About alarm extension properties

Each alarm extension has a set of configurable properties that allow you to specify the alarming conditions and certain routing options. Figure 189 illustrates and the following list describes each alarm extension as it appears in a component property sheet.

Figure 189. Alarm extension properties

Starting in AX-3.7, all alarm message “text” properties are now “multi-line capable”,”—for instance, properties “To Fault Text”, “To Offnormal Text”, and “To Normal Text” properties as shown in Figure 189, as well as possible “High Limit Text” and “Low Limit Text” properties under any “Offnormal Algorithm” and “Fault Algorithm” containers (not shown). As needed, you can now press “Enter” to start new lines in these text fields, making lines the desired length and/or providing spaces between lines.

Following, are the alarm extension properties descriptions:

Alarm Inhibit

A true value in this field prevents alarm generation due to any transition or state change.

For example, if there is a true value in this field and an Offnormal value is reached, a “toOffNormal” status will not be communicated. When the state returns to Normal, a “toNormal” status will also not be communicated. A false value in this field will prevent alarms from being inhibited (even if an Inhibit Time is set).
The purpose of the Alarm Inhibit property is to prevent unintended alarms, such as in after-hours situations where a piece of equipment is turned off. A difference between Alarm Inhibit and Alarm Delay is that the Alarm Inhibit is a boolean value (true/false) and may be controlled by another device (for example, an ON/OFF value of a fan).

If the Alarm Inhibit value is set to true, the Inhibit Time property qualifies the behavior.

Inhibit Time

The value of this property affects the length of time that the current Alarm Inhibit state will remain in effect after an Alarm Inhibit state change. For example, when an Alarm Inhibit value changes from true to false, alarm generation continues to be inhibited for a time that is specified by the Inhibit Time property value. When an Alarm Inhibit value changes from false to true, alarm generation may continue to be inhibited for a time that is dependent on the point type, as shown in Table 7.

Table 7. Time until Alarm Inhibit state change affects alarm generation

Alarm Inhibit transition	Point type
Alarm Inhibit transition	Discrete point	Numeric point
True to False	Inhibit Time property value	Inhibit Time property value
False to True	3 x Inhibit Time property value	0 (zero)

Alarm State

This field displays the current alarm state of the component: Normal, Low Limit, High Limit, or Fault.
Time Delay
Time Delay does not affect alarms generated by a Fault. There is no delay when transitioning in or out of a Fault generated alarm.

This is the minimum time period that an alarm condition must exist before the object alarms. In other words, the object status must meet the “alarm” criteria for a continuous period equal to or greater than defined in the Time Delay property value before an alarm is generated. The general purpose of the Time Delay property is to provide a means to prevent nuisance alarms that may be caused by a momentary change in a state value (Normal, Low Limit, High Limit).

Time Delay applies to properties that transition both in and out of alarm states. Therefore, an alarm status may continue to display as Offnormal (for example) for a time (equal to the Time Delay) after the value has come back into Normal parameters. The Time Delay is the minimum time period that a normal condition must exist before the object comes out of alarm.
Typically, when both Alarm Delay and Alarm Inhibit properties are used, Time Delay is less (shorter) than Alarm Inhibit.
Time Delay to Normal

This is the minimum time period that a normal condition must exist before the object may return to normal status.
Alarm Enable

Select any of the options to individually enable the generation of alarms when the following transitions occur:
- toOffnormal
  
  This is the time that the offNormal event occurred.
- toFault
  
  This is the time that the Fault event occurred
No alarms will be generated unless an Alarm Enable option is selected.
To Offnormal Times

This property displays four pieces of information that are related to the time that the component status changed to Offnormal. A “null” value means that the event has not occurred. See Figure 190.
- Alarm Time
  
  This property displays the time that the To Offnormal event occurred.
- Ack Time
  
  This property displays the time that the alarm was acknowledged.
- Normal Time
  
  This property displays the time that the To Normal event occurred.
- Count
  
  This field displays the total number of Offnormal events.
Figure 190. To Offnormal times
To Fault Times

This property displays four pieces of information that are related to the time that the component status changed to a Fault state. A “null” value means that the event has not occurred. See Figure 191.
- Alarm Time
  
  This property displays the time that the To Fault event occurred.
- Ack Time
  
  This property displays the time that the alarm was acknowledged.
- Normal Time
  
  This property displays the time that the To Normal event occurred.
- Count
  
  This field displays the total number of To Fault events.
Figure 191. To Fault times
To Normal Times

This property displays the time that the component transitioned to a normal state.
Time in Current State

This property displays the elapsed time since the component transitioned to the current state.
Source Name

This property displays the name of the alarm source. If you use the default script setting %parent.displayName%, the source name field will show the “display name” of the alarm extension parent. You can edit this script or type in a literal string to display.
To Fault Text

(multi-line in AX-3.7 and later, see Note) Enter text that you would like to display when the component transitions to a Fault status. This may be overridden if text is entered under the “Fault Algorithm” properties “High Limit Text” and/or “Low Limit Text”, if applicable.
To Offnormal Text

(multi-line in AX-3.7 and later, see Note) Enter the text that you would like to display when the component transitions to an Offnormal (alarm) state.

This text may be overridden if text is entered under the “Offnormal Algorithm” properties “High Limit Text” and/or “Low Limit Text”, if applicable.
To Normal Text

(multi-line in AX-3.7 and later, see Note) Enter the text that you would like to display when the component transitions to a Normal status.
Hyperlink Ord

Use this property enter or choose an Ord, a BQL Query or a path to a component that you would like to associate with an alarm status on the component you are configuring. When an alarm is reported in the console, the Hyperlink button is active and uses this path. Use the folder icon to browse to the file that you want to link to. Click the arrow icon to the right of the folder icon to test the Ord that you enter.
Sound File

Enter or choose the path to a sound file that will execute when the current component is in an alarm state. Use the folder icon to browse to the file that you want to use. Click the arrow icon to the right of the folder icon to test the path that you enter.
Alarm Icon

Use this property to enter or choose the path to a graphic file that will added to the display in the “timestamp” column of the alarm table in the Console Recipient view. Use the folder icon to browse to the file that you want to use. Click the arrow icon to the right of the folder icon to test the path that you enter.
Fault Algorithm

This property when available, displays fault parameters. Different options are available here, depending on the alarm extension being used. In the case of an OutOfRangeAlarmExt (for status numeric points), separate “High Limit”, “Low Limit”, and “Deadband” parameters apply, along with associated limit enable properties and “High Limit Text” and “Low Limit Text” properties.
Offnormal Algorithm

Use this property to enter high and low limit parameters for numeric components and select the alarm value (on or off) to designate the alarm state for a boolean component. In the case of an OutOfRangeAlarmExt (for status numeric points), separate “High Limit”, “Low Limit”, and “Deadband” parameters apply, along with associated limit enable properties and “High Limit Text” and “Low Limit Text” properties.
Alarm Class

Use this property to select an alarm class from the option list. The alarm class specifies the alarm routing options for this component. Refer to About alarm class for details about alarm class.
Meta Data

Use this property to enter new facets using the meta data property. See About point facets for details about facets.