Operator Basics

D800017X062
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Contents

Operator Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
DeltaV Software Overview for Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Computer Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Mouse Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Working with Windows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Logging In and Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Getting Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Using DeltaV Operate in Run Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
DeltaV Operate Desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
DeltaV Operate Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Toolbar Button Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Alarm Banner Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Working with Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Opening Main Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Replacing Main Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Opening Pop-Up Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Printing Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Responding to Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Alarm Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Absolute and Deviation Alarms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Alarm Priorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
The Alarm Banner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Alarms on Faceplates and Detail Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
The Alarm List Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Suppressing Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
The Alarm Suppress Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Filtering Alarms by Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Saving Runtime Alarm Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

iii
iv Operator Basics
Operator Basics
This chapter provides an introduction to DeltaV Operate for operators. It covers such topics as DeltaV Operate
terminology, basic computer and mouse skills, login and logout procedures, how to get help on system features, how
to open, replace and print pictures, and how to respond to alarms.

DeltaV Software Overview for Operators

Inside this topic
Computer Terminology
Mouse Skills
Working with Windows
Logging In and Out
Getting Help
DeltaV system software includes a variety of applications to help you operate and optimize your process. The
primary applications used by operators are DeltaV Operate, Batch Operator Interface and Batch History View (for
batch applications), Process History View, and Diagnostics.
Most operators will access DeltaV Operate through FlexLock, a security program that allows access to DeltaV
Operate and prohibits access to other software without the proper authorization.
There are several other ways to start an application, dependent upon the restrictions and privileges associated with
your user name and how the application is configured. From the Microsoft Windows desktop, an authorized user can
click Start (in the lower left corner of the screen), point to DeltaV, point to the category, and click the name of the
application. For instance, to start DeltaV Operate, part of the selection would look like the following:

Many applications allow quick access to other DeltaV applications through buttons on their toolbars and through an
Applications menu. The example below shows the some of the toolbar buttons in DeltaV Operate (run mode) that
allow access to other applications. Not all the buttons may be available on your system, depending on how your
application was configured and the access privileges assigned to you through the DeltaV User Manager.

Operator Basics 1
For more information on DeltaV software applications, refer to the Getting Started with Your DeltaV Digital
Automation System manual.

Computer Terminology
This section provides definitions for a few computer terms that you will need to know to use the DeltaV System.
Refer to a computer dictionary that you can find at any good bookstore for a more complete list of terms. In addition,
many computer dictionaries such as Whatis.com (http://www.whatis.com) can be found on the World Wide Web.
Computer - In the DeltaV System, computers communicate with the controllers to provide operators access to the
control loop faceplates, trends, diagnostics and alarms generated by the process control strategy. The computer is
sometimes referred to as the Central Processing Unit (CPU). The CPU is the area inside the computer that contains
the logic circuitry that performs the programs' instructions. There are several devices in the computer that transfer
data from one computer to another: a floppy disk, a CD player, and a tape drive.
Monitor - The monitor displays the pictures and information for the operator. A cable (in the back of the monitor and
computer) connects the two. The monitor is sometimes referred to as the screen or the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT).
Mouse - The mouse is used to point to data on the monitor, select the data, and to drag pointers on faceplates in order
to make a change in a setpoint or output. Typically, you move the mouse across a flat surface called a mouse pad and
watch the monitor at the same time. To select data, place the mouse pointer over the data and click the left mouse
button once. Clicking the mouse button once is called a single click.
Keyboard - The keyboard is used to enter data into the DeltaV System. The keyboard looks similar to a typewriter
and consists of letter keys, number keys, and command keys. The command keys are often used in conjunction with
the letter and number keys. Usually, numbers and letters that you type at the keyboard are displayed on the monitor.
Printer - The printer is a piece of hardware that connects to a computer. It transfers electronic data onto sheets of
paper called a printout. The layout and format of the printout is determined by printing software.
Modem - The modem connects computers over telephone lines. A modem can be inside the computer or outside
connected to one of the serial ports on the back of the computer.
Software - The software is the written instructions that tell the computer what to do. In the DeltaV System, the
software is written in such a way that you use the mouse more than the keyboard. You use the keyboard to enter
numbers and the mouse to select from lists of possible entries. DeltaV Software is written for two types of users:
engineers and operators.
Login - This term refers to entering a user name and password into the DeltaV System to access the programs and
functions to which you have privileges. You must log in whenever the system is restarted, when you first start using
the system on your shift, or whenever you are trying to make a change in the system and your user name is not
showing in User Window.
User Name - Your user name is your identification that is assigned to you by the engineers. Generally, a user name is
unique for each individual user, however it can be shared by all of a shift or by all users with the same job function.
User name appears in the Login pop-up window as you log in and in DeltaV Operate.
Password - Your password is used in conjunction with your user name to prove to the system that it is really you
logging in. Generally, a password is unique for each individual user, however it can be shared by all of a shift or by all
users with the same job function. Unlike the user name that appears on the Login window as you type it in, the
password appears as ********* . Like your user name, your password is assigned to you by the engineers.

2 Operator Basics
FlexLock - This is a security program that allows access to DeltaV Operate and prohibits access to other software
without the proper authorization. FlexLock is enabled when the DeltaV Operator Consoles are started.

Mouse Skills
It is helpful to know how to use the mouse to select or "click" objects and how to work with various types of
windows. There are usually two mouse buttons: a left and a right mouse button. There are three ways to select or click
(quickly press and release) the mouse buttons: single-click, double-click, and right-click.
Single-click - This is the most common type of clicking in the DeltaV System. Move the mouse pointer to the item on
the monitor that you want to select and quickly press and release the left mouse button once. This usually causes a
pop-up window to appear. A pop-up window opens (pops up) in front of all currently open windows. For this reason,
pop-up windows are well suited to show alarm messages, control panels, toolbars, or menus.
Double-click - Move the mouse pointer to the item on the monitor that you want to select, and press and release the
left mouse button twice in rapid succession. Do not move the mouse between clicks. Double-clicking is not used as
often as single-clicking in the DeltaV System.
Right-click - A right mouse click opens a pop-up window of commands that are available for the item that is
selected. Move the mouse pointer to an item on the monitor and press the right mouse button once to open a pop-up
window of commands. Not every item has a list of commands available through a right mouse click. This picture
shows a list of commands that are available through a right mouse click in DeltaV Operate.

Selected Items - DeltaV Operate displays a single-line box, a double-line box, or a thick-line box around a selected
item.

A single-line box appears around an item that can be selected when

you move the mouse pointer over the item. The box disappears if
you do not move the mouse pointer for more than two seconds.

A double-line box appears around a selected item.

A thick-line box appears around a selected item when the pointer is

positioned over the item.

Operator Basics 3
Working with Windows
You have a great deal of control over the size, shape, and position of the windows on your monitor and many options
for moving between windows and selecting windows. The best way to learn what you can do with your windows is
simply to experiment. This section provides a few tips to help you to get started experimenting with your windows.

Selecting One of Many Windows

It is possible to have several or many windows active at any one time sometimes making it difficult to find the
window you want. There are several ways to move between windows: use the taskbar, a keystroke combination, and
drag a window by the title bar.

Taskbar
The Taskbar runs along the bottom of your screen. To switch between open windows, click the button on the Taskbar
that represents the window that you want to open. For example, this picture shows how to open DeltaV Operate by
clicking on its button on the Taskbar.

Another way to open a program from the Taskbar is to click the right mouse button on the Taskbar button and select
Restore.

Alt/Tab
Often you can use combinations of keystrokes to perform a function. An easy way to move between active windows
is to first press the Alt key, and hold it down as you press the Tab key. A pop-up window with a row of small pictures
called icons opens. Icons are used to represent programs and in this case the icons represent your active programs.
Hold down the Alt key and press the Tab key to cycle through the active program windows. Notice that a thick line
box appears around an icon each time you press the Tab key. This is the selected program window. (The name of the
selected program also appears at the bottom of the pop-up window.) Release the Alt key to open the selected program.

Dragging a Window by the Title Bar

Sometimes you can have windows stacked one on top of another so that even though you know a window is open,
you cannot see it. When this happens, you can select the top window and drag it off to the side so that you can see the
window behind it. To do this, move the mouse pointer to the top of a window. (If the mouse pointer turns into a two-

headed arrow you've gone too far.) Click and hold down the left mouse button and drag the window up, down, or
to each side to expose the windows behind it.

4 Operator Basics
Resizing Windows
You can resize the height and width of windows. Move the mouse pointer to an edge or corner of the window and stop
moving it when it becomes a two-headed arrow.

When you are... The pointer looks like this...

on the top or bottom edge of the window

on either side of the window

at a corner of the window

Click the left mouse button and drag the window up or down to resize it horizontally, left or right to resize it
vertically, and diagonally to resize it proportionally.

Minimizing and Maximizing Windows

In the upper right corner of your windows are the minimize and maximize buttons . Click the minimize button,
, to close the window and reduce it to a button on the Taskbar. (Remember, you click a button on the Taskbar to
open a window.) Click the maximize button, , to maximize the window to completely fit your monitor's screen.
Notice that after you maximize a window, you have a new button in the left-hand corner, . This is the restore
button. Click the restore button to restore the window to its original size before you maximized it. There is one other
button in the right-hand corner and that is the quit application button, . Be careful with this button. It works the
same way as the File | Exit command. If you click it and you have unsaved changes in your picture, a pop-up window
opens asking you if you want to save the changes. Click Yes to save the changes, click No to close without saving the
changes, and click Cancel to keep the application open.

Logging In and Out

You can log in to DeltaV software from a system that is up and running and from a system that has been powered
down.

Operator Basics 5
Logging In from a Running System
Follow these instructions to log in from the operator screen.
1 Click the DeltaV Login toolbar button on the top of the operator screen.

The DeltaV Logon dialog box opens.

2 Move the mouse pointer to the User name area, click the down arrow to expand the drop-down list, and select
your user name. In the picture above, the user name is ADMINISTRATOR.
3 Move the mouse pointer to the Password area, click the left mouse button, and carefully type in your password.
For security purposes, bullets will appear instead of the actual password characters.
4 Move the mouse pointer to the OK button and click the left mouse button.

Logging In from a Powered Down System

Follow these instructions to log in from a system that is powered down.
1 Be sure that the monitor is turned on. Look for the green light, usually on the bottom right side of the monitor,
that indicates that the monitor is on. If the monitor is not on, press the large button on the bottom of the monitor

to turn it on. (This button usually has an image that looks like this next to it.)
2 Press the Power button on the computer to start the computer. The Power button is usually above the Reset
button and is larger than the Reset button.
Different screens will start to appear on the monitor. Do not press any keys until you see a popup window that
says "Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE to log on."
3 On the keyboard, press and hold down the Ctrl key and the Alt key. Keep these keys held down, press the Delete
key, and then release all three keys at the same time.
A pop-up window opens asking for your User Name and Password. (This is for logging into the Windows
operating system.)
4 Move the mouse pointer to the User Name area, click the left button and enter your user name. Move the mouse
pointer to the Password area, click the left button and enter your password. For security purposes, asterisks
(****) will appear instead of characters).

6 Operator Basics
5 Click the OK button and wait for the DeltaV Logon dialog box to open.
6 Move the mouse pointer to the User name area and select your user name. In the picture above, the user name is
ADMINISTRATOR.
7 Move the mouse pointer to the Password area, click the left mouse button, and type in your password.
8 Move the mouse pointer to the OK button and click the left mouse button.
The FlexLock program opens.

9 Click the DeltaV Operate button to start DeltaV Operate.

Logging Out of DeltaV Operate

1 Click the Login toolbar button on the top of the operator screen.
The DeltaV Logon dialog box opens.
2 Click the Logoff button on the DeltaV Logon dialog box.

Getting Help
All of the DeltaV help is online. This means that the help is in electronic format and is only a mouse click away. You
can access toolbar help from a button on the toolbar. You can also open the Tracebox tool from the toolbar. The Books

Online icon is available on the DeltaV Utilities toolbar. To open the DeltaV Utilities toolbar, click the button
on the DeltaV Operate toolbar. Use the following buttons to access help, the Tracebox tool, and Books Online:

Provides help on all the toolbar buttons and items on the main
window. Click the same button on the Alarm Banner for help
on the Alarm Banner.

Opens the Tracebox, a diagnostic tool.

Opens the DeltaV Books Online which provides reference

help on the DeltaV system. Read the topic "Introduction to
Books Online and Online Help" for information on how to
find information in the books.

Operator Basics 7
In addition, in the upper right hand corner of many dialog boxes there is a help button . This is a standard feature
on most Microsoft dialog boxes and many DeltaV dialog boxes that allows you to get help on the dialog box fields.
(This type of help is called context sensitive, pop-up, or What's This help.) When you click on the help button, a
question mark appears next to the cursor after you release the mouse button.

Drag the cursor to the field on the dialog box for which you want help and click the mouse button. A short description
of that field pops up. For example, here is the popup help for the Print to file field on the Print dialog box.

Using DeltaV Operate in Run Mode

Inside this topic
DeltaV Operate Desktop
Operator Interface Terminology
Toolbar Button Help
Alarm Banner Help
The DeltaV Operate application functions in two modes:
• Configure mode - used by engineers to create pictures
• Run mode - used by engineers to test the pictures they have created and by operators to run pictures in the
DeltaV Operate application
Because this section is intended specifically for operators, we will concentrate on Run mode. Engineers should refer
to Creating Pictures for information on using DeltaV Operate in configure mode to build operator graphics.

8 Operator Basics
DeltaV Operate Desktop
The standard DeltaV operator desktop was designed specifically for use with DeltaV process systems. It is made up
of three windows: the Toolbar window, the main window, and the Alarm Banner window, as shown in the figure
below:

Toolbar Window
The Toolbar buttons provide single-click access to important pictures, directories, and other applications. Click the

button on the Toolbar for descriptions of all the toolbar buttons and the items on the main window.

Main Window
The main window is your primary work area and it is where you view a main picture. You can open pop-up pictures
such as Faceplate pictures and Detail displays from the main process graphic.

Alarm Banner Window

The Alarm Banner has important predefined functions. The large buttons notify you of the highest priority alarms that
have been activated. The name of the control module or device whose associated alarm has been tripped appears on
the button. By clicking one of these buttons, you can go directly to the appropriate process graphic (the Primary

Control picture or the Faceplate picture) and take action on that alarm. Click the button on the Alarm Banner for
descriptions of the Alarm Banner buttons and controls.

Operator Basics 9
DeltaV Operate Terminology
Here are some of the more important terms that you will encounter when you use DeltaV Operate in run mode.
Overview picture - The overview picture is the top picture in a picture hierarchy and it contains links that allow you
to navigate to the other pictures within the hierarchy. A picture hierarchy might resemble a pyramid where moving
from the top of the picture hierarchy to the bottom provides increasingly more detail and moving from side to side
moves from one location or piece of equipment to another.
Main pictures - Main pictures are typically process graphics that provide a view of the process or equipment.
Process graphics run the gamut from simple line drawings to artistic graphics to photographs. Engineers create main
pictures from a picture template file called main. The main template has some predefined features such as a small
toolbar (with five buttons) in the upper left corner and contains some picture commands that are required by the
DeltaV environment.

10 Operator Basics
Faceplate - A faceplate is a pop-up picture that contains the graphics and controls necessary to perform normal or
expected control. The appearance of a faceplate varies depending upon the type of module, function block, or device
with which it is associated. For example, the faceplate for a PID control loop typically displays the loop setpoint,
process variable, controller output, modes, and alarms. With proper security clearance, operators can use the faceplate
controls to manipulate variables. The DeltaV system provides a set of standard faceplates for all the control module
types, and the design engineers can also create custom faceplates. As shown on the figure below, there are two bar
graphs on the faceplate for a PID control loop: the graph on the right shows the process variable, and the graph on the
left shows the output. The arrows show the limits of the process variable and the output.

Operator Basics 11
Detail Display - A detail display is another kind of pop-up picture. It shows more of the module details (parameter
limits, tuning constants, alarm information and diagnostic messages) than the faceplate. With the proper security
clearance, operators can use the detail display to manipulate some of the values. Normally, a detail display is used to
perform unexpected functions. An example of a PID control loop detail display is shown below.

12 Operator Basics
Tuning Trend - A tuning trend is a pop-up picture that displays a one-second trend of the main operating parameters
(process variable, setpoint, and output) commonly used to tune a control loop. No data is saved by the trend picture;
the trend starts when the picture is opened and ends when it is closed. An example of a PID control loop trend is
shown below.

Alarm list picture - The alarm list picture displays up to 250 active alarms in the areas within the operator's span of
control. This picture is used to view and acknowledge active alarms either individually or as a group. Acknowledged
alarms are removed from the picture. Different colors are used to indicate an alarm's priority. The alarm priority
(critical, warning, advisory) affects the order in which the alarm appears in this picture and in the alarm banner. From
the alarm list picture, an operator can open the area select picture.
Area select picture - The area select picture lets you select the area(s) from which you want to see active alarms. For
alarms within your span of control, you can see all alarms, alarms for a single area, and all alarms within a unit.

Operator Basics 13
Toolbar Button Help

The best way to learn what each toolbar button does is to click the on the toolbar to open the toolbar help.

Tool Tips are enabled for the toolbar buttons. A tool tip is a short description of the button that pops up when the user
pauses the cursor over the button. Here is the tool tip for the Exit button.

14 Operator Basics
Alarm Banner Help

The best way to learn about the alarm banner is to click the on the alarm banner to open the alarm banner help.
Doing so opens the following display.

Working with Pictures

Inside this topic
Opening Main Pictures
Replacing Main Pictures
Opening Pop-up Pictures
Printing Pictures
This chapter explains how to perform basic tasks such as opening and replacing main pictures, moving between main
pictures, using the next and previous buttons and the picture history list, printing pictures, and opening pop-up
pictures.

Operator Basics 15
Opening Main Pictures

When you open a main picture, you replace one main picture with another. Click the Open Main Picture toolbar
button to open the Replace Main Picture dialog box. You'll see a list of the main pictures in the center of this dialog
box. To scroll through the pictures, click the up and down arrows on the right side of the dialog box or click the scroll
bar, hold down the mouse button, and drag the scroll bar up and down. Select the picture that you want to open, and
click the Enter button. In this example, the AlmSupp picture is selected.

Replacing Main Pictures

There are a few other ways to replace the main picture. In addition to using the Open Main Picture toolbar button, you
can use one of the following:
• the Main History list
• the Open Last Display button
• the Previous and Next buttons

The Main History List

The Main field on the toolbar lists the name of the current picture. In the example below, the current picture name is
OVERVIEW.

By clicking the down arrow next to the Main field, you can open a list of pictures, called the Main History List. The
contents of the list may be different, depending upon how the engineers who designed the operator displays have
decided to set up the list. The list may be either the names of the pictures most recently visited or a predetermined list
of pictures selected by the design engineers.

16 Operator Basics
To open the Main History List:
1 Click the down arrow next to the picture name in the Main field to expand the list.

2 Click on a picture name in the list to move to that picture.

There are three buttons at the top of the Main History List: the pushpin keeps the Main History List open after a
selection is made; the lock button locks the list so that it does not change; and the close button closes the list. The
pushpin is a toggle switch. The best way to learn how these buttons work is simply to experiment with them.

The Open Last Display Button

Another way to move between main pictures is to use the Open Last Display button. Click this button to replace the
current main picture with the last opened main picture.

The Previous and Next Buttons

The Previous and Next buttons may be available, usually in the upper left corner of the main window. These are two
of the five buttons that appear on the main template used to create operator pictures. The engineers who created the
picture may have defined a specific sequence for viewing pictures. If so, the Previous and Next buttons can be used to
move backward or forward through that predefined picture sequence. If such a sequence was not defined, the buttons
were most likely deleted from the display.

Operator Basics 17
Opening Pop-Up Pictures
In addition to the Previous and Next buttons, three other standard buttons may be available (usually in the upper left
hand corner) on pictures created with the main template. Again, the availability of these buttons depends on how the
pictures were designed. If available, these buttons can be used to open pop-up pictures (faceplates, detail displays,
and primary control pictures) for a specific data link or module on the current picture. You must first select the
module or data link on the operator picture and then click one of these buttons to open the related pop-up picture.

Opens the faceplate for the selected

module or data link

Opens the detail display for the selected

module or data link

Opens the primary control picture for the

selected module or data link

Printing Pictures

You can send the electronic version of the picture that is currently displayed on your desktop to a printer.
1 Click the Printer button on the main toolbar to open the Print dialog box.
2 Click the down arrow in the Name field and select the printer.
3 Click the OK button to send the picture to the printer that you selected.

Responding to Alarms
Inside this topic
Alarm Buttons
Absolute and Deviation Alarms
Alarm Priorities
The Alarm Banner
Alarms on Faceplates and Detail Displays
The Alarm List Picture
Suppressing Alarms
The Alarm Suppress Picture
Filtering Alarms by Area
Saving Runtime Alarm Information
The DeltaV System provides both audible and visible indications when a module (or fieldbus device) goes into an
alarm condition. Depending upon the severity of the problem, you might hear an alarm horn (audible indication) or
see visual alarm information on the Alarm Banner or on graphical displays such as the module faceplate, detail
display, and the alarm list picture. These audible and visual cues persist until you respond to them.

18 Operator Basics
To respond to a single alarm parameter:
• Select the alarm parameter data link.
• Click the Acknowledge Alarm button. (See the alarm buttons below for more information.)
To acknowledge all alarm parameters on the picture in the main window, click the Acknowledge Alarm button in the
Alarm Banner.

Note If a fieldbus device has an active alarm and you must delete or decommission the device, download the device
port before deleting or decommissioning the device. If you do not download the port first, the alarm remains after the
device has been deleted or decommissioned.

Alarm Buttons
DeltaV Operate includes the following standard buttons related to alarms. These buttons may appear on more than
one type of display and in the DeltaV Operate standard toolbar.

Acknowledge Alarm - This button is displayed in the Alarm Banner. It also appears in the faceplate and
detail displays for the standard modules. If you select this icon in the Alarm Banner, the system acknowledges all the
unacknowledged alarms in the main process graphic. Only those alarm parameters that are part of the graphic are
acknowledged.
For example, module LIC-XYZ has two active alarms, HI and LO, but only HI is included in the primary control
display for the module. If LO is one of the highest priority alarms in the Alarm Banner, clicking the button for the LO
alarm in the banner opens the primary control display for LIC-XYZ. However, note that when you click the
Acknowledge Alarm button in the Alarm Banner, LO is not acknowledged because it is not part of the primary
graphic for the module.
When you select this icon in a faceplate or detail display for a standard module, the system acknowledges all of the
unacknowledged alarms for the module even if they are not included in the display.

Alarm Filter - This button appears in the DeltaV Operate standard toolbar. Clicking the Alarm Filter button
opens the Alarm Filter picture, which filters alarms in up to 250 areas in the DeltaV system. See Filtering Alarms by
Area, later in this topic, for more information.

Alarm List - This button appears in the toolbar window at the top of the Operate desktop. Clicking this
button displays a list of all the active alarms the current workstation is monitoring for the current user.

Alarm Suppress - This button is displayed in the Alarm Filter picture, when an alarm has been suppressed
and in the DeltaV Operate standard toolbar. Clicking the Alarm Suppress button opens the Operator Suppressed
Alarm picture, which lists all of the suppressed alarms.
You can un-suppress alarms from the Operator Suppressed Alarm picture as needed. However, when you un-suppress
an alarm, that alarm is no longer accessible from the Operator Suppressed Alarm picture. If you want to suppress that
alarm again, you must return either to the display or to wherever you originally suppressed that alarm.

Operator Basics 19
 Diagnostics - This button is displayed in the Alarm Banner and shows the Communications Integrity status.
The two indicators in the top row indicate the primary network integrity. The two indicators in the second row
indicate the secondary network integrity. The indicator color means:
• Green - Good
• Red - Bad
• Blank - Not configured
Overall Communication Link Integrity (OLInteg) is Bad when all connections to this node are Bad. Overall
Communication Connections Integrity is Bad if any connection is Bad. Clicking the Diagnostics button launches
diagnostics, which provides more detailed information.

Silence Horn - Clicking this button stops the horn but does not acknowledge the alarm. If new alarms
become active, the horn sounds again.

Disable Horn/Enable Horn - When disabled, new alarms do not cause the horn to sound. This
setting is a parameter of the current user's session. When a new user logs on, the horn is enabled.

Note AREA_A must be assigned to the Alarms and Events subsystem of the workstation or remote client session for
the Silence Horn and Disable/Enable Horn buttons to function. Only then can a user with sufficient privilege silence
or disable the horn.

Node Status Horn Disabled - This icon is visible when the Node Status horn sound is set to No Sound (that
is, the horn is disabled). The Node Status horn sound can be enabled/disabled from the Node Status Picture.

Node Status - This button is displayed in the Alarm Banner. This button is not displayed if the Batch
Operator Interface is running. Clicking the Node Status button launches the Node Status picture, which provides
information on your node (for example, current status and time of last status change or download as well as whether
or not its alarms have been acknowledged).

Absolute and Deviation Alarms

There are two different types of alarms for analog values: absolute and deviation alarms.
Absolute Alarms
An absolute alarm monitors a particular parameter (typically the PV) to determine if it exceeds a specific value
known as the "trip point." The trip point is the monitored value at which the alarm becomes active. In DeltaV,
absolute alarms can be configured as low low, low, high, and high high. For low low and low alarms, the alarm trips
or becomes active when the monitored value is less than the alarm trip point. Similarly, for high and high high alarms,
the alarm becomes active when the monitored value is greater than the alarm trip point.
Deviation Alarms
A deviation alarm becomes active (is tripped) when the value of the difference between the monitored value and the
setpoint or reference value exceeds the value of the deviation alarm trip point. When the difference is greater than the

20 Operator Basics
trip point, the alarm is a deviation high alarm. When the difference is less than the trip point, the alarm is a deviation
low alarm.

Alarm Priorities
Each alarm has a priority assigned to it. There are three alarm priorities (CRITICAL, WARNING, and ADVISORY)
and a special LOG event that is recorded in the Event Chronicle but does not show up on the Alarm Banner, Alarm
List, or the graphical displays. The priority determines the color of the alarm on the Alarm Banner, faceplate and
detail display, and the Alarm List picture. Note that the default alarm colors may have been changed by the
configuration engineers.

Alarm Priority Alarm Color (Default Setting)

CRITICAL Red

WARNING Yellow

ADVISORY Purple

LOG Blue

The engineer who configures the alarm determines if a horn sound is associated with a CRITICAL, WARNING, and
ADVISORY alarm and the type of sound. For example, a beep and a buzz-type sound are typical horn sounds. There
is no horn sound for a LOG event.

The Alarm Banner

Alarms are most visible on the Alarm Banner that appears at the bottom of the Operate desktop. Here is an example
of an Alarm Banner.

Operator Basics 21
Alarms are shown in the alarm banner in priority order, with the most recent, highest priority alarm on the left. The
Alarm Banner is reserved for the highest priority alarms. The importance of an alarm is determined by the following
criteria:
• Unacknowledged alarms are more important than acknowledged alarms.
• For alarms with equal acknowledgement status, the priority (CRITICAL, WARNING, and ADVISORY)
determines the importance. CRITICAL is the most important and ADVISORY is the least important.
• For alarms with equal acknowledgement status and equal status, the controller uses the timestamp to
determine the importance. The most recent alarms are the most important.
The horn is not sounded if a low priority alarm is not eligible to be shown on the alarm banner. The eligibility is
determined by defining the alarm threshold initialization (gn_ProcessAlarmThreshold) in the UserSettings picture.
For more information, refer to The User_Ref and UserSettings Pictures.
Highest Priority Alarm Buttons
The large buttons notify you of the highest priority alarms that have been activated. The name of the control module
whose associated alarm has been tripped appears on the button. Click the alarm button to open the associated
faceplate and primary control display for that alarm. (It is possible that the engineer did not configure a primary
control display for the alarm and you will receive a message indicating that no primary control picture has been
configured.) The two buttons on the Alarm Banner tell you if the faceplate or primary control graphic has been
disabled for the alarm. Both of these displays cannot be disabled at the same time.
Extended Information Button
Click the i button to the right of each alarm to see more detailed information about that alarm. Information such as the
time the alarm occurred, the module description, the alarm parameter, and the alarm priority appear in this extended
information line that runs across the bottom of the screen.
Acknowledge All Button
The Acknowledge All button on the Alarm Banner acknowledges all the alarms in the main window. There is an
Acknowledge All button on the faceplate that acknowledges all the alarms for that point only.

Alarms on Faceplates and Detail Displays

Graphical displays such as faceplates and detail displays are customizable and can differ from one plant to another.
However, the alarm colors described in Alarm Priorities hold true for most graphical displays and, typically, alarm
values blink when they are not acknowledged. The following sections describe the alarm information on module
faceplates and detail displays.

22 Operator Basics
There are several ways to open graphical displays such as faceplate and detail displays for a module.

Select the data link and click the Faceplate button on the five-button toolbar
that appears on pictures created with the main template. (You can also click
the Faceplate button on the main toolbar and enter the name of the module.)

Click the module alarm button on the Alarm Banner to open the faceplate and,
if configured, the primary control picture for the module.

There are three ways to open a detail display:

• Select the data link and click the Detail Display button on the five-button
toolbar that appears on pictures created with the main template.
• Click the Detail Display button on the main toolbar and enter the name of
the module.
• Click the Detail Display button on the bottom row of a faceplate.

There are some clear differences in how alarms are presented on analog module faceplates and discrete module
faceplates.

Operator Basics 23
Analog Module Faceplates
Here is a sample analog module faceplate:

Alarm indications
This is a scrollable list of the current alarms that functions like the first two columns of an alarm summary. The first
column shows the state of the alarm represented by one of the following symbols:
• Active/unacked -- blank field
• Active/acked -- checkmark
• Inactive/unacked -- empty box
The second column is the alarm name or parameter. The text and colors are as configured for the alarm's current state.

24 Operator Basics
Acknowledge This Point Only Button
Click the rightmost button on the faceplate to acknowledge all the alarms for this point only. (Remember that on the
Alarm Banner this button acknowledges all alarms in the main picture.) The alarm stops blinking when it is
acknowledged.
Alarm Trip Value
The alarm trip value or point appears as a small arrowhead in the color of the alarm priority. The arrowhead points to
the alarm trip value on the PV (Process Variable) bar graph. For high alarms, a PV above the trip value activates the
alarm; for low alarms, a PV below the trip value activates the alarm.

Operator Basics 25
Discrete Module Faceplates
Here is a sample discrete module faceplate.

A discrete module faceplate can have only one alarm indicator, labeled DA for discrete alarm. Discrete modules have
no associated detail display; the parameters typically found on a detail display are included on the module.

26 Operator Basics
Device Alarm Faceplates
Fieldbus devices that support PlantWeb alerts have a faceplate that enables the user to suppress the alarms for the
device and set the priority for each alarm. Suppressing Device Alarms later in this topic, provides more information.

Asset Optimization Alarm Faceplates

External mechanical assets and optimization assets that support PlantWeb alerts have a faceplate that enables the user
to suppress the alarms for the asset. Suppressing External Asset Optimization Alarms later in this topic, provides
more information.

Analog Module Detail Displays

Here is a sample detail display for an analog module.

The detail display for an analog module shows the actual alarm trip values as well as their priority assignment.
Operators with proper privileges can modify the trip value and adjust the priorities.

Operator Basics 27
The Alarm List Picture

The Alarm List Picture displays up to 250 active alarms in areas within the operator's span of control. Use
this picture to view and acknowledge active alarms.
You can open the Alarm List picture from the DeltaV Operate toolbar and from the Alarm Filter picture.

To open the Alarm List picture from the DeltaV Operate toolbar, click or click and then select the
Alarm List picture (AlarmList).

Open the Area Select picture (click the Browse button ) to select the area for which you want to see active alarms.
You can acknowledge an alarm by clicking the Ack column for the alarm. You can open the Direct Access picture by
clicking on the Description column. For other alarm operations, select an alarm from the list and then use the buttons
and context menu on the Alarm List picture to work with the selected alarm. The Alarm List picture uses the Alarm
Summary Object to display the alarms. The functions available on the Alarm List picture are described in the DeltaV
Operate online help.

This picture shows the total number of active alarms, the number of unacknowledged and suppressed alarms for the
current area, and lists active alarms by:
• Ack - the acknowledged status.
• Time In - the time at which the alarm went active.
• Time Last - the time of the last state change.

28 Operator Basics
If an alarm is active, unacknowledged or suppressed when a controller switchover occurs, the alarm is regenerated
with a new Time Last value. The value of Time In is maintained.
• Unit - the name of the unit that owns the module that is in alarm.
• Module/Parameter - the name of the module that contains the alarm and the active alarm.
• Description - a description of the module.
• Alarm - an abbreviation or acronym such as COS (Change of State) or CFN (Change from Normal) that
appears when the alarm is active. The alarm word is a characteristic of the alarm type.
• Message - a message associated with the alarm. The format of the alarm message is determined by the alarm
type.
• Priority - a word, such as Critical, Warning, Advisory, or any user-configured priority that indicates the
importance of an event to the operator and the priority of the alarm at the workstation. The priority affects
the order in which the alarm appears in this picture and in the Alarm Banner.

Note If an alarm is active, unacknowledged or suppressed when a controller switchover occurs, the alarm is
regenerated with a new Time Last value. The value of Time In is maintained.

Suppressing Alarms
Generally you respond immediately to alarms. However, occasionally you might find that you are distracted by an
unimportant alarm to which you cannot immediately respond. The procedure for suppressing alarms depends on
whether the alarm is a process alarm, a device alarm, or an external asset optimization alarm.

Suppressing Process Alarms

Use the module's detail picture to temporarily suppress the alarm. Suppressing a process alarm removes it from the
Alarm Banner and Alarm List pictures. Then when you are ready to respond to it, unsuppress the alarm. In the default
DeltaV configuration, the user must have the Restricted Control key (assigned in the DeltaV User Manager) to
suppress process alarms.
To suppress an alarm:
1 Select the alarm parameter data link.

2 Click to open the Detail Display picture for the module.

3 In the Alarms area, check Supp for the alarm that you want to suppress.
In the following image, a Hi alarm with a priority of WARNING is suppressed.

Operator Basics 29
The suppressed alarm is removed from the Alarm Banner and Alarm List pictures and appears on the Alarm Suppress
(AlmSupp) picture.
To unsuppress an alarm, clear the check mark on the detail display, or open the Alarm Suppress picture and clear the
suppressed alarm.

Suppressing Device Alarms

For devices that support PlantWeb alerts, each alarm (COMM_ALM, FAILED_ALM, MAINT_ALM, and
ADVISE_ALM) may be activated by more than one condition, depending on the device. The DeltaV system enables
you to suppress device alarms in two ways:
• by suppressing the alarm through the device alarm faceplate
• by suppressing the conditions that can produce alarms

Note The suppression of alarm conditions is a device-level setting which you select from the Status/Conditions
dialog. This type of suppression prevents the device from reporting the associated alarm condition to the DeltaV
system. Suppression of alarms from the faceplate is a user-interface setting that prevents reported alarm conditions
from appearing in the alarm banner and alarm list.

Because alarms contain multiple conditions, suppressions at the alarm level will always override suppressions at the
condition level.
The following is an example of how alarm or condition suppression might be used.
A fieldbus device reports that it is due to be calibrated. The calibration due condition appears as a Maintenance
alarm in the Conditions dialog, and also in the DeltaV alarm banner and Event Chronicle. Because regular service is
scheduled for the following week, the user might choose to suppress all Maintenance alarms from that device using
the device faceplate. The alarm clears from the alarm banner and the Event Chronicle records that the alarm was
suppressed. The device does not generate a maintenance alarm until the alarm is unsuppressed.
Alternatively, the user could choose to suppress only the calibration due condition by checking the box above the
condition in the Conditions dialog for that device. If this was the only condition that caused the maintenance alarm,
the alarm will clear from the alarm banner and the Event Chronicle. However, if another condition in the maintenance
alarm activates, a new maintenance alarm is generated. The device will not generate a maintenance alarm because of
the calibration due condition until the condition is unsuppressed.
In both cases, the Status/Conditions dialog continues to display the condition as active.

Suppressing Device Alarms Through the Faceplate

The following image is a typical device alarm faceplate. The faceplate enables you to suppress and unsuppress each
alarm for the device individually. In the default DeltaV configuration, the user must have the Restricted Control key
to suppress device alarms.

30 Operator Basics
Device Alarms
Lists the device alarms. Each alarm may be caused by several device conditions. A check mark indicates that the
alarm has been acknowledged. Note that the engineers who configured the system may have configured some alarms
as automatically acknowledged.
Suppressed Alarms
Lists the suppressed alarms. Suppressing an alarm prevents activation of the alarm for all related device conditions.
You can suppress acknowledged alarms as long as they are active. When you unsuppress an alarm, it is automatically
acknowledged.

Suppressing Device Conditions

You can view and suppress individual conditions at the device level for devices that support PlantWeb alerts. To view
and suppress these conditions, click the detail button on the faceplate. Or, select the device in DeltaV Explorer and
right-click Status/Conditions. In the default DeltaV configuration, the user must have the Can Calibrate key (assigned
in the DeltaV User Manager application) to suppress device conditions.

Suppressing External Asset Optimization Alarms

External Asset Optimization alarms can be suppressed through the Asset Alarm faceplate. The following image is a
typical Asset Alarm Faceplate. With the exception of two items (DeltaV description and Asset name on server) this
faceplate is identical to the Device Alarm Faceplate. The faceplate enables you to suppress and unsuppress each
alarm. In the default DeltaV configuration, the user must have the Restricted Control key to suppress device alarms.

Operator Basics 31
The Alarm Suppress Picture
The Alarm Suppress picture displays up to 250 suppressed alarms in areas within the current user's span of control.
Use this picture to view suppressed alarms and to unsuppress alarms.

Note Downloading a controller will clear from the Alarm Suppress picture any alarms that were generated from that
controller. Those alarms will reappear in the Alarm List as Active/Unacknowledged Alarms with a newer timestamp.

Open the Alarm Suppress picture using either of the following ways:

• From the DeltaV Operate toolbar, click or click and then select AlmSupp.

• From the Alarm Filter picture, click from the top of the picture when suppressed alarms exist.
Suppressed alarms are listed by Module, Parameter, Description, Area, Unit and Time In. To unsuppress an alarm,
select the alarm and click the unsuppress button from the details toolbar.

Note You cannot use this picture to suppress an alarm. Use the Detail picture for the module that is in alarm to
suppress the alarm. For more information on suppressing alarms, refer to Suppressing Alarms, earlier in this topic

32 Operator Basics
From the Alarm Suppress picture, click to open the Area Select picture. Use the Area Select picture to select the
area(s) from which you want to see suppressed alarms.

Filtering Alarms by Area

Use the Alarm Filter button (displayed on the Alarm List picture and the Alarm Suppress picture) to open the
Alarm Filter picture. The Area Alarm Filtering (AlarmFilter) picture enables you to turn on the areas from which you
want to see alarms and to turn off the areas from which you do not want to see alarms. An area that has been turned
off is filtered.
Use the Alarm Filter picture to filter alarms in up to 100 areas in your DeltaV system by the following steps:
• Check the box next to an area to display that area's alarms in the Alarm Banner, the Alarm List picture, the
Alarm Suppress picture.
• Clear the check box to filter alarms by preventing that area's alarms from displaying in the Alarm Banner,
the Alarm List, the Alarm Suppress, and the Alarm Filter pictures.
• Click the All On button to see alarms from all areas that can be turned on. Click the All Off button to filter
(that is, to prevent from displaying) alarms from all areas.
• Click an alarm area to see detailed information (for example, time of alarm, module, description, parameter,
alarm description, and message) on the alarms for that area.
• Click the Description column in the detailed information area to open the Faceplate picture, the Primary
Control picture, or both pictures for that module. This is known as Alarm Direct Access. Two buttons in the
Alarm Banner enable and disable Alarm Direct Access.
The total count of unacknowledged alarms, active alarms, and suppressed alarms for an area that is checked is
displayed next to the plant area name. The total number of alarms, the number of unacknowledged alarms, and the
number of suppressed alarms are shown across the top of the area alarm details section.
Whenever an area is being filtered or an alarm is being suppressed, an indicator appears on the Alarm Acknowledge
button on the Alarm Banner, as shown in the following table.

Indicates that one or more areas are being

filtered out.

Indicates that one or more alarms are

being suppressed.

Indicates that an alarm is being

suppressed and an area is being filtered.

Alarm filtering only affects what is seen through DeltaV Operate. It does not affect the Event Chronicle or the
association between workstations, users, and alarms that is defined in the DeltaV Explorer or the area keys assigned
in User Manager.

Operator Basics 33
Note Alarm filtering affects only the machine on which the filter settings were made and is independent of the user. If
you filter alarms and then log off the machine, the next user to log on will not see alarms from the areas that you
filtered.

Saving Runtime Alarm Information

Use the Export Alarm Summary to Xml button (displayed on the Alarm Summary control toolbar) to save a
complete list of alarms that meet the criteria of a particular alarm summary. The alarm summary itself is limited to
250 alarms. The alarm export saves the information for all relevant alarms currently reporting to the workstation. The
button is included on all standard alarm displays.
The export button provides a quick and easy way to generate a list of standing alarms based on the filter settings of an
alarm summary. This can be used for shift reports or for identifying potential alarm issues that require attention. The
alarm summary filters can be preconfigured in a display or modified at runtime by the Operator. The export can be
focused by Unit or be a general list of all alarms reporting to that workstation.

Note Alarm Summary controls placed in operator displays can be configured to include the Export Alarm Summary
to Xml button. The operation of the button on these controls is the same as explained here.

Clicking the button starts the export and passes the alarm summary's filter settings to the utility. A status box confirms
the export is in progress and remains on the screen for a maximum of 10 seconds. The status box does not interrupt
operation and you can click the Hide button to remove the popup immediately without affecting the alarm export.
When the button in an alarm list is clicked, all alarms that satisfy the summary's filter settings are exported to an xml
file in the directory \DeltaV\DVData\AlmSummary_export. The information exported is limited by the filters
currently in effect for the alarm summary.
The export xml files are given unique names in the form workstation_name_YYYY-MM-DD-timestamp.xml. For
example, an export created on workstation OPER_A might be named OPER_A_2008-05-06-133457.xml. A
maximum of 50 automatically-named export files are kept on disk. The oldest export files are removed as new
exports are made. To save export files indefinitely, either rename them or move them to another directory.
To view and work with the exported files, you can open them in Microsoft Excel. The appearance of the export file
when opened in Excel is similar to the Alarm Summary list in the DeltaV software.

34 Operator Basics
Index F
filtering alarms by area 33
A
Alarm Banner 21 L
alarm banner 9 logging in to DeltaV Operate 5
alarm buttons 19 logging out of DeltaV Operate 7
alarm filter picture 33
Alarm List Picture 28
M
alarm priorities 21 main pictures 16
opening 16
alarm summary replacing 16
exporting 34
mouse 3
Alarm Suppress picture 32 using the 3
alarms 30, 32
absolute and deviation 20 O
detail display 22
opening main pictures 16
faceplate 22
filtering by area 33
responding to 18 R
saving info 34 replacing main pictures 16
suppressed 31
suppressing 29 run mode
using DeltaV Operate in 8
area 33
filtering alarms by 33
S
B starting DeltaV Operate 6

buttons suppressed alarms 31

toolbar 9 suppressing 29
alarms 29
D device alarms 30

DeltaV Operate
logging into 5 T
logging out of 7 taskbar 4
DeltaV Operate desktop 9 using to switch between windows 4

DeltaV Operate main window 9 toolbar buttons 9

DeltaV Operate run mode 8

W
DeltaV Operate toolbar 9
windows 4
desktop working with 4
DeltaV Operate 9
device alarms
suppressing 30

E
exporting alarm summary 34

Index 35
36 Operator Basics