SupportsDFPROFIII,DFPROFI,DFPROFIIIandFNL TheFDT-FieldDeviceToolisacommunicationtechniqueonthebasisofXMLandMicrosoftCOMforthemanufacturer-independentconfigurationofprocessingsystemsatthefieldbus.FDTwasspecifiedbythePNO(PROFIBUSUserOrganisation)andin2002officiallyhandedovertotheZVEI(UmbrellaOrganisationforElectro-TechnicalIndustry). FDTconsistsinprincipleofaFrameApplicationandvariousDTMs(DeviceTypeManager),whichareloadablewithinthisframeapplication.TheDTMsencompassallslave-specificfunctionsfortheconfigurationofaslaveandcanberunduringtheframeapplication.Asidefromtheslave-specificDTMsthereexistchannelorcommunicationDTMs,whichservetocontrolf.ex.Profibus-MasterModules,Hart-GatewaysorEthernetcomponents. ThesecommunicationDTMscaneitheralreadymakepartoftheFrameApplicationortheycanbeintergratedintoeachFrameapplicationjustasslave-specificDTMs.Thus,everysystemmanufacturerormanufacturerofcommunicationsystemcomponentsisabletodevelopaDTMspecificallysuitedforhissystem,whichisloadableintheFrameApplication. Theenduserconsequentlyreceivesacompleteengineeringtoolforthesystemconfiguration,consistingofstandardsoftwareandhardwarecomponents,withouttheuseofsystemormanufacturer-specificconfigurationsoftware.FortheimplementationofitsPROFIBUSmasterproducts(DFPROFI,DFPROFIPCIundFNL)inaFDT1.2compatibleFrameApplicationCOMSOFTthusoffersacommunicationDTM,whichsupportsDPMasterclass2inconnectionwithDP/V1services. Asaresult,thestand-aloneFrameapplicationPACTWAREbyPactwareAssoc.andFNL,f.ex.,canbeeasilycombinedintoanetwork-capableengineeringstation,suchasfortheintegrationofcomplexProfibusPAEquipment.