OPC (OLE for Process Control) is a protocol for communication between Windows programs. An OPC server allows any Windows application with an OPC client to access SIXNET I/O registers directly, or within the SIXNET Control Room IOmap. There are three OPC servers provided on the SIXNET CD:
SIXNET OPC Server
The SIXNET OPC Server allows any Windows application with an OPC client to access SIXNET I/O registers in the SIXNET IOmap. Once the SIXNET OPC server is running, all I/O registers in the IOmap database are available to any OPC-compatible program. The I/O registers are referenced by the tagnames assigned using SIXNET Windows programs such as the SIXNET I/O Tool Kit.
Kepware Products OPC Servers
The KEPServer and KepServerEx OPC servers allow any Windows application with an OPC client to access SIXNET I/O registers directly. Once a Kepware Products OPC server is running, all I/O registers in a SIXNET station or I/O module become available to any OPC-compatible program. The I/O registers are referenced by the tagnames assigned using SIXNET Windows programs such as the SIXNET I/O Tool Kit.
Installing and Running the SIXNET OPC Server
The SIXNET OPC Server and necessary OPC files are installed when you install the SIXNET I/O Tool Kit. If you are running Windows 95 then you may need to install DCOM. Refer to the Installing DCOM topic for more information. If you are running Windows 98, NT, 2000, ME or XP then you should be ready to run the SIXNET OPC server.
The SIXNET OPC Server requires that you own a SCS Feature Set license for the SIXNET I/O Tool Kit. It is recommended that the Control Room IOmap be used to start the SIXNET OPC Server. If the SIXNET OPC Server option is enabled in the IOmap, the server will be automatically started when the IOmap is run. To enable the SIXNET OPC server, go to the DDE and OPC tab in the IOmap configuration window and check the "Run OPC Server" box. The server will run the next time the IOmap is started.
Note: The OPC server runs as a hidden application. Though it will not appear in your Windows taskbar, it will appear in the Task Manager list.
Program Identifier
The ProgID (program identifier) for the SIXNET OPC server is "SIXNET.OPC.1".
Available OPC Properties
The SIXNET OPC server makes the following properties available to any OPC clients that request them:
- Data type (discrete, analog etc..)
- I/O Value
- Data Quality
- Item Access rights (readable, writable or both)
- User Description
- Engineering Units (analog I/O only)
- Raw Maximum and Minimum (analog I/O only)
- Scaled Maximum and Minimum (analog I/O only)
OPC Client Compatibility
The SIXNET OPC server is based on the OPC specification version 2.0. However, the SIXNET OPC server will respond to OPC clients written to the version 1.0 OPC specification.
Disclaimer
It is the customer's responsibility to review the advice provided herein and its applicability to the system. Red Lion makes no representation about specific knowledge of the customer's system or the specific performance of the system. Red Lion is not responsible for any damage to equipment or connected systems. The use of this document is at your own risk. Red Lion standard product warranty applies.
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