Configuring the AlarmWorX Logger

When you installed GENESIS64, you created a default database for use with the AlarmWorX64 Logger. If you need to use a different database or alter the parameters of the existing database, refer to the AlarmWorX64 Server's Database Configurations topic.

 

To configure the AlarmWorX64 Logger, follow the steps below.

Alarm Log Configuration Form

In AlarmWorX64 Logger, the Configurations node manages the overall details of the logging session. You set the data source that supplies alarm events in the Alarm Subscription section of the form. Alarm events are generated by different types of alarm servers, as well as by the GenEvent server. Unless you set a filter, all of the alarms appear in the log. Use the filter to control the data set, choose particular classes and categories of alarms, and make the data set smaller, more selective, and more manageable.

 

To Create an Alarm Configuration:

  1. From the Workbench, expand your Project in the Tree Explorer, then expand Alarms and Notifications. You'll see the AlarmWorX64 Logger provider.

AlarmWorX64 Logger in the Workbench

  1. Expand the AlarmWorX64 Logger provider node. Right-click Configurations in the navigation tree and select Add Configuration, as shown below.

Add Configuration from Tree Explorer

 

-OR-

 

Select the Configurations node then click on the Add Configuration button, shown below, in the Edit section of the Home ribbon in the Workbench.

 

Add Configuration Button

  1. This opens the New Configuration properties window, shown below in the right side of the Workbench. Enter a name for the configuration in the Configuration Name text box.

New Configuration Properties

 

Storage Tab

Storage Tab

 

The Database Logging tab of the AlarmWorX64 Logger Configuration properties provides database connections, redundancy options, table management and translation options. To set up this information, follow the steps below:

  1. In the Configuration form, click on the Database Logging tab.

  2. Make sure that the Enable Database Logging check box is enabled.

  3. You can decide whether to Enable Squelch.

  4. You can also opt to Use a custom database for logging. Clicking on this checkbox enables the Connection String section below. You can then enter the custom database location directly into the activated text box or you can click on the Configure connection link. Clicking on the Configure connection link opens the Select a logging database window, where you can select your desired SQL Server (via pulldown menu) and Database (also via pulldown menu).

  5. Next, you can provide a Table Name in the text entry field.

  6. Set the Max Connection Period in minutes.

  7. Set the Alarm Cache Size.

Connection String: If you are upgrading a configuration from a previous version, you will either need to configure SQL Server with a certificate from a trusted certificate authority or you will need to update the connection strings.

Active Table Section

AlarmWorX64 Logger logs alarm data to one master Active Table. If no restrictions are placed on the size of the Active Table, then logging will continue to go to the active table as long as the AlarmWorX Logger is running. If, however, a restriction is placed on the size of the Active Table, then all logged data beyond the Active Table size will get logged to Archive Tables.

 

In this system, the Active Table will always have the most recent alarm data.

 

Database Logging Tab - Active Table Section

Translation Section

Database Logging Tab - Translation Section

 

The Translation tab of the AlarmWorX64 Logger Configuration properties used to provide a translation function for your alarm logs created using AlarmWorX64 Logger. It offers three different modes of operation.

Archiving and Redundancy Tab

Archiving and Redundancy Tab

Redundancy Section

Database Logging Tab - Redundancy Section

 

Optionally, use the Redundancy section to set up a redundant database for logging data when the primary database is not available, and for enabling store-and-forward data caching. Refer to the Redundant Databases for the AlarmWorX64 Logger topic for information about this section.

Archiving Table Section

The Archive Tables also have a maximum size determined by a number of records or time interval. When one Archive Table is full, archiving goes on to the next table. When all Archive Tables are full, the oldest Archive Table is deleted and a new one is set up. The name of each Archive Table is the name of the Active Table followed by the date and time of the first alarm in the table.

 

Database Logging Tab - Archive table Section

 

In this section, you can specify the quantity of archive tables and the condition(s) upon which each archive table is full.

Printing Tab

Configure options on the Printer Logging tab of the AlarmWorX Logger Configuration properties to send alarm events to printer(s) so that a written record may be made of your log file. The option requires that you check the Enable Printer Logging checkbox on the Printer Logging tab of the AlarmWorX64 Logger configuration properties.

 

Printing Tab

 

The Printing Logging form has the following fields:

Primary Printer

All event notifications will print on the Primary Printer unless an error is detected (offline, out of paper, etc.), in which case the Backup Printer will be used. Switchover from Backup to Primary occurs automatically when the error condition is cleared on the Primary Printer.

Backup Printer

Page Settings

International Language Printing

The AlarmWorX64 Logger supports printing using character sets other than the standard 7-bit ASCII codes appropriate for English. Since the logger does not use "normal" Windows printing, the setup to use other character sets is more involved than for other typical Windows programs.

 

To Select the Desired Locale and Language:

  1. Click Start > Control Panel and select the Regional and Language Options command.

  2. Click the Administrative tab (shown below) and click the Change System Local button.

Locale Settings dialog box

  1. Select the desired system locale; then click the OK button twice to confirm your selection.

Note: You must set the desired language in the Windows Control. It is not enough to choose the language only within GENESIS64 .

Selecting the Character Set (Code Page) in the Printer

By selecting the desired language in Windows, the Logger will convert the UNICODE characters to the 8-bit ASCII version using the DOS code page for the selected language. In order for the characters to print properly, the printer must be configured to use the correct code page.

 

The code page for the printer is selected by sending the printer special non-printable ASCII characters called control codes. The control codes are listed in the first column (Decimal 0 - 31) of the ASCII chart.

 

The configuration of the header and footer for the printed alarms understands the ASCII control codes so for example the character sequence ^[ will be interpreted as the ESC code (Decimal 27) instead of the two literal characters ^ and [.

 

The proper control code sequence to select a particular language varies by printer manufacturer and model. Please refer to the printer manual for your printer to obtain the correct code sequence. For example, the following sequence will assign the PC866 Russian code page to character table 1 and then make character table 1 active for International (non-US) Epson printers:

^[ ( t 3 0 1 14 0 ^[ t 1

 

To view the header configuration, see the Header and Footer text entry fields in the Printer Logging tab of the AlarmWorX64 Logger Configuration properties.

Alarm Subscription Tab

Alarm Subscription Tab

  1. In the Alarm Subscription section of the Alarm Subscription tab, click on "+ Click here to add new item" to create a new Logged Alarm Tag.

  2. You can enter a tag directly or, while in editing mode, can click on the button, which opens the Data Browser window, allowing you to navigate to your selected Logged Alarm Tag.

  3. Next, you can enter a Min. Severity, Max. Severity and Alarm Type. The Alarm Type pulldown allows you to select from None, Simple, Tracking, Condition, Simple & Tracking, Simple & Condition, Tracking & Condition, or All.

  4. You can also click on the button, which opens a separate window allowing you to set the Types, Categories and Attributes for the selected Logged Alarm Tag.

  5. In the Alarm Filter section of the Alarm Subscription tab, you can construct a filter using elements similar to the Expression Editor (Arithmetic, Relational, Logical, Bitwise, Functions, and Variables...). Clicking the Variables... button allows you to select from either the Filter Wizard, Advanced options or the Global Alias Browser.

  6. Once you have completed your settings, click the Apply & Close button.

See also:

AlarmWorX64 Logger

Columns

Nodes