Function block parameters and fields

A parameter is a named, logical grouping of data, such as SP and PV that exists in a function block. Each element of data within the parameter is referred to as a field. The following table lists common parameter types and shows the valid fields for each of the types. The columns in the table are:

Parameter Type — The data type of the parameter as listed in Control Studio
Valid Fields — The fields that apply to this parameter type
Configurable — Can be set in Control Studio or DeltaV Explorer
Readable — Can be read during runtime
Writeable — Value can be changed during runtime

Table: Valid Fields for Common Parameter Types
Parameter type	Valid fields	Configurable	Readable	Writeable
16-bit signed integer	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
16-bit unsigned integer	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
16-bit unsigned integer matrix (SIS matrix parameters)	COLS	Yes	Yes	No
16-bit unsigned integer matrix (SIS matrix parameters)	ROWS	Yes	Yes	No
32-bit signed integer	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
32-bit unsigned integer w/Status	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
32-bit unsigned integer w/Status	ST	No	Yes	No
32-bit unsigned integer	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
8-bit signed integer	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
8-bit unsigned integer	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
Alarm (fields apply to module-level alarm parameters)	PRI	Yes	Yes	Yes
	ENAB	Yes	Yes	Yes
	INV	Yes	Yes	Yes
	CUALM	No	Yes	Yes
	LAALM	No	Yes	Yes
	NALM	No	Yes	Yes
	OPSUP	No	Yes	Yes
	OOS	No	Yes	Yes
	FUNC	No	Yes	No
	CV	No	Yes	Yes
	SUPRSN	Yes	Yes	Yes
	SUPTMO	Yes	Yes	Yes
	SUPTMR	No	Yes	Yes
Boolean	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
Boolean with status	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
Boolean with status	ST	No	Yes	No
DC state mask	PASSIN	Yes	Yes	Yes
	PASSOUT	Yes	Yes	Yes
	ACT1IN	Yes	Yes	Yes
	ACT1OUT	Yes	Yes	Yes
	ACT2IN	Yes	Yes	Yes
	ACT2OUT	Yes	Yes	Yes
Discrete with status	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
Discrete with status	ST	No	Yes	No
Dynamic Reference	$REF	No	Yes	Yes
	AWST	No	Yes	No
	CST	No	Yes	No
	ST	No	Yes	No
EDC State Mask	STATEIN0	Yes	Yes	Yes
	STATEOUT0	Yes	Yes	Yes
	STATEIN1	Yes	Yes	Yes
	STATEOUT1	Yes	Yes	Yes
	STATEIN2	Yes	Yes	Yes
	STATEOUT2	Yes	Yes	Yes
	STATEIN3	Yes	Yes	Yes
	STATEOUT3	Yes	Yes	Yes
	STATEIN4	Yes	Yes	Yes
	STATEOUT4	Yes	Yes	Yes
	STATEIN5	Yes	Yes	Yes
	STATEOUT5	Yes	Yes	Yes
External Reference	$REF	Yes	Yes	No
	AWST	No	Yes	No
	CST	No	Yes	No
	ST	No	Yes	No
Floating point	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
Floating point array	COLS	Yes	Yes	No
	ROWS	Yes	Yes	No
	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
Floating point with status	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
Floating point with status	ST	No	Yes	No
Internal Reference	$REF	Yes	Yes	No
	AWST	No	Yes	No
	CST	No	Yes	No
	ST	No	Yes	No
Mode	TARGET	Yes	Yes	Yes
	ACTUAL	Yes	Yes	No
	NORMAL	Yes	Yes	No
	PERMITTED	Yes	Yes	No
	ISAN	No	Yes	No
	ISTN	No	Yes	No
Named Set	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
	CVI	No	Yes	No
	SET	Yes	Yes	No
	CVS	No	Yes	Yes
	OPSEL	Yes	Yes	No
Option bitstring	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes
Scaling	EU100	Yes	Yes	Yes
	EU0	Yes	Yes	Yes
	UNITS	Yes	Yes	No
	DECPT	Yes	Yes	Yes
Simulate discrete	ENABLE	Yes	Yes	Yes
	SSTATUS	No	Yes	Yes
	SVALUE	Yes	Yes	Yes
	FSTATUS	No	Yes	No
	FVALUE	No	Yes	No
Simulate floating point	ENABLE	Yes	Yes	Yes
	SSTATUS	No	Yes	Yes
	SVALUE	Yes	Yes	Yes
	FSTATUS	No	Yes	No
	FVALUE	No	Yes	No
String	CV	Yes	Yes	Yes

The following table describes each of the fields.

Table: Field Descriptions
Field	Description
$REF	The referenced path of an external or dynamic reference parameter
ACT1IN	The mask for Active 1 Inputs
ACT1OUT	The mask for Active 1 Outputs
ACT2IN	The mask for Active 2 Inputs
ACT2OUT	The mask for Active 2 Outputs
ACTUAL	The current operating mode of the block
AWST	Asynchronous Write Status for a referenced parameter: -4 means 'write rejected' -3 means 'external reference not resolved' -2 means 'parameter not configured' -1 means 'module not configured' 0 means 'success' 1 means 'not communicating' 2 means 'write pending'
COLS	Number of columns in the array or matrix
CST	Connection Status for a referenced parameter: -3 means 'external reference not resolved' -2 means 'parameter not configured' -1 means 'module not configured' 0 means 'good' 1 means 'not communicating'
CUALM	Current alarm state
CV	Current value
CVI	Current value in integer format
CVS	The current value of a named set parameter as a string
DECPT	The number of decimal places to show in the interface
ENAB	Enable the alarm
ENABLE	Enable simulation
EU0	Engineering unit value as 0% of scale
EU100	Engineering unit value as 100% of scale
FSTATUS	Displays the actual discrete channel status when in online mode
FUNC	Alarm functional classification
FVALUE	Field value
INV	Invert alarm input
ISAN	Is actual mode the same as normal mode? (Accessible from workstation at runtime only.)
ISTN	Is target mode the same as normal mode? (Accessible from workstation at runtime only.)
LAALM	Latched alarm state (active until acknowledged)
NALM	New alarm (used for block on new alarm)
NORMAL	The correct mode for most cases of plant operation
OOS	Alarm is out of service
OPSEL	Comma delimited string of the operator selectable states of a named set parameter. (Accessible from workstation at runtime only.)
OPSUP	Shelves the alarm.
PASSIN	The mask for Passive Inputs
PASSOUT	The mask for Passive Outputs
PERMITTED	Those modes allowed as target modes. Permitted modes are configurable for each instance of each block.
PRI	Alarm priority
ROWS	Number of rows in the array or matrix.
SET	The set associated to the parameter
SSTATUS	Simulated status (user entered). When simulation is disabled, SSTATUS tracks FSTATUS
ST	The value of the ST field of the referenced parameter. Use this field to copy the ST value from the dynamically referenced field to a local parameter's ST field for use in subsequent ST sensitive calculations.
STATEINn	The mask for State n Inputs
STATEOUTn	The mask for State n Outputs
SUPRSN	The alarm suppression reason
SUPTMO	Alarm shelving timeout
SUPTMR	Alarm shelving timer
SVALUE	Simulated value (user entered). When simulation is disabled, SVALUE tracks FVALUE
TARGET	The mode that is set by an operator or by another function during operation
UNITS	Engineering Units. This is a string in the workstation and a 16-bit unsigned integer in the controller