Configuring RSLinx OPC Server and OPC Client

APPLICATION NOTE CONFIGURING THE RSLI NX OPC SERVER

AND THE INTELLUTION OPC CLIENT DRIVER

A D V A N T A G E I N D U S T R I A L A U T O M A T I O N , I N C .

ADVANTAGE INDUSTR IAL AUTOMATION, INC. BY A.B. SENN

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A P P L I C A T I O N N O T E CONFIGURING THE RSLINX OPC SERVER, THE INTELLUTION OPC

CLIENT DRIVER, AND PROCEESS DATABASE SYNTAX

P URPOSE OF THIS DOCUM ENT

The purpose of this document is to provide the user with a detailed understanding of the use of the RSLinx OPC Server in conjunction with Intellutions iFIX OPC Client driver and SCADA software. This document covers all aspects of configuration of the OPC server, the OPC Client, proper syntax necessary for use of the Intellution Process Database and the proper use of direct screen data links from the OPC Server in RSLinx.

CONDITIONS OF APPLIC ATION

This application note was developed using MS-Windows 2000 Professional SP2, RSLinx GATEWAY version 2.31.00 (Build 10), and the Intellution OPC Client Driver version 7.32. The RSLinx service is configured to start automatically.

The PLC is an A-B ControlLogix PLC at firmware revision 10.25. This PLC has a 1756-ENBT/A Ethernet module and a 1756-DHRIO /C module installed in the backplane.

This application note was developed at Advantage Industrial Automation, Inc. in Duluth, Georgia by the AIA Technical Services Group.

ASSUMPTIONS

This document assumes that the user has practical experience with the Intellution iFIX software product, the Rockwell Software RSLinx software product and the A-B ControlLogix hardware.

This document also assumes that the user has installed iFIX, RSLinx and the OPC Client Driver.

CONVENTIONS USED IN THIS APPLICATION NOTE

The following conventions are used in this application note:

Words in ITALICS are menu commands.

Words in BOLDFACE are field names and Window names.

Words in COURIER are specific names.

ADVANTAGE INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION, INC. BY A.B. SENN

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RSLINX CONFIG URATION

To configure the RSLinx software start RSLinx and start the communication setup by selecting Communications/Configure Drivers.

In the field, Available Driver Types use the pull down to select Remote Devices via Linx Gateway and click the Add New button. Accept the default driver name, in this case TCP-1, by clicking the OK button in the Add New RSLinx Driver dialog box.


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When the Add New RSLinx Driver dialog box closes the Configure Remote Devices via Linx Gateway dialog will open and will prompt you for the IP address of the 1756-ENBT /A Ethernet module. Enter the IP address and click the OK button to close the Configure Remote Devices via Linx Gateway dialog box.

The Configure Drivers dialog should indicate that the driver is RUNNING. If not check the IP Address of the 1756-ENBT /A module and/or your cabling to the module.


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At this point, you are ready to verify that RSLinx sees the PLC. Do this by selecting Communications/RSWho.

This will open a network browser, expand the driver tree structure in the left window by clicking on the + next to the driver name, TCP-1. You will be able to see all of the configured modules in the ControlLogix PLC backplane.


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Once the setup has been verified using the RSWho feature of the software an OPC/DDE Topic must be configured. This topic is what allows any OPC Client to communicate to the RSLinx OPC Server component. To configure the topic select DDE/OPC/Topic Configuration.

The DDE/OPC Topic Configuration dialog will open with a default topic named NEW_TOPIC. This dialog has a window on the left that contains all configured topic names and an RSWho browser window on the right.


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Right click on the topic name NEW_TOPIC and rename it to CLX. Expand the driver tree structure in the right window to its full extents.

Highlight the ControlLogix CPU in the right hand browser window.


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Select the Data Collection tab at the top of the DDE/OPC Topic Configuration dialog box. Fill in all of the fields as shown below.

Select the Advanced Communications tab at the top of the DDE/OPC Topic Configuration dialog box. Fill in all of the fields as shown below. Also, select Remote in the Local or Remote Addressing frame of the dialog box, and then click on the OK button.


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In the Remote Routing Configuration dialog box use the pull-down to select the Remote ControlNet bridge device and fill in the Path to remote ControlNet port field as shown below. Next, close the Remote Routing Configuration dialog box by clicking on the OK button.

Accept the DDE/OPC Topic configuration by clicking on the DONE button of the DDE/OPC Topic Configuration dialog box.

At this point, RSLinx configuration is complete.


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INTELLUTION OPC CLIENT CONFIGURATION

To begin the OPC Client configuration, start the OPC Power Tool. Select File/New to create a new OPC Client configuration file.

Add a new OPC server to the configuration by clicking on the Add Server button. Select RSLinx OPC Server from the Select an OPC Server dialog box.

Add Server Button


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Name the OPC Server, RSL as shown below. Click the Enable checkbox to enable the connection to the OPC Server.

Add a new OPC Group by clicking on the Add Group button. Name the OPC Group CLX as shown below. Click the Enable checkbox to enable the group.

Add Group Button

Enable Checkbox


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Add a new Datablock by clicking on the Add Datablock button. Click the Enable checkbox to enable the OPC Item. Next, click on the Browse Server button to browse the RSLinx OPC Server to select the desired tag in the ControlLogix PLC.

In the Browse OPC Server dialog box, expand the OPC Server tree to its full extents. Navigate to the desired tag in the PLC. In this example, we are selecting the tag BOOL0. Accept the selection by clicking on the OK button in the Browse OPC Server dialog box.

Enable Checkbox

Add Datablock Button


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The OPC ItemID field will be filled in with the proper syntax for the PLC tag. Click the Enable checkbox to enable the OPC item.

Now we can verify the connection to the OPC Item. This is done by highlighting the ItemID in the left browser window and then clicking on the Statistics button. Verify that the Data Quality status is good.

Enable Checkbox

Data Quality


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Next, we will add a BOOLEAN array item to the OPC Client configuration. Click on the Add Datablock button. Click the Enable checkbox to enable the OPC Item. Next, click on the Browse Server button to browse the RSLinx OPC Server to select the desired tag in the ControlLogix PLC.

In the Browse OPC Server dialog box, expand the OPC Server tree to its full extents. Navigate to the desired tag in the PLC. In this example, we are selecting the tag array FLAG. Select the first element in the array. Accept the selection by clicking on the OK button in the Browse OPC Server dialog box.

Add Datablock Button


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The OPC ItemID field will be filled in with the proper syntax for the PLC tag. Click the Enable checkbox to enable the OPC item. Check the Array checkbox. This will expose the Item Start and the Item Length fields. In this example, the array is 32 elements in length, and we are starting at the first element in the array. Now, in the ItemID field add , L32 at the end of the address string as shown below.

Now we can verify the connection to the OPC Item. This is done by highlighting the ItemID in the left browser window and then clicking on the Statistics button. Verify that the Data Quality status is good and that the Server Datatype is correct.

Address String

Data Quality

Server Datatype


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The last step in the OPC Client configuration is to set the OPTIONS for the OPC Client driver. To do this, select Options/Setup.

Select the Default Path tab in the Power Tool dialog box. Enter the OPC Configuration file name in the Default configuration file name field. This is usually NODENAME.OPC. In this example the file name is SENN30.OPC. In the Default path for configuration file field enter the path to the Intellution Process Database or PDB as shown below.


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Select the Advanced tab in the Power Tool dialog box. Verify that the fields and selections are filled in like the example shown below. Close the dialog box by clicking on the OK button.

At this point, the OPC Client driver configuration is complete.


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INTELLUTION PROCESS DATABASE CONFIGURATIO N

Open the Intellution Process Database. Add a DI block. In this example, we will tie a PDB DI tag to the ControlLogix PLC tag BOOL0. Fill in the Tag Name and Device fields as shown below.

The proper syntax for the PDB tags I/O address is as follow:

RSL;CLX;[CLX]BOOL0;No Access Path

Where:

RSL = OPC Server name

CLX = OPC Group name

[CLX] = RSLinx OPC Topic name

BOOL0 = OPC Item name


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Add a DI block. In this example, we will tie a PDB DI tag to the ControlLogix PLC Array tag FLAG. Fill in the Tag Name and Device fields as shown below.

The proper syntax for the PDB tags I/O address is as follows:

RSL;CLX;[CLX]Program:MainProgram.FLAG[0],L32;No Access Path;[0]

Where:

RSL = OPC Server name

CLX = OPC Group name

[CLX] = RSLinx OPC Topic name

Program:MainProgram.FLAG = OPC Item name

[0] = Array starting element

L32 = Length of array

[0] = Element within the array


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OPC CLIENT DRVIER, AUTO -CREATE OPTION

The OPC Client offers an AUTO-CREATE option. If selected, there is no need to manually add the OPC Items into the OPC client configuration file. To turn on this option, open the OPC Client Power Tool and select Options/Setup as shown below.

Select the option Auto Create as shown below. Click the OK button to close the Power Tool dialog box and save the configuration file.

Auto Create


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With the Auto Create option set to on, you can build your tags in the Intellution Process Database and the appropriate items in the OPC Client driver will be built automatically.

DIRECT SCREEN DATALI NKS IN AN INTELLUTION G R A P H I C

One of the advantages in using an OPC Server to provide data to Intellution products is the ability to directly poll the OPC Server with a datalink on an Intellution graphic screen. These are referred to as Direct Screen Datalinks. These links can be used to display data directly on the screen without the need to constantly poll the Intellution Process Database. These links are only updated when the graphic is open. This can help to reduce the amount of system resources necessary to provide the operator with the information needed to run the control system. However, Direct Screen Datalinks cannot be used for alarming since they are not scanned by the Intellution Process Database.

To utilize this functionality you must first install the RSLinx OPC Server as a registered Data Server with the Intellution software. To do this run the executable file DataServerInstaller.exe, which is located in the \Dynamics folder. This will open the Data Server Installer dialog box. Click the Add button to open the Add Server selection dialog box.

Add Button


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Next, use the pull down on the OPC Server field to select the RSLinx OPC Server as shown below.

Name the Server RSL, as shown below.

Name


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Close the Add Server dialog box by clicking on the OK button. The Data Server Installer dialog box should now list both the Intellution FIX32 Server as the default and the RSLinx OPC Server as well. Close the Data Server Installer dialog box by clicking on the OK button.

The RSLinx OPC Server is now configured for Intellution Direct Screen Datalink functionality.

To add a Direct Screen Datalink open an Intellution graphic. Select the datalink stamper from the Workspace picture toolbox. This will open the Datalink dialog box. Click on the ellipsis button next to the Source field as shown below.

Ellipsis Button


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Select the Data Servers tab, this will open the Expression Builder dialog box. Expand the RSLinx OPC Server tree to its full extents and navigate to the desired OPC Server tag. In this example, we have selected the tag BOOL0.

Once you have selected the tag, close the Expression Builder dialog box by clicking on the OK button. The proper address syntax will be entered into the Source field in the Datalink dialog box. Use the pull down on the Data Entry Type field to select In-Place. Close the Datalink dialog box by clicking on the OK button.

At this point, you can test the link by placing the Intellution Workspace into RUN mode.

Data Entry Type Field


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Configuring RSLinx OPC Server and OPC Client

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