The type(s) of point that you configure in ClearSCADA varies, depending whether you want ClearSCADA to monitor a device using an input point, or control a device using an output point (for a maintained control) or pulse action (for a pulsed control).
The type of input or output point that you need to configure is determined by:
- The type of data being used by the devices on your system—for this data, you configure a driver-specific point that represents the type of data used on those devices (for instance, analog, or digital). The type(s) of point that are supported by each driver differ, depending on the driver—see the driver-specific documentation for the type(s) of point that a particular driver supports. Use the driver-specific documentation alongside this ClearSCADA Guide to Core Point Configuration for detailed information on how to configure the points that you require.
- The type of data that is used internally at the server, for instance, to store results from Historic Calculations or Logic programs—for this data, you configure internal point(s) or calculation point(s), that represent the type of data you want to use (for instance, analog, or digital). Internal and calculation points differ from other points in that they do not physically exist on your system—they only exist within ClearSCADA (Internal Points and Calculation Points).
There are also points used on devices and within ClearSCADA that derive their value from other points, these are called Derived Points. These differ from Internal and Calculation points as they are driver specific and configuration of these points is covered in the driver-specific documentation.
This guide explains how to configure point properties that are common to internal points and to points on many drivers. Many points on drivers have additional properties that are specific to the driver or type of point—these properties are covered in the driver-specific documentation. To configure a point on a driver, we recommend that you refer initially to the driver-specific documentation, as this explains both the driver-specific point properties and refers back to this core guide for those properties that are common to points on many drivers.
This ClearSCADA Guide to Core Point Configuration explains how to configure properties for the following types of point:
- Analog Point—A point used in ClearSCADA to represent data that can be in any of a range of values (see Defining Analog Point Details).
- Digital Point—A point used in ClearSCADA to represent data that can be in any of a range of states. For instance, Open or Closed, On or Off (see Defining Digital Point Details).
- Counter Point—A point used in ClearSCADA to accumulate values over time (see Defining Counter Point Details, and see End of Period).
- String Point—A point used in ClearSCADA to represent data that has a textual string value, rather than a numeric value (see Defining String Point Details).
- Time Point—A point used in ClearSCADA to represent data that has a date/time value (see Defining Time Point Details).
- Pulse Action—Used to send a control to a device for a defined period of time (see Defining Pulse Action Details).
Some drivers support other types of point. Configuration of these points is covered in the driver-specific documentation. Many of these points have analog-, counter- or digital-type processing, and therefore many aspects of configuration, explained in this guide, also apply to these point types. The driver-specific documentation indicates when another point type has analog-, counter- or digital-type configuration.