Instruction manual

PC208W, Version 3.0, Instruction Manual 1-1
SECTION 1. SETTING UP THE NETWORK AND COMMUNICATING
WITH THE DATALOGGER
1.1 GETTING STARTED
With the software installed, you are probably
anxious to start using the datalogger. If at all
possible, prior to deploying the equipment in the
field, make sure you can establish a
telecommunication link with your datalogger
even if you have to create a temporary setup in
your office. Getting familiar with datalogger
programming and the support software in the
comfort of your office will be a lot less
frustrating than trying to resolve problems in the
field. If your datalogger is already deployed and
working, then establishing communications with
the datalogger is the place to start.
The first step in interfacing your PC and the
PC208W software with your equipment is to set
up your datalogger and other devices. SETUP
is used to accomplish this. Once your
equipment is configured, direct connection can
be made to the logger through the CONNECT
screens. After telecommunication has been
established you can use the other features of
PC208W to create and download programs,
collect data, view raw data or prepare more
sophisticated reports, monitor equipment status,
and interface with storage devices.
1.2 SETUP
1.2.1 GENERAL INFORMATION
opens a window in which
you edit the Device Map, a
diagram of all the various
dataloggers, modems and
other communications
devices which you are using.
Three different pages on this screen show up
as tabs to let you configure Hardware, Data
Collection, and Scheduled Communications
settings. Whether you work with one datalogger
(or “station”) on your desk or hundreds of
dataloggers over elaborate telecommunications
networks, PC208W’s Device Map keeps track
of the type of devices, addresses and phone
numbers, data collection pointers, and collection
schedules. You can also add “Tasks” to the
Device Map to execute other programs, such as
DOS batch files, SPLIT (PC208W’s data
processing utility), or any other executable
program.
1.2.2 SETUP PROCEDURES
The first step in setting up telecommunications
is to add the necessary component to the
Device Map by choosing one of the Add...
options from the toolbar. Some of the
necessary entries include which serial
communication port (e.g., COM1) you will use,
modems (if any), type of datalogger, etc.
The Setup window consists of three tabs:
HARDWARE, DATA COLLECTION, and
SCHEDULE. Each device will have these three
tabs but only parameters relevant to that type of
device will be shown on the tabs.
PC208W inserts default values for most
parameters, but some it can’t know. Therefore,
once you add devices to the Device Map, click
on the HARDWARE tab for each device to enter
settings unique for that device, such as baud
rates for COM ports, brand of telephone
modem (for initialization strings), telephone
numbers, radio IDs or paths for dataloggers,
etc.
You will also need to set up what data you want
to collect and how you want to collect and store
it. This information goes on the DATA
COLLECTION tab. Note that PC208W will
suggest a filename for the data, but you can
Browse to choose a different name, directory, or
even a different computer if you’re on a
network.
If you want PC208W to collect data
automatically, you will need to specify data
collection and retry information on the
SCHEDULE tab. Automatic data collection can
be toggled on/off by enabling the Schedule On
checkbox. Once a schedule has been set up
for a device, this schedule can be copied to
other devices by selecting Apply to Other
Stations and highlighting the desired devices.
PC208W must be running to make scheduled
calls, but it will make these calls even when
minimized. For example, some people set up