Planning for Data Logging, Reporting, and Alarms

In the preceding tag table, we noted a requirement for two logger tags (to record the level of the booster tank and the status of the booster pump), and two alarm tags (one cautionary alarm that will signal when the booster tank level drops below 30 inches, and one higher priority alarm that will signal when the booster tank level drops below 20 inches). It is important to take into consideration the configuration of these tags and, where necessary, to determine where logged data will be stored.

Data Logging

By default, data will be logged directly to the application directory; however, your client may wish the data to be logged to a special directory inside or outside the application directory, or perhaps even to a separate disk or workstation. It is important that you plan for such conditions ahead of time.

For the purposes of the tutorial, data will be logged to the default location (the application directory). The VTS Developer's Guide provides information on how to log data to alternate locations.

Alarm Configuration

It is important to decide in advance, the priority of alarms and the audio and visual indicators that will be used to signal them. Deciding such information now will save you time in later development stages.

In addition to alarm tags, VTS provides the alarm priority tag type that can be used to configure different sounds, colors, and timing depending upon the urgency of the alarm. In this tutorial, we will use the existing alarm priority tags as they are configured. When you plan your own applications, you may wish to configure your own alarm priority tags so that you can change the colors, timing, and sounds associated with its alarms.