This driver is a simple driver. It provides additional functionality to enable Geo SCADA Expert to interface with specific supported devices using a particular protocol. To interact successfully with such devices, you need to:
- Install and run the driver
- Ensure that the driver is licensed
- Configure the required database items and settings on the driver
- Ensure that the database items (and any database items on which they depend) have valid, saved, configuration and are 'In Service'.
Intended Audience
This guide is primarily intended for engineers who are responsible for configuring SDI-12 items and features in the Geo SCADA Expert database.
The guide also contains information for maintenance engineers.
Document Scope
SDI-12 is an open protocol that can be used for communicating with micro-processor based sensors.
The Geo SCADA Expert SDI-12 driver enables Geo SCADA Expert to become an SDI-12 data recorder and read data from intelligent sensors, using the SDI-12 protocol. The Geo SCADA Expert SDI-12 driver communicates with the sensors using serial communications.
This guide explains how to configure SDI-12 specific features and items within the Geo SCADA Expert database (see Configuring SDI-12 Devices in Geo SCADA Expert).
It also explains driver-specific aspects that may be of interest to System Administrators and engineers when investigating any unexpected system behavior (see SDI-12 Specific Status Display Attributes).
Prerequisite Reading
This guide contains technical information that is intended for users that are sufficiently familiar with Geo SCADA Expert configuration and operation. Before reading this driver guide, ensure that you are familiar with:
- Geo SCADA Expert configuration practices, procedures, and the configuration of properties that are common to many database items. For more information, see the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Core Configuration, and the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Core Point Configuration.
- Driver structure, components, and configuration properties, pick actions, and status attributes that are common to many drivers. For more information, see the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Drivers.
- Simple driver composition, configuration order, and configuration properties and logging options that are common to many simple drivers. For more information, see the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Simple Drivers.
For SDI-12 information not covered by this guide, see the documentation supplied with your SDI-12 sensors, or see the SDI-12 website, www.sdi-12.org.
NOTE: There are no driver-specific pick actions for database items on this particular driver. However, users with the required privileges can add custom pick actions to a database item by using the User Methods tab on the relevant configuration Form (see Using the User Methods Tab to Define Custom Actions in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Core Configuration). See a system administrator for the documentation associated with such custom actions (also known as ‘methods’).
Policy of Continuous Development
To maintain Geo SCADA Expert's position as a leading SCADA solution, we operate a policy of continuous development. Each new version of our product supports additional features and functionality to previous releases. To use the new drivers, features, or functionality involving database items, your system has to be running the latest version of Geo SCADA Expert software. Additionally, if you have upgraded from an earlier version of the product, you have to deactivate any Database Emulation that was activated during the upgrade process. You should only deactivate the Database Emulation once you have successfully completed the upgrade process on all of the servers and clients in your system (see Deactivate Database Emulation after a Successful Upgrade).