Echelon OpenLNS Commissioning Tool - Manual (Page 182)

166 Monitoring and Controlling Networks
Monitoring and Controlling Overview
You can monitor and control the physical devices in a network by reading and writing the network
variables on the devices. You can also read configuration property values. You can use any of the
following three methods to read and/or write network variables and configuration properties:
• Monitored connections. Monitored connections provide a simple means to view network variable
values within your network. Using monitored connections, you can view the values of network
variables on your OpenLNS CT drawing. This capability is useful for monitoring and debugging
your installation, as monitored connections provide an easy way to visualize the flow of data
through your functional blocks. You can also display a network variable value without monitoring
a connection.
• OpenLNS CT Browser. The OpenLNS CT Browser is a plug-in that can be used to read and write
network variables and configuration properties on any functional block on any device. This is
useful for getting a detailed view of the operation of any functional block, and for setting
configuration properties on functional blocks that do not have plug-ins.
• Data Point SmartShape. The Data Point SmartShape is an OpenLNS CT SmartShape that you can
use to monitor and control the value of any network variable, configuration property, or functional
block state (enabled or in override) in your network. You can also create simple human-machine
interfaces (HMIs) within your OpenLNS CT drawing using the Data Point SmartShape.
Using Monitored Connections
You can use a monitored connection to monitor the value of a network variable that is attached to a
connector or reference connection SmartShape. You can monitor one end of a connection or both ends
at the same time.
To monitor a connection, follow these steps:
1. Right-click an empty space in the drawing page and set Enable Monitoring on the shortcut menu.
2. To enable monitoring for a connector SmartShape, use one of the following two methods:
• Double-click the connector SmartShape. The input network variable value opens on the
connector SmartShape in black text. Double-click the connector SmartShape again to display
both the output and input network variable values. Double-click again to display just the
output network variable. Double-click again to cycle through the same choices.
• Right-click the connector SmartShape and select either Monitor Input Value or Monitor
Output Value. The network variable value on the side of the connection you selected opens
on the connector SmartShape. To monitor both ends of the connection, right-click the
connector SmartShape again and set monitoring on the other end of the connection.
3. To enable monitoring for a reference connection SmartShape, use one of the following two
methods:
• Double-click the reference connection SmartShape. The network variable value on the side of
the connection you selected opens. To monitor both ends of the connection, double-click the
reference connection SmartShape on the other end of the connection.
• Right-click the reference connector SmartShape and then click Monitor Value on the
shortcut menu. The network variable value opens on the reference connector SmartShape.
To monitor both ends of the connection, right-click the reference connection SmartShape on
the other end of the connection and click Monitor Value.
The following figure illustrates monitored connections on a PID controller. The values shown on the
connection SmartShapes represent the actual network variable values within the operational system.