Devices Nodes Reference

Represent field devices as nodes.

Reference → Modules → Devices → UI → Points | Protocols | Channels | Nodes | AccessTypes | Monitor

Creating Nodes

1. Navigate to Devices → Nodes
2. Click Plus icon to add node
3. Configure:
   • Channel - Select parent channel
   • Name - Unique node identifier
   • Description - Documentation
4. Click OK

Node Properties

Station Configuration

Primary Station

Protocol-specific addressing:

• Modbus TCP: IP:Port (192.168.1.10:502)
• OPC UA: opc.tcp://server:4840
• Serial: COM1;19200;8;N;1
• ControlLogix: 192.168.1.20;1;0

Backup Station

To add redundancy to a specific node, enable the Backup Station column. If the column is not visible, right-click any column header and select it to enable. The configuration is the same as for PrimaryStation, if the primary connection fails, the system will attempt the backup station. If the backup station also fails, the system will automatically switch back to the primary, and so on. The failover timeout can be configured in Devices / Channels / Timeout.

The following properties can be accessed from anywhere in the software:

• Toggle this property between true and false to force a switch between the PrimaryStation and BackupStation:
  @Device.Node.<NodeName>.ForceSwitch = true;

• Toggle this property between true and false to enable or disable automatic switching when the current node encounters an error:
  @Device.Node.<NodeName>.DisableAutoSwitch = true;

• Use this property to verify whether the primary or backup station is currently active:
  @Device.Node.<NodeName>.IsPrimary = true;

Importing Nodes

Automatic Import Methods

Import Process

1. Select channel and protocol
2. Choose import method
3. Configure connection settings
4. Browse/select items
5. Map to local tags

See → Importing PLC Addresses for detailed instructions

Node Organization

Hierarchical Structure

Channel
  --- Node (Device)
      --- Point 1
      --- Point 2

Naming Conventions

• Use descriptive names
• Include location/function
• Maintain consistency
• Avoid special characters

Runtime Behavior

Connection Management

• Nodes inherit channel settings
• Independent connection per node
• Automatic reconnection
• Failover to backup station

Communication Flow

1. Channel establishes connection
2. Node routes to device address
3. Points read/write through node
4. Backup activates on failure

Common Configurations

Modbus TCP Node

Channel: ModbusTCP_Main
Name: PLC_Tank_Farm
PrimaryStation: 192.168.1.100:502
BackupStation: 192.168.1.101:502
Description: Tank farm controller

ControlLogix Node

Channel: EthernetIP_Channel
Name: CLX_Line1
PrimaryStation: 192.168.1.50;1;0
SyncSettings: L5K Import
Description: Line 1 ControlLogix

OPC UA Node

Channel: OPCUA_Channel
Name: OPC_Server1
PrimaryStation: opc.tcp://server:4840
SyncDate: 2024-03-15
Description: Main OPC UA Server

Synchronization

Import Tracking

Monitor configuration imports:

• SyncDate - When imported
• SyncStation - Source details
• SyncSettings - Method used

Refresh Options

• Manual re-import
• Scheduled sync
• Change detection
• Version control

Best Practices Checklist

• Group Related Devices - One node per PLC/device
• Configure Backup Stations - For critical devices
• Document Thoroughly - Use description fields
• Test Import Results - Verify addressing
• Use Consistent Naming - Establish standards
• Monitor Sync Status - Track configuration changes
• Plan IP Addressing - Organize network topology

Troubleshooting

Node offline:

• Check channel status
• Verify primary station address
• Test network connectivity
• Review backup station

Import failures:

• Verify device accessibility
• Check authentication
• Review protocol version
• Test with simple import

Communication errors:

• Confirm addressing format
• Check firewall rules
• Verify protocol settings
• Test backup failover

Points not updating:

• Check node status
• Verify point configuration
• Review scan groups
• Monitor diagnostics

Diagnostics

Monitor node health:

// Node status
bool isOnline = @Device.Node.NodeName.IsOnline;

// Station active
string activeStation = @Device.Node.NodeName.ActiveStation;

// Communication stats
int successCount = @Device.Node.NodeName.SuccessCount;
int errorCount = @Device.Node.NodeName.ErrorCount;

// Last sync
DateTime syncTime = @Device.Node.NodeName.LastSync;

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