PMAC Supplemental Manuals

PMAC 

Supplemental 

Manuals 

CONTENTS 

PMAC SMS User's Guide ............................................................2 

SMS Alarm Manager User's Guide...........................................21 

PMAC Alarm Wizard Manual ..................................................26

PMAC-SMS 

USER’S GUIDE 

(under development) 

Last Updated: 26 th March 2001 

By Stuart Combellack 

2

PMAC Text SMS Interface 

User’s Guide 

PMAC now incorporates a Text SMS Interface to help users in the field get PMAC information 

using just their mobile phone. PMAC needs to be properly configured with a GSM Modem or 

X.25 Radio PAD (See setup instructions below). The appropriate GSM Modem or PAD can be 

bought from Technolog or your local supplier. 

Setting-Up PMAC for Text SMS Interface 

You will need an installed copy of PMAC (installation date of November 2000 or later), GSM 

Modem or X.25 Radio PAD, Serial connector cable, Antenna, Power supply and a spare 

communication port on your PC. 

First connect the modem/PAD to the spare communications port on your PC with the serial 

connector cable. Then connect the antenna and power-supply to the modem/PAD. If you are 

using a Radio-PAD, then you will need to register the device by holding-in the test button for 5 

seconds as you power the PAD for the first time. 

You will need to contact Technolog to get your system enabled for PMAC-SMS and instructions 

on how to setup your system to respond to text messages. 

How to send a Text Message 

The procedure for sending an SMS message depends greatly on the type of mobile phone that 

you have. Please refer to your phone users manual for detailed instructions on sending Text 

SMS Messages. 

More generally, the method is simple. Go to the “Messages - Write Message” screen on your 

phone. Type the required PMAC instruction message into your phone (as detailed later) using 

the alphanumeric keypad. Now “Send” the message. Your phone will then ask you for the 

telephone number of the message recipient. Type the PMAC GSM Modem or Radio PAD 

number and press “Send” again. The phone should then report that the message has been sent. 

After a short delay PMAC will respond to the message (if the message attracts a response). The 

delay will vary, but for most messages should be less than a minute. If the user request involves 

contacting the logger then the response time will be much longer because PMAC has to contact 

the logger before responding. 

3

Text Instructions that PMAC Understands 

Here is the current list of Text instructions that PMAC understands. Full details of these 

messages with typical responses are in the next section. 

A or a – “Advertising” message. This message gets sent to all PMAC-SMS users. 

C or c – 

Commission New Site Message. This sets-up a new site in the PMAC database. 

D or d – Data Dump. This returns the last 10 readings from each of the specified site’s channels. 

E or e – Search for site. This has not been implemented. 

F or f – Nightline Flow. This returns the nightline flows for the last week (flow sites). 

I or i – Logger Information Message. This returns the site information from the database. 

L or l – Logger Information. This has not been implemented. 

N or n – 

O or o – 

P or p – 

R or r – 

reading. 

S or s – 

Note Message. This sends a message to the PMAC alarm log. 

Last Poll Time Message. This returns the time the last poll completed. 

Pressures (Min or Max) for the last week (pressure sites). 

Reading request Message. This returns the last file reading or the last logged 

Status Message. This returns a message if PMAC is running. 

V or v – Volumes Message. Returns the daily and a total volume for the last week (flow sites). 

W or w – Installer Set Message. This sets and clears the installer number. 

? – Help message. This message returns a list of all of the commands that PMAC-SMS 

understands. 

4

PMAC Text Message Details 

A or a – “Advertising” message. 

This message allows one of the PMAC-SMS users to send a message to every other PMAC-SMS 

user. The format is simply “A” followed by the message you wish to send (no space). The 

individual users are able to remove themselves from the advertising list by sending the message 

“AREM”. 

Example Message: 

Athis message is to all users 

PMAC will send the following message to all users: 

PMAC – “This message is to all users” To remove your number from this list, reply with 

“AREM” 

5

C or c – Commission New Site Message 

This message tells PMAC to add a new site to its database and then call the site to download the 

logger settings. 

The user should give the full details of the site including communications protocol type (T or W 

for Technolog GPS protocol, G or E for E5565 Protocol), PMAC ID for the site, telephone 

number and site name. The telephone number and site name fields should be separated by 

commas or spaces but not both. 

PMAC will read the information that the user provides in the commission SMS and immediately 

add the site to the database. PMAC then calls the site requesting the complete settings from the 

logger. PMAC then sends a success or failure message back to the users phone. 


CT1500,07760171882,Test Site 

(This tells PMAC to Commission a new Technolog GPS logger with PMAC ID 1500, telephone 

number 07760171882 and site name: Test Site) 

Example Response: 

PMAC – Site 1500 Settings Downloaded OK 

Or 

PMAC – Failed to download settings for site 1500 

6

D or d – Data Dump Message 

This message instructs PMAC to return the last ten readings from the specified site. PMAC will 

return one message per channel. Simply send a message with the character “D” followed by a 

valid PMAC ID. 


D123 

D0123 

D 123 

Example response: 

Data dump:0123 

Flow1 

13/11/2000 

(Time-cum/hr) 

14:30-32.23 

14:35-31.22 

14:40-30.76 

14:45-29.76 

14:50-28.65 

14:55-27.89 

15:00-30.66 

15:05-31.04 

15:10-32.12 

15:15-32.03 

7

E or e – Site Search Message 

This message instructs PMAC to search for site details based on a search criteria. This message 

is useful if a user is on-site and knows part of a site name or number but needs the PMAC ID to 

get further information from PMAC. 

This message has not been implemented yet. 

8

F or f – Nightline Flow Message 

This message instructs PMAC to return the last week’s nightline flow information. PMAC will 

return one message per flow channel. The method of minimum flow calculation is the WRC 

recommended method – that of the minimum sliding hourly average between midnight and 6:00 

AM. Simply send a message with the character “F” followed by a PMAC ID. 


F123 

F0123 

F 123 

Example response: 

Nightline:0123 

Flow1 

(Date-cum/hr) 

13/11-32.23 

12/11-31.22 

11/11-30.76 

10/11-29.76 

09/11-28.65 

08/11-27.89 

07/11-30.66 

9

I or i – Logger Information Message. 

This message retrieves the site information from the PMAC database for a given PMAC ID. 

PMAC will return the site name, telephone number, protocol and type (temporary or permanent). 


I1500 


PMAC ID 1500, Name: Test Site, Tel: 07760 171882, GPS, Permanent 

10

L or l – LGR Information Message 

This message returns a summary of the LGR information from the specified site. 

This message has not been implemented yet. 

11

N or n – Note Message. 

This message puts a user message into the alarm log. The alarm banner will then display the 

message. This can be used for sending messages to the PMAC operator, or adding messages to 

the PMAC log describing an installation process, for example. PMAC returns nothing to the 

sender. 


NThis is a Test message 


(None) 

PMAC will display “This is a Test message” in the alarm log and the alarm banner. 

12

O or o – Poll Time Message 

This message retrieves the time of the last poll from PMAC. This message is useful to quickly 

see if the PMAC poll worked for the previous night and if it went well. PMAC will respond in 

one of three ways. If the poll has completed it will return the date and time of the last poll. If 

PMAC has never completed a poll that it is aware of it will tell you that the last poll time was 

unknown. If the poll is still running it will tell you about that as-well. 


O 


PMAC – Poll currently running – The PMAC poll program is currently running. 

PMAC – Last poll time unknown – PMAC is unaware of a poll ever being run. 

PMAC – Last Poll: 04:45 (02/11/2000) – this is the completion time of the last poll. 

13

P or p – Pressure Message 

This message instructs PMAC to calculate and return a list of the minimum or maximum 

instantaneous daily reading for the specified site. PMAC will return one message per qualifying 

pressure channel. If a channel is a statistical channel, then the minimum MEAN reading is 

returned. PMAC returns the last week’s minimum or maximum not including the current day 

(because the day is not yet complete). 


P123 

P0123 

P 123 


MIN Pres:0123 

Pressure1 

(Date-m) 

13/11-38.0m 

12/11-37.0m 

11/11-38.0m 

10/11-36.0m 

09/11-35.0m 

08/11-34.0m 

07/11-35.0m 

14

R or r – Reading request Message 

This message returns the latest readings for each channel of the specified logger. Depending on 

the message sent, PMAC will either just return the last reading from the site data files or it will 

call up the logger and download the latest data before returning the information to the user. 


R1500 

RF1500 

RL1500 

- Returns the last reading from the site data files. 

- (same) Returns the last reading from the data files. 

- Calls the logger to get the latest data before returning the latest readings. 


PMAC data for site 1500: Pressure: 54.25m Flow: 18.00cum/hr 

Or 

PMAC – Downloaded OK but no data to return for site 1500 

Or 

PMAC – Comms error when downloading data from site 1500 

15

S or s – Status Message. 

This message asks PMAC to report on its status. Currently PMAC will only report if it is 

working correctly. Future versions are expected to report more fully if there are any known 

problems. 


S 


PMAC is working OK 

16

V or v – Volumes Message 

This message instructs PMAC to return a list of the daily volumes for the last week and a weekly 

total volume. PMAC does not include the current day in the list because the current day will not 

have complete data for it. The weekly volume will only be included if there is complete data for 

the whole week. 


V123 

V0123 

V 123 


Daily Vol:0123 

Flow 1 

(Date-cum) 

13/11-1342.0 

12/11-1400.0 

11/11-1652.0 

10/11-1672.0 

09/11-1598.0 

08/11-1408.0 

07/11-1203.0 

Week Total: 

10275.0 

17

W or w – Installer Set Message 

This message instructs PMAC to tell the calling phone every time a new site is added to PMAC. 

This can be used by a logger installer to easily find-out if the remote communication between the 

logger and PMAC is working without having to go to the PMAC PC or use a settings or data 

request SMS Message. This is also especially useful for Cello installers to test the 

communications of their loggers because as soon as a Cello is stared logging the Cello settings 

are sent to PMAC. PMAC will then notify the installer that PMAC has received the settings. 

There can only be one registered installer per copy of PMAC. You will be told if you were the 

registered installer but somebody else has taken it from you. 


W 

WR 

- Set the users phone as the installer phone 

- Remove this phone as the installer phone 


You are now the registered installer. Your Number: 07760171882. You will be notified when 

new sites are added to PMAC. 

You are no longer the registered installer. (when you remove yourself with the PR command) 

You are NOT the registered installer. (when you try and remove yourself as the registered 

installer when you are not) 

You are no longer the registered installer. Installer information now registered to 

07760171882 (when another user has registered themselves as the installer and you were 

previously the installer) 

18

? – Help Message 

This message instructs PMAC-SMS to return a full list of commands supported by PMAC-SMS. The response 

currently runs to four messages that list the letters and meanings for: A, C, E, F, I, L, N, O, P, R, S, V and W. 


? 


PMACSMS Help(1) – “A”/”AREM”= Send message to / remove number from user list, 

“C”= Commission new site, “E”= Search for site 

PMACSMS Help(2) – “F”=Nightline Flow, “I”= Site database information, “L”= LGR 

Information, “N”= Note message 

PMACSMS Help(3) – “O”= Last poll time, “P”,”PI”/”PA”= pressure min/max, 

“R”,”RF”/”RL”= Last file/logged reading 

PMACSMS Help(4) – “S”= PMAC Status, “V”= Daily+Weekly Volumes, “W”/”WR”= 

Installer phone set/clear 

20

SMS ALARM MANAGER 

USER'S GUIDE 

© Technolog Limited, November 2001 

Written by Stuart Combellack 

Note on Single Host registry configuration 

added December 2003 

21

Introduction 

The SMS Alarm Manager tool is used to configure PMAC to send alarm SMS messages to 

different mobile numbers. You can add numbers to PMAC and set-up lists of sites that those 

users want alarms for. You can also give each user a time-period within which they want to 

receive alarms (e.g. 9AM-5PM, Monday-Friday). 

After changing the configuration here there is no need to re-start PMAC. Changes immediately 

take effect. 

For this facility to work either a GSM Modem or X.28 Radio-PAD needs to be attached to the 

PMAC Machine and it needs to be configured as a Cello Modem. This is done with the 

Communications Set-up dialog within PMAC. 

Please note that if time-windowing is used only alarms that occur within the time window will be 

forwarded to the user's mobile phone. Alarms, for example, from the previous night will not be 

forwarded when a time-windowed day-worker starts in the morning. 

22

SMS Alarm Manager Configuration 

This is the SMS Alarm Manager dialog. Here the user can add and remove users and specify 

their names, numbers, active time-periods and site lists. The configured users are listed on the 

left-hand side and the configuration details are edited on the right-hand side. The right-hand side 

controls are only activated when adding a new user or editing an existing user's details (done by 

clicking on the user's name in the list on the left) 

The New Group button adds a new user to PMAC and enables the controls on the right-hand 

side to enter the user's configuration details. The Delete Group button deletes the selected group 

from the left-hand list. There is no un-do for this operation so care should be taken when using 

this. 

IF SINGLE HOST: Normally you'll need one Host PC GSM Modem to collect data and alarms 

and a second to forward alarms to mobile phones. Should you want to use one Host PC GSM 

Modem to fulfil both functions, you need to set a variable in the registry. Warning: make sure 

you have either a backup of the registry or a recent set point for System Restore so the registry 

can be easily restored. 

To set the registry variable, go to Run (Start/Run), type "regedit" (no quotes) and press ok. In the 

registry, go to: 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\TechnologLtd\PMACPlus\CommsHandler 

Create a new DWORD (Edit/New/DWORD value) named "AllowUserSMSMessages" (no 

quotes). Right click on the name and modify value = 1 (hexadecimal). 

DETAILS OF THE CONTROLS 

Alarm Group Name - This field sets the name of the group used to uniquely identify the group 

being edited. Care should be taken to ensure that the group name is unique. The Alarm Manager 

does not check this. 

Send Alarm SMS, Number - This is the mobile phone number that the SMS alarms will be sent 

to. 

Send Alarm Email, Address - This is the email address that the SMS alarms will be sent to. 

Send Alarm Pager Message, Number - This is the pager phone number that the SMS alarms 

will be sent to. 

23

Alarm Group Site List File - This is the site-list description file that is used to check if the user 

wants to receive site alarms. If there is no file entered here then the user is assumed to want to 

see ALL alarms generated on the system (including internal PMAC alarms with PMAC ID of 

0000). The restriction file is saved in the form of a “.txt” file that contains a description of the 

range(s) of Site ID’s that the user wants alarms for. The file may contain any of the following 

commands, with one command on each line: 

(e.g. “1234”) 

This means that the client can have access to the information for this site (1234). 

- (e.g. “1234-2345”) 

This means that the client may access any site with a PMAC ID within the range including the two given ID’s, 

inclusive (e.g. 1234, 1235, 1236…. 2344, 2345). 

- (e.g. “-1234”) 

This means that the client may access any site with a PMAC ID that is less than or including the given PMAC 

ID (e.g. 0001, 0002, 0003… 1233, 1234). 

- (e.g. “1234-“) 

This means that the client may access any site with a PMAC ID that is equal to or greater than the given 

PMAC ID (e.g. 1234, 1235, 1236, 1237… 9998, 9999). 

These commands may be added to a single restriction file, separated by a carriage return as in the following 

example: 

Example1.txt: 

“ 

-0005 

0009 

0012 

1236 

1267 

1280-1290 

7000-8000 

9970- 

“ 

Edit File - This button runs notepad on the site list file allowing it to be edited. 

Use Time Restrictions - This switches-on the time restrictions enabling the time-windowing of 

the alarm notifications. Alarm messages will be sent to the user if they happen within the time 

window. 

Between Times - This switches-on the time-windowing. Hours of the day can then be selected 

from the two drop-down boxes providing a start and end time for the time window. If the end 

time is before the start time, e.g. 20:00 TO 06:00 then it is assumed that the time window 

stretches over midnight between the times. If both times are the same then only alarms that occur 

in the selected hour will be forwarded to the mobile. 

24

Between Days - This switches-on the day windowing. The two drop-down boxes contain days of 

the week. Again, if the end day is before the start day the window is assumed to stretch over the 

week-end. 

Use Alarm Restrictions – This switches-on restrictions as to what alarms will be sent. 

Edit Restrictions – Opens a dialog allowing selection of what alarms will be sent. If box is 

checked, alarm will be sent. 

Reset - This re-reads the settings from disk over-writing any changes made. 

Save - This saves the changes made to disk and updates the list on the left-hand side. 

25

PMAC 

ALARM WIZARD MANUAL 

26

Table of Contents 

1 Introduction 

2 Getting Started 

3 Menu Options 

3.1 File Menu 

3.2 View Menu 

3.3 Logger Menu 

3.4 Alarms Menu 

3.5 Channel Menu 

3.6 Data Menu 

3.7 Help Menu 

4 Setting Alarms 

5 Limitations 

27

1 Introduction. 

Alarm Wizard is a new feature of PMAC designed for setting alarms on all Technolog 

data loggers capable of remote communication. This includes Cello, Newlink and Utilog. 

Various alarm combinations can be set including high, low and windowed alarms along 

with data update on alarm and data send after alarm. The Cello also supports the more 

complex profile alarms. 

In order to amend, send or save alarm settings, log onto PMAC with System Manager 

privileges. 

2 Getting Started. 

Alarm Wizard is loaded by clicking on the Alarm Wizard (Bell) icon on your chosen site in the 

Site Database. Upon loading, you will be presented with the screen below. This window is 

displayed whenever Alarm Wizard is running. It has a menu bar and tool bar which provide 

access to Alarm Wizard functions. 

In order to set or edit alarms reliably, you should load the data file (.dat found in the pmac/data 

directory) for your chosen logger and data channel. 

(i) Click on File-> Open and load the .dat file for the particular channel of the logger you 

wish to create alarms for. 

28

(ii) You should now see one day of data for the chosen logger. Use the arrow keys to 

move around the data or the scroll bars on the data axis. 

• In the case of Cello, a red mark will be visible at the bottom of your screen of data. 

This is the current dial-in time of the Cello. 

29

3 Menu Options. 

3.1 File Menu: 

Open 

Save 

Send to Local Logger 

Send to Remote Logger 

Exit 

Displays the Select Data File window to enable the user to 

choose which channel to set/view alarms on. 

Allows the user to save the current alarm settings to the 

logger settings file. 

Downloads the current alarm settings to the logger 

attached to the communications port. 

Sends the current alarm settings to the remote logger via 

the appropriate modem. If the modem is currently in use, 

the details are placed on the queue. 

Exit the Alarm Wizard program. 

3.2 View Menu: 

Toolbar 

Status Bar 

Data 

Zoom In 

Zoom Out 

Auto Scale 

Ticked when enabled (Tool Bar displayed). 

Ticked when enabled (Status Bar displayed). 

Ticked when enabled (Data displayed). 

Zooms in on the Y-axis of the current data. 

Zooms out on the Y-axis of the current data. 

Automatically scales the Y-axis to provide the best 

possible fit for the data currently being displayed. 

3.3 Logger Menu: 

View Settings 

Displays the current global and channel settings for the 

chosen logger. 

3.4 Alarms Menu: 

Set Alarms 

Raise Profile 

Opens the Alarm Settings window. Enables the setting of 

high, low, windowed and profile alarms (if applicable). 

Enables the changing of dial in times, contact numbers 

and data on alarm. 

Raises the current alarm profile by 1/256 of the full scale. 

30

Decrease Profile 

Increase Deadband 

Lower Deadband 

Decreases the current alarm profile by 1/256 of the full 

scale. 

Increases the current profile alarm deadband by 1/256 of 

the full scale. 

Decreases the current profile alarm deadband by 1/256 of 

the full scale. 

3.5 Channel Menu: 

Next 

Previous 

Displays the data on the next logged channel. 

Displays the data on the previous logged channel. 

3.6 Data Menu: 

Back one day 

Forward one day 

Catch this Day 

Merge Data 

Catch High Alarm 

Catch Low Alarm 

Moves the data back by one 24hr period. 

Moves the data forward by one 24hr period. 

Uses the data shown on screen to create a Cello alarm 

profile. This option is only suitable for very repeatable data. 

Averages the current drawn profile with the data shown on 

the screen. Repeatedly using this option will eventually 

give the same result as Catch this Day. 

Identifies the highest data point shown on screen and sets 

the high alarm at that value. 

Identifies the lowest data point shown on screen and sets 

the low alarm at that value. 

3.7 Help Menu: 

Keyboard Map 

Shows the shortcut keys for the Alarm Wizard (below). 

31

About Alarm Wizard 

Displays the version number for both the Alarm Wizard and 

PMAC Plus. 

32

4 Setting Alarms. 

All Alarms are set using the Set Alarms option on the Alarms menu. This will display the 

Alarm Settings window that contains four or five tabs depending upon the type of data 

logger you are setting alarms for. 

The Alarm time window enables the user to set a windowed period during which alarms 

are valid. This period is set using the 24hr clock and is applicable to High and/or Low 

alarms. 

The Contact numbers window enables the user to set the phone or data centre numbers 

that the Datalogger should contact. 

The Modulo controller number is for use with Modulo electronic pressure controller. 

33

The Alarm levels window enables the user to set High and/or Low alarms. The alarm 

levels can also be adjusted on screen. Regular Dial-out can be enabled at a chosen time 

and where appropriate the logger can be set to send index readings to the host PC 

along with the regular data. 

The Profile alarms window is only visible for Cello alarms. Form here, the user can set 

the value of the deadband outside which an alarm will be triggered. The ‘Alarm to 

Normal’ status alarm can also be enabled if required. Current alarms are used in 

conjunction with Modulo. 

34

Data on Alarm enables data send when the alarm state occurs along with follow up data at 

predetermined intervals as appropriate. 

Once alarms are set, press OK. The selected alarms will appear on screen. Alarms are 

shown in red around the data in blue. Windowed alarms are shown in red dashed lines. 

Cello profile alarms are shown in orange dashes with the corresponding deadband limits 

above and below in red solid lines. The profile can be adjusted from the default flat line 

at zero, by drawing on top of the data. 

Adjustments can be made either by returning to the Alarm Settings window or by altering 

the alarms (drag and drop) on screen. Following on from any adjustments a message 

will be displayed at the top of the screen stating ‘This profile has not been sent to the 

Logger’. 

35

Once you are satisfied with the alarms, send the setting information to the Logger. This 

can be done locally or remotely. 

Locally, click on File -> Send to Local Logger. 

Remotely, click on File -> Send to Remote Logger. 

At this point you may also be requested to save the alarms details to the .lgr file. PMAC 

will contact Newlink, Utilog and other PSTN loggers immediately. An SMS message 

containing alarm details is sent to the Cello and will be received at the next wake-up 

time. When alarms are received by the data logger, an acknowledgement is sent to 

PMAC. This confirmation is visible at the top of the Alarm Wizard screen. 

It is important that Cello alarms are set with great care as many messages may be wasted if the 

alarm limits are set inappropriately. 

36

5 Limitations. 

Cello profile alarms are not supported for Cellos before Version 3.33. 

When using Profile alarms, Cello has a single byte to store the deadband range. This is 

independent of the recording type. For example: 

Typical settings would be 

Pulse significance = 0.01 CUM 

Logging rate = 15 minutes 

1 pulse in 15 minutes = 0.04 cum/hr 

255 pulses (1 byte) in 15 minutes = 10.2 cum/hr 

Please note, 10.2cum/hr is the range of the deadband, this actually gives +/- 5.1 cum/hr above and 

below the profile. 

37

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