In addition to the alarm log file(s), the Alarm Manager maintains an "Alarms.db" data file for each application you create. An "Alarms.db" data file is an encrypted binary database file that maintains the current status of all alarms in the system (e.g. acknowledged, active, etc.). This file is automatically created by VTS when your application is initially run, and will therefore exist even if you do not configure any alarms for your application. Alarms.db is stored within your application directory.
The alarm database stores data in the following data:
• The alarm message (i.e. the Description property of the tag whose value triggered the alarm).
• The alarm priority (e.g. critical, high, warning, or notice).
• The alarm status (i.e. acknowledged, active, etc.)
• The operator who was logged on when the alarm was triggered and/or acknowledged.
• The alarm area (i.e. the Area property of the tag whose value triggered the alarm).
This data is stored in the alarm database in the following 5 fields:
• Message
• Priority
• Type
• Operator
• Area
These default fields are specified in the master Config.ini configuration file as follows:
[Alarm_Manager]
KEYCOUNT = 5
KeyName = Message, 0, 80
KeyName = Priority, 1, -1
KeyName = Type, 2, -1
KeyName = Operator, 3, 32
KeyName = Area, 4, 32
The variables in the [ALARM_MANAGER] section are described in "VTS Programmer's Guide: Config.ini [ALARM_MANAGER] Section Variables".
The Config.ini AlarmFileName variable enables you to change the root file name for the alarms .db file according to your needs. If it is your intent to change the root file name for the alarm database file (Alarms.DB) and the alarm log file (Alarms.LOG), you must first stop the application and delete the existing alarm log file and alarm database file from your application directory. For more information on doing so, and further customizing the behavior of the Alarm Manager, see "VTS Programmer's Guide: Config.ini [SYSTEM] Section Variables for Alarms".
You can extend the database to record additional data (for example, the application page related to the alarm); however, you must then provide the facility to enter this supplementary data for each alarm. This requires knowledge of programming, and of the VTS scripting language, and therefore is beyond the scope of this guide. Please refer to the VTS Programmer's Guide for further information.