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7.1 Program Details

Battery Details in Program Editor

Title

 Name for this routine. It will appear in the title bar of the main screen when used.

Memo

 This is helpful information for the user’s reference. Include things like the purpose of the routine, how to use it, how it works, important application information or battery details. This memo data gets loaded into the device so the user can refer to this memo by click the “ ? ” icon. This memo also appears on printed reports. The maximum length of the memo depends on how many steps are used. See Memory Organization section for more details. Generally 1000+ characters can be used.

Reset_Step

 This is the step number that will erase saved data from the previous session and begin a new battery session.

Vector_Step

 This is the default vector step. The routine will route to the default vector step whenever the Restart button is clicked or the hardware push button is depressed on the device. The only exception is if a Vector step is defined (>0) in the currently operating step. In which case all Vector requests will route to the step defined Vector.

Group_No

 This is the number of channels in the Current Sharing group. See the Current Sharing section for more details. Keep this value = 0 unless using the current sharing option is being used.

Comment

 This appears on printed reports. It could be used to add a comment, author name, phone number or company name. Maximum of 32 characters.

 
The programming information in the XML file directs the program operation. The XML file also contains information to inform the user about what is happened at any given time and overall information about what the program is for and what type of battery should be used. This ensures that there is no misunderstand by the user as to how and when to use the program and which type of battery should be connected to the device. Be sure to accurately reflect all these details in the program XML file.

The Reset and Vector Steps

Reset Step: Whenever the program begins this step number it will clear all data from the previous session and start a new session. By carefully considering which step should perform a Reset, you can be in complete control over when the last session ends and the new one begins. The Reset Step must be a number between 1 – 64

Vector Step: This is the step the program will route to when a user presses the on screen “Restart” or hardware “Vector” push switch. In all the Standard Routines the default Vector Step = 2. The default Vector step assignment can get over-ridden in any particular step by specifying an alternate value (>0). This creates a lot of possibilities for creating special test routines. This would allow for programs that perform multiple task and the operator could switch between tasks using the Vector or Restart buttons. See Programming Strategies section in this manual for more ideas on how to use this. The Vector Step can be a number between 0 – 64 where 0 means the Vector function is disabled.

Considerations for configuring the initial steps a program

The Standard Routines use a Reset Step = 3 and a Vector Step = 2 because that is the best way to manage the power on event and preserve the data from that last session. There are several considerations that make this a good choice when developing new programs:

  • The Battery Metric devices are designed to operate in stand alone mode. Once the program is loaded into the device it can be used simply by connecting a battery. When a session is complete, just remove the battery and connect another.
  • When powering up the device we want to preserve the Saved Data results from the last session.
  • In the event the battery session was performed without using Battery Console then we want the option to be able to Power Up device then Open Battery Console and see the results from the last session.
  • It’s not a good idea to have the new session begin as soon as the device is powered up because there could be a battery connected inadvertently. It’s wise to be able to power the device up even if a battery is connected without a session starting. This way there is still opportunity after power up to view last session, or have a chance to remove the battery before deciding which battery to connect next.
  • The device needs to manage unexpected power downs. This could include a power failure or accidental disconnect. Whenever power is lost it may be undesirable to have the session restart immediately upon restoration. This is why the first step waits for the battery to be disconnected before proceeding. There needs to be a way for the user to decide if they want to view data up to the last power failure, or restart the session on the same battery or take other action. Also if there is no operator present at the time of power loss/restoration the device should wait for user intervention before proceeding.

Sample program start listing as viewed in the Preview window

Sample Program Start
Note: The onscreen “Restart” button forces program to the Vector step. This way if a battery is already connected then the program just proceeds to step 3 where the reset occurs and the new session can immediately begin. If no battery is connected using “Restart” then program will just wait and automatically restart when the battery is connected. However if the presently operating step has a Vector specified (>0) then this step Vector will take precedence.
The onscreen “Stop” button always forces the program to step 1. The program will remain on step 1 as long as the battery is connected, giving the user a chance to see the Save Data that has been collected. Only when the battery is physically disconnected & reconnected or user presses “Restart” will a new session begin.

Safety First: The on screen Stop button forces the routine to step 1. This step should be configured to stop all charge and discharge current for situations when the user may need to perform an emergency stop.