Opc data Access Automation Specification

APPENDIX A - OPC AUTOMATION ERROR HANDLING .........................81 

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APPENDIX B – SAMPLE STRING FILTER SYNTAX FUNCTION.............83 

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APPENDIX C - DATA ACCESS AUTOMATION IDL SPECIFICATION ...85 

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APPENDIX D- NOTES ON AUTOMATION DATA TYPES ........................100 

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OPC Data Access Automation Specification2.02 

1

 

Introduction 

1.1

 

Background 

A standard mechanism for communicating to numerous data sources, either devices on the factory floor, or a database in 

a control room is the motivation for this specification.   The standard mechanism would consist of a standard automation 

interface targeted to allow Visual Basic applications, as well as other automation enabled applications to communicate to 

the above named data sources.  

Manufacturers need to access data from the plant floor and integrate it into their existing business systems. 

Manufacturers must be able to utilize off the shelf tools (SCADA Packages, Databases, spreadsheets, etc.) to assemble a 

system to meet their needs. The key is open and effective communication architecture concentrating on data access, and 

not the types of data.  We have addressed this need by architecting and specifying a standard automation interface to the 

OPC Data Access Custom interface to facilitate the need s of applications that utilize an automation interface to access 

plant floor data.