Manufacturers provide a Configuration Application with their Field Devices. Each Field Device has a configuration file called a bulk configuration file, which can be created and modified by using the Configuration Application. When the Configuration Application saves the bulk configuration file, it also generates a matching incremental configuration file (see Incremental Configuration File - Content and Syntax).
There are two ways of generating and transferring the configuration between ClearSCADA and a WITS Field Device:
- The bulk configuration file and matching incremental configuration file can be imported into ClearSCADA. ClearSCADA will then generate or update the WITS database items in the ClearSCADA database. The configuration can then be downloaded to the Field Device from ClearSCADA (if the Field Device supports configuration download).
- The bulk configuration file is loaded into the Field Device. The configuration is then uploaded from the Field Device to ClearSCADA (if the Field Device supports configuration upload). During an upload, the Field Device generates an incremental configuration file that contains the current configuration of the Field Device. ClearSCADA uses the incremental configuration file to generate or update the WITS database items in the ClearSCADA database.
With both imports and uploads, ClearSCADA stores the bulk configuration file and will download it when necessary. The incremental configuration file is used to create or update the WITS points and profiles in the ClearSCADA database. If you then make changes to the configuration of the WITS database items, these changes may need to be downloaded to the Field Device.
As part of the download process, ClearSCADA checks the version of the bulk configuration file in the Field Device. If the Field Device has a different bulk configuration file to ClearSCADA, ClearSCADA downloads its version of the bulk configuration file. ClearSCADA also generates a new incremental configuration file (containing the configuration changes) which is also downloaded.
A similar check occurs during an upload: ClearSCADA checks the version of the bulk configuration file in the Field Device. If the Field Device has a different bulk configuration file to ClearSCADA, the Field Device's bulk configuration file is uploaded. The Field Device's incremental configuration file is uploaded during a configuration upload.
ClearSCADA can also export the configuration for a WITS Field Device. During the export process, the bulk configuration file (that is stored in the ClearSCADA database) is exported to a file on disk. The file can then be edited in a Configuration Application. ClearSCADA also generates an incremental configuration file during the export. The incremental configuration file contains the current configuration stored in the ClearSCADA database for the Field Device. Therefore, the incremental configuration file does not match the bulk configuration file (unless you have not made any configuration changes in ClearSCADA). The Configuration Application can then be used to merge the incremental configuration into the bulk configuration (if supported by the Configuration Application).
Further Information
Download Configuration (WITS Outstation)
Upload Configuration (WITS Outstation)
Bulk Configuration File - Content and Syntax