ML 840 Manual Brochure

Microlink 840User ManualManual Code: ML840-1.0Issue Date: October 2011Information in this manual is subject to change without notice. Updates are listed on our website at http://www.microlink.co.uk/techsupp.html© Biodata Limited, 201110 Stocks StreetManchesterM8 8QGUKTel: 0161–834 6688Fax: 0161–833 2198E-mail: sales@microlink.co.ukhttp://www.microlink.co.uk/E-mail: sales@wmsoft.comhttp://www.windmillsoft.com/Table of Contents1 Introduction 1.12 Installing the Microlink 840 2.12.1 Installing the Software 2.12.2 Installing the Microlink 840 on an Ethernet or Wi-Fi Network 2.12.3 The Microlink’s Lights 2.12.4 Screw Terminal Connections 2.22.5 Microlink 840 Inputs: Adapting for Special Purposes 2.22.6 Microlink 840 Digital Outputs 2.43 Configuring the Microlink 840 3.13.1 Running the ML840 Viewer Software 3.13.2 Establishing Communications with the 840 3.13.3 Setting the 840’s Clock 3.43.4 Setting the Epoch Length 3.43.5 Specifying Channels to be Analogue or Digital 3.43.6 Showing Real-Time Readings 3.83.7 Setting What Happens When an Alarm Occurs 3.83.8 Setting which data you want to store in the 840 Logger 3.113.9 Configuring Input Channels: Naming, Enabling, Scalingand Setting Units 3.123.10 Performing Calculations 3.143.11 Making a Site Inactive 3.153.12 Setting where Data is Stored 3.163.13 Setting the Format of Data Files 3.163.14 Understanding Error Messages 3.173.15 Collecting Data 3.173.16 E-mailing Data and Reports 3.214 Fault Finding 4.14.1 No Route to Host Error 4.14.2 Can the Software Contact the Logger? 4.14.3 Calculated Channels aren’t being Logged 4.14.4 TCP-IP Timeout 4.2Microlink 840 User Manual ITable of Contents1 IntroductionThe culmination of 30-years experience of designing data acquisition andcontrol systems, the Microlink 840 logger is our most versatile unit yet.You can use it anywhere on an Ethernet network, or over the Internet, andcan…1. Monitor analogue transducers, for example pressure, temperature,force, voltage and 4-20 mA current.2. Monitor Digital Sensors, for example flow meters.3. Monitor Utility Meters, for example electricity and gas meters.4. Monitor machines, for example recording percentage on/off times andcounting items produced.5. Monitor digital status, for example count switch closures.6. Control digital outputs.7. Count totals, frequency, periods, pulse widths and elapsed time.8. Save minimum, maximum and averaged values.Logged data is exported as text files. You can also export it as xml files, En-ergy Lens compatible files or send it directly to a MySQL database.Microlink 840 User Manual 1.1Introduction2 Installing theMicrolink 8402.1 Installing the Software1. Run the setup.exe program.2. The software is normally installed into the:C:\\\\Program Files (x86)\\\\Windmill Software\\\\Windmill\\folder (where c: is the drive on which Windows is running). Twoother folders are created,c:\\\\windmill\\\\setups\\\\for details of the program settings andc:\\\\windmill\\\\data\\\\for your data files2.2 Installing the Microlink 840 on anEthernet or Wi-Fi Network1. Connect your Microlink to a network-enabled PC over Ethernet. Youcan use a crossover cable to make a direct connection, or connectthrough a hub via normal UTP Ethernet cables.2. For Wi-Fi networks use an Ethernet cable to connect the Microlink to aWi-Fi router.3. Allow 10 seconds for the Microlink 840 to boot-up.4. From the Windows Start menu, choose the Windmill Software pro-gram group. Select ML840 Viewer. See the next chapter for details ofusing the ML840 Viewer software to configure your Microlink2.3 The Microlink’s LightsThe Microlink 840 has two lights labelled Busy and Power. The Busy lightcomes on when the software talks to that Microlink 840 and remains on un-til the software talks to another Microlink. If you only have one Microlink840 then the light will remain permanently on.The Power light is on when the Microlink is powered-up.The Microlink’s Lights 2.1Installing the Microlink 8402.4 Screw Terminal ConnectionsWire your signals to the Microlink screw terminal connectors as follows.1 - Signal ground2 - channel 03 - channel 14 - channel 25 - channel 36 - channel 47 - channel 58 - channel 69 - channel 710 - no connection11 - power 0V12 - power 12V2.5 Microlink 840 Inputs: Adaptingfor Special PurposesThe following notes are for when you want to customise the Microlink 840unit. This may have been done at the factory for you, or may not be neces-sary, in which case you can ignore this section.The 840 PCB has an area next to the screw terminal to which series resistorsS0 to S7 and bias resistors B0 to B7 can be fitted. These can be used to adaptthe inputs for special purposes.The S resistors can be used to mount a resistor in series with the inputs.They are normally shorted out by a PCB trace on the component side of thePCB. You should cut this trace with a scalpel before adding the resistors.Microlink 840 Inputs: Adapting for Special Purposes 2.2Installing the Microlink 8403V3 UPBxBxSxDOWNScrewTerminalInputProcessorOutput0 VCutFigure 2.1 Microlink 840The B resistors can be fitted between a fixed PCB hole and either the UP orDOWN holes as marked on the PCB. Fitting to the UP hole connects theresistor to 3.3 Volts. Fitting to the DOWN hole connects it to the 0 V.2.5.1 Contact Closure InputsAdd a Bx resistor in the UP position. A closed contact will then read ‘0’whilst an open contact will read ‘1’. We recommend a 1 kOhm resistor, butanything similar will work.2.5.2 Analogue Inputs: Changing the inputRangeThe Microlink 840 accepts analogue inputs in the range 0–3.3 V. You canchange this by adding resistors.You can divide down Analogue Inputs to the 3V3 input range of the 840 byadding an Sx resistor and a Bx resistor in the DOWN position. The ML840Setup program has a facility for calculating the values of the two resistors.The two resistors in total should present a load which your input signalis capable of driving. For example for 0-10V input signals you can try Sx =20 kOhm, Bx (to down) = 9.76 kOhm. The signal is divided by(20+9.76)/9.76 = 3.2.5.3 Current Loop InputsYou can convert a 4-20 mA current signal to a voltage by adding a resistorin the Bx DOWN position. A value of 150 Ohms will produce a 3 Voltsignal at 20 mA.2.5.4 Negative Input VoltagesIf your input signals go negative by more than a few volts then the outputdrivers will start to protect themselves and unwanted currents will flowwhich will affect analogue readings on all channels. The driver chip IC3 isfitted in a socket so if you are not using outputs you can simply remove it. Ifyou have some outputs then you can remove it from its socket and bend out-wards those pins which are inputs only. Pin 18 is associated with Input 7,Pin 17 - Input 6, etc to Pin 11 - Input 0.Microlink 840 Inputs: Adapting for Special Purposes 2.3Installing the Microlink 8402.6 Microlink 840 Digital OutputsMicrolink 840 Digital Outputs 2.4Installing the Microlink 840Output pin12 V in 12 V relayFigure 2.2 Microlink 840 Relay Drive OutputOutput pin12 V in12 V in1K0Figure 2.3 Microlink 840 LED Drive Output3 Configuring theMicrolink 840Use the ML840 Viewer program to configure the Microlink 840. Amongstother things, this lets you:• Set up communications between the computer and the Microlink(Section 3.2).• Choose whether each channel is a digital input (counter), digitaloutput or analogue output (Section 3.5).• Choose the type of counter: totalling, frequency, period, pulsewidth, elapsed time (Section 3.5.2).• Set alarms (Section 3.7)• Set which data is to be stored (Section 3.8)• Change input channel names and units (Section 3.9).• Perform calculations on the data (Section 3.10)• Set where data is to be stored and the format of the logged data(Sections 3.12 and 3.13)• Choose how often to collect data from the Microlink(Section 3.15).3.1 Running the ML840 ViewerSoftware1. Make sure your Microlink 840 units are connected and switched on.2. From the Windows Start menu, choose the Windmill program groupand select ML840 Viewer.3.2 Establishing Communicationswith the 840The first time you use the ML840 Viewer you should connect directly to theMicrolink and make sure that you can communicate with it. You can thenEstablishing Communications with the 840 3.1Configuring the Microlink 840create a “site” and in future connect to that. The site holds the configurationdetails for all the Microlinks on your network.3.2.1 Connecting to Directly to Microlink 840LoggerDo this when you want to:• Check the settings of the ML840, for example the clock andenabled channels• Find the IP address of the unit• Change the IP to a temporary IP address so that your PC cancommunicate with it• Make a permanent change to the IP address of the ML840.When connecting directly to ML840, you can only have one Microlink onthe network. (Otherwise you may change the IP addresses of all the units onthe network. This would result in you being unable to contact any of them.)It is best to use a crossover lead and to have a one-to-one connection withthe ML840.1. From the opening ML840 Viewer screen, choose the Connect to aWindmill Site menu then select Direct to an Ethernet Logger.2. Type in the IP addresses, for example 192.168.1.61 and port 47471,and click Connect. The Logger details box appears where you can con-figure channels, alarms and so on.3. If the software can communicate with the Microlink the BUSY lightwill come on the unit.3.2.2 Connecting to a SiteA site allows you to communicate with one or more Microlinks. These mustall have the same IP addresses. For different IP addresses you will need tocreate multiple sites.By default the system has one site, called ML840. This assumes oneMicrolink 840 is connected at IP address 192.168.1.61 and port 47471. Seethe next section for details of creating other sites.1. From the opening ML840 Viewer screen, choose the Connect to aWindmill Site menu then select To an existing site.2. Click the Connect button. The Logger Details box appears for you toconfigure channels, alarm and so on.3.2.3 Creating a SiteBy default the system has one site, called ML840, but you can create others.Establishing Communications with the 840 3.2Configuring the Microlink 8401. In ML840 Viewer, choose Site Manager. This holds the informationabout each place where data is collected. For example the name of thesite, the communications link, the number and names of the data col-lection locations within the site and any special processing of datafrom each location.2. Click the Add a New Site button and type a name for the site.3. The File Prefix ties together many sites: the data for all sites with anidentical File Prefix will be collected as a single overall site. For exam-ple, you may have Microlink 840s gathering data in three locations. Ifthe File Prefix is S1, then all logged data will be sent to the same fileunder directory name S1.4. The Installation Date defines the date from which the software willscan for accrued data. It defaults to today's date, but you can enter anydate you wish.5. Enter the correct IP address, for example 192.168.1.61:474716. When using a modem to transfer data, enter the modem's dial-up num-ber. Include only figures: not spaces, commas, etc. Remember to allowfor additional dialling numbers, such as those required for externallines.7. Save the site information and the ML840 Viewer stores the details in atext file called sites.xml.You can now connect to the site you have created as detailed in the previoussection.Establishing Communications with the 840 3.3Configuring the Microlink 840Figure 3.1 Creating a Site3.3 Setting the 840’s Clock1. Connect to a Windmill Site: the Logger Details box appears. Choosethe Logger Settings tab.2. The Clock is the date and time which is currently set inside the ML840Logger. To set this to match the computer, press the Reset button.The Microlink maintains a count of seconds: it has no internal knowledgeof days or months. The data and time that data is collected by the software iscalculated within the PC from the Microlink seconds count.As time in the Microlink logger is reset according to the PC time youshould ensure that all computers that you might use to collect data are on thesame time.3.4 Setting the Epoch LengthThe epoch length is the time in seconds over which data is logged, and max-imum, minimum and average readings are calculated. The default epoch is3600 which means that the count will be logged every hour.1. Connect to a Windmill Site and choose the Logger Settings tab.2. Enter a minimum value: we recommend that the value for the Epochlength should be 60 seconds or longer.3. Enter a maximum value: the longest Epoch that can be used is 32000seconds (9 hours).As the Epochs progress they are numbered. The count will be stored at theend of the current epoch. You can’t edit this setting.You can have different epoch lengths for each channel.When the maximum number of epochs is reached, the earliest data will beoverwritten. Data should have been collected by WM Collect before thishappens. The maximum number depends on how many channels of datayou are collecting, but for 8 hardware channels plus maximum, minimumand average values, it can store 933 epochs. See Section 3.8 for details ofsetting which data is stored.3.5 Specifying Channels to beAnalogue or DigitalA Microlink 840 has eight hardware channels, each of can be configured asone of• Digital Input - for example to monitor a contact closureSpecifying Channels to be Analogue or Digital 3.4Configuring the Microlink 840• Digital Output - for example to provide a logic signal to switchother equipment• Analogue Input - for example a 0-3.3 V DC voltage.3.5.1 Setting a Channel to be Digital orAnalogue1. Connect to a Windmill Site and and from the Logger Details boxchoose the Input/Output tab.2. The software shows the channels as numbered 0-7. Each channel canbe either digital or analogue. Digital channel numbers start from 0 andgo up. Analogue channel numbers start from 7 and go down.3. To change a digital channel to an analogue channel, click the high-est numbered digital channel and change its settings.4. To change an analogue channel to a digital channel, click the lowestnumbered analogue channel and change its settings.3.5.2 Configuring a Digital Input/CounterChannel1. From the Logger Details box choose the Input/Output tab.Specifying Channels to be Analogue or Digital 3.5Configuring the Microlink 840Figure 3.2 ML840 Viewer: Choosing how to use your Channels2. Click a digital channel number (from 0 upwards). The ConfigureChannels box appears.3. Choose from 5 counter types and set the appropriate options, detailedbelow.Total (Accumulating) Counts• Choose whether to start from 0 at power-up, or restore the lastcount a power-up• Choose whether to count on the change from low to high or fromhigh to low• Specify a minimum on and off time to avoid counts from contactbounceFrequency MeasurementFrequency measurement counts the number of pulses within a time period.(Hertz is the number of pulses within one second.)Specify a Gate Time - the time over which pulses are counted, so thatfrequency can be measured.The gate time should be long enough to count sufficient pulses to give agood resolution of the frequency. The longer the gate time, though, the lessoften the frequency can be updated. For example, if the pulse rate is 100 Hz,then a gate of 0.1 seconds will count 10 pulses giving a resolution of only10%, while a gate time of 1 second will count 100 pulses.Specifying Channels to be Analogue or Digital 3.6Configuring the Microlink 840Figure 3.3 Configuring a Digital Input ChannelThe firmware in the 840 can also record• The maximum frequency in the recorded epoch• The minimum frequency in the recorded epoch• The averaged frequency over the epochThese options are controlled through the Data Storage page.Period MeasurementPeriod measurement counts the time between pulses. You can use it, for ex-ample, to record the total time a machine was on. The firnware in the 840can also record:• The maximum period between pulses in the recorded epoch• The minimum period in the recorded epoch• The averaged period over the epoch• These options are controlled through the Data Storage page.3.5.3 Configuring an Analogue ChannelThere is one setting you can change when configuring an analogue channelhere: the input range.• By default, the 840 can handle inputs in the range 0 to 3.3 V DC.• For signals larger than this you can use resistance dividers to setthe range to be, for example, 0-5 V or 0-10 V. You can ask forthis to be done before the Microlink 840 leaves the factory, or canadd resistors to the Microlink yourself. See Section 2.5 for details.If necessary enter the appropriate division factor.• For bipolar signals, for example +5 V, see Section 2.5.Specifying Channels to be Analogue or Digital 3.7Configuring the Microlink 840Figure 3.4 Configuring an Analogue Channel3.6 Showing Real-Time ReadingsYou can see current readings with the ML840 Viewer program.1. Connect to a Windmill Site and choose the Readings tab from theLogger Details box. The values from all the channels on this logger areshown, even if they are not enabled for storage in the logger.There can up to 32 channels on a logger. These come from the 8 hardwarechannels—which can be digital input, digital output or analogue inputchannels—and minimum, maximum and averaged data for each channel.• Digital inputs can be:? Counting inputs—either 16- or 32-bit counters? Frequency or period counting• process value—current frequency or period• maximum value• minimum value• Digital outputs• Digital status—the momentary value of the 8 digital input lines• Analogue inputs can be:? process value—the current analogue input value? average—the average over the epoch time? minimum—the lowest value in this epoch? maximum—the highest value in this epoch3.7 Setting What Happens When anAlarm OccursYou can set two alarms on each hardware channel: typically a warning anda critical alarm. On an alarm condition a message can be sent to a computeron the network and a digital output switched, perhaps to sound a buzzer orturn on a light.1. Connect to a Windmill Site and choose the Alarms tab from theLogger Details box.Setting What Happens When an Alarm Occurs 3.8Configuring the Microlink 8402. Click Alarm 0 to enable the first set of alarms, for example the criticalalarms. The Alarm Edit box appears.3. Tick the Alarm Enable box.4. Choose how you will be alerted to the alarm: by switching a digitaloutput, sending a message to a computer or both.5. When switching a digital output choose to switch it on or off when analarm occurs. Select Alarmed state 0 or 1. When 0 or off a high voltageis sent to the inputs. When 1 or on a low voltage is sent to the inputs.6. You can choose to reset the alarm once the alarm condition ceases, orto make it stay on.7. You can insert a delay between an alarm threshold being crossed andan alarm sounding: useful in reducing the instances of false alarms.For example if you were monitoring the temperature of a hospitalfreezer, it may temporarily cross an alarm threshold when somebodyopened it, only to recross it moments later when they closed thefreezer. You only want to be alerted when the temperature remainsover the limit for a certain time.8. When you choose to send a message to a computer on the network, youneed to enter the Destination IP address of the computer. If the com-puter is on a different subnet, you will also need the subnet mask andSetting What Happens When an Alarm Occurs 3.9Configuring the Microlink 840Figure 3.5 Specifying what happens on alarmGateway IP address. You can ignore the Name Server IP address. Yourtarget computer needs a small Windmill application running on it toreceive the message.9. When you are happy with your settings press the Apply button. Youcan now set up alarm conditions on individual channels.3.7.1 Setting Alarm Levels on Invidual ChannelsWhen you’ve set what happens when an alarm occurs, you can configurethe alarms for individual channels.1. In the Alarm tab (Figure 3.5) click the channel’s number. The AlarmInput box appears.2. Tick Enable Input for Alarm.3. Choose whether an alarm is to be raised when this channel goes into analarm state, or whether a combination of channels need to be in alarm.Select either Direct Alarm or Combination Alarm.4. Choose the source of the alarm. Only options available with yourchosen channel are shown.5. Set the level which, when crossed, causes an alarm condition. For ananalogue input the value you enter here will change to the nearest ac-tual value that the Microlink’s analogue-to-digital converter willproduce.6. Choose whether an alarm occurs when the channel is above (>) orbelow (<) this level.Setting What Happens When an Alarm Occurs 3.10Configuring the Microlink 840Figure 3.6 Specifying alarm conditions3.8 Setting which data you want tostore in the 840 LoggerYou can choose how much data is stored in by the 840 Logger. The moreparameters you save the more space may be taken up. If, say, you were stor-ing all possible data and logging every hour you would have around amonth’s data stored. Remember that you also regularly read the 840 usingWM Collect software and save the data to the computer’s hard drive.1. Connect to a Windmill Site and choose the Data Storage tab from theLogger Details box.2. For counters, choose 16- or 32-bit counts. 16-bit allows counting up to65000; 32-bit allows counting to over 16 million. 16-bit counts occupyless space in the Logger, so data can be saved over a longer periodwithout being overwritten. For 16-bit set Count LSW to 1 and CountMSW to 0: click the current value to change. For 32-bit set both Countsettings to 1.3. To store frequency or period values, click the Process box so a 1 isshown. If you are unable to do this, and an x remains, you haven’t en-abled that channel for frequency or period counting. Section 3.5.2discusses how to do this.4. To save the state of digital inputs at the end of the epoch (logginginterval), tick Record the Status of digital inputs.Setting which data you want to store in the 840 Logger 3.11Configuring the Microlink 840Figure 3.7 Setting which data you want to store in the Logger5. You can also store maximum, minimum and average values over theepoch for each channel.6. You can store the last analogue input value of the epoch by enablingprocess, but it is probably more useful to store the average, maximumand minimum values.Note that if you update the storage allocation in the Microlink Logger asdetailed above, you will lose all existing saved data.After updating you may need to change engineering units, names, etc forthe channels. Do this in the Input Channels box, Section 3.9, and click theRead Channels from Hardware button.3.9 Configuring Input Channels:Naming, Enabling, Scalingand Setting UnitsIn Section 3.5 we discussed choosing whether a hardware channel was ananalogue or digital input or output. For input channels, you can also choosea name for the channel, whether or not the channel is enabled, any scaling tobe applied to the readings from that channel and the units of the channel:volts, Hz, counts, etc. These details are used by the other Windmillprograms such as WM Collect and SetupIML.1. Choose the Site Manager menu and select the Input Channels tab.Configuring Input Channels: Naming, Enabling, Scaling and Setting Units 3.12Configuring the Microlink 8402. If you have changed which data is stored (Section 3.8), click the ReadChannels from Hardware button.3. To re-name a channel, click its name and type in a new one.4. To disable or enable a channel click its code number and its status willbe changed. You can also click its current Enabled setting to change.5. To change the units of measurement, click the current units and type ina new one. When you change the units you will also need to tell thesoftware how to scale the data so that it is displayed accurately in thenew units.This uses the formula:New Engineering Units = Scale x Standard Units + OffsetFor example: if a pressure transducer produces 0 volts output at1 atmosphere, rising smoothly to 10 volts at 5 atmospheres, then toobtain the reading in atmospheres you need:scale = 0.4offset = 1.0Similarly, temperatures can be displayed in Fahrenheit by setting scale= 1.8, offset = 32; and voltages can be displayed in millivolts by settingscale = 1000, offset = 0.Configuring Input Channels: Naming, Enabling, Scaling and Setting Units 3.13Configuring the Microlink 840Figure 3.8 Configuring input channelsIf you plan to use the standard Windmill software suite to collect or displaydata in real-time (eg Windmill Logger, Chart or DDE Panel), select IMSFile from the menu bar. You can then load this setup file into the otherWindmill programs.3.10 Performing CalculationsYou can perform calculations on the data and store the results in the loggeddata file. Your calculations are saved as it they were normal hardwarechannels.3.10.1 Defining Calculations1. Choose the Site Manager menu and select the Calculated Channelstab.2. Click the Add New button. The Channel Details area appears.3. Type a name for the Calculated channel into the Channel Name box.Make this different to any other calculated or hardware channels.Spaces will be removed.Performing Calculations 3.14Configuring the Microlink 840Figure 3.9 Defining Calculations4. Construct a formula for calculating the new value. To add a channel tothe formula click the Import Hardware Channels button. Now double-click a channel to add it to the formula. For the formula to work hard-ware channels need to be enclosed in square brackets. This is doneautomatically if you double click a channel in the list.You can construct more complicated formulae if needed. The Opera-tors / * - + are supported. The order of operations is: () / * - +. It is bestto use brackets () to avoid any ambiguity about the order ofcalculation.5. Type the units of your calculation: volts, bars, counts or visits forexample.6. Press Accept to save the new calculated channel.7. Repeat for as many calculated channels as you need, then press OK.Deleting Calculated ChannelsTo delete a calculated channel, select it from the Defined Channels list andpress the Delete button. If you are part way through creating a new channel,and have not yet pressed the Accept button, you can just press the Cancelbutton. The Clear button removes the formula, leaving you with a blankbox, but does not remove the channel.Turning Off CalculationsIf you wish to temporarily turn off calculations, but don’t wish to delete allthe ones you have entered, you can do so. Select the Program Setup menu.If the Additional Reports box is not ticked, your calculated channel settingswill be ignored. When the Additional Reports box is ticked, daily andweekly totals are created according to your calculated channel definitions.The Results of the CalculationWhen a complete set of data for a particular day has been read from theMicrolink 840s, the calculated channels file is processed and the calcula-tion results appended to the file. Weekly files containing the daily totals arealso prepared.3.11 Making a Site InactiveIf a site is not collecting data, for example an experiment has been closedfor maintenance or an IP connection is not available, you can mark the siteas inactive. Data will not then be collected from that site.1. In the VT Viewer choose the Site Manager menu.2. In the Site Details tab, tick Site is Offline and will not be accessed.Making a Site Inactive 3.15Configuring the Microlink 8403.12 Setting where Data is StoredBy default the data is stored inc:\\\\windmill\\\\data\\and setup files inc:\\\\windmill\\\\setupsYou can move the windmill folder elsewhere, but you need to tell theML840 Viewer where it is.1. In the opening ML840 Viewer screen, choose Program Setup.2. In the General tab, enter the new location in the File Locations box.If Data in Monthly Directories is ticked then the daily data files will beplaced in a folder called:C:\\\\windmill\\\\data\\\\[site_prefix]\\\\mmyy\\where mmyy is the current month and yearotherwise all the files will appear in:c:\\\\windmill\\\\data\\\\[site_prefix]\\3.13 Setting the Format of Data FilesData is saved in tables in text files. You can also save data as xml files andexport it to a MySQL database. Data is saved at regular intervals or epochs.To choose how to save data:Setting the Format of Data Files 3.16Configuring the Microlink 840Figure 3.10 Program Setup Options1. In the opening ML840 Viewer screen, choose Program Setup.2. In the General tab, look for the Data Tables section.3. The epochs per day is the number of rows in the daily table. (This maynot be the same as the number of epochs the logger will store duringthe day.)A value of 24 gives hourly counts or readings in the table.A value of 96 gives counts or readings every 15 minutes in the table.4. You can choose the number of decimal places you want to see in thedata file. For example, for 3 decimal places use 0.000. For data whichwill be an integer, like counts, use 0.5. If you are using calculated channels then tick the AdditionalReports box.6. You can choose to have data files saved in xml files, as well as in textfiles. Tick the Create xml data files box.7. The tables in the data file usually start at midnight and contain a day’sdata. However, if you want to start logging at a different time youcan do so. Just enter how long after midnight you want to start into theData time offset box.3.14 Understanding Error Messages1. Connect to a Windmill Site and choose the Errors tab from theLogger Details box.2. Zeroes mean no errors. For others click on Interpret and a boxexplaining the meaning of the error appears.3.15 Collecting DataYou can regularly download blocks or epochs of data from the Microlink840 using the WM Collect utility. Data will be saved as text files, and op-tionally can be saved as xml files and exported to a MySQL database.You use WM Collect to automatically collect stored data from theMicrolink at regular intervals. You can either run it continually, or—if youjust want to collect data daily, weekly or monthly—run it as a Windowsschedule.You can also log and display data in real-time using the Windmill suite ofsoftware. To do this make sure that you select IMS file from the SiteManager window (Section 3.9). Data will be saved in text files.Collecting Data 3.17Configuring the Microlink 8403.15.1 Scheduling Data Collection with WMCollectUse the WM Collect program to automatically collect data from theMicrolink 840s at regular intervals. For example, you could collect data ev-ery 5 minutes or every hour. For counts, you can choose to reset the counterwhen you collect data.1. In the opening ML840 Viewer screen, choose Program Setup.2. Choose the Schedules tab and click Add New Event.3. Choose how often to upload the data, and whether to reset counts whenyou do so.WM Collect must be running continuously to in order to collect the data.Make sure that WM Collect doesn’t automatically shut itself down.4. Choose the Options tab.5. Clear the Apply box.3.15.2 Collecting Data Daily, Weekly or MonthlyUse Windows Task Manager or Scheduled Tasks (depending on your ver-sion of Windows) to schedule automatic data collection daily, weekly ormonthly. For example, in Windows 7 you will find Scheduled Tasks in:Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Task Scheduler.Look for the WM Collect program and click the Next button. Choosewhether to collect data daily, weekly or monthly. Select the time for collec-tion. Set WM Collect to run once then close. The command to initiate adownload is the path of wmcollect.exe. For exampleC:\\\\Program Files\\\\Windmill Software\\\\wmcollect.exeWhen running WM Collect as a scheduled task you should tell it for howlong to run before shutting down.1. Choose the Program Setup menu and select the Options tab.2. Enter a running time and tick the Apply box.3.15.3 Extra Saved DataYou can save real-time counts and place completed daily files to a Postboxdirectory.1. In the opening ML840 Viewer screen, choose Program Setup.Collecting Data 3.18Configuring the Microlink 8402. Choose the Options tab.3. Tick Save real time counts if you want the WM Collect to keep anupdating file of real-time data values.4. Tick Completed day files to Postbox if you want daily files to be storedin the data Postbox directory, as the daily file is completed. Use this ifyou have another application that is collecting data from the daily files,and you do not want to be re-reading partially complete files.The daily data file will be stored in \\\\windmill\\\\data\\\\postbox\\\\ directory.5. Tick Upload new settings from Postbox if you want a new settings file(*.xml) can be placed in the setups Postbox, and will be uploaded tothe ML840 unit after the next data collection event.The program looks for the files in the \\\\windmill\\\\setups\\\\postbox\\directory.3.15.4 Storing Data in a MySQL DatabaseWM Collect stores data in text files and, optionally, xml files. You can tellit to also send data directly to a MySQL database.1. In the opening ML840 Viewer screen, choose Program Setup.2. Choose the MySQL tab. A separate database called iml is created.Within iml 4 tables are created:• The iml_channels_table holds the names of the channels (forlogged data) that will be found in the main iml_data_table.The fields are:? site_prefix? channel_name.Collecting Data 3.19Configuring the Microlink 840Figure 3.11 Setting some data collection options? sensor_error? display_group - associates this channel into a group sosummaries for the group can be made• The iml_daily_table holds summary data for each completed day.The fields are:? site_prefix? channel_name.? channel_status? reading_date - the date for this set of data.? sum - the total of each channel for the day? count - number of epochs in the day (for calculating meansetc? max - maximum value for any epoch during the day.? min - minimum value for any epoch during the day.• The iml_data_table holds data values for each channel at eachepoch time for each site are found here.The fields are:? site_prefix? channel_name.? channel_status? reading_time - the end of the epoch to which this data valuebelongs.? reading_raw - the value actually read from the logger - maylater be adjusted to a different reading_value.? reading_value - the data value to be used for this epoch.? upload_time - the date-time at which this data value wasuploaded from the logger• The iml_sites_table holds the names and other details of each sitein the ML840 system.The fields are:? site_prefix? site_name - the full name of the site.? site_port - the communications port for this site (e.g. the IPaddress.? last_upload - the date-time of the last dat upload from thissite. Used to check for sites where communications fail.? logger_error - the last error code received from the logger.You will normally pull data from the iml_data_table into your own data-base for use with other data sets you are collecting. To keep theiml_data_table relatively small, it is possible to delete data values after a re-tention period of 1 or more months.3. Enter the IP address of the server where the mySQL database is to befound into the MySQL database server box. If it is on this computer,Collecting Data 3.20Configuring the Microlink 840then either give the IP address of the computer, if it is on a network, or127.0.0.0 if it is standalone.4. Enter the version of the MySQL driver installed on this PC into theDriver box. The current version is: {MySQL 5.1 ODBC Driver}5. Enter the login details for the MySQL system into the Username andPassword box.6. In the Data retention box - data values older than the number of monthsspecified, will be deleted from the iml_data_table, as new data is ac-quired. Use 0 if you want data to be kept in the iml_data_table.3.15.5 Using the Windmill Suite to Display andLog data in Real-Time1. Select Site Manager and go to the Input Channels tab.2. Choose the IMS File menu option. This generates an ims file for thisMicrolink 840. The file will be called: prefix_L0_yymmdd.ims andsaved in the windmill setups directory.3. When you start a Windmill program like Logger, DDE Panel or Chart,from its File menu choose Load Hardware Setup and choose the pre-fix_L0_yymmdd.ims file. For more details of using any of theseprograms click its Help button.3.16 E-mailing Data and ReportsYou can e-mail data and settings files to people.1. Choose the Program Setup menu and select the Communicationstab.E-mailing Data and Reports 3.21Configuring the Microlink 840Mail report to: E-mail address of to where you want the report sent.Copy mail to: E-mail address of to where you want a copy sent.Mail from: E-mail address from which the report will be sent.SMTP server: The outgoing mail server from which the e-mailwill be sent.Password: Your e-mail account’s password.E-mailing Data and Reports 3.22Configuring the Microlink 840Figure 3.12 Emailing reports4 Fault Finding4.1 No Route to Host ErrorThis error occurs on Ethernet systems either because there is no physicalconnection between a Logging unit and the PC, or because there is nonetwork enabled on your PC. Check• the cabling• that the Microlink 840 is powered up• that the local area connection settings on your PC are correct4.2 Can the Software Contact theLogger?When the software talks to a Logger module, the module's busy light comeson. It remains on until the software talks to another Logger. The busy lightis on the back panel of a boxed Logger, and on the Logger module's frontpanel in a rack-based system. If you only have one Logger then the lightwill remain permanently on.The busy light is useful for diagnosing problems. If you remove the powersupply from the unit and then reconnect it, the busy light will be off. If itgoes on when you talk to the unit then you can see to which one you aretalking and confirm that the software has found it.4.3 Calculated Channels aren’t beingLoggedIn VT Viewer select the Program Setup menu. If the Additional Reportsbox is not ticked, your calculated channel settings will be ignored. Whenthe Additional Reports box is ticked, daily and weekly totals are createdaccording to your calculated channel definitions.Calculated Channels aren’t being Logged 4.1Fault Finding4.4 TCP-IP TimeoutIf you receive a TCP-IP timeout error, increase the timeout setting.1. In the ML840 Viewer choose the Program Setup menu and select theCommunications tab.2. Increase the Timeout setting.TCP-IP Timeout 4.2Fault FindingIndexaccumulating countersee total counteradditional reports 3.15, 3.17alarm 3.8-10analogue input 2.3, 3.5, 3.7-8, 3.12average 3.12busy light 2.1calculated channels 3.14-15, 3.17channels 3.4-7clock 3.4collecting data 3.17-20Communications tab 3.21-22Connect Direct to an Ethernet logger 3.1-3Connect to a Windmill site 3.2-3connections 2.2contact closure inputs 2.3counter 3.5, 3.7-8, 3.11accumulating 3.6frequency 3.6, 3.11period 3.7, 3.11total 3.6creating a site 3.2-3current signals 2.3data files 3.16data formatMySQL 3.19text 1.1xml files 3.17Data Storage tab 3.11-12decimal places 3.17digital input 3.4-6, 3.8, 3.11digital output 2.4-5, 3.8digital status 3.8, 3.11Direct to an Ethernet Logger 3.2e-mailing data and reports 3.21-22engineering units 3.13epoch 3.4, 3.11, 3.17errors 3.17Ethernet 2.1file format 3.16MySQL 3.19text 1.1folder 2.1format of data files 3.16frequency counter 3.6, 3.11General tab 3.16-17hardware channels 3.4-7IMS file 3.21inactive channel 3.15Input Channels tab 3.12, 3.21input range 2.3Input/Output tab 3.5IP address 3.2lightsbusy 2.1power 2.1location of data files 3.16Logger Details 3.5, 3.8Logger Settings tab 3.4logging intervalsee epochmaximum 3.12minimum 3.12MySQL database 3.19naming channels 3.12-13negative input voltages 2.3Options tab 3.18-19outputs 2.4period counter 3.7, 3.11power light 2.1process 3.8Program Setup 3.16Microlink 840 User Manual iIndexProgram Setup menu 3.17-19, 3.21Readings 3.8rows in the table 3.17sample periodsee epochSchedules tab 3.18scheduling data collection 3.18screw terminal connections 2.2Site Details tab 3.15Site Manager menu 3.3, 3.12, 3.14-15, 3.21status 3.8, 3.11time to start logging 3.17total counter 3.6trouble-shooting 4.1-2units 3.13Wi-Fi 2.1WM Collect software 3.17xml files 3.17Microlink 840 User Manual iiIndex