Clipsal C-Gate Server Docker Container

The Clipsal C-Gate Server is a powerful utility designed to interface with the Clipsal PLC system, connecting via either serial or network connections. This repository provides a Dockerized version of the C-Gate Server, enabling convenient deployment and management of the server within a containerized environment. The C-Gate Server acts as a bridge between the Clipsal PLC system and other devices, facilitating seamless communication.

Purpose

The primary purpose of this project is to encapsulate the Clipsal C-Gate Server within a Docker container, allowing users to deploy the server effortlessly on various platforms. By leveraging Docker's isolation and management capabilities, this solution simplifies the installation and usage of the C-Gate Server, making it an ideal choice for users looking to connect and interact with the Clipsal PLC system.

Features

• Flexible Connectivity: The C-Gate Server offers support for both serial and network connections, providing a versatile interface to the Clipsal PLC system.
• Dockerized Deployment: The provided Dockerfile enables the creation of a containerized instance of the C-Gate Server, making setup and configuration straightforward.
• Customizable Configuration: The container supports customization through configuration files, allowing users to tailor the server's behavior to their specific needs.

Usage

To utilize the Dockerized cgate-server container, follow these steps:

1. Build the Docker Image:

   docker build -t cgate-server .

The container supports the following parameters

Parameter	Function
-p 20023	CGate Command port
-p 20024	CGate Event port
-p 20025	CGate Load Change port
-p 20026	CGate Config Change port
-p 20123	CGate Secure Command port
-v :/config	CGate config directory (access.txt goes here)
-v :/tag	CGate tag directory (XML project files go here)
-v :/logs	CGate logs directory

Docker

Start the container directly with the following example

docker create \
  --name=cgate-server \
  -p 20023:20023 \
  -p 20024:20024 \
  -p 20025:20025 \
  -p 20026:20026 \
  -p 20123:20123 \
  -v <path-to-config-dir>:/config \
  -v <path-to-tag-dir>:/tag \
  -v <path-to-logs-dir>:/logs \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  steppinghat/cgate-server

Docker Compose:**

Create a Docker Compose file (docker-compose.yml):

version: '3.8'

x-disabled:

services:

 # CNI Serial port (RS232 to USB) to TCP 10001
 ser2sock:
   hostname: "ser2sock"
   image: ghcr.io/damianflynn/ser2sock:latest
   container_name: ser2sock
   restart: unless-stopped
   networks:
     - proxy
   ports:
       - 10001:10001
   environment:
     - "SERIAL_DEVICE=/dev/ttyUSB0"
   volumes:
     - /dev/ttyUSB0:/dev/ttyUSB0
   devices:
     - /dev/serial/by-id/usb-Prolific_Technology_Inc._USB-Serial_Controller_D-if00-port0:/dev/ttyUSB0
   privileged: true

 # Clipsal C-Bus C-Gate Server
 cgate-server:
   hostname: "cgate-server"
   image: ghcr.io/damianflynn/cgate-server:latest
   container_name: cgate-server
   depends_on:
     - ser2sock
   networks:
     - proxy
   ports:
       - 20023:20023
       - 20024:20024
       - 20025:20025
       - 20026:20026
       - 20123:20123
   volumes:
       - /opt/appdata/cbus/config:/config
       - /opt/appdata/cbus/tags:/tag
       - /opt/appdata/cbus/logs:/logs
   restart: unless-stopped


networks:
 proxy:
   driver: bridge
   external: true

Run the Docker Compose:

docker-compose up -d

Accessing the C-Gate Server:**

Once the container is running, you can access the Clipsal C-Gate Server via the defined ports (e.g., 20023, 20024, etc.). The server will act as an intermediary, managing communication between the Clipsal PLC system and external devices.

Configuration and Persistence

The C-Gate Server configuration and associated data are persisted using Docker volumes. Customize your server's behavior by modifying the configuration files found in the /opt/appdata/cbus/config volume on your host.

Toolkit Project

Easy installation can be achieved if you already have the XML version of the C-Bus Toolkit project file. Place this file in the /tag directory; In my example the location on storage is /opt/appdata/cbus/tags

    volumes:
        - /opt/appdata/cbus/tags:/tag

C-Gate Access Control file

Access to the server is governed by a file named access.txt If this file does not already exist, create it in your mapped/config folder, as you defined in your docker configuration. In my example the location on storage is /opt/appdata/cbus/config

    volumes:
        - /opt/appdata/cbus/config:/config

Edit the file, for example using vi or nano; similar to the following nano /opt/appdata/cbus/config/access.txt. At the end of the file add a line remote IPADDRESS program replacing IPADDRESS with the source you wish to allow. Then save the file when you have added all the addresses you require.

##C-Gate Server Access Control File
## This file was written automatically by the server.
## Created:Sat Aug 05 01:45:38 GMT 2023
## File name: /usr/local/bin/cgate/config/access.txt
 
interface 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 Program
interface localhost Program
interface 127.0.0.1 Program
 
remote 127.0.0.1 Program
remote 172.18.0.1 Program
remote 172.16.100.10 Program

In my example the final line is my windows machine which runs C-Bus toolkit when i need to work on the system

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues, ensure that your configuration settings and Docker Compose file match your specific hardware setup and requirements.

Conclusion

By containerizing the Clipsal C-Gate Server using Docker, this project empowers users to effortlessly deploy, manage, and utilize the server for seamless communication with the Clipsal PLC system. This containerized approach enhances flexibility and simplifies deployment, enabling users to connect to the Clipsal system with ease and efficiency.