# Set up OPC communications

FactoryTalk View Studio is an OPC client. Its function is to communicate with an OPC server. The default OPC server installed with FactoryTalk View Studio is FactoryTalk Linx. FactoryTalk Linx is a communication server built around FactoryTalk technology, to assist in developing and running your FactoryTalk View Machine Edition applications. It is an OPC 2.05 compliant server and will run on multiple platforms, ranging from PanelView Plus dedicated terminals to desktop computers.

However, you can use third-party OPC servers to communicate with your application's data sources. Most OPC servers are capable of communicating with a variety of devices over a variety of networks using a variety of protocols.

You can communicate with Allen-Bradley controllers and certain non-Allen-Bradley devices that are connected to an OPC server. OPC servers for applications running on PanelView Plus 7, PanelView Plus 6, PanelView Plus, PanelView Plus Compact, or PanelView Plus CE terminals must be on the run-time computer. OPC servers for applications running on Windows 7 SP1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2016 operating systems can be local or remote.

## To set up OPC communication

1. Set up an OPC data server, specifying the OPC server name (ProgID), host computer name (if the server is remote), your name for the server and, optionally, a description.
2. Configure a driver in the OPC server software. The terminology and precise procedure may differ from one OPC server to another, but what you are doing is configuring a connection between the server and specific data items in a device. The type of driver you select is dependent on the type of network the devices are linked to.
3. Define a network path between the OPC server and each device you want to use as a data source. Different OPC servers use different terms for this path. In RSLinx 2.x, an alias (a name) that defines a network path from an OPC server to a device is called an OPC topic. In FactoryTalk Linx, the path is called a device shortcut. Other third party servers use other terms. If the server has been correctly installed, it will be able to serve up data items that you can connect to through the Tag Browser.
4. In the tag database, define device tags.
5. In the Address box of the Tags editor, specify the OPC item that will provide values for the tag.

   Tip: | Please refer to your server documentation for information on deploying OPC servers on a PanelView Plus 7, PanelView Plus 6, PanelView Plus, or PanelView Plus CE terminal.

## See also

Communicate with programmable logic controllers

Add a data server to an application

OPC Data server properties (General tab)

OPC Data server properties (Advanced tab)

Keywords: communicate