Creating Gas Meter Nodes
Use the Create Gas Meter button to manually create new FMS gas meter or station meter (a Gas Meter Node set to also function as a station) Node configurations. When creating new device Nodes, keep in mind the distinction between gas meters and chromatographs. A gas meter must return gas measurement history, and may optionally return gas quality history. A chromatograph must return gas quality history. Gas meters can be uploaded from an Electronic Flow Meter (EFM) through protocol or parsed hand-held files (field meter).
CygNet Measurement also provides a system command that can automatically create FMS device Nodes in your system. See the following topic for more information about this option.
See Viewing and Editing Gas Meter Node Properties for more information about accessing properties for gas meters that have already been created.
Creating a New Gas Meter Node
To create a new gas meter Node, open the Nodes menu in FMS Explorer, and then click Create Gas Meter. A series of dialog boxes will appear.
Note: These dialog boxes are the same as dialog boxes that open when you click New FMS Meter on the FMS page of a remote device in the Device Definition Service (DDS), and the same dialog boxes that open when you View Node properties from many context menus in FMS Explorer and the FMS service in CygNet Explorer.
The following tables list and describe property fields found on the Create Meter dialog boxes.
Device Definition
When creating a new gas meter Node, first define it in the Device Definition Service (DDS).
Enter the following device definition properties to define the new gas meter device.
|
Node ID
|
The system-assigned Node ID for the meter. When creating new meters this will indicate NEW.
|
|
Enabled
|
The Enabled check box indicates whether the meter is enabled or not. An unchecked box does not mean the meter is deleted; all meter settings are saved until you choose to enable the meter.
Default value is Enabled.
|
|
Device name
|
Type in the name for the meter Node.
Valid characters (maximum of 20) are as follows.
A-Z, a-z, 0-9, . (period), #, $, &, (, ), +, -, \, /, :, <, >, =, @, [, ], ^, {, }, _ (underscore), !, ~ (tilde). Spaces are acceptable, when they are not leading or trailing.
This parameter is required.
|
|
Description
|
Type in a free-form Description for the meter.
This parameter is optional.
|
|
Security application
|
Enter the security application used to validate users of the Node. Use this setting to control user access, for example, to only give certain users access to particular Gas Meter Nodes.
See FMS Security for more information.
This parameter is optional.
|
|
Sort priority
|
Type in the Sort priority number to assign to the meter Node. The priority number assigned places it within a manually sortable list. Higher numbers place a Node higher up on a list.
Default value is 0.
This parameter is optional.
|
| Data source options |
|
Data source
|
Select the applicable Data source for the device.
Options are as follows.
- Polling Engine (FMS Facility)
- Polling Engine (FMS Legacy Facility)
- Device Import
- Other
|
|
Polling UIS
|
If Polling Engine is your selected Data Source, click … to select the polling UIS for the meter.
|
|
Polling facility
|
If Polling Engine is your selected Data Source, click … to access the Select Facility dialog box and select the polling facility for the meter.
Note: The Select Facility list provided contains all linked facilities that belong to the FMS Configuration or FMS Legacy Configuration data group corresponding to your data source selection.
|
|
Unit set override
|
Note: The Unit set override parameter is optional. It is provided to give you the ability to override units in cases where GMR data coming into FMS (via the FMS Toolbox) may contain values in units other than the assumed GMR units. In such a case, use this parameter to define the unit set to use instead, and the FMS system will apply the specified unit set to the incoming GMR data
See GMR Data Items Units for more information.
If used, select a unit set for the system to apply to GMR data, from the options in the drop-down menu.
Options in the drop-down menu are populated by the enabled read-only unit sets configured in your system. You may have to create the applicable unit set first. See Configuring Unit Set Definitions for more information.
|
|
Source data retention
|
Enter the maximum time, in number of days, that source data is retained on your flow computer. Retention on most flow computers is 35 days.
Default value is 35 days.
|
| Normalization options |
|
Reporting CVS
|
Click … to access the Select CVS dialog box and select the Current Value Service reporting data for the gas meter.
Note: This CVS does not need to contain the raw data collected by the Data Source.
|
|
Reporting facility
|
Click … to access the Select a Facility dialog box and select the Facility reporting data for the gas meter.
To filter facilities by up to six attributes, click Advanced Filter.
Note: This facility does not have to be a device facility. It can be used to hold data pushed back from FMS to CygNet SCADA.
|
|
Meter is a station
|
Note: This property appears at Node creation only, and determines whether a new Node will be a "gas meter" Node or a "station meter" Node. For station meter Nodes, station options (below) must also be configured.
Click to select/clear the check box to indicate if the FMS meter also represents a station. If the Node is configured as a station meter (a meter also functioning as a station), you will be able to access and configure Station options for the Node.
Default value is selected.
|
| Station options (enabled/appear for Station Meter Nodes only) |
|
Station type
|
Click to select the station type for the gas meter from the drop-down menu.
Station type options are as follows.
- Custody
- Check
- Interconnect
- Line Pack
- Gas Loss
- Other
|
|
Contribution
|
Select the applicable contribution from the drop-down menu to indicate how the Node contributes to the system.
Options are as follows.
- Delivery (-) - Node withdraws from the system
- Receipt (+) - Node contributes to the system
Note: Edits to this property can only be applied for the entire span of the Node. An error message will appear if you try to edit this value for a partial span.
|
|
Linked station
|
Click … to access the Select Station dialog box to select from the list of available stations. Select a station to which to link for the purpose of validating data. Click OK.
Example
A typical use is to validate that a custody station and check station are within a known tolerance.
|
When you are done, click Next > to access the Meter Properties dialog box.
Device Properties
When the Device Definition is complete, configure the Device Properties.
Enter the following gas meter device properties and supported data types to describe the new device.
| Properties
|
|
Device install date (Device time)
|
Select the date and time of the installation of the meter using the date and time selectors. When no user-entered value is provided, the default install date value is 36 days prior to Node creation, at 12:00:00 AM.
Notes:
The Request Missing Data or Request New Data commands will not request data prior to the device install date.
Edits to this property can only be applied for the entire span of the Node. An error message will appear if you try to edit this value for a partial span.
|
|
Use job schedule start date
|
Note: This parameter defines a date used by the Schedule Jobs command for CygNet Dispatch. For more information about the CygNet Dispatch product, contact your Account Manager or CygNet Sales.
When using CygNet Dispatch, optionally set this value to define the first possible start date that can be used for job occurrences associated with this Node, when automatically scheduling jobs via the Schedule Jobs command.
If used, click the check box to access the date selector, and specify the earliest date from which CygNet Dispatch jobs for this Node can be scheduled. When no user-entered value is provided, the default value is the Device install date.
See Schedule Jobs for more information.
|
| Supported data
Note:
This note does not apply to Use alternate gas quality/analysis source.
Each of the following properties (except as noted) is read-only once the corresponding data type has been collected for the Node. The properties can only be edited if the device has not yet received the corresponding data, since Node properties must be consistent across their time continuum. Trying to edit a Supported data property, for a device which has already received that type of data, will produce a service error.
|
|
Record span
|
Click to select the record span.
If the Data Source is a polling engine, this requires a properly configured device in the DDS with at least one corresponding data group of the same span: FMS Legacy History or FMS History (gas metering).
Record span options are as follows.
This property is required.
|
|
Configuration
|
If the device supports configuration data, click to select the check box.
If the Data source is a polling engine, this requires a properly configured device in the DDS with at least one corresponding data group: FMS Legacy Configuration or FMS Configuration.
This property is optional.
|
|
Events
|
If the device supports event data, click to select the check box.
If the Data source is a polling engine, this requires a properly configured device in the DDS with at least one corresponding data group: FMS Legacy Events or FMS Events.
This property is optional.
|
|
Alarms
|
If the device supports alarm data, click to select the check box.
If the Data source is a polling engine, this requires a properly configured device in the DDS with at least one corresponding data group: FMS Legacy Configuration (alarms) or FMS Alarms.
This property is optional.
|
|
Gas quality history
|
Selection of this property is mutually exclusive with selection of "Use alternate gas quality/analysis source" below
If the device supports the collection of "live" gas quality history, click to select the check box.
If the Data source is a polling engine, this requires a properly configured device in the DDS with at least one FMS Hourly PQ History data group.
Note: Only select this check box for devices that are properly configured for this data group type, or you will not be able to view your device data in all FMS controls.
If support for "live" gas quality history is not desired, clear the check box. If editing to remove support, the effective begin date for the record change must be after the date of the last periodic gas quality record received.
|
|
Use alternate gas quality/analysis source
|
Selection of this property is mutually exclusive with selection of "Gas quality history" above
To use a gas quality or gas analysis source Node, rather than what is configured on the corresponding EFM device for this Node (for example, "live" gas quality history), click to select the check box, and then use the browser to access the Select Node dialog box to specify the Node to use instead. See Selecting an Alternate Gas Quality/Analysis Source Node for more information.
Note: Edits to this property can only be applied for the entire span of the Node. An error message will appear if you try to edit the value for a partial span.
|
Selecting an Alternate Gas Quality/Analysis Source Node
When the Use alternate gas quality/analysis source check box is selected, you must specify the device Node to use as the alternate gas quality/analysis source for this Node.
To be eligible for use as an alternate gas quality/analysis source, the following must be true of the specified source Node.
- It must exist as a device Node in FMS (can be a gas meter or station meter or chromatograph Node). See Nodes for more information.
- It must use its own GQ/GA records (cannot use an alternate source Node)
- It cannot be reflexive (cannot be the currently selected Node itself)
Either type the source Node name into the text box, or click ... to access the Select Node dialog box.
Enter the following to select a Node to be the alternate gas quality/analysis source for the new gas meter Node.
| Node list filter |
|
Group
|
Select whether to filter by a Node Group type.
Options are as follows.
- <All Nodes>
- General Nodes
- Station Nodes
- By Category
When configured groups are saved in your system, those groups and their member Nodes will also be listed within the corresponding General or Station group options.
When defined group categories are saved in your system, those categories will also be listed within the By Category option.
|
|
Node category
|
Select the Node category to display. Nodes of the category selected, that belong to the Group option selected, will be shown.
Options for Node category are as follows.
|
|
Filter
|
Type a partial string of known Node name/description/ID characters to filter the results.
Options are Node Name, Desc, or ID. The default filter is * (multiple character wildcard).
Nodes matching the filter, of the Node category selected, that belong to the Group option selected, will be shown.
Note: Wildcards can be used only when filtering by Name or Desc, not when filtering by ID.
|
|
Use Smart Filter
|
Note: This option is not available when using Point in Time mode.
Click the check box to select/clear the use of smart filters to filter Node results. Selection of this option will attempt to display only the Nodes available to be used as gas quality/analysis source Nodes.
Note: Be aware that this option may not always be entirely accurate, due to the complexities of the historization feature.
|
|
Retrieve Nodes
|
Click to apply the selected filters and retrieve the results.
|
| Filtered Node list |
|
[Icon]
|
Displays the icon indicating the Node type for each result listed.
Node icons are as follows.
| |
|
Gas Meter Device Node
|
| |
|
Station Meter Node |
| |
|
Chromatograph Device Node
|
Click on the column header above the icons to sort the display (in ascending or descending order) based on Node type.
|
|
Node Name
|
Lists the names of the Nodes that meet the selected filters.
Click on the column header to sort the display (in ascending or descending order) based on Node Name.
|
|
Node Desc
|
Lists the descriptions (if used) of the Nodes that meet the selected filters.
Click on the column header to sort the display (in ascending or descending order) based on Node Desc.
|
When you are done, click Next > to access the Time dialog box.
Time
When the Meter Properties are complete, configure the Time properties.
Note: For devices belonging to a station, these settings must match. All Nodes belonging to the same station must have exactly the same time property settings configured, in order for data to roll up successfully to the station level.
Enter or verify the following time properties for the new gas meter Node.
|
Contract offset
|
Type the number (in hours) of the contract hour offset.
This number is synonymous with the Contract time. It is an offset (in hours) from the Device time, describing the hour at which the contract day begins.
|
|
Time zone
|
Click to select the desired time zone from the drop-down menu.
Note: Edits to this property can only be applied for the entire span of the Node. An error message will appear if you try to edit this value for a partial span.
|
|
Enable daylight saving
|
Click to enable an adjustment for daylight saving time.
Notes:
- Edits to this property can only be applied for the entire span of the Node. An error message will appear if you try to edit this value for a partial span.
- This value requires a properly installed CygNetTimeZones.xml file. See CygNetTimeZones.xml File for more information.
|
| Internal time configuration |
|
CygNet Key
|
An internal CygNet identifier
Each time zone is assigned a unique numerical key in the CygNetTimeZones.xml file, located in the CygNet\Services\ARS folder on your host server.
This property is read-only.
Note: This value requires a properly installed CygNetTimeZones.xml file. See CygNetTimeZones.xml File for more information.
|
|
Base bias from UTC
|
The offset in hours between the device's expected time and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) (also known as Greenwich Mean Time or GMT)
This property is read-only.
|
|
Standard time bias
|
The offset in hours from the base bias to account for standard time in the selected time zone
This property is read-only.
|
|
Standard time name
|
The complete standard time zone name, for example Eastern Standard Time
This property is read-only.
|
|
Standard time begins
|
The date that standard time begins, for example 1st Sun in Nov.
This property is read-only.
|
|
Daylight saving bias
|
The offset in hours between standard time and daylight saving time
This property is read-only.
|
|
Daylight saving name
|
The complete daylight saving time zone name. For example, Pacific Daylight Time
This property is read-only.
|
|
Daylight time begins
|
The date that daylight saving time begins, for example 2nd Sunday in March
This property is read-only.
|
| Time comparison |
|
Local computer current time
|
The time of the client computer
Do not alter the client computer's time; it may cause undesirable changes in your CygNet system.
This property is read-only.
|
|
Device expected time
|
The time expected for the remote device
This property is read-only.
|
When you are done, click Next > to access the Frozen Config Items dialog box.
Frozen Config Items
When the Time properties are complete, configure Frozen Config Items.
Select/clear configuration items for which to "freeze" configuration item values in the system.
|
Frozen?
|
Each check box represents a configuration item. If the check box is selected, its value is "frozen" so new configuration records won’t update the system. The raw data is still stored, however.
Click the check box adjacent to any configuration item(s) you choose to select/clear whether or not to "freeze" its value.
|
|
Config Item Desc
|
Lists the descriptions of the configuration items for the selected meter.
|
When you are done, click Finish to access the Save FMS Record dialog box.
Save FMS Record
Once the new gas meter Node properties are configured, you'll be asked to save your changes via the Save FMS Record dialog box. Configure the date and audit information requested to historize the changes in your system.
Specify the following parameters to describe the saved record.
|
Change begin
|
Set the effective date and time for the record change to begin.
Options are as follows.
- Indefinite: Click to make the record change begin date and time effective for an undefined amount of time. Effectively, it means all time.
- Choose date/time: Click to make the record change begin date and time effective for a specific date and time. Use the date/time selector to select the specific begin date and time.
|
|
Change end
|
Note: Upon Node creation, this date selection is automatically set to Indefinite. Options become available for edits made to Node properties.
|
|
Audit category
|
Select an appropriate Audit category from the drop-down menu. The audit category type for Node creation is Configuration Change.
Audit categories are configured on the Admin menu. See Configuring Audit Categories for more information.
|
|
Comments
|
Type Comments regarding creation of the Node in the text box. Although comments are optional, they become part of the record and can be helpful when auditing or reviewing records.
|
When all parameters are configured, click Save to save the new meter settings.
