Alert and Event Screen (AEScreen)

The alert and event panel (AEpanel) in WinCC OA is a standard panel and allows displaying alerts and events in table format.

The integrated split mode shows two tables with adjustable height. By default alerts are listed in the upper table and events in the lower table.

The AEpanel represents a flexible tool for displaying alerts and events in different configuration settings. For example, alerts in the open mode could be shown in the upper table events in the closed mode in the lower table.

The maximum height for both tables is predefined. The default proportion of the heights is 50/50 but can be changed with a slider or the appropriate buttons in favour of one or the other table. A table can be deactivated via a configuration panel. In this case, the full screen mode is active and only one query is executed resulting in a better performance.

The alert and event panel provides the following functions:

  • Free adjustment of the order and visibility of the columns
  • Different presentation modes: text colors for alert classes, font, background and foreground colors in the tables
  • Extensibility: New columns can be defined. Functions for calculation or functions as response to mouse clicks can be configured.
  • Comprehensive filter criteria can be configured for configuration

The alert and event panel can be displayed on several monitors simultaneously.

Alerts

Alert handling is used to handle changes of system states. A message (an alarm or a warning) is created via the alert handling when a data point value limit is exceeded or when a data point falls below a specified value. Messages contain information about the time and priority of the events (state changes.) Important messages that demand more or instant attention must be acknowledged.

Alerts result from value changes of an original or an online value) of a data point element (the value changes from one alert range of the data point to another). The alert ranges for the process variables are intervals of the WinCC OA range and are interconnected. They cover the WinCC OA range completely without any overlaps. Alert handling distinguishes between coming and going value changes for each area depending on the direction of the alert signal flow. Alerts are classified and indicated as "CAME" and "WENT" alerts.

The alerts table in the AEpanel, besides displaying the alerts, also makes provision for acknowledging alert when required.

Distributed systems

In distributed systems, the alerts from different systems as well as the connections to the different systems can be shown.

  • If the connection is lost between two systems when the alert and event panel is open, a message is shown.
CAUTION: The system name of the data points listed in the alert and event panel is only shown in a distributed system.

Events

If the original value of a data point leaf is overwritten due to state changes in a process, these changes are described as events. To obtain a better overview of these events, open the alert and event panel in the module VISION. The alert and event panel displays the occurred events in a table. In addition, further information on this data point element is provided in the table. Contrary to the alert table, the event table shows a set original value immediately when the value is entered. The areas, old values or value changes are not taken into account.

The AEpanel is located in the directory <wincc_oa_path>/panels/vision/aes/AEScreen.pnl.