This driver is a simple driver. It provides additional functionality to enable ClearSCADA to interface with specific supported devices using a particular protocol. To interact successfully with such devices, you need to:
- Install and run the driver
- Ensure that the driver is licensed
- Configure the required database items and settings on the driver
- Ensure that the database items (and any database items on which they depend) have valid, saved, configuration and are 'In Service'.
The DF1 Driver provides extra functionality to allow a ClearSCADA system to be populated with data from, and control points on, Allen-BradleyTM PLCs. The driver allows ClearSCADA to communicate with such PLCs using the DF1 protocol.
ClearSCADA is able to communicate with Allen-Bradley PLCs using one of several ClearSCADA drivers. Which driver you use depends on your system set-up and the type(s) of Allen-Bradley PLC with which ClearSCADA is to communicate. Use the DF1 Driver to communicate with Allen-Bradley PLCs, where those PLCs are restricted to using serial communications and where RSLinxTM is not available.
For information on the other ClearSCADA drivers that can be used to communicate with Allen-Bradley PLCs, please contact your Schneider Electric agent.
The DF1 documentation explains how to configure the DF1-specific features and items within the ClearSCADA database (see Configuring DF1 Devices in ClearSCADA).
It also explains driver-specific aspects that may be of interest to system administrators and engineers when investigating any unexpected system behavior (see DF1 Specific Status Display Attributes).
For DF1 information not covered by this guide, see the Allen-Bradley DF1 documentation.
For PLC information not covered by this guide, see the Allen-Bradley documentation supplied with Allen-Bradley PLCs.
NOTE: There are no driver-specific pick actions for database items on this particular driver. However, users with the required privileges can add custom pick actions to a database item by using the User Methods tab on the relevant configuration Form (see Using the User Methods Tab to Define Custom Actions in the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration). See a system administrator for the documentation associated with such custom actions (also known as ‘methods’).