Echelon Neuron C - Manual (Page 15)

Neuron C Programmer’s Guide 3
• fb_properties
• nv_properties
• device_properties
• cp
• cp_family
You can still manually create the self-documentation strings, if necessary, by
avoiding the use of any of these keywords and by declaring the self-
documentation strings using the Neuron C version 1 syntax. Using this syntax
could be useful for migrating older applications (created with the NodeBuilder 1.5
or LonBuilder tools) to the NodeBuilder FX Development Tool. Applications that
do not use these keywords still get the benefit of access to resource definitions
contained within resource files.
Unique Aspects of Neuron C
Neuron C implements all of the basic ANSI C types, and type conversions as
necessary. In addition to the ANSI C data constructs, Neuron C provides some
unique data elements.
Network variables are fundamental to Neuron C and
L ON W ORKS applications. Network variables are data constructs that have
language and system firmware support to provide something that looks like a
variable in a C program, but has additional properties for propagating across a
L
ON
W
ORKS
network to or from one or more other devices on that network. The
network variables make up part of the device interface for a L ON W ORKS device.
Configuration properties are Neuron C data constructs that are another part of
the device interface. Configuration properties allow the device’s behavior to be
customized using a network tool such as the LonMaker tool or a customized plug-
in created for the device.
Neuron C also provides a way to organize the network variables and
configuration properties in the device into
functional blocks , each of which
provides a collection of network variables and configuration properties, that are
used together to perform one task. These network variables and configuration
properties are called the functional block members .
Each network variable, configuration property, and functional block is defined by
a type definition contained in a
resource file . Network variables and
configuration properties are defined by network variable types (NVTs) and
configuration property types (CPTs). Functional blocks are defined by functional
profiles (which are also called functional profile templates ).
Network variables, configuration properties, and functional blocks in Neuron C
can use standardized, interoperable types . The use of standardized data types
promotes the interconnection of disparate devices on a L ON W ORKS network. For
configuration properties, the standard types are called standard configuration
property types (SCPTs; pronounced skip-its ). For network variables, the
standard types are called standard network variable types (SNVTs; pronounced
snivets ). For functional blocks, the standard types are called standard functional
profiles. If you cannot find standard types or profiles that meet your
requirements, Neuron C also provides full support for user network variable
types (UNVTs; pronounced u-nivets ), user configuration property types (UCPTs;
pronounced u-keep-its ), and user functional profiles.