Managing External Devices

External devices are initialized and controlled automatically when the system is switched on.

However, sometimes it is required to initialize only specific devices, since not all of them are available or needed at start-up. Additionally to the control by the system these devices can be controlled manually if needed.

For each device, you can open a dialog window that contains the input, output, and status data of the device. This dialog window is partially read-only if the device is initialized by the system (R-Remote operation). If you initialize the device, it is active and you can use it for manual operation.

The following section describes how to select the devices that are initialized when powering on the system and how to initialize them.

Prerequisites

The system must be in the 3 - Basic State:

  • Key switch is in the On position
  • Active mode is either Monitored or Operation
  • System is switched off

User Interface for Managing Devices

The user interface to manage the initialization and the manual mode of external devices is on the Devices tab. Which devices are available depends on the custom specific realization of the application.

There is one row for each device with the following options:

Table 11. Device Control Mode Options
Option Type Description
Ever Check box Is checked if the device is initialized automatically during the initialization of the test.
Normal Check box If checked the device will be initialized when the system is switched on.
GUI Button

Opens the dialog window for manual operation of the device. The button caption is the name of the device.
State LED Green if device is initialized, otherwise gray.

In the basic state of the system, the check boxes and buttons are active. If a device is initialized for manual operation, the check box is inactive.

Initializing Devices Automatically

All devices that are checked on the Devices tab when the system is switched on are initialized automatically by the system. Devices that are not checked at this time cannot be initialized until the system is switched off again.

  1. Check all devices to initialize.
  2. Remove the checkmark from all devices that you do not want to initialize.
  3. Click switch on.

The system starts and switches on the desired devices in Remote operation mode.

The status bar is green if the device is initialized successfully.

Initializing and Operating Devices Manually

Devices that are initialized manually must be operated by the user and are not handled by the system, even if the system is switched on afterward.

Complete the following steps to start manual operation.

  1. Click the <Name of the device> on the Devices tab.

    The dialog window for manual operation opens. The device is in the not initialized state. The status bar indicates this with a dark gray color.

  2. Click On/Off in the manual operation dialog window.

The devices are initialized and you can use the dialog window for manual operation. The color of the status bar changes to green.

The entry for this device on the Devices tab indicates that the device is initialized by a green LED and a disabled option for Normal initialization:

Tip If the initialization fails refer to the according entry in the message system.

The dialog window for manual operation can also be opened in remote operation by clicking button <Name of the device> on the Devices tab. In this case the window is opened in a partially read-only state.

If the dialog window for manual operation is opened and the device is not initialized by clicking the On/Off button, the device will be initialized by the system and operated in remote mode, if the Normal option is checked and then system is being switched on.

This also leaves the dialog window in an initialized and partially read-only state.