Block

Mask

Description

The OPC is a block designed to communicate with an OPC Server. The OPC block is used to send and receive information from an OPC Server.

Parameters

Block ID	Unique Block ID. No other blocks or controllers must have the same ID.
Number of Outputs	The number of available outputs for the block.
IP Alias	This is a virtual IP for the target running the OPC block. The IP address must not be used by any other computers or devices on the network.
TCP Port	TCP port used by the virtual IP to communicate with the OPC Server.

Inputs

Input	This input specifies all of the Item IDs that will be sent to the OPC Server.
Output Init	This input must be filled with the default values for the output. Must be the same size as the Number of Outputs parameter.

Outputs

Output: Output of all the OPC Server Item IDs.

Status: Status of the block. Typically, error codes should be 0 and the status field (index 4 and 5) should oscillate between 0 and 2. This status comes from another block within the OPC block. The output returns the following values:

Index	Description
0 or 1	Input(s) send error
2 or 3	Output(s) receive error
4 or 5	Output(s) status
6 or 7	Output(s) init error

Characteristics and Limitations

The OPC block Requires the following files to be added in the "File" tab of RT-LAB:

%RTLAB_ROOT%/common/lib/redhawk/AsyncDNP3_Slave	binary	Before load
AsyncDNP3_Slave_cfg.xml	ascii	Before load

It is to be noted that the OPC block uses the DNP3 protocol to communicate with the OPC Server. The DNP3-to-OPC Server must be configured accordingly with the IP Alias and TCP Port in the block's parameter. Other default configurations that may be needed are the following:

Master Address: 100

Slave Address: 1

Direct Feedthrough	No
Discrete sample time	No
XHP support	No
Work offline	No

For more information about the DNP3 configuration, right-click on the OPC block and select Look Under Mask. Some settings are also in the mask of OPC block.