Vaisala Canada Inc, Vaisala Veriteq, Vaisala Veriteq vLog, and Vaisala Veriteq
viewLinc are trademarks of Vaisala Canada Inc.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
All other trademarks referred to are the property of their respective owners.
Disclaimer and Limitation of Liability
Vaisala Canada Inc and its subsidiaries assume no responsibility for any damage
or loss resulting from the use of this manual.
Vaisala Canada Inc and its subsidiaries assume no responsibility for any loss or
claims by third parties which may arise through the use of this software. Vaisala
Canada Inc and its subsidiaries assume no responsibility for any damage or loss
caused by deletion of data as a result of hardware malfunction. Be sure to make
backup copies of all important data to protect against data loss.
Vaisala Canada Inc makes no warranties, either expressed or implied, regarding
Vaisala Veriteq data loggers, Vaisala 300 Series Transmitters, or software, its merchantability, or its fitness for any particular purpose. The exclusion of implied warranties is not permitted by some states. As such, the exclusion may not apply to
you.
Vaisala Veriteq viewLinc has been tested using a variety of network systems. However, the large number of possible hardware and network configurations makes
testing under every circumstance impossible. If you have trouble using Vaisala
Veriteq viewLinc software, contact Vaisala Canada Inc.
Technical Support
For technical support in North America, please call 1-866-861-3388, or for customers outside North America, see “Getting Help” on page 18.
Email: veriteqsupport@vaisala.com
Document part number: M211441EN-A
Release date: Jan 2012
The viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide includes the
information you need to install, configure and operate the
viewLinc system.
You can also view the Quick Start Guide for a grap hical
overview of installing viewLinc. If you are not an
Administrator, refer to the User Guide for information on the
standard tasks performed using viewLinc.
Who this Manual is for
This manual is for administrators who will install and
configure viewLinc Server software and its associated
components to allow end users to view and monitor device
readings across a network. This manual covers several
topics, including how administrators set threshold alarms,
configure email alarm notification, organize locations, define
reports, and set device data transfer schedules.
How this Manual is Organized
About this Manual
The viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide is organized into
chapters as follows:
Chapter 1: Getting Started. Contains viewLinc overview,
hardware and software requirements, essential installation
instructions, how to log in.
Chapter 2: Management. Includes information abou t how to
configure and work with Locations Manager, Views Manager,
Dashboard Manager, and Device Manager.
Chapter 3: System Settings. Includes information
specifically for administrators, including how to create user
accounts, configure email server settings for alarms, choose
temperature units to display, and change how and which
devices are shown in Locations.
Chapter 4: Locations. Covers what a Location is, creating
Locations, opening large popup trend views, and organizing
Locations into zones. This chapter covers topics of interest to
both a general viewLinc user and the administrator.
Chapter 5: Alarms. Contains information on creating,
editing, deactivating, and pausing alarms informing those
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guidev
About this Manual
monitoring the system of threshold-exceeding conditions or if
data communication between the device and the system is
down. Includes how to acknowledge alarms.
Chapter 6: Permissions. Includes information about User
Permissions, User Rights and Access control lists. Shows
how to create users, assign them to groups and zones, add
permissions and control rights.
Chapter 7: Events. Includes filtering and printing event logs,
including details on transfers, alarms, and
acknowledgements.
Chapter 8: Reports. Includes a definition of historical data,
what you can do with it, how to generate reports.
Chapter 9: Transfers. Includes information about how to
transfer Vaisala Veriteq device data to a PC for analysis
using vLog.
Chapter 10: Mobile UI. Includes information about
viewLinc’s Mobile application and its interface.
Appendix: FAQs & Troubleshooting. Answers common
troubleshooting questions, including how to stop and start the
viewLinc service, what is installed with viewLinc, and how to
resolve common issues.
Conventions Used in this Document
This document uses the following conventio ns :
• A sequence of actions is indicated by a list separa ted by a
vertical line. For example:
“In viewLinc, choose
Locations Manager
• Menu selections, items you select, and the names of
buttons are shown in bold.
• Keys on the keyboard are shown in
Options | System Configuration |
”
[square brackets].
Related Documentation and Software Products
For help with viewLinc, consult the viewLinc Quick Start
Guide.
Use vLog software and its associated Quick Start Guide for
setting up Vaisala Veriteq devices and viewing and printing
device historical data as graphs or text files.
Use your specific Vaisala product User Guide for information
about installing 300 Series Transmitters.
Support Information
In North America, technical support is available between
8am-4pm PST Monday - Friday, 1-866-861-3388 (or 604273-6850). You can also email veriteqsupport@vaisala.com,
or visit www.vaisala.com/lifescience-hitech.
For sales, pricing, quotations, or general information, please
call 1-800-683-8374 (in North America), or 604-273-6850.
For assistance outside North America, see “Getting Help” on
page 18.
• Overview of the Vaisala Veriteq Continuous Monitoring
System (CMS)
• Administrator’s Road Map
• What’s New in viewLinc 4.0
• System Requirements, Hardware and Software
• Installing viewLinc
• Logging in to viewLinc from an Internet Browser to Monitor
Conditions
• First Steps in viewLinc
• What’s New in viewLinc 4.0
• Getting Help
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide1
Chapter 1: Getting Started
Overview
Welcome to viewLinc 4.0, a key element in the Vaisala
Veriteq Continuous Monitoring System (CMS). Using
viewLinc you can easily monitor device readings locally on a
PC or across a network using a supported version of
Microsoft
browser, or from mobile devices like the iPhone
Android
With viewLinc 4.0, you can:
• Monitor remote conditions from multiple devices from a
• View real-time data in a customizable graphical format
• Generate historical data and alarm reports
• Receive visual or email alarms when conditions you are
• Analyze automatically documented device events, such as
• Schedule transfers of Vaisala Veriteq device data (also
• Easily identify devices and the zones in which they
• Swap a device for calibration or replacement purposes
• Create preconfigured comments for alarm notifications
• Create reusable alarm templates
When installed, the Vaisala Veriteq CMS is comprised of
software components (including viewLinc), and hardware
components (including devices, a PC with a supported
Internet browser, and, depending on how you connect the
devices to your PC, various cables, Vaisala Veriteq vNet or
Digi networking devices).
How you connect your devices to your PC is a very import ant
administrative decision. There are four methods and each
requires certain hardware connections. The most convenient
®, or Blackberry®.
local or remote PC desktop
monitoring are out of compliance or if there is a networ k
communication problem
when alarms are triggered, acknowledged or there are
device communication problems
referred to as ‘historical data’) to be viewed and graphed
with the vLog software
operate
without breaking the data audit trail
® Internet Explorer® or Mozilla® Firefox® Internet
methods of attaching devices to PCs are using vNet or Digi
devices. These options are described in Table 1.
MethodHow ConnectedDetail
vNet devicesEthernet• Allows devices to be con-
nected to the PC across an
Ethernet network, allowing
the PC and devices to be
separated by large distances within a facility
• Requires installation of
vNet drivers (provided)
• Requires use of vNet device
Digi deviceEthernet• Allows devices to be con-
nected to the PC across an
Ethernet network, allowing
the PC and devices to be
separated by large distances within a facility
• Requires installation of Digi
drivers (provided)
• Requires use of Digi device
USB portVaisala Veriteq
USB cable
• Allows devices to connect
directly or over an Ethernet
network (when device host
is installed) to the viewLinc
server
• Requires installation of USB
drivers (provided) and uses
a USB connection on a PC
• Requires a USB to logger
cable
Table 1: Methods of attaching devices to PCs
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide3
Chapter 1: Getting Started
MethodHow ConnectedDetail
Serial portVaisala Veriteq
serial port cable
Table 1: Methods of attaching devices to PCs
It is also possible to use a mix of these methods if your
system requires it.
The outlined Administrator’s Road Map applies to all
installation options.
Administrator’s Road Map
Once your viewLinc system is installed, you may find the
following roadmap a useful overview of the setup and
configuration activities required to implement viewLinc.
1Edit Vaisala Veriteq device properties using vLog. (such
as sample timing and device channels - see vLog user
guide for details)
2If you plan to set day and time schedules during which
specific users will be notified of alarms, set Contact
Schedules (see “About Contact Schedules” on page 53)
3Create User Accounts (see “Editing Users and
Passwords” on page 54)
4Choose temperature measurement unit preferences (see
“Choosing T emperature Measurement Unit Preferences”
on page 56)
5Configure Email settings (see “Configuring Email
Settings” on page 49)
6Create Zones, assign Locations to Zones and edit
Location properties (see “Organizing Locations into
Zones” on page 28)
• Allows devices to connect
directly or over an Ethernet
network (when device host
is installed) to the viewLinc
server
Edit Alarm email templates (see “Editing Alarm Email
Templates” on page 50)
8Create Alarm and Threshold Templates (see “Creating
Alarm Templates” on page 80)
9Add Devices (see “Adding Devices” on page 40)
10 Set and configure Alarm Thresholds (see “Threshold
Alarms” on page 86)
11 Configure Alarms (see the sections on setting threshold,
communication and device alarms in Chapter 5: Alarms)
Once these set up activities are complete, you are ready to
start monitoring device readings, viewing event s an d printin g
reports. You can also set up transfer schedules to view and
analyze V aisala V eriteq device data in the vLog software (see
“About Transfers and Transfer Schedules” on page 126)
System Requirements
To install viewLinc, you need:
• V aisala Veriteq loggers or Vaisala 300 Series Transmitters
(both are referred to as ‘devices’ in this guide and in
viewLinc)
• PC (will be referred to in the rest of this document as the
viewLinc Server)
• Vaisala Veriteq cables (there are specific cables for
attaching devices to Digi devices and attaching devices to
USB or Serial ports on a viewLinc Server)
• (optional) vNet devices, for connecting devices to a
viewLinc Server using an Ethernet connection
• (optional) Digi devices, for connecting devices to viewLinc
Server using an Ethernet connection
System Requirements
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide5
Chapter 1: Getting Started
viewLinc Server Requirements
The viewLinc Server machine must meet the following
requirements:
• Be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Have 350 MB free application disc space.
• Use one of the following operating systems:
•Microsoft
•Microsoft
2008 (32 or 64 bit versions)
• Other operating systems can be used depending on the
size of the installation
• If you plan to use viewLinc from the viewLinc Server
machine, you must have a supported Internet browser
installed (Microsoft
Mozilla
• The Historical database requires 200KB per location per
day. The default location for the application is in the
'program files' folder. The historical database and
configuration files are located 'public documents' folder.
The default locations of the database are as follows:
® Windows XP
® Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server
® Internet Explorer® 6.0 or later;
® Firefox® 3.6 or later are recommended).
Windows 2008/Windows Vista x64
Program files: C:\Program Files(x86)\Vaisala\Vaisala Veriteq
viewLinc
Data files: C:\Users\Public\Documents\Vaisala\Vaisala
Veriteq viewLinc
Windows 2003/Windows Vista x32
Program files: C:\Program Files\Vaisala\Vaisala Veriteq
viewLinc
Data files: C:\Users\Public\Documents\Vaisala\Vaisala
Veriteq viewLinc
Windows XP x64
Program files: C:\Program Files (x86)\V aisa la\Vaisala Verite q
viewLinc
Data files: C:\Documents and Settings\All
Users\Documents\Vaisala\Vaisala Veriteq viewLinc
Program files: C:\Program Files\Vaisala\Vaisala Veriteq
viewLinc
Data files: C:\Documents and Settings\All
Users\Documents\Vaisala\Vaisala Veriteq viewLinc
Note:It is strongly recommended to use the default
installation folders for data files as other folders
may have special security restrictions placed on
them. For example, Windows 7/2008 does not
allow files in the ‘Program Files’ folders to be
deleted by non-admin users.
Depending on the number of channels you are using, the
viewLinc Server machine should also meet the following
requirements:
Large size installation (400-5000 channels)
• a dedicated machine
• 3.2 GHz, Quad Core
•4 GB RAM
• sufficient HD space to support 200KB/channel/d ay
For example, if you have 400 channels, you will need
approximately 30GB (400x200x365) per year.
Medium size installation (20-400 channels)
• machine may be shared with other applications
• 1.6 GHz Dual Core
•4 GB RAM
• sufficient HD space to support 200KB/channel/d ay
For example, if you have 40 channels, you will need
approximately 3GB (40x200x365) per year.
Small installation (<20 channels)
• 1.6 GHz
•2 GB RAM
• sufficient HD space to support 200KB/channel/d ay
For example, if you have 4 channels, you will need
approximately 300MB (4x200x365 ) per ye ar.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide7
Chapter 1: Getting Started
End User PC Requirements
A machine on the network used to administer viewLinc must
have:
• 2.4 GHz
•2 GB RAM
• a supported Internet browser installed (Microsoft Internet
Explorer 6.0 or later; Mozilla Firefox 3.5 or later
recommended).
Installing viewLinc
This section outlines how to install viewLinc on a server or a
remote host, including a description of the four m eth o ds by
which devices can be connected to the system. The four
methods are:
• using a vNet device to connect devices to the network
• using a Digi device to connect devices to the network
• using USB port to connect devices to viewLinc Server or
Remote Host
• using Serial port to connect devices to viewLinc Server or
Remote Host
If you are connecting 300 Series Transmitter devices, they
are connected either wirelessly or using a Digi devic e. Refe r
to your Vaisala product User Guide for more information.
For further graphical representation of installing viewLinc,
see the relevant Vaisala Quick Start Guides. There are
versions for those using vNet or Digi devices and those using
USB/Serial ports. For copies of Quick Start Guides, see
www.vaisala.com/lifescience-hitech or speak to your sales
representative.
Connecting Devices
Choose from the following methods to connect your devices
to the network or appropriate PCs.
The following procedure shows how to use vNet devices to
connect your devices to the network.
Figure 1: Overview of viewLinc system using vNet devices
Attaching Main Hardware
1Remove protective label on the bottom of the device.
2Connect the device to the vNet device.
3Connect the vNet device to the Ethernet outlet and (if not
using PoE) power supply. When power is supplied to the
vNet device, the red power LED light will blink for 7-8
seconds, then stay solid. When a network connection is
made, the red LNK LED should light up and stay solid,
and the green ACT LED should blink occasionally.
Note:To ensure a secure connection, insert the power
supply barrel-end connector into the device and
turn 1/4 to the right. If your network supports
Power Over Ethernet, you do not need to connect to a power supply.
For more information about installing vNet devices, refer to
the vNet User Guide.
Installing Vaisala Veriteq Drivers
This section covers installing the drivers for vNet devices to
connect Vaisala Veriteq devices to the network using an
Ethernet connection. Repeat all of these steps for each vNet
device you want to use.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide9
Chapter 1: Getting Started
Discovering the vNet Device
1Obtain a reserved (recommended) or static IP address
for your vNet device from your IT department. If your
networking policy requires you to reserve IP addr esses
using DHCP, see www.vaisala.com/lifescience-hitech for
instructions.
2Insert the vNet Device driver CD into the viewLinc
4Select the device that matches the MAC address from
the side of your vNet device, then click
Note:If your device is on a different subnet from the
Configuring RealPort and Installing Drivers
1In the Configure Network Settings screen, enter an IP
address (provided by your IT department). Click
times.
2In the Configure RealPort Settings screen, select Install
RealPort on this computer
3Click Next again. The settings are saved.
4Click Finish.
Repeat Installing Vaisala Veriteq Drivers for each vNet
device.
Next.
server, you will need to know the IP address
of the vNet device and launch the RealPortSetup.exe installer from the RealPort folder on
the vNet Device Drivers CD.
The following procedure shows how to use Digi devices to
connect your Vaisala Veriteq devices to the network.
Figure 2: Overview of viewLinc system using Digi devices
Attaching Main Hardware
1Connect your Vaisala Veriteq device to a Digi device
using a Vaisala Veriteq cable.
2Connect your Digi device to power supply and Ethernet
outlet.
Note:These instructions focus on the Digi One SP. For
other Digi models, see www.vaisala.com/lifescience-hitech.
Installing Digi Drivers
This section covers installing the drivers for Digi devices to
connect Vaisala Veriteq devices or Vaisala 300 Series
Transmitters to the network using an Ethernet connection.
Repeat all of these steps for each Digi device you’ll use.
Discovering the Digi Device
1Obtain a reserved (recommended) or static IP address
for your Digi device from your IT department. If your
networking policy requires you to reserve IP addresses
using DHCP, see www .vaisala .co m/lifescien ce-hitech fo r
instructions.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide11
Chapter 1: Getting Started
2Insert the Digi driver CD into viewLinc Server.
3The Digi Device Setup Wizard launches automatically.
Click
4Select the device that matches the MAC address from
the bottom of your Digi device. Click
Note:If your device is on a different subnet from the
Configuring RealPort and Installing Drivers
1In the Configure Network Settings screen, enter an IP
address (provided by your IT department). Click
times.
2In the Configure RealPort Settings screen, select “Install
Digi RealPort on this computer”. Click
3
Click Next again. The settings are saved.
4Click Finish.
Repeat Installing Digi Drivers for each Digi device.
Next.
Next.
server, you will need to know the IP address of
the Digi device and launch the RealPort installer
on the Digi Driver CD.
Next two
Next.
12
Method 3: Using USB Port
You can also connect Va isala Veriteq devices dire ct ly t o PC s
using a USB Port, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Overview of viewLinc system using USB port to connect devices
Using the supplied Vaisala Veriteq USB cable driver CD
and Quick Start guide, install USB drivers on every PC
you plan to attach devices to.
Connecting Hardware
1Connect the device to a Vaisala Veriteq USB cable.
2Connect the USB cable to your viewLinc Server or
Device Host (ensure the viewLinc Serve r comp ut er is
attached to your network).
3Install a USB cable driver. You only need to install a
driver once on each machine to which devices are
connected.
Method 4: Using Serial Port
Y ou can also con nect devices to PCs using a Seri al Port. The
configuration using a Serial port is very similar to using USB;
refer to Figure 3.
Connecting Hardware
1Connect your device to a Vaisala Veriteq Serial port
cable.
2Connect the Serial port cable to your viewLinc Server or
Host (ensure this computer is attached to your network).
Repeat these steps for all devices.
Installing vLog Software
Once your devices are installed, you are ready to inst all vLog
software.
Note:If you use 300 SeriesTransmitters, you are not
required to install vLog Software.
Installing vLog allows you to:
• set sample intervals
• enable or disable channels
• specify device and channel descriptions
• store historical data for backup purposes
It is recommended you install vLog on all PCs with Vaisala
Veriteq devices connected to them.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide13
Chapter 1: Getting Started
Refer to the vLog User Guide for installation instructions.
Installing viewLinc Software
Now you are ready to install viewLinc which will be used to
make device monitoring, alarming and reporting available
across your network. There are two options available to you:
• Install viewLinc software on a network server (must be
installed once).
• Install viewLinc software on a PC as an offsite host to
make devices connected to it available to the viewLinc
server.
T o install viewLinc on the viewLinc Server:
On your viewLinc Server, insert the viewLinc CD and run
1
setup.exe.
2Select the installation language using the dropdown.
Click OK.
3Start the Setup Wizard by clicking Next.
4Review and accept the License Agreement, and click
Next.
5Choose a destination location for the viewLinc program
files, then click
6Select Enterprise Server from the Select Components
screen and click
Enter the installation key purchased from Vaisala.
Select Non-secure, Secure server (SSL) or Both.
7Review the install options and click Install.
8
Click Finish once the application is finished installing.
Y ou ca n set up additional computers as remote host s using a
USB or Serial cable.
T o install viewLinc on an offsite host PC:
Insert viewLinc CD and run setup.exe.
1
2Select the installation language using the dropdown.
Click OK.
3Start the Setup Wizard by clicking Next.
4
Review and accept the License Agreement, then click
Choose a destination location for the viewLin c pr og ra m
files, then click
6Select Logger Host, then click Next.
7Click Install.
8Click Finish.
Next.
You have installed all necessary viewLinc components.You
can now move to any machine on the network - or sta y where
you are - and log in to viewLinc to monitor channels using
any supported Internet browser on the network.
Logging in to viewLinc
viewLinc allows you to:
• watch conditions (such as temperature and relative
humidity) being recorded by devices and in the viewLinc
historical database
• receive alarms if conditions are outside limits you set or if
there is a communications problem
• receive other system-related alarms
When you are ready to start using viewLinc, such as setting
alarms, configuring email settings, and scheduling device
data transfers, log in to viewLinc from a supported Internet
browser. Supported Internet browsers include .
By default, one administrator account is created when
viewLinc is installed. The username and password are both
“admin”. It is important you change the admin password as
soon as possible to prevent unauthorized access (see
“Editing Users and Passwords” on page 54).
To log in to viewLinc:
1Double-click the desktop icon .
2Or, in the address box of a supported Internet browser,
enter the name or address of the machine where
viewLinc is installed, and the port number. For example,
http://computername:portnumber or https://
computername:portnumber if secure. (if no port number
is specified, 443 is used by default). Save this address
to your favorites or set as your homepage to easily
access viewLinc from your browser.
Logging in to viewLinc
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide15
Chapter 1: Getting Started
3In the login screen, enter your username and password.
Click
Note:The default administrator username and pass-
4The main viewLinc screen appears, showing “Getting
Star ted” screen. To start using viewLin c, click the Options
button and choose Locations.
Login.
word are both “admin”.
16
5Here you will find a tree view with your location and
device data. Expand the tree with the plus icon. If you
don’t see any Location data, click a Location from the
If no Locations display, you may not have any locations
assigned to you, the administrator may need to configure
the system, or there could be a problem with viewLinc
itself. If you use Vaisala Veriteq devices, try discovering
devices - see “Discovering Devices” on page 40.
Note:The administrator may have set up the system to
prompt for password periodically to ensure system security. When prompted, re-enter your
password.To change or set the session expiry,
see“Setting Session Expiry Time” on page 57
For more on locations, see Chapter 4: Locations.
First Steps in viewLinc
When you first log in to viewLinc, load the Locations function
by clicking the
If you don’t see anything listed in the tree on the left side of
this window, you will need to start by adding and configuring
new zones. This is done by clicking
Configuration | Locations Manager.
click on the System folder and click
‘manage locations’ right must be added by the administrator
to perform this function.
Zones can also be created by dragging a device/devices
across to the System folder in the tree and accepting the
option to create zones based on the device names. The
devices must not currently be attached to any other location
for this functionality to work.
Once a zone is created, you can then add a location to it by
right clicking and selecting
displayed in the device browser, your device may not be
connected properly. If you use Vaisala Veriteq devices, try
discovering devices - see “Discovering Devi ces” on page 40.
Options button and selecting Locations.
First Steps in viewLinc
Options | System
From the left panel, right
Add Zone. The
Add Location. If no devices are
What’s New in viewLinc 4.0
Locations: A Location is a ‘data point’ which can be linked to
any channel and is located in a hierarchical tree of zones.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide17
Chapter 1: Getting Started
The Locations feature replaces the previous channels/my
channels functionality , providing improve d customization and
flexibility with more information available from the tree view.
Views: A View is a customized combination of locations
selected from all available zones by the user. They offer the
flexibility of navigating a tree view similar to the locations
view with a customized hierarchical zone organization. They
can be customized so a user can create a view of all location
readings regardless of zone. These Views rema in saved and
allow each user to have the software set up in a way that
better suits their role or job function.
Trends: Trends are custom graphs which can be built with
user friendly drag and drop functionality. The trend view
allows you to combine, contrast and compare location history
in visual graphs using real-time data.
Dashboards: Dashboards provide the ability to upload a
custom image for any zone or view and place locations on
this image (for example a map or floor plan). They provide a
customized display of the current readings at several
locations at a glance.
Mobile Support: viewLinc 4.0 provides access from mobile
devices, allowing you to perform key tasks from your
smartphone or tablet. Apple iPhone iOS
2.1+, and BlackBerry
Users and Groups: viewLinc 4.0 provides several new
security options and introduces the concepts of groups,
users and zones for better access control. Groups allow the
administrator to better control permissions on a group level
while maintaining user-based permissions. These features
provide quicker methods of configuring permissions for
multiple users and subsequently adding individ u al us er
permissions as needed. viewLinc 4.0 also provides the ability
to add an access control list (ACL) to a particular zone and
give a group permissions specific to that zone.
Contact V aisala Canada Inc, 8am-4pm PST Mond ay - Friday ,
at 1-866-861-3388 (or 604-273-6850) or email
veriteqsupport@vaisala.com. See also www.vaisala.com/
lifescience-hitech.
For sales, pricing, quotations, or general information, please
call 1-800-683-8374 (or 604-273-6850).
Outside of North America:
helpdesk@vaisala.com
Vaisala Headquarters (Finland)
Vanha Nurmijärventie 21
01670 Vantaa
FINLAND
Industrial Instruments
Phone: +358 9 8949 2658
Fax: +358 9 8949 2295
Japan Service Center
42 Kagurazaka 6-Chome
Shinjuku-ku
Tokyo 162-0825
JAPAN
Phone: +81 3 3266 9611
Fax: +81 3 3266 9610
China Service Center
Floor 2, EAS Building
No. 21, Xiao Yun Road, Dongsanhuan Beilu
Chaoyang District
Beijing 100027
CHINA
Phone: +86 10 5827 4100
Fax: +86 10 8526 1155
• Configure various components of viewLinc using the
Managers from the system configuration menu
• Create and work with views in Views Manager
• Use access control to give views access to different users
and groups
• Set up and add locations to a custom dashboard using the
Dashboard Manager
• Navigate the Device Manager, add a device and add
access controls
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide21
Chapter 2: Management
About Views Manager
A View is a customized combination of locations selected
from all available zones by the user. It offers the flexibility of
navigating a tree view similar to the locations view with a
customized hierarchical zone organization. Views Manager
allows you to create and edit views for use throughout the
application.
Views are useful when you wish to group important locations
together. For example, a user could create a view of all
humidity readings or all temperature readings regardless of
zone. These Views remain saved and allow each user to
have the software set up in a way that suits their role or job
function. Once a View is saved it is possible for the
administrator to assign permissions to that view to a Use r or
Group with ‘View’ or ‘Full Control’ permissions.
Creating a New View in Views Manager
1Select Options | System Configuration | Views Manager.
2Navigate to a View in the Views Tree. When a view is
selected, its access control information will appear on the
right. To create a new view, click
Options Menu icon turns red to indicate that there are
unsaved changes.
3Once the view has been created and named, you can
add a zone or location to it by navigating the Locations
tree in the center panel and dragging and dropping it to
the Views Tree. When you drag and drop a zone, all
Options | New. The
22
locations beneath it are also added to the view. It is also
possible to to add a zone by right clicking the zone and
selecting
4To specify access control for your view, click the view to
select it then select
Add Zone.
Options | Add from the access
control panel on the right.
5The access control window appears. Select an access
control type, user name, and type of permission you wish
to give.
6Click Save. The new permission appears in the Access
Control List (ACL) When selected, access to the view is
provided with ‘Full Permission’ by default.
7To share the view, click to select the view. It appears in
the Views Access Control panel. To assign ACLs to the
view, right click the permission in this panel and select
Edit. Select the type, name and permission and click
Save
to assign the permission to the view.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide23
Chapter 2: Management
About Dashboard Manager
Dashboards provide the ability to upload a custom image for
any zone or view and place locations on this image. They
give the user a visual display of the current reading s at
various locations.
For example, a floor plan or map of a building can be
uploaded as the dashboard image, and the locations can be
dragged and dropped to their corresponding real life
locations on the map. These locations will display the most
current readings and can be easily selected to display the
Popup Trend V iew. See “Opening Large Popup T re nd V iews”
on page 71.
Creating a New Dashboard in Dashboard Manager
1Click Options | System Configuration | Dashboard
Manager
2Navigate to a Location from the Locations tree and click
to select it.
3On the right panel, Click Options | Upload Image.
.
24
4Use the Browse... button to navigate to the image you
wish to use.
5Double click to select the image. It will become the new
desktop image for your dashboard. The
button turns red to indicate that the current dashboard is
being edited and the current tree folder is highlight ed to
indicate that the dashboard is in edit mode.
If it is necessary to resize the image, select Options |
Resize
Image. A grey border will appear around the
image allowing you to adjust the size in a window.
7Navigate the locations tree to find a location or zone you
would like to add to your dashboard. Drag and dr op fro m
the locations tree to the dashboard on the right.
Note:It is only possible to place locations on the dash-
board that 1) are a part of the zone being edited
and 2) are not in the current dashboard yet.
The location or zone will now appear in the image on the
right. A Zone will display a folder icon that can be double
clicked to open. A location with data associated to it will
automatically display and refresh this data on your
dashboard. To reposition items on the dash board simply drag
and drop them around the dashboard.
Double click the location to display the popup trend view.
Alternatively, you can right click on the location and select
Popup T rend. To view the location properties, right click and
select Properties.
Deleting a Dashboard Item
1T o delete an item from the dashboard, st art by clicking on
the desired item to select it.
2From the Options menu choose Delete Selected Item.
3Alternatively, you can right click the desired item to
delete and select
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide25
Delete.
Chapter 2: Management
Erasing the Dashboard
Note:The erase operation cannot be undone.
To erase the current dashboard, select Options | Erase
1
Dashboard
2A confirmation message box appears. Click Yes. The
current dashboard image and all items on the dashboard
are erased.
About Device Manager
The Device Manager is used to add, configure and provide/
manage user access to Devices, Hosts, and Locations. It
also provides the device discovery functionality which allows
for the automatic detection and configuration of supported
Vaisala Devices. The Device Manager consists of 3 panels:
• Device Browser displays the tree of hosts, devices, and
channels
• Access Control grants specific permissions for the device
selected from the device browser
• Device Details displays detailed device information
For information on discovering and adding devices from the
device manager, See “Discovering Devices” on page 40.
For information on setting up a new Access Control
permission for a device you have added, See “Creating a
New View in Views Manager” on page 22 of this chapter and
follow steps 4 through 6.
The Locations Manager is new to viewLinc 4.0 and is the
central location for organizing locations into relevant zones
for use throughout the application. The Locations Manager
contains 3 panels: Locations, Device Browser, and Location
Properties.
The Locations panel allows you to customize the applicat ion
by organizing data into zones, sub-zones and locations.
• A Location is a single data point connected to a channel,
which is placed into a zones or sub-zone. The Locations
you create will appear throughout the application. This
panel also allows you to work with individual channels by
linking and unlinking them to different locations and
deactivating Locations as needed.
• The Device Browser allows you to view and work with the
devices currently attached to the system and the channels
associated with these devices. It also allows you to swap
devices when required.
• The Locations Properties panel contains 4 tabs:
• The Properties tab provides extended information
regarding the selected zone or location. It allows you to
sort and group locations by their various attributes
which is useful for larger zones.
• The Devices tab lists the device chann els connected to
the selected zones/locations. It can also list the device
channel history of each location.
• The Access Control tab allows you to view and add
permissions to a specific zone or location. This
functionality compliments the user and groups
permissions allowing for greater customization and
flexibility.
• The thresholds tab allows you to view and add
thresholds (less than or greater than values for
associated measurements) to the selected locatio ns.
About Locations Manager
Where are My Locations?
If you don’t see any Locations listed in the tree views when
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide27
Chapter 2: Management
clicking on the lower left Options button and selecting
Locations, you will need to start by adding and configuring
new Zones. This is done by clicking
Configuration | Locations | Locations Manager.
panel, right click on the System folder and click
Zones can also be created by:
• manually adding a zone using the menu command
• dragging a device/devices across to the tree and
accepting the option to create zones based on the
device names
Give it a name which describes the zone. Once a zone is
created, you can then add a location to it by right clicking and
selecting
Add Location. If no devices are displayed in the
device browser, your device may not be connected properly.
• If you use Vaisala Veriteq devices, try discovering devices
- see “Discovering Devices” on page 40.
Organizing Locations into Zones
Options | System
From the left
Add Zone.
28
To organize your viewLinc screen and keep a closer eye on
the locations that matter to you, you can organize your
locations into relevant zones using the Locations Manager.
By default, there is one zone created: System. If you wish to
see recently deactivated locations, click the left Options
dropdown and select the Show Deactivated checkbox.
2A ‘New Zone’ folder will appear. Enter a name for the
zone and press
To Add a location to a zone:
To add a location to a new or existing zone, browse the
1
locations tree to find the location you’re looking for and
drag/drop the location into the folder you wish to move it
to.
. Navigate the locations tree on the left or simply
Add Zone.
[Enter].
2If there are no zones or locations (other than the default
‘System’ zone), you will need to add a new Location.
Navigate the Device Browser tree to find a device or
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide29
Chapter 2: Management
channel and drag and drop to a zone in the Locations
tree.
3If you have dragged a device with multiple channels to a
zone, a prompt will appear asking if you wish to
automatically create sub-zones based on device names
or simply paste all of the contained channels. Select the
option you prefer.
30
4It is also possible to cut and paste locations from one
zone to another. To do this, right click on the Location
you’d like to move and select
Cut Location, then right
click on the zone you’d like to move to and select
Paste. This performs the same function as dragging
and dropping as detailed in step 1.
Renaming Zones
To rename a zone:
From the Locations tree in Locations Manager, highlight
3In the Zone name dialog box, make your changes.
4Press Enter or click outside the dialog box to complete
the name change.
Note:Renaming zones edits the zone name only; it
does not change the locations assigned within it.
To link or unlink Locations to a zone, see “Creating Zones” on page 29.
Searching for Zones and Locations
Searching the database is d one using the toolbar search field
which appears beside the options dropdo wn at the top of a
panel. The search is executed by entering a string with
wildcards, which in turn filters the visible tree with the
information entered when the magnifying glass icon is
clicked.
The search syntax accepts zones and dat a locations using
the following format: ‘Room*/Temp*’ will rebuild the tree
displaying all Zones that start with ‘Room’ and all Locations
that start with ‘Temp’.
Click the magnifying glass icon to activate the filter. An ‘x’
icon will appear next to this icon, which indicates the filter is
active. Click the ‘x’ icon to deactivate the filter. While the filter
is active, only the zones and locations that match the search
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide31
Chapter 2: Management
criteria will display. Hosts cannot be filtered with the search
box in Device Manager.
Ordering Columns
To re-sort the display order in a Locations tab:
From any of the tabs in the Locations area, right click on
1
any column heading.
2From the dropdown menu that appears, click to select
Sort Ascending or Sort Descending, or, click on any
column header to sort all the rows using that column.
Click again on the column header to sort the list in the
opposite order.
Linking and Unlinking Channels
In order for a channel to be used as a data source for a
location, it needs to be linked to a zone. If you want to link a
channel to a location, or if you no longer want a channel
associated with a particular location, you can unlink it using
the Locations Manager. It is also possible to view the history
of all channels linked to a specific Location by clicking the
Options dropdown in the Devices tab of Location properties
and selecting “Include Link History.”
T o link a channel:
Note:Before you can link channels to a zone and cre-
Note:Channels cannot be dropped on a location that is
From Options | System Configuration | Locations Manager ,
1
ensure you have created the zone for the location that
you want linked to a channel. You must have at least one
zone created (in addition to System which is created by
default) in order to link locations.
2Navigate the Device Browser in Locations Manager and
expand the device with the channel you’d like to link. If
you do not see any devices listed, check the Options
ate a new Location, the channel must be set up
by your viewLinc administrator. Refer to the specific User Guide to learn more about enabling
and disabling device channels on your Vaisala
Veriteq device or 300 Series Transmitter.
already linked to another channel. It is only possible to have 1 channel per location.
filter to ensure all devices and channels are visible. If you
still don’t see any devices, contact your system
administrator.
3Drag the channel (represented by the Channel icon)
from the Device Browser and drop it into a Location that
is not already linked to a channel in the Locations tree.
4The channel is now linked with the Location you dragged
it to.
To unlink a channel:
Navigate the Locations tree in Locations Manager to find
1
the location with the channel you would like to unlink.
2Right click and select Unlink Channel.
3A prompt will appear confirming that you want to modify
the location. Click
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide33
Yes. The channel is now available to
Chapter 2: Management
link with another location. See “Linking and Unlinking
Channels” on page 32.
You can also unlink all channels within a zone. This is useful
when you wish to delete a zone, because all child locations
must be unlinked in order to delete the zone. Once unlinked,
the freed channels become available in the Device Browser
tree.
To unlink all child locations in a zone:
Navigate the Locations tree in Locations Manager to find
1
the zone with the locations you would like to unlink.
2Right click on the zone and select Unlink child
channels.
34
3
A prompt will appear. Click Yes to confirm the
modification.
Deleting Zones
To delete a zone, you must first deactivate all child locations.
When you delete a zone, the channels revert to the default
zone and can be re-assigned to a different zone from the
device browser. To move channels between zones, see
“Creating Zones” on page 29.
To deactivate child locations:
From the Locations tree in Locations Manager, expand
1
the zone you want to delete.
2Right click and select Deactivate child locations.
3
A prompt will appear confirming that you want to modify
the location. Click
4The zone will remain in the list until the Locations tree is
Yes.
saved. Click the left Options dropdown and select
Save.
5You can now proceed to delete the zone if necessary.
Note:When a location is deactivated, it still remains
part of the zone, but is not active. If you wish to
remove it from the zone entirely, the channel
must be unlinked using the Unlink channel
command. The ‘permanently delete location’
option in the right click menu then becomes
available.
To delete a zone:
From the Locations tree in Locations Manager , select the
1
zone you want to delete.
Note:You cannot delete the System zone.
Right click and select Permanently Delete Zone.
2
3The zone will remain in the list until the locations tree is
saved. Click the left
Save.
Options dropdown and select
Editing Location Properties
To edit location properties:
From the Locations tree in Locations Manager , select the
1
location you’d like to edit.
2Right-click and select Edit.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide35
Chapter 2: Management
3The edit location screen appears. Enter the name,
description, units and decimal places as you’d like them
to appear in viewLinc.
Note:The name, description, units and decimal places
Hiding and Showing Location Columns
To hide columns in Lo cations:
From the Table View tab in Locations, let your mouse
1
hover over any column heading, then click the black
down arrow that appears.
control the way your location appears throughout
viewLinc. If you enter a smaller number of decimal places than your device reads, viewLinc will
automatically round the data it receives from the
device to the nearest decimal point.
36
2Select Columns, then select the columns you want to
example, to show a column with colored icons
representing alarm status, select
3Click outside the list, or press [Esc] to hide the options
Icon.
list.
Creating and Editing Location Thresholds
Thresholds (less than or greater than valu es fo r ass oc iated
measurements) can be assigned to selected locations from
the thresholds tab in locations manager. It’s also possible to
deactivate/reactivate and edit an existing threshold from this
tab.
To create a threshold:
1From the Locations tree in Locations Manager , select the
location you want to create a threshold for, then click the
Thresholds tab in the Location Properties panel.
2Click the Options dropdown and select Create X
threshold (where X is the unit of measure).
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide37
Chapter 2: Management
3The edit threshold window appears, populated with
There are several important settings screens in viewLinc, all
located under the System Configuration tab. This section
covers administrative tasks such as:
• Discovering devices
• Adding devices and hosts
• Auto-swapping devices
• Removing devices
• Editing device and location properties
• Configuring email settings
• Editing alarm email templates
• Creating, editing, or deactivating user accounts and
passwords
• Granting user permissions for alarm editing capabilities
• Granting user permissions to see certain locations
• Choosing device and location description display length
(aliases)
• Choosing temperature measurement unit preferences
• Setting session expiry time
• Creating preconfigured comments
For information on the event log and generating repo rts, see
Chapter 7: Events, and Chapter 8: Reports. For
information on setting threshold alarms, see Chapter 5: Alarms. For more information on administration and
management, see Chapter 2: Management.
Let’s begin working with Devices and Locations within
System Configuration.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide39
Chapter 3: System Settings
Discovering Devices
T o discover recently attached V aisala V eriteq devices which may not
show up in the Device Browser automatically:
Note:300 Series Transmitters are not recognized by
viewLinc using the Discover devices procedure;
use your Digi Discovery software if required.
Select Options | System Configuration | Device Manager.
Select the host machine you wish to scan, then right click
and select
Discover Devices
hand panel:
Discover Devices, or select Options | Host |
from the device browser in the left
Note:This process may take several minutes, depend-
Adding Devices
You may want to add a device to your system if:
• discovering devices is taking too long
• you are adding a 300 Series Transmitter device
• you want to add a variety of device types at one time
Note:To add multiple Vaisala Veriteq devices at one
40
ing on the number of Vaisala Veriteq device s
and/or components in your network.
From the Device Browser in Device Manager, select a
1
host, then select
2In the Add Device screen, select Veriteq Logger from the
Options | Host |Add Device.
Device Class dropdown list.
3Enter the COM port number.
4To add a combination of Vaisala Veriteq devices and 300
Series Transmitter devices, select
Upload Definition s File
then enter or browse to the correct file. To add several
Vaisala Veriteq Devices, see “Discovering Devices” on
page 40. To create a Definitions File, see the FAQ on
page 139.
To add a 300 Series Transmitter device:
Note:Ensure no other users are logged on to the
transmitter you want to add.
1From the Device Browser in Device Manager, select
Options | Host | Add Deviceas above.
2In the Add Device screen, select 300 Series Transmitter
from the Device Class dropdown list.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide41
Chapter 3: System Settings
3Enter the following:
a Disconnect After Scan: To maintain a persistent con-
nection to the device, choose False.
b Connection Type: If the transmitter has a LAN or
WLAN module, select Network. If you use an external
Digi device, choose COM Port.
c IP Address: See your administrator or check the De-
vice box.
d Sample Rate: Choose 90 (recommended, but you can
modify the rate if you need more or less recorded data).
e Connection Timeout: To ensure continuous monitor-
ing, do not change. Contact your network administrator if required.
4To add several 300 Series Tr ansmitters or a co mbination
of Vaisala Veriteq devices and 300 Series Transmitter
devices, select Upload Definitions File then enter or
browse to the correct file. To create a Definitions File,
see the FAQ on page 139.
Swapping Devices
If you need to send a device for maintenance (such as
recalibration), you will need to swap it for another device to
ensure continuous monitoring and alarming.
Note:If a device is removed without being swapped,
this will trigger a communication alarm.
When a device is swapped, the change is noted on the
Location History report (the report shows the device serial
number for a reporting period). If, during the reporting period,
the device was swapped, this event is listed in the report
summary.
To swap a device:
1
Ensure the new device has the same settings as the
device to be swapped (see
separately using vLog, and the COM port to
which they are connected must be selected.
• COM port/IP address. Device is on the same COM port
(attached to the same cable). If you are swapping a 300
Series Transmitter connected as a network device,
ensure the new transmitter has the same IP address.
Name. Device is not retired or deactivated.
•
•
Status. Device is not in active alarm mode.
•
Sample Interval. Devices have the same sample
interval.
Channels. Devices have the same channels enabled
•
and be using the same units of measure for each
matching channel.
Audit Trail. Vaisala Veriteq devices are not linked to a
•
vLog Audit Trail.
2From Options | Locations, navigate the system tree to
find the device you want to sw ap. Right click and select
Pause Device Alarming.
3In the Pause Device Alarming screen, you can add a
comment about why you are swapping devices, and
specify the expected duration for the pause. This will
ensure no communication or threshold alarms are
triggered when disconnecting the device.
4Click OK.
5Disconnect the device you want to swap, and connect
the new device. If you are swapping a 300 Series
Transmitter, unplug the power source and plug it in
again.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide43
Chapter 3: System Settings
6Click Options | Refreshto update the device list (you may
have to wait a few minutes for the device to appear). If
the new device has been previously swapped it will be
found in the list of deactivated devices (to view , click
Show Deactivated Items from the Options dropdown).
7From the Device Browser panel in Options | Locations
Manager
8Right click and select Swap this device with...
9Verify the correct device is identified in the With field,
then click
10 If you want the new device to resume alarming, navigate
the system tree from
device you want to resume. Right click and select
Resume Device Alarming.
, select the device you have removed.
OK. viewLinc will reassign the device.
Options | Locationsto find the
Removing Devices
Because viewLinc’s communication alarms are set up to
notice if any device is not communicating with the system,
you need to use the Deactivate device feature to remove a
device from the system.
To deactivate a device:
1
Select Options | System Configuration | Locations
Manager
2From the Device Browser panel, select the Host and then
A message appears, asking that you confirm you want to
remove this device. Click
Yes.
You can now remove the device from the network.
Editing Device Properties and Aliases
viewLinc allows you to edit a Vaisala Veriteq device
description (maximum 16 alpha-numeric characters stored
within the device), as well as its alias (maximum 64 alphanumeric characters, not stored within the device). You can
edit a 300 Series Transmitter alia s in viewLinc.
Editing device properties allows you to specify a description
or alias that viewLinc will use for that device. You can set
which identification (device description and/or alias) viewLinc
uses in
Description
Options | System Configuration | Preferences | Channel
(see “About Preferences” on page 55).
To modify additional device propertie s, refe r to your Vaisala
product User Guide.
Note:If your device is linked to the vLog audit trail, you
first need to either disable the link to the audit
trail or edit the device properties in vLog.
To edit device properties:
From Options | System Configuration | Device Manager,
1
select the Host and then the device whose prop er tie s
you want to edit.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide45
Chapter 3: System Settings
2On the Device menu (or the right-click context menu)
select
3In the Edit Device Properties screen, in the Description
text box, enter the new information (maximum 16
characters for Vaisala Veriteq devices only). In the Alias
text box, enter a more descriptive Alias (maximum 64
characters), if you want. This Alias is used if you specify
Options | System Configuration | Preferences | Channel
in
Description
descriptions stored in the devices.
Edit Device.
that viewLinc displays aliases instead of the
4Click OK to save.
Editing Channel Properties and Aliases
viewLinc allows you to edit a channel’s description, alias, and
preferred temperature units, if applicable. This is useful when
you want to easily identify a specific channel onscreen.
Note:Depending on the device you use, not all device
From Options | System Configuration | Device Manager,
1
select the Host and then the device whose chan ne l’s
properties you want to edit.
2Select the channel you want to edit.
3On the Options | Channel menu select Edit Channelor
right-click and select
4In the Edit Channel Properties dialog box, in the Alias
Edit Channel.
text box, enter a more descriptive Alias (maximum 64
characters), if you want. This Alias will be used if you
specify in
Channel Description
Options | System Configuration | Preferences |
that viewLinc displays aliases
instead of the descriptions stored in the devices.
5In the Description text box, enter a description (maximum
12 alpha-numeric characters).
6Click OK to save.
If you do not want to use the system default temperature
units (set on the
Options | System Configuration | Preferences
tab), you can modify the temperature un its used for a specific
location. To clear existing unit preferences and accept the
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide47
Chapter 3: System Settings
system default, you will need to edit the location from the
Locations manager and select the option
Adding Hosts
viewLinc 4.0 provides the option of adding multiple host
machines so devices residing on these host machines can
be added and monitored as locations.
To add a host machine:
From the Device Browser in Device Manager, select
1
Options | Add host.
Use System Default.
48
2The Add Host window appears. Enter the hostname or IP
address of the host you’d like to add.
3Click OK. The viewLinc system will discover the host and
all devices residing on it. Device discovery on the new
host may take a few seconds to several minutes to
complete. You can continue with other activities during
the discovery process. You will be notified when the
process is complete. Click Yes when prompted to
refresh.
Configuring Email Settings
Alarm notifications are sent via email, ther efo r e
administrators must set Email Settings to properly send ema il
messages from your mail server. If you aren’t sure which
usernames and passwords to use or which check boxes to
enable, contact your IT Administrator.
To configure Email Settings:
In viewLinc, choose Options | System Configuration |
1
Templates | Email Templates
appears, showing the email templates in use for various
viewLinc messages
2Choose Options | System Configuration | Email Settings.
The Email Settings screen appears:
Configuring Email Settings
. The Email Settings screen
3Enter the Administrator’s Email address. This address is
used to receive all system notifications.
4Enter a valid “From” address. Email notifications from
viewLinc will be “from” this address, so the email address
must exist. Contact your IT administrator to create a
“From” address if needed. For example:
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide49
Chapter 3: System Settings
viewlinc_system@yourcompany.com or
controlroom47@yourcompany.com
5In the Outgoing Server area, enter:
• an outgoing SMTP mail server name (e.g.,
mail.yourserver.com)
• an outgoing mail server port (a number between 1-
65535. Your IT Administrator will have this information)
• an appropriate server timeout interval
6If your outgoing mail server requires authentication,
select the SMTP Authentication check box and enter the
username and password to send mail on that server.
Note:viewLinc automatically uses secure SMTP if it is
If your outgoing mail server requires confirmation
7
through a POP3 connection before sending mail,
configure the following settings:
a Select POP3 connection is required.
b Enter the incoming POP3 mail server name.
c Enter the incoming mail server port.
d Select POP3 Authentication, then enter a username
and password for a valid POP3 account for the viewLinc system to use.
8Click Test Email to test your settings. If they are OK,
continue. If not, adjust the administrator e-mail address
and verify the settings as indicated in these steps until
the test email is sent successfully. The ‘administrator
email address’ field should not be left blank.
9Click Save to save the e-mail settings, which will be used
for email notifications throughout view Linc .
supported by the SMTP server.
Editing Alarm Email Templates
You can edit the information that is sent about alarms in the
various alarm notification emails: for example, the email
notifying you about a Communication or Threshold Alarm, a
repeated Alarm, an Acknowledged Alarm, or a Device
Transfer. You may want to edit emails to modify contents if
sending emails to a pager or cellular phone, or for a specific
purpose within your company.
You can edit email templates to include or not include many
different items, for example:
• Device description
•Event Type
• Details of Alarm
•Date
•Time
• Channel
• Comments (custom or preconfigured comments)
To edit email templates:
From Options | System Configuration | Templates | Email
1
Templates
you want to edit and click
double-click the row to edit. The
, select the row containing the email template
Edit Email Template. Or,
Email Template screen
appears.
2In the Email Template screen, edit the email template
message. Items in [brackets] are macro variables that
viewLinc will insert in the email. To choose different
variables, click the location where you want to add a
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide51
Chapter 3: System Settings
macro, then click Macros and select the variable you want
to use from the drop-down list.
3When you are finished, click Save.
Working with Users
viewLinc 4.0 provides several security options including the
concept of users. Each user has a set of permissions wh ich
are enabled when the user logs in, governing what tasks they
can perform and what parts of viewLinc they can access.
When you install viewLinc, a default “admin” account (user
account with Full Control) is created. The username and
password are both “admin”.
It is important to change the admin password as soon as
possible (see “Editing Users and Passwords” on page 54).
You also need to create accounts for other users, specifying
their login name, their email address and schedule (times
they should receive alarm notification), their security level,
the channels they can see, and their authentication method
(if they will use a viewLinc login or use the same login as their
Windows login).
viewLinc allows you to set times when a particular user
receives alarm notifications. Users can be set to receive
notifications “always”, “never”, or on a schedule of times and
rotating dates (for example 07:00-19:00 on a 4 da y on, 5 day
off rotation, or 08:30-17:30 on a 5 day on, 2 day off rotation).
Contact schedules are applied to user account s, so schedule
patterns (days, hours) must be set before any can be ap plied
to a particular user.
To create contact schedu les:
From Option s | System Configuration | Cont act Schedules,
1
click
area becomes active.
Add Contact Schedule. The Contact Schedules
About Contact Schedules
2From the State drop-down, choose Enabled. This allows
you to set start date, repeat days pattern, and the time
periods.
3Choose a start date by typing in the text box or choosin g
from the calendar.
4Specify Repeat Days. To repeat the contact schedule
every 7 days, enter 7. For 9 days, enter 9. The maximum
value is 99 days.
5In the Time Perio d rows, en ter the time per iod in 24-ho ur
time in the following format: xx:xx-yy:yy where xx:xx is
the start time and yy:yy is the end time. For intermittent
schedules, separate time periods by a comma. For
example, 08:00-12:00, 13:00-16:00). For contact all day,
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide53
Chapter 3: System Settings
enter 00:00-00:00. For no contact in a da y, leave the day
blank.
6Click Save. Your schedule will be named “New
Schedule”. To rename it, double-click the row or sele ct
Options | Rename.
Note:To temporarily disable the scheduling capability
Editing Users and Passwords
T o edit user accounts and passwords:
In viewLinc, go to Options | System Configuration | Users.
1
2Select the user to edit and choose Edit User from the
Options dropdown menu. Or, double-click the row
containing the user you want to edit. The User Proper ties
screen appears.
3From the User Properties screen, edit settings as
needed.
4Select Save from the Options dropdown menu.
Note:You can only edit passwords in viewLinc if you
T o create a new user account:
Creating a new user is covered in Permissions. See
“Creating a New User” on page 102.
(for example, to have notifications sent “always”
or “never”, choose “Always” or “Never” from the
State drop down box). You can then choose or
edit the schedules you’ve set at later time and
re-select “Enabled” when necessary.
are not using Windows authentication.
54
Deactivating Users
To deactivate a user:
FromOptions | System Configuration | Users, select the
From Options | System Configuration | Users, click
1
Show Deactivated Users. All deactivated user s ap pe ar
in grey text.
2Select the user you want to reactivate and click
Reactivate User from the Options dropdown menu.
About Preferences
The preferences section of viewLinc conta ins several system
preferences that affect the behaviour and display of the
application throughout. This section controls the following
options in viewLinc:
• Choosing whether the Channel and Device descriptions
displayed in viewLinc come from the system or from a
user-defined alias.
• “Preferred Temperature Units” can be set as C (Celsius) or
F (Fahrenheit). This procedure does not alter how the
logger measures temperature - it only alters the units in
which temperature is displayed.
• Choosing session expiry time after which a user or
administrator must reconfirm their identity by reentering
their password. This prevents non-authorized users from
making changes to viewLinc. This setting is applied
universally to all viewLinc users and administrators.
• Choosing if comments are required or optional.
• Choosing the default value for MKT Activation Energy.
This is used in reports and trends.
• Technical support log allows the administrator to turn
support tracing on/off. It set s the amo unt of infor mation to
be logged in case of any support issues.
• The security key is displayed here. This is the license key
purchased from Vaisala for this system.
About Preferences
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide55
Chapter 3: System Settings
Choosing Device and Channel Description Lengths
(Aliases)
V aisa la Veriteq devices have descriptions stored inside them
that have a maximum length of 16 characters (300 Series
Transmitters do not store descr iptions). Channel descriptions
have a maximum length of 12 characters. Some
administrators may prefer to display a longer, more
informative description. To accommodate this, viewLinc
allows you to set an alias for a device or channel, up to
maximum of 64 characters.
To choose whether viewLinc should display the description
stored in the device or its alias, set the Channel Description
and/or Device Description preference in
Configuration | Preferences
To set the Channel or Device Description preference:
In viewLinc, go to Options | System Configuration |
1
Preferences
Options | System
.
.
56
2In the Channel Description row, click to choose “Use
Channel Description from Device” or “Use Channel Alias”
from the Value column.
3Repeat your preference choice for Device Description.
Events, Alarms, Reports, and Email will all use the
designated descriptions of Channel and Device.
Choosing Temperature Measurement Unit Preferences
When viewLinc is installed, temperature is set to display in
degrees Celsius. You can configure viewLinc to show
temperatures in either Celsius or Fahrenheit.
In viewLinc, go toOptions | System Configuration |
1
Preferences
2In the Name column, select Preferred Temperature Units
and in the Value column, choose either
Fahrenheit (F).
Note:This procedure does not alter how the device
.
Celsius (C) or
measures temperature - it alters the units in
which temperature is displayed (except for channels which already have preferred unit settings
assigned).
Setting Session Expiry Time
viewLinc allows you to set a session expiry time af ter which a
user or administrator must reconfirm their identity by
reentering their password. This prevents non-authorized
users from making changes to viewLinc.
You can choose to set this expiry time as “never”, “always”
(that is, requiring password confirmation before making any
change to the system), or intervals of 1, 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60
minutes after logging in or reconfirming their password.
This setting is applied identically to all viewLinc users and
administrators.
To set the session expiry:
From viewLinc, chooseOptions | System Configuration |
1
Preferences
2In the Name column, select Users must confirm their
identity
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide57
.
, then choose an expiry time in the Value column.
Chapter 3: System Settings
Creating Preconfigured Comments for Email Messages
Administrators can preconfigure standard comments to be
sent as part of email notifications for alarms and transfers, as
well as have them included in the Event Log.
To use these comments in email notifications, the
[Comments] parameter must be present in the specific Email
Template. For example, if you set a Communication Alarm to
email someone when it is triggered, the preconfigured
comment you select for that alarm will be included in the
email if the [Comments] parameter is included in the email
template for Communication Alarms.
You can use preconfigured comments in alarm templates, or
when setting up a custom alarm.
To create preconfigured comments:
1
From Options | System Configuration | Comments click
Add.
58
2In the box that contains the text,New comment, enter the
This section is for administrators and general users.
In this section, you’ll learn about:
• Locations, Trends, and Zones
• Selecting Channels and Zones to display as Locations
• Opening Large Popup Trend Views
• Viewing and Working with Real-time Graphs in a Larg e
Popup Trend View
• Displaying or hiding Location information
Let’s get started learning what locations are in viewLinc.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide61
Chapter 4: Locations
About Locations
What is a Location?
The Locations feature is new to viewLinc 4.0, giving the user
improved customization with more information available
more readily from the Location tree view. A Location is a
‘data point’ which can be linked to any single channe l and
can be located in a hierarchical tree of zones. It removes the
hardware definition of host/device/channel from the Location
tree, allowing any channel to become a Location. Depending
on the type of Vaisala devices you have installed, a device
may have up to five active channels and up to 27 definable
channels available to measure readings such as
temperature, relative humidity, voltage, pressure, current,
etc. (one channel is used for each type of measurement).
Note:300 Series Transmitters Output Quantities are
Using viewLinc, you can monitor any device that is
connected to the network using Locations.
When you first log in to viewLinc, you can load the Locations
function by clicking on the main screen
selecting
• zones and locations available for monitoring in an
expandable tree view
• locations available for each selected zone
• table view which allows you to view and monitor data from
zones and/or locations
• trend view which allows you to combine, contrast and
compare location history in visual graphs with real-time
data
• context-sensitive help
Locations. This window includes:
displayed as Channels. (currently 27 possible
types)
The Locations screen in viewLinc contains many important
features:
ItemDetails
1 - TabsContains main viewLinc tabs: Table View, Dash-
board, Location Alarms, Trend.
2 - Options
dropdown
Contain buttons like Refresh, Popup Trend, Pause
Alarming, etc. These menus are context-sensitive - they change depending on which tab is
open and which item is selected within the tab.
3 - Zones areaWhere configuration of locations and zones takes
place. Use the locations tree to organize the locations that are connected to viewLinc into zones.
Zones are represented by folders with Locations
located below them in the tree. Locations are
found below the zones. The table view on the
right will display information about the zone or
location that you have selected.
4 - SearchYou can search for locations here by entering a
search term in the text box and clicking the magnifying glass icon.
Tabl e 2: Important features of the Locations screen
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide63
Chapter 4: Locations
ItemDetails
5 - Location
Details
In Table View mode, includes details on channel
configurations, paths, current data readings, latest timestamp and threshold information.
Tabl e 2: Important features of the Locations screen
The Locations screen displays general information about the
corresponding data source. When a location has no da ta
source associated with it, it will be displayed with a blue
exclamation mark icon. The Locations screen can also
display views by clicking anywhere in the dark grey bar
labelled “Views.” Views have the same functionality as
locations, but are customized versions of the locations tree.
Each View can also have a Trend associated with it that is
displayed in the Trend panel whenever a View is selected. A
Trend is a historical view of Location data.
Most columns in the 4 tabs (Table V iew , Dashboard, L ocation
Alarms, Trend) are easy to understand; however, here are
their definitions to help you get familiar with viewLinc. To see
all options, see “Hiding and Showing Location Columns” on
page 36:
ColumnDisplays
64
IconThe color coded icon associated with the
location.
Location IDDevice description (can be edited from the
System tab).
Device IDThe number associated with the device.
Location PathThe subfolders currently linked with the
location. The top folder in the path will
always be the default ‘System’.
Location DescriptionThe description for the location that was
Device Serial NumberThe serial number associated with the
device.
Device DescriptionThe description that was entered for the
device at the time of configuration.
Channel IDThe system defined number associated
with the channel.
Channel NumberNumber representing the channel for that
device (each device has 1 or more channels, and labels them 1, 2, and so on).
Channel DescriptionDescription of channel (editable from the
System tab).
ValueReading of that channel, for example the
temperature in Celsius.
TimestampTime that the last reading was taken.
Device StatusThe current status of the device. Displays
errors if the device is inactive.
Threshold Status“OK” appears if there are no currently
active alarms. Changes to indicate if a
threshold alarm condition has been
detected.
Threshold SummarySummary of threshold status, if active.
Tabl e 3: Columns of information in Locations
Understanding the Options Dropdown Menu in
Locations
The Options dropdown menu in the left panel of Locations
allows you to select commonly used commands. Some of
these commands will be available or greyed out depending
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide65
Chapter 4: Locations
on the location/zone you have selected, if any. The following
options are available:
Refresh: Reloads the selected tree.
•
•
Expand/Collapse All Zones: Expands/collapses all zones
and sub-zones of the tree in the left locations panel.
Pause Threshold Alarming: Pauses the threshold alarms
•
for the zone or location selected in the tree. If a zone is
selected and there are child locations, this command will
pause alarming on all child locations within the selected
zone.
Resume Threshold Alarming: Resumes threshold alarms in
•
all data locations selected in the right panel. If a zone is
selected and there are child locations, this command will
resume alarming on all child locations within the selected
zone.
Understanding The Tabs in Locations
The right panel in locations is a tabbed panel consisting of
four tabs that are updated as the Locations tree is n avigated.
The four tabs are as follows:
Table View Tab: Displays the location, device, threshold
•
and status information for the currently selected location.
Only locations that have channels assigned to them will be
displayed.
Dashboard Tab: Displays the dashboard for the current
•
selected location or zone and sub-zones. These
dashboards are managed in
Configuration | Dashboard Manager.
displayed on the dashboard with their current reading.
Zones are displayed as a folder icon and can be opened
by double clicking this icon. Hovering over a zone or
location will cause the mouse pointer to change and will
display a tooltip with extra information.
Location Alarms Tab: All active alarms for the current
•
location or zone and sub-zones are shown under this tab.
If acknowledgement is required on an Alarm, the alarm will
be present in this window whether it is on or off. If
acknowledgement is not required on an alarm, the alarm
will be present in this window only if it is currently on. A
user can acknowledge threshold alarms if they have
‘Acknowledge Alarms’ permission on that location. The
device alarms can be acknowledged if ‘Acknowledge
Alarms’ is available on at least one location referencing
that device. For further information on ackno wle dg in g
alarms seeSee “Viewing Active Alarms” on page 98 .
Trend Tab: When browsing the Locations tree, the trend
•
tab enables you to build and display location tren ds quickly
and save them as Views as follows.
Building a Trend with the Trend Tab
To create a custom trend using the trend tab:
Navigate the Locations tree to find a location you would
1
like to graph in a trend.
2Drag and drop one or several locations from the
Locations tree onto the graph panel on the right.
3Save the trend as a View by clicking the Options
dropdown and selecting
Save as View. The view will then
become available in the views section and can be
accessed any time. You can continue to build upon and
modify your trend at any time by simply dragging more
channels onto the graph and saving again.
4Check and uncheck the ‘Selected’ column in the grid
located in the Locations tab just below the graph. Click
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide67
Chapter 4: Locations
5Plot threshold lines on a location by checking the
6Click on the Group Statistics tab to see the totals and
7Click on the Scale tab to adjust the values for the scale of
8Click Options | Save As Report and specify a name for
the live button or click Options | Refresh to refresh the
graph and it will graph only the data you have selected
with these checkboxes.
‘Threshold Lines’ column and refreshing again. The
panel displays statistics information for each graph line.
max/min ranges for all locations together.
the graph. The default low/high range is set to auto.
Clicking on this ‘auto’ text enables you to enter new
values for the graph which will be applied when the graph
is refreshed or the
Live button is selected. There is a
maximum of 16 locations (lines) per trend.
your report. The report will be available with the name
you specified in the Reports section.
68
9The trend tab also contains navigation controls which
allow you to navigate historical data trends and refresh
the view as necessary:
• Pressing on the
forward and back arrows will
adjust the start time accordingly, while pressing on the
double forward and back arrows will adjust the start
time by a greater distance.
• Pressing the
data using the ‘duration’ combo box value to adjust the
start date of the graph.
• The top right check box labelled ‘Auto Refresh On’ will
toggle the auto refresh option. Uncheck it to stop
periodic updates, or check it to have the same effect as
pressing the
• Navigating or zooming within the trend will
automatically uncheck the “Auto Refresh On” option,
because when you navigate within you are then
viewing historical data. See “Real-Time Graphs” on
page 73.
live button will fetch the most recent
live button.
Understanding the Dropdown Menus and Buttons in
the Locations Tabs
The four tabs in the Locations panel contain various options
and control buttons to help you customize, ma nage an d
display data.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide69
Chapter 4: Locations
Table View Tab Options
• Refresh: Reloads grid data with latest information.
•
Popup Trend: Pops up the trend graph display of the
selected row.
Properties: Displays the properties window for the selected
•
row.
Pause Threshold Alarming: Pauses threshold alarming of
Pause Host Alarming: Pauses host device alarming for the
•
selected host.
Resume Host Alarming: Resumes host device alarming for
•
the selected host.
Pause Device Alarming: Pauses alarming on the selected
•
device.
Resume Device Alarming: Resumes alarming on the
•
selected device.
70
Dashboard Tab Options
Contains only the Refresh option, which reloads data from the
server when clicked.
Location Alarms Tab Options
• Refresh: Reloads data from server.
•
Print: Prints the Active Alarms information. The Active
alarm information will print, including all the details about
the alarms by clicking this button.
Export the Active Alarms information to Excel: All active
•
alarm information can be exported to excel with the details
about the alarms present under the Active Alarms tab.
Clicking on the Export to Excel button asks the user to
open or save the TSV file as shown. See “Viewing Active
Alarms” on page 98.
Note:TSV format is used because it is not affected by
Clear: Clears all channels from the trend. This option is
visible when building trends from the ‘System view’ tree.
Save as View…: Displays a window to save the current
•
trend as a View . This optio n is visible when building trends
from the ‘Locations’ tree. It requires ‘Manage Vi ews’ rights.
Save as Report…: Displays a window to save the current
•
trend as a single page ‘History Report’. This option
requires ‘Manage Reports’ rights.
Save: Saves the current trend. This option is visible when
•
browsing trends from the View tree. It requires ‘Manage
Views’ rights.
Popup in New Window: Pops up the trend in a new browser
•
window. This option is visible when browsing trends from
the View tree. See “Opening Large Popup Trend Views”
on page 71.
Include Realtime Samples: When checked, this option will
•
draw real time samples along with the logged data.
Show Data Markers: When checked, this option will draw
•
small markers on the trend, indicating exactly where the
readings took place.
Opening Large Popup Trend Views
The Large Popup Trend window contains the most current
data reading for the location, any related threshold settings, a
graphical representation of recent historical data readings,
and an area to indicate an active alarm.
Note:You can view a particular location’s data reading
in a single window, or you can open multiple
location windows. If you use Internet Explorer,
ensure your browser is set up to open new links
in a new window or tab. Go to Tools | Internet
Options, then, on the General tab in the Tabs
section, click Settings and choose to open links
from other programs in A new tab in the current
window.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide71
Chapter 4: Locations
To open a large popup trend view:
1
2Right click Popup Trend or double click the selected
From the Options | Locations window, browse the
locations tree and left click to select a location you want
to view.
location line. A new resizeable window containing
information about the selected location appears.
72
3Repeat steps 1 and 2 to view multiple large popup trend
views. Many users choose to have multiple monitors
displaying multiple trends by dragging each windows to
various monitors as desired.
To close a large popup trend view, click the close box (x) in
the top right corner of the window.
To acknowledge an alarm, see “Acknowledging Alarms” on
page 94.
With viewLinc, you can view live data in graphical form at any
time using the Trend tab in Locations.
To view live data as a graph:
From Options | Locations, click the Trend tab.
1
2Expand the Locations tree on the left to find a Location
you wish to graph. Drag locations as you wish from left to
right (with a limit of 16 channels). The comparative data
of all the Locations you selected will be displayed in the
Trend tab.
3Right click on a location and clickPopup Trend. This
opens the large trend view with both a graph and cur rent
value (for a single location only).
In this screen you can view the most recent historical trends,
and hover over specific data points for more detailed
readings.
Reading Graphs in Popup Trend View
When you open a location, you can see b oth a numerical and
graphical representation of the device reading. Here is a
description of the key elements in the graphing area:
Real-Time Graphs
ItemDescription
Title barDisplays the name of the Zone and type of
location data reading (humidity, temperature, voltage or current).
Header barIndicates the date and time of latest read-
ing; the time zone is based on the time
zone setting of the PC running the
browser. The graph header bar also displays the number of data points being
measured.
Table 4: Large Popup Trend view elements
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide73
Chapter 4: Locations
Numerical display areaDisplays most current data value in units
Graph areaA graphical representation of data history
Left-side Y-axisShows the scale for the data displayed in
X-Axis time scaleShows the reporting time frame ( if you
Graph LineIndicated by a line to show historical mea-
ItemDescription
being measured, as defined by the
user(see page “Choosing Temperature
Measurement Unit Preferences” on
page 56 to change).
is displayed here.
the graph.
use Internet Explorer, you can only view
the last 300 data points; all other browsers will show the last 1000 points).
surement readings based on a specific
date or time frame. Move your mouse and
hover over a specific point to show the
specific X- and Y-axis values.
74
Threshold LineIndicated by a color-coded line (based on
threshold setting) to show historical
threshold values. Move your mouse and
hover over a specific point to show the
specific X- and Y-axis values.
Active Alarms areaDisplays active alarm details: Threshold
value and amount exceeded; alarm date
and time; whether the alarm was
acknowledged, and by whom. Permits
user to acknowledge an alarm. If you
don’t see the active alarm area, there may
be no alarms to display. It can still be
shown using the double arrows on the
right hand side of the popup trend.
Status barIndicates channel monitoring status (OK or
Alarm/Alarm condition type).
Table 4: Large Popup Trend view elements
Viewing Graph Detail in Large Popup Trend View
With a Large Popup Trend View open, you can also zoom in
on a specific time period.
Simply click anywhere on the graph and drag your cursor to
the right to highlight the time period you want to magnify , then
release. The magnified area displays until the next live
update. To return to full view immediately, double-click
anywhere on the graph (or to zoom out, select an area, drag
cursor to the left, then release).
Acknowledging Alarms from Large Popup Trend
View
From a Large Popup Trend View window, you can
acknowledge alarms.
To acknowledge an alarm from a large popup trend view:
From the large popup trend view “Active Alarms” panel,
1
click
2In the Acknowledge Alarm dialog box that appears, enter
information to describe what was done to correct the
alarm situation, or a general comment. You can also
select from the dropdown of preconfigured comments if
you prefer.
Alarms and Alarm Acknowledgement are the keys to success
with the Vaisala Veriteq Continuous Monitoring system.
In this chapter, you’ll learn to:
• Understand Types of Alarms in viewLinc
• Create Alarm Templates
• Set threshold and Device Alarms
• Deactivate and Reactivate Alarms
• Acknowledge Alarms
•Pause Alarms
To learn about how to generate Alarm reports, see Chapter
8: Reports.
Let’s get started looking at alarms.
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide77
Chapter 5: Alarms
About Alarms
There are several types of alarms in viewLinc: threshold
alarms, communication alarms, event log validation alarms,
and device sampling alarms. If you are using valid atable
devices, you may also receive device validation alarms and
calibration alarms.
Users with the appropriate ACL permissions can set
threshold alarm limits and when conditions exceed these
limits, alarms are triggered which notify key staff of th e
condition. St aff with Acknowledge Alarms permissions or
higher then acknowledge the alarms in viewLinc.
All transactions are recorded in the Event Log and the
Historical database.
Using viewLinc, you can customize the alarm information that
is issued for threshold, communication and device alarms b y
configuring them from
Manager
Options | System Configuration | Templates | Alarm Templates.
Threshold Alarms
Threshold Alarms notify users when conditio ns (suc h as
temperature and relative humidity) are outside acceptable
limits.
Threshold alarms are not enabled by default. To trigger
threshold alarms when certain thresholds are exceeded,
users with assigned permissions must configure them.
Options | System Configuration | Device
or by modifying alarm/threshold templates from
78
Communication Alarms
Communication Alarms notify users when communication
between a host (Device Host or viewLinc Server) and its
devices is down. This may be because viewLinc Server can
not communicate with the device, or the device connection to
a host has been severed. Communication alarms serve as a
system health test, alerting you if there is a problem that
might disrupt viewLinc monitoring and alarming.
An Event Log V a lidation Alarm indicates when ch anges have
been made to the event log from outside the viewLinc
system. Each entry in the event log has its own CRC which is
verified - if any changes have been made, an alarm is
automatically created, rendering data non-validatable. It
checks the CRC of event files, checks the CRC of event
records in the files, checks for missing records, and checks
for missing files. If any are discovered, an alarm is raised
and must be acknowledged.
Device Configuration Alarms
If you receive a Configuration Alarm, this indicates that your
device has stopped recording data history or was configured
incorrectly. This could be the result of being set to stop when
full, a delayed start, or the device could have an internal
error. This alarm can also be triggered if a channel has been
disabled in the device using vLog. To correct this issue, you
can verify or modify the Vaisala V eriteq device settings using
vLog. If the problem persists, contact your Vaisala technical
support representative.
Device Validation Alarms
If you use a VL-type data logger, you’ll receive a Validation
alarm if the validation memory in the device is corrupted or
has been modified. Contact your Vaisala technical support
representative.
Device Calibration Alarms
If you use a VL-type device, Calibration Alarms send you
intermittent notification when your device is due for
calibration. Y ou receive notifications at the following intervals:
3 months and 1 month before the calibration due date, then
again on the data logger’s scheduled recal date. This alarm
will remain active until the logger has been recalibrated.
What Happens When an Alarm is Triggered?
When an alarm is triggered, several things can happen:
• A pop-up can appear showing a description of the
condition, and an alarm message. If pop-ups are blocked
viewLinc 4.0 Administrator Guide79
Chapter 5: Alarms
• An email can be sent. If configured, emails are
• An application can be launched or an external device
• All of the above. You can also set up a tree alarm
Alarms should be dealt with as soon as possible by
acknowledging them in viewLinc. All transactions are
recorded in the Event Log and Historical database and can
be viewed in an Event Log or Alarm report.
in your browser , an error message app ears, prompting you
to enable pop-ups for viewLinc.
automatically sent to the address, addresses, or user
specified when threshold limits are exceeded,
communications are interrupted, or an event log or device
alarm condition is present. Alarm emails can be sent
repeatedly based on how alarm properties have been set.
turned on. If configured, an external device (such as a light
or buzzer) or a computer application (such as batch file
which can page or phone a particular number) can be
triggered when an alarm condition occurs.
hierarchy, a method of notifying different individuals of an
alarm if the first notification is not acknowledged within a
specified time frame.
Creating Alarm Templates
viewLinc provides you with six default alarm templates, one
each for threshold alarms, communication alarms, event
tampering alarms, and three types of device alarms
(calibration, validation, and configuration). You can modify
the parameters of these templates as you need, or create
your own.
Templates are a great way to save time when you want to
define similar alarm settings for multiple device channels
(applies to the general parameters - color code, alarm
message, delay, acknowledgement, as well as notifications
and comments).
You can also create a reusable threshold condition and
assign it to a specific alarm template.
Template. Click in the title to enter a more specific title.
3On the General Parameters tab, define the following:
a Color Code.Choose the alar m color code - either blue,
yellow, orange, or red. This color is used as the color
indicator for alarms on the Alarms tab, and as the
background color for a row in locations, if activated. It
is also used as the color for a threshold line in a realtime graph. Use the color codes to indicate severity,
starting with blue for less serious alarm conditions, escalating to red for the most serious alarm conditions.
b Alarm Message. If you want to set up an alarm email
notification (set up on the Notifications tab), enter the
message you want to appear in the alarm notification.
c Delay Before Activating Alarm (HH:MM). If desired,
specify a delay period, in hours and/or minutes, from
when a condition exists and you want the alarm triggered.
d Acknowledgement Required. Select this option if you
require an individual to acknowledge an alarm. If you
select this option, the alarm will remain on the Alarms
tab until it has been acknowledged.
4If you want the alarm to open in a pop-up window:
a Select the Notifications tab.
b Click Add, and then select Add Pop-up Notification.
c
In the Delay before pop up field, indicate a delay, in
hours and/or minutes (HH:MM), before you want the
pop-up to display. This delay starts after the delay on
the General tab finishes.
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5
Note:We recommend that you use this feature spar-
ingly. If many pop-ups are triggered at the same
time, it can disrupt your browser operation and
may require that you restart your browser to correct.
To send an email notification when the alarm triggers:
a Select the Notificationstab.
b Click Add, and then select Add Email Notification.
82
c In the Delay before sending first notification field, indi-
cate a delay, in hours and/or minutes (HH:MM), before
you want the first email sent.
Note:If you have set the Delay Before Activating Alarm
option, ensure the combined time delay does not
interrupt your alarm notification requirements.
To enter a specific email or multiple email addresses
d
to receive notification (ones that are not pre-configured in System Configuration | Users), enter the email
addresses in the
Send email to text box. Separate mul-
tiple email addresses with commas.
Note:Email addresses specified in Send email to are
not checked against email addresses for specific
users. If you put an email address in Send email
to, and that same email address is specified in
System Configuration | Users with a specific
contact schedule, viewLinc will ignore the schedule and send the notification.
Click the User List text box to view a list of users au-
e
thorized to receive notifications. Only the users with an
email address specified in Options | System Configura-
tion | Users
are visible (see “Editing Users and Passwords” on page 54). Drag users to notify to the
Selected Users column. Reorganize the list order if
necessary using the arrow buttons. Click
fIn the Repeat email notification drop-down, choose an
OK.
appropriate interval for the frequency emails are resent while the condition still exists. You may also want
to use the
Maximum Number of Repeats field to specify
a maximum number of repeat emails that should be
sent (enter zero, 0, if you do not want to specify a limit.
This will allow infinite repetition).
g To also have an email sent when an alarm is acknowl-
edged, or when the condition no longer exists, select
the appropriate check box.
h If you want to issue alarm notifications to different re-
cipients for different alarm conditions, create multiple
email notifications with different delay periods. For example, you could create a notification for the first recipient with a short delay period, perhaps 1 minute.
Create another email notification for someone else
with a different delay period, for example 20 minutes.
If the first notification is not acknowledged within
20 minutes, the second notification is automatically
sent.
Note:There is additional information that can be sent
in the alarm email. For more, see “Editing Alarm
Email Templates” on page 50.
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6You can also run commands on the viewLinc Server
machine (which in turn can trigger external devices)
when a condition exists. To configure commands:
a Select the Notifications tab.
b Click Add, then select Add Command Notification.
c To specify a delay before the command runs, enter a
delay period in hours and/or minutes (HH:MM).
Note:If you have set the Delay Before Activating Alarm
option, ensure the combined time delay does not
interrupt your alarm notification requirements.
In the Run command text fields, enter DOS commands
d
in the appropriate boxes. You can run different commands when an alarm is triggered, a notification is repeated, an alarm is acknowledged, or an alarm
condition is no longer true.
84
For example:
C:\Program Files\Veriteq Instruments\viewLinc\python\python” -m viewLinc.scripts.SwitchBbRelay <number of
com port where relay device is attached>
Option as specified in script documentation in Appendix: FAQs & Troubleshooting.
The example above shows a python script specific to
a Digital Relay I/O device. Different parameters apply
to different commands or scripts.
7To insert comments in an alarm email, you can select
from a list of preconfigured comments (see “Editing
Alarm Email Templates” on page 50), or enter a new
comment. How comments appear in an email is defined
in the email template.
a Select the Comments tab.
b Select a preconfigured comment that is appro priate for
the purpose of the notification or manually enter a new
comment you want displayed in the notificat io n .
8You can also list all locations and devices that are
currently using the selected template by clicking
| Devices and Locations using Template
. This shows all
Options
devices using the selected template and displays their
zone/location and permissions information.When alarm
settings are complete, select
Options | Save.
You can now apply this alarm template to one or more
devices or locations (see “Setting Threshold Alarms” on
page 86 or “Setting Communication Alarms” on page 90). If
you want to make minor changes to the template while
applying to devices, see “Editing Threshold Alarms” on
page 88, “Editing Communication Alarms” on page 92, or
“Editing Device Alarms” on page 94.
To create a threshold condition template:
From Options | System Configuration | Locations Manager
1
| Threshold Templates, click the Options dropdown,
then select
Add Threshold Template.
2By default, the template is named Default Threshold
Template. Double-click anywhere in the title to change it.
3Set the threshold condition.
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Chapter 5: Alarms
4If you want to apply an existing alarm template (which
defines how the alarm displays and who is notified when
a threshold is reached), select
“Creating Alarm Templates” on page 80).
5If you want to define custom settings for this template,
complete the fields in the General Parameters,
Notifications, and Comments tabs. This option is also
available using the right click context menu while a
template is highlighted.
6When you are finished creating your threshold template,
click
Save.
Threshold Alarms
Users with the correct permissions set device channel
thresholds that trigger alarms. For exam p le:
• Greater than 23.00 C for more than 1 minute
• Less than 37.76 RH for more than 15 minutes
You can set a threshold alarm using a template (if previously
configured), or set a custom alarm.
Use Alarm Template (see
86
Setting Threshold Alarms
Y ou can configure several threshold alarms, for example, one
for yellow alarms (mild concern), another for red alarms
(extreme concern). For example, you could set a yellow
alarm to trigger first (at one minute out of threshold), and
send an email to someone who needs to know. For a red
alarm, you could set the alarm condition to a longer time
(15 minutes out of threshold) and send the email to a lab
manager, or a distribution list of people who need to be
notified to take action.
From Options | System Configuration | Locations Manager ,
1
select the location or locations you want to set the
threshold alarm for.
Note:To select multiple locations at one time, hold
down the [Ctrl] key while you select locations. T o
select a group of locations in a list, hold down the
[Shift] key and select the first and last locations.
The Locations Properties panel will update automatically.
Select the Thresholds Tab, click the Options dropdown
2
from the Location Properties panel and click
Threshold
(where X represents the unit reading
measured at this location, such as C or RH or mA).
Create X
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Chapter 5: Alarms
3To set a threshold alarm using an existing threshold
4To set a custom threshold, select Use Custom Threshold
5To use an existing alarm template, select Use Alarm
6To set up custom alarm settings, select Use Custom
7Set your alarm settings on the General Parameters,
The Edit Threshold screen appears.
template (recommended), select
Template
, then select the template from the drop-down
Use Threshold
list.
Settings
and define the threshold condition. For example,
a temperature alarm that is triggered when the
temperature goes above 21C.
Template
, then select the template from the drop-down
list.
Alarm Settings
.
Notifications, and Comments tabs following steps 3
through 8 in “Creating Alarm Templates” on page 80.
88
Editing Threshold Alarms
To edit a threshold alarm:
In Options | System Configuration | Locations Manager,
1
select the location you want to edit thresholds for, then
select the threshold to edit from the Thresho lds tab in the
Location Properties panel on the right.
2Select Options | Edit Threshold. The Edit Threshold
screen displays.
3Edit threshold settings as desired.
4Click Save.
Disabling Threshold Alarms
You can temporarily disable alarms without deleting all the
setting information (for example, when you want to move a
device from one location to another).
To temporarily disable a threshold alarm:
In Options | System Configuration | Locatio ns Man a ge r,
1
highlight the row of the location you want to disable
thresholds for.
2On the Threshold tab of the Location Properties panel,
Options | Edit Thres hol d.
select
3In the Edit Threshold screen, deselect Enable Threshold
Alarm.
4
Click Save.
Note:You can also pause alarms - for more informa-
tion, see “Pausing Alarms” on page 97.
Deactivating and Reactivating Threshold Alarms
You may want to deactivate a device ’s threshold alar m
because it is no longer required. A deactivated threshold
“disappears”, but can be reactivated.
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Chapter 5: Alarms
To deactivate a thresho ld alarm:
Select Options | System Configuration | Locations
1
Manager
and highlight the row of the location you want to
deactivate the threshold alarm for.
2On the Threshold menu, select Deactivate Threshold.
To reactivate a deactivated alarm:
1Click the Options dropdown and select Show Deactivated
Items.
The checkbox will appear checked when
deactivated items are being displayed.
2From the list of thresholds that appear highlight the one
you’d like to reactivate, right click and select
Reactivate Threshold.
Note:Yo u ca n al so pause alarms - for more informa-
tion, see “Pausing Alarms” on page 97.
Communication Alarms
Communication between devices and the viewLinc Server is
essential for real-time monitoring of conditions. Because of
this, viewLinc includes communication alarms to notify users
if communications are down at any point. By default there is
one communication alarm preconfigured for each host and
each device. You can either edit the default alarms, or set up
additional communication alarms.
90
Setting Communication Alarms
T o set a communication alarm:
From Options | System Configuration | Device Manager,
1
navigate the Device Browser tree and select the host or
device you want to set the communication alarm for.