Q5795 Retrieving time-stamped data from field devices

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ArticleID: Q5795
Created: 28/05/2010
Last Updated: 28/05/2010
Suggested By: Frederic Vanhove

Q5795 Retrieving time-stamped data from field

devices
Applies To:
CitectSCADA v7.1, v7.2
VijeoCitect v7.1, v7.2
PowerLogic SCADA v7.1, v7.2

Summary:
With the latest releases of the OPC, OFSOPC, DNPR, and SISCOOPC drivers, CitectSCADA supports the retrieval of time-stamped data
directly from field devices. This capability is enabled by the Driver Runtime Interface (DRI), a component that is used by the following
driver versions:
OPC - from v2.03.09.000 onwards
OFSOPC - from v1.00.19.002 onwards
SISCOOPC - from v0.07.10.001 onwards
DNPR - from v4.02.24.001 onwards
If you are using any cicode to process the Time-Stamped data (via AlarmNotifyVarChange and TrnSetTable), you may need to consider
these changes to make sure your system is working properly with the latest releases of the drivers listed above.
Solution:
The DRI allows a driver to push time-stamped data from field devices into a CitectSCADA system. This means time-stamped digital
alarms, time-stamped analog alarms and event-based trends wil be updated directly - and automatically - from devices.
No configuration is required, as when these drivers start up, they scan the system for time-stamped digital alarms, time-stamped analog
alarms and event-based trends. If the driver receives updated information for any detected tags, it will directly pass it on.
Note: Prior to the driver versions listed above, time-stamped data was manually pushed into CitectSCADA using the Cicode functions
AlarmNotifyVarChange and TrnSetTable. If you are upgrading a project to a driver that uses the new DRI push mechanism, you will no
longer need to use these functions.
More information will be published in the v7.20 help file.

Keywords:

Related Links
Attachments
Schneider Electric (Australia) Pty Ltd

Disclaimer

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Retrieving time-stamped data from field devices

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Using Vijeo Citect > Communicating with I/O Devices > Retrieving time-stamped data from field devices

Retrieving time-stamped data from field devices

With the release of version 7.20, Vijeo Citect supports the retrieval of time-stamped data
directly from field devices. This capability is enabled by the Driver Runtime Interface (DRI), a
component that is used by the following device drivers:
OPC
OFSOPC
SISCOOPC
DNPR
Note: Check with Technical Support if new drivers are available that support the DRI.
The DRI allows a driver to push time-stamped data from field devices into a Vijeo Citect
system. This means time-stamped digital alarms, time-stamped analog alarms and eventbased trends can be updated directly from devices.
No configuration is necessary, as when these drivers start up they scan the system for timestamped digital alarms, time-stamped analog alarms and event-based trends. If the driver
receives updated information for any detected tags, it will pass it directly on. Regular I/O
server polling is no longer used.
This mechanism can work in tandem with the tag extension feature (also introduced in version
7.20) to enable access to field-generated timestamp and quality tag values (see Tag
Extensions).
Note: Prior to version 7.20, time-stamped data was manually pushed into Vijeo Citect
using the Cicode functions AlarmNotifyVarChange and TrnSetTable. If you are upgrading
a project to a version 7.20 system with a driver that uses the new DRI push mechanism,
you will no longer need to use these functions.
IO Server parameters

Events pushed from a DRI-supported driver can be buffered on an I/O server while an alarm
or trend server is offline. The way this mechanism operates can be configured via the
following parameters:
[IOServer]MaxEventsQueued
[IOServer]MaxEventsDrop
[IOServer]MaxTimeInQueueMs
For more information, see IOServer Parameters.
See Also
Communications Configuration
Working With Device Drivers

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Timestamp handling

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IEC870IP Driver > Value timestamping > Timestamp handling

Timestamp handling
The IEC60870-5 protocol supports data updates through three types of transmission:
non-timestamped
timestmaped
double transmission
Vijeo Citect requires a timestamp to be pushed into the I/O server and the rest of the SCADA
system for every data update. Where a protocol has not provided a timestamp, a Vijeo Citect
driver will typically create a timestamp based on the time the data was received.
A special case exists in the IEC870IP driver, where two input tag address options are available:
"S" prefix addresses are only updated by protocol messages with a timestamp:
SD<IOA>
SI<IOA>
SL<IOA>
SF<IOA>
SQD<IOA>
"Non-S" type tags use a driver manufactured timestamp by default:
D<IOA>
I<IOA>
L<IOA>
F<IOA>
QD<IOA>
For data archiving and event analysis, Vijeo Citect offers event trend and timestamped alarm
recording options with millisecond accuracy. To avoid superfluous or missing updates due to
out of sequence timestamps during startup, active device transitions, or double transmissions,
the IEC870IP driver exposes "S" prefix addresses which are only ever updated by protocol
messages with a timestamp.
These tags remain #BAD quality at startup until a message with a timestamp arrives. Messages
with a value change but no timestamp will not be pushed to Vijeo Citect for these tags.
Double transmission is a IEC60870-5 feature where an RTU will place a high priority value
update in its transmit queue as soon as possible after an event. The device will also place a
second lower priority message with the same value and also a timestamp.
To capture and action the first high priority data change, a "non-S" tag can be displayed on a
page or non-timestamped alarm. Using the "S" prefix tags allows Vijeo Citect to archive only
the timestamped messages for analysis.
In summary:
When configuring event trends, timestamped digital or timestamped analog alarms, an "S"
prefix tag address should be used.
When configuring display pages and non-timestmaped alarms, the "non-S" tags should be
used.

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Timestamp handling

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Note: You need to carefully consider the tag address you use for timestamped alarms and
event trends, as the use of a "non-S" tag may cause a delay in the delivery of information to
an operator.
The ManufactureTimestamp parameter

The Citect.ini parameter [IEC870IP]ManufactureTimestamp allows one of two options to be

selected when configuring "non-S" type tags. The default is to push a driver manufactured
timestamp to the I/O server each time for consistency. The alternative option is for the driver
to update a tag with a protocol timestamp if one is available. Be aware that this may cause a
value displayed on a page to flicker or step backward at times.
See Also
Input tags

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