# Remote Data Logging

The following discussion primarily applies for Remote Data-Logging operations where regular and frequent downloads are important. For simple occasional "Manual" downloading of Log Files, when there is no risk of Log File buffer overflows, causing the loss of logged data, you may choose instead to use the Alarmware™ Log File Download function.

To set up remote data logging you need to configure:

- Log File Device (to save the data)
- Remote Data Terminals and/or Fax Machines (to report the data)

To configure a Log File device, connect to or work off-line with the desired Catalyst. From the Configuration menu, select Devices.

Step One: Configure for Log File:

- Open the Device Settings dialog box
- Select the Log File tab
- Enable the Log File checkbox
- Enable desired RTU and/or Channel Events to be logged
- Set the Data Sampling base time and frequency. For example, setting the base time to 09:00 and a frequency of 1 hour, the data will be sampled every hour on the hour (09:00, 10:00, 11:00…)
- Click on the "Advanced" button.
- Set the "reserve" storage space for the RTU. Note: This parameter cannot be altered when working offline. The amount you want to reserve is dependent on a number of factors:
- The amount of non-volatile RAM available. This is the amount of memory shipped with the Catalyst. Note: If additional memory is required, please contact your Catalyst representative.
- The amount of storage space required for user-recorded messages. It may be prudent to record your messages first, then reserve most of the remaining space for the log file. Messages should be kept short to maximize the amount of space available for the log file.
- The space required for configuration changes. It is important to leave some space for making configuration changes. If all memory available is used for speech and data, no configuration changes can be made. You will see ERROR 61, "no NVM space available for writing."
- The number of channels being sampled.
- The frequency of data sampling and logfile delivery. If data sampling is frequent, the log file should be delivered often or there will be an opportunity for data loss.
- Set the "high-water" mark. This is a percentage of the log file storage space. For example, if the log file reserve is 400Kbytes and the high-water mark is 90%, the Catalyst will automatically deliver the log file to all eligible destinations when log file data exceeds 360Kbytes (90% of reserved space). You also have the option of not allowing the Catalyst to automatically deliver the log file. You can accomplish this by enabling the "never initiate sessions to off-load log file data" checkbox.
- Finally, you need to determine what to do when storage space is completely full. You may choose to either stop logging or to over-write the oldest log file data. This will allow you to save the data you feel is most important.

Step Two: Configure a Destination as a Remote Data Terminal, Email Recipient, or Fax Machine:

- From the selection of destination types select Remote Data Terminal, Email Recipient, or Fax Machine (as required)
- Fill in the phone number of the computer or FAX that will receive the logged data. Calls to this number will be made when:
- The log file buffer data exceeds the configured "high water mark."
- The log file delivery schedule for this destination has been enabled and the base time and frequency have been configured.

For reports sent to FAX or RDT, you can select any or all of the following:

- Channel State Transitions - Alarms, Acknowledgments, and Channel Resets
- RTU Events - Data Sampling, Session Histories, and Configuration Changes
- Data Range - All Data, Undelivered Data Only, or Data Collected during previous Day|Hour
- Data Sorting - Chronological Order or By Channel Number

Important Note: If the Log File does not save the information it will not be available if requested from the destination.

Note: Calls to a Remote Data Terminal computer or Fax machine for data logging will be preempted by alarm notification calls. When there are no further notification calls pending (all alarms have been acknowledged) then postponed data logging calls will be made.

If the Catalyst is delivering a log file report to a fax machine, and an alarm occurs, the Catalyst will continue to deliver the report until the "Maximum number of pages per report" value (fax destination advanced setting) is exceeded. The Catalyst will then interrupt the report and make the appropriate alarm notification calls. Once the alarm is acknowledged, the Catalyst will then call the fax machine back and finish delivering the report.

Data Communication Program Script Considerations

The Remote Data Terminal (RDT) is a computer equipped with a modem and a data communications program. Commercial data communications programs, such as Procomm, can be used to receive or retrieve logged data from your Catalyst. No scripts are needed to simply wait for RDT calls from your Catalysts, and capture the log file data into a capture file or to manually initiate calls to RTUs to retrieve log file data. However, the scripting capability of data communications programs allows you to retrieve log file data when PINs have been configured.

Uses of scripts can include (but are not limited to):

- PIN entry by the Remote Data Terminal.
- Recognition of a specific Catalyst and storing of its logged data into its own capture file.

Line Length Issues when Using Data Communications programs and Spreadsheets

- There are a few precautions when using data communications programs and scripts for downloading log files then exporting those files to other programs, such as Excel. Since there is a very good possibility that any line in the downloaded data can be longer than 80 characters the data communications program must be configured properly or problems can arise.
- Turn on "line wrap." Otherwise data will be truncated after either 80 or 132 characters (depending on the number of columns configured).
- If the number of columns is 80 and line wrap is enabled the data beyond 80 characters will be continued on the next line. This can cause alignment problems in spreadsheets.

Recommendations:

- Be prepared to set spreadsheet column widths to 132 characters for some data fields.
- Keep channel text messages and PIN messages as short as possible.