YSI Data Scout Advanced - Manual (Page 10)

„ This will load the Windows
®
SETUP program, which guides the user through the remainder of the installation
process.
„ After installation, Data Scout Advanced can be executed via the Windows
®
Start menu by selecting Start | Programs |
Data Scout Advanced | DSAdv.
2.1.1 INSTALLING DATA SCOUT OPERATIONS MANUAL
The CD labeled Level Scout Information and Support contains the Data Scout Advanced Operations Manual as a .pdf. The file name is
DSAdv_605815C2.pdf
The user can access the .pdf file directly from the CD or via the Internet browser using the Index.htm file as an index. To avoid having
to insert the CD to access the manual, save this file to a hard disk folder on the PC or network. This can be accomplished by copying it
from the CD to the desired place. The recommended path is C:\YSI\DSAdv\Manual.
After saving the manual to the PC or network, Data Scout Advanced can be configured with the new manual location. To do this, use
the Configure | General Options (DSAdv) function on the main Data Scout Advanced window’s menu. On the configuration window,
double-click the text box labeled: Choose Path for Manuals. This pops-up a common dialog box that allows the user to navigate to
where the manual has been saved. Locate the file DSAdv_605815C2.pdf and click it so that its name (full path) appears in the File
name: box. Select the Open button to save it. Finally, select OK to save this full path name on the General Options window. The
Operations Manual is then directly available by selecting the Help | Manuals menu item.
2.2 CONFIGURING THE PC FOR A SERIAL NETWORK
The user must select a serial port available on the PC (COM1 ... COM16) to interface the computer with the Level Scout(s) at a
particular site on a serial point-to-point (or multi-drop) network. The YSI 771 adapter will allow the user to convert the native RS-485
signal of the Level Scout to RS-232 signal of a PC. If the PC does not have a serial interface, the user may add a USB type device (with
software driver). YSI offers the model 773 for converting RS-232 to USB. For remotely located transducers, using cell phone (or
other) types of modems, a Virtual Serial Port (VSP) may be required. The VSP is a software driver that simulates one of the COM
ports on the PC and provides a TCP/IP data path (via the Internet and 3G cell phone networks) to the remote serial port of the distant
modem. YSI has verified that the RealPort VSP from Digi works with the Digi Connect RG cell phone modem. The freeware VSP
from HWgroup has worked with the AirLink Raven cell phone modem but with limited functionality.
2.3 MANAGING/DISCOVERING TRANSDUCER ADDRESSES
A multi-drop serial network topography requires that all installed transducers use the same protocol and same baud rate. Also, each
transducer must have a unique address.
Such a network must be operated in a strict Master/Slave manner, in which the master controller (e.g., Data Scout Advanced software
operating on a PC) always plays the role of Master, and each of the transducers plays the role of a Slave. Only the Master can initiate
communications on the network. Slaves must never initiate communications on their own but must respond when requested to do so
by the Master. Generally, a transducer will only send a response out on the network after it receives a command from the Master that
explicitly contains its unique address. Also, a transducer must normally act “silently” even when it receives a command containing a
special address called the “broadcast” address (e.g., a command to synchronize data acquisition on multiple transducers).
There is one special transducer command (i.e., Who Are You?) that uses the broadcast address but violates the above rule. In response
to this “broadcast” command, a transducer responds with its address. However, such a command is meant only to be executed when
there is only one transducer wired physically to the network. Thus, if the user does not know the address of a particular transducer it is
not advisable to place it on the network until the address is known. In that case, only install the Level Scout with an unknown address
on the network and broadcast this special Who Are You? command to it. Once a transducer’s address is identified, add it to the larger
restored network (if its address is unique) or send it another command (Change Address): to change its address to a unique one before
connecting back to the network. The bottom section of the Configure menu on the Data Scout Advanced main window has both of
these infrequently-used “diagnostic” commands as does the bottom section of the right-click Context menu of the main window’s Site
Net Map.
The command Configure | Change Address (HiLi Xdcr) is a setup command that can be used to change the address of a transducer if
its address is already known. However, the window that appears when it is executed also has a “broadcast” check box option. This
option allows the user to also use this command (in conjunction with Who Are You?) if the “unknown” transducer is the only
transducer wired to the network and to set its address to some particular “known” address using the “broadcast” address to send it.
YSI Incorporated Data Scout Advanced 6