Step 3.3. Configure Alarm Logging Attributes

Logging Attributes for an ALARM_LOG table enables you to log additional information about the logged alarms.

Select the Logging Attributes tab in the Table Properties dialog box.

Options are as follows.

1 Table attributes.
2 Log addition points.
3 Use defaults.
1 Table attributes

Check the table attributes that should be included in the ALARM_LOG table.

Note: These attributes can also be included in the DATA_LOG

Attribute SQL Field Description
Project name project Project the point is in.
Point value point_val Point value of the alarm being logged.
Point user bits user_bits The value of the point's 64 bit user set usage. Even though CIMPLICITY is a 32 bit application a point can access the lowest 32-bits and the highest 32 bits in a 64 bit set. The logged value:
  • Displays the combined 64 bit value.
  • Is logged as a decimal.
Example A point writes the following values to EXTENDED_USER_FLAGS_HIGHand EXTENDED_USER_FLAGS_LOW.
Bit Set Decimal = Hex
HIGH 35 = 0x23
LOW 15 = 0xf
CIMPLICITY combines the EXTENDED_USER_FLAGS_HIGH and EXTENDED_USER_FLAGS_LOW.
The HEX value is: 0x000000230000000f
Converted to Decimal: 150323855375
Result: CIMPLICITY logs 150323855375 to the ALARM_LOG in SQL.
Note: If you select or de-select the project name table attribute you must drop the table so that it is properly re-created with or without the new project field as part of the primary key. Failing to do so can cause the database logger to fail to log data into the table.
2 Log additional points

The status of any component in a system may be affected by the operation of other components in that system.

Therefore, if a point is in alarm state, even if related points are not in alarm state, another value or combination of values may be causing or influencing the alarm state value.

To help analyze an alarm status, CIMPLICITY enables you to log additional point values in the SQL table row that contains the selected point's alarm state information.

Each point message checkbox that is checked adds two columns to the ALARM_LOG table, as follows.

Checkbox Column 1 Column 2
Point message <n> point_id_<n> point_val_<n>
  • When a point's alarm messageincludes related point values, CIMPLICITY enters the point ID and value in the fields that are assigned in the alarm message.
  • If a Point message <n> is checked, but is not included in a point's alarm message, there is no entry (e.g. NULL) for that point in the ALARM_LOG.
3 Use Defaults

Click Use Defaults to return the ALARM_LOG to its default logging attribute settings.

The default logging attribute settings are as follows.

  • The first time you open the ALARM_LOG all check boxes are clear.

When you click Use Default, all check boxes are once again cleared.

  • The next time you open the ALARM_LOG the settings that were selected the last time is was closed become the default settings

When you click Use Default, check boxes that were:

  • Checked when the previous session closed, are checked.
  • Clear when the previous session closed, are clear.