Issue
This is the description of what the Continuum Analyzer does that is also available on the service release CD.
Product Line
Andover Continuum
Environment
- Continuum Analyzer
- Windows 7
- Windows 2003
- Windows Server 2008
Cause
The Continuum Analyzer description and what it does is in the service release CD.
Resolution
The Continuum Analyzer is designed to provide installers and troubleshooters with a point of reference for discovering problem areas within their installations. The software is proactive in that it enables you to 'clean' orphaned and mismatched objects from the database, thereby recovering from a minimal amount of database corruption. Continuum Analyzer also performs a system information check and provides full reporting on all aspects of the installation, as well as alerts regarding deficiencies.
This article is provided to you as a guideline and an operational reference for use of the Continuum Analyzer. It is of the utmost importance that you review the current, Continuum Cyberstation Release Notes, before using this product. This document refers to specific changes made to the operation of the Cyberstation software in its new release.
Installation Requirements
Continuum Cyberstation software must also be installed on the given computer, and meet its hardware and software specifications as detailed in the, Continuum Getting Started Guide.
Uninstall Previous Analyzer Versions
If a previous revision of Continuum Analyzer is installed on the computer, it is important to remove it before installing a newer version. This is easily accomplished using the following procedure.
- Close all open applications before proceeding.
- Select Start, then Settings, and then Control Panel.
- Once inside the Control Panel, select the Add/Remove Software icon and select, Continuum Analyzer.
- When prompted, select Yes to remove all application components, and Remove All once uninstall begins.
- Close the Add/Remove applet and reboot your system. You may now proceed with installation of a newer version, below.
Setup Procedure
- Close all open applications before proceeding.
- Setup will begin unpacking necessary files. Older versions of Windows workstation may require system file upgrades. An alert message will display asking you to confirm this operation. You may be required to reboot your computer. If this is the case, rerun setup after the computer restarts.
- The installation awareness screen prompts you for the location in which the files are installed. We recommend allowing the default installation directory.
(C:\Program Files\Continuum\ContinuumUtilities\Continuum_Analyzer)
When you are satisfied with the location, click on the large installation icon towards the left of the dialogue box. Figure One, below, details this screen. - When prompted for creation of the program group in which the Analyzer will reside, select the default, or choose an existing program group for these icons.
- Setup will copy the necessary files into the installation directory on the hard drive.
- When finished, you are prompted that setup is complete and need to click, OK to verify.
- Setup is complete.
Operation Modes
Continuum Cyberstation software allows the user to define the type of database used to house the system information. Typical system configurations rely on the implementation of Microsoft SQL Server.
LAN Mode
This operating mode provides the user with all available information about the system installation, including SQL parameters used on the database server. This additional information can help reconcile issues that exist within the configuration of the SQL server.
Stand Alone
This mode diagnoses problems and lends the equivalent information presented through SQL implementation.
Password Confirmation
Continuum Analyzer requires the user to enter a password before launching the GUI. The password used should match the password of the SQL account used by Continuum. If all installation defaults were followed, the password is, pyramid97.
Navigating the Interface
The Analyzer uses an intuitive interface to easily collect and return data from Continuum installations. The interface is broken into 5 parts; a function toolbar, system toolbar, status prompt, report explorer, and the report window. Appendix B contains a screen shot of the analyzer display. Several toolbars located throughout the graphical interface permit point and click operation of the software.
Function Toolbar
This toolbar is located to the upper-left hand side of the Analyzer interface.
Each toolbar feature is explained below. Button descriptions will also appear
When the mouse is held idle over the selected feature.
Save Reports to File
Activating this button saves the Main and Suspect generated report to a *.csv file at the location specified by the user. The Save dialogue box prompts the user for the report destination. This file is required for proper technical support from Andover Controls Corp.
Word Wrap
This button wraps each line of output data to fit within the parameters of the display window.
Run
Begins data collection on the system.
Clean
The clean button removes references to suspect objects found during the initial database screening. After the items are removed from the database, the analyzer is automatically rerun to ensure that no remaining corruption exists.
System Toolbar
The System Toolbar features shortcuts to many of the same features as the Function Toolbar. This feature group also contains a button to close the program and a display window that monitors the integrity of the database and indicates corruption when found.
Status Prompt
The analyzer status prompt displays the progress of a current session. During an active session, the status indicator bar will fill to indicate that the analyzer has completed its review of the system. It may take Analyzer several minutes to complete its system scan. The status bar is located in the center of the system toolbar. Please refer to figure four for a detail of the system toolbar and status prompt.
Log Selection Windows
Analyzer allows a technician to specify log collection dates independently for both the Error and Activity logs using calendar menus as detailed below. This feature is helpful in reducing the amount of time necessary for the completion of an Analyzer scan, and identifying the point at which problems first occurred. The user may choose not to report on log collection by selecting one day ahead of the present date.
Report Explorer Navigation
The report explorer allows navigation through each report feature in a manner akin to the windows explorer file manager found in Windows. Navigate by double clicking on the desired report folder and selecting the appropriate report from the file list. Figure Seven details the report explorer below.
The root of the Analyzer’s report explorer indicates to the user the mode in which the analyzer is running (LAN Mode or Stand Alone.) Each folder displayed below the root contains a report(s) on the system.
Continuum Logs
These log reports display two kinds of activity. The first report, Continuum Activity, displays all system user actions on the system during the period specified in the calendar selection window. The second report, Continuum Errors, shows the continuum error log during the dates specified within the parameters of the calendar selection window.
Cyberstations
This report area displays each workstation’s properties as detailed by the device table, and all Plain English programs that are installed at each workstation.
Database Integrity
This report allows a technician the ability to quickly identify an area of data corruption within the various link tables of the Continuum database. Each of the following reports specifies the type of link verified and a numeric display of how many broken links appear within the system. Typically, broken links detected by Continuum Analyzer can be cleaned from the system, using the clean feature. The clean feature removes all references to the orphaned item.
Distributions
Pending and failed distributions are monitored from within this report area. Failed distributions detail the name of the object and its status. The Pending distributions monitor the type, content, and numeric statistic of distributions waiting to complete.
Field Devices
Field device reports detect the variable parameters for different classes of objects configured in the field. This gives the technician a holistic reference point for determining any conflicting parameters within the system. Please refer below for information regarding the content of each report.
| Report Name | Description |
| CommPorts |
Infinity Controller communication port configurations |
| InfinityControllers | CX controller parameters |
| InfinityInfinetControllers | Defined parameters for infinet devices |
| InfinityPrograms | Details programs that reside on the CX controllers |
| IOU Modules | Parameters for each IOU configured within the system |
| Networks | Network Object parameters |
Each field device report displays values as an enumeration from within the database. Troubleshooting with the Analyzer requires that a technician be able to correlate each reported value of an attribute to the software value that Continuum displays within the object editor. Please refer to Appendix A for a definition and value range for variables discussed in the reports.
General Continuum
These detail all Continuum installation parameters, providing the technician with the ability to troubleshoot any problems that might occur at the software installation level. Aspects covered in this report segment include ODBC client connector details, connection status, domain user account information, and installation path.
Workstation
Workstation reports provide system information on the workstation hardware and operating system configuration. These reports help clarify any Continuum software compliance issues.
SQL Server
SQL Configuration information is provided through two reports, Database Configuration and Server Configuration. These values are used to trace possible problems back to a server configuration variable.
Summary Report
The summary report issues system details that provide a quick overview of the Continuum configuration in use at a particular facility. One set of data in particular is worth discussion, as the values here can lead to problems with the workstation performance of the system.
The summary includes a section labeled Windows Registry Check. If the software installation was performed correctly, registry keys will be entered in the Local Machine hive of the registry. It is possible under abnormal installation circumstances that these registry entries are placed under the Current User hive.
The Analyzer retrieves these registry values and displays them as follows in figure eight. If the machine is properly configured, the values will only display once, to the right side of the definition text. This indicates their presence in the appropriate location.
If the values are located on the left-hand side of the definition text, the installation did not put the appropriate values in the correct location.
Suspect Objects
The suspect object report details three categories of data corruption detected within the database. If data corruption is discovered, the system toolbar and the report explorer will indicate such. The first category, Suspect Objects Correctable, contains any corrupt data that the Analyzer can repair using the clean command. Suspect Objects Manual Fix details configuration issues which require manually editing the erroneous variable. The final category, Suspect Objects Uncorrectable requires the assistance of Andover Controls TSD staff to remedy the problems. Please be aware that support for these issues requires that ACC TSD staff have a copy of the Analyzer report from the system in question.
Figure nine details the report explorer icon displayed when corruption is detected. It is recommended that all suspect objects are saved as a file to aid in recreating the broken link objects. The Clean button is used after the Save Suspect Objects to File button to remove the broken objects from the database.
Analyzer Report
This report details all areas of data collection and is saved in a *.csv format. You may save a report in one of the following ways.
Saving your Analyzer Reports
The Continuum Analyzer generates two reports that can be saved for review. Both reports can be saved simultaneously, or individually using the reports menu option at the top of the Analyzer window.
Suspect Objects Report
The suspect object report is optionally generated when data corruption is discovered. If you do not see the visual indicators that suspect objects are present in the system, then there is no report to generate. However, if corruption is present, the report must be saved.
All Cyberstation Workstations
Invoke the analyzer by selecting the Continuum Analyzer icon from the Start Menu. You are prompted for a password. This password is the same as the password used to access your database from the ODBC connector. Figure Ten displays the password dialog box. If Continuum was installed with the default options, the database login password is Pyramid97.
You may change the start date for log collection through the calendar menu, if necessary. Select, “Run” to begin analysis. The program will run for several seconds, an active display in the system toolbar details its progress. Save the report generated by each machine.
Repair Data Corruption
IMPORTANT!
Note that this is option is NOT always available!
If the Continuum Analyzer reports that data corruption was found, a stop sign icon appears in the report explorer and a Database Integrity Failed message appears at the top of the system toolbar. Select the option button labeled, Save Suspect Objects to File. Upon completion, select the Clean option. You’ll notice that after this button is selected, the database is cleaned and the Analyzer is run a second time, to ensure there is no remaining corruption within the database.
Submit Analyzer Report
The Continuum Analyzer Reports should be sent to our technical support department before upgrading if uncorrectable errors were found. Schneider Electric has a technical support address designed for this purpose. The email should include the following information.
Subject: /
Body:
- Dealership name
- Site Name
- File attachments: Analyzer Reports (each workstation)
- File attachments: Suspect Object Reports (each workstation)
This email should be sent to Product Support
All workstation analyzer reports and suspect object reports should be attached to a single email.
Run Analyzer before Upgrade
The Analyzer must be run again prior to the upgrade installation to verify that database integrity is stable. Using the Primary Access Server, run the analyzer, save the generated reports, and clean any suspect objects if necessary.
Uninstall Continuum
Make a note of the workstation and database settings within the Database Initialization Program. Uninstall earlier versions of Continuum from the workstations through the Add/Remove Programs icon located in the Control Panel. Select Continuum from the menu of programs and follow the automated procedure. You must reboot after un-installing.
Install Continuum
Refer to the Continuum Cyberstation Getting Started Guide for installation instructions. The first workstation upgraded should use the database initialization program to UPDATE an existing database. Ensure that the server name and authentication information is entered correctly. Verify that the workstation settings are IDENTICAL to those used in the previous installation of Continuum Cyberstation.
Rerun Continuum Analyzer
Rerun the Continuum Analyzer to verify that data within the tables is stable, and that all workstation settings are properly configured. If database corruption is present again, we recommend contacting our Technical Support Department for further information.
Appendix A
Field Translation Guide
The Continuum Analyzer report references the exact table and column names used within the Continuum database. This appended reference should be used when trying to correlate settings and values from the analyzer report against values within the Cyberstation software. Please direct any further inquires to our Technical Support Department.
| Field Name | Description | Typical Values |
| Autostart | autostart on/off | True/False |
| Baud | Enumerated value starting with 0 for 300. Each rate of speed has its own enumerated value |
0=300, 1=1200, 2=2400, 3=4800, 4=9600 and 5=19.2 |
| Command | Whether a program can execute from command line | on/off |
| DefaultBaud | When a Commport is created it is assigned the default baud of 9600 which is equal to 4 | 0=300, 1=1200, 2=2400, 3=4800, 4=9600 and 5=19.2 |
| DefaultMode | This is the mode the CommPort is configured to use. i.e., Infinet, printer | 0=Printer, 2=Command, 3=Infinet, 5=Autoset, 6=Tanknet,11=Xdriver |
| Description | Text string entered into the object description field | user defined |
| DialPrefix | Standard Commport initialization settings | ATDT |
| DialSuffix | Standard Commport initialization settings | |013 |
| DirectConnect | User selectable checkbox definition | True or False. True if checkbox is selected |
| Filesize | Size of the program file in bytes | 18 |
| FlowControl | UART data stream control | 0=NoFlowControl, 1=XonXoff, 2=CtsRts, 3=XonXoffCtsRts |
| HangUpCmd | Standard Commport termination request | @@@+++@@@ATH0|013 |
| InfinetID | Unique Identifier assigned to infinet controllers | |
| IOU Number | reference ID attached to the current module | 1-32 |
| Location | Controller to which an object is attached | User Defined |
| MaxResponse Time | Maximum amount of time to wait for a response in seconds | Default 5 Sec |
| ModelName | Value obtained from hardware | hardware/software type and version |
| ModemInit | Modem initialization string | AT&F|013@@@@@@@@@@@ATEQ1&C1&D3S1S0=1W3\J\Q3%C1&W|013 |
| Module ID | Unique module identifier; hardware encoded in each module | Not user Definable |
| NetworkID | Workstation's Energy Net identification number | 1-190. 1-64 are recognized by the CXs and NetController. Ids above 64 are recognized by Workstations only. |
| NetworkUTCOffset | GMT offset of the network objects | User Defined in minutes |
| Owner | Name of attached controller object | User Defined |
| Parity | Standard Commport entries | 0 |
| PortNum | Enumerated value of commport number to which a device is attached | 0=1, 1=2, 2-3, 3=4 |
| PrimaryAccessLogger | Workstation computer designated as the primary access server | 0=Not Primary, 1=Primary |
| ProbeTime | Probe Frequency time between TTL pings | Default 60 Sec |
| Program ID | Internal Firmware reference ID | 4th digit from the left represents IOU firmware revision |
| SecondaryAccessLogger | Workstation computer designated as the secondary access server | 0=Not Secondary, 1 = Secondary |
| SendToACX | Whether or not the object must be sent to the corresponding ACX controller | 0/1 |
| SendToCX | Whether or not the object must be sent to the corresponding controller | 0/1 |
| SerialNum | Serial number of the network controller object | 527853 |
| Shareflag | Whether program is able to run on any workstation | on/off |
| State | Determines whether an object is active within the system or not | TRUE |
| StopBits | Commport initialization setting | 0 |
| SynchDB | Whether or not the object must be synchronized with the database | 0/1 |
| TerminalType | Determines Commport emulation | 0=VT100, 1=VT220, 2=Wyse |
| TimeOutValue | No user definition | 0 |
| TrackCxd | Changed through checkbox selection | True or False. True if checkbox is selected |
| UiName | Object name in database | User Defined |
| UTCOffset | Number of minutes offset from GMT | User Defined in minutes |
| VersionNum | Firmware revision number | Ex. 1.53x, 1.2x, 2.1x, 4.5x |
| XDriverFile | Location of and name of any Xdriver assigned to the port | User Defined |
