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Devices

Connect a device, set its identifier, and read its status.

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.

Connect a device

To connect a device, click (Connect device) in the devices toolbar, or run the “Connect device” command. Then select the integration and follow its setup page:

Integration Next step
OPC UA, Modbus, HTTP Enter the address or serial port of the server. Select a Driver in Connect from.
NI, LabJack, EtherCAT The Driver finds the hardware. Click Configure, then enter a name and an identifier.

You can also start from two other places:

  • Notification -> when the Driver finds new hardware, the Console shows “New <model> connected”. Click Configure.
  • Task form -> each device select ends with an item such as Connect NI hardware. The device that you connect becomes the selected device.

If the dialog shows “No running Driver has Modbus enabled”, start a Driver that supports the integration. If your hardware does not show, see Troubleshoot hardware.

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.

Driver What it is
Node 1 Embedded Driver The Driver in Synnax Desktop or in a Synnax Core
Node 1 Runs Arc automations and PagerDuty alert tasks inside the Core
The name of a computer A standalone Driver on that computer

Statuses

Hover over a status dot to see its message.

Message Shown on Meaning
Driver is running Driver The Driver is connected to the Core.
Driver not running Driver The Core has not heard from the Driver for a few seconds.
Device present NI and LabJack devices The Driver found the device.
Device connected Modbus and HTTP devices The Driver reached the server.
Server connected OPC UA devices The Driver reached the server.
Failed to reach device, Failed to reach server Modbus, OPC UA, and HTTP devices The Driver cannot connect to the server.
Health check failed HTTP devices The server answered, but the health check failed.
Discovered (<n> inputs, <m> outputs) EtherCAT devices The Driver found the module on the network.
Failed to discover PDOs EtherCAT devices The Driver found the module, but not its PDOs.
Device disabled, Device enabled EtherCAT devices You turned the module off or on for tasks.
Device disconnected Found devices The Driver no longer finds the device.
Device status unknown Any device The device has no status yet.

To fix a warning or an error, see Troubleshoot hardware.

Device menu

Right-click a device in the devices toolbar to open its menu.

Item What it does
Rename Changes the device name.
Configure Names a new NI, LabJack, or EtherCAT device and sets its identifier.
Change identifier Changes the identifier of a configured NI, LabJack, or EtherCAT device.
Edit connection Changes the address and settings of a Modbus, OPC UA, or HTTP server.
Disable, Enable Turns an EtherCAT module off or on for tasks.
Create read task, Create write task Creates a task for the device. NI devices have one item for each NI task type.
Copy properties Copies the device properties to the clipboard as JSON.
Delete Removes the device. The Driver adds found hardware back as a new device at its next scan.

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.

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