Devices
How devices get into Synnax, device identifiers, and device statuses.
A device is one piece of hardware or one server that the Driver reads from or writes to, such as an NI module, a LabJack, a PLC, or an OPC UA server. Each task reads from or writes to devices.
How devices get into Synnax
To connect a device, click (Connect device) in the devices toolbar, or run the “Connect device” command. The dialog lists the integrations in two groups:
- Connect by address -> OPC UA, Modbus TCP, and HTTP servers. You enter the address of the server, and Connect from selects the Driver that talks to it.
- Find hardware the Driver detects -> NI, LabJack, and EtherCAT hardware. The dialog shows each Driver with the devices that it found.
If no running Driver supports an integration, the dialog shows the reason, such as “No running Driver has Modbus enabled”, and you cannot connect that device type.
The Driver finds NI, LabJack, and EtherCAT hardware by itself. Within a few seconds of you plugging in a device, the Console shows the notification “New <model> connected” with a Configure button. A LabJack on the network can take about a minute to appear. The Driver also finds simulated NI devices that you create in NI MAX, so you can try Synnax without hardware. It skips CompactRIO controllers.
In the list of found hardware, click Configure on a device to give it a name and an identifier. Save and create read task also opens a new read task for the device. Scan now makes the Drivers look again. If your device does not show, open Not seeing your hardware? for a list of checks.
Each device select in a task form ends with an item that connects a new device, such as Connect Modbus TCP server or Connect NI hardware. The device that you connect there becomes the selected device.
Each setup page shows the steps: EtherCAT, HTTP, LabJack, Modbus, National Instruments, and OPC UA.
Identifiers
NI, LabJack, and EtherCAT devices have an identifier, such as dev1. The identifier
starts the default names of the
channels that tasks create for the
device, such as dev1_ai_0. A name that you enter for a channel replaces the default.
An identifier has 2 to 12 characters. It starts with a letter, and then holds only letters, numbers, and underscores. The Console suggests short identifiers from the device name.
Change identifier changes the prefix of channels that tasks create later. Existing channels keep their names.
Devices toolbar
To open the devices toolbar, click in the left bar or press D. The toolbar shows each Driver, with its devices under it. NI modules show under their chassis. Each device shows its vendor logo, its name, its location, and a status dot.
Statuses
Hover over a status dot to see its message.
To fix a warning or an error, see Troubleshoot hardware.
Device menu
Right-click a device in the devices toolbar to open its menu.
Creating a task for a device that is not configured opens Configure first.
Right-click a Driver to open its menu. Connect device opens the connect dialog for that Driver. Create Arc automation creates an Arc automation on that Driver. Toggle NI device scanner turns the search for NI hardware off or on.