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An Overview of OPC
SECTION 17 Using CX-Supervisor as an OPC Client
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SECTION 17
Using CX-Supervisor as an OPC Client
This chapter introduces OPC Server to a new user, and explains how to use
CX-Supervisor as an OPC Client.
17-1
An Overview of OPC
OPC stands for OLE for Process Control, and is a standard published by the
OPC Foundation. The basic aim of the OPC standard is to allow hardware
vendors to produce software drivers (called OPC Servers) and for software
vendors to produce applications (called OPC Clients) which use a standard
method for data interchange. This allows software and hardware from different
vendors to be used together.
Based on Microsoft's OLE (now ActiveX), COM (component object model) and
DCOM (distributed component object model) technologies, OPC consists of a
standard set of interfaces, properties, and methods for use in process-control
and manufacturing-automation applications. The ActiveX/COM technologies
define how individual software components can interact and share data.
Backed by Microsoft's NT technology, OPC provides a common interface for
communicating with diverse process-control devices, regardless of the
controlling software or devices in the process. The goal of the standard is
Plug-and-Play, a concept developed by Microsoft and a number of other
companies a few years ago. By using a standard way of configuring computer
hardware (and software interfaces) automatically, a device will easily connect
to another and immediately work without the need for lengthy installation
procedures or complex configuration. Instead of having to learn how to use
100 or more custom toolkits, users will only have to learn one set of tools,
because all OPC drivers will work the same way. OPC's purpose is to compel
the automation industry suppliers to push all device drivers toward a standard
form. Essentially, OPC defines a common interface that permits interface
development work to be performed once and then easily reused. The OPC
standard requires hardware suppliers to provide front-line data collection and
distribution. They are the most familiar with how to access the device's internal
data efficiently. These devices then become OPC servers, providing data to
OPC client applications consistently. Application developers can then write
code in any language deemed appropriate.
The latest version of the OPC standard is version 2. This replaces the earlier
version 1 standard.
CX-Supervisor uses an OPC version 2 interface to connect to an OPC Server
which is version 2 compliant. Note that the OPC version 1 interface has been
superseded, and is not supported.
Users of CX-Supervisor may need some basic understanding of OPC. For
more information on OPC, see the OPC Foundation web site at
www.opcfoundation.org.
For instructions on configuring your DCOM settings for connection to remote
PCs, see Appendix A.
17-1-1 A Brief History of OPC Data Access
In the early 1990s a group of people from several important companies
involved in the creation of SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)
systems began meeting at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond. Their
interests focused on the use of the Windows operating system within the
factory automation environment, in particular for the acquisition of real time
Summary of Contents for CX-Supervisor
Page 1: ...CX Supervisor Software Cat No W10E EN 01 User Manual Software Release 3 1...
Page 3: ...Copyright Notice 2...
Page 16: ...15...
Page 17: ...16...
Page 27: ...Tip of the Day SECTION 1 Graphics Editor 26...
Page 35: ...CX Supervisor Preferences SECTION 2 Pages 34...
Page 79: ...Responding to Events SECTION 5 ActiveX Objects 78...
Page 115: ...Printing the Graphics Library SECTION 7 Graphics Library 114...
Page 181: ...Data Logging SECTION 11 Data Logging 180...
Page 201: ...Examples SECTION 12 Databases 200...
Page 243: ...Performance Monitor SECTION 16 Application Analysis Performance Monitor 242...
Page 253: ...Using with Omron s CX Server OPC SECTION 17 Using CX Supervisor as an OPC Cli 252...
Page 259: ...Creating a CX Supervisor Client application SECTION 18 Connecting to a remote CX 258...
Page 263: ...Adding a Point Linked to a Parameter SECTION 19 Connecting to Omron Industrial 262...
Page 271: ...Data Logging SECTION 20 Best Practices 270...
Page 275: ...Configuring a Server PC running Windows NT or 2000 Appendix A Configuring a PC 274...
Page 277: ...Appendix B Frequently Asked Questions 276...
Page 296: ...Appendix B Frequently Asked Questions 295...
Page 297: ...Appendix B Frequently Asked Questions 296...
Page 298: ...Appendix B Frequently Asked Questions 297...
Page 299: ...Appendix B Frequently Asked Questions 298...
Page 333: ...Revision history 332...