This menu is found within the Main Menus and is used to access functionality related to network communications.
The options available to the user include :
Online, Offline, Refresh Network, Send Configuration to system, Extract Configuration from System, Log_Viewer, Acknowledge Alarms, Discovered Devices, Duplicate Devices.
This function can be found in the Network
Toolbar and in the Network Menu or
as a keyboard shortcut by pressing
F10. Selecting it will cause
the Vocia software to connect to the network and attempt to discover any
Vocia devices that are present on the network. No configuration
data will be sent by the software using this command; however any discovered
Vocia device will report Configuration Status
and Firmware Version back to the software.
The Vocia software can be set up to automatically go Online following startup. This function is found in the Tools-Options menu.
Devices that are found on the network but that are not in the currently loaded project file will populate the Discovered Devices dialog window.
This
function can be found in the Network
Toolbar and in the Network Menu. The
use of this function while Online
will cause the Vocia software to disconnect from the network it was connected
to.
By default, when Vocia software is initialized the network state will be shown as Offline. This can be changed to automatically go Online in the Tools-Options menu.
This function
can be accessed via the Network Menu, Network Toolbar or by pressing
F9. This feature will send
a command for a status update from all Vocia devices on the network. This
function will cause the Vocia software to ask all Devices on the network
to report Current Status, Configuration
Information and Firmware Version. This
process happens automatically but is timed to reduce network demand. Selecting
Refresh Network causes the feedback
to be seen more quickly than would usually be the case.
This function
can be accessed via the Network Menu, the
Network Toolbar or as a
keyboard shortcut by pressing
F7. A Send
Configuration will transmit the project file data to selected Vocia
devices in the system. Before data can be transmitted, a system
project file (.vop) must first be opened or created. The option
to Send
Configuration will only be available when the Vocia software is Online and security has been verified.
When this function is selected the software will Validate
and Compile
the system design. If the project file passes Validation and Compilation
the configuration will be sent to the available Vocia devices on the network.
The units will reconfigure during this process and audio will stop briefly.
This
function can be accessed from the Network
Toolbar, the Network Menu or as a keyboard shortcut by pressing
F8. Selecting this icon
generates a pop up dialog window that is titled “Extract
Configuration from System…”. This
function gives the user the ability to ask all devices for current configuration
and then extract that configuration for use in the Vocia software. All
configuration data stored in the selected devices will be extracted and
will populate the project file.
The Log Viewer function is found both in the Network Menu and the Network Toolbar or as a keyboard shortcut by pressing Ctrl + L. It displays historically logged information relating to the active configuration and any device that is or has been Online and operational. This information may be used to verify system operation and for debugging purposes. The details of information logged depends on the Device. Please review the Log Viewer section for more details.
This
icon is used to acknowledge any alarms that have been reported by Vocia
devices. It will not resolve the alarm but it will stop the Acknowledge
alarms icon flashing Red in the Layout
window. The Acknowledge Alarms
feature is linked to a text box at the bottom right of the Layout. This
text box will display the text “No New
Alarms Detected” or “Active Alarms
Present”. If an alarm has been acknowledged via the Acknowledge
Alarms icon, this text box will reflect that change.
Simply acknowledging an alarm will not resolve the issue that has caused it. Open the affected device/s dialog window for an explanation on the fault and consult the Alarms in Vocia section of this help file for further information. The affected Device will be painted RED in the Layout window.
This menu item is found in the Network Menu. There is also an indicator in the bottom right hand corner of the screen that performs the same function and in addition provides a real time assessment of Discovered Devices on the Vocia network.
If the user attempts to place two devices of the same type in a World with the same Device ID, a Duplicate Devices conflict will occur. The Vocia system relies on each Device having its own ID number to identify it amongst other devices of the same Type. Review the Duplicate Devices section for more information