT), and then click Save.
Next, you will run the synchro projects.

Step 9: Running the Synchro

Project
To run the synchro project:

1. In the Aspen Operator Training | folder, right-click AspenOper-

atorTraining.exe and select Run as administrator.
2. From the File menu, click Open | Runtime.
3. On the Open dialog box, select the file that you saved previously (Com-
bined_AOT), and then click Open.
4. After the project is loaded, from the Runtime ribbon tab | Application
group, click Run to start the integrator.
Note: If the following error message appears: The dynamics assistant iden-
tified items which need attention. Would you like to resolve these first
and not run the dynamics?, click No.
5. Navigate to Window 2, and make sure that the value on the screen
changes. This value comes from the Aspen Operator Training OPC
server.
6. Go to the HYSYS model, which should open after the runtime case is
loaded.
7. Open the spreadsheet SPRDSHT-1, and check that the values in cells B3
and B4 are updated.
8. To check that the communication is working properly, from the Runtime
ribbon tab | Simulator group, click Open Communication. The
Runtime Communication window appears.

Aspen Operator Training Tutorial 29

The view of the Communication window is slightly different. In this
case, when more than one data source exists, the Communication Win-
dow enables the visualization of the tag values and their individual
timestamp at each data source. This simplifies troubleshooting for the
connected system.
You have successfully completed this tutorial. You created a complete sample
case and learned how to use Aspen Operator Training to connect different data
sources and build visualization displays.

30 Aspen Operator Training Tutorial