PI Autopointsync Connector for the Intellution Fix DMACS (FIX32) / Dynamics (Ifix) Interface

PIAutoPointSync Connector
for the Intellution Fix DMACS (FIX32)/ Dynamics (iFIX)
Interface to the PI System

Version 1.2.0.0
Revision B

How to Contact Us

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Reference Manuals 2

Summary of Features and Requirements 2

Supported PI Point Attributes 4

Diagram of PIAPS for the PIIntFix Interface 7

PIIntFix_APS Features and Limitations 7

Preventing Interference with iFIX Startup 7

Limitations 9

Principles of Operation 11

Point Class 11

Point Source and Instance ID 12

Key Attributes 12

Creatable and Synchronizable Attributes 12

Available and Hidden Points 12

Tag Naming Conventions 14

Point Type 14

Updated Attributes 14

Error Handling 15

Installation, Upgrading, and Uninstallation Instructions 17

Installation Instructions 17

Upgrading Instructions 18

Uninstallation Instructions 18

Registering an Interface Instance with PIAPS 21

Register the Interface 22

Configure the Settings 24

Rules 25

Synchronization Schedule 26

Userset Defaults 27

Connectorspecific Options 33

Enable Synchronization 34

Connector-specific Configuration Control 35

Available Intellution Nodes 36

OSI_iFIXmonitor Options 37

Appendix A: Error and Informational Messages 39

Messages 39

Installation Problems 39

Upgrade Problems 40

Operational Problems 40

Glossary 43

Revision History 45

PI AutoPointSync Connector for the Intellution Fix DMACS (FIX32)/ Dynamics (iFIX) Interface to the PI System 41

Introduction

This manual describes the operation of the PIAutoPointSync (PIAPS) Connector for the Intellution Fix DMACS (FIX32)/ Dynamics (iFIX) Interface. The informal name of the interface is PIIntFix and the informal name of this PIAPS Connector is PIIntFix_APS.

PIAPS is a tool for synchronizing the PI points for interfaces with the points in the data sources associated with the interfaces. PIAPS is based on Microsoft’s Component Object Model (COM) technology and consists of four types of modules:

·  The PIAPS Configuration and Management Utility.
The PIAPS Configuration Utility is the interactive interface that registers instances of interfaces that have corresponding PIAPS Connectors for automatic point synchronization and configures PIAPS options.

·  The PIAPS Synchronization Engine (Sync Engine).
The PIAPS Sync Engine schedules synchronization scans and performs point attribute synchronization for all interface instances that are registered with PIAPS. This module is the foundation of PIAPS and does most of the work. The PIAPS Sync Engine is installed as a Windows service that starts automatically and is the only PIAPS module that is always running.

·  PIAPS Connector modules (Interfacespecific Connectors).
PIAPS Connectors are interfacespecific modules that call the application programming interface (API) for the same data source as the interface to determine point attribute updates. During each synchronization scan, the PIAPS Sync Engine invokes the PIAPS Connector for the interface instance to retrieve a list of current point definitions in the data source. The PIAPS Sync Engine then uses this information for updating the PI point database.

·  PIAPS Connectorspecific Configuration Controls.
Each PIAPS Connectorspecific Configuration Control provides the user interface for configuring the options of a specific PIAPS Connector. If the PIAPS Connector for an interface instance has a connectorspecific configuration control, the PIAPS Configuration Utility makes it available when the interface is selected for configuration.

The modularized architecture of PIAPS allows a single instance of the PIAPS Configuration Utility and PIAPS Sync Engine to support multiple PIAPS Connector modules on one computer. Also, adding new PIAPS Connector modules does not require changes to the PIAPS Configuration Utility or PIAPS Sync Engine. The use of COM allows individual components to be upgraded independently of the other components.

When synchronizing the PI points for an interface instance, the PIAPS Sync Engine uses an interfacespecific PIAPS Connector to obtain current point definitions from the data source. For the PIIntFix Interface, the PIAPS Sync Engine calls the PIIntFix_APS Connector to retrieve a list of the current point definitions from Intellution FIX32/iFIX. This information is used for creating, updating, or deleting PI points for the PIIntFix Interface instance registered with the PIIntFix_APS Connector. PIAPS provides many options to tailor its operation for each registered interface instance. Some options apply to the interface instance, such as the period between synchronization scans or the changes that the PIAPS Sync Engine is permitted to make automatically. Other options apply to individual PI points, such as whether the PIAPS Sync Engine is allowed to synchronize the point as a whole and, if so, which specific attributes are editable. The PIAPS Sync Engine logs all automated actions and changes for auditing by the administrator.

Reference Manuals

OSIsoft

·  PI AutoPointSync for Interfaces and PI COM Connectors (PIAPSUserManual.doc)

·  PI Interface Configuration Utility User Manual (PIICUUserManual.doc)

·  Intellution Fix DMACS (FIX32)/ Dynamics (iFIX) Interface to the PI System (PI_IntFix.doc)

Intellution

·  Intellution Electronic Books

Summary of Features and Requirements

The following table summarizes the main features and requirements of the PIIntFix_APS Connector. An asterisk (*) in the table indicates that additional explanation follows the table.

Platforms

The PIAPS Connector is supported on the following Microsoft Windows operating systems:

·  Windows NT SP6a

·  Windows 2000

·  Windows XP

·  Windows 2003

Please contact OSIsoft Technical Support for more information.

Additional PI Software Required

PIAPS obtains information about installed interface instances from configuration data stored in the Module Database by the PIInterface Configuration Utility (PIICU). Also, PIAPS stores its configuration information in the Module Database. Therefore, PIAPS requires installation of the OSIsoft products in the following list. In general, these additional OSIsoft products can be installed on separate computers. See the “Diagram of PIAPS for the PIIntFix Interface” section for restrictions that apply to this PIAPS Connector.

·  PIServer version 3.3.361.43 or greater is required for Module Database support.

·  Intellution Fix DMACS (FIX32)/ Dynamics (iFIX) Interface.

·  PIICU on the interface node because an interface instance must be managed by PIICU before it can be registered with PIAPS.

·  OSI_iFIXmonitor (distributed in the PIIntFix Interface installation kit).

Vendor Software Required on PIAPS Node

Intellution FIX32 or iFIX must be installed on the node where both the PIIntFix Interface and PIIntFix_APS Connector are installed. The Intellution software on this node can be configured as either a SCADA node or a View node.

Data Source Point Types

An Intellution process database is composed of blocks. Intellution FIX32/iFIX provides a variety of block types. Each block type performs a specific function, such as input/output to plant instrumentation or performing a calculation. Blocks contain fields that contain values relevant to the block type. Some fields contain dynamic values and other fields contain configured values that are relatively static. For example, an input block has a current value field, which is continuously updated by reading from the plant instrumentation, and other static fields for a description of the input value, engineering units, high and low range, scaling factors, etc.

The data type of an Intellution field is indicated by the first character of the field name. Field names that begin with F_ contain floating-point values. Field names that begin with A_ contain character strings. For certain block types, string values are actually the names of digital states. The PIIntFix_APS Connector supports all three of these cases.

Blocks can be chained together to build the supervisory and control strategies for a process. An Intellution process database can contain an arbitrary number of stand-alone blocks and chains.

The PIIntFix_APS Connector can create new PI points for the current value field of the block types in the following table. The table also shows the PI point type that will be used for the corresponding block type.

The PIIntFix_APS Connector can synchronize an existing PI point that references a field in any block type that has fields for the synchronizable attributes, which depend on the PointType of the PI point.

The descriptor attribute is synchronizable for all PI point types if the referenced block contains an A_DESC field. If the block does not contain an A_DESC field (for example, TX blocks in FIX32), an empty string is used as the descriptor value.

For existing PI points that are not digital or string type, the PIIntFix_APS Connector expects the referenced block to have A_ETAG (engineering units), A_ELO (low range), and A_EHI (high range) fields. If the block does not contain these fields, the PI point is not synchronizable.

Supported PI Point Attributes

The following table lists the PI point attributes that the PIIntFix_APS Connector supports. An asterisk (*) in the table indicates that additional explanation follows the table.

Intellution FIX32/iFIX Attribute Column

The “Intellution FIX32/iFIX Attribute” column contains the data source attribute that provides the value for each PI attribute.

Sync Column

The “Sync.” column indicates whether an attribute is used for point creation only or for both point creation and synchronization of existing points.

“No” in this column indicates that the attribute cannot be synchronized. That is, the PIAPS Connector can provide a value for this attribute for point creation but the attribute cannot be edited for an existing point. For example, the PIServer does not allow the PointType attribute to be changed after a point is created.

“Yes” in this column indicates that the PIAPS Connector is capable of obtaining new values from the data source for editing the attribute. However, the perpoint synchronization settings govern whether the attribute will actually be edited for a specific point.

Default Value Column

The “Default Value” column in the table shows the default values that will be assigned to attributes for new points that PIAPS creates. The notation “<APSConfig>” in this column indicates that the default value can be configured with the PIAPS Configuration Utility. The configurable default values can be viewed and changed on the Security & Archive Settings tab in the Userset Defaults dialog box.

DigitalSet

When creating a new point, the PIIntFix_APS Connector will query Intellution FIX32/iFIX for a list of available digital states for digital block types (DA, DI, DO, DR, and MDI). The associated digital state set will be created in PI if one does not already exist.

Note: Digital set names are not synchronizable. If changes are made to a digital block definition, the DigitalSet attribute of the associated PI point must be updated manually.

PI requires each digital point to have an associated Digital Set that defines the possible states. The Digital Set name assigned to the DigitalSet attribute will be a string formed by concatenating each possible state.

For example, assume that a digital input block has two possible states: Open and Close. The associated PI point will be a digital point with the DigitalSet attribute defined as OpenClose, with state0 being Open, and state1 being Close.