Echelon IzoT NodeBuilder - Manual (Page 28)

When a functional block is created from a functional profile, the application designer can determine
which of the optional configuration properties and network variables to implement.
Hardware Templates
A hardware template is a file with a .NbHwt extension that defines the hardware configuration for a
device. It specifies hardware attributes that include the transceiver type, Neuron Chip or Smart
Transceiver model, clock speed, system image, and memory configuration. Several hardware
templates are included with the IzoT NodeBuilder tool. You can use these or create your own.
Third-party development platform suppliers may also include hardware templates for their platforms.
Neuron C
Neuron C is a programming language, based on ANSI C, used to develop applications for devices that
use a Neuron Chip or Smart Transceiver as the application processor. Neuron C includes extensions
for network communication, device configuration, hardware I/O, and event-driven scheduling.
Device Templates
A device template defines a device type. The IzoT NodeBuilder tool uses two types of device
templates. The first is a NodeBuilder device template. The NodeBuilder device template is a file with
a .NbDt extension that specifies the information required for the IzoT NodeBuilder tool to build the
application for a device. It contains a list of the application Neuron C source files, device-related
preferences, and the hardware template name. When the application is built, the IzoT NodeBuilder
tool automatically produces an IzoT device template and passes it to the IzoT Commissioning Tool and
other network tools. The IzoT device template defines the device interface, and it is used by the IzoT
Commissioning Tool and other network tools to configure and bind the device.
Device Interface Files
A device interface file (also known as an XIF file or an external interface file) is a file that specifies the
interface of a device. It includes a list of all the functional blocks, network variables, configuration
properties, and configuration property default values defined by the device’s application. IzoT tools
such as the IzoT Commissioning Tool use device interface files to create an IzoT device template.
This enables the network tool to be used to create network designs without being connected to the
physical devices, and it speeds up some configuration steps when the network tool is connected to the
physical device. A text device interface file with a .XIF extension is required by the LonMark
Application Layer Interoperability Guidelines. A text device interface file is automatically produced
by the IzoT NodeBuilder tool when you build an application. The IzoT NodeBuilder tool also
automatically creates binary (.XFB extension) and optimized-binary (.XFO extension) versions of the
device interface file that speed the import process for IzoT tools such as the IzoT Commissioning Tool.
Resource Files
Resource files define network variable types, configuration property types, and functional profiles.
Resource files for standard types and profiles are distributed by L
ON M ARK International. The standard
resource files define standard network variable types (SNVTs), standard configuration property types
(SCPTs), and standard functional profiles. For example, SCPT_location is a standard configuration
property type for configuration properties containing the device location as a text string, and
SNVT_temp_f is a network variable type for network variables containing temperature as a
floating-point number. The standard network variable and configuration property types are defined at
types.lonmark.org .
As new SNVTs and SCPTs are defined, updated resource files and documentation are posted to the
L
ON M ARK Web site. Standard functional profiles are included with the IzoT NodeBuilder tool, and
their documentation is also available on the L ON M ARK Web site. To view and download the latest
resource files and documentation, go to the L ON M ARK Web site at www.lonmark.org .
14 Introduction