Devices Channels Reference

Organize device communications in channels.

Devices Channels (Reference) encapsulate protocol configurations and settings, providing communication pathways between the HMI and field devices through various network interfaces.

Device Channels provide:

Protocol encapsulation
Interface configuration (Serial, TCP/IP)
Connection management
Timeout handling
Remote execution capability
Diagnostic monitoring

Each channel represents a configured communication path using a specific protocol to connect with PLCs or field devices.

Creating Channels
Channel Properties
Interface Settings
Channel States
emote Channels
Runtime Control
Common Configurations
Best Practices Checklist
Troubleshooting
Diagnostics

Creating Channels

Navigate to Devices → Channels
Click New Channel or Plus button
Select protocol from list
Configure:
- Channel Name - Unique identifier
- Description - Documentation
Click OK

Channel Properties

Core Settings

Protocol Options	Protocol-specific settings	Varies by protocol
Interface	Communication type	Serial, Multi Serial, TCP/IP
InitialState	Startup behavior	Enabled, Disabled, Remote, Reserved
Timeout	Response timeout	Default: protocol-specific
RemoteSettings	Remote execution configuration	IP:Port format
DriverVersion	Current driver version	Read-only

Interface Types

Serial

RS-232/485 communication
Single port configuration
Hardware handshaking options

Multi Serial

Multiple RS-232 ports
Port count configuration
Independent port settings

TCP/IP

Ethernet/wireless networks
Connection pooling
Multiple simultaneous connections

Interface Settings

TCP/IP Settings

Listening Port	TCP port for slave connections	502 (Modbus)
Node Connection	Parallel requests per node	1
Max Simultaneous	Concurrent connections limit	10
Share Node Same IP	Multiple slaves on single IP	False
Use Single Thread	Single thread for same IP	False
Use Ping Check	Verify connection before send	False
Accept Unsolicited	Allow unsolicited messages	False

Serial Settings

Baud Rate - Communication speed
Data Bits - 7 or 8
Parity - None, Even, Odd
Stop Bits - 1 or 2
Handshake - None, RTS/CTS, XON/XOFF

Channel States

Enabled	Active at startup	Normal operation
Disabled	Loaded but inactive	Maintenance mode
Remote	Runs on remote computer	Distributed architecture
Reserved	Not loaded	Temporarily excluded

emote Channels

Execute Device Module on remote computers for gateway and tunneling applications.

System Requirements

All computers on same network
Product installed on all computers
Firewall ports configured

Configuration

Set InitialState to Remote
Configure RemoteSettings:

   Primary IP: 192.168.1.100:3100
   Backup IP: 192.168.1.101:3100

Required Ports

Enable in firewall (Inbound/Outbound):

WebServices: 10108, 80, 3100
TServer: 3101
Custom ports as configured

Remote Execution Process

TStartup connects to remote TWebServer/IIS
TRemoteDevice process launches on both computers
Remote computer executes channel operations
Data transmitted back to main server

Special Considerations

Protocol drivers with specific permissions (PI, Tundra, Prediktor) must be executed by Windows Users. TWebServices or IIS must run under the same Windows User account.

Runtime Control

Start/Stop Operations

csharp

// Stop channel
@Device.Channel.ChannelName.Stop();

// Start channel
@Device.Channel.ChannelName.Start();

// Stop with timeout
@Device.Channel.ChannelName.Stop(10);

Script Example

csharp

public class ChannelControl 
{
    public void RestartChannel(string channelName)
    {
        // Stop channel
        @Device.Channel[channelName].Stop(5);
        
        // Wait for stop
        Thread.Sleep(1000);
        
        // Start channel
        @Device.Channel[channelName].Start();
    }
}

Common Configurations

Modbus TCP

Protocol: Modbus
Interface: TCP/IP
Port: 502
Node Connection: 1
Timeout: 1000ms

Serial RS-485

Protocol: Modbus RTU
Interface: Serial
Baud: 19200
Data Bits: 8
Parity: Even
Stop Bits: 1

OPC UA

Protocol: OPC UA
Interface: TCP/IP
Port: 4840
Security: Basic256
Max Connections: 5

Best Practices Checklist

Name Channels Clearly - Include protocol and purpose
Document Settings - Use description field
Set Appropriate Timeouts - Match network conditions
Configure Connection Limits - Prevent overload
Use Remote Channels - For distributed systems
Monitor Channel Status - Track communication health
Test Before Production - Verify all settings

Troubleshooting

Channel won't start:

Check InitialState setting
Verify protocol license
Review interface configuration
Check port availability

Communication timeouts:

Increase timeout value
Check network latency
Verify device response time
Review connection settings

Connection failures:

Verify IP addresses
Check firewall rules
Test network connectivity
Review security settings

Remote channel issues:

Verify remote computer online
Check remote settings
Test network path
Review firewall exceptions

Diagnostics

Remote Channel Monitoring

Verification Steps

Check TStartup shows "Module Device started remotely"
Verify TRemoteDevice process on server
Confirm TRemoteDevice on remote computer
Monitor command line parameters

Monitor channel performance:

csharp

// Get channel status
bool isConnected = @Device.Channel.ChannelName.IsConnected;

// Check last error
string error = @Device.Channel.ChannelName.LastError;

// Get statistics
int successCount = @Device.Channel.ChannelName.SuccessCount;
int errorCount = @Device.Channel.ChannelName.ErrorCount;