How do I turn off RefreshOutputs in Lookout 5.1?

[DougBuie]

I have tried modifying the lookout.ini file with RefreshOutputs=0 and I have made a Modbus.ini file that included both [all], RefreshOutputs=0 and individual [Modbusx], RefreshOutputs=0. Still, my controller polls every 30 secounds or so. The RefreshOutputs=0 setting doesn't seem to change anything at all. Could this be something with ver5.1 vrs ver4.1? Any help at all is deeply appreciated. Thanks.

[JR_A.]

I created a simple Lookout 5.1 process that writes a Modbus digital output and then used the Portmon utility to watch the serial commands being sent and received. I found that without modifying any ini files the output was not refreshed when it polled. So it still polled but it didn't rewrite the outputs. Is that still a problem for you? Do you have a simple example reproducing your issue?

Regards,

JR A.
Application Engineer
National Instruments

[DougBuie]

I have set up a process to turn breakers on and off at a substation. It also will indicate when a breaker trips. This all works well. I can push a pushbutton and close the breaker or when the breaker trips, it sets off an alarm and indicates which breaker is open. Now comes the part I can't solve. The system has to be on a voice channel so I don't want it to poll unless something changes. Again this all works just that way but....after setting there doing nothing for a short while, (35 secs), the controller (Zetron 1732) polls all of the RTUs. 15 of them. Then drops silent for 35secs. I don't want it to do that. If I change the Modbus poll rate to 0:05, it lengthens the time between this misterious polling but also increses the reaction time to an alarm for a op
en breaker. Not good. Any ideas. So far everything points to RefreshOutput polling. The problem I have with any unnecessary polling is the fact that I am using their voice channel.

Thanks for the help.
Down and out in Plainview (Doug Buie)

[DougBuie]

Will Portman work on Windows XP? Sounds like something I need.

Doug

[Khalid]

Hello Doug,

I am afraid I don't fully understand your issue. Are you concerned about the polling that happens at other than the specified rate? Maybe you can give more background about the project -- like, I am guessing you directly connect only to the Zetron controller which in turn polls all its RTUs, is this correct? When or who decides when the controller should poll the RTUs? And is this polling of the RTUs the issue here?

The Modbus object polls in the following situations:

1. regularly, depending on the poll-rate (only if set)
2. on-demand, depending on the trigger to the poll datamember (only if set)
3. every time there's a write to an output (only if the 'immediately write outputs' setting is true)
4. every 100th
poll (by default) the outputs are written IF the RefreshOutputs is true (this frequency of forcing outputs can be changed using the UpdateOutputs ini setting).
5. and when there's an unsolicited message from the device (only if this is set in the advanced settings).

I hope this will help you in some way.

Khalid

[Roli]

Doug, I think Khalid listed all the options and my bet would be option 5... maybe there is a setting in the Zetron controller to disable unsolicited messages, or you just disbale it in the Lookout object as Khalid mentioned.

Let us know which option was the problem.
Roli
5 stars for Khalid's answer.

[Anonymous]

I used Portmon to aquire a print out of my serial activity during the
polling and sent it in to Kristi. By the way, thanks for the Portmon
utility suggestion. Works great. I am not concerned about it
refreshing the outputs, I really don't want it to poll to do so
without an exception report or a output change request via a pb1 on
the lookout panel. I also sent Kristi a copy of my lks file. Pretty
simple stuff for you guys but I'm having a heck of a time. Thanks for
all the great input. I'm learning as I go.

[Anonymous]

Let me add, I do have a 0:01 poll-rate of the controller register.
This is good. I just don't want the controller to key up on it's own
and poll over the rf channel. With 15 rtus, and polling every 35
seconds, the radio channel user will not be able to use his radios
much. I need exception reporting only.
Sorry so picky.

[Anonymous]

OK, this helps. I was not fully aware of all occasions where polling
occurs. Thanks. Here's my dalima, I understood that modbus polling of
the controller registers was set by the poll-rate. Not the actuall
polling of the controller of the rtu's. I have everything set up for
exception reporting only. Also, the controller does not poll the rtu's
at the same rate as the Modbus poll-rate setting. #1. I want the
modbus objects to poll the controller at 1sec increments in order to
respond quickly to an exception report. #2. The only time I want it to
poll on demand is when I initiate a rtu output change by pushing a Pb1
object on the lookout screen. #3. Immediate write outputs is set for
true. #4. It is updating outputs every 35 to 40 secs, and th
e modbus
poll-rate is 0:01, the 100th poll should be at 100 seconds? #5. I do
require the unsolicited message polling and have it set correctly in
the advance settings. So, the only problem is the occasional polling
of all rtu's at about 35 to 40 secs. I need that turned off. Help? I
have sent in a serial bus print out to support and a copy of my lks
file. Thanks to everyone for giving a hand here. Aren't newbies fun!

[num12358]

Has this question ever been answered? My feeling is that Doug does not want to occupy the radio channel unless there is a event at the remote RTU that needs his attention. The same thing occurs in dial out applications. You only want to call the remote suites once every 24 hours lets say, but should an alarm happen, you would want the RTU to use the report by exception to alert the master. I have done one of these, but had to resort to using one slave at the master for each RTU, then have the RTU call when there was an alarm. This would trigger the master to call the RTU to report what the alarm was. My question is What does the report by exception do for us?