Device Nodes

Configuration Workflow

The typical configuration workflow for the Device Module has the following sequence:

Communication Protocol Selection

Our software supports over 50 communication protocols to facilitate interaction between the HMI and various industrial devices. To select the appropriate protocol for your system, consider factors such as compatibility with the devices in your network, data transfer speed, reliability, and security requirements. Once you have determined the most suitable protocol, configure it within the Device Module to establish communication between the HMI and devices.

Creating and Managing Device Channels

To create channels:

• Go to Devices → Channels.

• Click New item...

• The Create New Channel window displays.

• Enter or select information, as needed.

• Click OK. The channel is added as a new row in the table

To edit device channels:

• Go to Devices → Channels.

• To add or remove a column (visualization only), right-click the column heading area and select or deselect columns.

• Edit the fields on the row corresponding to the channel you want to modify.

Restarting the channels:

It is possible to restart the Channel of the device module via script. That way, you don't have to shut down the entire system.

In Scripts > Classes, create a class using the follow code:

Device.Channel.XXXX.Stop()
Device.Channel.XXX.Start()

Note: The "XXXX" refers to the name of the Channel being used.

You can create a Task or Expression to call this class when needed, you can also do it in other ways that don't use the class. You can configure a button to perform this task in a screen, as example.

Creating Nodes

Nodes are the devices or PLCs on the network with which you communicate and this is where you must enter the settings for each one that will be connected to your project.
You can also import settings from an OPC server or from another data source.

To configure nodes:

• Go to Devices → Nodes.

• Enter or select information, as needed.

• To add or remove a column (visualization only), right-click the column heading area and select or deselect columns.

Adding and Editing Points

Data Points define specific values for each node that can be accessed using tags. The number of data points you can configure is related to both the ProductModel that is configured for the project and your software license. 

To configure data points:

• Go to Devices → Points.

• You can copy and paste tags from the Unified Namespace → Tags.

• Enter or select information, as needed.

• To add or remove a column (visualization only), right-click the column heading area and select or deselect columns.

Dynamic Configuration Points > Address

The example below shows how to configure a dynamic Address using a MQTT telegram, for example:

/topic/gateway/data:

/topic/gatewayX/data

/topic/gatewayY/data

/topic/gatewayZ/data:

In other words: /topic/@Tag.gateway/data:

• You can create a standard point in Devices>Points, with Tag name, node, and Address

• You can use the following code to change the Address for the desired point:

string error;
DataTable dt_DevicePoints = TK.ProjectDB.GetDataTable("EditDevicesPoints", "TagName='Tag.Tag01.Velocidade'");
DataRow[] rows = new DataRow[1];
rows[0] = dt_DevicePoints.Rows[0];

@Info.Trace(rows[0]["Address"].ToString());
rows[0]["Address"] = "Group01/"+@Tag.Gateway+"/Device01"; 
@Info.Trace(rows[0]["Address"].ToString());
     
rows[0].AcceptChanges();
TK.ProjectDB.UpdateDataRows("EditDevicesPoints", rows, out error);
     
if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(error) == false)
{
   @Info.Trace("Error changing tag address: " + error);
}
else
{
   @Info.Trace("Applying Devices Changes - begin");
   TK.ProjectDB.ApplyProjectChanges();
   @Info.Trace("OK!");
}

In the second line when using the code DataTable dt_DevicePoints = TK.ProjectDB.GetDataTable("EditDevicesPoints", "TagName='Tag.Tag01.Velocity'"); the first parameter refers to the table you want to obtain, in this case, it would be the Points, in the second parameter it would be the TagName column and the tag configured in Points, in this example the tag: Tag.Tag01.Velocidade.

In the line where the code rows[0]["Address"] = "Group01/"+@Tag.Gateway+"/Device01"; is where you choose the new desired address, in this case @Tag.Gateway which is a string type tag will receive different names and make this substitution.

To internally update this Address you need the following code: TK.ProjectDB.UpdateDataRows("EditDevicesPoints", rows, out error); If no error occurs in the update, you can apply the change to the project using the code: TK.ProjectDB.ApplyProjectChanges(); from this moment on your Address is configured with the new value previously entered.

Importing PLC Addresses

When creating the communication nodes and point addresses, there is no need to retype those addresses if they are already defined in some other data source. Currently, Tatsoft supports the following methods to automatically import remote data configuration:

• You can copy and paste the contents of a table from Excel. The tables can have different columns or order, as long you include the TITLE of the column in the copy and paste operations. The system will put the data in the expected columns, even if the order is different in the source and target tables.

• You can import the data from CSV files.

• For Rockwell ControlLogix devices, you can import from L5k definition files.

• You can use various Import Wizards from many data sources

• For OSIsoft® PI database, there is a FactoryStudio version to share definitions.

• A programming API is available that can populate the tables from code, even from runtime execution when it is necessary.

If your PLC or Field Device has an open database of file with the available addresses, and you would like to have a tied integration with that configuration and addresses, contact us, as we have programming interfaces to allow that just like we did with the OPC datasources.

For more information, visit Import Tag Wizards.

Importing from an OPC Server

Importing data from an OPC server allows for efficient and streamlined integration with industrial automation systems. By creating an OPC communication node and selecting the "Import" option, FactoryStudio automatically creates tags and communication points based on the information available from the OPC server. This functionality simplifies the configuration and maintenance of the project, optimizing the data integration process. To learn more about importing data from an OPC server, please visit Import Tag Wizards - OPC Server.

Tutorial - Importing from an OPCXmIDA

The Importing from OPCXmIDA tutorial guides you through the process of configuring a Kepware server and a client, establishing an efficient OPC connection between the two systems. By following the steps outlined in the tutorial, you can create and configure devices, tags, and OPCxmIDA communication nodes in both Kepware and our software. Additionally, the tutorial covers how to change the visibility property of the tags to ensure proper communication between the OPC server and client. For detailed, step-by-step information on importing from OPCXmIDA, please visit Tutorial - Importing from an OPCXmIDA

Importing from Excel

The import and export of tags and PLC addresses is streamlined due to its integration with Excel, as the software extensively utilizes tables in various features. By creating a table in Excel with the required columns, such as TagName, Type, and Address, you can copy and paste the data directly into platform. The software ensures the accurate assignment of data to the corresponding columns, even if the column order is different. After the first import, the system stores your settings, making it easy to synchronize previously imported addresses and new addresses. For more detailed information on the import and export process of tags, visit Import Tag Wizards -Importing from Excel.

In this section: