How it Works
Monarch Instrument
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Companion
Operating Manual
45 pgs637.18 Kb0

Monarch Instrument Companion Operating Manual

This Companion Software manual
ring binder containing
is designed to be inserted into
the three-
the instructions for your
Paperless Recorder.
Companion Software Table of Contents
1.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................1
2.1 Windows 95/98/ME/NT/XP/2000 ................................................................................... 2
3.1 Using the Menu ............................................................................................................. 2
3.2 File ..................................................................................................................................3
3.2.1 Use Disk / Use Recorder..................................................................................3
3.2.2 Open ..................................................................................................................3
3.2.3 Transfer.............................................................................................................3
3.2.4 Hex Dump.......................................................................................................... 4
3.2.5 Erase (File)........................................................................................................4
3.2.6 Format ...............................................................................................................4
3.2.7 Export................................................................................................................4
3.2.7.1 Exported File Format – Graph Data................................................................4
3.2.7.1.1 Start Time and Date.....................................................................5
3.2.7.1.2 End Time and Date......................................................................5
3.2.7.1.3 Time Format ................................................................................5
3.2.7.1.4 Date Format.................................................................................5
3.2.7.1.5 Intervals.......................................................................................5
3.2.7.2 Exported File Format - Alarms/Events............................................................5
3.2.8 Print ...................................................................................................................6
3.2.8.1 Print Range.....................................................................................................6
3.2.8.2 Properties or Preferences...............................................................................6
3.3 Search ............................................................................................................................7
3.3.1 Go to time..........................................................................................................7
3.3.2 Find....................................................................................................................7
3.3.3 Search Setup.....................................................................................................7
3.3.3.1 Sense .............................................................................................................7
3.3.3.2 Direction .........................................................................................................7
3.3.3.3 Event Hopping................................................................................................7
3.3.3.4 Pen.................................................................................................................7
3.3.3.5 Value..............................................................................................................7
3.3.3.6 Find.................................................................................................................8
3.3.3.7 Close ..............................................................................................................8
3.4 Serial...............................................................................................................................8
3.4.1 Points................................................................................................................. 8
3.4.2 Alarms................................................................................................................9
3.4.3 Dial Modem ....................................................................................................... 9
3.4.3.1 Phone Number ...............................................................................................9
3.4.3.2 Command .......................................................................................................9
3.4.3.3 Timeout...........................................................................................................9
3.4.4 Hang Up Modem ...............................................................................................9
3.5 Config.............................................................................................................................9
3.5.1 Open ................................................................................................................10
3.5.2 Save.................................................................................................................10
3.5.3 Save As............................................................................................................10
3.5.4 View Config.....................................................................................................10
3.5.5 Load From Recorder ......................................................................................11
3.5.6 Send To Recorder...........................................................................................11
3.5.7 Displays...........................................................................................................12
3.5.7.1 Time Format .................................................................................................12
3.5.7.2 Language......................................................................................................12
3.5.7.3 Rotate Scales...............................................................................................12
3.5.7.4 Power Up......................................................................................................12
3.5.7.4.1 Unit Tag String...........................................................................12
3.5.7.4.2 Display.......................................................................................12
3.5.7.4.3 Point...........................................................................................13
3.5.7.5 Dimmer.........................................................................................................13
3.5.7.6 Display Rate .................................................................................................13
3.5.7.7 Assign Bars ..................................................................................................13
3.5.7.8 Assign Digital Windows................................................................................13
3.5.8 Views ...............................................................................................................13
3.5.9 Chart/Pens.......................................................................................................14
3.5.9.1 Speed...........................................................................................................14
3.5.9.2 Units .............................................................................................................14
3.5.9.3 Assign Pens..................................................................................................14
3.5.9.4 Direction .......................................................................................................14
3.5.9.5 Auto Speed...................................................................................................14
3.5.9.6 Abnormal Pen Park......................................................................................14
3.5.9.7 Scales...........................................................................................................15
3.5.9.8 Pen Width.....................................................................................................15
3.5.10 Points 15
3.5.10.1 Program Points.............................................................................................15
3.5.10.1.1 Type ..........................................................................................16
3.5.10.1.2 Scale .........................................................................................16
3.5.10.1.3 Alarm.........................................................................................16
3.5.10.1.4 Output Mode..............................................................................16
3.5.10.1.5 Decimal Fix................................................................................16
3.5.10.1.6 Current......................................................................................16
3.5.10.1.7 Filter ..........................................................................................16
3.5.10.1.8 Engineering Units......................................................................16
3.5.10.1.9 Point Tag...................................................................................16
3.5.10.1.10 Chart Scale................................................................................16
3.5.10.1.11 Alarm Delay...............................................................................16
3.5.10.2 Constants .....................................................................................................16
3.5.11 Record Setup..................................................................................................17
3.5.11.1 Check to Record...........................................................................................17
3.5.11.2 Record Mode................................................................................................17
3.5.11.3 Point .............................................................................................................17
3.5.11.4 Filename.......................................................................................................17
3.5.11.5 Auto Rate .....................................................................................................17
3.5.11.6 Disk Full Alarm .............................................................................................18
3.5.12 Measurement..................................................................................................18
3.5.12.1 Span + Offset ...............................................................................................18
3.5.12.2 TCBO Interval...............................................................................................18
3.5.13 Digital I/O.........................................................................................................18
3.5.13.1 Contact Outputs ...........................................................................................18
3.5.13.2 Input Switches ..............................................................................................18
3.5.13.3 Event Messages...........................................................................................18
3.5.14 Com Port .........................................................................................................18
3.5.14.1 Baud Rate ....................................................................................................19
3.5.14.2 Data Bits.......................................................................................................19
3.5.14.3 Stop Bits .......................................................................................................19
3.5.14.4 Parity............................................................................................................19
3.5.14.5 Modbus Type................................................................................................19
3.5.14.6 Network ID....................................................................................................19
3.5.14.7 Ethernet........................................................................................................19
3.5.14.7.1 IP Address.................................................................................20
3.5.14.7.2 Subnet Mask .............................................................................20
3.5.14.7.3 Name Server IP Address...........................................................20
3.5.14.8 Modem..........................................................................................................20
3.5.15 System 20
3.5.15.1 Beeper..........................................................................................................20
3.5.15.2 Passcodes....................................................................................................20
3.5.15.3 Clear Points ..................................................................................................20
3.5.15.4 Init Profile .....................................................................................................20
3.5.16 Function20
3.5.16.1 Active............................................................................................................20
3.5.16.2 Chart Speed.................................................................................................20
3.5.16.3 Record Speed ..............................................................................................20
3.5.16.4 Check Alarms...............................................................................................21
3.5.16.5 Recording .....................................................................................................21
3.5.16.6 Scale Sets ....................................................................................................21
3.5.17 Function (Live)................................................................................................21
3.5.17.1 Active............................................................................................................21
3.5.17.2 Reset Now....................................................................................................21
3.5.17.3 Chart Speed.................................................................................................22
3.5.17.4 Record Speed ..............................................................................................22
3.5.17.5 Check Alarms...............................................................................................22
3.5.17.6 Recording .....................................................................................................22
3.5.17.7 Scale Sets ....................................................................................................22
3.5.17.8 Clear Buffers ................................................................................................22
3.5.18 Time / Date ......................................................................................................22
3.6 Options.........................................................................................................................23
3.6.1 Display.............................................................................................................23
3.6.1.1 Time stamp...................................................................................................23
3.6.1.2 Date format...................................................................................................23
3.6.2 Com Port ......................................................................................................... 23
3.6.2.1 Interface........................................................................................................23
3.6.2.1.1 Ethernet.....................................................................................24
3.6.2.2 Number of Retries........................................................................................24
3.6.2.3 Ethernet Timeout..........................................................................................24
3.6.2.4 Com Port......................................................................................................24
3.6.2.5 NetworkID....................................................................................................24
3.6.2.6 Modbus Type................................................................................................24
3.6.2.7 Set IP Addresses..........................................................................................24
3.6.2.8 Baud.............................................................................................................25
3.6.2.9 Data Bits.......................................................................................................25
3.6.2.10 Stop Bits .......................................................................................................25
3.6.2.11 Parity............................................................................................................25
3.6.2.12 Test ..............................................................................................................25
3.6.3 Set Password..................................................................................................25
3.7 Graph............................................................................................................................25
3.7.1 Raw Graph.......................................................................................................25
3.7.2 Cursor Toggle.................................................................................................25
3.7.3 Delta Cursor ....................................................................................................26
3.7.4 Area Under Curve ...........................................................................................26
3.7.5 Zoom In............................................................................................................ 26
3.7.6 Zoom Out.........................................................................................................26
3.7.7 Compress........................................................................................................ 26
3.7.8 Expand.............................................................................................................26
3.7.9 Retrace ............................................................................................................26
3.7.10 Erase (Retrace Graph)....................................................................................27
3.7.11 Setup 27
3.8 Table.............................................................................................................................27
3.8.1 Label................................................................................................................27
3.8.2 Synchronize Group........................................................................................27
3.9 Event.............................................................................................................................27
3.10 Window.........................................................................................................................28
3.10.1 Graph 28
3.10.2 Table 28
3.10.3 Event 28
3.10.4 Info 28
3.10.5 Report 28
3.10.6 Cascade 28
3.10.7 Tile 29
3.10.8 ArrangeIcons..................................................................................................29
3.11 Help 29
3.11.1 About 29
3.11.2 Contents ..........................................................................................................29
4 TUTORIAL..............................................................................................................................30
4.1 Copy Files from Floppy Disk to Hard Disk................................................................30
4.2 Scroll Bars ...................................................................................................................30
4.3 Using Dialog Boxes.....................................................................................................30
4.4 Keyboard Shortcuts Summary...................................................................................31
4.5 Opening a Graph .........................................................................................................32
4.6 The Graph Window .....................................................................................................33
4.7 Using the Edit Graph Dialog Box...............................................................................35
4.7.1 Editing a Pen...................................................................................................35
4.7.2 Adding a Pen (Point) to the Graph................................................................36
4.7.3 Deleting a Pen.................................................................................................36
4.8 Opening a Table ..........................................................................................................36
4.9 Opening an Alarms/Events Window..........................................................................37
4.10 Printing a Graph, Table, etc. ......................................................................................37
4.11 Exporting Data.............................................................................................................38
4.12 Using the Search Setup Dialog Box ..........................................................................38
4.13 Synchronizing Windows.............................................................................................38
4.13.1 Assigning Synchronize Groups....................................................................38
4.13.1.1 Graphs..........................................................................................................38
4.13.1.2 Tables...........................................................................................................38
4.13.1.3 Events ..........................................................................................................38
4.13.2 Synchronize Tips............................................................................................38
4.14 Time Discontinuities ...................................................................................................39
Companion Software
1 COMPANION SOFTWARE
1.1 Overview
The Companion Software is an optional (32 bit) software package that runs under Microsoft Windows™ 95/ 98/ ME/ NT/ XP Operating Systems and enables the user to:

Read and analyze data files recorded on the Recorder in graphical or tabular format, and browse Alarm Event files;
 Export files to spreadsheets such as Microsoft ExcelTMand QuattroTM; 
Download files from remote recorders via Modbus and modem;
 Link and examine files from different locations and dates, link events to trend data;  Search data for specific events;
 Fully configure and control up to 31 units at remote locations via the Modbus interface or via
disk transfer.
The software can read Point and Event files. It can display the data (points) graphically and in tabular format. Multiple points can be shown in one graph. Data can also be exported in formats usable by
spreadsheet programs, etc. It can also display Event and Information windows. Graph, Table, Event, and Information windows can be printed.
The files produced by the Recorder are in MSDOSTMcompatible format and the WindowsTMFile Manager can be used to copy, move, save and/or rename the files.
Figure 1 Companion Software
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Companion Software
2 Installation
2.1 Windows 95/98/ME/NT/XP/2000
Exit from any open applications. Place the supplied 3½” disk into your floppy drive. Select Start, Run. Type in A:\SETUP or B:\SETUP depending on which drive you inserted the floppy disk into.
Press the OK button. You will be asked whether you wish to install Companion. Click on the Yes button to continue. This
will run the setup program that will automatically install your software. Follow the instructions on the screen. Clicking the Next > button will advance through the installation options. You will be prompted
to specify the destination drive and directory where you wish to have the software installed (Figure 2) and what Program Group within the Start Menu to add the program icons to. Click on the Install
button to begin the actual installation of Companion Software.
Figure 2 Installation Destination Window
To run the program, click on the icon on the desktop or use the Start button menu.
3 The Menu
3.1 Using the Menu
The menu bar displays the primary selections available and each selection controls a specific portion of the program. Search, for example, has a sub menu that controls all the functions having to do with
searching data. Some of the choices in a sub menu may in turn have a second level of sub menu, or may pop up a dialog box that enables data to be entered, or a selection to be made.
Figure 3 Menu Bar
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Companion Software
The simplest method of accessing the menu is with the mouse. Simply position the mouse pointer on the menu selection required and press the left mouse button. Alternativelyyou can use the keyboard by
pressing and holding the Alt key and then pressing the highlighted (underlined) letter of the top menu option. To make selections from the sub menus, just type in the underlined letter of the desired selection. A third method is to press and release the Alt key; then use the arrow keys to move around through the menus.
The menu items are as follows:
3.2 File
The File menu has the following sub menu options:
3.2.1 UseDisk / Use Recorder
A mutually exclusive selection to determine the source for file transaction. Use Disk will get files from the disk while Use Recorder will get files from a remote recorder over the Modbus. The serial port needs to be setup correctly for this option to work.
Note:
There is one condition that will prevent a file from being read over the Modbus. Any file that is cyclic and is currently being recorded to CANNOT be read. If the user tries to read such a file an error message will appear.
3.2.2 Open
This option enables the user to open a file from disk or remote Recorder. In Use Disk mode:
The user will be presented with the standard Windows™ load file dialog box. Enter one or more filenames of the point file(s) to be graphed. This will create a new graph window with the selected
point(s) in it. Alarm/Event files may also be opened with this dialog box. In the Use Recorder mode:
This option will present a directory of files on the disk in the remote Recorder. This will open the graph at the beginning of the file unless the "Only part of a file" checkbox has been set and a start time and date have been entered. Then the graph will open at the first block of data that is beforethe time and date entered. As you scroll to the right through the graph, more data will be downloaded from theRecorderas needed. Youmay not scrollbefore the starttime and date entered.
3.2.3 Transfer
This option enables the user to transfer files from a source to a destination. In Use Disk mode:
The user will be presented with the standard Windows™ open dialog box to select the files to copy, and then a save (destination) dialog box to specify where they go.
In the Use Recorder mode: This option will present a directory of files on the disk in the remote Recorder. The whole file will be
transferred unless the "Only part of a file" checkbox has been set. In which case, only the blocks of datathat include the start time and date through to the end time and date willbe transfered.
In both modes: The save (destination) dialog box supports the use of wildcards so that a group of files can be
copied to *.* on a local drive using the same names. Or one can change the names by specifying newname.* or data?.*, etc. The '*' matches all characters on one side of the period. The '?'
matches one character. If your source files are: data.dt1 and data.dt2 and you use fred.* as a
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Companion Software
destination name, your new files will be called fred.dt1 and fred.dt2. Note: Windows doesn't check for existing files with the same name when wildcards are used.
3.2.4 Hex Dump
This shows the first 1000 bytes of the selected file in hexadecimal format in a window and is for diagnostic purposes only.
3.2.5 Erase (File)
This option will bring up a file dialog box. Enter the name of a file to be erased. On a card reader it will delete the last file on the card. On a Recorder, a dialog box appears to allow one or more
files to be selected and erased.
3.2.6 Format
This will format the media on a Recorder. A dialog box appears asking “are you sure?” If you answer Yes, the media will be formatted and All the data on the media will be lost!
3.2.7 Export
This feature takes the information from the active window and creates a file that can be read by other programs. Graph and Alarm/Event windows are exported in comma separated variables format (CSV), which can be read by word processing and spreadsheet programs. Configuration and Report windows are exported as shown in the window to a text file.
3.2.7.1 Exported File Format – Graph Data
To export graph data, activate the graph window and select File, Export. The export dialog window will be presented as shown in Figure 4.
The export dialog box allows the user to select the start and end times, the format for the time and date, and optionally break the data up into smaller files based on a time interval.
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Companion Software
The data is stored in engineering units as setup on the Recorder (e.g. degrees C, Volts, pressure, etc.). These are the same values and range that you see on the axis of the graph.
Temperature, for example, is exported in actual degrees.
3.2.7.1.1 Start Time and Date
Select the time and date to start exporting data, thus allowing part of the file to be exported.
3.2.7.1.2 End Time and Date
Select the time and date to stop exporting data.
3.2.7.1.3 Time Format
Select the time format either as Sample number, where each value output will be numbered, Elapsed time, where the first sample is time 0:00:00 and each sample is then time incremented, or select an absolute time format, 12 or 24 hour.
3.2.7.1.4 Date Format
Select either month day MM/DD/YYYY (American), or day month representation DD/MM/YYYY(European) or None to suppress the date.
3.2.7.1.5 Intervals
The Intervals option allows the user to export “Blocks” of data rather than the whole file which may be too large for certain spreadsheets. The block may be selected as intervals of one Minute, one Hour, one Day, one Week or one Month. An interval of None exports the entire file. Select the option you want.
Once the export options have been selected, click on the OK button or press [Enter]. A dialog box will appear to select or enter the filename (make sure to add a .CSV extension for use with Microsoft Excel) and location of the export file. When a filename has been selected/entered, click on the Save button and the data will be exported into that file.
Note: When exporting data using any interval (other than None), the filename must be less
than 8 characters to allow for a sequential number for multiple files.
3.2.7.2 Exported File Format - Alarms/Events
To export Alarm/Event data, activate the Alarms/Events window and select File, Export. A dialog box will appear to select or enter the filename (make sure to add a .CSV extension for use with Microsoft Excel) and location of the export file. When a filename has been
selected/entered, click on the Save button and the data will be exported into that file. The exported file for an Alarm/Event has a header as follows: "Date", "Time", "Point/Event",
"Type", "Value". Each line afterwards has a line of data that corresponds to each line in the Alarms/Events window that is being exported. The data on each line follows the format
indicated by the labels above. Alarm Event Exported File Format Example:
"Date","Time","Point/Event","Type","Value" 04/30/1996 ,02:32:30 pm,3,"High Peak:", 51.970
04/30/1996 ,02:33:01 pm,3,"Peak Reset:", 51.970 04/30/1996 ,02:32:52 pm,4,"Low Peak:", -95.336
The format in which time and date are stored is as it appears in the Alarms/Events window, and may be changed by using the Options, Display menu. See Section 3.6.1 on page 23.
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Companion Software
3.2.8 Print
In order to print a graph, table or event, the window must be active. To print the active window, select File, Print. This will bring up a dialog box similar to the one shown in Figure 5 that allows you to select a printer and print options.
Figure 5 Print Dialog Box
3.2.8.1 Print Range
All - will cause the printout to start printing from the start of the file to the end of the file. Pages - will cause the printout to start from the left edge of the current graph or top edge of
other windows and print the number of pages in the to: box. The from: box has no affect.
3.2.8.2 Properties or Preferences
This button will bring up the dialog box for the selected printer. This is where paper orientation, resolution, etc. can be set.
Press the Print or OK button to start printing or Cancel to exit.
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Companion Software
3.3 Search
The Search menu option allows the user to locate specific events in the active window. The following sub menu options are available:
3.3.1 Go to time
Enter in the Time (24 hour format) and Date to go to. Type in all four digits for the year. All windows that match the group number will move to the selected time. A group number of zero will update all open windows.
3.3.2 Find
Find the next data pointthat matches the searchcriteria. Canalsobe activated bypressing the F2 key.
Note: You mustfirst set up the Findparameters intheSearch Setup.(See Section 3.3.3below.)
3.3.3 Search Setup
Select the pen, value, and directions for searching. Can also be activated by pressing the Alt+F2 keys. This brings up the Search Setup dialog box as shown in Figure 6.
3.3.3.1 Sense
Select whether the data must be Greater than, Less than or Equal to the selected Value to be considered a match.
3.3.3.2 Direction
Determines if the search will go Forward or Backward from the current position.
3.3.3.3 Event Hopping
If this box is checked, the search criteria must be false first then come true again before the next search stops. This prevents the search from finding every point above a value on a sine wave for example, but it will find each crossing of the compare point.
3.3.3.4 Pen
Select which trace or pen the search will be performed on.
3.3.3.5 Value
Enter the actual compare value in the same engineering units as the pen being searched.
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Companion Software
3.3.3.6 Find
The Find button will start the search immediately according to the set parameters.
3.3.3.7 Close
The Close button will just close the dialog box.
3.4 Serial
This menu option enables data to be read from the Recorder using an RS-232 or RS-485 interface. It also allows the user to dial up a remote Recorder using a modem rather than using a direct connection. The Recorder requires the Serial Comms hardware option. Before using these menu items, ensure that the serial port has been set up correctly under the Options, Com Port menu option. See Section 3.6.2 on page 23.
Note: Before the point or alarm windows display data, they automatically query the Recorder for its
current point setup information so that the information will be displayed correctly.
3.4.1 Points
This option provides a real time display of point data from the remote Recorder. A serial link must have been successfully made for this option to work. A window will pop up as shown in
Figure 7.
Figure 7 Display Points Window
The data for each selected point will be displayed in the top left area. The current time and date set on the Recorder will be in the top right area. Below that is a display of the percentage of the disk that is already full. The next area shows what state each contact (relay) is in, either open or closed. The bottom right area is the current junction temperature reading.
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Companion Software
The display can be configured by clicking on the Display Control button to bring up the setup dialog box. Click the points you wish to display, enter the display update rate in seconds, and
click on Accept. External Points may be set by pressing the External Points button.
3.4.2 Alarms
This option provides a real time display of point Alarm data from the remote Recorder. This is identical to the Points window except only points that are in alarm status are displayed.
3.4.3 DialModem
This option allows communications to be established to a remote Recorder and modem. It uses the internal (or external) PC modem. Select the PC Com Port your modem uses under the Options, Com Port menu option. The modem at the Recorder end as well as the Recorder must be set up correctly. The baud rate must be set as the software disables the auto baud rate
detection. The modem setup string at the PC end is in the Companion “Compan.ini” file. It is set for standard Hayes compatible modems and should not require editing. Note: Error compression and correction are disabled.
The modem options are:
3.4.3.1 Phone Number
Enter the phone number to be dialed. Include all digits. To enter a pause between digits use the ~ (Tilde). To have the modem pulse dial, precede the number with a P. The modem will ignore (,) and -.
3.4.3.2 Command
This is NOT the modem initialization string and should be left blank if not used. It is a string of characters that will be sent to the remote site once modem connection has been made. It can be used to command remote switching systems to select a particular channel.
3.4.3.3 Timeout
This is an additional timeout to allow connection to a remote site. If you get a modem timeout error you can add from 1 to 99 seconds additional timeout here. Default is 0.
To dial, click on the OK button. A pop up box will show “Modem Dialing”. Once connection is made the display will show “Modem Connected”. Click on the OK button and then proceed with remote communications as though the modem were not there. If connection is not made or the remote site does not answer, the display will show “Modem not connected”. Check the phone number and com port setup and try again.
3.4.4 Hang Up Modem
Once communication is completed, select Hang Up Modem to terminate the connection. The connectionwill automaticallybe terminated and the modem willbe reset when you exitthe program.
3.5 Config
This menu option enables the Recorder to be configured by a PC. The configuration can be downloaded directly to the Recorder using an RS-232 or RS-485 interface. The Recorder requires the Serial Comms hardware option. Before using these menu items, ensure that the serial port has been
set up correctly under the Options, Com Port menu option. See Section 3.6.2 on page 23. Alternatively, the configuration information can be saved or loaded to disk, which can be transported to a Recorder where the configuration can be loaded or saved from the disk.
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