The Data Aire Driver is capable of direct connection to a network of Data Aire DAP devices.
The FieldServer is connected in a RS-485 loop topology. Two FieldServer ports are required
per loop. The driver is an active client. All data is obtained by poll & response.
Connection to a DART is not supported by this driver.
The driver may be configured very simply (See Section 4.4). A number of advanced
configurations are also available and are described in Appendix B. The driver supports the
common message formats for common Data Aire DAP devices. A list of the supported
messages is provided in the manual.
The information that follows describes how to expand upon the factory defaults provided in the
configuration files included with the FieldServer.
1.1. Performance Issues - DARTIII only
Data Aire communication is based on a very low baud rate. In addition inter-message timing
constraints and overhead requirements for active messages in a Dart configuration add
significant time to each transaction. It is not possible to write a setpoint to a device until the
device has been successfully read, and the result of the write will not be seen until the next
read is complete. The result of a write may not be seen for some time due to slow
communications and significant inter poll delays.
1.2. Data Alarm Network Module Network LED Operation
DAP-II units communicate with a DART unit by using a Data Alarm Network Module. This
module provides a RS-485 communications link. Installed on the card are several LEDS.
The table below explains how the LEDS appear under normal (correctly functioning)
operation.
LED LED Appearance
The Network Module has a blown fuse detection circuit. If one (or more) of
FUSE
DS1 &
DS3
NETWORK
the fuses has an open circuit, then the FUSE LED will be lit. Normally, this
LED is dark.
Communications signals enter and leave the Network Module. These LEDS
reflect the communications activity. When first powered up, both LED's will
be lit and the illumination will be steady. As the DART communicates with
the network, both LED’s will begin to flicker in unison. All of the Network
Module LED’s will flicker at the same time.
At some point the DART will send a communication message to a specific
network-connected DAP-II that requires a reply to the DART. If the message
is received without error, the DAP-II will reply by engaging a relay on the
Network Module and transmitting a message. When this happens the
NETWORK LED will come on. Whenever a NETWORK LED is seen to
come on it means that the communications into the Network Module is
satisfactory. It is still possible to have a wiring problem downstream of the
module that prevents the message from being received by the DART
FieldServer Technologies 1991 Tarob Court Milpitas, California 95035 USA Web:www.FieldServer.com
4. Configuring the FieldServer as a Data Aire Client
For a detailed discussion on FieldServer configuration, please refer to the FieldServer
instruction manual. The information that follows describes how to expand upon the factory
defaults provided in the configuration files included with the FieldServer (See “.csv” sample files
provided with the FieldServer).
This section documents and describes the parameters necessary for configuring the FieldServer
to communicate with a Data Aire Server
4.1. Data Arrays/Descriptors
The configuration file tells the FieldServer about its interfaces, and the routing of data
required. In order to enable the FieldServer for Data Aire communications, the driver
independent FieldServer buffers need to be declared in the “Data Arrays” section, the
destination device addresses need to be declared in the “Client Side Nodes” section, and
the data required from the servers needs to be mapped in the “Client Side Map Descriptors”
section. Details on how to do this can be found below.
Note that in the tables, * indicates an optional parameter, with the bold legal value being the
default.
Section Title
Data_Arrays
Column Title Function Legal Values
Data_Array_Name Provide name for Data Array
Up to 15 alphanumeric
characters
Float, Bit, UInt16, SInt16,
Data_Array_Format
Provide data format. Each Data
Array can only take on one format.
Packed_Bit, Byte,
Packed_Byte,
Swapped_Byte
Number of Data Objects. Must be
Data_Array_Length
larger than the data storage area
required by the Map Descriptors for
Specify which port the device is
connected to the FieldServer
1-259
P1-P8, R1-R23
This is the connection to the primary port identified with the
'Port' keyword in the connection configuration described in
Section 4.2
4.4. Client Side Map Descriptors
4.4.1. FieldServer Related Map Descriptor Parameters
Column Title Function Legal Values
Map_Descriptor_Name
Data_Array_Name
Data_Array_Offset
Function
Name of this Map
Descriptor
Name of Data Array
where data is to be
stored in the
FieldServer
Starting location in Data
Array
Function of Client Map
Descriptor
Up to 32 alphanumeric
characters
One of the Data Array
names from “Data Array”
section above
0 to maximum specified in
“Data Array” section above
RDBC, WRBC, WRBX
3
Not all ports shown are necessarily supported by the hardware. Consult the appropriate Instruction
manual for details of the ports available on specific hardware.
FieldServer Technologies 1991 Tarob Court Milpitas, California 95035 USA Web:www.FieldServer.com
Only required when the function
is a Read (rdbc).
Tells the driver to poll the
DA_Func*
device for all the data that is
available. The data is device
specific.
Other uses of this parameter
are discussed in Appendix B .
Required when the function is a
write (wrbc) or when the Map
Descriptor is associated with a
write by means of the
DA_Field
DA_Assoc parameter value.
This is the name of the data
field whose value you wish to
set in the device.
Other uses of this parameter
are discussed in Appendix B.
Use to associate passive Map
Descriptors with an active Map
Descriptor. Multiple fields can
DA_Assoc
be associated with one WRBC
Map Descriptor, thus writing
multiple values to one device
using just one message.
One of the node names
specified in “Client Node
Descriptor” above
Not required for client
configuration - used in
simulation configuration only.
Everything – See Appendix A
See Appendix A.2 for a list of
permitted values.
Any positive integer. See
Appendix E
4.4.3. Timing Parameters
Column Title Function Legal Values
Scan_Interval Rate at which data is polled ≥0.1s
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Appendix A.1. Data Table 1: Array Locations of ‘Everything’
In the following table the array location indicates the offset in the Data Array at which a data
field can be found. (This offset is relative to the offset specified in the Map Descriptor) The
columns headed 2, 3 … indicate the unit types for which the data fields are available. For
example: The field ‘d_temp’ can be read from unit types 2, 5,6,7,9 but not from any of the
other unit types. It is beyond the scope of this manual to describe each field and to indicate
valid ranges. Such information should be obtained from the Data Aire Corporation.
‘x’ Indicates Read only
‘X’ Indicates a point that can be read & written.
‘w’ Indicates a write only point.
Array
Location
1 1 1 Zone w w w w w w w w w
2 1 1 Inhibit w w w w w w w w w
3 4 1 unitType x x x x x x x x x x
4 2 1 temp x x x x x Dap-Stat
5 2 1 hum x x x x x Dap-Stat
6 2 1 d_temp x x x x x Dap-Stat
7 3 8 mode x x x x x Dap-Stat
23 3 8 hold x x x x x Dap-Stat
39 1 1 cs_on x x x x x Dap-Stat
40 1 1 hs_on x x x x x Dap-Stat
41 1 1 valvePCT x x x x x Dap-Stat
42 1 1 hVlvPCT x x x x x Dap-Stat
43 4 14
57 2 1 hiTemp x x x x x Dap-Stat
58 2 1 loTemp x x x x x Dap-Stat
59 2 1 hiHum x x x x x Dap-Stat
60 2 1 loHum x x x x x Dap-Stat
61 1 1 chilled_water x x x x x Dap-Stat
62 1 1 compressor_config x x x x x Dap-Stat
63 1 1 heat_strip_config x x x x x Dap-Stat
64 1 1 hum_config x x x x x Dap-Stat
65 1 1 csUtilPct x x x x x Dap-Stat
66 1 1 hsUtilPct x x x x x Dap-Stat
67 1 1 valveUtilPct x x x x x Dap-Stat
68 1 1 humUtilPCT x x x x x Dap-Stat
69 1 1 alrm_select_1 x x x x x Dap-Stat
70 1 1 alrm_select_2 x x x x x Dap-Stat
71 1 1 alrm_select_3 x x x x x Dap-Stat
72 1 1 alrm_select_4 x x x x x Dap-Stat
Method
Num
Elements
Data Field 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 14 15 Message Type
Errors - see Appendix E.4
for more information
x x x x x Dap-Stat
Dap-Config
Dap-Config
Dap-Unit
FieldServer Technologies 1991 Tarob Court Milpitas, California 95035 USA Web:www.FieldServer.com