Router

A Router module receives data from any source - that is any input connection - and distributes it to any target (any output connection). The Router functionality lets you distribute unknown data. You do not have to provide the information on the type of data to the receiving module before it can work. Using this feature, expensive external routing may become obsolete.

While GNSS Receiver modules provide the incoming receiver data to other internal Trimble 4D Control Server modules, such as the Synchronizer, you may want to pass on the data also to an external user or application. In this case, also use the Router module. It duplicates any data to any other communication line.

The communication line can be configured as unidirectional (passive) or as bi-directional (active) line.

Adding the Router module

Trimble 4D Control Server accepts an arbitrary number of Router modules. The Router module is available at several locations in the Trimble 4D Control Server system.

• Added below the Router Manager module, it receives data from any input connection.
• Under modules with existing incoming connections, such as the GNSS Receiver modules, the NMEA Receiver modules, or other Router modules, it splits the information. While the internal communication with other modules is not touched, you can use the Router module to output this data to an arbitrary target.

Since Router module configurations do not need unique settings other than the port(s) the module uses for connections, you can add the same configuration under multiple parent modules. In this case, one must set up the module to use dynamic port numbering.

Note - If you move a Router module to another computer in your system, it keeps its settings including the specified ports. That means, that it uses the same ports at the target computer. For example, a TCP/IP Client at port 12345 at PC1 will, after the Router being moved, operate at port 12345 at PC2. Use the connection-related tab of the module view to see the host name of the computer the module is currently running on.

Adding modules under the Router

The following modules are available under the Router module:

• Raw Storage
• Router - In this case, the Router module acts as a data splitter: It distributes the data received by its parent Router module to a different target. For a Router module added below a Router, you need not to specify the connection for the incoming data.

Settings, status, and module view

When the module is being added, the Router Properties dialog appears. It lets you define and select Router configurations. Each configuration holds the connection settings for incoming (if needed) and outgoing data. You also may remove a configuration from here, if you do not need it anymore.

Use the Tree view to see the module status. The module icon indicates the different connection states of the incoming and the outgoing sides of the Router connection line.

The module displays the Incoming, Outgoing and Backup Connection module-view pages if operating as stand-alone module. It just displays the Outgoing module-view page if it is loaded under another module.

Establishing and starting a backup connection

To make sure that the communication with your external data source, such as a reference station receiver, is working even after a breakdown of the main (primary) communication link, you can set up modules receiving data (such as GNSS Receiver, Router) for the use of a second hardware or software connection, the backup connection.

Alarming

With alarming activated, the Router module triggers alarms, if the following happens for any connection type, with the exception of serial connections or TCP/IP connections in multicast mode:

• Backup connection lost
• Incoming connection lost
• Outgoing connection lost
• Switched to backup connection

Logging into the database

All connection events are logged into the central database. The database contains the following tables, which can be filled in by several modules types: