...
For the integration of meter readings from the GridVis software a plugin is available and can be installed on the following NETx Systems:
- NETx BMS Platform
- NETx Multi Protocol Server (MP Server)
- NETx BMS Server 2.0
. Online meter readings will be read via the GridVis REST WEB API (https://gridvis-energy.de/rest/doc/).
Installation and licensing
...
The configuration of the GridVis plugin has to be done in the NETx Studiostudio. After installing having installed the plugin successfully a new menu item GridVis appears in the menu bar.
...
The GridVis menu contains 4 menu items:
- Start explorer: To to make the configuration as easy as possible, the plugin contains an explorer tool for searching and selecting GridVis projects, devices and meter readings (data items).
- Server definitions: The the definition contains configuration data of all defined GridVis servers.
- Data point definitions: The the definition contains configuration data of all defined GridVis data items.
- Driver configuration: The the configuration contains global settings like timeout.
...
The remaining section shows for the current server configuration
- on the left hand side: Available available data points found by an online scan of the GridVis server.
- on the right hand side: Data data points configured in the NETx Server.
...
The data point management happens in the section below the server configuration.
On the left hand side it 's is possible to search for data points of the current GridVis server.
After a click on the button "Online Scan" the explorer connects to the GridVis Server server and collects data regarding GridVis projects, devices and meter readings. The search result will be shown in a tree structure.
...
| Info |
|---|
Depending on the size of the project the scan will take up to some minutes to complete. |
The displayed names of projects and devices project and device names contain the number of sub nodes in brackets.
...
When selecting a project or a device all sub nodes will be selected too - the unselect deselect works analog.
Click the "Add" button to copy the selected data points to the configuration of the NETx Server. A polling interval has to be defined. It specifies how often the GridVis server is going to read NETx Server is reading the selected data points.
...
| Button | Function |
|---|---|
| Change polling | Change Changes the polling interval. |
| Delete | Deletes selected data points from the current configuratioconfiguration. When a project or a device was is deleted also the sub nodes will be removed too. |
The user has to confirm for saving the changes. Changes in the list of data points will show take effect after starting the NETx Server.
Server- and data point
...
definitions
All definition configuration data are is stored in DAT files in the Workspace workspace of the NETx Server. Both definitions can be shown or changed in NETx Studio GridVis > Server definitions or GridVis > Data point definitions.
...
| Info |
|---|
Both configuration files "xio.GridVis.ServerDefinitions.dat" and "xio.GridVis.DatapointDefinitions.dat") are stored in the folder "DataFiles" of the current Workspaceworkspace. The "DataFiles" folder can be found in C:\Program Files (x86)\NETxAutomation\<NETx product>\Workspaces\<workspacename>\DataFiles |
The configuration files can be edited directly without GridVis Explorer - but in this case there is no verification of the data. In NETx Studio Within the studio the definition data can be exported to / imported from Excel. This is helpful when a lot of data have has to be changed (e.g. polling interval).
...
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
Server name | Defines the GridVis Server server name of the assigned data point. The GridVis Server server name has to be defined in advance in the server definitions. |
| Project name | Project name of the GridVis data point. |
| Device ID | Device ID of the GridVis data point. |
| Device name [] | Optional name of the device, shown in combination with the Device ID. |
| Value | Correnspons Corresponds to the "Value" Tag of the GridVis data point. |
| Type | Correnspons Corresponds to the "Type" Tag of the GridVis data point. |
| Unit[] | Unit of the data point. The unit will be set automatically during scan by the GridVis Explorer. |
| Polling Interval | Defines how often the GridVis Server reads a data point (in seconds). |
...
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Timeout | Value in ms, used as parameter when reading a GridVis value. |
| Timeliness | Value in ms, used as parameter when reading a GridVis value. |
| Ignore item quality | When set to active (checked), unseccessful unsuccessful HTTP requests will NOT set the data point to "UNCERTAIN" in within the NETx Server. The last valid value will stay visibleremain. |
| Ignore NaN values | When set to active (checked), received "NaN" values will be ignored. This means that a "NaN" value will not set the data item to "UNCERTAIN" in NETx Server. The last valid value will stay visibleremain. |
| HTTP Timeout (ms) | Value in ms, used for HTTP requests. |
| Info |
|---|
Changes in the driver configuration will be immediately effective without restarting the server. |
...
After configuring correctly, the GridVis data points are available as Server Items in the NETx Server. An overview of all available Server Items is shown in the Item Tree in NETx Studiowithin the studio.
All GridVis data points will appear in the sub tree "NETx\XIO\GridVis" in a structured way and grouped by GridVis server, project and device id.
Each GridVis server contains a "GATEWAY" item. Is the item set to "trueIf its value is "True", all HTTP requests of the last polling interval were successful. In case of a timeout or invalid data the item is set to "falseFalse".
Access to GridVis data
After successful integration the GridVis data points can be used like all other Server Items.
3rd party client applications can get access to the data via interfaces:
- OPC DA: All all Server Items are available as OPC Items via OPC DA.
- OPC UA: In in addition to "classical" OPC DA NETx DA, the NETx Server has an OPC UA interface. This interface has to be installed with the Extension Manager in NETx Studio within the studio > Extensions > Manager > Start Excension Extension Manager.
- oBIX: Is an open, standardized web interface for home and building automation. This interface has to be installed with the Extension Manager in NETx Studio within the studio > Extensions > Manager > Start Excension Extension Manager.
- BACnet: Server Items can be read as BACnet objects from BACnet clients via BACnet/IP.
Article applies to the following products:
- NETx BMS Platform
- NETx Multi Protocol Server
- NETx BMS Server 2.0