Echelon IzoT NodeBuilder - Manual (Page 172)

If you are selecting a UNVT, the list contains all the UNVTs in resource files of the scope
specified in the Scope field that match the program ID template to the degree specified by the
scope. The network variable’s type must have a scope that is equal to or lower then the scope of
the functional profile upon which the functional block is based.
7. In the Direction property, select whether you are adding an Input or Output network variable.
8. If you are creating an Output network variable, select the messaging service type to be used for
transmitting updates for this output network variable in the Service Type box. You have four
choices: Unspecified, Acknowledged, Unacknowledged, or Repeated. See Editing Mandatory
Network Variables earlier in this chapter for more information about these different service types.
9. If you are creating an Output network variable, you can make the output network variable
Synchronized or Polled in the Modifiers box. See Editing Mandatory Network Variables earlier
in this chapter for more information about these modifiers.
10. Optionally, in the Self-Documentation (sd_string) property, you can enter comments to be
appended to the self-documentation string for this network variable. Network variable members
of functional blocks use a standard self-documentation format that is detailed in the LonMark
Application Layer Interoperability Guidelines. The Neuron C Compiler automatically generates
all required self-documentation information. This property can be used to provide additional notes
that can be accessed from a network tool.
11. Optionally, in the Initializer property, you can set the value for the network variable when the
device is reset. If this network variable is a structure, enumeration, or float, click the box to the
right to open the Edit Initializer dialog and enter the value or values. See Setting Initial Values
for Network Variables and Configuration Properties later in this chapter for more information.
12. Click OK. The implementation-specific network variable is added to the
Implementation-specific NVs folder.
Adding Implementation-specific Configuration Properties
You can add a configuration property to a functional block or device that is not defined by the
functional profile. This is called an implementation-specific configuration property.
Implementation-specific configuration properties should be avoided as part of a device’s interoperable
interface since they are not documented by a functional profile.
WARNING: If you use implementation-specific configuration properties in your
device interface, your device will not comply with interoperability guidelines version
3.4 (or better) and therefore cannot be certified by L
ON M ARK .
A better alternative for adding members to a functional profile is to create a user-defined functional
profile template (UFPT) that inherits from an existing standard functional profile template (SFPT), and
then add new mandatory or optional member configuration properties to the UFPT. This method
results in a new functional profile that you can easily reuse in new devices. See the NodeBuilder
Resource Editor User’s Guide for more information on creating new functional profiles.
In order to add an implementation-specific configuration property to a functional block, the scope of
the configuration property type must be less than or equal to the scope of the functional profile upon
which the functional block is based. For example, a UCPT could not be added to a SFPT, but a SCPT
may be added to a UFPT.
To add an implementation-specific configuration property to a functional block or device, follow these
steps:
1. Right-click the Implementation-specific CPs folder for the functional block in the Program
Interface pane and then click Add CP on the shortcut menu.
158 Defining Device Interfaces and Creating their Neuron C Framework