Step 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.
Note: Values read from or written to a device point will be forced into the specified type.
Example

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.
Important: Array points are not supported by all CIMPLICITY software functions. Support for array points is as follows:
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.

  1. Device type being used.
  2. Memory type being addressed.
  3. 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.

Example

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.
Note: When a read-only device point is put in manual mode , the read-only feature is ignored. As a result, if Allow set point for read only manual mode points is checked (enabled) in the Point Setup accessed through the Project Properties dialog box, administrators who are performing system diagnostics can change its value for testing purposes.