At a Glance

The Diagnostics Viewer allows you manage the error messages. You can:

  • sort the messages list,

  • browse the messages list,

  • acknowledge a message in the list,

  • delete a message from the list,

  • activate another tool,

  • delete an alarm from the PLC memory.

Number of messages

The number of messages displayed in the list is defined solely by the size of the available memory.

If the memory becomes insufficient:

  • the DIAG information flashes in the status bar,

  • the messages associated with faults that have disappeared and have been acknowledged (if they needed acknowledging) are deleted.

Sorting messages

You can sort the messages by each column contained in the list except for the one containing the icons.

To sort the messages, simply click the header of the column containing the data you want to sort. If you click the same header a second time it will be sorted in reverse order.

By default the messages are inserted in the list in chronological order of appearance of the faults.

NOTE: Whatever the sort criterion for the list, a new message always appears at the top of the list.

Browsing the list

You can browse the list of messages using:

  • the Up, Down, PageUp, PageDown, Home and End keys on the keyboard,

  • the mouse. Use the scroll bar if the list contains more messages than can be displayed.

Acknowledging a message

To acknowledge a message that requires acknowledgement, you must select it and activate one of the following commands:

  • the corresponding heading in the contextual menu (accessible by right-clicking with the mouse),

  • the F6 function key,

  • the corresponding button in the toolbar,

  • double-clicking the icon of the alarm selected.

You can acknowledge several messages at once (multiple selection). When you acknowledge a message, an order is sent to the PLC and the associated icon is modified in the list.

A message can be acknowledged from another viewer. In this case, the Control Expert Diagnostics Viewer is advised and the message is displayed as if acknowledged locally (the associated icon is modified and the message no longer flashes).

Deleting messages from the list

You cannot delete a message that needs acknowledgement or where the associated fault has not disappeared.

However, you can delete the messages associated with faults that have disappeared and have been acknowledged. To do this activate:

  • the corresponding heading in the contextual menu,

  • the Del key.

Deleting an alarm from the PLC memory

This function is used to delete from the PLC all the messages selected in the list, even if the fault is still present and has not been acknowledged.

Use of this function is only possible if your user profile is different from ReadOnly or Operate.

Activating another tool

If at least one message is selected in the list, you can activate the following Control Expert tools:

  • the animation tables for displaying the diagnostics function block data (FB alarms only) and FFB system alarms,

  • the cross-references with FB alarms and FFB system alarms only,

  • the language editor where the diagnostics function block instance is referenced.

To launch these tools you must activate one of the following commands:

  • the corresponding headings in the contextual menu,

  • the Ctrl + T (animation tables), Ctrl + U (cross references) and Enter (language editor) function keys,

  • the corresponding buttons in the toolbar.