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AMR-CONTROL V5
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Ahlborn Mess- und Regelungstechnik GmbH
D-83602 Holzkirchen,
Germany
Telephone : ++49-(0)8024-3007-0
Instructions - English
Ver. 2.0 vom 14.09.2004
With the AMR-CONTROL software you can request information and make modifications quickly and easily for the entire programming of ALMEMO measuring instruments (version 5) and of all connected ALMEMO sensors and output modules. The data logger memory can be read out either in total or selectively in parts and can be saved as a file. The file can then be represented in graphical form and evaluated using any standard spreadsheet software. AMR-CONTROL also incorporates a terminal mode via which you can address older ALMEMO devices or even THERM devices. The function keys are configurable, thus permitting convenient remote control and data acquisition. The log can be written as a file or output to a printer. You can choose your preferred user interface language from the following range : German, English, or French.
A description of all device functions and interface commands can be found in the ALMEMO Manual; the interface commands are also listed in the file “hbv5_1033.htm”.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Processor : Pentium 133 or higher with minimum 16 MB RAM
Operating system : Microsoft Windows 98 or higher
(under Windows
95, only serial interface supported, Ethernet or modem link not
possible)
Free capacity on hard disk : approx. 10 MB
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher
Interface (serial and / or Ethernet, modem)
Mouse
NEW FEATURES IN VERSION 5.x
The input distributor, linked directly to the terminal, permits access to measuring systems without influencing the current measuring operation.
Ethernet and modem links are supported.
A function is provided for setting delays for interface communications; (this helps prevent transmission errors in the case of extra large networks or when using a modem connection).
The interface can be temporarily interrupted (i.e. the software does not have to be closed if the interface is needed by some other application).
Functions are provided for setting font size and for displaying control characters on the terminal.
A function is provided for setting temperature compensation in the device programming.
Measured value smoothing and the cross-section for volume flow calculation can be programmed on the connector.
BRIEF INSTRUCTIONS
Connect the measuring instrument via the data cable to the interface
on the PC
(RS-232, Ethernet adapter, modem link).
In the input distributor select “Main menu”.
Select the menu item “SETUP - Interface”; set the interface and baud rate (9600 baud).
Select the menu item “SETUP - Language”; choose your preferred user interface language.
Select the menu item “DEVICES - List”; this displays all devices together with their addresses.
Once all devices have been detected, exit the search mode by means of “Cancel”.
Choose the measuring instrument in question; select “DEVICE -
Programming”;
you can now, for example, program the
process control for a measuring operation.
To check the measuring points, select menu item “MEAS POINTS - List”. If you need to make a modification, choose the measuring point / connector in question and select the menu item “MEAS POINTS - Programming”.
To perform a measuring operation, select the menu “FILE”, then the menu item “Terminal”, and then use command buttons “Start”, “Stop”, “Manual”. To perform an evaluation use the function key “All Meas Values” or menu item “MEAS POINTS - Measured Values”.
To read out from the data memory and / or to delete data contained
in the memory,
select the menu item “DEVICES - Data
Memory”.
To exit the program, select the menu item “FILE - Exit”.
To input data, select the appropriate field using either the cursor or the mouse and then enter the value including the decimal point. To accept data use the TAB key or move the mouse into the next field. To delete data, highlight the data in question and press the “Delete” key.
In the windows start menu, select “Programs” “AMR Control”.
The AMR-Control main menu is then displayed as follows :
FILE |
DEVICES |
MEAS POINTS |
OUTPUT MODULES |
SETUP |
HELP |
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To select a pull-down menu and a menu item, use the mouse - or press ALT + the code letter of the menu and the code letter of the menu item - or press F10, position the cursor, and press RETURN.
Actuating “Network scan” will open “Devices - List”. All devices on the interface in question will then be detected. Any measured operation currently being recorded will be stopped.
Actuating “Terminal” switches directly to the terminal window.
Actuating “Main menu” calls up the menu bar only. In each of these actions measured value recording is stopped.
Selecting the menu item “FILE - Text editor” will launch a simple ASCII text editor. To open, view, or add to one of your measured data files, select sub-menu “File - Open”. To print out the text of this file, select the menu item “Print”.
Selecting the “FILE” menu and then the menu item “Terminal” will open a terminal window. Here you can enter directly any of the commands that the selected measuring instrument can read. Echo and response will be displayed immediately. If, when you do so, no characters appear in this window, check the connection to the device; (e.g. is the interface correct ?).
The font size for the terminal can be modified as desired via “View - Increase font” or “View - Decrease font”.
Control characters (CR, LF, ...) can be displayed by means of “View - Change control chars to text”. This can be especially useful for the purposes of trouble-shooting in the network.
Although all other menu items can only be used for
ALMEMO version-5 devices,
the terminal can also be used for all
older ALMEMO devices and even for THERM devices. The interface
commands can be found in the ALMEMO Manual or in the file
“hbv5_1033.htm”. Clicking on the
´Commands list´ tab displays an overview of all available
ALMEMO commands.
To help you enter commands in this window there are 21 command buttons along the bottom margin each pre-configured with a name and a corresponding command. The programming of these command buttons can be modified, as desired, by right-clicking on the command button in question. Each user can thus create his / her own operating interface with individualized commands and names.
The three command buttons “Start”, “Stop”, and “Manual” can be used for manual process control. The command buttons “Start” and “Stop” can be used to control measuring point scanning during a measuring or print cycle; the command button ”Manual” can be used to perform a single scan of all active measuring points. The command button “Memory” can be used to obtain a readout of data loggers. By means of the command buttons “Programming”, “Programming extended”, and “Device programming” you can read out the entire programming for the measuring instrument, sensors and output modules.
All terminal communications, e. g., the data collected by measuring point scans or the measured values stored in the memory, can be saved as a file. To do so, select the menu item “File - Start terminal log” in the terminal window and then enter the desired file name. Finally, to close the file, select the menu item “File - Close terminal log”.
To terminate the program select the menu “FILE”, then the menu item “Exit”.
Each time the program starts, the menu item “DEVICES - List” must be called up; this detects all devices, connected to the selected interface, including networked devices, plus their addresses. Once all devices have been detected, the search process can be terminated by selecting “Cancel”. The table lists all devices with their address, name, type, number of measuring points, and programming for conversion rate and cycles. If several devices are networked together, one of these devices must be selected using the mouse or cursor. The following functions can be activated using the range of command buttons along the bottom of this window :
Device programming, Program user menus (only devices with graphics display), Function check
Via the menu item ´File - Save system configuration´ in the devices list you can save all device settings and connector programming for the selected device. The menu item ´File - Save network system configuration´ can be used in the same way to save the settings for all devices in the connected network. The menu item ´File – Check system configuration´ can be used to compare the connected devices against a previously saved file.
Either in the window “DEVICES - List”
or in the main menu, select the menu item “Device programming”.
This will provide a list of all the device parameters for process
control and device configuration. For cyclic scanning of measuring
points, the following parameters inter alia can be programmed :
the
measuring operation number, the print output cycle and measuring
cycle plus their output format, the date and time-of-day, and the
start and end of the measuring operation. To perform an online
measuring operation and to save the data as a file, select the menu
item “File
- Terminal”.
For further advisory notes regarding the individual settings please refer to the ALMEMO Manual.
The menu item “DEVICES - Data memory”
can be used to read out the data memory of a data logger either in
total or selectively in parts; this menu item can also be used to
save this data as a file. To do so select the appropriate radio
button and specify the necessary parameters as required. The
list-box “Number” will display a list of all numbers
assigned to individual measuring operations;
the desired
measuring operation can be selected using the mouse or cursor. In
the list-box “Format” you can select the format depending
on your further data processing requirements. If measured values are
to be output to a printer, the most suitable formats will be “List”
or “Columns”;
if data is to be transferred to a
spreadsheet or database application, the most suitable format will be
“Spreadsheet”. If you only need an error log, the option
“Alarm list” should be selected. If you want to either
read out or delete the CPU memory of an ALMEMO 5590-3 data
acquisition system, the check-box “System with CPU” must
be selected. Having entered the parameters, click the command button
“Execute”; then, in the subsequent dialog box, specify
the file name and path; and then start data transmission by clicking
the command button “Save”. The saved file can be viewed,
modified, and printed out by selecting the menu item “FILE
- Text editor”.
Having finished reading out, you can use the command buttons “Clear
memory” or “Clear memory and measured values” to
reset the memory of the measuring instrument and, if necessary, to
delete the measured values it contains. If this step is not
performed, any new data will simply be appended after the previous
data.
Having entered the measuring cycle and clicked the command button “Execute”, a measuring operation can be started by selecting the command button “Start memory recording”.
In this screen, for all devices permitting function selection via keys (function, F1, F2), the function assignment can be adapted. If the device has only one function key you have to use F2 assignment. On certain devices (2290-4, 4290-7) the programmed setting will only take effect in display mode 6 (see device instructions).
This mode can only be set via the device keypad. You can obtain the somewhat concealed display mode “DM” by selecting the function range “R” using key F2 and then once again pressing key F2 and holding it down for a while.
Either in the window “DEVICES - Programming” or in the main menu, select the menu item “Meas points - List”. This list displays all active measuring points for the device in question, including their basic programming and the connector number. To activate or deactivate the measurement points in a connector, select a measuring point for the connector in question and then click the command button “Activate meas point”. In the subsequent dialog box click on the desired function and complete by selecting “OK”. To program a particular measuring point or the entire connector, similarly, select a measuring point for the connector in question and then click the command button “Program meas point”.
In menu item ´View´ the appearance of the table can be modified and adapted. In the connectors list all channels are listed in a clear and understandable manner divided up and sorted according to by assigned connector. Individual connectors can be displayed by means of (+) or hidden by means of (-). In the measuring points list all channels are listed without being divided according to connector. The list can be sorted in various ways by clicking on the appropriate column header.
The window “Program connector / measuring points” lists all measuring point parameters saved in the EEPROM of the connector. These can be programmed as desired - so long as the locking mode allows (see ALMEMO Manual).
The three programming values, “Base”, “Factor”, and “Exponent” can be used for scaling the measured value. “Base” corresponds to a zero shift. “Factor” and “Exponent” can both be used to program gain adjustment; “Exponent” is used to shift the decimal point in the output. The input of the scaling factors can be performed using either one of two different methods. These values can entered either directly or via a dialog box that can be opened by clicking the command button “Scale”. In the latter case you simply enter the start and end of the scaled and measured values and the scaling factors will be calculated automatically.
Please also note in this context the instructions for data input.
Please note that any programmed calibration values (calibration factor, calibration offset) are NOT overwritten or restored !
During and after a measuring operation all measured values and all maximum, minimum, and average values, including the number of averaged values, can be called up. To keep obtaining the latest status click the command button “Update list”.
To delete all maximum, minimum, and average values, before performing a measuring operation, click the command button “Clear all”. You can, by means of “ Clear maximum value”, “Clear minimum value”, or “Clear average value”, delete the said values for the selected measuring point. In the same way you can, by clicking the command button “Reset”, reset the measured value to zero, shifting it to the basic value (command C01) or, by clicking the command button “Adjust”, adjust the measured value, shifting it to zero point correction (command f1 C01). With certain probes (pH, conductivity, O2, etc.) it is also possible to perform gain adjustment for the corresponding reference points. However, these measured value corrections are only possible if the corresponding functions are not locked.
If you have programmed a cycle in device programming, you can, by clicking the command button “Start”, initiate a cyclic data acquisition operation.
In menu item ´View´ the appearance of the table can be modified and adapted. In the connectors list all channels are listed in a clear and understandable manner divided up and sorted according to by assigned connector. Individual connectors can be displayed by means of (+) or hidden by means of (-). In the measuring points list all channels are listed without being divided according to connector. The list can be sorted in various ways by clicking on the appropriate column header.
The menu item “OUTPUT MODULES - List” can be used to check which output modules are connected to sockets A1 and A2. With output module A2 it may be possible to program certain function variants. If you click the command button “Program A2 module”, a list of possible variants, sorted by type, is displayed; (see ALMEMO Manual, Section 6.10.9). To program the module select the appropriate option and click the command button “Close”.
You should mark all those instances where the function of the output module no longer agrees with the label.
To configure the interface to the measuring instruments the first time you start, you must actually call up the menu “SETUP - Interface”; (this will normally happen automatically).
Serial interface :
Serial interfaces are supported up to and including COM 9. The interface via which the measuring instrument is connected should be set to a rate of 9600 bauds because all interface cables are programmed by default for this rate. If the device is not connected directly to the interface but via a wireless module, the check-box “With DECT unit” must be selected. In this case other delay times (also settable) apply for command transfer.
Ethernet :
In order to connect via an Ethernet PC network, select the tab “Telnet” and then enter the IP address (e.g. 192.168.11.189). The “Port” is set by standard to 10001 (standard setting for Ethernet modules).
Modem :
In the top input field enter the call number of the remote station. If the check-box is ticked, the number will be dialed without using any prefix.
In the list-box “Connect with” the desired modem must be selected.
If the check-box “Ask before connect” is ticked, the extended settings for the modem link will be activated. These are displayed as soon as “Connect” is actuated in the main menu :
When the mouse pointer is positioned over an individual button or field, a brief advisory note on the associated function is displayed.
In the list-box “Your location” you can choose between various locations. If the device is to be accessed, for example, using a laptop from different locations, you can, via “Dialing properties”, enter and save a variety of locations. You can also specify whether you wish to use a “Calling card”.
The list-boxes “Country”, “Local area”, and “Telephone number” should, we think, be self-explanatory. If the check-box "Without prefix" is ticked, all location and area settings will be deactivated. The list-box “Modem” should display the modem to be used. You can modify the modem settings via “Line properties”.
To dial up a connection click the command button “Make a call”. In the main menu “Connect” should now change to “Disconnect”.
The connected device can now be addressed using any of the standard interface commands.
Here you can set the waiting times to apply for the various operating states. If a transmission error occurs while you are using the software or if sporadically the device cannot be addressed, these times can be increased step-by-step until the error stops occurring. To restore the standard settings click the command button “Default”. If problems with these settings cannot be remedied, please contact our Support team.
If this function is activated, then, the next time you start, the program desktop will be set up again exactly the same way you left it. This function allows you to save your own personalized arrangement of the windows most frequently used.
If this function is activated, the buttons for windows that are currently not being used will not be shown along the bottom margin. This function allows you to arrange windows more closely together while still keeping the command buttons easily accessible.
You can choose your preferred user interface language for this software from the following range : German, English, or French. Further languages can be made available on request. Please contact our field staff responsible for your area.
You can, by pressing the F1 key or via the menu “HELP - Help”, have the help file displayed in your standard browser. You can scroll or leaf through the complete text using the cursor direction keys or the scroll bar on the right of the screen.
The menu item “About” lists the version number and our copyright text.
The cursor can be positioned in the desired data input field by left-clicking on it with the mouse or by means of the cursor direction keys. You can enter the required value via the keyboard. To delete a value, highlight it and then press the DELETE key. The value is programmed either by selecting the next field using the mouse or the TAB key or by leaving the menu by means of OK. If, after a short time, either the previous value or some other value is displayed, this indicates that the new input has not been accepted; this may be because the function was locked or because the new value you attempted to enter was not valid.
With new ALMEMO devices incorporating a graphics display you can, from the window “Devices - List” and by clicking the command button “Program user menus”, call up the screen “User menu configuration”. This screen shows, on the left, all available functions; these can be arranged in any way you wish in user menus U1, U2, or U3.
On devices 2590-9 and 5990-2, it should be noted, only menu U3 supports different measured values from a maximum of four measuring channels.
On all other devices incorporating a graphics display any number of measuring channels can be programmed in each of the three user menus. Functions arranged before the first measuring point refer automatically to the first measuring point.
Functions referring to the measuring channel must be arranged after the measured value.
The easiest method is to drag-and-drop the functions with the mouse from the list into the menu window on the right. The functions can also be moved around using the same method.
You can also use the command button “Insert”; this will insert a selected function above the line currently marked in the menu window. When you have finished organizing your user menu you can save it by clicking the command button “Save user menu” either as a file or transfer it directly to one of the menus U1, U2, or U3. You can, by clicking the command button “Load menu”, fetch a menu from the device or from a file into the menu window, modify it as you wish, and then save it again. You can also restore the default user menus (see operating instructions) by means of “Reset” or reload them as a file from the AMR-Control directory.
By clicking the command button “Function check” in the window “Device list”, you can very quickly determine the operating status of the device and the programming status of the sensors. The responses to a series of commands are saved automatically in the file “Lasttext.txt” in the AMR-Control directory. You can, using the symbol in the diagnostics window, choose either to save the text as a file or to have it printed out.
Florian Plessner, Telephone +49-(0)8024-3007-38