Monitoring your system in Vista

Use Vista user diagrams to display real-time and logged data, monitor events and alarms, and control a variety of system functions.

warning

unintended equipment operation

● Do not use the software to control time-critical functions.
● Do not use the software to control remote equipment without proper access control and status feedback.

Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, or equipment damage.

 

How data is displayed

Information in your user diagram is displayed using diagram objects. Each diagram object communicates a single piece of information from somewhere in your power monitoring network; for example, a single numeric object displays numeric data from a single source.

There are seven types of diagram objects: grouping, text, numeric, status, data log viewer, event log viewer, and control. Each type of object performs a specific type of function.

In most cases, you can identify an object's function by a caption, a label, or both (the text object does not use a caption or a label).

  • By default, the caption is usually located below the diagram object and identifies the node to which the diagram object is connected. The caption can be modified to display a custom description. See Caption options for more information.
  • When a label is used, it is usually displayed to one side of the diagram object. By default, the label identifies the register (on the node) to which the diagram object is connected. The label can be modified to display a custom label name. See Text options for more information.

TIP: To toggle between default labels and custom labels, select or clear Options > Show Default Labels. You can identify the type of diagram object by pointing to it with the mouse. The object type appears on the status line.

Identifying stale data

Real-time data that has not been refreshed is referred to as stale data. Vista detects stale data as it occurs and identifies it with a colored border. By default, Vista identifies data as stale after 60 seconds. Position the mouse pointer over an object to display a ToolTip that explains why the data has become stale.

The stale data settings are user-configurable on a per-diagram basis, and can be customized by anyone with the necessary access level.

Changing the Stale Data settings

To change the amount of time (in seconds) that Vista uses to identify stale data:

  1. Ensure that the Toolbox is open (Options > Show Toolbox), right-click the background of the diagram and click Properties.
  2. Click the Updates tab and change the settings in the Stale Data section.
  3. Click OK.
Changing the flag settings for Stale Data

To change the flag color:

  1. Click Options > Flag Colors.
  2. Click the Edit button for the flag color you want to change, select the new color and click OK.

Identifying errors in communication

Vistadetects errors (such as disabled devices, security access restrictions, or configuration errors) and identifies these with a colored border around an object (orange, by default). The border color can be customized (see the previous section, Changing the flag settings for Stale Data). Position the mouse pointer over an object that Vista is indicating has an error to display a ToolTip that explains the error.

Increasing the timeout period of a Vista query

When Vista queries the ION_Data database, the query can timeout if the database is large.

To increase the timeout period of a Vista query, a new entry to the registry of ION_SERVER needs to be created, and the Query Server connect timeout period needs to be increased.

notice

IRREVERSIBLE OPERATING SYSTEM DAMAGE OR DATA CORRUPTION

Before making any changes, back up your Windows Registry in a network folder or other remote location.

Failure to follow these instructions can result in irreparable damage to the operating system of the computer and all existing data.

NOTE: Registry edits must be performed only by qualified and experienced personnel.

 

Increase the Vista query timeout
  1. Select Start > Run and type regedit in the Run window to open the registry.

  2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Schneider Electric\Power Monitoring Expert\x.x, where x.x is the version number.

    If the component is run on a 64-bit operating system, navigate to:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Schneider Electric\Power Monitoring Expert\x.x

  3. Right-click an empty area in the pane on the right and select New > DWORD Value.
  4. Name the new DWORD VistaQueryTimeout_s.
  5. Right-click VistaQueryTimeout_s and select Modify.

  6. Enter a value for the timeout period.

    The timeout period is 60 (for 60 seconds) by default. You can increase the value to 120 initially. If timeouts still occur, modify the value to 180.

  7. Select File > Exit to exit the registry editor.

NOTE: If your system installation includes Client machines running Vista, you need to update the registry for each one.

Increase the Query Server timeout
  1. Open the Power Monitoring Expert folder and double-click the Designer icon to start Designer.
  2. Select File > Open > QUERYSERVER.host_name (where host_name is your workstation name) to open the Query Server node.
  3. Double-click the Query Modules grouping object, then right-click the query module to open its setup dialog.
  4. Select the Connection String setup register and click Modify.
  5. Change Connect_Timeout from the default 60 to 120 (or 180 if necessary).
  6. Save your change and restart the Query Server Service.