DASSidirect connection from SMC to System Platform objects. Frozen values in runtime.

I would say that it is not normal behavior that you need to reset the driver in SMC to ensure connectivity.

Since you name your server DASIDirect, I guess this is not the later 2020/2023 versions? (OI SIDIR)

Just want to confirm the versions you are using.
Also, are you using the DDESuitelink object or OPC Object to connect the driver to Application Server?

Is it showing a solid green box, or is it a green box with a red X in the corner? 

Also, as Richard asked, what versions of System Platform and of the SI Direct server? 

And, any messages about these particular items, or their topic/plc in the logger of the SI Direct server machine?

Hi, thank you so much for your reply.

I am using the driver called, ArchestrA.DASSIDirect.3 in the SMC, we also have the possibiltiy to use the OI.SIDIR.1. but we have been sticking to the DASSIdirect.

I am using the OPC object to connect to the application server.

System platform version. 20.1.001 6050.1213.6532.1

It was showing as a solid green box, WITH live values, but the runtime values in application server had not been moving for at least 24h (saw that in historian as a straight line).

Usually when there is a connectivity issue there is some kind of indication in the SMC, like the forementioned red x in the corner, thats why i find this odd.

regarding the logger, could you please guide me to the relevant component, would the DASSIDIRECT component be the only one or also any other that would be interesting to look at?

Also if anyone knows a way to automise through scripting a reset command to the smc connection, It would be interesting to learn,

Thank you!

I am not aware of any way to trigger the Reset feature remotely on a DAServer, what I have done is to stop and start the Service using scripting, witch is almost the same thing, it will restart all connections managed by the driver though, so if you are using multiple connections and only want to restart one of them it might not be applicable for you.

Still I would like to stress that having all values 'freezing' is not common behavior, and needs to be sorted out anyways.

If this is a bug in the version of DASSIDirect you are using (I believe that latest version is from 2018), you could upgrade to e newer driver version, Especially if you are running this on the same server as System Platform 2020, DASSIDiect was replaced by OI SIDIR in 2018 and you should be able to install this instead, but it is of course advisable to sort out what other products are installed on the same server since there might be issues with co-existence of other products.

It will then require that you update your configuration in the OPC Object.

https://gcsresource.aveva.com/TechnologyMatrix/Report?vendor=All%20Brands&product=SIDIR

One thing to note, if you download 'the latest' communication driver pack from AVEVA, there are known issues mixing this with older versions of System Platform

https://softwaresupportsp.aveva.com/SiteAssets/GCSBerlin/index.aspx#/knowledgebase/details/000040050?lang=en_US

I would go for the bundled OI Server from installation media if uncertain of what version to install.
 

I also found this post on the support page

 DasSIDirect topic goes stale and does not update tags 

and this:

 Some items not refreshing with SIDirect 2.0 communication to S7 400 on Ethernet 

It seems similar issue that you describe and points to a bug in older versions of the driver

Hi,

As indicated by Richard and David, the DA Server technology is kind of old and it is unlikely that it has been verified to work correctly with the version of System Platform you are using, which I believe is what we refer to as 2020 R2 P01. There is a matching OI-SIDIRECT 2020 R2 P01 that is part of the System Platform installer and which is verified to work with the same version of System Platform. Furthermore, you can even upgrade the Communication Drivers to even newer versions (the latest one is 2023 R2) to ensure you have all the latest bug fixes and improvements, without upgrading System Platform since the newer com drivers are backward compatible with older versions of System Platform.

With respect to resetting/restarting a driver from scripting, the currently available option is the approach described by Richard, to restart the corresponding Windows service through Windows APIs. We are considering adding an API to the com drivers in a future version, and that API may (among other things) allow restart/reset from Application Server scripting, shell scripting, etc.