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Concepts and Glossary

To better understand the present documentation, this chapter provides an explanation about concepts of adquio.

Architecture of devices and variables

Variables

Each variable is an entity that has a value and in which you can be written and read (both or just one of the options, according to the variable configuration).

The variable has a series of meta-information, between which they stand out:

  • Code Identifier.
  • Maximum and minimum values admitted.
  • Datatype (According to admitted values: whole, decimal; and depending on length in memory: 8, 16, 32 bits).
  • Type of value, From a semantic point of view, for exampletemperature, intensity.
  • Units, Example ºF, inches...

In addition to the meta-information, the variable can have configuration data dependent on the hardware / IoT device from which its value is removed.

Variable Mapping

Usually there are variables that have little descriptive values, for example, an IoT device may be exporting the operating mode by means of an integer. Following the user manual of that device, an equivalence would be created then between an integer value and the active mode, for example:

0 = Off | 1 = On | 2 = Auto

So as not to have to remember these equivalences at all times, adquio allows to establish a semantic mapping or equivalence.

Thus, the installer can assign a more significant text to each value of a variable. At the points where the state of the variable is shown, the meaning of the active value will also be displayed. In places where you can write a new value, you will also appear to choose the values.

The existence of mappings does not prevent the user, other units or scripts write a value that is not contemplated in existing assignments. Following the previous example, it could be recorded in the operating mode a 3, if the appliance allows it.

Virtual variables

The normal variables correspond to values collected from physical devices, must be accessed by a protocol through any of the connections. To improve flexibility and facilitate some tasks, adquio present the virtual variables.

Virtual variables only exist within adquio, they do not correspond to any port or IOT device. They can serve to easily store a state, such as an accountant, a configurable limit, etc.

These variables are operated (read and write) exactly the same as the normal variables, both by the user and the scripts. The virtual variables will never be out of service, since they do not depend on the operation and communication with an external device.

There are two types of virtual variables:

  • Persistent: they keep their most recent status, if the system is restarted maintain the last value.
  • Volatile: Do not keep your status, therefore when you restart the system start from a 0 value.

The virtual variables can be exported, in a transparent manner and equal to the rest of the configured variables.

Null value

The null value or null is a special data indicating that it can not be accessed or disposed of the actual value. This can happen when an device is not working properly, when a variable has not yet been defined or, in some cases, if it accesses data that does not exist (in the latter case, most of the time an error is obtained).

Always have this possibility in mind if it operates with variables, any variable is susceptible to having this value.

Devices

Although conceptually a device can be equivalent to a physical device, this equivalence is not mandatory and it is convenient not to confuse both.

A device for adquio is a logical form of adding Variables. They can be added for operation, location, etc. In the way that establishes the physical installation and within the technical decision of the installer.

However, the Modules They can put restrictions. For example, you can not have two variables that come from different physical ports or protocols. Each device is linked to its own protocol and turn to an instance Instance of module which is limited to a physical port communication, either 485, Red ...

Usually a module sets the parameters common to a device, depending on the configuration necessary to access the remote variables.

Supported protocols

According to the model and configuration of your adquio, you can communicate with different protocols. There are network protocols and protocols that need a specialized output as RS-485 ports, etc.

Instances and modules

The modules are the internal implementation of adquio for each protocol involved, there is a module for each supported protocol. Each module may be instantiated or more times, for example, it could instantiate a module twice to communicate with devices in two outputs other than RS-485 using Modbusrtu in each.

Note: In many software sites and this manual, it will refer to the instance of a module as a 'module' only.

Glossary

  • 485: watch RS-485
  • BACnet
  • Device
  • EcmaScript: Scripting language used in adquio. See the section Scripting language.
  • Instance (module): See module
  • JavaScript, JS: watch "EcmaScript"
  • Log: Text that registers events, alerts and errors of a component (a script, a module, the system, etc.). The log consists of several entries, each indicating its date and time of occurrence and a level of importance (error, warning -warning-, info, debug); Followed by the concrete message of the event happened.
  • Modbus
  • Module
  • Null: See "Null Value"
  • Protocol
  • RS-485
  • Scripts
  • Null value
  • Variable
  • Virtual variable