System Menu

The System Menu lists many high level functions that apply to the database in general. From many of these functions, the end user can make global changes to the database and change the appearance of CBAS. From others, one can configure high-level functions like Peer-to-Peer, Dialouts, and Email Alarms.

There are some differences in the System Menu, depending on whether you are in editor Mode or Real Mode.

On the left is the System Menu as it appears in Editor Mode, on the right Real Mode. Notice the functions that require communication to controllers or changes to the operating system (Change Time) are only present in Real Mode. Peer-to-Peer is only present in Editor Mode, because this function adds points and changes the database, things which are done in Editor Mode.

System Menu Functions

Sign On

When CBAS starts, the Default User is automatically logged on. By default, the Default User has all rights and is allowed to make all types of changes to the database. It is a good idea to take away most rights from this user after creating at least one other full-rights user. Log in as that user and take away rights, leaving only appropriate rights. After a period of inactivity, the user will be logged off and Default will automatically log in. The default Inactivity Period is 30 Minutes, and can be changed under Configure Workstation, which is discussed later.

Backup Database

Allows the user to backup the database to a file or floppy disk. Can be done in Editor or Real Mode.

Change Time

This item is only available in Real Mode and allows you to change the date also. Changes here are also reflected in Windows. Just Click on Change Time, click on the Date field and select the date from the calendar. Right click or ESC to save. Click on the Time field and enter the time. Right click or ESC to save. Right click or ESC again to exit.

Peer-to-Peer Setup

This item is only available in Editor Mode, because it adds points and makes changes to the database. Peer-to-Peer Setup allows you to select points that will be shared with other controllers, even when the CBAS DPU computer is off-line or not present. This feature extends the functionality of Computrols full line of stand-alone BASNet controllers beyond the controller level to the system level.

The Peer-to-Peer Setup interface has instructions built in to make it easy to configure.

Program Passwords

If you are logged in with unrestricted rights, this function allows the user to add users, change passwords, and change restrictions on user accounts. When a new database is created, Default is the only user and this user has no restrictions. Before the database is put into service and made available to other users, the database administrator should create a user account with unlimited restrictions for him to use. The Default user should be edited to restrict its access and other users should be added to give them access to what they need.

General restrictions can be made by un-checking various topics which will limit access to certain areas of the program. You can also restrict access to individual points in the points Restrictions subsection.

Program Logical Groups

This menu item is also found in Text View, Logical Groups. It allows the user to create a new group based on whatever criteria you choose, edit or delete an existing group, or view the points in an existing group. Editing Logical Groups is explained fully in the Text View section.

Position Points

This menu item allows the user to position multiple points in Text View, so that points that need to be viewed more often can be placed at the top of the list and associated points can be grouped together. Click on the Position Points menu item.

Select multiple points on the left side of the Group Position window. Use the Shift key to select contiguous points and the Ctrl key to select non-contiguous points. The selected files will be placed in the middle section. Select the point you want to place the points above in the list on the right side. Right click or hit Esc to save the changes.

Header Points

Header Points are 1 or 2 points that you can choose to have showing just below the Main Menu when in Real Mode. These points, and their statuses, will show up there no matter what view you are in.

Header Points couldn’t be easier to program. Just click on Header Points on the System Menu and you’ll see the following window:

Click on Header 1 Point and select your point from the list. Do the same for Header 2 Point. These selections can easily be changed at any time.

Program Dialouts

Dialouts is a feature that allows CBAS to send out a message to a pager whenever an Alarm occurs on selected points. This function works with the modem only, not high-speed Internet services like DSL. For notification of alarms using high-speed Internet, see Email Alarms. When you click on Program Dialouts, you see the Pager Dialout Alarm List, seen below:

Click “Insert” and a dialog box will appear. Click on “Click to specify Point,” and select the point from the list of points. Select the point that has the alarm set up. In the Dial String field, type the phone number of the pager and add a number, which will signify that the point is in alarm. If a number is required to get an outside line, put it in first followed by a comma. The comma pauses the dialing process for a few seconds. You might have to adjust the number of commas depending on your phone system. Right click or hit Esc to save the changes.

Program Email Alarms

This feature is very similar to Dialouts, except that it sends an email to the specified email address instead of paging. This feature was included to accommodate CBAS systems that have high-speed Internet service instead of Dialout service. The email message includes the name of the point and the status.
In order for this feature to work, the computer must be configured with Outlook Express and a valid Email Account. Outlook will not work unattended, because a security dialog box appears asking if you are sure you want to send an email.

Configure Workstation

This feature is used to configure some security, alarm and convenience portions of CBAS.

•Use Inactivity Timeout: By default, CBAS logs out a user after 30 minutes of inactivity. This can be changed as well as the user account that becomes in-active when a timeout occurs.

•Disable Minimize/Maximize: This is a security feature. When it is checked, you cannot minimize CBAS.

•Take Over Computer with CBAS: This is another security feature. When this is checked, there will be no task bar at the bottom of the screen. The only way to get to Windows is to uncheck this box, shut down CBAS, and restart the computer.

•Access Control Defaults: This is for use with the Access Control add-on feature.

•DPU Configuration: Check the appropriate boxes.
oIf you don’t want to be bothered by alarms on the DPU, check Silence Alarms.

oBy checking “Show Controllers in All Points”, controllers will be listed in Text View/All Points.

oIf you have Linked Binary Points in the database, you may want to check Show Binary Outputs to see them in Text View.

•Alarm Printer Setup: This section was added to accommodate Windows 2000 and XP, which do not work with single line printing on Desk Jet printers. Check the appropriate box for your operating system or for no alarm printing. See the section on Alarms for more information on printing alarms.

•Activity View Setup: Applies to the Access Control and Fire Alarm add-on features only.

History Maintenance

Click on Edit History Maintenance to disable history saving or delete old histories.

From Edit History Parameters, you can globally change the History Saving Parameters for the whole database. This can also be done on single points through the History button in the point program screen of any point.

The Edit Automated History Purge button brings up a screen that allows you to choose an amount of time to keep past histories. The choices range from 1 month up to 1 year. You can also select a file to save those purged histories to, just in case you might need to go back to them for any reason. Call Support for help with restoring old history files.

It is recommended that you keep no more than 1 year of history in large databases. This will prevent the file from getting too large, which can cause problems.

From Edit History Maintenance, you can disable or enable all history saving, or manually delete histories prior to a given date.
.

Formulas and Calculations

Formulas are provided to calculate duct size as well as CFM calculations.

Channel Statistics

This section provides real time byte transfer statistics on scanning TCP/IP channels. No configuration is necessary. This is mainly a troubleshooting tool, and is only available in Real Mode.

Calibration Parameters

This is an advanced feature that allows the user to calibrate Computrols VAV controllers, and should not be used without proper training.

BASnet Controller Information

This is another advanced feature that should not be used without proper training or without the advice of Computrols Support.

CBAS Version

Gives information on the revision of CBAS software you are running.

CBAS Help

This brings up a HTML based help file. You can also access context sensitive help from this file by pressing F2 from anywhere in the program.

Close CBAS

This is the first step in opening another database or the same database in another mode. For full instructions, see the Databases section.

Exit CBAS

This is the same as clicking the close button in the top right corner of the program.