Getting Started OPC

Open Automation Software Tags can be defined to connect to Classic OPC Data Access 2.xx and 3.0 Servers with the built in OPC Interface.

The following steps can be used to setup communications with Classic Data Access OPC Servers.

Step 1

OASStart Configure OAS application from the program group Open Automation Software.

Step 2

Select Configure-Tags.

Configure Tags

Select localhost or the remote service you wish to modify with the Select button to the right of the Network Node list.

Network Node

Note: Optionally select the Live Data Cloud node if you are hosting OPC data over the Internet with a standard Internet connection.

Step 3

Select Add Tag to add a Tag.

Note: You can also add organizational Groups as many levels deep as you prefer and add tags to groups.  To do this first add a Group to the root level, then right click on the Group in the right window to add additional Groups or Tags.

Add Group

Step 4

Change the Data Source Tag property to OPC.
Getting Started OPC Data Source

Step 5

Use the Browse button to the right of the OPC Item to browse OPC Servers for the desired OPC Item.

Getting Started OPC Item

Select Local, the desired OPC Server, branch within the OPC Server, and OPC Item and click OK.
Getting Started OPC Browse

Note: If you wish to browse remote OPC servers via IP address see Networking OPC Data.

Step 6

Specify the desired OPC Update Rate for the Tag.

Getting Started OPC Update Rate

Step 7

Select Apply Changes in the lower right to activate the communications for the OPC Item.

Apply Changes

The value from OPC Server for the OPC Item selected will appear in the current Value field.
Note: If the data quality is bad view the article Troubleshooting OPC Communications.

Step 8

To define multiple tags use one of the following optional methods.

  • Use One Click OPC to automatically create tags from all OPC Items from a selected OPC Server or branch within an OPC Server. Then selectively delete the groups and tags that are not required.
  • Use CSV Export and CSV Import on the toolbar in the upper right together with Microsoft Excel to add or modify tags.
  • Programmatically define Tags using the free to use OASConfig component with the TagCSVImport method.
  • Programmatically define Tags with the OAS REST API.

Optionally define a secondary failover OPC Server if the primary OPC Servers fails under Configure-Options-OPC.

Step 9

Select the Save button on the toolbar at the top.

Save Button

Step 10

Create a directory on the local C: drive with the name OASDemo.

Save the file DemoTags.tags in the directory C:\OASDemo.

Save Tags

Step 11

Under Configure – Options set the Default Tag Configuration File so when the computer restarts the tag file will automatically be loaded.