Tags

Item Name Syntax

DeviceName.Address[index]*, Datatype, LowRaw, HighRaw, LowEng, HighEng,RequestedDataType

Everything after the Address is optional.

Device Name Name of the Device
Address Protocol specific variable name
[index] Specify array.
eg. device1.40001[10] is a ten element vector,
device1.40004[10][10] is a 10x10 array.
If no index is specified than only one item is defined.
Datatype Possible raw data types are
BOOL Boolean (1 bit)
I1 Signed byte (8 bits)
UI1 Unsigned byte (8 bits)
I2 Signed word (16 bits)
UI2 Unsigned word (16 bits)
I4 Signed long (32 bits)
UI4 Unsigned long (32 bits)
BSTR Variable Length String
I8 Signed Large (64 bits)
UI8 Unsigned Large (64 bits)
R4 Short floating point (32 bits)
R8 Long floating point (64 bits)
Low Raw Low limit of data from PLC
High Raw High limit of data from PLC
Low Eng Low limit of data from User
High Eng High limit of data from User
Requested Data Type Convert raw data type to the requested data type

The LowRaw,HighRaw,LowEng and HighEng are optional and are used to specify the scaling to be performed when reading and writing to the PLC. e.g. Modbus0.40001,,0,9999,0,100 to scale the variable to display percentage.

Adding Tags

There is usually no need to add tags at the server. The whole data address space of the device is always directly addressable. e.g. If you have a Modbus device 'Modbus1' and you want to access 40002. Use the itemID modbus1.40002. The access path is not used. Use the built in OPC explorer to connect to IOServer. You will see the addressing format for the device via the browse interface when you try to add an item to a group.

If the user wants to enforce their own naming convention, they can drag and drop tag definitions into the "Tags List" folder in IOServer. Click on the "Tags List", then drag your tags list from Wordpad, Word or any drag and drop enabled application and drop it into the Tags List folder. To export data from IOServer press the CTRL key, left mouse click the folder and drag it into your document. For Tags List, the first column is the user tag name, the second column is the variable name. All user defined tags are grouped in the "Tags" device.

eg. to configure your Tag List.

Use wordpad.exe (or Word) to type in your tag list
Tag1    Modbus1.40001
Tag2    Modbus1.40002
Tag3    Modbus1.40003
Tag4    Modbus1.40004

Click on the Tags List folder in IOServer. Select the above four lines drag them to the Tags List folder in IOServer. IOServer should now have the 4 User tags defined. 

From Excel you should be able to see the following tags
IOSDDE|Group!'Tag1'
IOSDDE|Group!'Tag2' 
IOSDDE|Group!'Modbus1.40005'
IOSDDE|Group!'Modbus1.30001'

    The "Tags." prefix may be omitted when using tags from the tags list.

Tag Browsing

IOServer can access the whole address space of a device. Instead of enumerating all possible variable address in the device, IOServer use a hint system to show the user what address range and type is possible for all the possible addresses of a device.

examples

%05u(1-65536) Expect a five digit decimal number between 1 and 65536
%02u(1-32) Expect a 2 digit decimal number between 1 and 32
%01u(1-8) Expect a 1 digit decimal number between 1 and 8
%u(0-65535) Expect a decimal number between 0 and 65535
%u(0-255) Expect a decimal number between 0 and 255
%u(7-999) Expect a decimal number between 7 and 999
%o(0-277) Expect an octal number between octal 0 and octal 277
%x(0-1fff) Expect a hexadecimal number between 0 and 1fff

If IOServer->Preference->Verbose Browse Item Info is enabled, then the description, data type and access rights for each variable type is available.

System Device Variables

These variables are available in every device.

Status Return a value of 0 if the device is offline. A value of 1 if the device is online. Writing a 0 to this variable will cause the parent port to be disconnected. Writing a 1 to this variable will cause the parent port to reconnect.
Comms Port Communication Statistics. Statistics Error to CharRx can be reset to 0 by writing any value to that variable. Individual device statistics are not available.
Error Number of communication errors
CRCError CRC/Checksum error detected
Timeout Number of timeout
Retry Number retries attempt
FrameTx Number of frames transmitted
FrameRx Number of frames received
CharTx Number of characters transmitted
CharRx Number of characters received
Bandwidth % Bandwidth usage of port. 
TimeOffset Time difference in microseconds between IOServer internal clock and operating system clock. Use Long to read this variable.
Bytes Used Total number of bytes by all OPC Clients
DeviceTx Number of frames transmitted by device
DeviceRx Number of frames received by device
Interface Local IP address
IP Remote IP Address
Telephone Telephone number of active outgoing call. 
Value Meaning
Phone Number Connected to this number
Negative number Connecting to this number
1 DCD asserted with no current outgoing call
0 Not connected

Using IOServer with Wonderware Intouch

Last updated: 11 February 2010