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i4connected Knowledge Base

Adding Devices

Abstract

Check out this article and learn how to add new devices and everything that you need to know about the device type-dependent settings.

In order to be allowed to create new devices, the user must have the Manage devices permission enabled.

The Add button from the top menu of the Device List panel allows the user to add new devices to the Device List. Clicking the Add button opens the Select Device Type panel, allowing the user to choose which device type to create.

Tip

The Add new Device button will only be displayed in the Device List when the user is in the context of a hierarchical entity (Areas, Organizational Units, Sites).

device_list.jpg

The Select Device Type panel

Selecting a device type opens the Add Device panel, where the user can input the device settings.

new_device.jpg

The Add Device panel

The device settings are split up into two categories:

Default device settings (available for any device type)

Category

Property

Description

Device information

Name

The unique technical name of the device. This field will be mandatory regardless of the selected Device type.

Alias

The friendly name of the device. The Device Alias will be displayed on the device card when listed.

Description

The description of the device.

Device flags

Visible in front-end

If enabled, the device will be listed in the i4connected portal.

Active

If enabled, the device will be active.

Device properties

Device type

The device sub-type can be defined by the user.

The user can select the desired Device type from the Device types panel. In this view, all the available device types are listed.

device_types_panel.jpg

Further on, the users can edit the listed device types or add new ones. When adding a new Device type, the user is required to define a name and select an icon. The icon is selected from the Select icon panel where multiple predefined icons are available.

add_device_type.jpg

Important

The Device type icon will be displayed for the Device to which the Device type is used, in multiple contexts, such as:

Manufacturer

The manufacturer of the device.

The user can select the desired Manufacturer from the Device manufacturers panel. In this view, all the available manufactures are listed.

device_manufacturers.jpg

Further on, the users can edit the listed manufacturers or add new ones. When adding a new Manufacturer, the user is only required to define a name.

add_manufacturer.jpg

Model

The model of the device.

The user can select the desired Device Model from the Device Models panel. In this view, all the available manufacturers are listed.

device_model.jpg

Warning

The Model selector becomes active only after adding a Device type and a Device Manufacturer.

Further on, the users can edit the listed models or add new ones. When adding a new model, the user is only required to define a name.

add_device_model.jpg

Hardware version

The hardware version of the device.

The user can select the desired Device Hardware Version from the Device hardware version panel. In this view, all the available hardware versions are listed.

hardware_version.jpg

Warning

The Hardware version selector becomes active only after adding a Device model.

Further on, the users can edit the listed hardware versions or add new ones. When adding a new hardware version, the user is only required to define a name.

ad_hw_version.jpg

Software version

The software version of the device.

The user can select the desired Device Software version from the Device software version panel. In this view, all the available hardware versions are listed.

device_software_version.jpg

Warning

The Software version selector becomes active only after adding a Device model and a Hardware version.

Further on, the users can edit the listed software versions or add new ones. When adding a new software version, the user is only required to define a name.

add_device_sw_version.jpg

Site

The Site where the device is installed. The Site can be selected from the Object filters panel, which is automatic.

Select_Site.jpg

Note

If the Add device panel was accessed in the context of a Site, that Site will be by default set in this field.

Area

The Area where the device is installed.

select_area.jpg

Note

If the Add device panel was accessed in the context of an Area, that Area will be by default set in this field, along with its parent Site.

Organizational Unit

The Organizational Unit to which the device belongs.

select_OU.jpg

Note

If the Add device panel was accessed in the context of an Organizational Unit, that Organizational Unit will be by default set in this field.

Overwrite event priority

Allows users with the possibility to select a priority that will be, by default, applied to all events triggered in the context of the current Device.

overwrite_event_prio.jpg

The selected priority will overwrite the original priority of the event. If the event has no priority defined, the overwritten event priority will be applied.

Tip

The priority selected at the level of a Device, under "Overwrite event priority", can only be surpassed when manually triggering an event, in the context of that Device. The Publish Manual Event panel allows the user to either trigger the event using an explicit priority, or leave the "Use the system default" option.

For more details about the management of manual events, please refer to the dedicated article, here.

Further on, you can also check out this tutorial, describing the overwrite event priority feature.

Alarm suppression

Suppression Mode Manual

Allows users the possibility to suppress alarms for a Device, by enabling the Manual mode.

manual_mode.jpg

When alarm suppression is Enabled for a device, all event occurrences that would have been triggered by the device will be completely ignored by the system. They will not be shown in the online alarms panel and they will not be saved in the historical alarms list.

In Manual mode, as long as the toggle button is in the "Enabled" position, alarms for the device will be suppressed.

Tip

For more details, please also read the dedicated tutorial, here.

Suppression Mode Scheduled

Allows users the possibility to suppress alarms for a Device, for a certain time interval, by enabling the Scheduled mode.

scheduled_mode.jpg

When alarm suppression is turned on for a device, all event occurrences that would have been triggered by the device will be completely ignored by the system, during the scheduled time interval. They will not be shown in the online alarms panel and they will not be saved in the historical alarms list.

In Scheduled mode, alarms for the device will be suppressed during the selected start and end dates. After the end date, the alarms flow will be resumed.

Tip

For more details, please also read the dedicated tutorial, here.

Photo

The photo of the device itself.

photo.jpg

Installation photo

The overview photo of the device installation location.

installation_photo.jpg

Custom parameters

If no Custom field definitions were specified for Devices, the Custom parameters area will be hidden from the Add / Edit device panel.

As soon as at least one Custom field definition is available, the Custom parameters area allows the user to fill in the Device's metadata, as described below.

For more details on the Custom field definitions validation rules, please also visit the dedicated article here.

The following list depicts the possible Custom field definitions:

  • Text metadata - expects textual metadata, with the scope to provide additional information about the user. When setting the textual metadata, the introduced value will be validated against the rules specified at the level of the Text Custom field definition.

    Text_param.jpg
  • Email metadata - expects a valid email address. When setting the email metadata, the introduced value will be validated against the rules specified at the level of the Email Custom field definition.

    Custom_para_email.jpg
  • Integer metadata - expects an integer value. When setting the integer metadata, the introduced value will be validated against the rules specified at the level of the Integer Custom field definition.

    Custom_param_integer.jpg
  • Decimal metadata - expects a decimal value. When setting the decimal metadata, the introduced value will be validated against the rules specified at the level of the Decimal Custom field definition.

    Custom_param_decimal.jpg
  • Date metadata - expects a date metadata, that can be selected using the calendar pop-up. When setting the date metadata, the introduced value will be validated against the rules specified at the level of the Date Custom field definition.

    Date.jpg
  • Time metadata - expects a DataType metadata, that can be selected using the Clock pop-up. When setting the time metadata, the introduced value will be validated against the rules specified at the level of the Time Custom field definition.

    Time.jpg
  • DateTime metadata - expects a date and time metadata, that can be selected using the calendar pop-up. When setting the DateTime metadata, the introduced value will be validated against the rules specified at the level of the DateTime Custom field definition.

    DateTime.jpg
  • Url metadata - expects an URL. When setting the DateTime metadata, the introduced value will be validated against the rules specified at the level of the DateTime Custom field definition.

    Url_Param.jpg
  • Enumeration metadata - expects the selection of one of the values defined by the Custom field definition. Selection can be done using the drop-down list. When setting the Enumeration metadata, the introduced value will be validated against the rules specified at the level of the Enumeration Custom field definition.

    enumeration_metadata.jpg
  • Boolean metadata - expects the selection of one of the Yes / No values. Selection can be done using the toggle button. When setting the Boolean metadata, the introduced value will be validated against the rules specified at the level of the Boolean Custom field definition.

    boolean.jpg
Type dependent settings

The following device types require additional settings besides the standard ones listed above. These additional settings are usually focused under the Adapter category.

Note

For more details regarding each Adapter type and their specific settings, please also visit the Adapters configuration article.

Table 9. Azure IoT

Section

Property

Description

IoT Hub settings

IoT Hub name

The name of the i4connected IoT Hub. It is mandatory to provide data for this field.

Filter

The filters which parse the data received from the IoT Hub

Device Id

The identification number of the device.

Direct method of device

Method Name

The name of the method which should be called.

Method Payload

The JSON payload method.

Method response Timeout in Seconds

The timeout, expressed in seconds, for waiting for a response from the method (min: 0 / max: 300, default: 120)

Method Connection Timeout in Seconds

The timeout, expressed in seconds, for waiting for the IoT device connection (min: 0, default: 0, cannot be more than the Method Response Timeout in Seconds.



Table 10. CSV/Text

Section

Property

Description

CSV settings

CSV source

The name of the CSV server providing the data. Filling in this field is mandatory.



Table 11. Email

Section

Property

Description

Email settings

Email Adapter

Sets the name of the Email adapter providing the configuration for accessing the Email server. This field is mandatory.

Sender Name Pattern

The name pattern of the Email sender (source), used to filter the Emails corresponding to the device

Sender Address Pattern

The address pattern of the Email sender (source address), used to filter the Emails corresponding to the device.

Recipient Name Pattern

The name pattern of the Email recipient (target), used to filter the Emails corresponding to the device.

Recipient Address Pattern

The address pattern of the Email recipient (target address), used to filter the Emails corresponding to the device.

Subject Pattern

The pattern of the Email subject is used to filter the Emails corresponding to the device. The Subject Pattern field can match strings with wildcards (*), where the wildcard means "any".

Body Pattern

The pattern of the Email body is used to filter the Emails corresponding to the device. The Body Pattern field can match strings with wildcards (*), where the wildcard means "any".

Script

The name of the Email Alarm Script used to process Email data. The user can either define a custom script or use the ones provided by default: Carel, Carel2, Danfoss, Dixell, Dixell2, Eliwell, and Wurm.

Tip

For more details about the Email script, please visit the dedicated section, here.



Important

All the above Email pattern fields can match strings with wildcards (*), where the wildcard means "any".

Table 12. Ewon

Section

Property

Description

Ewon settings

Ewon Adapter

The name of the Ewon server providing the data. This field is mandatory.

Ewon name

The name of the new Ewon device associated with the Ewon server.

Time zone

The time zone of the Ewon device. This setting will only be used if the Ewon device is not set to use the UTC time zone, in order to convert the received timestamps to UTC. Otherwise, the adapter will store directly the received timestamps, as they are already in UTC. This setting is required.

Ewon username

Specifies the username of the Ewon device.

Note

The Ewon username field should only be set when signal writing is needed.

Ewon password

Specifies the password of the Ewon device.

Note

The Ewon password field should only be set when signal writing is needed.



Table 13. GridVis

Section

Property

Description

GridVis settings

GridVis server name

The name of the GridVis Adapter (GridVis project) providing the data. This field is mandatory.

GridVis device

The name of the GridVis device. This field is mandatory.



Table 14. HMSHub

Settings

Property

Description

HMSHub settings

HMSHub Adapter

The name of the HMSHub server providing the data. To configure an HMSHub Device, filling in the field is a mandatory condition.



Table 15. i4scada

Settings

Property

Description

i4scada settings

i4scada Adapter

The name of the i4scada server providing the data. To configure an i4scada Device, filling in the field is a mandatory condition.



Table 16. Modbus

Settings

Property

Description

Modbus settings

Modbus server address

The address of the Modbus server driving the device.

Unit ID

The identification number of the Modbus unit. The field will only accept a number between 0 to 255.



Table 17. MQTT

Settings

Property

Description

MQTT settings

MQTT name

The name of the MQTT Broker (Server) to which the device will be connected.

Topic

The device topic. This topic is a string that acts like a filter when used in combination with the signals topics.

Filter

The JSON filter obtaining the relevant data.

Write payload

The JSON payload. Example: {"_SignalName_":"_SignalValue_"}

Note: The field will only be available if the MQTT adapter is of type JSON.



Table 18. MSCONS

Settings

Property

Description

MSCONS settings

Source

The MSCONS source (server) providing the data. It is required to fill in this field in order to be able to save a new MSCONS device.



Table 19. Netbiter

Settings

Property

Description

Netbiter settings

Netbiter adapter

The name of the Netbiter server providing the data. This field is mandatory.

Netbiter name

The name of the new Netbiter device associated with the Netbiter server.



Table 20. OPC UA

Settings

Property

Description

OPC UA settings

OPC UA adapter

The name of the OPC UA server providing the data. This field is mandatory.

OPC UA subscription

The name of the OPC UA subscription used to define data acquisition from the server.



Table 21. SQL

Settings

Property

Description

SQL Settings

SQL query name

The query is applied to the database, retrieving the relevant information This field is required.



Table 22. WEBfactory

Settings

Property

Description

WEBfactory settings

WEbfactory server address

The address of the WEBfactory server driving the device. Filling in this field is mandatory, in order to be able to save a WEBfactory device.



The Manual counters, OPC-DA and Lertes Devices only require the standard information to be added to the system. These types of devices do not require an adapter in order to manage their data.

Once the device information is provided, click the Save button to add the device to the Device List.