Omron GRT1 - 27-11-2006, Operation Manual

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PROFIBUS Technology Appendix A
A-9 FDT/DTM Technology
The FDT/DTM concept specifies the interfaces between the engineering systems called Field Device Tools
(FDT), and the device-specific software components called Device Type Managers (DTM). FDT/DTM is the
most recent advancement in Configurators.
The FDT/DTM concept separates the device dependent functionality (which is in the DTM) from the applica-
tion. It provides separate interfaces for device configuration, monitoring and maintenance solutions, which
before largely depended on the manufacturer of the application. Because of this concept, any type of network
can be configured and accessed, provided the appropriate DTMs are available.
A FDT container application facilitates configuration of network devices and parameterizing and/or manipulat-
ing their operational modes. All device dependent functionality is concentrated in the DTM.
FDT container applications can be stand-alone tools, or can be part of other engineering tools such web
browsers providing FDT interfaces. Since FDT standardizes the interfaces, it allows devices from different
manufacturers to be integrated in any automation system, regardless of the fieldbus system.
Cx-Profibus is an example of a FDT container application.
DTMs are provided by the manufacturer of the device. A DTM is comparable to a printer driver, which allows
interactive configuration and diagnostics. The DTM provides not only the configuration, manipulation and mon-
itoring functions for a device including the user interface functions, it also provides the connection technology to
the device.
A DTM provides all the options for configuration and monitoring of a device, which it can present to the user
through its own user interface. The user interface for a DTM is provided using ActiveX windows. In general
multi-language user interface windows, including DTM specific Help files are supported by the DTM.
In general, a device configuration DTM is accompanied by a communication DTM. This specific DTM facilitates
device specific communication, e.g. for downloading a configuration to a PROFIBUS DP Master Unit and/or for
retrieving monitoring information from PROFIBUS DP Master Unit. It may incorporate the specific communica-
tion protocol, or rely on other available drivers.
A-10 GSD file Technology
The older and most commonly used configuration technology is the based on GSD files (General Slave Data
file). A GSD file is a text file, containing the characteristic features and configuration options of a device. The
device data base file of each device is loaded in the configurator and downloaded to the master device.
GSD files are usually supplied with a Unit, or can be downloaded from the Internet, either from the manufac-
turer's site, or from the GSD library of PROFIBUS International at http://www.profibus.com.
OMRON provides a GSD file for the GRT1-PRT, to facilitate configuration for third-party PROFIBUS Master
devices.
The GSD files are prepared individually by the vendor for each type of device, according to a fixed format.
Some parameters are mandatory, some have a default value and some are optional.
When comparing the two configuration technologies, a GSD file only provides information on the device char-
acteristics and configuration options. It has no GUI of its own, nor can it connect to the device itself. A GSD file
always requires a separate configurator program to interpret the data. In the FDT/DTM concept all these device
related functions are included in the DTM. The DTM can be executed from any program, which provides FDT
interfaces.