Technical Reference Manual - InduSoft

Communication with Other Devices
Configuring an OPC XML/DA Client connection to an OPC XML-DA server
The OPC XML/DA Client task/worksheet is used to communicate with any system that implements the OPC
XML-DA protocol.
About OPC XML/DA
The OPC XML/DA Client task/worksheet uses the new OPC XML-DA communication protocol that was
introduced by the OPC Foundation. OPC XML-DA is an improvement on OPC DA (also known as OPC
Classic): it is based on the XML, SOAP, and WSDL standards for web services, instead of the original DCOM/
OLE model that is used by OPC DA. It also standardizes the SOAP messages exchanged between clients and
server, which allows the protocol to be implemented on different operating systems.
For more information, go to the OPC Foundation website.
Configuring a new OPC XML/DA server connection
To configure a new connection to an OPC XML/DA server:
1. Do one of the following:
• On the Insert tab of the ribbon, in the Communication group, click OPC Client and then select OPC XML/DA
Connection from the drop-down list; or
• In the Comm tab of the Project Explorer, right-click OPC XML/DA Connections and then click Insert on the
shortcut menu.
The Server Connection dialog is displayed:
OPC XML/DA Server Connection dialog
2. In the Connection Name box, type a name for the connection.
This name will be displayed in the OPC XML/DA Connections folder in the Project Explorer, and it is the
name you will look for when you configure the OPC XML/DA Client worksheet.
3. From the Specification list, select the exact OPC specificiation that you want to use to communicate with the
server.
4. From the Host Name list, select the name or address of the host to which you want to connect. Hosts should
broadcast their availability on the network. If the host you want doesn't appear to be available, click Refresh
to update the list.
5. From the Server Url list, select a specific OPC server process on the host. If the process you want doesn't
appear, click Refresh the update the list from the host.
6. In the User Name and Password boxes, type your login credentials for the OPC server process.
7. In the Ping Rate box, type the frequency (in milliseconds) at which the client should ping the server to make
sure the connection is still active. By default, the client pings the server once per minute.
8. Click OK. The connection is saved in the OPC XML/DA Connections folder in the Project Explorer.
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