CIMPLICITYStep 2.1. Enter Device Point Basic General Properties
The device point's data type choices are on the General tab of the Point Properties dialog box. The data type choices available to you for a device point depend on the type you selected when you created it.
Basic general specifications include the following:
| 1 | Description |
| 2 | Data type |
| 3 | Elements (in an array) |
| 4 | Read only |
| 1 | Description |
(Optional) Enter a Description up to 80 characters.
This description:
- Displays when you position the cursor over the point in the Workbench
- Can be entered in the Point browser when you want to find and display or use the point
| 2 | Data type |
Select one Data Type from the drop down list that displays for the point type you selected:
The Data Types are:
- Analog device points.
- Boolean device points.
- Text device points.
Analog device points
| Data Type | Description |
|---|---|
| 3D_BCD | 3-digit binary coded, 2 byte (16 bits) unsigned integer ranging from 0 to 999. |
| 4D_BCD | 4-digit binary coded, 2 byte (16 bits) unsigned integer ranging from 0 to 9999. |
| DINT | 4 byte (32 bit) ranging from -2,147,483,648 to + 2,147,483,647. |
| INT | Integers ranging from -32,768 to +32,767. |
| QINT | 8-byte (64-bit) signed integer ranging from -9223372036854775808 to + -9223372036854775808. |
| REAL | Floating-point numbers. |
| SINT | Integers ranging from -128 to +127. |
| UDINT | Unsigned integers ranging from 0 to 4,294,967,295. |
| UINT | Unsigned integers ranging from 0 to 65,535. |
| UQINT | 8-byte (64-bit) unsigned integer ranging from 0 to +18446744073709551615. |
| USINT | Unsigned integers ranging from 0 to 255. |
Reading an SINT point value, which is 8-bits, from a 16-bit register will truncate the high order byte, and the sign will not be maintained.
Writing an INT point, which is 16-bits, to an 8-bit register will do the same.
Boolean device points
| Data Type | Description |
|---|---|
| BOOL | A one digit Boolean point with a value of 0 or 1. |
| BYTE | 8-bits of data |
| WORD | 16 bits of data |
| DWORD | 32 bits of data |
Text device points
| Data Type | Description |
|---|---|
| STRING | A one character alphanumeric |
| STRING_20 | A 20 character alphanumeric string |
| STRING_8 | An 8character alphanumeric string |
| STRING_80 | An 80 character alphanumeric string |
| 3 | Elements (in an Array) |
CIMPLICITY software treats all points as array points.
You can define single points and array points. Using array points is one way to provide more efficient data collection. An array point can represent one instance of several process variables, or several instances of one process variable.
Enter:
| A | 1 | The array is a single element array |
| B | 2 or more | The array is a multiple element array. |
| CimEdit | Objects can be configured to display array elements and use them for movement or animation |
| CimView | Array elements can be displayed, and can control movement or animation. |
| Alarm Viewer | Alarms cannot be generated for array points. |
| Database Logger | Individual array elements can be logged. |
The maximum size of an array point depends on the following.
- Device type being used.
- Memory type being addressed.
- Point type.
The maximum size of an array point for each device type is:
| Device Type | Maximum Size (Bytes) |
|---|---|
| Virtual | 1600 |
| CCM2 | 250 |
| Genius datagram | 128 |
| Series 90 Triplex | 1000 |
| SNP and SNPX | 1000 |
| Allen-Bradley Communications | 1000 |
| *DDE | 1000 |
| FloPro/FloNet | 240 |
| Johnson Controls N2 | 16 |
| Mitsubishi A-Series Serial | 1000 |
| Mitsubishi TCP/IP | 512 |
| Modbus RTU | 256 |
| Modbus TCP/IP | 512 |
| OMRON Host Link | 538-1000 |
| OMRON TCP/IP | 528-1000 |
| Seriplex | 480 |
| Sharp TCP/IP | 1000 |
| Siemens TI | 250 |
| *Smarteye Electronic Assembly | 40 |
| Square D SY/MAX | 250 |
*The DDE Client and Smarteye protocols do not support array points.
Values read from or written to a device point are forced into the correct type of the point. This may affect the array size.
An analog point is an INT data type on a CCM2 device.
The maximum array size in Register memory is 125 elements because each point in the array is put into a separate 16-bit register.
Check the appropriate Device Communications documentation for further information.
| 4 | Read only |
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Clear | The point can be used as a set point. |
| Checked | The point cannot be used as a set point. |
