LinkWare TM Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide October 2002, Rev. 6 5/06 © 2002-2006 Fluke Corporation. All rights reserved. All product names are trademarks of their respective companies.
Table of Contents Title Page Introduction .............................................................................................................. Contacting Fluke Networks .................................................................................... Mimimum PC Recommendations........................................................................... Localizing the LinkWare Window.......................................................................... Using the Online Help ................
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide ii
Getting Started with LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Introduction LinkWare Cable Test Management Software is a Windows program that helps you organize, customize, print, and save copper and fiber cable test records from the following Fluke Networks testers: • DTX Series CableAnalyzer • DSP Series CableAnalyzer • OMNIScanner • PentaScanner • OF-500 OptiFiber Certifying OTDR • CertiFiber • SimpliFiber • FM150 Fiber Meter LinkWare includes support for the ANSI/TIA/EIA-606-A Ad
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide Contacting Fluke Networks Notes If you contact Fluke Networks about your tester, have the tester's software and hardware version numbers available if possible. If you contact Fluke Networks about this software, have the software’s version number available, along with the type and version number of the operating system on the PC. This information is available by clicking Help > About… on the software’s menu. www.flukenetworks.
Mimimum PC Recommendations Mimimum PC Recommendations • 200 MHz Pentium microprocessor system • 64 MB of RAM • Windows 98 or later operating system. • PC monitor with minimum 800 x 600 resolution Note You need administrator rights on the PC to install LinkWare software. Localizing the LinkWare Window To change the language for LinkWare and for printed reports Select Options > Language. To change the length units and the date, time, and number formats Select Options > Display.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide 2 Select Options > Serial Port in the LinkWare window. 3 In the Serial Port Options dialog, set the COM number under Serial Port to match the port number on the PC. 4 Click Test Connection. Note The Test Connection function does not support the FM150 Fiber Meter. To connect a tester to a USB port Connect the tester to a USB port on the PC while Windows is running and the tester is on.
Using the Import Wizard To import test records into a LinkWare database Import button 1 Click the Import button. 2 Select the source for the records from the dropdown list. If LinkWare cannot connect to the tester or reports errors during data transfer, see “Connection Problems” in the LinkWare online help for troubleshooting information.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide • Use the level currently selected in the database structure pane This option places all the imported records at the currently-selected level or at a lower level if one is defined by the tester’s organization. This option is not available if a level is not currently selected.
Opening CableManager Files For example, for the cable ID C/A5-23, where “C” is the room, “A5” is the rack, and “23” is the patch, you would set the character positions as follows: Room C ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Rack A5 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Patch 23 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Click OK when you are finished. 6 Click Next, then click Finish to import the records. Opening CableManager Files To open a Fluke CableManager (.fcm) file Click the Open button, then set Files of type: to .
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide Working with a LinkWare Database The main LinkWare window shows the structure of the database and lets you view summaries of the records in the database, as shown in Figure 1, alp04.eps A The command menus and toolbar, where you select most LinkWare functions. B The structure of the current database. The icons represent elements in a cabling installation.
Working with a LinkWare Database Looking at Test Results To see the results in a record Plot icon Note icon Click on the record in the list. If a copper test record includes plot data, the plot icon appears in the Info column. If a note has been entered in the record’s report properties, the note icon appears in the Info column. To see detailed test results for the highlighted record Click the Detail button near the lower-right corner of the main LinkWare window, or double-click on a record.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide To see what a printed report or summary will look like Print Preview button Select File > Print Preview. You can quickly preview reports by clicking the Print Preview button. Organizing Your Database You can organize your database by changing the database structure and by moving and sorting the records.
Working with a LinkWare Database Table 1. Database Icons Icon Description LinkWare database: This icon shows the name of the LinkWare database. All Tests folder: This folder contains all the test records in the database. Recycle Bin: The bin contains any tests you have deleted. Project: A customer name, work order, or other project identifier. If you import records from an OMNIScanner, PentaScanner or CertiFiber tester, LinkWare creates a Project icon for each project or job name used in the tester.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide To add levels to the database structure Right-click on an existing icon that is one level up from the level you want to add. Select Add new from the popup menu, then select an icon to represent the level you want to add. To edit an icon’s properties, which include 606-A information for some icons Right-click on the icon; then select Properties.
Working with a LinkWare Database Moving Records After you import records into a LinkWare file and build a database structure, you can organize the records by moving them to the appropriate locations in the database structure. You can also move records to another database. To move records between levels in the database structure 1 Click on the name in the database structure where the records are located.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide Deleting and Restoring Records You can delete a record from any location in the database structure. Deleting a record removes the record from all levels in the database. For example, if a record is stored in a patch panel icon, and Include lower-level records is selected, you could delete the record from the patch panel icon or from any icon above it.
Working with a LinkWare Database Sorting Records You can sort records in ascending or descending order based on cable identification, date and time, site, operator, test summary result, length, or headroom items. LinkWare displays and prints records in the order you specify. Sorting records at any level in the database structure applies the same sorting order to all levels of the database structure.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide Adding and Editing Database Information You can add administration information to create administration reports. You can also edit some of the information imported with the test records. Note You cannot edit test results in LinkWare. Creating 606-A Administration Reports LinkWare lets you document a cabling installation to meet the Telecommunications Industry Association's 606-A administration standard.
Working with a LinkWare Database Table 2. Administration Records Record Horizontal link record Backbone cable record How to Enter Information Right-click on a test record; then select Report Properties. Select Horizontal Record or Backbone Record in the Report Properties dialog box. To enter this information for a group of test records, highlight the group, right-click on the group; then select Report Properties.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide Editing ID Information Imported from the Tester Note LinkWare will not search for or modify test results in records. The message “Unable to find” or “Unable to find or modify this text” appears if you try to search for or modify results.
Customizing Your Report’s Appearance Customizing Your Report’s Appearance Select Options > Printing to choose what will be shown on printed reports. You can choose to do the following: • Place your own logo on reports. • Show 606-A information at the bottom of reports. • Print summaries every time you print reports. • Select and arrange the plots that appear on copper cable reports. • Add FiberInspector images to OptiFiber reports.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide Cable ID: LINK 004 Test Summary: PASS Wire Map (T568B) PASS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8S | | | | | | | | | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8S Length (m) Prop. Delay (ns), Limit 498 Delay Skew (ns), Limit 44 Resistance (ohms) [Pair 36] [Pair 78] [Pair 78] [Pair 12] Attenuation (dB) Frequency (MHz) Limit (dB) [Pair 36] 8.6 [Pair 36] 597.0 [Pair 36] 46.4 PASS Worst Pair NEXT (dB) Freq. (MHz) Limit (dB) Worst Pair PSNEXT (dB) Freq.
Printing Your Reports alp02.eps Figure 5.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide Cable ID: FIBER 8 Test Summary: FAIL End1: DATA CENTER End2: CLOSET Date / Time: 06/24/2004 09:07:44am Headroom: -2.06 dB (Loss) Cable Type: 3M Volition, 50 Model: OptiFiber ChannelMap Date / Time: 06/24/2004 07:59:40am Tester: OptiFiber (9999923 V1.7.221) Module: OFTM-5612 (9999918 V1.7.
Making PDF Files for Delivering Reports Electronically Making PDF Files for Delivering Reports Electronically Saving reports in PDF format lets you deliver them on diskette, CD, by email, and by other electronic methods. PDF files can be viewed and printed without LinkWare by opening them with the widely-used Adobe Acrobat Reader software. This software is included on the LinkWare CD and can also be downloaded from the Adobe website. Note LinkWare cannot open PDF files.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide Saving Your Database Saving your database as a Fluke LinkWare (.flw) file saves all the records in one file that you or your customer can reopen and modify with LinkWare. You can also export records to text (.txt) or comma-separated value (.csv) files for use with other applications. See the LinkWare online help for details. To save a database as a LinkWare (.flw) file 1 Click the Save button.
Creating Cable ID Lists Creating Cable ID Lists Note For information on industry standards for cable IDs, search for cable ID standards in the online help index in LinkWare. The Create ID List utility lets you create lists of fiber IDs and save them in the tester's internal memory. You can also save the lists on the PC to download to the tester later. Creating Cable ID Lists for a DTX Tester 1 Select Utilities > DTX Utilities > Create ID List from the LinkWare menu.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide To save the ID list on the PC for downloading to the tester later Click Save ID List. To download the list to the tester 1 Connect the tester to the PC and turn on the tester. 2 Click To DTX. To use the ID list in the DTX tester Select List as the Cable ID Source; then select the name of the list you downloaded.
Creating Cable ID Lists To sort the ID list in alphanumeric order Click the Sort check box. To add IDs from another list file Click Open ID List. Locate an .ids or .txt list file; then click Open. LinkWare edits list entries that do not meet the ID guidelines. To delete an ID from the list Click on the ID; then click Delete ID. 4 To save the ID list to the memory card, click Save ID List. Locate the memory card reader in the Save As dialog box; then click Save.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide Creating Circuit ID Lists for an OMNIScanner Tester The OMNIScanner Configuration utility lets you create circuit ID lists as part of an OMNIScanner project. To create an ID list for an OMNIScanner Tester Edit Project Library button Create a New Configuration button 1 Select Utilities > OMNIScanner Utilities > Configuration on the LinkWare toolbar. 2 Click the Edit Project Library button; then click Create.
Creating Cable ID Lists Creating Fiber ID Lists for an OptiFiber Tester The Create ID List utility lets you create lists of fiber IDs and save them in the tester’s internal memory. You can also save the lists on the PC to download to the tester later. OptiFiber associates fiber ID lists with folders on the memory card, but the lists are stored in the tester’s internal memory.
LinkWare Cable Test Management Software Getting Started Guide To delete an ID from the list Click on the ID; then click Delete ID. 4 To save the ID list on the PC for downloading to the tester later, click Save ID List. To save the ID list in the tester’s internal memory, click Write to OptiFiber; then select a folder to associate with the list. See the OptiFiber users manual or online help for details on using cable ID lists. Notes LinkWare can open .ids files or text (.
About LinkWare Stats To use LinkWare Stats Notes The demo version of LinkWare Stats processes a maximum of 20 records. To purchase the full version, contact Fluke Networks or a Fluke Networks distributor. A purchased version of LinkWare Stats requires a keycode to fully enable the program. The purchased version runs for a trial period of 10 calendar days, then reverts to demo mode until you enter your keycode.
