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Technical Note #43: Multilin XXXPC Programs in Pmcs 5.1

This document discusses issues with using Multilin device programs (xxxPC programs) with the GE Power Management Control System (PMCS) version 5.1. Specifically, the xxxPC programs are unable to communicate with devices using the same COM port as the PMCS DDE server. The document provides three suggested workarounds to address this problem, including configuring the xxxPC programs and DDE server to use separate COM ports, shutting down the DDE server before running xxxPC programs, or modifying initialization files to disable the link between PMCS wizards and xxxPC programs.

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318 views

Technical Note #43: Multilin XXXPC Programs in Pmcs 5.1

This document discusses issues with using Multilin device programs (xxxPC programs) with the GE Power Management Control System (PMCS) version 5.1. Specifically, the xxxPC programs are unable to communicate with devices using the same COM port as the PMCS DDE server. The document provides three suggested workarounds to address this problem, including configuring the xxxPC programs and DDE server to use separate COM ports, shutting down the DDE server before running xxxPC programs, or modifying initialization files to disable the link between PMCS wizards and xxxPC programs.

Uploaded by

brunotaves
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GE PMCS Tech note# 43 http://genet.edc.ge.com/systems/Technote/note43.

htm

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Technical Note #43


GE Power
Management Control
System Multilin xxxPC programs in PMCS 5.1
Description
Subject: Issues surrounding the Multilin xxxPC programs usage and PMCS 5.1
Software
wizards.
Hardware
Operation
Applies To: PMCS 5.1 systems using Multilin wizards.
Product Support
Operator Interfaces Overview:
F A Q’s
App Notes The PMCS 5.1 Power Wizards for the following Multilin devices: (PQM, 239,
Download Area SR469, SR489, SR745, & SR750) are equipped with a button which attempts to
Manuals launch a Multilin Setup program created specifically for the device type. At the time
of the PMCS 5.1 release, these programs are unable to talk to a device using the
Useful
same COM Port that the PMCS DDE Server is using. During the 2 nd half of 1997,
Information newer versions of these programs should be available which solve the above
Glossary of Terms communications problem (i.e. the new programs will be able to communicate with
Useful Links the devices through the PMCS DDE Server, using the same COM port).
Search Tech support
We want to hear Suggested Workarounds:
from you!
Service and Support 1. It is possible to run both the PMCS DDE Server and an xxxPC program to
locations around the world .
..
communicate with the same device. In order to accomplish this, however, the
xxxPC program must have it’s own dedicated COM port. For example, the
469PC program could be configured to use COM 1 and be wired directly
form the PC Com 1 port to the RS232 port on the front of a Multilin SR469
device. On the same PC, the DDE Server could be configured to use COM 2
and be wired from the PC Com 2 port to a Multilin RS232 to RS485
converter and then to an RS485 port on the back of the SR469 device. Using
this configuration, the PMCS 5.1 HMI (e.g. 469 wizard) and the 469PC
program could both be communicating with the same device at the same time.
2. If dual wiring from the PC COM ports to the device is not possible, then the
user must shut down the PMCS DDE Server before attempting to run any of
the xxxPC programs. The proper sequence to do this is to shut down all client
applications to the DDE Server (Waveform Server, Event Logger, InTouch
HMI, etc.), then shut down the PMCS DDE Server (e.g. GE32MODB). Now
the COM port will be freed up and the user can start the xxxPC program via
the Windows NT Start->Run menu, or via Explorer. Once the user is done
configuring the device, they can shutdown the xxxPC program and restart all
of PMCS 5.1 and the InTouch HMI. Using this methodology will prevent any
COM port conflicts between the DDE Server and the xxxPC programs.
3. The link between the PMCS 5.1 wizards and the xxxPC programs can be
"broken" via the following method. Edit the wizard initialization file:
PMCSWZRD.INI (which can be found in the Windows NT system
directory). This file contains an entry for the location/directory of each
xxxPC program. By changing the the paths for each of the xxxPC programs

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GE PMCS Tech note# 43 http://genet.edc.ge.com/systems/Technote/note43.htm

to some invalid path name (e.g. "C:\noxxxPC\"), the wizards will no longer
be able to launch the xxxPC programs. Instead an error message will come up
in the PMCS HMI which says "Unable to find file:
"C:\noxxxPC\469PC.EXE". This is not a very attractive error message, but it
will at least prevent the user from launching an xxxPC program, if this is the
desired behavior.

Keywords

xxxPC, Multilin, PMCS 5.1, Wizards

Related Notes

none

Last Revised 7/01/97

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