This driver is a simple driver. It provides additional functionality to enable ClearSCADA to interface with specific supported devices using a particular protocol. To interact successfully with such devices, you need to:
- Install and run the driver
- Ensure that the driver is licensed
- Configure the required database items and settings on the driver
- Ensure that the database items (and any database items on which they depend) have valid, saved, configuration and are 'In Service'.
Intended Audience
This guide is intended for use by engineers who are responsible for the configuration of OPC-specific items and features in ClearSCADA. It can also be used by system administrators when investigating unexpected behavior relating to the Simple OPC driver.
Document Scope
This guide explains the configuration, features, and database items that are specific to ClearSCADA's Simple OPC Driver (see Configuring OPC Devices in ClearSCADA). It also provides information on using OPC-specific features for fault finding and diagnostics.
Prerequisite Reading
This guide contains technical information that is intended for users that are sufficiently familiar with ClearSCADA configuration and operation. Before reading this driver guide, ensure that you are familiar with:
- ClearSCADA configuration practices, procedures, and the configuration of properties that are common to many database items. For more information, see the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration, and the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Point Configuration.
- Driver structure, components, and configuration properties, pick actions, and status attributes that are common to many drivers. For more information, see the ClearSCADA Guide to Drivers.
- Simple driver composition, configuration order, and configuration properties and logging options that are common to many simple drivers. For more information, see the ClearSCADA Guide to Simple Drivers.
The OPC standards are a series of standard specifications aimed at allowing interoperability between different SCADA systems. ClearSCADA uses these standards to allow transfer of data between the ClearSCADA server and third-party applications.
The Simple OPC driver is used to read and write to data on other servers, including ClearSCADA or third-party servers, using the OPC protocol. The driver takes into account any OPC private security settings, designed to limit access to configuration properties on many OPC servers.
The OPC documentation explains how to configure OPC-specific features and items within the ClearSCADA database (see Configuring OPC Devices in ClearSCADA).
It also explains driver-specific aspects that are of interest to System Administrators and engineers when investigating unexpected system behavior relating to the Simple OPC driver (see OPC Registration and Server Browsing, and see Simple OPC Specific Status Display Attributes.)
NOTE: There are no driver-specific pick actions for database items on this particular driver. However, users with the required privileges can add custom pick actions to a database item by using the User Methods tab on the relevant configuration Form (see Using the User Methods Tab to Define Custom Actions in the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration). See a system administrator for the documentation associated with such custom actions (also known as ‘methods’).
ClearSCADA is able to read and write to data on other servers using one of several OPC standards and one of several ClearSCADA drivers—for information on which driver is appropriate for your system requirements, see Which Driver?.
Further Information
OPC Foundation Standards: see www.opcfoundation.org
OPC Time Formats used in ClearSCADA: see Using OPC Time Formats in the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration.