This section applies to SmartServer release 3.1 or prior.

You can create, view, and edit monitoring, logging, and alarming properties for datapoints.  You can use the Datapoint Properties widget to define the datapoint properties, you can export the datapoint property definitions to a datapoint logging and alarming (DLA) file with a .dla extension, and you can import the DLA file to other SmartServers. You can also manually create a DLA file.

Users with Administrator, Owner, Controller, or Tenant roles can use the Datapoint Properties widget to create and modify datapoint properties where they have the Administrator, Owner, Controller, or Tenant roles.  

This section consists of the following:

Note: Click the fullscreen icon (  ) for a better view of this widget. 

Displaying Datapoint Properties

Viewing Unconfigured Datapoints

To show the unconfigured datapoints, click the action icon () on the Device Properties widget and select Show Unconfigured Datapoints.

The unconfigured datapoints appear on the Datapoint Properties widget displaying the following:

• Device type – the device type name

• Block name – the block name

• Block index – blocks with the same type are sequentially numbered, starting at 0 for the first block

• Datapoint – the datapoint name

• Datapoint type – the datapoint type name

• Monitored – indicates that monitoring is configured for the datapoint

• Logged – indicates that logging is configured for at least one log for the datapoint

• Alarmed – indicates that at least one alarm or warning is configured for the datapoint

Each heading has a forward/reverse sort icon. When clicked, the datapoint list is sorted in forward or reverse order by the selected heading.

• Total Monitoring Traffic Indicator – displays the calculated packets per second for monitoring traffic; keep this number below 40 for optimal performance.
  

• Total Logged Bytes – displays the estimated logged bytes per day
  

• Data Annual Log Size – displays the estimated log size after 1 year in Megabytes (MB)
  

Hiding Unconfigured Datapoints

To hide the unconfigured datapoints, click the action icon () on the Device Properties widget and select Hide Unconfigured Datapoints.

The unconfigured datapoints no longer appear.

Setting Filters

You can set filters on the Device Properties widget to refine information that is displayed.

1. To set a filter, click the Set Filter button () on the Datapoint Properties widget.
   
   
   
   The Set Filters view appears.
   
   
   
   
2. Enter the search criteria. 
   
   Click the plus sign ( ) to add filters.
   
   
   
   
3. Click APPLY FILTERS.
   
   The results below show the block name filter results for "joystick".
   
   
   
   The remove filters () icon clears the filter settings.

Editing Datapoint Properties

1. To edit datapoint properties, click the action button () and then select Edit.
   
   
   
   The Edit Datapoint Properties view appears.
   
   
   
   

Go to the following sections to edit datapoint properties: INFO, MONITORING AND LOGGING CONFIGURATION, ALARM TYPE CONFIGURATION, PRESET DEFINITIONS, or LOCALIZATION.

Editing Datapoint Properties Information

1. From the INFO tab, edit datapoint properties as needed including the following:
   
   
   
   

   • Protocol – read-only field with LON, Modbus, BACnet, and IAP values

   • Device Type – read-only field with device type name

   • Datapoint Name – read-only field with fully qualified name with block name, block index, and datapoint name
   • Initial Value – initial value for inputs only. If localization is defined, the value should be a local value.
     
     
2. Click UPDATE.

Editing Monitoring and Logging Configuration

1. From the MONITORING AND LOGGING CONFIGURATION tab, set the parameters as needed including the following:

   Note: The Total Monitoring Traffic Indicator above the Datapoint Properties widget displays an estimate of the expected monitoring events per second (EPS) based on the current monitoring configuration. For optimal system operations, keep this number below 40 EPS on a quad core SmartServer IoT (Revision F or later), or 20 EPS on a dual core SmartServer IoT (Revisions A through E).
   • Monitored – enables (set to Yes) or disables (set to No) monitoring. The SmartServer monitors updates for a datapoint when monitoring is enabled for the datapoint. For datapoints on BACnet, LON (using IMM), and Modbus devices, polling must also be enabled to periodically read the datapoint value. For datapoints on LON devices using DMM, if polling is not enabled for the datapoint, the SmartServer software automatically enables event-driven updates from the datapoint. As a result, polling is not required to monitor a datapoint on a LON device using DMM.
     
   • Polled – enables (set to Yes) or disables (set to No) periodic background polling where the driver periodically polls the datapoint to retrieve the current value of the datapoint.
   • Logged – enables (set to Yes) or disables (set to No) logging. This setting is No if Monitored is No. The default is No. 
     

     
     
     
     

   • If Monitored is Yes, the following fields are available:
     
     
     • Poll Interval – the interval between periodic polls from the IAP server to the endpoint in fractional seconds.
       

     • Publish Interval (Heartbeat) – the maximum interval between updates from the IAP server to any IAP clients, similar to a heartbeat. You can specify a fractional value such as 0.2 seconds. For a datapoint configured for periodic polling, this is typically a multiple of the polling interval. For a datapoint not configured for periodic polling, the publish interval specifies the maximum interval between updates from the cached datapoint value.
       
       A datapoint update may be published more frequently than specified by the publish interval if either of the following conditions are met:

       • the datapoint is polled at a faster rate than the publish interval, and publishing is appropriate based on the minimum publish interval and minimum publish delta value.

       • the datapoint is updated by an event-driven update or an on-demand poll, and publishing is appropriate based on the minimum publish interval and minimum publish delta value.
         
         

     • Minimum Publish Interval (Delta Time Throttle) – minimum interval in seconds between updates from the IAP server to IAP clients. This is a time-based throttle that does not throttle or otherwise limit periodic updates based on a configured publish interval. 
       
       

     • Minimum Publish Delta Value (Delta Value Throttle) – minimum change from the last published value required to publish an update from the IAP server to IAP clients. You can specify a scalar value, or select Any Change (for any non-zero change) or Always (for all updates).
       • Any Change publishes data on any non-zero change subject to the publish timing requirements.
       • Always disables the delta value throttle, but does not override the delta time throttle if one is specified.
         

   A scalar value specifies that a datapoint value will not be published if the difference between the new value and the last published value is less than the minimum publish delta value. When enabled, this is a datapoint delta, value-based throttle that does not throttle or otherwise limit periodic updates based on a configured publish interval. 
   
   

   • • Expected Update Interval – expected average number of seconds between updates. If 0, updates are not expected and included in traffic estimation. You can specify as a fractional value such as 0.5 seconds. Set this parameter to the Min Publish Interval value if the Expected Update Interval is blank and the Min Publish Interval is changed. This value is used for traffic estimation only and does not otherwise impact monitoring.
       
       
   • If Monitored is Yes and Logged is Yes, the following fields are available:
     
     
     • Log 1 Minimum Interval – the minimum interval in seconds between log entries. You can specify a fractional value such as 0.2 seconds, and also as a multiple of the Publish Interval if a Publish Interval greater than 0 is defined. The log interval specifies the minimum interval between log entries, where the first datapoint update after the log interval expires is logged with a timestamp. A datapoint update may be received as a response to a poll, an event-driven update, or a response to an on-demand read request. Periodic logging is disabled if the interval is not specified or is equal to 0. 
       
       
     • Log Minimum Delta Value (Delta Value Throttle) – minimum change from the last logged value (not the last received value unless the last received value is also the last logged value) required to log a datapoint update. The last logged value for each log is the last datapoint value logged for the specific log (1, 2, or 3). You can specify a scalar value or select Any Change (for any non-zero change) or Always (for all updates).
       • Any Change logs data on any non-zero change subject to the log timing requirements.
       • Always setting disables the delta value throttle.

   A scalar value specifies that a datapoint update will not be logged if the difference between the new value and the last logged value is less than the Log Minimum Delta Value. When enabled, this is a datapoint delta, value-based throttle. Log entries are not throttled based on value if the Log Minimum Delta Value is not Any Change or Always, unspecified, or equal to 0.  
   
   

   • • Log 1 Expected Interval – the expected interval between logged values for log 1. The expected interval is only used for calculating estimates of log size growth per day or per year with no effect on whether or not a value is logged. For a datapoint configured for periodic polling, the default value for the log expected interval is the log interval.
       
       
     • Log 1 Retention Period – retention period for log 1. The default value is 14 days.
       
       
     • Log 2 Minimum Interval, Expected Interval, and Retention Period – same behavior as for log 1, applied to log 2. The Retention Period default value is 60 days. 
       
       
     • Log 3 Minimum Interval, Expected Interval, and Retention Period – same behavior as for log 1, applied to log 3. The Retention Period default value is 730 days. 
       
       
   • If Monitored is Yes, Polled is Yes, Logged is Yes, the Poll Interval is greater than 0, and the Publish Interval is greater than 0, the following additional field is available (otherwise it is grayed out):
     
     

     • Log 1/2/3 Multiple – logging multiples for logs 1, 2, and 3. Each specifies a multiple of the Publish Interval for the minimum time between logged values. The default value is 0. When this value is set, the CMS updates the Log Interval value to equal the Multiple times the Monitoring Interval.

       • If the Poll Interval is less than the Publish Interval, the default value for the corresponding Log Interval is the Publish Interval times the Multiple minus 50% of the Poll Interval. 

       • If the Poll Interval is equal to or greater than the Publish Interval, the default value for the corresponding Log Interval is the Publish Interval times 80% times the Log Interval. 

   For example, if a datapoint is polled every 10 seconds and the multiple is 6, the datapoint value is logged at least every 60 seconds. If the multiple value is 0, the datapoint value is not logged for this log level. Any positive value specifies that the datapoint is logged for this log level. 
   
   

2. Click UPDATE to return to the Datapoint Properties widget.

Editing Datapoint Value Alarm Conditions

1. From the ALARM TYPE CONFIGURATION tab, edit the parameters as needed including the following:
   
   
   
   

   • Alarm Name – a text field where you can enter a name for the alarm type definition. If defined, this name appears in the Alarm Type list.
     

     Note: Alarm Name must be unique across all alarm types and across all device types for handling alarm assignments.

   • Alarmed Yes/No – enables or disables alarm monitoring for the datapoint (this feature is available with SmartServer release 2.7 or higher).

   • High Warning and Low Warning – datapoint limits for triggering warnings, one for a high value warning and one for a low value warning.

   • High Alarm and Low Alarm – datapoint limits for triggering alarms, one for a high value alarm and one for a low value alarm. 

   • High Warning Preset and Low Warning Preset – datapoint presets for triggering warning alarms, one for a high-value warning alarm and one for a low-value warning alarm. (This setting requires Alarmed to be Yes; this feature is available with SmartServer release 2.8 or higher).

   • High Alarm Preset and Low Alarm Preset – datapoint presets for triggering error alarms, one for a high-value error alarm and one for a low-value error alarm. (This setting requires Alarmed to be Yes; this feature is available with SmartServer release 2.8 or higher).
     
     

2. Click UPDATE to return to the Datapoint Properties widget.

Using Preset Definitions

From the PRESET DEFINITION tab, you can create, edit, and remove preset definitions.

Creating a Preset Definition

1. From the PRESET DEFINITION tab, click the add () icon.
   
   
   
   
2. Enter the preset name, value, and state. (Presets are based on the local values.)
   
   
3. Click SAVE.
   
   The preset definition appears on the Edit Datapoint Properties view.
   
   
   
   
4. Click UPDATE to return to the Datapoint Properties widget.
   
   
5. Refresh your browser window (F5 in many browsers) to display the updated preset definition.

Editing a Preset Definition

1. To edit an existing preset definition, click the action icon () for the desired preset definition and select the Edit preset menu option.
   
   
   
   The Edit preset view appears.
   
   
   
   
2. Edit the preset definition as needed.
   
   
3. Click SAVE.
   
   
4. Click UPDATE to return to the Datapoint Properties widget.
   
   
5. Refresh your browser window (F5 in many browsers) to display the updated preset definition.

Copying a Preset Definition

1. To copy an existing preset definition, click the action icon () for the desired preset definition and select the Copy preset menu option.
   
   
   
   The Copy preset view appears.
   
   
   
   
2. Edit the preset definition as needed.
   
   
3. Click SAVE.
   
   
4. Click UPDATE to return to the Datapoint Properties widget.
   
   
5. Refresh your browser window (F5 in many browsers) to display the updated preset definition.

Removing a Preset Definition

From the PRESET DEFINITION tab, click the action icon () for the desired preset definition and select Remove preset.

The preset definition is automatically removed.

To remove multiple preset definitions, follow these steps:

1. Click the checkmark for preset definitions to be removed (the checkmarks change from blue to yellow).
   
   
2. Click the delete () button.
   
   
3. Click UPDATE to return to the Datapoint Properties widget.
   
   
4. Refresh your browser window (F5 in many browsers) to display the updated preset definition.

Using Localization Settings

You can set the localization transformation rules to be used by a datapoint through the Edit Datapoint Properties view, setting the multiplier, exponent, offset, and units fields to get the native value. Any simple data type, as well as any field in a structure or union, can be transformed.  After adding of changing any rules, click Update and then refresh your browser window (F5 in many browsers) to display the updated localization rules.

The transformation value = ( input value [raw value] *  multiplier *  10^exponent ) + offset

Exponent has two purposes:

1. Controls 10^exponent
2. Defines the number of decimal places that transformed value will show

Consider, for example, a device reports temperature as 22 degrees Celsius and you want to show the temperature as Fahrenheit. The number of decimal places you want to see in the Datapoint Browser widget determines the values used for the localization transform.

• For whole numbers: 
  Multiplier = 1.8, Exponent = 0, Offset = 32:  transformed value = 72

• For one decimal place:
  Multiplier = 18, Exponent = -1, Offset = 32:  transformed value = 71.6

To clear any localization transformation rules, click the delete () button, click UPDATE, and then refresh your browser window (F5 in many browsers) to display the updated rules.

Copying Datapoint Properties

1. To copy a datapoint property, click the action icon () on the Datapoint Properties widget and select Copy.
   
   
   
   
2. Select the datapoint you wish to copy.
   
   
   
   
3. Click COPY.

Clearing Datapoint Properties

Clearing a Selected Datapoint Property

1. To clear the monitoring, logging, and alarming properties of a selected datapoint property, click the action icon () on the Datapoint Properties widget and select Clear.
   
   
   
   
2. Confirm the clear operation by clicking OK on the Confirmation box.
   
   

Clearing Selected Datapoint Properties

1. To clear the monitoring, logging, and alarming properties of selected datapoint properties, click the checkmark for the datapoint properties to clear.
   The checkmark changes from blue to yellow.
   
   
   
   
2. Click the action icon () on the Datapoint Properties widget and select Clear Selected Datapoint Properties.
   
   
   
   
3. Confirm the clear operation by clicking OK on the Confirmation box.
   
   

Clearing All Datapoint Properties

1. To clear the monitoring, logging, and alarming properties of all datapoint properties, click the action icon () on the Datapoint Properties widget and select Clear All Datapoint Properties.
   
   
   
   
2. Confirm the clear operation by clicking OK on the Confirmation box.
   
   

Exporting Datapoint Properties

Exporting a Selected Datapoint Property

To export datapoint properties for a single datapoint, click the action icon () on the Datapoint Properties widget for the datapoint and select Export.

The CMS exports the datapoint properties to a DLA file.

Exporting Selected Datapoint Properties

1. To export multiple datapoint properties, click the checkmark for the datapoints to be exported.
   The checkmark changes from blue to yellow.
   
   
   
   
2. Click the action icon () on the Device Properties widget and select Export Selected Datapoint Properties.
   
   
   
   The CMS exports the selected datapoint properties to a DLA file.

Exporting All Datapoint Properties

To export all datapoint properties, click the action icon () on the Datapoint Properties widget and select Export All Datapoint Properties.

The CMS exports all of the datapoint properties to a DLA file.

Importing Datapoint Properties

1. To import datapoint properties, click the action icon () on the Datapoint Properties widget and select Import Datapoint Properties.
   
   
   
   
2. Select the DLA file to be imported from your computer by clicking on the DROP FILE HERE area or by placing the file in that area.
   
   
   
   
3. Click IMPORT FILE.
   
   
   
   A message appears indicating that the file was loaded.
   
   

Enabling/Disabling Use of Localization

The Use Localization option is not available with SmartServer 2.8 and higher.

By default, the SmartServer IoT is configured to use localization.

To disable this option, go to the Global Settings button () on the main page.

Click the Global Settings button () and select the Use Localization action (which appears in yellow when enabled) from the dropdown list. 

To re-enable localization, click the Global Settings button () and select the Use Localization action (which appears in blue when disabled) from the dropdown list.

Creating a DLA File

You can create a DLA requirements file as a CSV file that lists initial value, logging, and alarming requirements for datapoints.

A DLA file contains the following embedded metadata tags, anywhere in the file, but typically in the first line:
{noformat}#filetype,dla{noformat}

A DLA file is categorized by its extension .DLA or .CSV (not case sensitive), and the #filetype tag equal to dla (not case sensitive) and is identified by its filename. Compound extensions such as DLA.CSV can also be used.

DLA File Parameters

A DLA file contains the following columns (headings are not case sensitive):

The following table summarizes the changes from the DLA file implemented in SmartServer IoT 2.4 to SmartServer IoT 2.5. Fields shown as "N/A" for 2.4 are newly added in SmartServer IoT 2.5. Fields shown with different names are renamed from the listed SmartServer IoT 2.4 name.  

DLA File Examples

Without Presets and Localization

#filetype,dla
Protocol,Device Type,Datapoint,Polled,Poll Interval,Publish Interval,Publish Min_Delta_Time,Initial Value,Log Interval 1,Log Interval 2,Log Interval 3,Log Retention 1,Log Retention 2,Log Retention 3,Log Min Delta Time,Alarm Name,High Warning,Low Warning,High Error,Low Error
LON,NcMultiSensorExample,LightSensor/0/nvoLuxLevel,Yes,10,5,0,Any,10,20,30,10,20,30,0,Always,CustomAlarm,8,4,6,3
LON,NcMultiSensorExample,TempSensor/0/nvoTemperature,Yes,10,5,0,Change,10,20,30,10,20,30,0,Always,CustomAlarm,8,4,6,3

#filetype,dla
Protocol,Device Type,Datapoint,Polled,Poll Interval,Publish Interval,Publish Min_Delta_Time,Initial Value,Log Interval 1,Log Interval 2,Log Interval 3,Log Retention 1,Log Retention 2,Log Retention 3,Log Min Delta Time,Alarm Name,High Warning,Low Warning,High Error,Low Error
modbus,PowerLogic 820 Series Digital Power Meter RTU,block/0/Voltage_A-N,Yes,30,30,1,,10,100,1000,300,3000,30000,1,Default_voltA_N,1000,10,2000,0

With Presets

Presets column follows Visible:

#filetype,dla
lon,GMRTpm,device/0/nvo[0],Yes,60,60,,always,,60,0,0,4,60,730,,always,,,,,,Yes,"{ name:""OCCUPIED"", value:69.8 },{ name:""UNOCCUPIED"", value:60.8 }"
lon,GMRTpm,device/0/nvo[1],Yes,60,60,,always,,60,0,0,4,60,730,,always,,,,,,Yes,"{ name:""ON"", value:22.0 },{ name:""OFF"", value:99.7 }"

The following example shows the datapoint type as a structure:

#filetype,dla
lon,GMRTpm,device/0/nvo[0],Yes,60,60,,always,,60,0,0,4,60,730,,always,,,,,,Yes,"{ name:""ON"", value:{value: 100, state: 1}},{name:""OFF"" value:{value: 25, state: 1}}"

With Localization

Localization column follows Presets:

#filetype,dla
lon,GMRTpm,device/0/nvo[1],Yes,60,60,,always,,60,0,0,4,60,730,,always,,,,,,Yes,,"{ value:{transformA: 18, transformB:-1, transformC: 32, unit:””deg F””}"

DLA File Validation

The schema.ini file may be used to perform simple data validation when creating a DLA file with Excel. The schema.ini file is available here.