configuring rslinx opc server and opc client

7/16/2019 Configuring RSLinx OPC Server and OPC Client

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APPLI CATION NOTE

CONFIGURING THE RSLI NX OPC SERVERAND THE I NTELLUTION OPC CLIENT

DRIVER

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


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ADVANTAGE INDUSTR IAL AUTOMATION, INC. BY A. B. SE NN

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APPL I CATI ON NOTECONFIGURING THE RSLINX OPC SERVER, THE INTELLUTI ON OPC

CLIENT DRIVER, AND PROCEESS DATABASE SYNTAX

PURPOSE OF TH IS DOCUMENT

The purpose of this document is to provide the user with a detailed understanding of the use ofthe RSLinx OPC Server in conjunction with Intellutions iFIX OPC Client driver and SCADAsoftware. 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 directscreen data links from the OPC Server in RSLinx.

CONDIT IONS OF APPLICATI ON

This application note was developed using MS-Windows 2000 Professional SP2, RSLinxGATEWAY version 2.31.00 (Build 10), and the Intellution OPC Client Driver version 7.32. TheRSLinx 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 softwareproduct, 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 THI S APPLICATION NOTE

The following conventions are used in this application note:

Words in ITALICSare menu commands.

Words inBOLDFACE are field names and Window names.

Words in COURIER are specific names.


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ADVANTAGE INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION, INC. BY A. B. SE NN

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RSLINX CONFIGURATION

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

In the field, Available Driver Typesuse the pull down to select Remote Devices via LinxGatewayand click the Add New button. Accept the default driver name, in this case TCP-1, byclicking theOKbutton in theAdd New RSLinx Driverdialog box.


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When theAdd New RSLinx Driverdialog box closes theConfigure Remote Devices viaLinx Gatewaydialog will open and will prompt you for the IP address of the1756-ENBT /AEthernet module. Enter the IP address and click theOKbutton to close theConfigure RemoteDevices via Linx Gatewaydialog box.

TheConfigure Driversdialog should indicate that the driver isRUNNING. If not check the IPAddress of the1756-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 selectingCommunications/ RSWho.

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


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Once the setup has been verified using theRSWhofeature of the software anOPC/DDETopicmust be configured. This topic is what allows any OPC Client to communicate to the RSLinxOPC Server component. To configure the topic select DDE/ OPC/ Topic Configuration.

TheDDE/OPC Topic Configurationdialog will open with a default topic namedNEW_TOPIC. This dialog has a window on the left that contains all configured topic names and anRSWhobrowser window on the right.


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Right click on the topic nameNEW_TOPIC and rename it toCLX. Expand the driver treestructure in the right window to its full extents.

Highlight the ControlLogix CPU in the right hand browser window.


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Select theData Collectiontab at the top of theDDE/OPC Topic Configurationdialog box. Fillin all of the fields as shown below.

Select theAdvanced Communicationstab at the top of theDDE/ OPC Topic Configurationdialog box. Fill in all of the fields as shown below. Also, selectRemotein theLocal or RemoteAddressingframe of the dialog box, and then click on theOKbutton.


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In theRemote Routing Configurationdialog box use the pull-down to select theRemoteControlNet bridge device and fill in thePath to remote ControlNet port fieldas shown below.Next, close theRemote Routing Configurationdialog box by clicking on theOKbutton.

Accept the DDE/OPC Topic configuration by clicking on theDONE button of theDDE/ OPC Topic Configurationdialog box.

At this point, RSLinx configuration is complete.


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INT ELLUTI ON OPC CLIE NT CONFIGURATION

To begin the OPC Client configuration, start the OPC Power Tool. SelectFile/ N ewto create a newOPC Client configuration file.

Add a new OPC server to the configuration by clicking on theAdd Serverbutton. Select RSL inxOPC Serverfrom theSelect an OPC Server dialog box.

Add Server Button


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Name the OPC Server, RSL as shown below. Click theEnablecheckbox to enable the connectionto the OPC Server.

Add a new OPC Group by clicking on theAdd Groupbutton. Name the OPC Group CLX asshown below. Click theEnablecheckbox to enable the group.

Add Group Button

Enable Checkbox


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Add a new Datablock by clicking on theAdd Datablockbutton. Click theEnablecheckbox toenable the OPC Item. Next, click on theBrowse Serverbutton to browse the RSLinx OPC Serverto select the desired tag in the ControlLogix PLC.

In theBrowse OPC Serverdialog box, expand the OPC Server tree to its full extents. Navigate tothe desired tag in the PLC. In this example, we are selecting the tagBOOL0. Accept the selection byclicking on theOKbutton in theBrowse OPC Serverdialog 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 theEnablecheckbox to enable the OPC item.

Now we can verify the connection to the OPC Item. This is done by highlighting the ItemID in theleft browser window and then clicking on theStatisticsbutton. Verify that theData Qualitystatusis good.

Enable Checkbox

Data Quality


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Next, we will add a BOOLEAN array item to the OPC Client configuration. Click on theAddDatablockbutton. Click theEnablecheckbox to enable the OPC Item. Next, click on theBrowseServerbutton to browse the RSLinx OPC Server to select the desired tag in the ControlLogix PLC.

In theBrowse OPC Serverdialog box, expand the OPC Server tree to its full extents. Navigate tothe desired tag in the PLC. In this example, we are selecting the tag arrayFLAG. Select the firstelement in the array. Accept the selection by clicking on theOKbutton in theBrowse OPC Serverdialog 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 theEnablecheckbox to enable the OPC item. Check theArraycheckbox. This will expose theItem StartandtheItem Lengthfields. In this example, the array is 32 elements in length, and we are starting at thefirst element in the array. Now, in the ItemID field add , L32 at the end of the address string asshown below.

Now we can verify the connection to the OPC Item. This is done by highlighting the ItemID in theleft browser window and then clicking on theStatisticsbutton. Verify that theData Qualitystatusis good and that theServer Datatypeis 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. Todo this, selectOptions/ Setup.

Select theDefault Pathtab in thePower Tooldialog box. Enter the OPC Configuration file name intheDefault configuration file namefield. This is usuallyNODENAME.OPC. In this example thefile name isSENN30.OPC. In theDefault path for configuration filefield enter the path to theIntellution Process Database or PDB as shown below.


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Select theAdvancedtab in thePower Tooldialog box. Verify that the fields and selections are filledin like the example shown below. Close the dialog box by clicking on theOKbutton.

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


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IN TE LLUTI ON PROCESS DATABASE CONFIGURATI ON

Open the Intellution Process Database. Add a DI block. In this example, we will tie a PDB DItag to the ControlLogix PLC tagBOOL0. Fill in theTag NameandDevicefields 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 tagFLAG. Fill in theTag NameandDevicefields 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 CLIE NT DRVIE R, AUTO-CREATE OPTI ON

The OPC Client offers an AUTO-CREATE option. If selected, there is no need to manuallyadd the OPC Items into the OPC client configuration file. To turn on this option, open the OPCClient Power Tool and selectOptions/ Setupas shown below.

Select the option Auto Create as shown below. Click theOKbutton to close thePower Tooldialog 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 Databaseand the appropriate items in the OPC Client driver will be built automatically.

DIRECT SCREEN DATALINKS IN AN INTE LLUTI ON GRAPHIC

One of the advantages in using an OPC Server to provide data to Intellution products is theability to directly poll the OPC Server with a datalink on an Intellution graphic screen. These arereferred to asDirect Screen Datalinks. These links can be used to display data directly onthe screen without the need to constantly poll the Intellution Process Database. These links are onlyupdated when the graphic is open. This can help to reduce the amount of system resourcesnecessary 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 theIntellution Process Database.

To utilize this functionality you must first install the RSLinx OPC Server as a registered DataServer with the Intellution software. To do this run the executable fileDataServerInstaller.exe,which is located in the \ Dynamics folder. This will open theData ServerInstaller dialog box. Click theAddbutton to open theAdd Serverselection dialogbox.

Add Button


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Next, use the pull down on theOPC Serverfield to select the RSLinx OPC Server as shownbelow.

Name the ServerRSL, as shown below.

Name


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Close theAdd Serverdialog box by clicking on theOKbutton. TheData Server Installerdialog box should now list both the Intellution FIX32 Server as the default and the RSLinx OPCServer as well. Close theData Server Installerdialog box by clicking on theOKbutton.

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 fromthe Workspace picture toolbox. This will open theDatalinkdialog box. Click on the ellipsis buttonnext to theSourcefield as shown below.

Ellipsis Button


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Select theData Serverstab, this will open theExpression Builderdialog box. Expand the RSLinxOPC Server tree to its full extents and navigate to the desired OPC Server tag. In this example, wehave selected the tagBOOL0.

Once you have selected the tag, close theExpression Builderdialog box by clicking on theOKbutton. The proper address syntax will be entered into the Source field in the Datalink dialog box.Use the pull down on theData Entry Typefield to selectIn-Place. Close theDatalinkdialogbox by clicking on theOKbutton.

At this point, you can test the link by placing the Intellution Workspace intoRUNmode.

Data Entry Type Field


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configuring rslinx opc server and opc client

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