GHT-200012A

How to Interface to Third-party Clients Using the

WorkstationST* OPC® DA Server

The ToolboxST application provides a feature called an OLE for Process Control (OPC) DA Server. Third-party OPC
DA clients can connect to this server to obtain live variable values. The OPC DA Server is compliant with the OPC DA
3.0 and the OPC DA 2.05 specifications. The server also has an optional client that can be configured to gather variable
value data from external OPC DA servers. The server is configured and monitored through the WorkstationST Component
Editor of the ToolboxST application.

OPC DA Server/Client Setup

Prerequisites
OPC is based on Microsoft® DCOM. When the OPC DA client resides on the same computer as the OPC DA Server, the
client must have default DCOM access. When the client runs as a service on the same computer as the WorkstationST
application, no DCOM configuration is needed to allow the client to talk to the OPC DA Server. When the client is running
as an interactive process, then INTERACTIVE should be configured with default access for the computer’s DCOM default
access setting. Refer to GEI-100621, WorkstationST* OPC DA Server, the section Windows® XP Workgroups Example
provides information for when the OPC DA client resides on a remote computer.

Firewall products such as Norton™ or other software firewalls can have adverse effects on DCOM client/server
communications. The WorkstationST application configures the Windows firewall to the DCOM TCP port 135.

This document is distributed for informational purposes only. It is furnished to its customer solely to assist in the installation, testing,
operation, and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced nor shall its contents be
disclosed to any third party without the written approval of GE Energy.

1 GHT-200012A
Configuring the WorkstationST OPC DA Server
Configuration of the OPC DA Server is described in GEH-6706, ToolboxST* User Guide for WorkstationST* Chapter 3,
the section OPC DA Server Tab. Although default settings are typically used, the following can apply.

• Use the Maximum Client Rate setting to control how fast data can be requested by an OPC DA client. The default is
320 milliseconds.
• Use the Enable Client Writes setting to allow an OPC DA client to write, as well as read variable values. These can
include variables for all EGD consumed devices, as well as variables from other WorkstationST features (such as
Modbus) and other OPC DA Server data from the OPC DA client.
• All variables written to the OPC DA server or read from other servers can be placed onto one or more EGD (redundant)
pages. These pages can be defined in one WorkstationST computer as Primary pages, with a second WorkstationST
computer configured as a secondary producer. The primary producer produces the data if the source for the variables
is healthy. If the primary producer stops, the secondary producer takes over but stops production if the primary
resumes. Refer to GEH-6706, ToolboxST* User Guide for WorkstationST*Chapter 3, the section Redundant EGD
Produced Pages. A sample setup is as follows.

Primary and Secondary EGD Redundant Produced Page

GHT-200012A 2
 To configure an EGD produced page
1. From the Start menu, select Programs, GE ControlST, ToolboxST, and ToolboxST to display the System
Editor.

2. From the Tree View, double-click a WorkstationST component.

3 GHT-200012A
3. Configure another WorkstationST component as a secondary producer.

• Add an EGD page in the second WorkstationST component, set its Redundancy to Secondary, and select the
primary page for it to reference.
• Add the same variables from the previous step to the Secondary WorkstationST component’s OPC DA Server tab
Client Driven Variables item.

To configure a Mark VIe component to consume a variable

From the ToolboxST System Editor, double-click a Mark VIe component to display the Component Editor.

GHT-200012A 4
5 GHT-200012A
GHT-200012A 6
 To build and download the Mark VIe component

1. From the toolbar, click the Build button.

2. From the toolbar, click the Download button.

Monitor the values in the Mark VIe component. The above example has a 200 millisecond produced page with a health
timeout of 50. As long as a client writes to one of the variables, Wkstn1.PrimeRib0001 or Wksnt1.PrimeRib0002, within
five seconds, the producer remains healthy.

7 GHT-200012A
 To monitor values in the Mark VIe component

Verify that both the primary and secondary OPC DA Servers are working properly. Refer to GEH-6706, ToolboxST* User
Guide for WorkstationST*Chapter 3, the section Test OPC DA Client, and perform the following:

• Configure a test client to connect to Wkstn1 and write a value to Wkstn1.PrimeRib0001. The value should display as
healthy (True) at the Mark VIe VAR_HEALTH_1 block.
• Configure a test client to connect to Wkstn2 and write a value to Wksnt2.PrimeRib0001. When the client connected
to Wkstn1 has not written for five seconds, and a value is written to Wkstn2, the Mark VIe value should display as
healthy (True) at the Mark VIe VAR_HEALTH_1 block.
• Stop the primary OPC DA Server and confirm that the values from the secondary OPC DA Server remain healthy as
long as the secondary client is periodically writing to at least one variable.

GHT-200012A 8
Connecting from an External OPC DA Client
When connecting to an OPC DA Server, most clients allow a user to browse for the server’s name. The connection name for the
OPC DA Server is GeCssOpcServer. When connecting from an interactive client (a client running on the user’s desktop),
the interactive user must be included in the computer’s default DCOM Access Permission

To confirm DCOM Access Permission

1. Right-click the Start button and select Command Prompt Here to display the Command Prompt window.

2. Enter dcomcnfg and press Enter to display the Component Services window.

9 GHT-200012A
 To add a user to DCOM Access Permission

Note Restart your computer.

Interactive test clients most can now connect to the OPC DA Server . The ToolboxST application includes an interactive
OPC DA test client, accessed from the View menu of a WorkstationST Component Editor.

For further assistance or technical information, contact the nearest GE

Sales or Service Office, or an authorized GE Sales Representative
© 2009, General Electric Company, All rights reserved.

* Trademark of General Electric Company.

Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Norton is a trademark of Symantec Corporation.

OPC is a registered trademark of the OPC Foundation.

Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Issued: 090312
Revised: 091125