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Data Sources

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Summary

This article explains how to configure TRBOnet Data Sources to receive text data from external devices (fire alarm panels, PLC controllers, RF readers, sensors, etc.) over RS-232 (COM port) or TCP/IP. It includes step-by-step examples for both connection types and shows how to use Event/Alarm management rules to process incoming data.

Go to: Server Configurator → Data Sources

With an Alarm Management license, you can use this data to trigger events or forward it to Dispatchers and Radio subscribers.

COM Ports

Allows configuring incoming data connection over RS-232.

COM ports option example

1. In this example the device is connected as COM2 with default settings.

COM2 connection settings

2. Parameters "Protocol", "Text Encoding" and "Message delimiter" should be configured according to the incoming message settings. In this example "ASCII" with delimiter LINE FEED 0x0A(\n) is used.

Protocol and delimiter settings

3. In TRBOnet Dispatch Console → Administration → Event/Alarm Management, Source tab, add a new rule. Choose Event as COM port, choose Connection configured in TRBOnet Server Configurator (example: COM2). If the "Regular expression" field is empty, any incoming data triggers the rule. If you want to configure a specific expression to trigger the rule or use variables, fill in the field accordingly.

Information on Regular expressions syntax can be found on various Internet resources, such as:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_expression
https://regex101.com/
Event/Alarm management rule setup

4. In Action tab, configure what output the incoming data should have. In this example, the incoming data will be shown as a Dispatcher notification.

Action tab configuration

5. After rule activation, if the device sent text data "Hello World" it will trigger the rule and display a Dispatcher notification.

Dispatcher notification example

TCP/IP

Allows configuring incoming data connection over TCP/IP.

TCP/IP option example

1. In this example the device is connected over TCP/IP in "Client" mode (App connects to TRBOnet) over port 11002. Setting "Ignore the following data" allows ignoring specific data from the incoming message.

TCP/IP connection settings

2. In TRBOnet Dispatch Console → Administration → Event/Alarm Management, Source tab, add a new rule. Choose Event as External Network Connection, choose Connection configured in TRBOnet Server Configurator (example: TCP/IP). If the "Regular expression" field is empty, any incoming data triggers the rule. If you want to configure a specific expression to trigger the rule or use variables, fill in the field accordingly.

Information on Regular expressions syntax can be found on various Internet resources, such as:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_expression
https://regex101.com/
TCP/IP rule setup

3. In Action tab, configure what output the incoming data should have. In this example, the incoming data will be shown as a Dispatcher notification.

TCP/IP action configuration

4. After rule activation, if the device sent text data "Hello World" it will trigger the rule and display a Dispatcher notification.

TCP/IP dispatcher notification

Tools for Emulation

In the examples above, the following software was used to emulate COM and TCP/IP data:

• COM Port Data Emulator (freeware) from AGG Software — to send data over COM port and TCP/IP (Manual)
• Virtual Null Modem (trial version) from AGG Software — to emulate COM port connection (Manual)

Data Sources

Summary

This article explains how to configure TRBOnet Data Sources to receive text data from external devices (fire alarm panels, PLC controllers, RF readers, sensors, etc.) over RS-232 (COM port) or TCP/IP. It includes step-by-step examples for both connection types and shows how to use Event/Alarm management rules to process incoming data.

Go to: Server Configurator → Data Sources

With an Alarm Management license, you can use this data to trigger events or forward it to Dispatchers and Radio subscribers.

COM Ports

Allows configuring incoming data connection over RS-232.

COM ports option example

1. In this example the device is connected as COM2 with default settings.

COM2 connection settings

2. Parameters "Protocol", "Text Encoding" and "Message delimiter" should be configured according to the incoming message settings. In this example "ASCII" with delimiter LINE FEED 0x0A(\n) is used.

Protocol and delimiter settings

3. In TRBOnet Dispatch Console → Administration → Event/Alarm Management, Source tab, add a new rule. Choose Event as COM port, choose Connection configured in TRBOnet Server Configurator (example: COM2). If the "Regular expression" field is empty, any incoming data triggers the rule. If you want to configure a specific expression to trigger the rule or use variables, fill in the field accordingly.

Information on Regular expressions syntax can be found on various Internet resources, such as:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_expression
https://regex101.com/
Event/Alarm management rule setup

4. In Action tab, configure what output the incoming data should have. In this example, the incoming data will be shown as a Dispatcher notification.

Action tab configuration

5. After rule activation, if the device sent text data "Hello World" it will trigger the rule and display a Dispatcher notification.

Dispatcher notification example

TCP/IP

Allows configuring incoming data connection over TCP/IP.

TCP/IP option example

1. In this example the device is connected over TCP/IP in "Client" mode (App connects to TRBOnet) over port 11002. Setting "Ignore the following data" allows ignoring specific data from the incoming message.

TCP/IP connection settings

2. In TRBOnet Dispatch Console → Administration → Event/Alarm Management, Source tab, add a new rule. Choose Event as External Network Connection, choose Connection configured in TRBOnet Server Configurator (example: TCP/IP). If the "Regular expression" field is empty, any incoming data triggers the rule. If you want to configure a specific expression to trigger the rule or use variables, fill in the field accordingly.

Information on Regular expressions syntax can be found on various Internet resources, such as:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_expression
https://regex101.com/
TCP/IP rule setup

3. In Action tab, configure what output the incoming data should have. In this example, the incoming data will be shown as a Dispatcher notification.

TCP/IP action configuration

4. After rule activation, if the device sent text data "Hello World" it will trigger the rule and display a Dispatcher notification.

TCP/IP dispatcher notification

Tools for Emulation

In the examples above, the following software was used to emulate COM and TCP/IP data:

• COM Port Data Emulator (freeware) from AGG Software — to send data over COM port and TCP/IP (Manual)
• Virtual Null Modem (trial version) from AGG Software — to emulate COM port connection (Manual)

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