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Defining Device Types (Release 3.4 and 3.5)

Defining Device Types (Release 3.4 and 3.5)

27-Dec-2022

For SmartServer 3.6 and higher, see Defining Device Types. 

For SmartServer 3.3 and prior, see Defining Device Types (Release 3.3 and Prior). 

You will create device type definitions to enable the SmartServer to interact with and configure your edge devices.   See Device Type Definition for a description of device types and how they are used.  This page describes how to create, manage, and package device types, and consists of the following:



The Device Types widget provides the ability to create, view, and edit device types, as well as to import device types, and to export device type definition (DTD) files with a .dtd extension. A DTD file is a CSV file that lists the device type names, program identifier (ID), application image names, and graphics assets to be used as icons for specified device types. 

You first have to import any XIF files (see Collecting or Creating Device Definitions), resource files, application image files, system image files, and graphics files that you plan to use. When an XIF file that does not already have an associated device type defined is imported, a default device type will be created with the device type name equal to the XIF file name, the protocol and program ID set from the XIF file, and the graphics file set to a default device icon.

Once imported, you will be able to create new device types in the Device Types widget, and since the referenced files are already available in the database, you will only have to type a device type name (all the other entries will be selections from pull-down lists).

You can create a device type package (DTP) file that is an archive file that contains assets, resources, and definitions for defining new device types using the Export feature on the Device Types widget.

Users with Administrator, Owner, Controller, or Tenant roles can use this widget to create, modify, and delete device types datapoints within the geozones where they have the Administrator, Owner, Controller, or Tenant roles.  

Note: To best view all of the information on this widget, click the Expand button ( 

 ). 

Creating a Graphics File

You can specify a graphics file to customize the image displayed for a device type.  You can supply the graphics file as a .JPG or .PNG. file.  Files with a .JPG extension are interpreted as JPEG files, as defined by ISO/IEC 10918-1. Files with a .PNG extension are interpreted as Portable Network Graphics files, as defined by ISO/IEC 15948. 

Creating a Device Type

You can create a device type using the Device Types widget. To do so, perform the following steps:

  1. Click the Create Device button (

    ).





  2. Enter the device type parameters as appropriate, including:


    • Device Type – a unique name for the device type

    • Protocol – the communications protocol (BACnet, IAP, LON, Modbus)

    • XIF File – provides the ability to upload an XIF file plus a list of all available XIF files with the selected protocol in the SmartServer CMS database

    • Program ID – read-only field with the program ID of the selected XIF file

    • Default Application Image – provides the ability to upload an application image file plus a list of all available application image files with the selected protocol in the SmartServer CMS database. (For SmartServer IoT 2.5, this option is only available for LON devices.)

    • Automatic Application Image Load – indicates if the default application image must be loaded upon initial provisioning a device of the specified type. The default value is cleared. It is cleared and grayed out if a Default Application Image is not selected.

    • Default System Image – provides the ability to upload a system image file plus a list of all available system image files with the selected protocol in the database.  (For SmartServer IoT 2.5, this option is only available for LON devices.)

    • Automatic System Image Load – indicates if the default system image must be loaded upon initial provisioning a device of the specified type. The default value is cleared. It is cleared and grayed out if a Default System Image is not selected.

    • Graphics File – provides the ability to upload a graphics file plus a list of all available graphics files in the SmartServer CMS database



    Create Device Type settings



    Create Device Type settings - Select a graphic file options


  3. Click SAVE to create the new device type.

Viewing Device Types

You can set filters on the Device Types widget to view selected device type definitions.  By default, the CMS lists all defined device types.

To set a filter, perform the following steps:

  1. Click the Set Filter button (

    ).




    The Set filters view appears.





  2. Enter the search criteria. Click the down arrow to select the filter options (i.e., by name, segment controller, XIF file, driver, and/or program ID).





  3. Click the plus sign (

    ) to add filters.





  4. Click APPLY FILTERS.

    The results below show the name filter results for "5000".




    The Device Types widget display includes:


    • Device Type – the device type name

    • Protocol – the protocol specified by the device template

    • Device Count – the number of defined devices implementing the device template

    Each heading has a Sort button (

    ). When clicked, the device type list is sorted in forward or reverse order by the selected heading.


  5. The Reset Filter button (

    ) clears the filter settings.