Configuring Your Application to be an ODBC Server
In order to connect to your application, you will need to configure the computer running it to be an ODBC server. In the case of applications running on multiple computers (remote applications), you choose any of the computers to be the ODBC server since all have access to the up-to-date tag data.
The steps which follow are largely the same as those to set up a realm for a VTS Internet Server, with a few small exceptions. Note that, even if you already have a realm configured for your application, it is a good idea to set up a separate realm for the purposes of the ODBC Interface. (See Realms)
In the VTS Application Manager (VAM), select the button labeled Internet Setup. The VTS Internet Client/Server Setup dialog will open.
Select the Add button to open the Add Realm window where you will provide a name and a connection protocol for your server.
Name
The name should clearly indicate what the server is. As a suggestion: by including the letters "ODBC" you will make the name easier to recognize later when configuring the ODBC connection.
Protocol and Port Number
For the Protocol, there is a choice of HTTP, WAP or both. For the purposes of the ODBC Interface you must enable the HTTP protocol. The Port Number will normally be 80, the standard HTTP port, unless your network administrator directs otherwise.
SSL and Max Clients
The Max Clients setting has no effect in this context. If you are using SSL, there are several additional steps. Please refer to Chapter 15: SSL Certificates for more information on this topic.
After selecting OK to save the new Realm, select the second Add button in the Internet Client Window to select which application will be available to this server.
For the application selected, edit the CONFIG.INI file in that application's directory under VTS, to add the following line, noting that "WaterTreatment_ODBC_Server" is simply a name used in this example - substitute the name you created for your own realm here.
SOAPServicesRealmName = WaterTreatment_ODBC_Server
Note: If this is a Local Application, then you will simply need to re-start the application after editing the config.ini file in order for the changes to take effect. If this is a Remote Application, then several extra steps are required to correctly manage configuration changes. Please refer to Designate Primary Service Servers for an example and the steps required.
Optional Step:
You can take advantage of VTS's ability to group data records by time interval. By adding a SQLQueryTableTPPs parameter to the CONFIG.INI file in the application, you can retrieve tag data from specific time intervals.
The format of the statement is
SQLQueryTableTPPs = <time frame specifier>
where the time frame specifier takes the form of a digit and a letter. The letter indicates the units in which time interval is measured (hours: h , weeks: w, etc.) and the digit specifies the number of units of each interval that should pass between each record.
Two separate examples follow:
(Note that you can have only one TPP statement in a config file, but that statement can have multiple values, separated by semi-colons and no spaces).
; two hours...
SQLQueryTableTPPs = 2H
; thirty seconds and one minute...
SQLQueryTableTPPs = 30S;1M
The available time interval units are:
MS - milliseconds
S - seconds (this is the default; the S may be left out)
M - minutes
H - hours
D - days
W - weeks
Y - years