 






     Software
     Product
     Description

     ________________________________________________________________

     PRODUCT NAME:  BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0        SPD 33.17.01

     DESCRIPTION

     BASEstar for VMS software facilitates the integration of man-
     ufacturing applications with plant equipment, accelerates de-
     velopment of integrated manufacturing systems, and provides an
     architecture for consistent development of manufacturing ap-
     plications. BASEstar software has features for manufacturing
     application integration, device connection and control of plant
     equipment, and storage and management of device and operator
     files through its library system.

     BASEstar software operates in a distributed VAX processing en-
     vironment. Its application integration features include: the
     ability to collect, manage, and distribute plant data, au-
     tomatically notify applications of critical changes in plant
     information, and synchronize execution of manufacturing ap-
     plications. BASEstar software's distributed capabilities allow
     globally-defined objects to be utilized by applications residing
     on different nodes in a BASEstar network.

     BASEstar device integration software gives generic device access
     and control for plant equipment through an interface that is in-
     dependent of device-specific operations and protocols. BASEstar
     device connection management software is dependent on equip-
     ment level communication achieved through BASEstar device access
     software (DAS), allowing data to be obtained through standard
     mechanisms and made available throughout the BASEstar network.
     BASEstar device connection management capabilities can also be
     used to start and stop device operations, upload from and down-
     load to the memory of programmable devices, and other standard
     functions offered by industrial control devices.

                                  DIGITAL                  March 1991

                                                          AE-PD07B-TE

 


     BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0                       SPD 33.17.01



     BASEstar library management software provides BASE-star users
     with a mechanism for storing and tracking file development, con-
     trolling access to files, and transferring files to and from
     devices. The BASEstar library system can track a file from its
     development stage through testing and production to the archive
     stage while providing a history of files changes. Through its
     ability to control distribution of files, the BASEstar library
     can prevent an outdated control program from running in produc-
     tion.

     BASEstar offers three distinct interfaces. The BASE-star menu
     interface is used by plant personnel in communicating with plant
     devices, managing device and operator files, and configuring
     manufacturing system elements. The BASEstar command line inter-
     face (CLI) is used by system managers and manufacturing engi-
     neers in configuring the BASEstar environment (such as defining
     users, devices and data points, setting up system security,
     and recording system events in a central log file). BASEstar
     software also offers an application programming interface for
     software developers providing callable services for application
     and device integration.

     BASEstar is licensed as two packages:

     o  BASEstar for VMS is a development license enabling soft-
        ware developers to integrate manufacturing applications and
        devices.

     o  BASEstar Runtime for VMS is a runtime license allowing appli-
        cations and devices integrated with BASEstar software to run
        in a BASEstar environment.

     Features

     Application Integration

     o  Data Management

        BASEstar software's data management capabilities provide a
        common mechanism for defining, organizing, and accessing data

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     BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0                       SPD 33.17.01



        in an integrated-manufacturing environment. This data comes
        from a variety of sources including: plant devices, area,
        plant or work cell applications, and user input.

        BASEstar software defines discrete data elements, called
        "logical points" to manage manufacturing data. These logical
        point definitions reference both single data elements and
        data structures allowing users maximum flexibility in data
        definition and acquisition. When BASEstar software starts,
        each point value is set to an initial value or to its last
        known value. Because BASEstar data is referenced by name,
        applications are independent of data sources and do not
        require alteration when sources of data change.

        BASEstar data management includes: the ability to access and
        change point values and definitions, receive notification of
        point value changes, and obtain point values by performing
        arithmetic or logical operations through BASEstar expression
        processing. Through these capabilities, BASEstar software
        acts as the hub for collecting and distributing current-value
        manufacturing data to integrated manufacturing applications.

        Manufacturing data collected by BASEstar software can be
        formatted to database specifications and exported to an
        Rdb/VMS database for use in data analysis applications such
        as historical trend analysis and statistical quality control.

        In addition, BASEstar data can be exported to other external
        destinations including a database of choice, an application,
        or another computer system. BASE-star technical documentation
        describes how to write a database server to export BASEstar
        data to an external destination.

     o  Event-driven Messaging

        BASEstar event-driven messaging is a controlled and effi-
        cient means of message communication between manufacturing
        applications. BASEstar messaging isolates applications from

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     BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0                       SPD 33.17.01



        networking protocols and communications paths and provides
        a means by which applications can communicate whether they
        reside on a single system or are distributed throughout a
        network.

        BASEstar messaging offers the ability to create, receive
        and send messages between applications synchronously or
        asynchronously. It supports three types of messaging: point-
        to-point messaging, messaging over a circuit between two
        ports, or messaging to a circuit cluster port that forwards
        the message to multiple destinations.

     o  Application Control and Synchronization

        BASEstar application control coordinates the start up and
        shut down of applications within a distributed manufacturing
        system. After BASEstar start up is complete, a site-specific
        startup command file executes to start BASEstar applications.
        BASEstar applications can also be started by sending a mes-
        sage to a server port which is associated with the executable
        image of the application to be started. Applications can also
        be started remotely on any BASE-star system using a BASEstar
        callable service.

        When BASEstar shuts down, it sends a shutdown message to
        all application message ports. Any BASEstar application can
        create a message port to receive this shutdown request and
        proceed with an orderly shut down.

        BASEstar synchronization services give software developers
        a sophisticated mechanism for synchronizing application
        processing in a distributed environment. These services
        also provide a means to synchronize access to user-specified
        resources.





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     BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0                       SPD 33.17.01



     Device Integration

     o  Device Access and Control

        BASEstar for VMS software enables applications to interact
        with plant devices without knowing any of their physical
        characteristics such as location, protocol, or device-
        specific data formats. BASEstar uses device access software
        modules to provide device access and control capabilities
        including:

        -  Allocating devices for exclusive use

        -  Reading data from/writing data to devices by address

        -  Reading data from/writing data to devices by name

        -  Starting/stopping devices and device programs

        -  Selecting device programs for execution

        -  Reading status and diagnostic information from devices

        -  Uploading files or device programs from devices

        -  Downloading files or device programs to devices

        -  Deleting files from devices

        -  Displaying file directories on devices

        -  Deallocating devices

     The implementation of the specific DAS determines which opera-
     tions are available.

     o  Data Collection

        BASEstar software collects data from plant devices upon re-
        quest, at regular pre-defined intervals, or when generated by
        the device. Polling is a means of collecting data by reading
        specified address registers in the memory of a programmable
        device at predefined intervals. Pollsets define the set of
        points from which data is collected.

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        In addition to polling, BASEstar software can also receive
        unsolicited data from plant equipment. The ability to collect
        unsolicited data directly from a device eliminates the pro-
        cessing overhead involved in continuously polling devices to
        receive data.

































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     BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0                       SPD 33.17.01



     o  Device Access Software (DAS)

        Manufacturing devices from various vendors use different
        data protocols and command structures when connecting to a
        computer system. BASE-star uses special modules called device
        access software (DAS) to communicate between BASEstar and
        the device controllers of a particular manufacturer. BASEstar
        software includes DAS modules for RS-232 devices and for
        DECnet and TCP/IP networks.

        BASEstar software now includes two DAS modules. The RS-232
        DAS enables communication with devices having an RS-232
        serial port. The DECnet and TCP/IP DAS enables communication
        with applications and devices through DECnet and TCP/IP
        networking software to integrate applications running on
        an MS-DOS[R] personal computer or on a UNIX[R] system with
        BASEstar device connection management software.

        BASEstar device access software is available for leading
        industrial control devices from many vendors. In addition,
        BASEstar technical documentation explains how to develop DAS
        modules for any plant device.

     Library Management

     The BASEstar library system provides BASEstar users with a
     mechanism for storing and tracking file development, controlling
     access to files, and transferring files to and from devices.

     The BASEstar library system is accessed through the menu inter-
     face and allows users to:

     o  Set library and default directories

     o  Compare, edit, purge, and list the files in a library

     o  Create, delete, and copy directories

     o  Create, delete, and rename files

     o  Transfer library files in and out of the library

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     BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0                       SPD 33.17.01



     o  Assign files into specific groups for manipulation

     o  Upload, download, and compare files between the VAX host and
        a plant device

     The BASEstar library system provides a number of device communi-
     cation features. Using the library, programs can be downloaded
     from the library to a device. Conversely, programs can also be
     uploaded from a device into the BASEstar library system to be
     archived as the latest production version. BASEstar library man-
     agement software can also be used to compare the version of a
     file stored on a programmable device with a version of the file
     stored in the library.

     BASEstar library functions used with plant devices require
     installation of library, device connection management, and
     device access software for each node targeted to perform device
     communication functions. The BASEstar library system supports
     communication with devices on the local node. Files in the
     library system on a node are referenced by the library system
     on that node. Device operations can be transferred to and from
     devices on that node. The BASEstar library system supports a
     maximum of 20 concurrent users and a maximum of 2,500 files,
     each consisting of a single generation.

     Configuration Management

     o  Named Objects

        The BASEstar environment is a collection of named objects
        such as plant devices, users, and data point values (i.e.,
        alarm and status data, production counts, etc.). Manufactur-
        ing applications need access to these resources by functional
        use rather than in a manner that is system-dependent and or-
        ganized by the physical locations of objects. BASE-star named
        objects including logical points, devices, and groups can
        be organized as collections and referenced by application
        programs using BASEstar group services. In addition, objects
        can be defined with local or global scope. Local objects

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     BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0                       SPD 33.17.01



        are known only on the local system. Global objects can be
        referenced by name by any application in a BASEstar domain.


     o  Distributed Capabilities

        BASEstar system objects are defined with a characteristic
        known as "scope" indicating how they can be accessed within
        a BASEstar network. BASEstar objects with a local scope
        are known by name only on systems where they were defined.
        BASEstar objects with a global scope can be accessed by any
        application within a BASEstar domain by referencing the
        object name only. Local objects can also be referenced by
        any application within a BASEstar domain, but can only be
        referenced remotely by specifying the node name along with
        the object name.























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     BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0                       SPD 33.17.01



     o  Security

        BASEstar software offers security through access control
        lists (ACLs) which can be assigned to BASE-star objects such
        as systems, users, devices, and points. VMS identifiers in
        conjunction with ACLs provide a means to grant or deny access
        to an object for a specific user or group of users. BASEstar
        security allows a system manager to provide security only
        where it is needed. Access between BASE-star systems can
        also be restricted where isolation of BASEstar systems is
        required.

     o  Event Logging

        BASEstar event logging provides the ability to centrally
        record BASEstar application, system, and network events such
        as object definitions, point value changes, downloads to
        device memory, as well as errors and other diagnostic infor-
        mation. Events can be logged from an application program, as
        well as the menu menu interface and CLI. In addition, appli-
        cation developers can retrieve the text of an event message
        and use it for system integration and debugging purposes.

     o  System Configuration and Tuning

        BASEstar software uses a system parameter database to size
        memory resident database sections, select performance trade-
        offs, and alter the customizable characteristics of a BASEs-
        tar system. These parameters can be changed using the BASEs-
        tar CLI.

        BASEstar software has command procedure for tuning BASEstar
        systems. When run on a fully-configured VAX host, the proce-
        dure analyzes current VMS resource utilization and provides
        suggested values for SYSGEN and BASEstar parameter settings,
        as well as VMS process quota settings. A system manager can
        use the suggested values as guidelines in setting parameters
        to maximize system resource utilization.

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     BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0                       SPD 33.17.01



     Interfaces

     o  Menu Interface

        BASEstar software has a menu interface for users who need
        to manage BASEstar library files or communicate with plant
        devices. The BASEstar menu interface provides a means for
        integrating the menu systems of various applications into
        one menu hierarchy. Internationalization of the BASEstar menu
        interface is supported through text message utilities used to
        translate BASEstar user messages into local languages.

     o  Command Line Interface (CLI)

        The BASEstar CLI is a DCL-like interface for use by system
        managers, process engineers, and application programmers in
        configuring, managing, and maintaining a BASEstar system.


     o  Application Programming Interface (API)

        BASEstar software's application programming interface allows
        software programmers to create and integrate manufacturing
        applications using BASEstar functions. Through the use of the
        API, BASEstar software can be completely embedded within an
        integrated manufacturing system.

     INSTALLATION

     Digital recommends that a customer's first purchase of this
     software product include Digital Installation Services. These
     services provide for installation of the software product by an
     experienced Digital Software Specialist.

     For subsequent purchases of this product only experienced cus-
     tomers should attempt installation. Digital recommends that all
     other customers purchase Digital's Installation Services.

     Customer Responsibilities

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     BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0                       SPD 33.17.01



     Before installation of the software, the customer must:

     o  Previously have installed all requisite software and hardware
        including terminals.

     o  Make available for a reasonable period of time, as mutually
        agreed by Digital and the customer, all hardware, communi-
        cation facilities and terminals that are to be used during
        installation.

     Delays caused by any failure to meet the responsibilities will
     be charged at the then prevailing rate for time and materials.

     HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

     VAX, MicroVAX, VAXstation, or VAXserver configuration as speci-
     fied in the System Support Addendum (SSA 33.17.01-x).

     SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS*

     For Systems Using Terminals (No DECwindows Interface):

     o  VMS Operating System

     o  VAX FMS is required only if the Menu System will be used. It
        is not required for basic BASEstar operation.

     *  Refer to the System Support Addendum for availability and
        required versions of prerequisite/optional software (SSA
        33.17.01-x).

     ORDERING INFORMATION

     Software Licenses:

     BASEstar for VMS: QL-YU9A*-**
     BASEstar Runtime for VMS: QL-YUAA*-**

     Software Media:

     BASEstar for VMS: QA-YU9AA-**
     BASEstar Runtime for VMS: QA-YUAAA-**

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     BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0                       SPD 33.17.01



     Software Documentation:

     BASEstar for VMS: QA-YU9AA-GZ
     BASEstar for VMS RT: QA-YUAAA-GZ
     System Management: QA-YU9AB-GZ
     General User: QA-YU9AC-GZ
     Programming: QA-YU9AD-GZ

     Software Product Services:

     For VMS: QT-YU9A*-**

     For VMS Runtime: QT-YUAA*-**

     *  Denotes variant fields. For additional information on avail-
        able licenses, services and media refer to the appropriate
        price book.

     SOFTWARE LICENSING

     This software is furnished under the licensing provisions of
     Digital Equipment Corporation's Standard Terms and Conditions.
     For more information about Digital's licensing terms and poli-
     cies, contact your local Digital office.

     LICENSE MANAGEMENT FACILITY SUPPORT

     This layered product supports the VMS License Management Fa-
     cility. License units for this product are allocated on a
     CPU-capacity basis.

     For more information on the License Management Facility, refer
     to the VMS Operating System Software Product Description (SPD
     25.01.xx) or the License Management Facility manual of the VMS
     Operating System documentation set.

     SOFTWARE PRODUCT SERVICES

     A variety of service options are available from Digital. For
     more information, contact your local Digital office.

     SOFTWARE WARRANTY

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     BASEstar for VMS, Version 3.0                       SPD 33.17.01



     Warranty for this software product is provided by Digital with
     the purchase of a license for the product as defined in the
     Software Warranty Addendum of this SPD.

     [R]   MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

     [R]   UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laborato-
           ries, Incorporated.

     [TM]  The DIGITAL Logo, VAX, VAXstation, VAXserver, MicroVAX,
           VMS and BASEstar are trademarks of Digital Equipment
           Corporation.



























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