Configuring the OPC Classic Client Sink block

Properties

Double click the OPC Classic Client Sink block to configure the block properties. Below the properties window,an explanation of each property can be found.

Data Source:

The name of an OPC Classic Server to which a connection must be established. Open the OPC Classic connection Dialogue by clicking the Data Connection Selection button denoted by the ellipses adjacent to the “Data Source” text box.
Data will be received and sent to the specified OPC Classic server.
For connection configuration, see OPC Classic client to server connection.

Verify fields during runnability:

Set to "Yes" if fields should be verified during a runnability check, or
"No" to consider the fields valid.

Data Save Behaviour:

Determines how the data is saved to the data base.

Save when timestamp has changed – Only writes data to the OPC Classic Server when the timestamp associated with a field has changed.
Save when value has changed – Only writes data to the OPC Classic Server when a value of a field has changed.

Association TAB

Select the fields you wish to export to the specified data source, configure an “Active filter” and set the data types.

Three data types are supported:

String (S)
Double (D)
Integer (I)

Associated fields:

OPC Classic Server fields must be mapped to existing fields of the same data type. Only field names that match exactly, (including case) will be imported. If there is no match, the line in the import file is ignored.

OPC Classic Sink Field Configuration

All the fields in the output port of the block are listed in the Associated Fields List.

Field Name lists the field name in the output port.
Data Type lists the data type of the field.
Media Source is the associated OPC item. This might be different to the field name.

The controls at the top of the dialogue allow manual editing of the items in the table.

The [Validate] button will refresh and validate the data in the input ports of the OPC Classic Client Sink block. If the field is not valid it will be dropped, an error will be reported to the user and the execution will continue. No notification occurs if all fields are valid.

Warning: There are no warnings in the case of incorrectly formatted import files. Therefore when mapping fields it is essential that the validation of the fields are checked using the validate button.

The [Import] button will import the same 3 column type text file that was exported. The following restrictions on the text file format are applicable:

The first line must contain the headings
The entries under the Field Data Type column must be one of
- Integer
- Double
- String

The [Export] button exports the field configuration to a text file. The output file has 3 columns:

Field Name
Field Data Type
Media Source

The [Customize] button is used to manually add, edit and remove fields.

Customize: To make a manual field entry:

Open the Customize Fields dialogue by clicking the [Customize] button.
Enter the field name in the Field Name edit box at the bottom of the window.
Enter the OPC Classic Media Source in the Media edit box.
Select the field's data type from the Data Type drop-down list.
Clicking the [Add] button will add the field to the list, and will populate the main Fields window.

To change a field entry

Open the Customize Fields dialogue by clicking the [Customize] button.
Select the field from the list. The attributes of the fields in the list can be edited directly.
When focus is lost on the specified item, the value will be updated.

To remove the OPC Classic item association

Open the Customize Fields dialogue by clicking the [Customize] button.
Select the field from the list.
Click the remove button.

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