Geo SCADA Expert 2025 is likely to be the last version of the product to support and include the TBox driver.
This driver is an advanced 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 TBox items and features in the Geo SCADA Expert database.
The guide also contains information for maintenance engineers.
Document Scope
This guide explains the configuration, features and database items that are specific to Geo SCADA Expert’s TBox driver. The TBox driver enables Geo SCADA Expert to communicate with TBox RTUs using the Modbus/TComm protocol suite.
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.
- Advanced driver configuration order, outstation types, and configuration properties and logging options that are common to many advanced drivers. For more information, see the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Advanced Drivers.
TBox is a range of RTUs produced by CSE Semaphore. TBox combines alarm notification, data logging, integral web server, IP telemetry, and programmable automation.
The TBox driver communicates with Geo SCADA Expert using a protocol called TComm, which incorporates the Modbus protocol with extensions specifically for TBox functionality.
This guide covers the functions of Geo SCADA Expert controlling the TBox using TComm version 4.3.0.247. The TBox driver allows a Geo SCADA Expert system to retrieve data from, and control points on, TBox RTUs.
The TBox driver documentation explains:
- Terminology of which you need to be aware
- The main differences between the TBox driver and the general Advanced Drivers (see TBox-Specific Information)
- How to configure TBox-specific features and items within the Geo SCADA Expert database (seeConfiguring TBox Devices in Geo SCADA Expert).
The documentation also covers driver-specific aspects that are of interest to system administrators and engineers when investigating unexpected behavior relating to the TBox driver. For information, see:
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).