Configure the Properties on the Pulse Action Tab

The configuration Forms of SCADAPack x70 DNP3 Pulse Actions include a Pulse Action tab. Use the fields towards the top of the tab to configure these properties:

• In Service—Use to specify whether the Pulse Action is active or inactive (see Placing an Item In Service in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Core Configuration).
• Confirm Disable/Enable—Users with the required permissions can disable a Pulse Action that is In Service, or enable a Pulse Action that is not In Service. Such actions are carried out using the Disable Point and Enable Point pick actions.

  Use the Confirm Disable/Enable combo box to specify whether a confirmation dialog box is displayed whenever an operator requests that this Pulse Action is disabled or enabled (see Requesting Confirmation of Action Requests in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Core Configuration).

• Outstation—Use to specify the SCADAPack x70 DNP3 Outstation database item with which the Pulse Action is associated.

  Use the browse button to display a Reference browse window and then select the required entry from the window.

• Inching—Use this check box to define whether operators can specify the length of time that each pulse control lasts.

  Clear the check box if each pulse control should last for the time specified in the On Time and Off Time fields (see Configure the Properties on the NULL Tab, or see Configure the Properties on Trip-Close Tab, as applicable) and for the number of pulse counts specified in the Pulse Count field (see below). Operators use the Control pick action to send the Control.

  Select the check box to enable operators to:

  • Specify the number of pulses in a control, up to and including the number specified in the Pulse Count field (see below)
  • Carry out a control for any amount of time up to and including that specified in the On Time and Off Time fields.

  Operators can use the Inching pick action to carry out a control for a user-configurable duration and user-configurable number of pulses. Alternatively, operators can use the Control pick action to carry out the control for the number of pulses and amount of time defined in the Pulse Count, On Time and Off Time fields.

• Operation Type—Use this combo box to specify the type of DNP3 control action that Geo SCADA Expert is to issue to the SCADAPack x70 device when triggering a pulse control. Choose from:
  • Direct Operate—Geo SCADA Expert issues a DNP3 Direct Operate request, and expects the SCADAPack x70 device to acknowledge the request.
  • Direct Operate - No ACK—Geo SCADA Expert issues a DNP3 Direct Operate, and does not expect the SCADAPack x70 device to acknowledge the request.
  • Select Before Operate—Geo SCADA Expert issues a two-phase Select/Operate control to the SCADAPack x70 device. Geo SCADA Expert has to receive a valid response to the Select before it will issue the Operate.
• Pulse Count—Specify the number of times that the SCADAPack x70 device executes the On-Off pulse periods that are defined in the Actions section for each control.

  When a control is executed, each pulse remains on for the duration specified in the On Time field, then goes off for the time specified in the Off Time field. This process is repeated until the Pulse Count is reached. (For an illustrated example, see Pulse Control Example in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to the DNP3 Driver.)

  In each case, the complete pulse action lasts for the (On Time + Off Time) * Pulse Count.

  Should an attempt be made to issue a further Control or Inching action to a pulse point for which a previously requested Control or Inching action is still active, the SCADAPack x70 device will reject the request and an alarm will be raised.

  For information on configuring the On Time and Off Time durations, see Configure the Properties on the NULL Tab, or see Configure the Properties on Trip-Close Tab, as applicable.

• Confirm—Use this combo box to define whether a confirmation dialog box is displayed whenever an operator attempts to send a control (see Requesting Confirmation of Action Requests in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Core Configuration).

A Promote section is included at the bottom of the Pulse Action tab. Use the section to specify whether to promote retrieval of Pulse Control data (see Specify which Outstations are Integrity Polled after a Successful Control in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to the DNP3 Driver).