Echelon OpenLNS Commissioning Tool - Manual (Page 184)

168 Monitoring and Controlling Networks
Using the OpenLNS CT Browser
You can use the OpenLNS CT Browser to monitor and control the network variables and configuration
properties in your network. The OpenLNS CT Browser provides a table view of the selected network
variables and configuration properties. You can add all the network variables and configuration
properties for a functional block or device to the Browser, and you can delete selected network
variables and configuration properties from it.
The OpenLNS CT Browser is an OpenLNS plug-in included with OpenLNS CT. To use the
OpenLNS CT Browser, you must register it when you open a network as described in Creating a New
OpenLNS CT Network Design in Chapter 3, Getting Started, or you can register it after you open the
network, as described in Re-registering Plug-ins in Chapter 9, Using Plug-ins. You only have to
register the OpenLNS CT Browser once per computer. This is because once the OpenLNS CT
Browser is registered on one computer, it is available to all other networks on the same computer.
Many functional blocks may come with their own device plug-ins that provide a custom interface for
their network variables and configuration properties. A device plug-in provides an application-specific
view of a functional block or device. The OpenLNS CT Browser, though, is a generic plug-in that you
can use with any functional block or device.
Starting the OpenLNS CT Browser
To start the OpenLNS CT Browser, select one or more functional block and device SmartShapes,
right-click one of the selected SmartShapes, and then click Browse on the shortcut menu. When the
OpenLNS CT Browser opens, it lists all the network variables and configuration properties for the
selected functional blocks, and it lists all the network variables and configuration properties on all the
functional blocks for the selected devices.
After the OpenLNS CT Browser is open, you can invoke the Browse command on other functional
blocks and devices. The network variables and configuration properties are added to the bottom of the
existing OpenLNS CT Browser window.
Once a browser window is opened, it remains open until you close it. Even if you close the OpenLNS
CT drawing, the browser continues to run until you close it. If you open a Browser window, close the
OpenLNS CT drawing, then open another browser, both Browser windows run concurrently.