The device point's data type choices are on the General tab of the Point Properties dialog box. The data type choices available to you for a device point depend on the type you selected when you created it.

Basic general specifications include the following:

1	Description
2	Data type
3	Elements (in an array)
4	Read only

 

1	Description

(Optional) Enter a Description up to 80 characters.

This description:

Displays when you position the cursor over the point in the Workbench

Can be entered in the Point browser when you want to find and display or use the point

2

Data type

Select one Data Type from the drop down list that displays for the point type you selected:

The Data Types are:

	Analog device points.
	Boolean device points.
	Text device points.

Analog device points

Data Type	Description
DINT	4 byte (32 bit) ranging from -2,147,483,648 to + 2,147,483,647.
INT	Integers ranging from -32,768 to +32,767.
REAL	Floating-point numbers.
SINT	Integers ranging from -128 to +127.
UDINT	Unsigned integers ranging from 0 to 4,294,967,295.
UINT	Unsigned integers ranging from 0 to 65,535.
USINT	Unsigned integers ranging from 0 to 255.
3D_BCD	3-digit binary coded, 2 byte (16 bit) unsigned integer ranging from 0 to 999.
4D_BCD	4-digit binary coded, 2 byte (16 bit) unsigned integer ranging from 0 to 9999.

Note: Values read from or written to a device point will be forced into the specified type.

Example

Reading an SINT point value, which is 8-bits, from a 16-bit register will truncate the high order byte, and the sign will not be maintained.

Writing an INT point, which is 16-bits, to an 8-bit register will do the same.

Boolean device points

Data Type	Description
BOOL	A one digit Boolean point with a value of 0 or 1.
BYTE	8-bits of data
WORD	16 bits of data
DWORD	32 bits of data

Text device points

Data Type	Description
STRING	A one character alphanumeric
STRING_20	A 20 character alphanumeric string
STRING_8	An 8character alphanumeric string
STRING_80	An 80 character alphanumeric string

 

3	Elements (in an Array)

CIMPLICITY software treats all points as array points.

You can define single points and array points. Using array points is one way to provide more efficient data collection. An array point can represent one instance of several process variables, or several instances of one process variable.

Enter:

A	1	The array is a single element array
B	2 or more	The array is a multiple element array.

 Important: Array points are not supported by all CIMPLICITY software functions. Support for array points is as follows:

CimEdit	Objects can be configured to display array elements and use them for movement or animation
CimView	Array elements can be displayed, and can control movement or animation.
Alarm Viewer	Alarms cannot be generated for array points.
Database Logger	Individual array elements can be logged.

The maximum size of an array point depends on the:

Device type being used

Memory type being addressed and

Point type.

The maximum size of an array point for each device type is:

Device Type	Maximum Size
Virtual	1600 bytes
CCM2	250 bytes
Genius datagram	128 bytes
Series 90 TCP/IP	1000 bytes
SNP and SNPX	200 bytes
Allen-Bradley Communications	1000 bytes
Data Highway Plus	1000 bytes
Applicom	250 bytes
DDE	1000 bytes
FloPro/FloNet	240 bytes
Johnson Controls N2	16 bytes
Mitsubishi A-Series Serial	1000 bytes
Mitsubishi TCP/IP	512 bytes
Modbus Plus	1000 bytes
Modbus RTU	1000 bytes
Modbus TCP/IP	512 bytes
OMRON Host Link	1000 bytes
OMRON TCP/IP	1000 bytes
Seriplex	480 bytes
Sharp TCP/IP	1000 bytes
Siemens TI	250 bytes
Smarteye Electronic Assembly	250 bytes
Square D SY/MAX	250 bytes

The Smarteye and DDE Client protocols do not support array points.

Values read from or written to a device point are forced into the correct type of the point. This may affect the array size.

Example

An analog point is an INT data type on a CCM2 device.

The maximum array size in Register memory is 125 elements because each point in the array is put into a separate 16-bit register.

Check the appropriate Device Communications documentation for further information.

4

Read only

Option	Description
Clear	The point can be used as a set point.
Checked	The point cannot be used as a set point.

Note: When a read-only device point is put in manual mode , the read-only feature is ignored. As a result, if Allow set point for read only manual mode  points is checked (enabled) in the Point Setup dialog box that is accessed through the Project Properties dialog box, administrators who are performing system diagnostics can change its value for testing purposes.

More information

Step 2. Enter device point general properties.

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