Echelon IzoT Commissioning Tool - Manual (Page 111)

setting) encapsulated within functional blocks that a particular device application expects to receive
from other physical devices (an input network variable) or expects to make available to other physical
devices (an output network variable).
There are two types of network variables: static and dynamic. A static network variable is defined by
the device application and is always available in the device. Most L ON W ORKS devices have functional
blocks that include static network variables. A dynamic network variable is added to a functional
block on a device after the device has been commissioned. Some L
ON W ORKS devices support
dynamic network variables. Other types of devices that support dynamic network variables include
controllers and gateways with dynamic interfaces.
Creating a Network Variable SmartShape
You can create a network variable SmartShape and then use it to either create a new network variable
master SmartShape with an associated type and direction, or add a dynamic network variable with a
specified type and direction to a functional block that supports dynamic network variables. To create a
new network variable SmartShape, follow these steps:
1. Select a functional block that contains a network variable with the desired network variable type
that you want to use for the new network variable SmartShape, and then select the network
variable.
2. Right-click the network variable that you selected in step 1 and then select Create Input NV
Template or Create Output NV Template on the shortcut menu to create an input or output
network variable SmartShape, respectively. IzoT Commissioning Tool creates a new network
variable SmartShape on the current drawing page.
The default name of this new network variable SmartShape will be the name of the source network
variable followed by its direction in brackets. For example, if you create an output network
variable from a network variable named “SWITCH”, the default name of the new NV SmartShape
will be “SWITCH [Out]”.
If the source NV contains a direction in its name such as “nvo” or “nvi” and that direction does not
match that of the new NV SmartShape, the name of the direction will be reversed in the default
name of the NV SmartShape. Using the previous example, if the source NV is named “nvi
SWITCH”, the default name of the new NV SmartShape will be “nvo SWITCH [Out]”.
Creating a Network Variable Master SmartShape
Using a network variable SmartShape, you can create a network variable master SmartShape. You can
then use the network variable master SmartShape to add a dynamic network variable with a specified
network variable type and direction to functional blocks that support dynamic network variables. To
create a network variable master SmartShape, follow these steps:
1. Create a network variable SmartShape following the steps in Creating a Network Variable
SmartShape.
2. Drag the network variable SmartShape to an IzoT Commissioning Tool stencil to which you have
write access. If the stencil is read-only, you will be prompted to either change the stencil to be
writeable or cancel the operation. A new master SmartShape opens on the stencil. The default
name of the network variable master SmartShape is the name of the network variable SmartShape
without its direction suffix.
3. Save the stencil
Adding Network Variable SmartShapes to a Functional Block
You can automatically add all available static and/or dynamic network variables to a functional block
when you create a new functional block SmartShape, or you can selectively add them after you create
the functional block.
IzoT Commissioning Tool User’s Guide 95