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Version: v4 (Stable)

Tag Properties

This dialog box displays the properties of a tag.

The identifier of the relevant tag is displayed in the title bar (as "<data server identifier>. <tag identifier in the data server>"), followed by its internal numeric identifier (OID) in parentheses.

Type​

The type of the tag is used to define the usage of the tag in the application.

  • Variable: Single variable that is used only for value acquisition and that can be referenced in an alarm message (see format) or a contextual instruction file to display its current value.

  • Event: Variable associated with an event condition with logging of the event changes in the event log. A scenario to be executed can be designated for each change of state of the event (activation, deactivation).

  • Alarm: Event treated as an alarm (recording in alarm table and alarm history, acknowledgment request, possibility of masking).

Name​

In this field you can enter the name that will be used to identify the tag in the displayed messages. If no name is defined, this name will be the tag identifier defined in the advanced properties of the tag.

The displayed name is multilingual. The language selected for input is the language selected for the user interface (see Display Options).

Advanced​

Click on this button to access the advanced properties of the tag.

Variable​

Type​

Select in this field the type of numeric or alphanumeric coding of the variable. This type can be automatically set at tag creation from the type of the corresponding server variable if it is known.

Writable​

Check this box if the value of the tag can be modified from ALERT (by a command, a script, the API, ...) and transmitted to the server if the option to write the source is authorized at the level of the data server.

This property can be automatically set at tag creation from the read/write property of the corresponding server variable if it is known. If the server variable is not writable, this checkbox is grayed out.

Value​

Click this button to define the display format for the tag value and the associated treatments (see Tag Value).

Event​

This tab defines the event properties of the tag when it is defined with the event or alarm type.

Condition​

The event condition defines the state in which the tag value is to be considered as a new event. The event will be activated when this condition is evaluated as TRUE.

Depending on the complexity of the condition to be expressed, select the type:

  • Simple: The condition is defined by an operator selected from the drop-down list and a reference value entered in the adjacent field. If "NONE" is selected, there is no event condition (the event will be triggered explicitly by the data source). See Coding an event condition.

  • Expression: The condition is defined by an alphanumeric expression. This expression can be entered in the edit field or generated from the expression editor by clicking the button to the right of the edit field (see Edition of an expression). If the expression is empty, there is no event condition (the event will be triggered explicitly by the data source).

    The expression defining the event condition can reference the following variables:

    X : value of the variable as it is displayed, after conversion and possible linearization defined in the "Value" dialog box (see Tag Value). X.Source : the original value of the tag as received from the data source, before any conversion and linearization. X.Quality : quality of the value received, coded in accordance with the OPC qualities defined in the table below.

    Dec.HexaSymbolMeaning
    00x00OPC_QUALITY_BADBad quality (generic)
    40x04OPC_QUALITY_CONFIG_ERRORBad quality (configuration error)
    80x08OPC_QUALITY_NOT_CONNECTEDBad quality (input not connected)
    120x0COPC_QUALITY_DEVICE_FAILUREBad quality (device failure)
    160x10OPC_QUALITY_SENSOR_FAILUREBad quality (sensor failure)
    200x14OPC_QUALITY_LAST_KNOWNBad quality (last known value)
    240x18OPC_QUALITY_COMM_FAILUREBad quality (communication failure)
    280x1COPC_QUALITY_OUT_OF_SERVICEBad quality (out of service)
    320x20OPC_QUALITY_WAITING_FOR_INITIAL_DATAInitialization (unknown value)
    680x44OPC_QUALITY_LAST_USABLEUncertain quality (last usable value)
    800x50OPC_QUALITY_SENSOR_CALUncertain quality (bad sensor calibration)
    840x54OPC_QUALITY_EGU_EXCEEDEDUncertain quality (engineering units exceeded)
    880x58OPC_QUALITY_SUB_NORMALUncertain quality (value not validated)
    1920xC0OPC_QUALITY_GOODGood quality (generic)
    2160xD8OPC_QUALITY_LOCAL_OVERRIDEGood quality (local override)

Note: If the tag is not of transitory type, the reset of the event will be detected when the event condition returns the state "FALSE". It is however possible to define a specific "event reset condition" (see advanced properties of the tag) allowing in particular to manage a histeresis on the triggering of the event.

Transitory​

This option indicates that the event is of pulse type, that is, the event state is fugitive (passage detection for example). A transitory event is only logged to the event activation (no return to normal state, which is implicit).

Reactivatable​

This option indicates that the event can be reactivated without going back to normal state. A reactivatable event is logged at each state change corresponding to an event condition. This option is required, for example, when the tag receives messages and must trigger a script processing each time a message is received.

For alarms defined as transitory (see above), this option allows the alarm to be triggered or not, depending on the current state of the alarm:

  • If this option is not activated, the alarm will only be re-triggered if it was not already in alarm state (not acknowledged).

  • If this option is activated, the alarm will be systematically re-triggered regardless of the current state of the alarm.

For redundant configurations, this option allows (when it is not activated) to avoid the doubling of alarms when the alarms are triggered simultaneously on the two redundant stations with the alarm synchronization option activated.

Schedule​

Click on this button to open a dialog box for defining time slots for event masking, alarm masking or call inhibition. See Event Schedule.

When the event masking, alarm masking and call inhibition schedule is activated, the button light is displayed in green.

Alarm​

This tab defines the alarm properties of the tag when it is defined with the alarm type.

Priority​

This parameter defines the priority level of the alarm. The priority determines the order of alarms in the alarm table (and thus the order of message transmission), the highest priority alarms being at the top, and the order of the calls when several alarms are detected simultaneously.

The priority level also determines the processing of the call. If the priority level is less than the minimum priority level in reduced duty (defined in the general alarm options), and the associated call group is in reduced duty period when the event is detected, the call will be delayed until the end of the reduced duty period (unless the alarm is acknowledged in the meantime).

The priority level can be set between "0" and "99999". By default "0" is the lowest priority. However, the priority order can be reversed in the general alarm options.

Delay​

This option defines the waited time in seconds to validate the alarm. It allows to filter alarms that have to considered as alarm only if they remain in alarm state during a certain time (door opening, power failure, ...).

When this time is non-zero, the triggering of the event is reported in the event log as a simple event. The alarm will only be triggered at the end of this delay, provided that the variable is not returned to the normal state in the meantime. If the alarm returns to the normal state before the timer expires, the alarm processing will not be triggered.

If this time is null (default), triggering the event causes the immediate alarm to be processed.

If the "Default" box is checked, the time delay displayed is the time delay set in the general alarm options.

Max duration​

This option defines the maximum duration of the alarm in the active state (in minutes). When the duration of the alarm in the active state exceeds the specified time, whether the alarm is acknowledged or not, the alarm call cycle is retriggered. The alarm message transmitted and notified in the event log can be formatted according to the format specified at the level of the alarm to indicate an exceeded duration.

If the option to repeat calls if the maximum duration is exceeded is validated ("Max duration (repeat)" column, default global option "Alarm.MaxTimeRepeat"), the call cycle will be repeated, as long as the the alarm remains active, at the period defined by this maximum duration.

When the specified duration is zero (default value), there is no maximum duration for the alarm.

If the "Default" box is checked, the duration displayed is that which was defined in the general alarm options.

Ack​

Click on this button to display the Alarm Acknowledgment properties.

Mask​

Click on this button to display the Alarm Masking properties.

Alarm Processing​

This tab defines the processing that will be performed when the alarm will be activated and the information that will be transmitted to the called users at this time.

Actions​

For each change of state of the event (event activation, event reset, alarm acknowledgment), a list of actions can be defined.

The possible actions are:

  • Execution scenario

Execution of the scenario designated in the 2nd column. The scenarios proposed for the "Execute scenario" action are those that have been defined with the "Alarm processing" option. See "Execute Scenario" Action.

A scenario is itself defined by a list of actions. The designation of a scenario thus makes it possible to define the same treatment for different events, with the possibility of modifying this treatment without having to change the configuration of each of the concerned events.

  • Call group

Call the group designated in the 2nd column with option of inhibition, delayed call (indicated in the 3rd column) or relief call (signaled in the 3rd column). See "Call Group" Action.

The action "Call group" attaches the tag to the designated group and consecutively authorizes the users of the group in question to have access to that tag (for status consultation and acknowledgment). If the tag must be accessible to a group that we do not want to call, a call group action with call inhibition must nevertheless be defined.

  • Message to User

Call the user designated in the 2nd column with option of forcing the called number (indicated in the 3rd column). See "Message to User" Action.

The action "Call user" produces a type "service message" call but does not attach the tag to the called user. If the user does not belong to any of the groups to call, he will not have access to the tag (status consultation, acknowledgment).

  • Execute script

Execute the message processor script designated in the 2nd column. See "Execute Script" Action.

A script can be used to parse the event and consecutively activate alarms or to trig actions in response to the event. Only the Message Processor scripts that are defined with the "Alarm" interface can be executed. These scripts are started at the software launching time and have to block themselves for waiting the event (instruction RECEIVEALARM).

  • Execute command

Execute the command designated in the 2nd column with option of forcing the written value (indicated in the 3rd column). See "Execute command" Action.

  • Stop command

Stop the execution of the command designated in the 2nd column. See "Stop command" Action.

  • Execute application

Launch the application designated in the 2nd column. See "Execute Application" Action.

  • Play tone

Play the sound file attached to the called group or designated in the 2nd column. See "Play Tone" Action.

  • Play vocal message

Play the vocal message attached to the alarm or designated in the 2nd column (wave file or text to synthesize). See "Play vocal message" Action.

Click on the Add button to add an action to the action list.

Click on the Edit button to modify the action selected in the action list.

Click on the Delete button to remove the action selected from the action list.

Use the buttons and in order to respectively move up or down the action selected in the action list. The actions are simultaneously executed regardless of the others, but the execution order is the list order.

Long message​

The long message is used to identify the event in the event log and alarm table and for all media capable of transmitting alphanumeric messages (AlertMobile, SMS, pager, email, fax, ...). It can contain up to 1024 alphanumeric characters. The number of characters entered is displayed in parentheses above the field.

If this field is empty, the message transmitted will be constituted from the format defined for the tag. If the resulting message is empty, the message transmitted will be the name of the tag, if it is defined, otherwise it will be the identifier of the tag.

This message can be formatted at the moment the event is detected to include information related to it (group, code, reference, priority, value, ...) or the current value of other tags. Click on the "Format" button to define the format associated with the message (see Message format).

Short message​

The short message allows the alarm to be identified in the messages which can only be transmitted in the form of a code of a few characters, often digital (digital pagers, monitoring station, etc.).

This message is automatically assigned when the tag is created as a numeric code. It can be changed (1 to 128 characters). Non-numeric characters are accepted, but taking care that these characters are accepted by the used paging system.

Vocal message​

A voice message can be associated with the tag to identify the event during phone calls. It can also be played locally when the event is triggered, if the PC is equipped with a sound card and if the "Play vocal message" option is enabled in the general alarm options.

The text entered in this field can designate an audio file containing the recorded voice message (*.WAV format), or, if this text is not ended with ".WAV", the message to synthesize to produce the desired voice message (see note below).

By clicking on the "Browse" button you can search for a "sound" file containing a pre-recorded audio message. This can be a message recorded by phone and stored in the "MESSAGE" subdirectory of the data directory under the name "MTxxxx.WAV", where "xxxx" is between "0000" and "9999".

By clicking on the "Record" button, the audio message is directly recorded. The name of the generated alarm file is automatically assigned as "MAxxxx.WAV", where "xxxx" is a numeric code from "0000" to "9999". This button can also be used to modify a record already made (for example, silence suppression at the end of the message).

The "Listen" button allows you to locally play the audio message associated with the event.

Note:

When the "text-to-speech" option is available, the voice message can be directly synthesized from the text entered in the "Vocal message" field (if it is not the name of an audio file ended with ".WAV"), or, if this field is empty, from the formated long message. This synthesis is performed whenever the tag passes to the event state, which allows the event to be time-stamped (optionally) and to include dynamic information (valu of the tag or other tags).

To test the voice synthesis of the message entered, click on the "Listen" button.

Attached File​

A attached file can be associated with the event when the event is set as an alarm. This file is used to transmit instructions or contextual information related to the event. It is used to display information (instructions) in the alarm table and to transmit this information by fax or email.

The "Edit" button allows you to enter directly the text to be transmitted. This text is stored in the MESSAGE subdirectory of the data directory, in the form of a text file whose name is automatically assigned with the format "INSTxxxx.TXT", where "xxxx" is a numeric code from "0000" to "9999". See Edition of an instruction file.

The "Browse" button lets you search for and select an existing text file in the disc's directories.

Language​

The transmitted information (long and short message, voice message, text file) can be defined in different languages, the information actually transmitted being automatically selected according to the language of the recipient user.

The list of tabs displayed above the "Long Message" edit field allows you to select the input language for the information to be transmitted. The languages proposed are those that are already used (language of the user interface, languages of the defined users).

To add a language to the list, click on the button to the right of the tabs and select the desired language from the displayed list. To delete a language, click on the same button, select the language to be deleted, then click on the "Mask" button.

Reset Processing​

This tab defines the processing that will be performed when the alarm will be reset and the information that will be transmitted to the called users at this time.

The configuration is identical to the configuration made for alarm processing, with some differences:

  • The scenarios proposed for the "Execute scenario" action are those that have been defined with the "Reset Processing" option.

  • If the "Long Message" field is empty, the message will be constructed from the message label defined for alarm processing. If the resulting message is empty, the message will be the name of the tag, if it is defined, otherwise it will be the identifier of the tag.

Acknowledgment Processing​

This tab defines the processing that will be performed when the alarm will be acknowledged and the information that will be transmitted to the called users at this time.

The configuration is identical to the configuration made for alarm processing, with some differences:

  • The scenarios proposed for the "Execute scenario" action are those that have been defined with the "Acknowledgment Processing" option.

  • If the "Long Message" field is empty, the message will be constructed from the message label defined for alarm processing. If the resulting message is empty, the message will be the name of the tag, if it is defined, otherwise it will be the identifier of the tag.