FAQ

What configuration parameters in "init.user" are redefined in "wp_am.cfg"

on I/A Version 8.* systems?
June 09, 2008





Question

What configuration parameters in "init.user" are redefined in "wp_am.cfg" on I/A Version 8.* systems?

Answer

The configuration file wp_am.cfg was added for Version 8.*. It contains configuration parameters specific to the Alarm
Management Subsystem (AMS). AMS-specific parameters initially defined in init.user are redefined in wp_am.cfg. In addition,
several new parameters have been added that allow the configuration of new 8.* features. The parameters contained in
wp_am.cfg are listed below along with the init.user parameter each replaces. Note as well that the acceptable values for some of
the parameters have changed for Version 8.*. These changes will be detailed in the description associated with each parameter in
the table that follows below.



The table that follows lists the valid values of each of the parameters in wp_am.cfg. The table also identifies the AMS process
affected by each parameter and what must be done - restart process or reboot workstation - when each parameter is changed.



Global Client Support

View: EMPLOYEE | Recommend Content | Printable Version | Submit Comments | Close Window |
wp_am.cfg vs. init.user
MaxAlarms (replaces MAX_CAD)
MaxAnnunciators (replaces MAX_ACTIONS)
MaxHist (replaces MAX_HIST)
ClearAlarmOption (replaces CLR_OPT)
DiscardSortOrder (replaces SORT_CFG)
HornSilenceOption (replaces HRN_OPT)
HornResoundOption (replaces RESOUND)
HornSilenceKeyOption (replaces ACK_HORN)
HornMuteTimeout (new)
HornFeedback (new)
RTNDrop (replaces RTN_DROP)
RTNTextUpdate (replaces ALMRTNS)
AlarmTextUpdatePriority (replaces ALMPRI)
CONFMsgOption (replaces CONF_RTN)
AlarmRecoveryOption (new)
TopPriorityOption (replaces LIA_OLDEST)
TopPriorityRapidAck (new)
ALMBlinkRate (new)
ACKBlinkRate (new)
RTNBlinkRate (new)
RTNAckBlinkRate (new)
ALMColor (replaces ALMCLR)
ACKColor (replaces ACKCLR)
RTNColor (replaces RTNCLR)
RTNACKColor (new)
AlarmRectColor (new)
TxDelayPrint (new)
TxSizePrint (new)
TxDelayStaticDisplay (new)
TxSizeStaticDisplay (new)
wp_am.cfg - AMS Configuration Parameter Details
wp_am.cfg
(d:\usr\fox\customer\alarms\cfg)
init.user
(d:\usr\fox\wp\data)
Description
MaxAlarms MAX_CAD
The number of alarms stored in memory by the alarm
subsystem.

Valid Range: 200 - 32000

Default Value = 200

[This parameter is read by the aaServer.exe and the
ast.exe; the workstation must be rebooted if this parameter
is changed]
The number of allowed annunciator table assignments in
Page 1 of 6
24-9-2008 http://support.ips.invensys.com/kbcontent/index?page=sample&id=S:01801697b47030...
MaxAnnunciator MAX_ACTIONS
AAtab file. (2000-10000).

Valid Range: 2000 to 10000 assignments

Default Value = 2000

[This parameter is read by the aaServer.exe and
the ast.exe; the workstation must be rebooted if this
parameter is changed]
MaxHistAlarms MAX_HIST
The number of alarms that will be shown in the Alarm
History Display (AHD).

Valid Range: 5000 to 40000 alarms

Default Value = 5000

[This paramater is read by the am.exe; the am.exe must be
restarted if this parameter is changed]
ClearAlarmOption CLR_OPT
Clear Alarm Option. Defines if clear alarm commands will be
propagated to other workstations in the Common Alarm
Group (CAG) by the aaServer.exe. If the value is 2, the
am.exe will also acknowledge the block that is in alarm.

Valid Values:

Default = 0

[This parameter is read by the aaServer.exe and the
am.exe; the aaServer.exe and am.exe must be restarted if
this parameter is changed]
0 = Delete alarm from alarm display on current WP
only (default)
1 = Delete alarm from all alarm displays in CAG
2 = Delete alarm from all alarm displays in CAG,
mark the alarm as returned-to-normal in the
annunciator status tables throughout CAG, and
acknowledge the block (i.e., set UNACK to 0).
DiscardSortOrder SORT_CFG
The alarm database sorting order configuration. When the
alarm database is full, the aaServer.exe uses this value to
determine the alarm to be deleted so a new alarm can be
inserted. The parameter also sets the initial sort order
displayed in the Current Alarm Display (CAD).

Valid Values:

Default Value = 0

[This parameter is read by the aaServer.exe and the
am.exe; the aaServer.exe and am.exe must be restarted if
this parameter is changed]
0 = RTN/ALM - ACK STATE - PRIORITY - TIME
1 = ACK STATE - PRIORITY - TIME
2 = ACK STATE - TIME
3 = PRIORITY - TIME
4 = TIME
5 =
TIME - PRIORITY (new for 8.*)
HornSilenceOption HRN_OPT
The Horn Silence Option. Controls how and when horns will
be silenced. Note that the auto-silence options (values 1-4)
involve only those alarms defined in the AAtab file
(annunciator table).

Value Values:

Default Value = 0

[This parameter is read by the aaServer.exe; the
aaServer.exe must be restarted if this parameter is
changed]
0 = Manual silence only (default)
1 = All blocks acknowledged OR manual silence
2 = All blocks returned-to-normal OR manual
silence
3 = All blocks acknowledged OR All blocks
returned-to-normal OR manual silence
4 = All blocks acknowedged only
5 = Manual silence only, no Multicast thru CAG
HornResoundOption RESOUND
The Horn Resound Option

Valid Values:

Default Value = 0

[This parameter is read by the aaServer.exe; the aaServer.exe must be
restarted if this parameter is changed]
1 = Horns not resounded when MUTE condition
cleared (default)
0 = Horns resounded when MUTE condition cleared if
alarms had arrived during MUTE period that
would have caused horns to sound.
Acknowledge Horn Option. Set how horns can be silenced
via annunciator keyboards.

Page 2 of 6
24-9-2008 http://support.ips.invensys.com/kbcontent/index?page=sample&id=S:01801697b47030...
HornSilenceKeyOption ACK_HORN
Valid Values:
Default Value = 1
[This value is read by the aaServer.exe; the aaServer.exe
must be restarted if the parameter is changed]]
1 = Silence horns when any key is pressed on the
annunciator keyboard (= Y = TRUE) (default)
0 = Silence horns only when horn silence buttons
is presson on the annunciator keyboard (= N =
FALSE(
HornMuteTimeout
Horn Mute Timeout. The number of seconds the horns will
remain muted; the horns will unmute automatically after
the specified timeout period. A value of zero means the
horns will remain muted until manually unmuted.

Valid Range: 0 to 900 seconds

Default Value = 0

[This parameter is read by the aaServer.exe; the
aaServer.exe must be restarted if this parameter is
changed]
HornFeedback
Compound:Block.Parameter (CBP) of discrete input to provide horn
status feedback.

Default Value = "" (empty string)
[This value is read by the am.exe; the am.exe must be restarted if this
parameter is changed]
RTNDrop RTN_DROP
Return-To-Normal Drop Option. Defines the action taken
when a return-to-normal (RTN) alarm is received.

Valid values:

Default Value = 0

0 = Keep alarm entry until alarm acknowledged (RTN
and acknowledge alarms will be deleted)
1 = Remove alarm entry independent of acknowledge
state (alarm will be deleted when RTN is
received).
2 = Keep alarm entry independent of acknowledge
state (alarm will not be deleted from alarm DB
until cleared) (new for 8.*)
[This parameter is read by the aaServer.exe; the
aaServer.exe must be restarted if this parameter is
changed]
RTNTextUpdate ALMRTNS
Alarm Text String Update Option. Indicates whether the
ALMTXT global variable should be updated when RTN
alarms are received.

Valid Values:

Default Value = 0

[This parameter is read by the aaServer.exe; the
aaServer.exe must be restarted if this parameter is
changed]
0 = The ALMTEXT string will be updated for in-
alarm messages only (default)
1 = The ALMTEXT string will be updated for both
in-alarm messages and RTN messages.
AlarmTextUpdatePriority ALMPRI
Alarm Text String Update Priority Option. Controls when
the ALMTXT & ALMCNT global variables are updated.

Valid Values

Default Value = 2

0 = No SAVES done; turns feature OFF
1 = Alarms received of priority 1 saved
2 = Alarms received of priority 1 and 2 saved
(default)
3 = Alarms received of priority 1 to 3 saved
4 = Alarms received of priority 1 to 4 saved
5 =
Alarms received of priority 1 to 5 saved
[This parameter is read by the aaServer.exe; the
aaServer.exe must be restarted if this parameter is
changed]
CONFMsgOption CONF_RTN
Defines how the alarm subsystem processes CONF
messages when a block becomes unsuspended.

Valid Values:

Default = 0
0 = Ignore the return-to-normal message generated
by the control station when the block is
unsuspended; the CONF message remains in the
Alarm Manager displays (= N = FALSE)
1 = Remove the CONF messages when the control
station generates a return-to-normal message
upon the unsuspension of the block (= Y =
TRUE)
Page 3 of 6
24-9-2008 http://support.ips.invensys.com/kbcontent/index?page=sample&id=S:01801697b47030...

[This parameter is read by the aaServer.exe; the
aaServer.exe must be restarted if this parameter is
changed]
AlarmRecoveryOption
Alarm Recovery Option. Defines how and if alarms will be
recovered following a workstation reboot.

Valid Values:

Default Value = -1

[This parameter is read by the aaServer.exe; the
aaServer.exe must be restarted if this parameter is
changed]
-1 = Recover alarms from peer workstation. The
workstation from which alarms will be
recovered is still defined in the
configuration file commgrp.cfg.
-2 = Recover from the Message Manager
-3 = Don't recover; get new alarms only.
TopPriorityOption LIA_OLDEST
Changes how the "Top Priority" (a.k.a. loop-in-alarm, LIA)
command is processed by the workstation.

Valid Values:

Default Value = 0

[This parameter is read by the ast.exe; the ast.exe must be
restarted if this parameter is changed]
0 = N
=
Show the display associated with the
newest, active alarm in the alarm DB (uses
sorted listed specified by
DiscardSortOrder parameter).
1 = Y
=
Show the display associated with the
highest priority, oldest unacknowledged
alarm.
TopPriorityRapidAckOption
Used in conjuction with TopPriorityOption. Forces checks of
the OM database to more quickly detect changes in ACK
state.

Valid Values:

Default Value = 0

[This parameter is read by the ast.exe; the ast.exe must be
restarted if this parameter is changed]
0 = N
=
Disables OM checks of ACK state.
1 = Y
=
Enables OM checks of ACK state.
ALMBlinkRate
The rate of blinking used in the Alarm Manager (AM) to
display active, unacknowledged alarms.

Valid Values:

Defalut Value = 0

[This parameter is read by the am.exe; the am.exe must be
restarted if this parameter is changed]
0 = BLINK_OFF = No blinking
1 = BLINK_SLOW = Slow blinking (1 HZ)
2 = BLINK_FAST = Fast blinking (3 HZ)
ACKBlinkRate
The rate of blinking used in the Alarm Manager (AM) to
display active, acknowledged alarms.

Valid Values:

Defalut Value = 0

[This parameter is read by the am.exe; the am.exe must be
restarted if this parameter is changed]
0 = BLINK_OFF = No blinking
1 = BLINK_SLOW = Slow blinking (1 HZ)
2 =
BLINK_FAST = Fast blinking (3 HZ)
RTNBlinkRate
The rate of blinking used in the Alarm Manager (AM) to display return-
to-normal, unacknowledged alarms.
Valid Values:
Defalut Value = 0
[This parameter is read by the am.exe; the am.exe must be restarted if
this parameter is changed]
0 = BLINK_OFF = No blinking
1 = BLINK_SLOW = Slow blinking (1 HZ)
2 = BLINK_FAST = Fast blinking (3 HZ)
The rate of blinking used in the Alarm Manager (AM) to
display return-to-normal, acknowledged alarms.

Valid Values:
0 = BLINK_OFF = No blinking
Page 4 of 6
24-9-2008 http://support.ips.invensys.com/kbcontent/index?page=sample&id=S:01801697b47030...
RTNACKBlinkRate

Defalut Value = 0

[This parameter is read by the am.exe; the am.exe must be
restarted if this parameter is changed]
1 = BLINK_SLOW = Slow blinking (1 HZ)
2 = BLINK_FAST = Fast blinking (3 HZ)
ALMColor ALMCLR
Defines the foreground and background colors used to
indicate the priority of each unacknowledged alarm in the
CAD. The first five values correspond to the background
color to be used for the five process alarm priorities (1
through 5). The remaining five values correspond to the
foreground color (text) to be used for the five alarm
priorities. Allowable values - in any of the ten fields - are
from 0 to 31 (Refer to /usr/include/fox/hicolors.h for
corresponding default colors).

Default Value = 17,21,19,22,24,31,31,31,31,31

[This parameter is used by the am.exe; the am.exe must
be restarted if this parameter is changed]
ACKColor ACKCLR
Defines the foreground and background colors used to
indicate the priority of each acknowledged alarm in the
CAD. The first five values correspond to the background
color to be used for the five process alarm priorities (1
through 5). The remaining five values correspond to the
foreground color (text) to be used for the five alarm
priorities. Allowable values - in any of the ten fields - are
from 0 to 31 (Refer to /usr/include/fox/hicolors.h for
corresponding default colors).


Default value = 23,23,23,23,23,17,21,19,22,24

[This parameter is read by the am.exe; the am.exe must be
restarted if this parameter is changed]
RTNColor RTNCLR
Defines the foreground and background colors used to indicate the
priority of each unacknowledged return-to-normal alarm in the Current
Alarm Display (CAD). The first five values correspond to the background
color to be used for the five process alarm priorities (1 through 5). The
remaining five values correspond to the foreground color (text) to be
used for the five alarm priorities. Allowable values - in any of the ten
fields - are from 0 to 31 (Refer to /usr/include/fox/hicolors.h for
corresponding default colors).
Default value = 17,21,19,22,24,31,31,31,31,31
[This parameter is read by the am.exe; the am.exe must be restarted if
this parameter is changed]
RTNACKColor
Defines the foreground and background colors used to
indicate the priority of each acknowledged return-to-normal
alarm in the Current Alarm Display (CAD). The first five
values correspond to the background color to be used for
the five process alarm priorities (1 through 5). The
remaining five values correspond to the foreground color
(text) to be used for the five alarm priorities. Allowable
values - in any of the ten fields - are from 0 to 31 (Refer
to /usr/include/fox/hicolors.h for corresponding default
colors).

Default value = 17,21,19,22,24,31,31,31,31,31

[This parameter is read by the am.exe; the am.exe must be
restarted if this parameter is changed]
AlarmRectColor
Sets the color of the rectangle used to highlight selected
alarms in the Alarm Manager displays.

Valid Values: 0 to 31

Default value = 27

[This parameter is read by the am.exe; the am.exe must be
restarted if this parameter is changed]
TxDelayPrint
The delay in milliseconds between transmission sets sent by the
ast.exe to the am.exe when printing CAD alarms
Default Value = 250
[This value is read by the ast.exe; the ast.exe must be restarted if this
parameter is changed]
TxSizePrint
The number of alarms per transmission set sent by the ast.exe to the
am.exe when printing CAD alarms
Default Value = 200
[This value is read by the ast.exe; the ast.exe must be restarted if the
parameter is changed]
TxDelayStaticDisplay
The delay in milliseconds between transmission sets sent by the ast.exe
to the am.exe when updating a static display.
Default Value = 250
[This value is read by the ast.exe; the ast.exe must be restarted if the
parameter is changed]
Page 5 of 6
24-9-2008 http://support.ips.invensys.com/kbcontent/index?page=sample&id=S:01801697b47030...




Copyright 2008 Invensys Process Systems All Rights Reserved
TxSizeStaticDisplay
The number of alarms per transmission set by the ast.exe to the
am.exe when updating a static display
Default Value = 200
[This value is read by the ast.exe; the ast.exe must be restarted if the
parameter is changed]
Page 6 of 6
24-9-2008 http://support.ips.invensys.com/kbcontent/index?page=sample&id=S:01801697b47030...