Setting up Bristol Babcock`s OPC Server to Communicate with

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Setting Up Bristol Babcock's OPC Server to Communicate with OPCLink
Tech Note 274
Setting up Bristol Babcock's OPC Server to Communicate with
OPCLink
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Topic#: t001060
C reated: September 2002
This Tech Note outlines the detailed procedures on how to configure Bristol Babcock's OPC
Server with one device/tag in simulation mode. In addition, a basic configuration in OPCLink will
be setup with one topic. Lastly, a simple test to establish communication will be done in
WWClient.
Before you get started, you will need to install the following:
· Bristol Babcock's OPC Server (4.xx.xx.xx, for this technote version 3.01.04 is used)
· OPClink (Version 7,5,3,1)
· WWClient
Note: It is assumed that you have configured Bristol's NetView Utility and ACCOL software,
and that communication has been established to your RTU. This is required in order to
configure Bristols OPC Server. If you have questions regarding this, please refer to your Bristol
documentation or contact Bristol's Tech Support for further assistance. (I.E. How to use the
signal extractor and import signals.)
Part I: Setting up Bristol Babcock's OPC Server
Step 1
1. Start Bristol Babcock's OPC Server located in Start/Programs/Bristol Babcock OpenBSI
OPC Server/Bristol BSI OPC Server.
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Step 2
1. Select Add/New Device.
The Device Properties dialog box opens:
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2. Check the Simulate I/O checkbox, (does not access the physical device). (See above.)
3. Retain all other defaults.
4. Click OK.
Device1 will be created. It will be displayed in the tree pane on the left side of the Bristol BSI
OPC Server window.
Step 3
1. Add a new tag in the Bristol BSI OPC Server.
2. Select Add/New Tag.
The Signal Properties dialog box opens:
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3. Enter the information below into the fields of the Signal Properties dialog box:
BASE: Agitator
Extension: Speed
Attribute: Slow
4. Leave Simulation set to Random.
Your completed Signal Properties dialog box should display as follows:
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Note -- If the tagname you defined above does not include the Attribute field, then the item
name in OPCLink will not use it as well.
(I.E. Agitator.Speed. would be iAgitator.speed._Value, see Part III later in this technote.)
5. Click OK.
6. Repeat Steps 2, 3 and 4 to create a signal with only the Base defined. Enter the Base as
Agitator, leave the Extensions and Attribute fields blank!
The Bristol OPC Server should display as follows:
6. Select File/Save on the menu bar to save your configuration.
7. Click View/Monitor on the menu bar to set the Bristol OPC Server to Monitor mode then
highlight both AGITATOR.SPEED.SLOW and AGITATOR to make sure your tags are correctly
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simulating values.
Note -- After adding New Tags to the Bristol OPC Server, be sure to save and restart the
server to refresh Bristol's database to allow access to the new tags from OPC Clients.
See above.
The Bristol Configuration is now complete.
Part II: Configuring OPCLink to Communicate with Bristol's OPC
Server
Step 1
1. Start OPCLink located in Program Files\FactorySuite\IOServers.
The following dialog box opens:
Step 2
1. Click Configure/Topic Definition on the menu bar.
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The Topic Definition dialog box opens:
2. Click New to create a new topic.
The OPCLink Topic Definition dialog box opens:
3. Enter the following information into the Topic Definition dialog box:
Topic Name: BristolRTU
Node Name: Leave blank for local nodes
OPC Server Name: Use the down arrow to select BristolBabcock.OpenBSIOPCServer
OPC Path: Device1:
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Note -- The OPC Path should correspond to the Device you created in the Bristol Babcock OPC
Server!
The OPCLink Topic Definition dialog box displays as follows:
4. Leave all other defaults as is.
5. Click OK to save the topic.
OPCLink is now ready to communicate with the Bristol Babcock OPC Server.
Part III: A Test with WWClient and Defining an InTouch Tag with
Only the Base Defined in the Signal Properties of the Bristol OPC
Server
A. Advising AGITATOR.SPEED.SLOW
Step 1
1. Launch WWClient located in Start/Program Files/FactorySuite/Common.
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Step 2
1. Select Connections/Create on the menu bar to create a connection to OPCLink.
Enter the following information in the Create Connection dialog box:
2. Click Create.
3. Click Done.
TheWWClient window should look like the following:
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Step 3
1. Click Item from the WWClient menu bar to advise the item iAgitator.speed.slow_value.
When the Item dialog box opens, enter the following:
Note -- OPClink items require a datatype added in front of each item. The four datatypes
OPCLink recognizes are:
I - Integer; D - Discrete; R - Real; M - Message/String
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(I.E. iagitator.speed.slow_value instead of just agitator.speed.slow_value)
2. Click AdviseEx.
3. Click Done.
Your WWClient should now display iagitator.speed.slow_value with a value that is updating.
See below:
B. Defining an InTouch Tag to access the signal AGITATOR without the
Attribute and Extension Defined in the Signal Properties.
Note -- An item defined in the Bristol OPC Server cannot be advised in WWClient if more
than one "." is used consecutively in the item name. In the case of AGITATOR, you would
have to create a tag in InTouch with the item name iAGITATOR.._Value. (See the following
example).
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You have now successfully established communication between OPCLink and Bristol Babcock's
OPC Server.
Dave Plesset
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