Connecting NI OPC server to LabView

[Ayman_Metwally]

Greetings everybody,

It's the first time to me to use NI Industrial Autoamtion OPC server, I'm very familiar with LabView and other OPC servers (e.g. Kepware).and successfully linked LabView with Kepware's OPC server.

I'm trying to use LabView as an OPC client for NI OPC server (using datasocket).

The problem is that I can't get started with this, NI OPC manual doesn't tell me much (at least for me) ..

However, I configured a point in NI OPC server ( Modbus:  400001)

I want to link this point to an indicator in LabView using Datasocket .

I attached a screen shot of both LabView and NI OPC server.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Ayman

[Ayman_Metwally]

UP !

[andress]

you have to give a name to the file of protocol configuration in the OPC Industrial Automation swre, then you can run the server from NationalInstruments.LookoutOPCServer."your_file_protocol"\400001.

Note that when you open LookoutOPCServer the opc server start and the OPC tray icon appear in the windows task bar .

good luck!,
Andres Silva

[Ayman_Metwally]

Thanks a lot Andres Silva,

And sorry for this late reply, I had many problems the past 2 days (including accessing internet problem!)

Well, I read your reply many times, but there are few things that I don't fully understand ..

Let's make it this way:

I have some configuration in both NI OPC 5.1 server and LabView.

* Settings for NI OPC server:

1- File \ New

2- Object \ Create

3- Select Modbus and modify settings (Buad rate, port, parity ... etc) and name it "Modbus1"

4- Object \ Edit Data Member Configuration ...

5- Select the name of object that previously created "Modbus1"

6- Adding a point:

Native Members: 40001-49999

Memeber: 40001

Description: "Point"

7- And then hit "save"

8- then I want to finish and close the OPC server, It asks me to "save Process File as.." , I'll choose "C:\Servcer1.lpd"

Now I closed the server (is it correct? Will the client "LabView" open it automatically?)

* Settings for LabView  (OPC Client):

After creating new VI and choosing one of the indicators on the Front Panel to link it to our configured item in the OPC server:

1- Right-click the indicator \ Data Operations \ DataSocket Connections ..

2- Hit "Browse" and a popup menu appears and has two options:

 A- Browse Measurment Data ..

 B- Browse File System ..

I choose the first one (Is it correct?)

3- Now the browser lists all OPC servers installed in my PC, I can see different OPC servers for National Instruments

 A- Daq OPC    B- Lookout OPC server    C-OPCDemo    D- OPC Lookout Drivers.

I avoid A and B and C, I choose OPCDemo (Is it correct?) .. Please note that I want to use NI Industrial Automation OPC server not lookout server (Lookout demo is installed in my PC)

4- What to do ? I can't find the item I previously configured in the OPC server !

I hope I'm clear in my questions and thanks very much for your help.

Message Edited by Ayman_Metwally on 12-01-2005 05:28 AM

Message Edited by Ayman_Metwally on 12-01-2005 05:29 AM

[Ayman_Metwally]

Hey I found it !

How silly I'm ,, It's was very clear but I was selecting the wrong server ! 

Thanks alot Andres,