The OPC connector allows you to connect to OLE for Process Control (OPC) servers. The OPC connector is OPC 1.0a and 2.0 compliant, and supports the following:
Data arrays
Browsing
Synchronous I/O
Cached or device reads
The connector does not support access paths.
In the Administration application, you can configure an OPC data source by opening the Real Time folder and selecting the OPC node. The Administration application displays the following fields:
|
Property |
Description |
|
Logical Name |
Specifies the name for the data source. This name need not be the actual name of the OPC server you are connecting to. |
|
Local |
Indicates that the connector to communicate with an OPC server is on the local computer. It is recommended that you configure your local OPC connector through the RIF Configurator. For more information, see Local Connector Configuration Tips. |
|
Remote |
Indicates that the connector to communicate with an OPC server is on a remote computer. IMPORTANT: If you plan to communicate remotely to an OPC server, be sure you install the RIF Server application on the OPC server. For more information about installing the service, refer to the section Configuring a Remote OPC/PI/CIMPLICITY Server. |
|
Server Name |
Specifies the name of the remote OPC server you want to communicate with. The server name must be unique across all servers, groups, and items. Server names can be up to 30 alphanumeric characters, including underscores ( _ ) and hyphens ( - ). |
|
Port Number |
Specifies the TCP/IP port number to use when communicating with the remote server. Allowable port numbers are 1025 - 65535. |
|
OPC Server PROGID |
Specifies the Programmatic ID for the selected OPC server. The Prog ID is a vendor-specific string used by the driver to connect to the OPC server. |
|
Requested update rate |
Specifies the rate at which the OPC connector polls for data from the OPC server and updates its internal cache. The rate you enter applies to all items in the current group. By default, the connector updates every 500 milliseconds; however, you can enter any value from 100 to 60000 milliseconds in this field. |
|
Item Timeout |
Specifies the maximum time interval the OPC connector waits for a read or write request. If the connector does not receive a request for a data item within this interval, it stops retrieving data for that item and removes it from the group. By default, the timeout is set to 600,000 milliseconds; however, you can specify any value from 100,000 to 600,000 milliseconds in this field. |
|
Read from cache |
Select to read from the cache. To enable reads directly from the OPC server (device reads), clear the check box. CAUTION: Reading directly from a device can cause undue stress on your system. We recommend using this selection only for diagnostic and troubleshooting purposes. |
In the Proficy Portal client application, click the Administration button on the main toolbar. The Administration application appears.
Click the Connectors & Data Sources button. A directory tree appears.
Expand the Real Time folder and click the OPC node in this folder. The Add New OPC Data Source window appears.
In the Logical Name field, enter the name of the data source.
In the Location Configuration section, select either Local or Remote depending on what type of connection you are setting up.
If you are configuring a remote connection, in the Server Name field, enter the name of the remote OPC server. In the Port Number field, enter the TCP/IP port number to use for the connection.
In the OPC Server PROGID field, enter the Programmatic ID for the server (this is the vendor-specific string used by the driver).
In the Requested update rate field, enter the number of milliseconds that defines the rate at which the OPC connector polls for data from the OPC server and updates its internal cache. The default is 500 milliseconds.
In the Item Timeout field, enter the number of milliseconds that defines the amount of time the OPC server will wait for a read or write request before it times out.
NOTE: The Read from cache check box is selected by default. It is recommended that you clear this check box only for the diagnostics and troubleshooting purposes. Clearing the check box means that the data is read directly from the OPC server rather than from its cache.
Click the Apply button to save your changes. The Test, Copy, Remove, and Reset Browse Cache buttons appear.
Click the Test button to see if your connection is functioning properly. You will receive a message that the data source test passed or that it failed. If the test passed, you are ready to retrieve data. If the test failed, refer to Verifying an OPC Connection.
