Emerson Exchange 365

• Not Answered

Log Event to Event Chronicle from DeltaV Operate

 We have an application in which we want to log events of operator actions that do not directly impact a module, but are done through Operate. E.g., there is a button on the screen with custom VBA code and if the operator presses that button, we want to log that event in the event chronicle (user, console, time/date stamp, custom description string). Can anyone point me to information on how to do this?

I know we can build a module to which the button's VBA can write and THAT will get logged, but that seems a bit of a kludge.

• Event Chronicle VBA DeltaV Operate Logevent

SBPosey

• 25 Jan 2016 7:51 PM
• Cancel

9 Replies

• AdrianOffield

  

  • 26 Jan 2016 5:46 AM

  Have you seen the LOGEVENT function?

  

  I know it still needs to be driven in logic but should give you the means to record a custom event.  I use it for storing TRIP events from interlock modules.  I don't believe there is an equivalent function directly in VBA.

  • Cancel
• SBPosey

  

  • 26 Jan 2016 5:52 PM

  In reply to AdrianOffield:

  Yes, I am aware of LOGEVENT (we use it extensively), but that is in a control module. I'm looking for the same kind of thing, but tied to Operate since the custom VBA code behind the button on the graphic will not interact directly with any control module.

  • Cancel
• Andre Dicaire

  

  • 26 Jan 2016 6:47 PM

  In reply to SBPosey:

  There is no supported mechanism to enter an event into the DeltaV Event Chronicle that I am aware of. A parameter write, or a Logevent are the only way I know for a user triggered event. If you create module in the Pro Plus, or an App Station to host a text parameter, and have VBA write a string to this parameter, the Event, along with the text would be captured with "New Value = XXXXXXXXXXXX". The Module and parameter names would allow for easy filtering to view these events in context.
  
  That would be much easier than developing a SQL connection to somehow enter a properly formatted update to the EVent Chronicle, and all the possible complications that could arise.

  Andre Dicaire

  • Cancel
• SBPosey

  

  • 26 Jan 2016 10:08 PM

  In reply to Andre Dicaire:

  Yes, doing that was what I was talking about in my original post as something that I was hoping to avoid. But if that's all I have, then that's all I have.

  • Cancel
• SBPosey

  

  • 27 Jan 2016 12:09 PM

  In reply to SBPosey:

  Oops! Didn't mean to end it without a "Thank You". Thanks, Andre, for looking into this. It's not the answer for which I was hoping, but I appreciate a second set of eyes to confirm that a built-into-Operate solution didn't exist.

  • Cancel
• Andre Dicaire

  

  • 28 Jan 2016 4:44 PM

  In reply to SBPosey:

  SBPosey,
  I like the idea of having Operate related events recorded, such as navigation in displays, detail faceplate call ups, or any user initiated event. What if every console had a local parameter called "MESSAGE", and if you wrote a text string to that parameter, DeltaV would capture this as an event in the chronicle as an Operator action, not necessarily a parameter change (as these are already captured). Hmmm.
  
  Another approach you might use is to create a local log file on the workstation and create a VBA function to log messages locally. That way you have a record to consult. What you do with the log file after that would not impact Operate. Inserting inputs to the event chronicle other than through DeltaV events is not supported and I don't recommend it on a production database.

  Andre Dicaire

  • Cancel
• Casey Houchens

  

  • 14 Aug 2018 6:01 PM

  In reply to Andre Dicaire:

  Could you elaborate on "What if every console had a local parameter called "MESSAGE", and if you wrote a text string to that parameter, DeltaV would capture this as an event in the chronicle as an Operator action, not necessarily a parameter change (as these are already captured)."? Where would the various "MESSAGE" parameters reside? Is that back to the idea of a "module in the Pro Plus, or an App Station to host a text parameter"?
  Our operators need to be able to enter data (e.g. module name, alarm type, reason for alarm suppression, compensatory measures, lockout #, ...) when they suppress an alarm. Currently, the have to go to different computer and enter the data in a FileMaker database, but we would rather they enter it in Operate and we use the DeltaV for the official suppression database.
  Any help/insight you can give would be appreciated.
  Thank you.
  
  Casey

  • Cancel
• Andre Dicaire

  

  • 14 Aug 2018 9:13 PM

  In reply to Casey Houchens:

  Casey, I was musing on functionality that does not exist:-)
  
  The DetlaV Event Chronicle only collects events generated by DeltaV, such as parameter writes, Alarms, Log events, integrity messages etc. If you want to generate an event to be recorded, you have to "fake out" the system by using parameter writes, which won't get you a more elaborate function like you describe. One example was to track display navigation so one could better understand how the operators are working, and maybe help to improve Display layouts/navigation.
  
  One of my customers does this for entering reasons for a motor shutdown/Event, and has a Named Set with list of possible reasons the operator can select from. By right clicking on the motor Dynamo, a menu choice appears and allows them to quickly document this. By writing the string to a text parameter in the module, there is a record of this in the Event Chronicle associated with the Module name. But it does have the New Value Text. It would be nice to have a Log Event function in the Operator station that would simply record an event similar to the Log event in the controller.
  
  If you need to populate a separate database, you'll need to build this type of function in VBA.
  
  v13 has added alarm management features for recording alarm suppression reasons and this goes in the Event Chronicle to record the history of the alarm, including suppression action.

  Andre Dicaire

  • Cancel
• István Orbán

  

  • 21 Aug 2018 12:36 PM

  Maybe use Electronic Signatures to place comments? Although you'd still need a module with some parameters on which you'd apply the Parameter Security to ask for a comment.

  • Cancel