User guide

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Composer Elite Operating Manual
Chapter 5
Remote Communications
5.1 Introduction
Composer Elite supports RS-232C and DeviceNet communications, and may be
remotely controlled, programmed or interrogated. This is accomplished through
remote communications and the use of a remote command set. Composer Elite will
respond to messages that contain these commands. It will accept and operate one
message at a time. It will respond to each command by carrying out valid
operations and/or returning a message to the sender. A host/server relationship is
established in remote communications. Composer Elite, as server, responds to the
remote host’s commands.
5.2 General Type Definitions for Remote Communications
General Type Definitions
<Float> = 4 byte, single precision ANSII standard floating point, low to high
<String> = Variable length, null terminated ASCII characters
<Byte> = 1 Byte
<Encode> = 4 Byte, low to high
<Short> = 2 Bytes, low to high
<Integer> = 4 Bytes, low to high
NOTE: All data elements larger than a byte are in little-endian form, both those
sent and returned.
5.3 RS-232 Communications
For RS-232 communications, an industry standard 9-pin D-sub-miniature
connector is required to connect to Composer Elite. See Figure 5-1 and Table 5-1.
Both the host and server must have the same form of communications equipment
and complementary set up. For serial communications, baud rates must match and
so must the data word format. Hardware handshaking is not supported.
The word format for bit serial lines (RS-232C) is comprised of ten signal bits:
eight data bits, one start bit, one stop bit and no parity.
The eight data bits comprise a byte of information or character whose ASCII value
ranges from 0 to 255.
The length of the cable is limited to 15.2 m (50 ft.).