Connecting InTouch to TOP Server V5

Using the FastDDE/SuiteLink Interface

Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3

Overview ........................................................................................................................ 3

Intended Audience ......................................................................................................... 4

Required Software.......................................................................................................... 4

Basic Connection between InTouch and TOP Server ........................................................ 5

Installing Wonderware Common Components ............................................................... 5

Enable FastDDE/SuiteLink in TOP Server ..................................................................... 5

Configure an Alias in the TOP Server ............................................................................ 6

Configuring InTouch........................................................................................................... 9

Configure the InTouch Access Name ............................................................................. 9

Configure the InTouch Tagname .................................................................................. 11

Summary ......................................................................................................................... 12

Contact Us.................................................................................................................... 12
Introduction

Overview

The purpose of this guide is to demonstrate how to make a basic SuiteLink connection to
the TOP Server V5 with Wonderware’s InTouch 10 (or any version 7.0 or later). The TOP
Server in this example will use the Simulator driver and the pre-configured simdemo.opf.
The same basic steps can be used to make a SuiteLink connection using any of the 70+
drivers available for the TOP Server. If you do not already have TOP Server installed, the
free two-hour demonstration version can be downloaded at http://www.toolboxopc.com.
This version functions the same as a fully licensed version within the two hour demo
mode. This demo timer is repeatable for an unlimited number of times.

This guide will also demonstrate how to connect InTouch tags to TOP Server tags and
thus to points on your controller. TOP Server does not have to have a tag database for
InTouch to communicate with devices using TOP Server. You can directly address the
points on the controller to reduce the number of locations that you must create a tag
database. However, there are cases where you should create the TOP Server tag
database first.

The information provided here is not a substitute for your InTouch documentation. This
procedure is being demonstrated in order to show a complete connection, not to provide
comprehensive training on how to build InTouch projects.
Intended Audience
This guide is intended for Wonderware InTouch users who are new to TOP Server. The
document makes the assumption that you have some familiarity with InTouch and have
configured a TOP Server project (for assistance read Introduction to TOP Server).

Required Software
For FastDDE/SuiteLink Connections, you need Software Toolbox TOP Server Version 5.0
or higher and Wonderware InTouch 7.0 or above. For older versions of InTouch, we
support DDE connections.

See Also: Topic named “FastDDE and SuiteLink Options” in the main TOP Server help
file, which is accessible by clicking Help from the TOP server application itself and
selecting Server Help. This Topic is located under Server Help | Configuration | Project
Preferences – FastDDE/SuiteLink.
Basic Connection between InTouch and TOP Server

Installing Wonderware Common Components

In order for the server to allow FastDDE/SuiteLink connections Wonderware components
must be installed. In many existing InTouch installations, the necessary files will be
present already. If TOP Server is not running on an InTouch node or if within TOP Server
under File | Project Properties you do NOT see the option tab for FastDDE/SuiteLink,
then you will need to install these components. The common components can be installed
from the Wonderware FactorySuite I/O Server installation CD.

To install the common components from the FactorySuite I/O Server CD perform the
following steps:

Run the setup.exe located under FS2K71\Common\

Run the setup.exe located under FS2K71\IOServer\Common\Win32

Since the size of this install is large we will not be including this in our setup.

Please note that the server will function properly if these components are not installed.
File | Project Properties | FastDDE/SuiteLink will be shown or hidden based on proper
installation of these Wonderware components.

Enable FastDDE/SuiteLink in TOP Server

When you run the TOP Server you will need to enable FastDDE/SuiteLink
Communications by clicking on File | Project Properties. Go to the tab labeled
FastDDE/SuiteLink and check the box as shown below. If you do not see this tab or it is
disabled then you did NOT properly complete the install of the common components or
you did not install the SuiteLink Native Interface when installing the TOP Server.

Figure 1

Configure an Alias in the TOP Server

Each time you add a channel, device, or group TOP Server generates a basic Alias for
you. You may also create your own alias mapped to a channel, device or group. Aliases
are necessary in the TOP Server since Wonderware does not recognize the
“ChannelName.DeviceName” syntax in the Topic Name. This is because of the dot “.”
characters in the hierarchical structure when you set up the InTouch Access Name.
If you are familiar with setting up Topic Names in other DDE servers, setting up an Alias
name in the TOP Server is our equivalent of that step in the setup process. To do this in
the TOP Server, click on Edit | Alias Map. The dialog shown below will appear and will
usually have topics made for you automatically that correspond to your channel names,
device names, and group names each separated by underscores.

Figure 2

If you have the checkbox “Show aliases for system generated subgroups” unchecked, all
you will see are aliases you have entered or will be blank if you have created none. If you
plan to use only aliases that you create, it is recommended that you leave this unchecked
for simplicity and ease of finding your aliases for editing.
To create your own alias, click on the Icon in the upper left corner of the Alias Map dialog
and add an alias in the dialog shown below that maps your ChannelName.DeviceName to
a single word topic name WITHOUT any spaces or punctuation. This Alias name will be
used as the TOPIC NAME when configuring the InTouch Access Name. In the example
below we created an alias named “TestTopic” that maps to “Channel1.Device1” in the
TOP Server.

Figure 3

Note that you can create as many aliases (also known as topic names in InTouch), as you
like that point to the same or different combinations of a Channel, Device, and Group
name.
Configuring InTouch

Configure the InTouch Access Name

When you configure the InTouch Access Name you will need the Application Name, Topic
Name, and Item Name. The steps below apply whether you are using FastDDE or
SuiteLink.

Figure 4
When configuring the InTouch Access Name, as shown in figure 4 above:
a. The Application Name is always “server_runtime” when using SuiteLink in TOP
Server version 5.

b. The topic name is the ALIAS name in the TOP Server that you defined above
(“TestTopic” in this example).

c. The protocol to use is discretionary but it is recommended that you use SuiteLink
as it is far more efficient than DDE.

Note: If you choose to make a DDE connection the TOP Server must be running in
“Interactive” mode. By default, the TOP Server runs as a service. For more information on
how to configure the TOP Server to run in Interactive mode, view the TOP Server Help
Topic: Server Help | Server Administration | Runtime Settings | Runtime Settings =
Runtime Process

d. We recommend that you set “When to advise server” to “Advise only active items”
as this will reduce the load on the server and the network.
Configure the InTouch Tagname

Figure 5

When configuring the Tagname in the InTouch Tagname Dictionary the item name is
either of
i. An actual tag name configured in the TOP Server (shown above) or

ii. A PLC address is passed down in the Item name in the format of
DeviceAddress@DataType. The DataType is optional – if not specified the
default data type for the device address specified will be used. This format
is used if you do not create a tag database in TOP Server.

For more information on Device Addressing and valid data types for a device address see
the driver specific help file for the driver you are using.
Summary
This guide has demonstrated the basic steps for configuring a SuiteLink connection from
InTouch to the TOP Server. This guide is also applicable in configuring SuiteLink
connections from InTouch to all of TOP Server’s other 70+ available device drivers.

If you do not have TOP Server but would like to evaluate what TOP Server can offer in
terms of robust, reliable device data acquisition, you can download a free two hour
demonstration of TOP Server at http://www.toolboxopc.com . This demonstration version
is fully functional, only requiring that you restart it at the end of the two hour
demonstration period.

TOP Server also fully supports OPC and DDE client connections in addition to SuiteLink.
For tutorials demonstrating connecting System Platform or InSQL to TOP Server please
refer to our Wonderware Users Resource website by clicking HERE.

If you have further questions or need assistance, our experienced staff is here to assist
you. We can be contacted in the methods outlined below.

Contact Us
If you have any questions or are seeking further information and help:
Online Support: http://support.softwaretoolbox.com
Email Support: [email protected]
Phone Support: +1 (704) 849-2773
Fax: +1 (704) 849-6388
Mailing Address: Software Toolbox, Inc. 148A East Charles Street, Matthews, NC,
28105 USA