Configure the SIDirect Communication Driver

SIDirect pre-configured hierarchy

The server-specific configuration portion of the SIDirect Communication Driver hierarchy tree under the OI Server Manager starts at the PORT object. It represents the network board in the computer that communicates with the PLC. Usually it is an ordinary network card identified by the local IP address.

When you install the SIDirect Communication Driver, it is installed with a preconfigured device hierarchy in the Operations Control Management Console. The SIDirect Communication Driver uses a two-tier hierarchy for modeling the S7 PLC objects.This hierarchy consists of a Port object and two CPU objects:

• PORT: This is the CpS7 communications port object that communicates with a CpS7 node.

• Legacy Object: The Legacy object is subordinate to the PORT object. Use the legacy object to support absolute addressing (for example, "DB1,INT0"). Optimized Block Access must be disabled (non-optimized mode) in the S7 PLC in order to use absolute addressing.

• Symbolic Object: The Symbolic object is subordinate to the PORT object, and works with symbolic addressing to permit the use of enhanced tag names (for example, "Tank4.Lvl"). Symbolic addressing works whether or not optimized block access has been enabled in the S7 PLC.

To view the preconfigured hierarchy, click Operations Integration Supervisory Servers -> Siemens - SIDirect -> OI.SIDIR.1 -> Configuration -> Port

Note: If a configuration view is in an open state and you open the same server the second time, the Communication Driver locks the second instance of this same-server access for any update or configuration activities. Access to this second server resumes after the first one is closed.