FieldServer FS-8700-21 Clients/Servers, Explicit/Implicit, XIF Files, Device Resource Files

FS-8700-21 LonWorks Manual Page 5 of 62

2.3Clients/Servers

The FieldServer functions as a Client when polling or sending updates on the LonWorks network and as a Server when being polled or receiving updates. The FieldServer can be bound to a maximum number of 15 LonWorks Nodes. The FieldServer recommended point limit is 1000 points for the FS-B2011 Series and 4096 points for the FS-B30 and FS-B4011.

2.4Explicit/Implicit

Clients can address Servers using explicit or implicit addressing. Clients using explicit addressing obtain their data transfer parameters directly from the FieldServer configuration file. Implicit addressing is used when a Network Management Tool such as LonMaker® is used to connect a FieldServer to other LonWorks Nodes - the FieldServer is assigned its data transfer (binding) parameters by the Network Management Tool.

2.5XIF Files

At start-up the FieldServer creates an external interface file (XIF) called fserver.xif based on the configuration file. The FieldServer differs from most other LonWorks drivers in that it is configurable and therefore its XIF is not fixed for all applications. The list of points available to the network will vary depending on the other networks connected to the FieldServer, and the requirements of the particular application. The recommended procedure for obtaining the XIF file for the FieldServer is to upload it. Refer to Appendix A.4 for details.

2.6Device Resource Files

The STANDARD device resource file covers FieldServer data type support. All Standard Network Variable Types (SNVTs) in this file are available to the user. These SNVTs are listed in Section 5.1.3. Please note that due to the sophisticated nature of LonWorks variables, it may not always be possible to typecast the full information supplied in a LonWorks variable to a simple Data Type contained in another protocol. The FieldServer supports Move and Logic functions which would allow the LonWorks variable to be split up and passed to separate simple data types, thus preventing information loss. The FieldServer supports the sending and receiving of User-defined Network Variable Types (UNVTs) on the LonWorks Network. An UNVT is simply implemented as an array of bytes of user-defined length.

2.7NV Aliases

The FieldServer currently supports a default of 63 network variable aliases to avoid network variable connection constraints. This number may be increased to a maximum of 4096.

2.8Configuration Properties

Configuration Properties (CP’s) characterize the behavior of a device in the system. Network installation tools realize this attribute and provide database storage to support maintenance operations. If a device fails and needs to be replaced, the configuration property data stored in the database is downloaded into the replacement device to restore the behavior of the replaced device in the system. Configuration properties are implemented on the FieldServer through configuration network variables. User-defined configuration property types are not supported. Appendix A.5 provides a list of standard configuration property types that are supported.

The information that follows describes how to expand upon the factory defaults provided in the configuration files included with the FieldServer.

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