How to Work with Processes > Working with the Host Services Processes Group

Process Purpose

The "Open Bridge Command" process is used to create a customized bridge to enable sending and receiving data from a host.

You can send/receive up to 80 parameters/values in one single command.

When you add a process, you are required to define its settings. This occurs in the process's properties window which is displayed automatically after having added the "Open Bridge Command" process. In this case, the properties window includes three tabs - "General", "Send" and "Receive".

If any subsequent edition is required, double-click the process to open its properties window and enter the necessary modifications.

"General" tab

Fill in the following options:

Host
Host Name	Select a host profile from the drop-down OR click to create a new host profile or edit an existing one. See To Create a Host Profile OR To Edit a Host Profile OR The <Default> Host Profile.
Bridge
Bridge Name	Enter the bridge name OR click and select a variable with that value. See Variable Usage.
Method	Enter the method OR click and select a variable with that value.
If Communication Error
Go to	Select a target location from the drop-down or list, in case a "Communication Error" occurs. See Detail of a window below. When defining a screen as a target destination (ex: via a “Go to” process), you CANNOT use variables to specify the name of that target screen. You must select the intended screen from the available drop-down/list.

Detail of a window:

"S:Menu" is a screen included in the same program as the process.

"R:Routine_1" is a routine included in the same program as the process.

Continue to the "Send" tab.

"Send" tab

Proceed as follows:

Send Data to Bridge
Param Name column	Enter the parameter name OR click and select a variable with that value. See Variable Usage.
Data Value column	Enter the data value OR click and select a variable with that value.
Send File(s) to Bridge
Param Name column	Enter the parameter name OR click and select a variable with that value.
File Name column	Select the data file name from the drop down.

Use the editing icons to the right of the table to move the rows up and down and to delete or add more rows.

Click the "Receive" tab to continue.

"Receive" tab

Fill in the following options:

Receive Data from Bridge
Param Name column	Enter the parameter name name OR click and select a variable with that value. See Variable Usage.
Data Value column	Click to select the variable that receives the data value. See To Select/Create a Variable.
Receive File(s) to Bridge
Param Name column	Enter the parameter name name OR click and select a variable with that value.
File Name column	Select the data file name from the drop down.

Use the editing icons to the right of the table to move the rows up and down and to delete or add more rows.

Use the following recurring icons (located on the upper right corner of the properties window) to execute specific operations:

•Click to define a time out. See Time Out.

•Click to attach any relevant notes to this process. Click it and enter your notes in the resulting text box. These notes will be displayed in the corresponding "Actions" tab or "Process" window (in the "Notes" field) and in the "Developer Report".

After filling in the required options, click to conclude or to abort the operation.

The added process is displayed in the corresponding "Actions" tab or "Process" window.

You can use relative paths to refer the file(s) you want to use in your project. See Working with Aliases.

If you want to use a label as a target destination, you can use the "Auto-Label" mechanism. This alternative to the "Set Label" process allows you to create a label in the properties window of a process - specifically, in the fields used to define target destinations (ex: the "If Error..." type fields). See To Automatically Create a Label.

Use the right-click in MCL-Designer's input boxes to access some related options as well as the general "Cut", "Copy"; "Paste"; "Search" actions (active/inactive according to the current context).

Ex: If you right-click the "Variable" input box (included in a "Conversion's" properties window), you are provided with general editing/search actions and other more specific options such as "Variable Select" (see "Variable Select"); "Variable Insert" (see "Variable Insert"); "Insert Special Character" (see To Insert Special Characters into a Control's Text Input Field) and "Localization Select" (see Localization List).

If you right-click another input box, it may provide other possibilities.