Softing
Following is the syntax used by Softing for OPC Data Access and OPC Alarms&Events servers, respectively:
opcda://computerName/progId/{clsid} opcae://computerName/progId/{clsid}
When both ProgID and a version-independent ProgID are available from the server browsing, Softing places just the normal ProgID (version-dependent) to the URL. Note that this is a difference from OPC NET API (described further below). The computerName can be an empty string (for a local computer). Also, the progId may be empty altogether, and the client will simply use the CLSID.
Kepware
Kepware documents following syntax for the URL parameter of their Connect method:
opcSpecification://hostName/serverIdentifier
For OPC Data Access servers, the serverIdentifier has the form below, where the {clsid} is optional:
progID/{clsid}
Originally, Kepware has allowed only "opcda" for the opcSpecification, but as you can see further below, they have later generalized it to support OPC XML-DA and OPC Unified Architecture as well.
Notes from Kepware documentation
For OPC DA servers, the API will attempt to connect using the ClassID first. If the ClassID is not given (or is found to be invalid), the API will attempt to connect using the ProgID.
OPC DA Example
opcda://opcua.demo-this.com/Kepware.KEPServerEX.V5 opcda://127.0.0.1/Kepware.KEPServerEX.V5/{B3AF0BF6-4C0C-4804-A122-6F3B160F4397}
OPC XML-DA Example
http://127.0.0.1/Kepware/xmldaservice.asp
OPC UA Example
opc.tcp://127.0.0.1:49320