You need to configure your devices before you can use them with your CitectSCADA system.
To configure a device:
Devices have the following properties:
Name
The name of the device. The device name can be the name of a group of devices, or a label for a device. Enter a value of 16 characters or less.
See Also
Format
Specifies how the data is formatted in the device. The format is determined by the type of Device, and the data that is sent to the device. Enter a value of 120 characters or less. See Using Command Fields for information on available fields.
If you are logging alarms or command messages, you need to specify a format, or no data is written to the device.
Note: The log device for a command is specified wherever the command is defined. The log device for an alarm is specified at the Alarm Categories form.
When producing reports, the format is ignored. (The format defined for the report is used to write the report to the device.)
See Also
Header
Additional information for the device. Enter a value of 120 characters or less.
Printer devices
The header is printed on each page. A new page is created each time the form length is reached. The [Device]FormLength parameter is used to set the form length.
ASCII file devices
Not applicable.
dBASE database devices
Contains the field name used to index the database, for example:
|
Header |
{Name} |
Note: Index Key fields needs to not exceed 100 characters.
SQL database devices
The connection string for the particular database type.
Note:CitectSCADA database devices only support STRING data types. If you use another database editor to modify your database, you will want to verify that fields are in string format.
File Name
The file name of the device. Enter a value of 253 characters or less.
Printer devices
The printer port or UNC name, for example:
|
File Name |
LPT1: |
|
File Name |
COM2: |
|
File Name |
\\PrintServer\BubbleJet1 |
When you specify a printer port, you need to include the colon character (:), otherwise CitectSCADA tries to write to a file (device) with a name similar to the printer port (i.e. LPT1 or COM2).
Note: When using a UNC name in Windows 95, the printer needs to be in the Printers section of the Control Panel.
ASCII file devices and dBASE database devices
The name of the active file, for example:
|
File Name |
ALARMLOG.TXT |
|
File Name |
[DATA]:ALARMLOG.TXT |
This property is optional. If you do not specify a
file name, File Name defaults to \CitectSCADA 7.10\bin\<Name> on the hard
disk where you installed CitectSCADA. <Name> is the first
eight characters of the device name. If you use this property,
verify that no other devices have the same first eight characters
in the device name.
SQL database devices
The database table, for example:
|
File Name |
LOGFILE |
|
File Name |
REPTBL |
Type
The type of device. Enter a value of 16 characters or less.
|
Device Type |
Device Description |
|---|---|
|
ASCII_DEV |
ASCII file* |
|
PRINTER_DEV |
Printer |
|
DBASE_DEV |
dBASE file |
|
SQL_DEV |
SQL database |
* When defining RTF report properties, an ASCII device would be selected if the report was to be saved as a file.
This property is optional. If you do not specify a type, the device Type is ASCII_DEV unless:
The file name is a printer device (LPT1: to LPT4: or COM1: to COM4: or a UNC name), where Type is PRINTER_DEV, or
The file name extension is .DBF, where Type is dBASE_DEV.
See Also
No. Files
The number of history files. Enter a value of 4 characters or less.
By default, CitectSCADA creates a single data file for each device. (This data file is called <filename.TXT> or <filename.DBF>, depending whether the device is an ASCII device or database device.) The number of history files you specify here are in addition to the data file.
Note: If you do not want history files created, you need to enter 0 (zero) here, and set the [Device]CreateHistoryFiles parameter to 0; otherwise, 10 history files will be created as a default. You need to also verify that the data file is of a fixed size. (If the data accumulates, the file eventually fills the hard disk.)
If you specify -1 the data is appended to the end of one file.
If you are logging alarm, keyboard commands, or reports to the device, specify the number of files to be created, and the time of each file.
See Also
Time
The time of day to synchronize the beginning of the history file, in hh:mm:ss (hours:minutes:seconds). Enter a value of 32 characters or less. If you accepted the default number of history files above, and you specify a time and period, 10 history files will be created. If you do not specify a time, the file is synchronized at 0:00:00 (i.e. midnight).
If you omit both the time and the period, additional history files will still be created (with the default time and period). If you don't want history files to be created, you need to set the [Device]CreateHistoryFiles parameter to 0 (zero).
Period
The period of the history file, in hh:mm:ss (hours:minutes:seconds). Enter a value of 32 characters or less. Alternatively you can:
If you accepted the default number of history files above, and you specify a time and period, 10 history files will be created.
If you do not specify a period, the period defaults to Sunday (weekly).
If you omit both the time and the period, additional history files will still be created (with the default time and period). If you don't want history files to be created, you need to set the [Device]CreateHistoryFiles parameter to 0 (zero).
Cluster Name
Select a cluster from the list of clusters defined previously with the Servers, Clusters command in the Project Editor. See "Cluster Definitions ". If this is a single cluster system this field can be left blank.
Process
Select the type of server (or client) on which the process runs that sends data to the device. This field is used to prevent a history file being created while the device is active. If there is no history processing then this field can be left blank
Comment
Any useful comment. Enter a value of 48 characters or less.