deCOM
Communication software for
digital control relays





·
General features
· Main screen
· Program conventions

· Basic procedures:
· Specify environment options:
· Working mode
· Communication ports
· Language
· Search connected devices

· Working with a device:
· Create a new device
· From a template
· From an user file
· Select a device
· Open an existing device
· Modify data
· Save data
· Save data as
· Obtain data from device
· Send data to device
· Real time data
· Close device








 
GENERAL FEATURES

deCom is a program that allows to control a net of programmable controllers from Disibeint Electronic SL (next called, devices), by a serial communication port, or USB ports with its conversor.


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MAIN SCREEN

The program's main screen is divided in six well defined zones:
· Selection list: located at the left side.
· Main menu: located at the upper region of the screen.
· Status bar: located underneath the main menu.
· Generic tool bar: located underneath the state bar.
· Specific tool bar: located underneath the generic tool bar.
· Screen where the device data be shown.

Main screen


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PROGRAM CONVENTIONS

A form is understood as the whole data of a device. Every form is divided in four tabs in function of the type of data: general information, working mode, timers and data inspector.

The title of the program's main screen depends on the different possible situations in function of the following criteria:
· When there is no open form, it is the application name: deCom
· When there is an open form, the title of the screen is the name of the application, followed by a dash, and between brackets, three letters to indicate the model, a dash, the node's number followed by the symbol ':'and the name of the active form:
   · If it comes from a read device from the net, its name is 'untitled'.
   · If it comes from a template new form, its name is automatically generated by deCom.
   · If it comes from a new form from a user file, its name is the one of the chosen file.


In the selection list, the situation of the form gives the following information, in function of the source:
· If it comes from a device read from the net, the item index is the node's device number.
· If it comes from a new generated device, the item index is the first free position at the moment of the generation.

The source is identified by the symbol for read devices from the net, and the symbol for a new generated devices. Additionally if the device is the actually displayed, the color of the symbols become red.


In the numerical data where some decimal fraction must be entered, the separator character must match the one indicated in the Windows' control panel.


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SPECIFY ENVIRONMENT OPTIONS


From the option Tools/Options of the main menu, or by the Options button of the generic tool bar the following environment options could be set:

 
Working mode:

  - Offline: The program allows working without a physical net connected to.

  - Online: Working mode to access to the different devices in the net. In this mode, two different connection types could be defined in function of the device's communication target. If it is an RS-485 net, the number of nodes in the net could be specified, up to a maximum of 31 devices.



Previous  -  Environment options  -  Index  -  Next
 
Communication ports: A serial communication port could be chosen to communicate to the devices in the net.
When deCom starts, the available serial communication ports in the computer are analized, showing in the popup list only these ports.



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Language: The language of the texts in the main screen, and in the texts in the device's forms could be chosen.



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EXIT


Leave the program.


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SEARCH CONNECTED DEVICES


This option is only available in the Online mode.
By means of the option Communication/Search for devices of the main menu, or by means the button Search devices in the generic toolbar, begins the process of searching devices over the net.

If the selected working mode in the form Options/Working mode is ''RS485'', the search will run until the number of devices indicated in this form.

As well as the search is going on and the connected devices are being found, a new form is opened and a new line is shown in the selection list. First, the number of the node of the read device is indicated, afterwords the character ':' and finally the 12 characters that performs the reference of the device.

While the searching process is active, a progress bar is opened. Clicking on the button Stop Searching, the searching action is sttoped keeping the devices previously found in the selection list.


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CREATE A NEW DEVICE


In the generic tool bar, there are as much buttons as models could be read from the net. Clicking on any button, an emergent window process begins to collect all the necessary data.

The models that not yet are available in the present version will have the button disabled.

Visit our web page to consult new versions available, or contact with us for more information.

 
· From a template

In the first emergent window, the New option must be chosen.
The emergent windows process keeps on, varying depending on the chosen model.

         
Window to create a new device      Window to select the communicaton mode      Window to select an user program

In the last window, an user program must be chosen. For more information about the configuration of every user program, click on the option User manual.

Once all the necessary data is taken, a form is open, and a line in the selection list is added with the obtained reference, in the first free available item index.

If the combination of options of communication, range, user's program is not still available it will appear a message like the following one:



 
· From an user file

In the first emergent window, the Open option must be chosen.
The system opens a window to choose a file previously generated. To facilitate the task, the system begins the searching in an specific folder for each model. Once a file is chosen, a form is open, and a line is added in the selection list, in the first free available item index.

These processes can be also achieved from the options File/New and File/Open of the main menu respectively.

It is recommended to locate the files of every model in its relative folder.




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SELECT DEVICES

Clicking on any item of the selection list, either captured or created, an specific form for any model opens. On every device, some button in the specific tool bar, becomes enabled and/or disabled depending on the way it was generated:
 · If the device was captured from the net, the Obtain data and the Send data buttons will be enabled. The first time that a device read from the net is clicked, the system obtain the data to fill in the form.
 · if the device was created from the generic tool bar, the Obtain data and the Send data buttons in the specific tool bar will be disabled.


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OPEN AN EXISTING DEVICE



The previously saved data in a file could be recovered by the option File/Load from file of the main menu, or by the button Load from file on the device's specific tool bar.


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MODIFY DATA



To modify the data on a form, the Edit/Modify data in the main menu, or the Modify data button in the device specific tool bar must be clicked. The form becomes enabled, allowing to change all the possible data inside any tab. Once all the changes are done, there are two options:




 · Accept the changes by selecting the Edit/Apply changes in the main menu, or clicking the Accept button in the device specific tool bar. The system will check the integrity of the new data, and it will appear, if necessary, one information window with the detected error for every incongruity found. The errors must be solved and accept the changes again until the system find no errors.




 · Cancel the changes by the option Edit/Cancel modifications in the main menu, or clicking then Cancel button on the device specific tool bar. The system recover the information held in the form before entering in the edit mode.

Special attention must be taken when the node number is changed. Once detected every device in the net, if the node number is changed in one of them, either from deCom or from the own device, the option Search devices must be selected to communicate with this device again.


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SAVE DATA



To save the information held in a form, the option File/Save to file in the main menu, or the Save to file button on the device specific tool bar, must be selected. From here on, the name of the form will be the name of the file.

The system will alert if the selected file already exists in the active folder.

If the forms were read from the net or created from a template, the option Save data as... is open directly.


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SAVE DATA AS



To save the data held in a form, in a file with a different name, the option File/Save to file as... in the main menu or the button Save to file as... on the device specific tool bar must be selected.


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OBTAIN DATA FROM DEVICE



To obtain the data from a device, the option Communication/Obtain data from device in the main menu, or the Obtain data from device button on the device specific tool bar must be selected.

In an online net, the device's data could be transfered to a form, whenever the device keeps on the same node number as when it has been last detected by the program.


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SEND DATA TO DEVICE



To send the data in the form to a device, the option Communication/Send data to device in the main menu, or the Send data to device button on the device specific tool bar, must be selected.

In an online net, the form data could be send to a device, whenever it keeps on the same node number as when it has been last detected by the program.


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REAL TIME DATA



To display in real time the data read/controlled by one device, the option Communication/Inspector in the main menu, or the Inspector button on the device specific tool bar, must be selected.

To select this option, the system must be in online mode.


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CLOSE DEVICE



To close the form where the device data is shown, the option File/Close in the main menu, or the Close button on the device specific tool bar must be selected.

If the system detects any not saved modification , it asks for confirmation before closing the form.


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We should be pleased to receive your feedback about the possible errors detected while using deCom.


DISIBEINT ELECTRONIC SL
Segle XX, 91
08032 - Barcelona
T: +34 934 560 995 - +34 934 330 370
F: +34 934 354 532
www.disibeint.com
disibeint@disibeint.com

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