Tab: Communication, via CODESYS Symbolic

The tab includes the communication settings via CODESYS Symbolic for the remote data source.

When initially Adding a data source, you have selected the CODESYS Symbolic data source type and depending on that the communication settings to the data source were configured. Afterwards, the communication settings are outdated on this tab. You can only initially set the Data source type setting.

CODESYS Symbolic means that in the case of an active connection the communication is done via symbolic monitoring. This kind of symbolic access is possibly for CODESYS V2 and CODESYS V3 controller variants. In addition, the runtime system has to support the symbol configuration.

Tip

You can develop a local application offline based on the symbol information without a connection to the data source. To do this, you refer to a symbol file in the configuration settings in which all required variable information has been stored. Then no active connection is established.

Tab: Communication, via CODESYS Symbolic

Variable information

. Source of the variable information

From connection settings
A connection is established actively according to the communication settings specified below (Connection type and Connection Settings). The variable information is read from the remote controller application.
<device name>.<application name>.symbol configuration
The variable information is read from the symbol configuration. The symbol configuration is part of the active project and located in the device tree at the object of the remote controller below the application. An active connection is not established to the controller.
From symbol file
The variable information is read from a symbol configuration file that is stored on the development system. In the Choose symbol file field, specify this data. An active connection is not established to the controller.

Choose symbol file

The path of the symbol file for the Variable information selection is From symbol file.

The symbol file is stored on the development system and contains the required variable information. By default, a symbol file path is created in the project directory in the following structure: <project folder>\<project name>.<device name>.<application name>.xml.

Example: D:\Projects\Project_A\VisualizeWithHMI.Device.Application.xml

Note: If the Alarm Table element or Trend element is used in the visualization, then the symbol file required for symbolic access and the respective project must both be saved in the same folder. The project contains the configuration for the alarm table element or the trend recording for the trend element. This is the default case for automatically generated symbol files.

Example: D:\Projects\Project_A\VisualizeWithHMI.project

Connection type

Connection type between the remote PLC and the local device.

Depending on the selected connection type, the following settings below change.

Note: Whenever possible, avoid a direct connection without a gateway.

CODESYS V2
The devices exist in the same network. The V2 runtime on the remote PLC provides a communication interface.
CODESYS V2 (via gateway)
The devices do not exist in the same network. They are connected via a V2 gateway.
CODESYS V3
The devices exist in the same network. The V3 runtime on the remote PLC provides a communication interface.
CODESYS V3 (via gateway)
The devices do not exist in the same network. They are connected via a V3 gateway.

Connection settings for connection type CODESYS V2

PLC
Driver type	Tcp/Ip (Level 2 Route) Tcp/Ip (Level 2) Tcp/Ip
Address	Example: `localhost` (for the currently used system on your computer)
Port	Example: `1200`
Block size	Example: `128` Requirement: The driver type is Tcp/Ip (Level 2).
Target ID	Example: `0` Requirement: The driver type is Tcp/Ip (Level 2 Route).
Motorola byte order	: Byte order on the PLC in big endian (Motorola format) : Byte order in little endian (Intel format)

Connection settings for connection type CODESYS V2 (via gateway)

Gateway

The gateway settings are configured in addition to the PLC settings.

Note: For this connection, a CODESYS Development System Gateway Server (V2 Gateway) also has to be installed on the development computer where CODESYS V3 is running.

IP address

Example: localhost

Port

Example: 1217

Connection settings for connection type CODESYS V3

PLC
Name or address of device	The setting that you make here varies according to the selection in the Type of name or address list box. For options that are derived automatically, you do not have to specify the setting here. The setting can remain empty. Example: Nothing specified for ...(automatically derived) Example: `PLC_A` for Node name Example: `[ABCD]` for Node address Example: `192.168.1.5:11741` for IP address Example: `POU.dssCommVar` with data type `DatasourceSym.ConnectionSetup` for Dynamic from variable Hint: : Opens the input to select the program variables for dynamic configuration. This variable has to be the data type `DatasourceSym.ConnectionSetup`.
Type of name or address	Node name (automatically derived) Node address (automatically derived) IP address (automatically derived) Node name Node address IP address Dynamic from variable
Dynamic from variable	The device name or address is configured dynamically at runtime by means of an IEC variable of data type `DatasourceSym.ConnectionSetup`. The data type `DatasourceSym.ConnectionSetup` (`STRUCT`) is defined in the `Datasource Symbolic Access` library. For the configuration, the structure member `xDataValid` first has to be set to `FALSE`. If the address data has been specified, then `xDataValid` has to be set back to `TRUE`. Use case: The device name or address is not available when a project is being created. The dynamic configuration can also be used to change the settings at runtime without restarting the HMI application. Note: For this connection type, the connection is also not done dynamically via gateway.

Connection settings for connection type CODESYS V3 (via gateway)

Gateway	The gateway settings are configured in addition to the PLC settings.
IP address	Example: `localhost`
Port	Example: `1217`

Extending the communication settings for the PLCHandler interface

Important

It is not recommended to configure the PLCHandler manually.

The connection to the controller is established via the CODESYS PLCHandler communication interface. In this case, the configuration is performed in the PLCHandler INI format and allows for advanced parameterization.

Advanced
Used as	Don't use Recommended setting The INI content property as well as any specified configuration settings there are ignored. Extend the configuration by the following content As a rule, the configuration settings are used which are specified in the Connection Settings for CODESYS V3 (via gateway). Moreover, the configuration settings are used in the INI content property. Configure completely with the following content The configuration settings of the Configuration Settings for CODESYS V3 (via gateway) property are ignored. Instead, only the configuration settings are used in the INI content property.
INI content	Requirement: Used as is set to Extend the configuration by the following content. Example: logfilter=16#000000FF Example: parameter0=EncryptCommunication value0=1 Note: If the parameters are generic, then they can be specified as 0-based (`parameter0` and `value0`). When extending, the numbering is automatically adjusted so that the extended parameters connect to the existing ones. The number of parameters (`parameters=<n>`) is also set to the correct value.
INI content	Requirement: Used as is set to Configure completely with the following content. Example: [PLC:PLC_IdArti] interfacetype=ARTI active=1 logevents=1 motorola=0 nologin=0 timeout=10000 precheckidentity=0 tries=3 waittime=12 reconnecttime=10 buffersize=0 device=Tcp/Ip (Level 2 Route) instance=PLCWinNT_TCPIP_L2Route parameters=4 parameter0=Address value0=localhost parameter1=Port value1=1200 parameter2=TargetId value2=0 parameter3=Motorola byteorder value3=No

Communication settings for controllers with visualization user management

Login Configuration	If a visualization user management is configured on the remote device, then valid credentials are required at login.
Type	Defines how the visualization user management gets credentials Login using the following credentials The credentials are hard-coded into the User name and Password settings. They are used each time a connection is attempted. Login using the credentials determined at runtime At runtime, a dialog opens and prompts the user to specify a user name and password. Hard-coded credentials, which have nonetheless been specified in User name and Password, are ignored.
User name	Example: `max.smith`
Password	Example: ···