The system makes a call to the device to discover its BACnet objects. This request returns the device’s object list. Each object appears as a virtual object (slot) under the gateway.

The screen capture shows BACnet virtual gateway functions as a BACnet object list. The gateway lists the virtual objects by object ID, that is, <objectType>_<instanceNumber>, for example analogInput_2 or trendLog_1.

Each property is a child of the virtual device.

Properties of a BacnetVirtualObject are BacnetVirtualProperty components.

Each BacnetVirtualProperty has two properties: Status and Value. Status reflects poll status, but does not reflect any intrinsic BACnet status (such as alarm). Initially, status changes from stale to ok upon the first polled read, and typically remains ok. Status could possibly change to either stale or down in certain scenarios.

By default, Value automatically includes the object’s units abbreviation, state_text, and so on.

Each BacnetVirtualProperty also has a set action for right-click access. This allows you to easily do one time configuration tweaks from the Workbench Property Sheet of the virtual property—providing that the remote BACnet device permits writes. This write action exists for every property of the BACnet object, even read-only and status properties. This action is also available on a Px widget bound to any BacnetVirtualProperty.

A virtual property view opens.

Each BacnetVirtualProperty has a default Bacnet Virtual Property View that shows both value and status. Although it is not an exciting view, it is an option when creating Px bindings and selecting Workbench views, and it also provides a quick preview outside of the Px editor.