Echelon LonPoint Application and Plug-In - Manual (Page 162)

12-2 Type Translator Functional Block
The Type Translator Functional Block
The Type Translator functional block translates network data from one network
variable type to another network variable type. This is useful for connecting
network variables on devices from different vendors that use types that are not
compatible with each other or with the other LonPoint functional blocks. The
Type Translator allows you to set up scaling and mapping for the translation.
The following figure and tables summarize the inputs and outputs of the Type
Translator functional block:
Input Network Variables
Default name Default type Description
Data_In None
(changeable)
The input network variable to be
processed by the Type Translator.
Output Network Variables
Default name Default type Description
Data_Out None
(changeable)
The output network variable which
has been processed by the Type
Translator.
The Type Translator functional block has one input and one output network
variable, both with changeable types. The type of these network variables may
be any network variable type that is a floating-point, eight- or sixteen-bit fixed-
point, enumeration (enum), or SNVT_switch. The types for both network
variables must be set before this functional block can be connected.
It is recommended that the types of the Data_In and Data_Out network
variables only be changed using this plug-in. Changing the type of these
network variables with another tool, such as the LonMaker Browser, can cause
unexpected behavior. This is because the type translator application requires
configuration properties associated with these network variables to be set
correctly when the network variable types are changed, and the LonMaker
Browser and other tools do not make these changes.
Configuring a Type Translator Using the LonPoint
Plug-in
Right-click a Type Translator functional block shape and select Configure from
the shortcut menu to open the Type Translator window of the LonPoint plug-in.
This window contains two tabs, Type Translator and Status.