Node-RED integration

Node-RED is a low-code programming tool for event-driven applications. To integrate data points of the NETx Server we suggest to use the OPC UA server interface.

Installation

  • Follow installation instructions of Node-RED to install the tool.
  • Follow installation instruction of OPC UA to allow data access by Node-RED.

Configuration

After the installation, restart the Core Studio and activate the driver in Modules > OPCUA > Server configuration:


Restart the NETx Server and monitor the log messages for the OPC UA endpoints:

Example

The attached NETx BMS Platform OPC UA Demo Node-Red.flow is a Node-RED flow that contains examples to

  • actively read a server item
  • write a server item
  • subscribe to a server item.

The related server item is always NETx\VAR\Numeric\Item001.

Node-RED setup

  • In the Node-RED UI, import the flow:
  • Double-click the read node. In the OpcUa-Client node configuration, click the Edit button of the Endpoint field:
  • Set the correct endpoint URL and provide credentials of a Web Manager user (default is admin / changeme).
  • Click the Deploy button on the upper right.
  • Open the debug console and clear all messages:

Read

  • Switch to the Core Studio and set the value of server item NETx\VAR\Numeric\Item001 to 123.
  • Back in Node-RED, click the Test node beneath the active read note: The data point is actively read from the server and its value is logged:

Write

  • Click any of the nodes beneath the write note and watch the data point in the Core Studio as it assumes the respective values of 100 and 200.

Subscribe

  • Click the Test node beneath the subscribe note to subscribe to value changes.
  • Change the value of the server item in the Core Studio and monitor the Node-RED debug console for receiving the respective values: