Basic IFS/OPC Client Configuration—Exercises

Main Exercise

Purpose: The purpose of these exercises is to show you how to set up the basic configurations for the IFS/OPC Client.

Windows:
IFS Extended Server Connection
Server Properties
Group Properties
Item Properties
Event Properties
Options

Define credentials for IFS/Extended Server Connection

  1. Click the File menu, and then click IFS Extended Server Connection.
  2. In the Host field, enter the host name where your RACE environment is installed/where the Extended Server resides, e.g. lkpgseapp29.corpnet.ifsworld.com
  3. In the Port field, enter the port number used by the Extended Server, e.g. 58080
  4. In the User field, enter the user name with which you wish to logon to the Extended Server?/IFS Applications. e.g. eam1
  5. In the Password field, enter the password awarded to the user with which you wish to logon to the Extended Server, e.g. eam1
  6. In the Locale field, enter the language code for the language in which you want work.
  7. Click Test Connection, to validate your connection. If a message appears informing you that the gateway is ok, it is indicative of a successful connection in place. If the credentials are not ok, you will see the Login- IFS Applications dialog box where you have the possibility to change credentials.
  8. Click OK and proceed to close the IFS Extended Server Connection dialog box.
  9. Click the File Menu and click Save As and give the configuration file a suitable name.

Create Server

  1. Click the New Server button in the OPC Client toolbar (alternatively right click in the OPC Configuration pane and click New Server).
  2. Click the OPC Configuration tab.
  3. In the Name field, enter a name for the OPC Server. By default the first server will be named Server 1.
  4. In the Node Name or IP field, enter the computer name or IP address on which the OPC Server resides or click the List of Values button to browse the network and select the desired host.
  5. In the Prog ID field, use the List of Values to select the ProgID of the OPC Server.

Note: When the host is identified, the List of Values will populate with a list of registered OPC Servers from which you can select one.

  1. Click OK. A new server node is displayed in the OPC Configuration Pane.
  2. Click the File Menu and click Save.  

Create Group

  1. Click the New Group button in the OPC Client toolbar (alternatively right click on an OPC Server in OPC Configuration pane and click New Group).
  2. Click the OPC Parameters tab.
  3. In the Name field, enter a name for the group, e.g. Running Hours. By default the first group will be named Group 1.
  4. In the Update Rate field, enter the rate at which you wish to retrieve/acquire data from the OPC Server.
  5. Select the Activate check box. (Alternatively you can right click on the group and click Activate)
  6. Click OK.
  7. Click the File Menu and click Save.

Create Tag

  1. Click the New Tag button in the OPC Client toolbar (alternatively right click on a group in the OPC Configuration pane and click New Tag).
  2. Click the General tab.
  3. In the Name field, use the List of Values to select a tag available on the OPC Server. e.g. PM-312-PA-001. By default the first group will be named Tag 1.
  4. In the Requested Data Type field, select the data type of this tag from the List which should match the data type for the corresponding tag in the OPC Server.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Click the File Menu and click Save.

Create Event

  1. Click the New Event button in the OPC Client toolbar (alternatively right click on a tag in the OPC Configuration pane and click New Event).
  2. Click the General tab.
  3. In the Event Type field, select the type of event for which OPC data will be monitored. e.g. On Value Interval.
  4. In the First Interval field, enter the first value that when surpassed should trigger an event. e.g. 251
  5. In the Interval field, enter the successive value that when surpassed should trigger an event. e.g. 100
  6. Select the Reset if value underpass first interval check box, if required.
  7. Click OK.
  8. Click the File Menu and click Save.

Define Event Log Settings

  1. Click the View menu, and then click Options.
  2. Click the Log Information tab and select the check boxes against the messages that you want to be displayed in the the event message log.
  3. Click OK.
  4. Click the File Menu and click Save.

Define OPC Client Service Settings

  1. Click the View menu, and then click Options.
  2. Click the Service tab.
  3. In the File field, enter the name and path of a predefined configuration file used by the client or use the List of Values to browse to and select a configuration file.
  4. In the Password field, enter the password, if required, to connect to the extended server. Note: A value in this field may be required depending on the version of the extended server you are connecting to. e.g. IFS Applications that came before IFS Applications 7.
  5. In the Auto Save field, enter the time in milliseconds that represents how often the configuration file should be saved from the service. Note: The service needs to have write permissions on the configuration file.
  6. Optionally, click Start Service and Stop Service to start and stop running the OPC client service respectively.
  7. Click OK.