Creating a Modem Tag with a Blank Area

The Area property for modem tags is very significant in VTScada, as it is used to enable your system to differentiate among different modem types. For example, you may configure one specific modem for outgoing data connections, and configure a second modem for outgoing and incoming voice calls. To do so, set the UseSerialAreaInModemCall Config.ini [SYSTEM] section variable equal to "1", and then set the Area property of the modem tag for the data modem to the same area as that of the serial port tag for the site. This forces any calls to that site to use only modems with a matching Area property.

The Alarm Dialer system will only make calls on modems that are configured for voice and whose modem tag has a blank Area property.  If your application does not include a modem tag with a blank Area property, your Alarm Dialer system may malfunction.

To add a modem tag with a blank Area to your application, follow the steps below.

1.   Open the Tag Browser.

2.   Select Modem from the Types drop-down list.

The Tag Browser will display any modem tags that have been configured for your application.

3.   Click the New button.

A new modem tag properties folder will open.

4.   Enter a name for the modem tag in the Name field.

5.   Leave the Area field blank.

6.   Enter a description for this modem tag in the Description field.

7.   Click the Settings tab.

8.   Enter the name of the workstation where the physical modem is installed in the Workstation Name field.

9.   Select the phone line to which this modem is attached from the Line Name drop-down list.

This name is not defined elsewhere in the system. The appearance of the line name here will define the line if it does not already exist. The same line name must be used by modems sharing the same physical phone line, even if they are on different workstations.

10. Select the name of the modem on the workstation from the Name Or Index On Workstation drop-down list.

This is the name of the modem as given in the modem control panel.

11. Select the number of rings at which the line should be answered from the Ring Count spin box.

If the Ring Count spin box is set to 0, the modem will not answer the line.

12. Select the application privilege you wish to use to protect this modem tag from being disabled or reset.

Users must have the selected application privilege assigned to their user account in order to disable or reset this modem.

13. Click the OK button. The new modem tag will now appear in your Tag Browser.

14. Close the Tag Browser.