                                                                   Page 3-1
                            Chapter 3 - Controllers

OVERVIEW

This chapter explains how to add a controller to The Monitor II 
database and then connect with that controller. 

To get you started quickly, this is what you must do to connect 
with a controller. 

First, it needs to be added to the controller database.

From the MAIN MENU:

* Select the SYSTEM menu, then select BUILD/EDIT.
* Select EDIT CONTROLLER DATABASE.
* Highlight an empty database entry and press [Enter] or the
  left mouse button.
* Select the EDIT button.
* Choose the type of controller, AC256/AC8 or INFINITY.
* Enter all the information requested. Remember to press F1 if
  you need help. Select the 'OK' button when finished.
* Select the DONE button.

The controller is now in the database.

Next, to connect with this (or any other) controller,

From the MAIN MENU:

* Select the CONTROLLER menu.
* Select CONNECT.
* Highlight the controller that you wish to connect with, press
  [Enter] and then press 'O', or double click the left mouse
  button.

You should now be connected with the controller you selected. If
there is some sort of problem, see the chapter on TROUBLE
SHOOTING.


IMPORTANT NOTES

* You do not have to disconnect before connecting with a
  different controller, The Monitor II will disconnect
  automatically.

* You should normally only put a "pipe" symbol (|) (this means
  the same as [Enter] to The Monitor II) in the pre-logon
  string, the connect string and the disconnect string. These
  strings are used mainly for smart switches and do not need
  anything else in them for normal connections.

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3.1   The Controller Database

The controller database is where information about each
controller is stored. It may contain up to 100 different entries.
The information stored in the database is used by The Monitor II
to connect, disconnect, and communicate with each controller.


3.2   Editing the Controller Database


THERE IS NOT A SEPARATE "SAVE" OR "CANCEL" WHEN EDITING THE
CONTROLLER DATABASE. ALL CHANGES ARE SAVED AS THE EDITING OCCURS.
THERE IS NO WAY TO RESTORE A DATABASE TO ITS PREVIOUS STATE AFTER
SORTING, DELETING, ETC.

After selecting EDIT CONTROLLER DATABASE from the BUILD/EDIT
menu, a list of controllers will be displayed. Select a
controller to edit by highlighting it with the mouse or the arrow
keys, and then press the left button or [Enter]. This will place
the entry in the small box at the top of the selection screen.
Once an entry is selected, the following functions may be used:

* EDIT - Allows the editing of the information contained in the
  database for this entry (see below).

* DELETE - Will delete this entry. All of the information about
  this controller will be erased. No other entries are affected.

* COPY - Will copy all of this entries data into another entry.
  This could be used to organize the database entries into a
  specific order.

* SORT - Will sort the entries in the database alphabetically.
  You do not have to select an entry before using the SORT
  function.

                                                                   Page 3-3

When EDIT is selected, you must select the type of controller,
either AC256 or Infinity.

After selecting the type of controller, the controller edit
screen will be displayed. The information contained on this
screen is as follows.

NOTE: The alarm COM port is not used with the Starter Package.

FOR INFINITY:

* DESCRIPTION - This can be up to 30 characters long. It is
mainly used to select a controller to connect with. The
description will be displayed on the bottom left of the screen
when connected.

* CONTROLLERS NAME - This is the actual name of the controller.

* DEFAULT USERNAME - This is the username that will be used by
  The Monitor II to logon to the controller when no user is
  logged in.

* DEFAULT PASSWORD - This is the password that will be used by
  The Monitor II to logon to the controller when no user is
  logged in.

* DEFAULT FILENAME - This 4 letter code is used when creating
  data files for this controller. It must be unique for each
  controller.

* CONNECTION TYPE - This will either be MODEM or DIRECT. Select
  DIRECT if this controller is directly connected to the
  computer. Select MODEM if the computer must dial through a
  modem to connect with this controller.

* PHONE NUMBER/CONNECT STRING - If CONNECTION TYPE is DIRECT,
  this is where you may enter a string of characters to transmit
  before attempting logon. This is normally used for smart
  switches, etc. If CONNECTION TYPE is MODEM, this is where you
  enter the PHONE NUMBER.

* PRE-LOGON/DISCONNECT STRING - If CONNECTION TYPE is DIRECT,
  this is where you may enter a string of characters to transmit
  after logging off of the controller. This is normally used for
  smart switches, etc. If CONNECTION TYPE is MODEM, this is
  where you may enter a string of characters to transmit AFTER
  connection but BEFORE logon. This is mainly used for smart
  switches, etc.

                                                                   Page 3-4

* MAIN COMPORT - This is a communications port number in the
  computer. it can be COM1, COM2, COM3 or COM4. This is the port
  connected to the controller or a modem. It is the port that
  all 2-way communications with the controller will be done
  through.

* MAIN BAUD RATE - This is the baud rate for the MAIN COMPORT.

* ALARM COMPORT - This is a communications port number in the
  computer. it can be COM1, COM2, COM3 or COM4. This is the port
  connected to a second controller port, (when directly
  connected) or  modem (to receive remotely dialed in alarms
  only).

  If alarm polling is enabled, The Monitor II will issue the
  command "MON_PRINT_ALARM" to the MAIN comport only.

  The MAIN port and ALARM port may be set to the same port, but
  the baud rates must match.

* ALARM BAUD RATE - This is the baud rate for the ALARM COMPORT.


FOR AC256 OR AC8:

* DESCRIPTION - This can be up to 30 characters long. It is
  mainly used to select a controller to connect with. The
  description will be displayed on the bottom left of the screen
  when connected.

* LOGON CODE - This is the logon code for this controller. It
  must be &Nxxxx.

  EXAMPLE: &NA256

* DEFAULT PASSWORD - This is the password that will be used by
  The Monitor II to logon to the controller when no user is
  logged in.

* DEFAULT FILENAME - This 4 letter code is used when creating
  data files for this controller. It must be unique for each
  controller.

* CONNECTION TYPE - This will either be MODEM or DIRECT. Select
  DIRECT if this controller is directly connected to the
  computer. Select MODEM if the computer must dial through a
  modem to connect with this controller.

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* PHONE NUMBER/CONNECT STRING - If CONNECTION TYPE is DIRECT,
  this is where you may enter a string of characters to transmit
  before attempting logon. This is normally used for smart
  switches, etc. If CONNECTION TYPE is MODEM, this is where you
  enter the PHONE NUMBER.

* PRE-LOGON/DISCONNECT STRING - If CONNECTION TYPE is DIRECT,
  this is where you may enter a string of characters to transmit
  after logging off of the controller. This is normally used for
  smart switches, etc. If CONNECTION TYPE is MODEM, this is
  where you may enter a string of characters to transmit AFTER
  connection but BEFORE logon. This is mainly used for smart
  switches, etc.

* NUMBER OF IOU'S - This is used for informational purposes
  only.

* NUMBER OF PCU'S - This is used for informational purposes
  only.

* MAIN COMPORT - This is a communications port number in the
  computer. it can be COM1, COM2, COM3 or COM4. This is the port
  connected to the controller or a modem. It is the port that
  all 2-way communications with the controller will be done
  through.

* MAIN BAUD RATE - This is the baud rate for the MAIN COMPORT.

* ALARM COMPORT - This is a communications port number in the
  computer. it can be COM1, COM2, COM3 or COM4. This is the port
  connected to a second controller port, (when directly
  connected) or  modem (to receive remotely dialed in alarms
  only).

  The MAIN port and ALARM port may be set to the same port, but
  the baud rates must match.

* ALARM BAUD RATE - This is the baud rate for the ALARM COMPORT.

                                                                   Page 3-6

3.3   Connect with a Controller

When CONNECT is selected from the CONTROLLER menu, the controller
selection screen will be displayed. Use the mouse or the arrow
keys to highlight the controller you wish to connect with and
press the left mouse button or [Enter]. Then select the 'OK'
button by clicking the mouse cursor on it, or by pressing 'O'.

A controller may also be selected by "double-clicking" on the
entry with the mouse. To do this, put the mouse cursor on the
desired entry and press the left button two times quickly.

Following are the actions taken by The Monitor II after a
controller is selected:

If the controller is setup as MODEM:

* If currently connected, logoff and disconnect from the
  current controller.

* Change the COM ports and baud rates, if necessary.

* Initialize the modem.

* Dial into the remote modem.

* After connecting, issue the PRE-LOGON STRING to the
  controller.

* Logon to the controller.



If the controller is setup as DIRECT:

* If currently connected, logoff and disconnect from the
  current controller.

* Change the COM ports and baud rates, if necessary.

* Issue the CONNECT STRING to the controller. (there is no way
  for The Monitor II to verify that the local controller
  actually received the CONNECT STRING, it is assumed that
  there would be no noise on the lines of a local direct
  connection.)

* Logon to the controller.

                                                                   Page 3-7

3.4   Logging On to a Controller

Logging on to an Infinity controller is quite simple if the
controller is always logged out of when finished using it.
However, if the controller is left in the "windows" mode, then
logging on becomes very difficult, if not impossible. The Monitor
II will make every attempt to log on to the controller, but if it
cannot decide what mode the controller is in, it will display a
message informing you that you should go to terminal mode and log
on manually. This is necessary because there may be someone else
logged on through another port, and we must be careful not to
interfere with anything that person may be doing.

THIS IS WHY IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS SPECIFY "YES" TO THE
"LOGOFF ON DISCONNECT" OPTION FOR THE INFINITY CONTROLLER.

3.5   Disconnect from a Controller

After selecting DISCONNECT from the CONTROLLER menu, The Monitor
II will logoff the current controller and then hangup the modem
if setup as MODEM, or issue the DISCONNECT STRING if setup as
DIRECT.

If not currently connected with a controller, selecting
DISCONNECT will do nothing.

3.6   Offline Editing

Offline editing is used to build graphics, setup custom menus,
etc. for a controller, without actually connecting with it. This
is useful when the controller is remote, and you do not want to
tie up the phone line for long periods of time. It can also save
money if the controller is long distance.



