CIM_HT023 – How to Configure the Proficy Driver Server

(SRTP) via a CIMPLICITY Project v1.0

Proficy HMI/SCADA - CIMPLICITY

Outline
This document walks through the minimal configuration required to configure/setup a CIMPLICITY
project using the Proficy Driver Server. The Proficy Driver Server is used when communicating to GE
SRTP Devices that typically use Symbolic addressing (but is not restricted to Symbolic Addressing).
Although the PDS driver can be configured outside of a CIMPLICITY project, this document focuses
exclusively on the PDS Driver being accessed via the Proficy Driver Server communications driver
installed in the CIMPLICITY Workbench.

Requirements
In order to use the Proficy Driver Server via a CIMPLICITY project, you must have the following installed
and licensed:

Proficy HMI/SCADA – CIMPLICITY 8.2

Proficy Driver Server (SRTP) 3.6 with Service Pack 2
Note: CIMPLICITY 8.2 does install the Proficy Driver Server, but it does not include the PDS 3.6 update or
any of the PDS Service Packs. It is highly recommended that the latest PDS version and Service Pack be
installed.

How it Works

The Proficy Driver Server integration uses the CIMPLICITY OPC Client to actually do the communication
with the PDS OPC Server. In conjunction with this, it uses an integrated configuration dialog that can
be accessed via the Device Properties dialog in the CIMPLICITY Project. When you launch a Proficy
Driver Server port within your CIMPLICITY project, it actually starts the CIMPLICITY OPC Client, which
then starts the Proficy Driver OPC Server. It is important to note that when configuring the Proficy
Driver Server option from within a CIMPLICITY Project, the configuration is actually retained within the
CIMPLICITY Project, and thus should be portable.
Configuration Steps
Step 1: Enable the Proficy Driver Server option in the Project Properties.

In order to use the Proficy Driver Server component from within a CIMPLICITY project, the option must
be first enabled in the CIMPLICITY Workbench. To do this, simply open your project in the CIMPLICITY
Workbench (File->Open) and then go to Project->Properties. A dialog similar to the one seen below will
appear. Simply add a checkmark to the “Proficy Driver Server” protocol in the Protocols list.

Step 2: Create a new PROFICYDRIVERSERVER Port

In the project in the CIMPLICITY Workbench, go to Equipment->Ports (left hand pane) and then choose
to create a new port. The port type you want to create should have a protocol of
“PROFICYDRIVERSERVER”. Note that the name of the protocol may be longer than the width of the field.
However, this should not cause any adverse effects. Click OK on the dialog when you have chosen the
correct protocol.
The Port Properties dialog should now appear. The most important thing to note here is that the
“Enabled” checkbox is selected. All other settings can be left at the defaults.

Step 3: Create a new Device that uses the PROFICYDRIVERSERVER Port

On the left hand pane in the CIMPLICITY Workbench, go to Equipment->Devices and create a new
device. The name which you call your device does not actually matter, but the port name should be
the same as in the previous step (in this case MASTER_POS_0). Click on the OK button when you have
selected the relevant entries for your project.

The next dialog that will appear is the Device Properties dialog. This will contain specific configuration
information. Make sure that the correct port is specified in the “Port” field on the “General” tab and
then navigate to the “Device Settings” tab.
Step 4: Launch the Server Configuration Dialog from the Device Properties

On the device settings tab there is a button that is used to launch the Proficy Driver Server
Configuration dialog. Confirm that the “Device Enabled” dropdown selection is “YES” and then click on
the Server Configuration Button. The rest of the fields should be fine at their default settings.
Step 5: Create a New SRTP Device in the PDS Configuration Dialog

When the Server Configuration button is selected, a new Window will pop-up with a title of “Proficy
Driver Configuration”. In this dialog the actual configuration settings for the physical device will need to
be used. Right click on the “Devices” entry and choose “Add Device->GE SRTP”. The GE SRTP Protocol
can be used to talk to GE SRTP devices such as 90-30/90-70/RX3i/RX7i/etc.
Step 6: Configure the Proficy Driver Server

When the device is added it also, by default, creates a new Port. The next set of steps walks through
the minimal configuration settings that are required to get the Proficy Driver Server to work, and auto
browse the device that it is communicating with.

Ensure the following are filled in:

Enabled = True

IP Address = The TCP/IP address of the device that will be communicated with.

Scan Variables = True. This allows the PDS to determine what is available on the physical device, and is
especially relevant when attempting to browse the available variables (such as symbolic addresses).

Read Configuration Data from Controller = True. This ensures that the OPC Server has the correct
memory size limit information for the physical device that will be communicated to.
Step 7: Configure the Proficy Driver Server – Enabling the Project

The next step is to ensure everything is enabled down the PDS Project tree. By default some of the
fields will be in a disabled state and it is important to ensure everything is enabled before attempting
to communicate with the device.

a. Go to the Port that has been defined and ensure the “Enabled” field is set to “True”.

b. Highlight the “Device” under the “Devices” list and ensure the “Enabled field is set to “True”.

c. Highlight the Proficy Driver Server Project Name (this will be the same name as the CIMPLICITY
Project, and ensure the “Enabled” field is set to “True”.
 d. Now click on “Projects->Save” and save the configuration to the PDS Server. After doing this,
the PDS Configuration Dialog can now be closed.

e. In your CIMPLICITY Project, on the Device Properties Dialog (which will be still open), click on
the OK button.

Step 8: Creating the Device Point in the CIMPLICITY Project

Now that the device is properly created and configured, the next step is to configure the required
Device Points in the CIMPLICITY Project.

To do this, simply highlight the name of configured device on the left hand Pane of CIMPLICITY, and the
on the right hand pane right-click and choose to create a New Point. On the New Point dialog that
appears type in a new Point ID (in this case TESTPOINT was used), and confirm that the Type is Device,
and has the name of the CIMPLICITY Device that was configured specified. Once these fields have been
filled in then click on the “OK” button.
The Point Properties dialog will then appear. This dialog is comprised of multiple tabs but only two
require explicit configuration. On the general tab confirm that the “Enable Point” checkbox is selected.
Once this is selected go to the “Device” tab.

On the “Device” tab change the “Update Criteria” to “Unsolicited”. A warning dialog may appear, on
which the “OK” button can be clicked. Also confirm that the “Poll after set” checkbox is de-selected.
Once this is done, then click on the (…) button to the right of the “Address” field.
Once the (…) button is selected a “Configuration” dialog will appear to prompt for the specific
configuration of the point/item. On the dialog select the name of the “Device” that was configured in
the PDS OPC Server, and confirm that the “IO Alias” radio button is selected. When the device name is
selected, the Configuration dialog will expand to display more configuration options.

On the dialog choose the dropdown next to the “Register Type” to choose what type of address is to be
configured. In this example the “Symbolic Memory” field was selected. Now type in the item address
that is to be used (i.e. the name of the symbolic variable) into the “Address” field. Click on the “OK”
button when complete.
After the Configuration is complete the “Address” field on the CIMPLICITY Point should now be
populated with the actual item address. In this example the device name was “Device1” and the
address selected is “Symbolic_item”.

Note: It is not required to actually call up the PDS “Configuration” dialog each time a point is
configured. As long as the proper item address syntax is adhered to for the addressing, it is possible to
manually type in the address.
Now click on the “OK” button.

In the CIMPLICITY project, perform a “Configuration Update” and start the project. If everything is
properly configured the project should now communicate with the device, and this can be confirmed
by viewing the value of the configured point (in this example TESTPOINT) in the Point Control Panel. If
the point has a value and is not (***) a series of 3 asterisks, then it is configured properly and
communicating.

Appendix A: Configuring Symbolic Addresses in Machine Edition

In order for a Symbolic Address to be visible in the Proficy Driver Server, it must be properly exposed.
This can be done via the Variable Inspector window in the Proficy Machine Edition PLC Project. On each
of the Symbolic variables used, the “Publish” field must be set to “External Read/Write” in order for it to
be visible to the PDS Driver.
Appendix B: Using the Item Browser
The item browser can only be used on PDS 3.6 or newer, and it requires that the CIMPLICITY project is
running when you attempt to browse the item via the CIMPLICITY Workbench. In order to use the item
browser simply click on the ellipses button (…) next to the “Address” field in the PDS item Configuration
dialog. If the button is not available, then the version of the Proficy Driver Server is likely less than 3.6.
When the ellipses button is selected a dialog should appear as follows. This will be populated with the
list of the currently available PLC Variables that have been read, including published Symbolic
Variables.