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Automatic Creation of WITS Database Items

If you import or upload the configuration from a WITS Field Device into ClearSCADA, ClearSCADA will:

ClearSCADA determines whether it should create a new database item or update an existing item. To do this, it searches the database for an existing item (on the Outstation) that has a matching point type and point number. For derived points, the point type is determined by its base type, for example, a Minimum point has a base type of Analog Input.

Base Type

Derived Points

Analog Input Minimum, Maximum, Mean, Integrator, Rate of Change
Analog Output  
Binary Input  No Change
Double Bit Binary Input  
Binary Output  
Counter  State Counter, State Runtime.

NOTE: Pulse Actions are specialized types of binary output points, but are not derived. As a result, ClearSCADA only creates binary output points during an import/upload, and these can then be converted (if required). Existing binary output/pulse action conversions are preserved during an import or upload.

NOTE: Double Bit Binary Input points are represented by WITS Binary Input points in the database.The difference is that Double Bit Binary Input points have their Double Bit setting enabled, whereas single bit Binary Input points have it disabled.

ClearSCADA creates point types based on the types of point in the incremental configuration file. If you have only defined minimal settings in the Configuration Application, you will not have configured any derived points (minimum, maximum , etc.), and so ClearSCADA will have created base type points for these. To configure the derived points, you will need to use the Convert To feature to convert base type points into the required derived point types (see Converting a Database Item in the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration). Alternatively, you can pre-configure ClearSCADA so that it contains the appropriate derived points, and then when you import/upload the configuration, ClearSCADA will update the derived points as required.

If ClearSCADA detects a matching point already exists in the database, but it has a different derived type, ClearSCADA may convert the point (to the type defined in the incremental configuration file). For example, ClearSCADA can convert an Analog Input into a Minimum, a Minimum to a Maximum, or a Maximum to an Analog Input.

During an import merge, any existing conversions (in ClearSCADA) are preserved. However, during an import replace or upload, existing points are converted to the types defined in the incremental configuration file. The only exception is if the point to be converted is in a Group Instance, in which case it cannot be converted (as its type is defined in the Group Template). In this situation, the import or upload will be unsuccessful and details of the error are included in the configuration report (see Configuration Reports for WITS Field Devices).


ClearSCADA 2015 R2