Before starting the operator interface, the "main" program must be running on the main computer and, unless you are wanting to run the operator interface on the main computer, the "connect" program must be running on the computer from which you wish to run the operator interface.

The "main" program is generally opened by double-clicking on the icon corresponding to this, and sporting the title: "Woodgrove MAIN".  This icon would simply run the "main" program without any command line arguments, from the directory (folder/library) containing the database.  There are command line arguments that can be used, and these are described in the section of the TECHNICAL MANUAL titled: "Command Line Parameters".

Similarly, the "connect" program is generally opened by double-clicking on the icon corresponding to this, and sporting the title: "Woodgrove CONNECT".  This icon would simply run the "connect" program with two command line arguments, the IP address of the main computer and the port number to be used (usually 129).

Once the "main" and "connect" programs are running, you may start the operator interface.  You would, generally, do this by double-clicking on the icon corresponding to it, and sporting the title: "Woodgrove OPERATOR".  This icon would simply run the "winmain" program without any command line arguments, from the directory (folder/library) from which "main" or "connect" had been run.  There are command line arguments that can be used, and these are described in the section of the TECHNICAL MANUAL titled: "Operator Interface in Single Display Function Mode" and the section of the TECHNICAL MANUAL titled: "Automatic Logging On".

When the operator interface is run, it will be presented as a bar across the top of the screen, sporting a title and, below that, a minimal meny bar containing the single item "File" and, below that, three status panes.  The first of these will be used to present any messages that may need to be given the operator.  The next two indicate who is logged in (initially no one, so it is left blank) and the privilege level associated with that operator (0 to 3).

Once this application has been started, you can switch between this application and others that you might have open by a number of means including:

• Moving the mouse pointer to window title bar of another application (you may need to first minimise this application to view other windows), then clicking on it (or anywhere within the window),
• Moving the mouse pointer to the task-bar then clicking on the button describing the application you wish to switch to, and
• Holding down the [ALTERNATE] key as you type [TAB] a number of times until the icon, of the application to which you wish to switch, is highlighted.

As well as there being windows for alternate applications, the Movement Controller's application window may have a number of windows open within it.  You will need to switch between these windows as well, which you can do a number of ways, including:

• Moving the mouse pointer to window title bar of another window within the application, then clicking on it (or anywhere within the window - though this could cause an unintended action).
• Typing the function key corresponding to the window you wish to switch to.
• Holding down the [CONTROL] key as you type [TAB] a number of times until the window, to which you wish to switch, is presented in the foreground.
• Holding down both the [CONTROL] and [SHIFT] keys as you type [TAB] to take you back to the previous window.
• Typing the "`" (the back apostrohe, backtick, grave, back quote key) will switch focus to the main window, that which includes the "File" and "View" menu items, which can not be called up when cycling through the windows using the [CONTROL TAB] and [CONTROL SHIFT TAB] keys, but those keys can be used, subsequently,to return focus to one of the other windows.

This is generally achieved by moving the mouse to the window title, holding down the left mouse button and dragging the window to a new location.  The location of any main window - not dialogue windows and the like - will be remembered for the logged in user and used next time the window is created.

This is generally achieved by moving the mouse to an edge or corner of the window, where the mouse pointer image is changed to a both ways arrow.  You are to then hold down the left mouse button and drag the edge or corner so as to set the size you desire.  The size of any main window - not dialogue windows and the like - will be remembered for the logged in user and used next time the window is created.

The presentation of windows generally allows windows to overlap one another, with the result that one will be obscured by the other.  The obscured window is the "lower" window, while the other is the "upper".

It is, generally, sufficient to click any visible part of a window to raise it to the top.

Items, such as windows, buttons, scroll bars, et cetera, are collectively known as "widgets".  Also numbered among the widgets is what is known as a "drawing area".  Most main windows include this widget, and present within it a mixture of text and drawings.

Drawings and fields of text behave similarly to widgets, in that they to can receive "focus" (indicated by a change of background colour or the presence of a cursor), however this focus is independent of the widget focusing, as only one widget is focused at any one time, whereas within a single drawing area there may be a focused drawing, and associated with that focused drawing may be several lines of text, with one of the lines also focused.

There are two types of button presented by the Movement Controller.  The operating-system-painted buttons, which are rectangular (of varying sizes), very light grey, and inscribed, and the buttons depicted using uniform rectangular drawings on a drawing area, providing two lines of text, with the first character enlarged.

Both sets of buttons indicate how they can be pressed using the keyboard.  In the case of the operating-system-painted buttons this is usually explicit, whereas in the case of the button drawings, this is indicated by the first, enlarged, character presented in the button.

Both button types can also be clicked.  The operating-system-painted buttons will depress, and will indicate that it is in operation by remaining depressed, while the button drawings will change colour to indicate that they are in operation.

Certain buttons (of either type) perform opposite operations depending upon whether the [SHIFT] key is used or not.  The corresponding mouse behaviour to using the [SHIFT] key with typing, is to click the righthand button, rather than the left, though you can also hold down the [SHIFT] key while left-clicking the mouse to achieve the same thing.  Note, though, that you can not use right-clicking to emulate the [SHIFT] key modification of a typed key when that key is activating a menu item rather than a button; to emulate the [SHIFT] key modification, when clicking on a menu item, you must to hold the [SHIFT] key while left-clicking; right-clicking does nothing.

Throughout this manual the key strokes needed to perform certain operations are described.  There will typically be a operating-system-painted button, inscribed with the key-stroke (and further text if required) to perform the same function.

Most main windows are capable of providing a scroll bar if sized too small to present all the information.  These scroll bars are operated by a number of means, including:

• moving the mouse to the slider in the middle of the scroll bar and holding down the left mouse button, and dragging it either up and down or left and right depending on whether it is a horizontal or vertical scroll bar.
• moving the mouse to the area before or after the slider and clicking with the left mouse button, to advance the slider by a window width or height as the case may be.
• moving the mouse to the arrows at either end of the scroll bar and either clicking or holding down the left mouse button to advance the slider towards the arrow in finer increments (usually corresponding to a line or column).
• often the vertical scroll bars may be operated using the [PAGE UP], [PAGE DOWN], [CONTROL HOME], and [CONTROL END] keys to advance the slider up or down a page, or to the top or bottom of the file.  Often the horizontal scroll bars may be operated using the [CONTROL PAGE UP], [CONTROL PAGE DOWN], [HOME], and [END] keys, to advance the slider by a window width left or right, or to the extreme left or right.  However sometimes these keys serve other purposes for the windows and so are not available for this.  Other times there may be three or more scroll bars associated with a window, in many of these cases, there will be a horizontal and vertical scroll bar associated with one drawing area, and another pair associated with the second; in these cases the separate cursor and [HOME], [END], ...  keys can be used to control the scrollbars for the upper drawing area, and those on the numeric keypad can be used to control the other scrollbars.
• often the scroll bars may be operated directly or indirectly with the cursor control keys.  These keys may manipulate the position of a cursor (or reverse video field in many cases, or a drawing background colour in some other cases), however as the cursor is, typically, moved past the edge of the window, the slider may be advanced by a row or column as the case may be.  If the scroll bars can not be operated by the cursor keys, due to their use for other purposes, try holding the CONTROL key down whilst operating the cursor keys.
• if the mouse has a wheel, this can be used to operate the vertical scrollbar for the drawing area over which the mouse is positioned.  It is not necessary to click into the drawing area.  If it does not seem to operate, check where you have the mouse positioned.
• if the mouse has a wheel, this can be used to operate the horizontal scrollbar for the drawing area over which the mouse is positioned, by holding the [SHIFT] key down while working the wheel.  It is not necessary to click into the drawing area.  If it does not seem to operate, check where you have the mouse positioned.

The [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys may be used to move the cursor, backwards or forwards respectively, through the field to a position where you may wish to insert characters.

The [CONTROL LEFT] and [CONTROL RIGHT] keys may be used to move the cursor, backwards or forwards respectively, through the field, a word at a time, to a position where you may wish to insert characters.  In this context, a word is a contiguous sequence of alphabetic or numeric characters, all other characters are deemed space.

The [HOME] key can be used to move to the beginning of a field, while the [END] key can be used to move to the end of the field.

The cursor can also be placed at an artitary position in the field, by clicking there with the mouse.

Entries can then be edited by typing [BACKSPACE], to remove the portion to be reentered, then typing in the desired value.  Each time [BACKSPACE] is typed, it removes the character to the left of the cursor, moving the cursor one place left unless the cursor is at the beginning of the field, in which case, [BACKSPACE] has no effect.

After deleting the required characters, the replacement characters may be typed in, moving the cursor one place right, unless the cursor is at the end of the field, in which case the characters typed in have no effect.

The [CONTROL BACKSPACE] and [CONTROL DELETE] keys may be used to delete entire words from the cursor position, backwards or forwards respectively.  Again, in this context, a word is a contiguous sequence of alphabetic or numeric characters, all other characters are deemed space.

In modifying the field contents, you can make use of the "select, cut, and paste" function by first selecting a portion (or all) of the contents, then type a control character combination to either copy or cut it to the "clipboard".  The text copied to the clipboard can subsequently be pasted into another field, or, if you so desire, another application altogether such as an editor or word processor.

To do this, you need to, first, create a "selection".  A "selection" is a contiguous set of characters within the field, which you highlight to copy, delete or replace.

You can create a selection area within a field in a number of ways:

• position the cursor at the start of the area, and hold down the [SHIFT] key while using any of a number of keys, to move the cursor to the end of the area,
• double clicking with the mouse on a word to create a selection field about that word, or
• position the mouse at the start of the area, and hold down the left mouse button as you move the mouse to the end of the area,

A selection area is shown using a blue rather than a white background.

Once the "selection" has been defined (i.e. a shaded area in the entry field exists with some or all of the field contents included), these characters can be "copied" or "cut" to the "clipboard", or deleted.  "Copying" leaves the exisiting field contents in tact, whilst "cutting" removes the selection from the field.  In both these cases, the characters in the selection are written to the "clipboard".  The clipboard is a system-wide location from where these characters can be later retrieved by this or any other application.  If, instead of copying or cutting the characters, you decide to delete the characters, the characters will be removed from the field, just as they are when cut, but they are not copied to the clipboard, and so can not be redeemed.  If you type any regular character key while a selection is in effect, the characters within the selection are replaced by the character typed.

To do any of these actions:

• type [CONTROL C] to copy the contents of the selection area to a clipboard, for subseqent pasting elsewhere,
• type [BACKSPACE] or [DELETE] to delete the contents of the selection area,
• type any regular character key to delete the contents of the selection area and replace it with that character,
• type [CONTROL X] to copy the contents of the selection area to a clipboard, and to delete its contents from the field being edited.

To use the characters you have copied to the clipboard, position the cursor within this field, or some other field (generally the corresponding field for another record within the same database), at the point at which you require the characters to be inserted.  You can then type [CONTROL V] to redeem these characters.

The editor allows you to allocate upto three keys to each function and supports two modes of "select, cut and paste" in an attempt to allow the editor to be configured to roughly mimic your usual editor.

This section describes the method to display and set these assignments. While this may seem a rather esoteric point to embark on the description of the editor, we begin here so that you will be able to configure the editor to best match your previous experience, thereby reducing the level of learning required to use it.

If you press [F1], you will be presented with a list of the key assignments.

Below is a rough text-representation of this window:

Edit boolean file

Enter                1c0d e00d          Copy                 4e2b
Up                   4800 48e0          Cut                  4a2d
Down                 5000 50e0          Paste                5230
Left                 4b00 4be0          Skip word forward    7400 74e0
Right                4d00 4de0          Skip word backward   7300 73e0
Page Up              4900 49e0          Learn                2600 4100
Page Down            5100 51e0          Terminate            1400
Beg Line/Screen/File 4700 47e0          Execute              2d00 4200
End Line/Screen/File 4f00 4fe0          Repeat               1300
Insert Overstrike    5200 52e0          Quit                 1000  11b
Delete This Char     5300 53e0          Edit Macro File      1200
Delete Previous Char  e08               Set Up Keys          1f00 3b00
Delete To End Line   2500               Find                 3f00 2100
Delete Entire Line   2000 1519          Find Next            5900 3100
Select               532e               Find and Replace     4000
Select Up            4838               Edit Address Comment 1e00
Select Down          5032
Select Left          4b34
Select Right         4d36
Select Page Up       4939
Select Page Down     5133

Editing POCOLDMEine    1 Column  1   Insert

This displays the key assignments in two columns.  Each line of each column corresponds to one key function.  For each key function, the name of the function and the scan codes of upto three keys are displayed.  The three scan codes are displayed in three columns, with one scan code highlighted.

On the right of the fourth bottom line on the window, the scan code highlighted is explained.  In the above case, the highlighted scan code is 1c0d, with the text "Return" displayed in the lower right area of the window.

The cursor can be moved to each scan code position to present its translation or to change the key for the function.

If you are calling up this window for help rather than to alter the key assignments, you can have presented, next to each function description, one of the key descriptions for the function.  The key description presented will be dependent upon which column the highlighted scan code is in.  To call this up, type [F1] again.

Below is a rough text-representation of this window:

Edit boolean file

Enter                        Return     Copy                         Grey Plus
Up                           8/Up       Cut                          Grey Minus
Down                         2/Down     Paste                SHIFT   0/Insert
Left                         4/Left     Skip Word Forward    CONTROL 6/Right
Right                        6/Right    Skip Word Backward   CONTROL 4/Left
Page Up                      9/Page Up  Learn                ALTERN' L
Page Down                    3/Page DownTerminate            ALTERN' T
Beg Line/Screen/File         7/Home     Execute              ALTERN' X
End Line/Screen/File         1/End      Repeat               ALTERN' R
Insert Overstrike            0/Insert   Quit                 ALTERN' Q
Delete This Char             ./Delete   Edit Macro File      ALTERN' E
Delete Previous Char         BackSpace  Set Up Keys          ALTERN' S
Delete To End Line   ALTERN' K          Find                         F5
Delete Entire Line   ALTERN' D          Find Next            SHIFT   F6
Select               SHIFT   ./Delete   Find and Replace             F6
Select Up            SHIFT   8/Up       Edit Address Comment ALTERN' A
Select Down          SHIFT   2/Down
Select Left          SHIFT   4/Left
Select Right         SHIFT   6/Right
Select Page Up       SHIFT   9/Page Up
Select Page Down     SHIFT   3/Page Down

Editing POCOLDMEine    1 Column  1   Insert

To change the key assignment for a given function, move the highlight to the function, and across to the required scan code column, then type [ENTER], then type the key you wish to use for this function (or [SPACE] if you change your mind about wanting to change the key assignment).

Once you have finished interrogating or changing the key assignments, type [ESCAPE] to return to editing you file.

This function is the "Set Up Keys" function, which, according to the above screen dump, can be called up by typing [ALTERNATE S], whereas this section has instructed you to type the [F1] key to call up this function.  You will notice on the previous window that two scan codes were presented for this function, 1f00 and 3b00.  These scan codes correspond to [ALTERNATE S] and [F1] respectively.

Because of the flexibility of this editor, instructions for using it throughout the rest of the sections of the document will refer to the keys by their function.

Most keys, when typed, result in their associated ASCII character being added to the file's buffer and the appropriate character being displayed on the window at the cursor position, moving the cursor one place to the right.

The cursor may be moved about the window using the specified keys for the "Up", "Down", "Left" and "Right" functions, in the natural manner.

Pressing any of the keys specified for the "Enter" function, will move the cursor to the start of the next line, possibly scrolling the window upwards.

The cursor may be moved to the beginning or end of the current line by typing a key specified for "Beg Line/Screen/File" or "End Line/Screen/File" function respectively when not at the beginning or end of the line respectively.

The cursor may be moved to the beginning or end of the window by typing a key specified for the "Beg Line/Screen/File" or "End Line/Screen/File" function respectively when at the beginning or end of the line respectively but not at the beginning or end of the window respectively.

The cursor may be moved to the beginning of the current string of characters (or if already there to the beginning of the previous string) by typing a key specified for the "Skip Word Backward".

The cursor may be moved to the beginning of the next string of characters by typing a key specified for the "Skip Word Forward".

The window displays only a portion of the file.  The window can be made to view other portions of the file by typing any of the keys specified for the "Page Up" and "Page Down" functions to move the window a numner of lines up or down the file.

The window may be moved to the beginning or end of the file by typing a key specified for "Beg Line/Screen/File" or "End Line/Screen/File" function respectively when at the beginning of the first line on the window or at the end of the last line on the window respectively.

A further means of cursor and window movement may be achieved using the find functions.

After typing any of the keys for the "Find" function, you will be prompted to enter the text you wish to find.  When you terminate this entry, an attempt will be made to find the specified text.

The search is conducted from the cursor position to the end of the file.  In matching the text to the file, the case of letters is ignored.

If the text is not found, a message to this effect will be presented, which you will be required to acknowledge by typing any key.

Had the text been found, the cursor and window will be relocated within the file to this text.

Once the text has been searched for once, a further search may be initiated by typing one of the keys for the "Find Next" function.

You can ask the editor to replace one, several or all occurrences of a specified text string with another by typing one of the keys for the "Find and Replace" function.

In response, you will be prompted to enter the text you wish to find and then the text you wish to replace it with.  When you terminate the second entry (the replacement text), an attempt will be made to find the first specified text.

The search is conducted from the cursor position to the end of the file.  In matching the text to the file, the case of letters is ignored.

As each occurrence is found, the text will be highlighted and the prompt, "Replace/No/Global <R/N/G>", will be presented.  Enter "R" to replace the highlighted text, "N" to skip to the next occurrence or "G" to replace this and all subsequent occurrences.  Alternatively you can quit from the replace cycle by typing [ESCAPE].

Normally as characters are being typed and the cursor is moving to the right, the text previously at the cursor position is advanced with the cursor, inserting the new characters between it and the character that was previously to the left of the cursor.

Also, when typing one of the keys for the "Enter" function, before the cursor is relocated to the beginning of the next line, the lines below the cursor are moved down by one line and any characters to the right of the cursor will be relocated to the start of the new line.

In overtype mode, the character at the cursor position is replaced by the new character entered.  The cursor still moves one place to the right.

Also, when typing one of the keys for the "Enter" function, only the cursor is relocated; all the text remains where it is.

This mode is toggled between insert and overtype each time one of the keys corresponding to the "Insert Overtype" function is typed.  The current mode is displayed just left of the centre of the third last line on the window.

The character at the cursor may be deleted by typing one of the keys for the "Delete This Char" function.  The cursor will be unmoved, and any text to the right of the cursor will be moved one place left.

The character to the left of the cursor may be deleted by typing one of the keys for the "Delete Previous Char" function.  The cursor will be moved to the left, and any text at or to the right of the cursor will be moved one place left.

The remainder of the line, from the character the cursor is at to the end of the line, may be deleted by typing one of the keys for the "Delete To End Line" function.  The cursor will be unmoved.

The line the cursor is on may be deleted by typing one of the keys for the "Delete Entire Line" function.  The cursor will be unmoved, and any lines below the cursor will be moved up by one line.

There are two methods of "Select, Cut and Paste" employed.  Using the first method, you explicitly flag the beginning of the selection, using one of the keys for the "Select" function, then move the cursor/window to the point in the file at which you wish to end the selection. Refer the sections titled: "Cursor Movement", "Screen Movement", and "Find".

You can then either delete the selection (by typing one of the keys for the "Delete This Char" function), copy it to the "paste" buffer (by typing one of the keys for the "Copy" function), or cut it - copy it then delete it - to the "paste" buffer (by typing one of the keys for the "Cut" function).

Using this first method, you can cancel a selection by again typing one of the keys for the "Select" function.

Using the second method, you flag the beginning of the selection the first time you type a key corresponding to one of the following "Select and Move" functions to extend or reduce the selection:

• Select Up       

  moves the end of the selection up by one line

• Select Down     

  moves the end of the selection down by one line

• Select Left     

  moves the end of the selection left by one character

• Select Right    

  moves the end of the selection right by one character

• Select Page Up  

  moves the end of the selection up by twenty-two lines

• Select Page Down

  moves the end of the selection down by twenty-two lines

The selection can then be deleted, copied or cut as described for the first method.

Using this second method, you can cancel a selection by typing one of the keys for the "Cursor Movement" or "Screen Movement" functions. Refer the sections titled: "Cursor Movement", and "Screen Movement".

When using either method, the text within the selection will be highlighted.

After copying or cutting a selection to the "paste" buffer, you would normally move the cursor to another point in the file, then insert the copied or cut text at this point by typing one of the keys for the "Paste" function.

Sometimes it is necessary to repeat a given sequence of key strokes an inordinate number of times when editing a file.  To alleviate this, the editor may be instructed to remember these key strokes and to play them back time and time again.

To start the recording of key strokes, type one of the keys for the "Learn" function.  Then proceed to type the keys you wish recorded; as you do this the keys will be treated normally, resulting in the expected changes to the file and window.

During this phase, the text "Learning" will be displayed alongside the "Insert" or "Overstrike" text in the third bottom line of the window.

Once you have completed the sequence of key strokes, type one of the keys for the "Terminate" function.

You should take particular care of how you start and end the sequence, especially if you wish it to be executed a number of times in succession.

To replay this sequence, type one of the keys for the "Execute" function.

The sequence can be terminated and executed immediately by typing one of the keys for the "Execute" function in place of typing one of the keys for the "Terminate" function.

During the execution of the sequence, the text "Executing" will be displayed alongside the "Insert" or "Overstrike" text in the third bottom line of the window.

The editor may be instructed to repeat any key stroke a given number of times by first typing one of the keys for the "Repeat" function, then entering the number of times the key stroke is to be repeated, then typing the key to be repeated.

The key to be repeated may be one of the keys for the "Execute" function, allowing you to execute the key-sequence macro a given number of times.

During the execution of the repeated key strokes, the number of iterations remaining is displayed further to the right of the "Insert" or "Overstrike" text than the "Learning" or "Executing" text on the third bottom line of the window.

To leave the editor, type one of the keys for the "Quit" function.  Any changes you have made will be written to both the file and the database.

At the top of each of the windows is a legend that indicates which of the keys are active and what function they perform.  On all these windows, [RETURN] is equivalent to the first key listed. [ENTER] will behave similarly, however, when used to select a record [ENTER] will select the highlighted record directly, whereas [RETURN] will request the record designation from you, while offering the highlighted record as the default.  As well as being able to type the key, you may click the mouse on that part of the legend.

The body of the window contains a number of lines of data, each line comprising a related set of data fields (known as a record).  There will be a horizontal scroll bar provided, in case the entire record is too long to fit on a window.  The [HOME] key will move the scroll bar to the extreme left, while [END] will move the scroll bar to the extreme right.

The lines of data are divided into fields, of varying widths.  If a given field width is sufficient, as many words from that field's prompt as will fit, will be presented at the top of the column as a heading.  The next paragraph throws light on how to interpret the data in the remaining columns.  If there is insufficient space to present the entire prompt in the column heading, you can move to mouse pointer to that column heading an a tooltip will be displayed that presents the full database prompt, along with, should your "Database" record set be defined to include the "Database name for "Where"" field, the database name for the "Where" field.  The "Where" field is described in the section titled: "Viewing Data" and its subsection "Records Satisfying an Expression".

If the display is restricted to records containing certain text (see "Given Text in Any Field ([CONTROL F])") or to those satisfying a given expression (see "Records Satisfying an Expression"), then the tooltip that is presented when the mouse pointer is positioned above the extreme left of the column heading (the horizontal scrollbar will need to be all the way left) will show either the first or the second of these restrictions instead of the details relating to the first field.  Generally, the details relating to the first field will still be available as a tooltip if you move the mouse a little further right.

One of the records will be shown differently to the rest and one of the fields of this record will be shown differently to the others in this record.  These are referred to as the "highlighted record" and the "highlighted field" respectively.  The prompt as well as the data associated with the highlighted field are displayed at the bottom of the window. [UP] and [DOWN] may be used to highlight the previous or next record respectively, while [LEFT] and [RIGHT] may be used to highlight the previous or next field respectively.

The [PAGE UP] and [PAGE DOWN] may be used to move the window through the file in the indicated direction to view records that do not fit on one page. There will be a vertical scroll bar provided, and [CONTROL PAGE UP] may be used to return the window to the top of the file, while [CONTROL PAGE DOWN] may be used to move the window directly to the end of the file.

If a field is a "Key" field, having a set of fields associated with it, these may, optionally, be shown as well.  Typing "E" will cause these associated fields, if not already displayed, to be displayed, or, if already displayed, not to be displayed. This is referred to as expanding or contracting the field.

When expanded, a symbolic field, if also a "Key" field, will be followed by the field it references.  This will appear as a duplication.  Refer to the section titled: "Key".

You can restrict the display, so that only certain records, which pass some criteria, will be presented.

Given Text in Any Field ([CONTROL F])

Given Text in a Field (Restrict/Match)

A Run of Records (First/Last)

A Given Group in Linked Lists

Records Satisfying an Expression

This applies to the "linked list" databases only.  These databases are indicated by the menu item "Group" in the menu bar.

The object here is to gather together records from within a single group within the linked-list database, into a "selection", and to relocate this "selection" within the group.  Subsequently, you can "copy" or "cut" the "selection" in order to "paste" it into another group; this will be covered in the next section titled: "Copy or Cut from Linked Lists".

It is important to understand the distinction between a "selection" of records, as described here, and a "collection" of records, as described in the section titled: "Multiple Record Editing (Kollecting)".  In each case, multiple records are highlighted, and the operation of the "Change" and "Select" for editing functions (see "Changing the Field Contents" and "Editing the Entire Record and Deleting") will serve to affect all records in either the selection or the collection.  The important difference is that including a record in a selection, reorders that record in the record set, whereas including a record in a collection does not affect its position in a record set.  You should be using this feature, primarily, if it is your intention to reorder the records.

In this section and the next, we will use the terms "select", "copy", "cut", and "paste".  These terms date from the earliest word processors, and were used to relate these electronic manipulations to the editing a paper document by cutting out words and pasting them elsewhere.

Before proceeding further, you must first restrict the display to a single "group" by typing "G" then entering the designation of that "group".  For further details, please refer to the section titled: "A Given Group in Linked Lists".

You can then define a "selection" by either highlighting a record and then typing [CONTROL M], or else you can hold down the [CONTROL] key as you click on a record.

Now that a "selection" is defined, it may be extended.  You can do this by holding down either the [SHIFT] or [CONTROL] key and clicking on other records from the same list.  You can also use the [UP] and [DOWN] keys to highlight other records, then hold down [SHIFT] or [CONTROL] while typing "M".

If you use the [SHIFT] key, and the record is above or below the "selection", then all intervening records will be added to the "selection".  If the record is at the bottom of the "selection", the "selection" will be disolved.  If the record is within or at the top of the "selection", the "selection" will be reduced to include only those records from the record to the top of the "selection".

If you use the [CONTROL] key, and the record is above or below the "selection", then the "selection" will be moved to the record and the record will be added to the bottom of the "selection".  If the record is at the top of the "selection", the "selection" will move its top down by one record, releasing the top record from the "selection".  If the record is within or at the bottom of the "selection", the record will be repositioned at the bottom of the "selection", then the bottom of the selection will be raised by one record, releasing this record from the "selection".

You can also create a "selection" by positioning on a record, and holding down the [SHIFT] key, as you click on another record.  In this instance, all records from the record positioned on initially, to the record you clicked on with the [SHIFT] key down, will be included in the "selection".

Also [CONTROL A] (for "add") is equivalent to [CONTROL M], and [CONTROL E] (for "extend") is equivalent to [SHIFT M].

Also, you can extend the "selection" by highlighting a record at one end of the "selection", then typing [SHIFT SEPARATE UP] or [SHIFT SEPARATE DOWN] to add its neighbour, in the corresponding direction, to the "selection".  If the direction is towards the inside of the "selection", then, highlighted record will be released from the "selection" and its neighbour is unaffected.  If you do not have sufficient privilege to create "collections" (see the section titled: "Multiple Record Editing (Kollecting)"), or a "copying" or "cutting" region is defined (see the section titled: "Copy or Cut from Linked Lists"), and no "collection" is defined, then these keystrokes can also be used to start the definition of a "selection".

Once the records to be moved are in the "selection", these records can be moved by clicking on another position within the list, without using either [SHIFT] nor [CONTROL].  If the position is above the "selection", the top of the "selection" will be moved to the position that record was occupying, and the record, and all below it, will be moved down to make room for it.  If the position is below the "selection", the bottom of the "selection" will be moved to the position that record was occupying, and the record, and all above it, will be moved up to make room for it.

Also, once a "selection" has been defined, the changing field contents and editing of entire record operations will be altered.  The data presented will be blank or zero, unless all records in the "selection" share the same value for a given field.  If a field is altered, you will be prompted, upon closing the dialogue, to confirm that all records in the "selection" are to have their corresponding field altered to this value.  Also upon closing the dialogue, any restrictions on the field that was the subject of the change, or all fields, if editing the entire record, will be removed.  Please note, that, unless all records agree with the value of a given field, that field can not be edited to blank or zero.

Please also bear in mind that, if the prompt specifies a range of numbers that does not begin at zero, zero will be presented as a non-zero number.  For example, the prompt, "How many in pack <1-4>" will present 0 as "1", 1 as "2", and so on, as zero corresponds to the lowest value in the range, in this case "1".  There might also be other data presentations where zero is not presented as a blank field.

After the move, the "selection" remains in place.  You will need to explicitly release the "selection".  This can be done as mentioned in passing earlier, or by right clicking, or by typing [CONTROL U].

This applies to the "linked list" databases only.  These databases are indicated by the menu item "Group" in the menu bar.

The object here is to use the "selection" already defined, to be the basis for the creation of a duplicate set of records in this or another group of this linked-list database.  You must, therefore, first define a "selection". Please refer to the section titled: "Move Up/Down in Linked Lists".

Having defined a "selection", you can mark it as the base for "copying", by typing [CONTROL C], or for "cutting" by typing [CONTROL X].  Initially there is no difference between "copying" and "cutting", except that the records are presented in different colours.  When you later go to "paste" the records elsewhere, had they been marked for "copying", the original records will be left alone and copies of them made at the location of the "paste".  On the other hand, had they been marked for "cutting", the original records will be relocated to the location of the "paste".

Once a "copy" is defined, the records constituting it may be copied to other parts of this group or to other groups.  First, you will need to highlight the position at which you wish the records to be pasted.  If this location is within another group, you will need to switch to this group by typing "G" then entering the designation of that "group".  For further details, please refer to the section titled: "A Given Group in Linked Lists".

After highlighting the location at which you wish the records to be relocated or copied to, type [CONTROL V] to paste the records.  After the paste, the "copy" is released.  You may explicitly release the "copy", by right clicking, or by typing [CONTROL U].

To change the contents of a particular field, highlight the target field of the target record then type "C", or click on the "Change" menu item, then enter the new contents.

If the record has been expanded, take care to distinguish between the symbolic field and the following referenced field. Changing the contents of the former selects a different referenced field and hence a different referenced "Set of Fields".

Changing the contents of the latter changes the contents of the referenced field leaving the symbolic field still referencing the same referenced "Set of Fields".  The change to the referenced field will be reflected as an apparent change to the symbolic field.

To select a record for editing, type "S", or [RETURN], or click on the "Select" menu item, then enter the specification of the required record.  The specification will default to the highlighted record, so an alternative method is to highlight the required record, then type "S", then [ENTER], or [RETURN] sufficiently often to accept the default, or just double click on the record in question.

Once selected, a new dialogue window is opened, presenting this record as a "Set of Fields".  This data may now be modified as required.  Refer to the section titled: "Set of Fields".

While editing the "Set of Fields", [PAGE UP] and [PAGE DOWN] may be used to select the previous or next records, [DELETE] may be used in conjunction with [F1] to delete the record and [INSERT] may be used to create a new record.

Back at the "Viewing Data" window, you can, by typing [INSERT] or "I" or clicking on the "Insert" menu item, select a data set containing wiped data. The wiped data sets are usually excluded from the "Viewing Data" windows automatically and so can not be selected using "S", [RETURN], [ENTER], or double-clicking.

As in the case of selecting a field using "S", a dialogue window is opened, presenting a record as a "Set of Fields", only this time they will be substantially blank.

Back at the "Viewing Data" window, if you restrict display to those records that contain the given data in a field that is required to contain unique data, the will therefore specify a single record, which will be automatically selected for editing.  When you return to the "Viewing Data" window, the restriction will be removed.

This function is only available if you have sufficient privilege.  This privilege level is specified in the "Configuration Data" record, titled "Level: kollect records".  Please refer to the section titled: "Configuration Data".

You may edit several records at once, by first defining a "collection". Subsequent to defining the "collection", any changing or editing will be applied to all records of the "collection".  You will be asked to confirm each field to be altered, but not each record to be affected, so you should make sure that only the desired records are collected.

In the case of "linked list" databases, it is important to understand the distinction between a "collection" of records, as described here, and a "selection" of records, as described in the section titled: "Move Up/Down in Linked Lists".  In each case, multiple records are highlighted, and the operation of the "Change" and "Select" for editing functions (see "Changing the Field Contents" and "Editing the Entire Record and Deleting") will serve to affect all records in either the selection or the collection.  The important difference is that including a record in a selection, reorders that record in the record set, whereas including a record in a collection does not affect its position in a record set.  You should be using a "selection", primarily, if it is your intention to reorder the records.  Otherwise, you are in the right place.

When records are included within a "collection" they will be displayed differently to the other records.

Throughout this section, several keystroke and mouse methods will be described. If you are dealing with a linked-list database, you are best to restrict your keystrokes to those that are not shared with the creation of "selections" (such as "k" and [SHIFT K]), and to avoid the mouse operations.  For information on "selections", please refer to the section titled: "Move Up/Down in Linked Lists".  The records of a "collection" will not only be coloured differently from regular records, they will also be coloured differently to records in "selections".

Now down to business.  The simplest approach is to highlight each record of interest and type "k" (or click on "Kollect").  If you type "k" for a record, that is already in the "collection", it will be removed from the "collection". If you type [SHIFT K], you will release all records from the "collection".

You can also select records for inclusion in a "collection", by highlighting one, then typing [SHIFT SEPARATE UP] or [SHIFT SEPARATE DOWN] to add the highlighted record, and its neighbour in the corresponding direction, to the "collection".  If the neighbouring record was already in the "collection", both records will be removed from the "collection".  When dealing with linked-lists, if a "selection" is defined, or a "copying" or "cutting" region is defined, then these keystrokes can not be used to start a "collection", as they will instead start or extend a "selection".  For more information on "selections" and the "copying" and "cutting" regions, please refer to the sections titled: "Move Up/Down in Linked Lists" and "Copy or Cut from Linked Lists".

Alternatively, unless using a linked-list database, you can highlight a record, then, while holding down [SHIFT], click on another record.  This causes the two records and all intervening records to be added in the "collection".  If, while holding down [CONTROL], you click on another record, only the record clicked on will be added to the "collection".  If in either of these operations, the record clicked upon was already within the "collection", the records involved will be removed from the "collection".  You can release all records from a "collection" by right clicking.

Once a "collection" has been defined, the changing field contents and editing of entire record operations will be altered.  The data presented will be blank or zero, unless all records in the "collection" share the same value for a given field.  If a field is altered, you will be prompted, upon closing the dialogue, to confirm that all records in the "collection" are to have their corresponding field altered to this value.  Also upon closing the dialogue, any restrictions on the field that was the subject of the change, or all fields, if editing the entire record, will be removed.  Please note, that, unless all records agree with the value of a given field, that field can not be edited to blank or zero.

Please also bear in mind that, if the prompt specifies a range of numbers that does not begin at zero, zero will be presented as a non-zero number.  For example, the prompt, "How many in pack <1-4>" will present 0 as "1", 1 as "2", and so on, as zero corresponds to the lowest value in the range, in this case "1".  There might also be other data presentations where zero is not presented as a blank field.

The records that are presented in a "Maintenance Viewing Data" window are selected when the window is opened, and then, afterwards, as restrictions are applied, so as to include all records that satisfied those restrictions at that time.

Also, if you were to edit a record, then the selection of records would be reviewed in response to this.

It is possible, however, for there to be database changes by others or the Movement Controller itself, which would change the selection of records to be displayed. If this happens, you will find that the selection of records presented no longer satisfy the requirements for inclusion.

If you suspect that this has or might have happened, and want to present only those records that now qualify for inclusion, you should type "U" or click on the "Update" menu option.

As well as being able to alter the colour assigned to the colour purpose, you may also edit the hue of the colour assigned to the chosen purpose, by pressing the "Edit palette" button.  In response, you will be presented with the "Color" dialogue window (featuring the usual american spelling mistakes).

When you enter this dialogue window, all of your colours are written to the "custom" colours in the set of squares at the lower left of this dialogue window.  You can now modify any or all of these colours.

You need first to select a colour into the "Color" square in the lower portion of the dialogue window, just right of centre.  This can be done a number of ways, but first of all you should click on the custom colour you wish to change.  In response the custom colour will be surrounded by a solid and a dotted square. Bear in mind, that each time you click on "Add to Custom Colors" (see below) this selection will change - the dotted square will be removed, and the solid square, even if it remains, will no longer ensure that this will be the custom colour to which the colour will be written.

The simplest way to set the colour in the "Color" square is by clicking on one of the "basic" colours.  This will move both the solid and dotted squares from the custom color, but leave it selected, at least until you click on "Add to Custom Colors" (see below).

Alternatively, you can create your own colour.  You will find the range of colours presented as a cube (or more correctly, an inverted triangular pyramid), represented by the base square (presenting a triangle of colours) and the "luminosity" column based on the selected point in the square.

To create your own colour, you can select a combination of hue and saturation, by clicking in the large square, just to the right of the "basic colors" boxes, then adjust the luminosity (brightness) of the colour by clicking in the vertical strip to the right of this square.  There is also a pointer that can be dragged to adjust the luminosity.

The square is coloured with increasing hue in the horizontal direction (from red, through green and then blue, and back to red again) and increasing saturation in the vertical direction.

As you move from a point at the top of the square towards the base, the "saturation" is decreased from 240 to 0.  This means that the quantities of red, green, and blue are uniformly increased so that they all reach their full value at the base.  At the base of the square the colour is grey (and hence the reference to a triangle rather than a square).

The "luminosity" column allows you to darken the colour selected from the square.  The "luminosity" ranges from 240 representing the colour at the selected point in the square, at full brightness, to 0 representing black (and hence the reference an inverted triangular pyramid rather than a triangular prism).

As you adjust the colour, a sample of the colour is presented in the rectangle titled "Color", just below the "hue-saturation" square.

There are two ways to specify a point in the three dimensional colour space. The first, and most obvious, is to specify the quantities of "red", "green", and "blue", in the range from 0 to 255.  The second is to specify the values for "hue", "saturation" and "luminosity" as described above.

In addition to being able to select a point in the "hue-saturation" square and a level on the "luminosity" column, any of the six dimensions, "hue", "saturation", "luminosity", "red", "green", and "blue" may be set directly using the numeric entry fields.  Note that as there are only three orthogonal dimensions, changes to any one of the first three are reflected by changes to the second three dimensions, and, conversely, changes to any one of the second three are reflected by changes to the first three dimensions.

By way of clarification, this is analogous to controlling your shower.  In this situation there are two orthogonal dimensions, which can be hot and cold (which most of us use).  Alternatively these orthogonal dimensions can be temperature and pressure, which would probably be more user-friendly and certainly more difficult to implement.

Having created a shade, you need to add it to the "custom" colours.  You do this by clicking on "Add to Custom Colors".  As well as adding this to the selected custom colour, it will advance the custom colour selection (without indication), so you should then click again on the custom colour of interest, to place the solid and dotted squares around it, before again clicking on "Add to Custom Colors".

Having done this you can now click on "OK" and have all the "custom" colours replace your current set of colours.  Should you not wish this to happen, click on "OK".

Should you so alter a colour, that its name no longer reflects its colour, you should change both its name and the name of the corresponding colour purpose from among the first sixteen colour purposes.  Bear in mind that as you change the colour, it only affects the presentation of that colour for the currently logged-in user, however, the name of the colour is common to all users, so you should try to reach a consensus with the other users before renaming the colour.  Refer to the sections titled: "Edit the Colour's Purpose".

You may also edit the colour's Red, Green, and Blue components directly, by pressing the "Edit palette directly" button.  In response, you will be presented with a "Set of Fields".  The "Set of Fields" includes the three colour components assigned to the colour (all "Numeric" fields).  Refer to the sections titled "Set of Fields", and "Numeric".

Here the values for red, green, and blue are hexadecimal, ranging from 0 to FFFF (65535 in decimal).

When finished editing these details, press [ESCAPE] to return to editing the colour purpose details.

You may also edit the colour's name, by pressing the "Edit colour name" button.  In response, you will be presented with a "Set of Fields".  The "Set of Fields" includes only the colour name (a unique "Name" field).  Refer to the sections titled: "Set of Fields", and "Name".

The main reason for calling up this "Set of Fields" is to rename the colour once the values have been so altered that the name no longer describes the colour.  Once you do this you should also alter the name of the corresponding colour purpose (one of the first sixteen).

Bear in mind that when you changed the colour, it only affected the presentation of that colour for the currently logged-in user, however, the name of the colour is common to all users, so you should try to reach a consensus with the other users before renaming the colour.

This allows you to change the text used to describe this purpose, by pressing the "Edit colour purpose" button.  In response, you will be presented with a "Set of Fields".  The "Set of Fields" includes only the colour's purpose (a unique "Name" field).  Refer to the sections titled: "Set of Fields", and "Name".

Bear in mind when you changed the colour that was associated with this purpose, it only affected the presentation of that colour purpose for the currently logged-in user, however, the text used to describe the colour purpose is common to all users, so you should try to reach a consensus with the other users before changing the text that describes the colour purpose.

Finish Changing the Purpose

When done, press [ESCAPE] to exit colour change mode.

There are "push buttons" presented at the top of this window. The purpose of these push buttons is indicated by the text within them.  The first letter of this text is larger and is to be typed to "press" the button. The button may also be clicked with the mouse.

If the button is grey, it is available.  If it is dark green with black text it is unavailable.  If it is light green, it is either available with there being some particular reason that you might wish to "press" it or it is "pressed".

There are also two operating-system-painted buttons.  One of which, "ESCAPE: exit", is for exiting from a "push button" selection or from the window completely if no such selection is active.  The other, "HELP", calls up the help feature, refer to the section titled: "Help".

Loads in the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System are shown in the positions indicated to Movement Controller by the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System PLC.

The loads are coloured to indicate where they are destined.  In applications where the destination is not used, the colour may be used to indicate whether the load is empty, not-empty or fiddled-with.

Further detail is available concerning the loads in the "load details tablet" at the top left of the display.  Please refer to the section titled: "Control of Loads".

If the loads are in a "collection", they will be coloured to reflect this, and this condition will override all other colours.  Please refer to the section titled: "Modifying Several (KOLLECT TO EDIT)".

The representation of the loads can be set to resemble a pallet of cartons or a reel of paper, according to the setting of the "Configuration Data" record "Load square Circle/Big". Please refer to the section titled: "Configuration Data".

The Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System will be coloured to indicate whether it is in automatic (red), disabled (grey), enabled for manual (yellow), requested to run in the nominally east or south directions (green) or requested to run in the nominally west or north directions (light blue).

For some sites, there is a provision to disable groups of conveyors.  If a group has been disabled, and the conveyors are in automatic, they will be shown in the disabled colour (black).  The disabling and enabling of groups of conveyors is performed from the control mode of operation window.  Please refer to the section titled: "The Variables Intended to be Presented".

The immediate background of the conveyor is shown in mid-blue, unless the conveyor (or a device associated with it) is in alarm, in which case it will be shown in red, or is a destination for loads, in which case it will be coloured the same colour as the loads that are directed to it.

Other devices associated with the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System are shown in their approximate relative positions and in a way that reflects their condition.  These devices may include: a pallet dispenser, alignment bars, a palletiser, the forklift floor loops, sizing stations, detierers, load stands, gates, doors, sirens, lights, load stops, miscellaneous photocells, emergency stops, the field supply and the MCR.

Details of Conveyor or Device

Devices for Americold

Stacks of Pallets

The cursor may be moved around the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System using the cursor keys, or using [GREY PLUS] and [GREY MINUS] to jump to conveyor positions that are in alarm. The cursor may also be moved by clicking the mouse on the desired location.

As it reaches each possible load position, the details associated with the position are displayed in the left hand portion of a grey rectangle that will be referred to as the "load details tablet".

These details, and others associated with the load, may be presented more explicitly and, if you have sufficient privilege, altered.  In either case you will, first need to present the details by, with the cursor on the load, either clicking on "MODIFY ..." button or double-clicking on the load or pressing "m" or [ENTER].

On some sites there may be a button commandeering the "m" for another purpose, so there will not be presented a "MODIFY ..." button.  If this is the case, you will need to either double-click on the load or, with the cursor on the load, type [ENTER].

Once selected, a "Set of Fields" is presented containing the load's details. If you are sufficiently privileged you will be asked to confirm that you wish to modify the details by pressing [F1].

The software may be configured so as to allow "generic" users.  The concept of "generic" users is discussed in the section titled: "Modify List of Users".  If you are logged in as a generic user, then, after pressing [F1] (as described above) you will be required to enter your specific name (a "Symbolic Name" field) and password (a "Password" field) before proceeding.  For editing instructions for these types of fields, please refer to the sections titled: "Symbolic Name", and "Password", while for more information on the "Users" database, please refer to the section titled: "Modify List of Users".

After pressing [F1] and, if asked for a reason and/or your name and password, entering those details, the "Set of Fields" will be presented in a dialogue box for editing.  After making the desired modifications, type [ESCAPE].  Please refer to the section titled: "Set of Fields".

Changing the load's destination field will result in the load being redirected, if possible, to this new destination.

Additional Details for Americold

Modifying Several (KOLLECT TO EDIT)

The display may be zoomed into by typing "Z".  The window now displays fewer positions, (as many as will fit, given the size set for the window) along with the status or positions of the sensors and other devices along the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System.

The window will appear as shown overleaf:

The Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System will now be coloured to indicate whether it is stopped in automatic (red), disabled (grey), enabled for manual (yellow), running in the nominally east or south directions (green) or running in the nominally west or north directions (light blue).

The immediate background of the conveyor is still shown in mid-blue, unless the conveyor (or a device associated with it) is in alarm, in which case it will be shown in red.

While in "zoomed" mode, the use of the cursor keys (and mouse) is altered. These are now used to pan and tilt the view of the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System. The position at which the mouse is clicked will be shifted to the centre of the view.

The push-button advertising the "Z" key will be changed from "ZOOM" to "ZOOM OUT O'VIEW", indicating that a subsequent typing of the "Z" key will return you to the overview display.  However, provided that the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyors diagram had been called up via the menu system (the usual way) and that it is not in push-button mode, when at the cranes and other nominated positions, the button will display the text, "ZOOM TO CRANES" or "ZOOM TO DISPLAY" respectively, indicating that a subsequent pressing of the "Z" key will result in the appropriate window being presented.  To return to the overview, in spite of the button not advertising "ZOOM OUT O/VIEW", type either [SHIFT Z] or [ESCAPE] or right click on the "ZOOM ..." button.

To assign conveyor positions to windows for this function refer to the section titled: "Conveyors from which to Zoom".

To return to the overview display, type "Z", unless the corresponding push-button no longer displays "ZOOM OUT O'VIEW", or [SHIFT Z] or [ESCAPE].

Push button control of the plant is restricted to those terminals listed in the set of terminal locations and, there, flagged as allowing manual control. Please refer to the section titled: "Terminal Locations".

To control the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System via the "push buttons", it is necessary to first enter push-button mode by typing "P".  To exit from push-button mode, type "P" a second time.

This button is also only provided if you have sufficient privilege to activate it.  This privilege level is specified in the "Configuration Data" record, titled "Level: conveyor manual".  Please refer to the section titled: "Configuration Data".

Irrespective of whether the conveyor is in push-button or automatic mode, all the interlocks will continue to apply to the operation of conveyors and devices.  As a result, you may find that a conveyor or device refuses to respond to a push button.

When push-button control is enabled, the window will appear as shown overleaf:

The conveyors can be controlled via push buttons by moving the cursor to a load position on the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System, then typing "E" to enable the conveyor, which includes this position, for push button operation, or typing "M" to deselect it from automatic operation.

The conveyors for which "E" was typed will be shown in yellow, whilst those for which "M" was typed will be shown in grey, leaving the remainder shown in red for automatic.  This assumes the system is running, otherwise all conveyors will be shown in grey and of course none may operate.

Once the conveyors you wish to run are enabled (shown in yellow) you may run these in one or more of the four orthogonal directions and in either slow or fast speed, by pressing one or more (sequentially) of the function keys [F1] to [F8].  The function of each of these keys is indicated by the diamond that replaced the load details tablet when push-button mode was entered.

Push buttons can be latching (meaning that you need to operate them once to turn them on and a second time to turn them off) or momentary action (meaning that they will remain on only so long as you hold them on).  Momentary action push buttons sport a circle to indicate that they need to be held down.

Whether the [F1] to [F8] keys are latching or momentary action can be toggled by typing the [F9] key, provided that you have sufficient privilege to use this key.  The latching/momentary-action setting is indicated by the text and colour of the triangle in the upper left corner left by the diamond; "LATCHING" on a grey background implies latching, while "HOLD ON" on a light green background implies momentary action.  If "F9: hold on" or "F9: latching" is presented beneath this, you have sufficient privilege to toggle this setting.  The latching/momentary-action setting is also indicated by the presence of the circles on the buttons corresponding to the [F1] to [F8] keys.

The requested motions will be reflected in the diamond by colouring the appropriate push buttons light green, and on the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System by colouring the appropriate conveyors either blue or green (light or dark to distinguish between fast and slow speed respectively).

Pressing [SPACE] stops all push-button control.

To control the devices associated with the conveyors, the associated conveyor must first be set to manual (shown in light grey or yellow).  The cursor should then be moved to the device (which might not be on the conveyor).  When the cursor is in the position of a device, the buttons to control the device will appear.  If these buttons are shown in dark green with black text, the associated conveyor has not been selected for push button control.  The associated conveyor is in a straight line left, right, above or below the depiction of the device on the window.  You can right click on the depiction of the device to find out the name of the conveyor position with which it is associated.

Whether the push buttons for the device are latching or momentary action is configurable on a device type basis.  Please refer to the section titled: "Enter or Modify Device Types" and, in partiicular, its subsection titled: "Defining the Device Type's Output".

Control of Standard Devices

Controlling Devices for Americold

Push-button control of the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System is also available in the "zoomed" display mode.  You can achieve the zoomed push-button mode by either typing "Z" when in push-button mode, or by typing "P" when in the "zoomed" display mode.

To exit from the zoomed push-button mode and return to the normal "zoomed" display mode, type "P", or click on "P-BUTTON CONTROL" again.  Alternatively, to exit from the zoomed push-button mode and return to the overview push-button mode, type [SHIFT Z], [ESCAPE] or click on "ESCAPE: exit", or right-click on the "ZOOM..." button.  In most cases, you can also type "Z" or click on "ZOOM OUT O'VIEW", however, in certain positions this button changes its text and function allowing you to open a window associated with the device presented at this position.

Irrespective of whether the conveyor is in push-button or automatic mode, all the interlocks will continue to apply to the operation of conveyors and devices.  As a result, you may find that a conveyor or device refuses to respond to a push button.

When zoomed push-button control is enabled, the window will appear as shown overleaf:

Once in zoomed push-button mode, the cursor will be represented by "telescope cross hairs", which remain in the centre of the view; the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System is moved rather than the cursor.  Therefore the use of the cursor keys (and mouse) is altered.  These are now used to pan and tilt the view of the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System.  The position at which the mouse is clicked is shifted to the centre of the view.

The conveyors can be controlled via push buttons by moving the cursor to a load position on the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System, then typing "E" to enable the conveyor, which includes this position, for push button operation, or typing "M" to deselect it from automatic operation.

The conveyors for which "E" was typed will be shown in yellow, whilst those for which "M" was typed will be shown in grey, leaving the remainder shown in red for automatic.  This assumes the system is running, otherwise all conveyors will be shown in grey and of course none may operate.

Once the conveyors you wish to run are enabled (shown in yellow) you may run these in one or more of the four orthogonal directions and in either slow or fast speed, by pressing one or more (sequentially) of the function keys [F1] to [F8].  The function of each of these keys is indicated by the diamond displayed to the left of the push buttons at the top of the window.

Push buttons can be latching (meaning that you need to operate them once to turn them on and a second time to turn them off) or momentary action (meaning that they will remain on only so long as you hold them on).  Momentary action push buttons sport a circle to indicate that they need to be held down.

Whether the [F1] to [F8] keys are latching or momentary action can be toggled by typing the [F9] key, provided that you have sufficient privilege to use this key.  The latching/momentary-action setting is indicated by the text and colour of the triangle in the upper left corner left by the diamond; "LATCHING/hold on" on a grey background implies latching, while "latching/HOLD ON" on a light green background implies momentary action.  If "F9" is presented beneath this, you have sufficient privilege to toggle this setting.  The latching/momentary-action setting is also indicated by the presence of the circles on the buttons corresponding to the [F1] to [F8] keys.

The requested motions will be reflected in the diamond by colouring the appropriate push buttons light green.  The requested motions are not reflected by the conveyors in zoomed push button mode; instead the actual running status is shown by colouring the appropriate conveyors either blue or green (light or dark to distinguish between fast and slow speed respectively).

Typing [SPACE] stops all push-button control.

To control the devices associated with the conveyors, the associated conveyor must first be set to manual (shown in light grey or yellow).  The cursor should then be moved to the device (which might not be on the conveyor).  When the cursor is in the position of a device, the buttons to control the device will appear.  If these buttons are shown in dark green with black text, the associated conveyor has not been selected for push button control.  The associated conveyor is in a straight line left, right, above or below the depiction of the device on the window.

A load may be deleted or created by moving the cursor to the position and typing "D" or [DELETE] or "I" or [INSERT] respectively and confirming with [F1].

The software may be configured so as to allow "generic" users.  The concept of "generic" users is discussed in the section titled: "Modify List of Users".  If you are logged in as a generic user, then, after pressing [F1] (as described above) you will be required to enter your specific name (a "Symbolic Name" field) and password (a "Password" field) before proceeding.  For editing instructions for these types of fields, please refer to the sections titled: "Symbolic Name", and "Password", while for more information on the "Users" database, please refer to the section titled: "Modify List of Users".

When a load is deleted it is moved from the location into a special logical location referred to as "Deleted".  This special location is displayed in the load details tablet.

When the next load is deleted, it replaces the load that was previously in the "Deleted" location, that load is now "really deleted".  The load in the "Deleted" location can also be deleted by the standard means, thereby "really deleting" it.

When a load is inserted into the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System or onto a crane or a trolley or into the stores diagram (refer to the section titled: "Stores Diagram"), if the "Deleted" location contains a load, that load will be moved to the position where the load is being inserted.  If the "Deleted" location does not contain a load, a load will be created at the position.

Using the "Deleted" location, a load may be moved from one position to another by first deleting the load from the first position (moving it to the "Deleted" location) and then inserting it at the second location (moving it from the "Deleted" location).

When moving a load, by deleting and inserting it, it is most important that you stop the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System to prevent other loads, reacting to the deletion of the load in question, driving into it, or rise-fall conveyors operating, or another load transferring to the position into which you intend to reinsert the load in question.

If a number of loads need to be relocated, they should be moved one at a time; deleting the first and reinserting it then deleting the second and so forth.

Deleting Loads Unknown to the System

A crane will be shown at either the crane pickup/deposit position, or away from it.  It will show whether the crane is in alarm or not and whether it is enabled for automatic or retrievals by the colour of the crane body (blinking red/blue implies alarm, black implies that automatic is disabled, blue that retrievals are disabled, and orange implies no alarm) and whether it is in automatic, manual or out of service by the colour of the forks or the border of the load (red implies automatic, yellow implies manual, and grey implies out of service, but not in manual).  For details on turning on and off automatic or just retrievals, please refer to the sections titled: "Turning Off and On Automatic Commands", and "Turning Off and On Retrieval Commands".

The crane is deemed to be in alarm if it reports an alarm, or it is idle and its loaded status is not as expected by the Movement Controller.

The crane must not only be in automatic but must also be communicating for it to be presented as in automatic.

When zoomed in, it will also show the state of its load sensing, load off-centre, bin occupied and height check photocells and the extension of its forks and, if the forks are not centred, whether at high stop or not; if at high stop, a load will be shown at the forks extension, otherwise the forks will be shown.

If the forks are centred, the crane will instead show whether the computer's inventory has it holding a load.

Also, when zoomed in, the colour of the forks (or the border of the load) will be red if in automatic, yellow if in manual or grey if otherwise out of service.

Normally, if a load has failed barcode scanning, it will proceed through sizing and then be diverted down the reject lane.  After the load has been scanned, and before it proceeds to the sizing station, it is in a convenient position for its sequence number to be read.

So, you have the option to have loads that either failed scanning, or were found to have a barcode that has not been supplied to the Movement Controller from the host_computer, to wait at the barcode scanning location for manual entry of the details.

If the "HOLD NO READ" button is presented in the "Unavailable" colouring (dark green with black text), then this feature is disabled, however, contrary to standard button behaviour, this button can still be operated (by typing "H") to enable this feature.  After operating this button in this condition, you will be asked to confirm that you wish the feature enabled by pressing the [F1] key. Because this button is "unavailable", you will not be able to use the mouse to operate this button whilst in this state.

If the "HOLD NO READ" button is presented in the "Available" colouring (grey), then the feature is enabled, however there are no loads waiting at barcode readers.  If you operate the button in this situation you will be asked to confirm that you want the feature disabled by pressing the [F2] key.

If, on the other hand, the "HOLD NO READ" button is coloured light green, then you will find that there is a load waiting at a barcode reader, and, in fact, the text of the button will have changed to "HOLDING NO READ".  If you operate the button at this time, you will be advised of the situation - whether there is a load waiting at the chiller or the freezer or both, and whether the problem is that the barcode could not be read or that the barcode read has not been supplied to the Movement Controller.

If there are bad barcode reads at both the chiller and freezer, then you will be asked, first of all, to nominate which load you wish to deal with.  When presented with this dialogue window, you should select either "Chiller" or "Freezer".

If there was only the one load, or you have selected the load with which to deal, then you will be presented with two or, in the case of a no-read, three options.  These options are:

• "Modify load":   

  You will be presented with a dialogue window, into which you must enter a barcode and a destination, and, in order to keep Americold happy, a load number.

• "Reject load":   

  There is no further dialogue required; the load will proceed to the corresponding reject.

• "Select barcode":

  This option is provided only if the barcode could not be read and barcodes have been supplied for the detierer in question.  These barcodes are listed in this dialogue window, so you can tell immediately whether it would be worthwhile selecting this option.  If you do select this option, you will be then asked to select the barcode, by activating the corresponding button.

There are regular means to retrieve empty pallets from the pickface, as described in the section titled: "Retrieve from Stores by Location (new)". However, this feature is intended to make this operation more convenient.

This button is enabled by setting the "Configuration Data" record, titled "Fetch empty ok/auto", to "O" meaning that the operator is required to OK the preparation of a schedule for the retrieval of the empty pallets from the pickface.  Please refer to the section titled: "Configuration Data".

You also need to be logged on in order for this button to be presented.

If the racking photocells report that there is something in a location that is used for the return of empty pallets from the pickface for a particular crane, and there is no manual retrieval schedule, referencing such locations on that crane, then this button will be highlighted.

On the other hand, should there be no cranes satisfying this condition, then if there are cranes for which there are manual retrieval schedules that reference such locations, then this button will be lit (differently highlighted) to indicate that such retrievals are underway.

Otherwise the button will be shown as disabled.

Anytime the button is highlighted (showing that there are stacks of empty pallets that need attention), then the button can be operated (by typing "F" or clicking on it).  In response, you will be advised which cranes have such stacks and be given the options of:

• No cranes

  Do nothing about it.

• Chiller cranes

  Having a manual retrieval schedule created (if necessary) to retrieve from all such locations in the chiller.

• Freezer cranes

  Having a manual retrieval schedule created (if necessary) to retrieve from all such locations in the freezer.

• Select cranes

  Having manual retrieval schedules created (if necessary) to retrieve from all such locations in each of the cranes that are then nominated.  In response to selecting this option, you will be asked to nominate the cranes that the schedule(s) are to cover.  You will need to specify the cranes as described in the section titled: "Crane and Palletiser Alarms".

• All cranes

  Having manual retrieval schedules created (if necessary) to retrieve from all such locations in both the chiller and the freezer.

Once schedules have been created, they can be monitored, modified, or deleted using the "Retrieve from Stores by Location (new)" window, as described in the section titled: "Retrieve from Stores by Location (new)".

These buttons are enabled by setting the "Configuration Data" record, titled "No reject automatically", to "N" for "No reject".  Please refer to the section titled: "Configuration Data".

If this record has been so set, then when pallets arrive at the reject junction, they will wait, and the appropriate one of these buttons will be highlighted.

In response to activating one of these buttons, you will be presented with a dialogue window, detailing the reasons for rejecting the pallet, and allowing you to elect to infeed or reject the pallet.

When infeeding, and all loads are destined to a single crane, the system will be not utilised to its full capacity, since this one crane becomes a bottle-neck.

You can relieve this situation, in either the freezer or chiller conveyors by operating the "GO ANY-WHERE" button.  When the "go anywhere" function is in force, any pallets that are destined for regular store locations (not flow-through locations) will be redirected to a crane that is less snowed under.

After typing "G", or clicking on the button, you will be asked whether you wish to enable or disable this function for the freezer or chiller cranes.  You must first click of "Freezer" (or type "F") to select the freezer, or click of "Chiller" (or type "C") to select the chiller.  You will then be asked whether you wish this turned on or off.

If this function is in force for either the chiller or freezer, the button will be lit.  The second line of text on the button will change to indicate whether it is the chiller, freezer, or both that have this function enabled.

When the arrangement of loads along the inside trunk line has become confused, you may, rather than attempt to correct the situation by deleting and inserting loads, send all these loads to the outfeed.

Prior to invoking this function, you should ensure that all loads along this trunk line and out to the outfeed are either completely on the conveyors in this path, or clear of them. Failure to check this will cause loads to twist and collide, damaging the product and the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System.

Once you have done this, you need to type "T" to turn on the "TRUNK PURGE" push-button.  In response, the system will advise you of your responsibility to check the trunk line and request that you type "F" or "C" to confirm whether you wish to purge the freezer or the chiller, or to type [ESCAPE] otherwise.

All conveyors will need to run for a couple of minutes, however as conveyors need to stop as the loads are being taken from the outfeed, the time for the purge to run to completion will be considerably longer than this couple of minutes.

Once this period has expired, the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System will return automatically to its normal operation.

A load may be redirected by the operator to any location within the store, or to the reject or outfeed.  As the outfeed is a common destination for the operator to direct the load to, a push-button has been provided for this.

First, position the cursor on the load to be redirected, then type "O" to turn on the "OUTFEED LOAD" push-button, then confirm your intention (as you will be prompted to do) by pressing [F1].

For multilevel Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor Systems, the upper levels may be displayed by typing "L" (turning on the "LEVEL CHANGE" button).  This results in the lower levels being shown in orange.  To return to the lower level display, type [SHIFT L], or "L" sufficiently often to cycle around to it.

There are options that can be set to cause the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System to be presented as though it were a single level (sensible where there is no interaction - such as elevators - between the various levels), or to allow the "LEVEL CHANGE" button to cycle around to a summarising position.

The text of the "LEVEL CHANGE" button will be "LEVEL 1 CHANGE" when the button is selecting level 1 (off), "LEVEL 2 CHANGE", when selecting level 2, "LEVEL 3 CHANGE" when selecting level 3, and so on, and, finally, "LEVEL * CHANGE" when selecting the summary.

This option can be set via the "Configuration Data" record, titled "Flat/Extra conv level".  Please refer to the section titled: "Configuration Data".

From the overview display, you may enter the conveyor alarms window by typing "A".  The push button advertising this will be in flashing if there is an alarm.

If the cursor is positioned at a conveyor position that is shown to be in alarm at the time you type "A", the conveyor alarms window will be restricted to displaying only those alarms associated with this conveyor position.

When you exit the conveyor alarms window, you will be returned here.

The conveyors and the load details tablet on the overview may be moved by typing "E" to enter edit mode (turning on the "EDIT DIAGRAM" button, and renaming it "END EDIT DIAGRAM"), then moving the cursor to the conveyor to be moved (or the tablet), then using [CONTROL UP], [CONTROL DOWN], [CONTROL LEFT], and [CONTROL RIGHT] to relocate the selected item.  Type "E" to exit edit mode.

The overview (non-zoomed) can be expanded in the "X" and "Y" directions by typing "X" or "Y" respectively.  Similarly, the overview can be contracted by typing [SHIFT X] or [SHIFT Y] respectively.

Additionally, finer adjustments to the expansion in the "X" and "Y" directions can be achieved, simultaneously for both directions, by typing [CONTROL X] to expand, in both directions, slightly or [CONTROL Y] to contract slightly.

The overview and zoomed displays may be rotated in 90 degree increments by typing "R" for one direction and [SHIFT R] for the other.

The zoomed conveyors can be shown as either roller or chain conveyors.  To change this option for a given conveyor position, first enter the zoomed display, then enter edit mode by typing "E", then locate the cross hairs on the conveyor position to be changed, then type "R" for rollers or "C" for chains.

To change the colours, refer to the section titled: "Changing the Colours".

To change the fonts, refer to the section titled: "Select the Font".

Typing "C" when at the overview display (turning on the "CONVEYOR MODE" button) will replace the load details tablet with a description of the conveyor's operating mode.  The push button advertising this will be shown in light green if the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System is not in full-automatic mode.

To return to the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyors diagram, press any key other than "Z" and keys such as [SHIFT], [CONTROL], [ALTERNATE] et cetera.

Provided that the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyors diagram had been called up via the menu system (the usual way), the "Z" button will be highlighted and display the text, "ZOOM TO CONTROL", indicating that by pressing the "Z" key will result in the control mode of operation window being displayed.  Refer to the section titled: "Control Mode of Operation".

This function may be disabled, and the "FLOPPY ARCHIVE" button removed from the display by setting the"Configuration Data" record, titled "No floppy archive". Please refer to the section titled: "Configuration Data".

Typing "F" when at the overview display (turning on the "FLOPPY ARCHIVE" button) will replace the load details tablet with a list of files requiring archiving.  If some of these files are about to lose un-archived data the push button advertising this will be shown in light green.

In response, the load details tablet will be replaced by another presenting the list of log files, each accompanied by an asterisk.  The asterisk will be highlighted if there is something to be archived, whilst the text will only be highlighted if the log file is more than 80% full.

You can archive a log file by moving the cursor to one of the highlighted asterisks and typing either [RETURN] or [ENTER]. You may also double-click the mouse on the desired asterisk to archive the log file.

This will present you with the appropriate archive window, such as "Archive List of Events to Floppy Disc".  Refer to the sections titled: "Archive List of Events to Floppy Disc" et cetera.

It is not mandatory that the log files be archived; this is a decision that can be made depending upon the anticipated benefit these archives may have.  You may decide only to archive certain log files or only to archive a log file during some troublesome period.

As a load is placed in a pick face location, by a crane, the Movement Controller waits to see that the load has rolled forward sufficiently to be seen by the pallet detection system photocells (PDS).  The photocells should be adjusted so that they can see the pallet as soon as it is placed in the pick back location, or else the pallet is expected to roll forward so that it can be seen by the photocell.

Once the crane has completed its deposit into the back location of a pick face, the load is allowed ten seconds to be detected by the PDS.  This ten seconds is adjustable via the database variable, "Secs for PDS to see"; please refer to the section titled: "Configuration Data".  When one or more loads have failed to have been detected by the PDS, then a dialogue box will be opened, presenting the operator with a list of locations where the load has failed to be detected by the PDS.

In addition to this message being presented, an entry will be made in the event log file for each such location.  Please refer to the section titled: "Event Log Historic Report".

This check is performed automatically upon selection of the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyors diagram from the menu.  Normally all you might notice would be a flicker before the window appears, unless problems are found, in which case it will present a message corresponding to the list in which it found problems, along with a request that you note what you have been doing and contact Greg Wood.

If you have sufficient privilege, you will be asked whether you wish the Movement Controller to attempt to correct the problem.  It is probably prudent to first stop the crane and the conveyors, then exit all software and save a copy of the database.  Once you have done this, run the software, call up this window and enter "Y" in reply to the question.

Then check that everything appears to be correct before restarting the system.

This check is performed automatically upon selection of the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyors diagram from the menu.  It checks that the communications ports needed to present the information on this diagram have been opened and that they are still accessible.

If all is as it should be, there will be no report, however, should it find something wrong, a dialogue box will be presented, indicating that this has happened.

For these ports not to be open or accessible, would be a rare occurrence with communications ports that have been installed directly into the computer.

On the other hand, if these ports are presented to the software via a terminal server, from some remote location, then there is a real possibility that, due primarily to network problems, one of the channels of the terminal server might be out of action.

When you encounter this problem, it will usually be necessary to cycle the power to the terminal server, and to stop the main Movement Controller application and restart it.  For information on stopping and restarting the main Movement Controller application, please refer to the section of the TECHNICAL MANUAL titled: "Installing and Running the Software".

This check is also performed from other windows, when opened or switched to a device on a different communications port, to check the communications ports needed for those windows as well.

As well as the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System alarms, this display presents whole-system-related alarms, such as the failure of the Movement Controller to successfully communicate to a remote device, such as a PLC.  There is no point in resetting alarms of this sort.

The text of these alarms is set by the communications logic, so, should you decide to edit this text, your edits may be lost when the alarm is raised.

If the device connected to this port is not responding at all, then the text of the alarm will be something like "Failed to communicate to communications port ...".  If it succeeded in communicating to a DataHighway modem, but that modem failed to communicate to the end device, then the text of the alarm will show the diagnostic data that is being returned by the modem.  Finally, if there is no problem with the communications, but there is a bad indication being presented in the PLC's status data file, then that condition will be described. In the last instance, the system may still be fully operational.

In the cases where those PLCs are Allen-Bradley PLC5 or SLC-500, then those alarms are also used to present bad status from the corresponding PLC.  When these alarms report bad status from the PLC, rather than an actual communications failure, the text of the alarm will be altered to reflect this.

Some of the status that is reported, in this fashion, are the PLC's minor faults.  When these are presented, the individual minor faults may be acknowledged by resetting the alarm.  Once the minor fault has been acknowledged, the alarm will be removed until it is needed to present an actual communications failure or another status failing needs to be reported.  Once the minor fault is removed, it will be automatically unacknowledged, so that the next time it occurs, an alarm will be raised.

The minor fault acknowledgements are stored on an individual PLC basis in the database fields, "Minor fault word 1" and "Minor fault word 2".  These may be edited directly, via the PLC setup database - see "PLC Setup".

All communications to a specific PLC is expected to originated by the task that is dedicated to that PLC.  Mostly each PLC has its own serial channel.  In some cases, however, several PLCs can be accessed through the one serial channel, which connects to a DataHighway modem, which, in turn, connects to each of the remote PLCs on the DataHighway.  In this situation, there is a task dedicated to the DataHighway serial channel, and all tasks wanting to communicate to any of those PLCs, do so by queueing their requests to the DataHighway task.  In this way, there should be a single task corresponding to each serial channel.

There is a check that the task that first uses a serial communications channel is the only one that ever uses that channel.  Should another task, subsequently, attempt to use that channel, it will be killed and this alarm will be raised and its text will indicate which task has been killed.

This check has, in the past, killed a crane task, which used a function from within the conveyor task to remove a load tag, for a load in a specific conveyor position, from the database.  This was normally harmless enough, but, in the event that the tag in question appeared in multiple conveyor positions, the function would read the tags directly from the conveyor PLC, thereby causing the crane task to access the conveyor PLC's serial channel.  This first occurred five years after the check was installed, in the wake of a crash of the virtual crane server hosting the Movement Controller.  It was not immediately apparent, then, what the cause of their problem was, so this alarm was added to the system, in place of the event log that had, previously, noted this problem. Also, that bug has been rectified.  More details on the indicent are provided in the SOFTWARE MANUAL titled: "Change Log" for Change 427.

Towards the top of the window, is the graphical representation of the store layout.

Presentation of the Locations

Presentation of the Crane

A pair of scroll bars are provided in case the rack layout is too large for the window.  The horizontal scroll bar may be controlled using the [CONTROL SEPARATE RIGHT], [CONTROL SEPARATE LEFT], [CONTROL SEPARATE HOME], and [CONTROL SEPARATE END] keys.  The vertical scroll bar may be controlled using the [CONTROL UP], [CONTROL DOWN], [CONTROL PAGE UP], and [CONTROL PAGE DOWN] keys.

Note that not all the keyboard keys, normally available to manipulate the scroll bars, can be used for this because the [SEPARATE LEFT], [SEPARATE RIGHT], [UP], [DOWN], [PAGE UP], [PAGE DOWN], [HOME], and [END] keys are used for controlling graphical representation of the stores, while the [NUMERIC LEFT], [NUMERIC RIGHT], [CONTROL NUMERIC RIGHT], [CONTROL NUMERIC LEFT], [CONTROL NUMERIC HOME], and [CONTROL NUMERIC END] keys are used for controlling the display of location details.

The cursor is initially positioned in the bottom right hand corner of the layout.  The cursor control keys (those not part of the numeric key-pad) may be used to move from location to location within the store.  The cursor may also be moved by clicking the mouse on the desired location.

Use [PAGE UP] and [PAGE DOWN] to move through the depths, sides and aisles in the logically implied direction and use [END] to move to the left, far (if double-deep racking), side of the left most aisle and [HOME] to move back to the right, near (if double-deep racking), side of the right-most aisle.

To move directly to an arbitrary aisle, side, long travel and hoist level, type in the address in the standard form. This is described more fully in the section titled: "Store Reference". Once you have typed the leading digit, a dialogue window will be opened, with the digit in place. You may also activate this function by typing "G" then entering the address into the field provided.

If you have accessed this window from the "Retrieve from Stores by Location" window, the location addressed in this way will be selected for the retrieval schedule.  Refer to the section titled: "Retrieve from Stores by Location".

The details of the location at the cursor are presented in the lower portion of the window.  These details include the occupancy status, the type of racking (storage, pickup/deposit or flow through), the enabled/disabled status and the existent/non-existent status, (all "Character" fields).

For editing instructions for these types of fields, please refer to the sections titled: "Character".

In addition, there are details specific to this site: the barcode of the pallet label (a "Name" field), the location the pallet was originally destined for (a "Destination" field), whether the location is reserved for use by the Movement Controller (a "Character" field), indexes into the load-detection data (a "Load Detection Indices" field), the number of times the load has been moved (regular locations) or the number of times the crane has found the location full (pickface locations) (a "Numeric" field).

For editing instructions for these types of fields, please refer to the sections titled: "Character", "Destination", "Numeric", and "Load Detection Indices".

Immediately below the location details, the restriction details are presented.

A horizontal scroll bar is provided in case the details extend beyond the width of the window.  This horizontal scroll bar may be controlled using the [CONTROL NUMERIC RIGHT], [CONTROL NUMERIC LEFT], [CONTROL NUMERIC HOME], and [CONTROL NUMERIC END] keys.

One of the details will be shown in reverse video.  This is referred to as the "highlighted field".

The prompt as well as the data associated with the highlighted field are displayed at the top of the window.  The [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys from the numeric key pad may be used to highlight the previous or next detail respectively.

Displaying the Full Location Details

Modifying the Location Details

Modifying Several Locations At Once

Deleting and Inserting Loads

Should the crane, while attempting to deposit a load to the store, find its photocells reporting the location as occupied, the location will be automatically flagged as "Inhibited".

Should the crane, after attempting to pickup a load, find itself unloaded on high stop, the location will be flagged as "Inhibited".

Locations flagged as inhibited should be inspected regularly.

In cases where the inventory shows the location to be vacant, should the location be found to be clear of loads, the "Inhibited" status should be removed.  Should a load be found in the location, the inventory should be updated and the "Inhibited" status should be removed.  Should there be a problem with the location, such as cartons fallen from a neighbouring location, the location should be rectified before the "Inhibited" status is removed.

Should a large number of locations on one particular rack be found to be "Inhibited" you should check the adjustment of the appropriate rack occupied photocell on board the crane.

In cases where the inventory shows the location to be occupied, should the location be found to be clear of loads, the inventory should be corrected and then the "Inhibited" status removed. Should a load be found there, in good order, the "Inhibited" status should be removed.  Otherwise, you will need to rectify the problem, then possibly adjust the inventory and then remove the "Inhibited" status.

The presentation of the stores can be expanded in the "X" and "Y" directions by typing "X" or "Y" respectively.  Similarly, the overview can be contracted by typing [SHIFT X] or [SHIFT Y] respectively.

Additionally, finer adjustments to the expansion in the "X" and "Y" directions can be achieved, simultaneously for both directions, by typing [CONTROL X] to expand, in both directions, slightly or [CONTROL Y] to contract slightly.

If this window had been called up from the location retrieval window, you have only to type in the address in the standard form (refer to the section titled: "Store Reference"), for the location to be added to the schedule.  Once you have typed the leading digit, a field, with a prompt will be presented at the top of the window with the digit in place.

The "S", [RETURN] and [ENTER] keys may be used to select and deselect loads at the cursor to be included in the retrieval. Had this window not been called up from the location retrieval window, the "S", [RETURN] and [ENTER] keys would have served to modify the location details. You may also double-click the mouse on the desired load to select or deselect it.

The loads will be shown in the "Highlight" colour if available to be selected, in the "Basic Colour" colour if the retrieval of this load is either under way or complete, in the "Selected Full Load" colour when part of this schedule and in the "Reverse" colour when part of another schedule.

For an understanding of the use of colours, refer to the section titled: "Changing the Colours".

The locations displayed within the layout, may be restricted to those whose details satisfy certain requirements.  These requirements may be that the locations be occupied.  Locations that do not satisfy all requirements will be displayed as a space.

All features provided by the "Maintenance Viewing Data" windows (except that the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys used to highlight a field must be those on the numeric key-pad) are active.  These features are:

• moving the window across the records.
• highlighting a particular field for individual attention.
• expanding/contracting the records.
• restricting the locations eligible for inclusion.
• changing the contents of a field.
• selecting a location to edit.

Refer to the sections titled: "Viewing Data", and "Maintenance Viewing Data".

Any number of restrictions may coexist.

The crane states appear beneath the heading, "Status", in the middle of the window.

If you right-click on a status line in this window, you will be presented with the help page relating to that status - one of the following subsections.

LT in/out of position

HL in low/in high/out of position

Forks position

Manual

Out Of Service

Light Curtain

Conveyor Alarm

Alarm change

Loaded Status

MCR deenergised

LT no speed enable

HL no speed enable

Key switch manual

Correction limit

Catching dev bypass

Off-centre to left

Off-centre to right

Bin occupied left

Bin occupied right

Bin occ'd far left

Bin occ'd far right

Hoist down stop

Hoist up stop

LT reverse stop

LT forward stop

LT drive failure

HL drive failure

Forks drive failure

Hoist safety fault

MCC 24V Power Fail

24V supply failure

No conveyor system

Communications fail

Cabinet too cold

Cabinet too warm

Full current bypass

Cabin position

Over-height 1

Over-height 2

Over-height 3

Over-height 4

Over-height 5

Over-height 6

Over-height 7

Over-height 8

Long Travel Motion

Hoist Motion

Forks Motion

To the left of the list of status conditions is shown a diagram of the crane, showing the state of its load sensing, load off-centre, bin occupied and height check photocells and the extension of its forks and, if the forks are not centred, whether at high stop or not; if at high stop, a load will be shown at the forks extension, otherwise the forks will be shown.

If the forks are not centred, the crane will instead show whether the computer's inventory has it holding a load.

The colour of the forks, or the colour of the border around the load will be red if the crane is in automatic, yellow if in manual or grey if otherwise out of service.

The body of the crane will be shown in orange if healthy, or red if in alarm.

The crane alarms appear beneath the heading, "Alarms" towards the right of the window.

Please bear in mind that all these alarms are based on the PLC's view of the system and may therefore be the result of a failure in the sensing mechanisms and/or circuitry or in the control mechanisms and/or circuitry.  This is not reiterated in the following discussions of the individual alarms.

The sensing mechanisms include limit switches, relay contacts, proximity switches, and photocells, while the sensing circuitry includes wiring, terminations, PLC inputs, the field input power supply, and circuit breakers.

The control mechanisms include motors and associated gearboxes, sprockets, chains, drums, and cables, while the control circuitry includes circuit breakers, the field output power supply, PLC outputs, relays, motor contactors, variable speed drives, motor circuit breakers, thermal overloads, and motor isolators.  In particular, check that the motor isolators are turned on.

Typically, after an alarm has been encountered, investigated and the cause removed, the alarms reset, the MCR will need to be energised, and the crane set back into service.

Bear in mind, that when rectifying problems on the crane, using manual controls, the crane PLC is watching, trying to determine what has happened to the load.  Therefore, if you centre the forks with the load left in the racking then pickup the load, the load will be assumed to be left in the racking (as indicated by your first action) and, when back in service, the next load to be picked up is likely to generate a "Pickup but loaded" alarm, which, if you abort that pickup, will lead the system to believe this second load to have been picked up by the crane, rather than the first causing considerable confusion.

The assumptions made by the system when a cycle has been completed while the crane is in alarm, are entered into the event log and should be checked to determine whether they are correct.

If you right-click on an alarm in this window, you will be presented with the help page relating to that alarm - one of the following subsections.

For some sites, there is referenced, for each of these alarms, another alarm from this list, which, if active, is considered as the prime cause of the fault, while the referencing alarm is considered to be parasitic.  Such alarms, though active, will be suppressed from being presented in this list.  For more information on defining the parasitic nature of certain alarms, please refer to the section titled: "Enter or Modify the Crane Alarms".

MCR is off

24VDC is off

HL circuit breaker

LT circuit breaker

Forks circuit b'ker

HL drive fault

LT drive fault

Forks drive fault

HL thermal overload

LT thermal overload

Forks thermal O/L

HL thermistor trip

LT thermistor trip

Forks thermistor tr

Cabin too cold

Cabin too warm

Load Off Centre

Load correct'n fail

Off-centre fouled

Load seems too wide

Catch block set

Slack rope

Rope overload

Hoist over-speed

Speed govenor trip

Hoist whole current

Hoist too slow

HL hunting too slow

LT too slow

LT hunting too slow

Forks 2 slow left

Forks 2 slow right

Hoist too high

Hoist too low

LT overrun

Cabin door open

Gate is open

Trolley problems

Communications bad

Pickup got nothing

Deposit still loaded

Pickup but loaded

Deposit but no load

Forbidden slot

Bad command

LT location bad

HL location bad

Empty or blocked

Location empty

Location full

HL bad screen

LT bad screen

HL stalled

LT stalled

LT stalled/centred?

Lost fork limit sw.

Forks switch lost

Overall Watchdog

High load manual

High load automatic

Cabin too slow down

Pickup not going

Empty Pallet in Way

Cabin too slow up

Pickup not centred

Deposit not centred

LT wrong card

Hoist wrong card

Can't centre forks

Fork recovery fail

Off LT when forking

Off HL when forking

LT reader blocked

HL reader blocked

LT brake release on

Buffer shifted back

Buffer shifted fwd.

Emergency stop

LT at both ends

HL at both ends

Cabin up and down

HL at low & hi stop

HL wrong for magnet

LT wrong for magnet

At the bottom of the window are the two motion commands currently written into the crane's PLC - the current command below the pending command.  Below these again is the done command that should appear briefly at the completion of a command.  When the done command is not shown, the current position of the crane is shown instead.

Beneath this is the "governing command", when one is present.  If present, the governing command is shown next to the text "Command:", if it does not correspond to a single crane command, the stage, at which the governing command is up to, will be presented below the governing command.

If either all-automatic-commands or just-automatic-retrievals are turned off, then, when there is no governing command, a message to this effect will be presented in place of the governing command.  For instructions for disabling automatic commands or just retrievals, refer to the sections titled: "Turning Off and On Automatic Commands", and "Turning Off and On Retrieval Commands".

If the Movement Controller is attempting to issue a command, which the Movement Controller's checking software is deeming to be unwise, a message to this effect will be presented beneath the governing command and in place of the automatic-commands-off message.  For more detail on these messages, please refer to the section titled: "Checking Software Messages".

Command Presentation Format

Governing Command

Checking Software Messages

This menu option is only presented if you have sufficient privilege to use it. This privilege level is specified in the "Configuration Data" record, titled "Level: crane auto off".  Please refer to the section titled: "Configuration Data".

The Movement Controller issues governing commands to the crane to move pallets about the warehouse as it thinks fit.  If you wish to issue these governing commands yourself, using the commands, "Store a load", "Retrieve a load", and "Relocate a load in the rack" (discussed in the next section), then you might wish to disable the Movement Controller from issuing these commands itself.

To do this, click on the menu bar item, "Automatic on/off", or type "A", then click on "Off" or type "O".

In response the text, "AUTOMATIC ISSUING OF COMMANDS IS OFF", will be displayed in place of the governing command.  Disabling of the automatic issuing of commands has no effect on any governing command that may already be in place.

To allow the system to again issue governing commands automatically, click on the menu bar item, "Automatic on/off", or type "A", then click on "Automatic on" or type "A".

Inhibiting the Crane

This menu option is only presented if you have sufficient privilege to use it.  This privilege level is specified in the "Configuration Data" record, titled "Level: crane auto off".  Please refer to the section titled: "Configuration Data".

The Movement Controller issues governing commands to the crane to retrieve loads from the warehouse in accordance with the retrieval schedules.  Please refer to the section titled: "Retrieve from Stores by Location".

If you wish to suspend the retrieval of loads, without deleting the schedules themselves, then you can do this using this function.

To do this, click on the menu bar item, "Retrieval on/off", or type "R", then click on "Off" or type "O".

In response the text, "AUTOMATIC RETRIEVAL OF ... IS OFF", will be displayed in place of the governing command.  Disabling of the automatic issuing of retrieval commands has no effect on any governing command that may already be in place, and the message, , will only be displayed if there is no governing command, and if you have not also disabled all automatic commands as well. Please refer to the section titled: "Turning Off and On Automatic Commands".

To allow the system to again issue retrieval commands automatically, click on the menu bar item, "Retrieval on/off", or type "R", then click on "Retrieval on" or type "R".

This menu option is only presented if you have sufficient privilege to use it.  This privilege level is specified in the "Configuration Data" record, titled "Level: crane auto off".  Please refer to the section titled: "Configuration Data".

Additionally, certain sites have a restriction upon which terminals allow an operator to use this command.  If this is one of these sites, this function is restricted to those terminals listed in the set of terminal locations and, there, flagged as allowing crane control.  Please refer to the section titled: "Terminal Locations".

If you do not have sufficient privilege to use this command, you will need to issue the individual, non-motion commands, "Reset Alarms", "Energise Main Contactor", and "Set in Service", via the "Command" menu bar item.  Please refer to the section titled: "Operator Commands".

When the crane encounters an alarm, as well as raising the alarm, it may drop its main contactor, and will always set itself out of service.  To get it back into service, you need to reset its alarms, energise its main contactor and set it back into service.  This command performs these three functions.

To do this, click on the menu bar item, "Put in service", or type "P", then click on "Put in service" or type "P" a second time.

For some sites, there may be required further dialogue, in order to obtain a reason for the action and/or to obtain the identity of the person putting the crane back in service.

In response, you should see the crane's status gradually change so that first its main contactor is energised, then its alarms are reset, and finally it is set back into service.

There are several operator commands, however, depending upon you privilege level, you may not be allowed access to all or any of these.  Please refer to the section titled: "Crane Commands and Security",

Additionally, certain sites have a restriction upon which terminals allow an operator to use the crane commands.  If this is one of these sites, this function is restricted to those terminals listed in the set of terminal locations and, there, flagged as allowing crane control.  Please refer to the section titled: "Terminal Locations".

Of the many commands, which an operator may issue to a crane, the first six are non-motion commands.  The next group of commands are either individual instances of the two motion commands or higher level (governing) commands requiring two or more motion commands.

The remaining commands allow the modification of the current crane command, without upsetting the next command, the killing of the governing command (which does not directly involve communications with the crane), and manual control of the crane (which may not be supported by the crane's manufacturer).

Commands may be sent by clicking on the "Commands" menu item or typing [ALTERNATE C], then selecting the command from the resulting drop-down menu then filling in the required parameters for the command, then typing [ENTER] or clicking on the "DO IT" button.

Alternatively, there is a list of commands shown to the right of the window. Associated with each command in this list is a number, and one of these commands is highlighted.  Any command can be selected by either typing the corresponding number and pressing [ENTER], or by moving the highlight, using the [UP], [DOWN], [HOME], and [END] keys, to the desired command and typing [ENTER], or by clicking the desired command with the mouse and typing [ENTER], or by double clicking the command with the mouse.  However you selected the command, you will then be required to fill in the required parameters, just as if you had selected it via the "Command" menu item, and confirm by typing [ENTER] or clicking on the "DO IT" button.

If you right-click on a command in the list at the right of the window, you will be presented with the help page relating to that command.

Sometimes you might be warned that it might not be a good idea to do what you have chosen to do - if you get such a message you should review what you are about to do.

In particular, the Movement Controller prefers the crane to be idle before you issue relocation-style commands, as this helps to ensure that it has correct stack height data available.  If you are issuing relocation-style commands, it might be best to first turn off the automatic issuing of commands to the crane.

For some sites, there may be required further dialogue, for one or more of the commands, in order to obtain a reason for the action and/or to obtain the identity of the person issuing the command.

For many of the commands, it is a good idea to be familiar with how the commands are sent to the crane.  For a discussion of this procedure, please refer to the section titled: "Automatic Command Queue".

Non-Motion Commands

Motion Commands

Modify Current Command

Kill Governing Command

Remote Manual Crane Control

The remote manual commands should only be used to rectify crane faults once the physical situation has been checked.

Typically, if you have returned from fixing the crane and found you had left it so that the "Hoist too low" or "LT overrun" alarms resulted, you could raise or reverse the crane until the "In Position" lamps flash, then position the crane on these lamps.  Similarly had you failed to centre the forks, You could use these controls to centre the forks.

After selecting manual control, the window will appear as shown overleaf:

This window presents "push buttons" for long travel forward and reverse, slow and fast, hoist up and down, slow and fast, and forks left and right.  The rim of one push button is highlighted and several of the push buttons advertise a function key.

The highlighted rim can be moved about the "push buttons" using the cursor control keys.  The push button with the highlighted rim can be "pressed" by pressing on the space bar, while those advertising function keys may be "pressed" by pressing the advertised function key. The mouse may be used to push a push button, however it does not relocate the highlighted rim.

The window also provides several "lamps", which show whether the crane is in high stop, low stop, long travel position and whether it has a load off-centre to the left or right.

In the top right corner of the window is shown a diagram of the crane, showing the state of its load sensing, load off-centre, bin occupied and height check photocells and the extension of its forks and, if the forks are not centred, whether at high stop or not; if at high stop, a load will be shown at the forks extension, otherwise the forks will be shown.

If the forks are not centred, the crane will instead show whether the computer's inventory has it holding a load.

The colour of the forks, or the colour of the border around the load will be red if the crane is in automatic, yellow if in manual or grey if otherwise out of service.

The body of the crane will be shown in orange if healthy, or red if in alarm.

Initialise Crane PLC

Save Crane PLC Configuration

Restore Crane PLC Configur'n

To get started (or if using the "Empties" yet still needing to add requests), press [INSERT].  In response you will be presented with a dialogue window.

For the "Replenishment" method, there will be two fields to fill in, namely the source location (which should be an occupied regular storage location), and the destination (which should be a vacant pick-face location).  After typing in the source location, press the [TAB] key and commence to type in the destination location.  After typing in the destination, you should type [ENTER] or [RETURN].

For the "Outfeed" method, you will only need to fill in the source location, which should be an occupied regular storage location.  After typing in the source location, you should type [ENTER] or [RETURN].  The destination will be automatically set to either "M89A", or "M40A" depending upon which is appropriate.

For the "Empties" method, you will only need to fill in the source location, which should be an empty pallet location, which the PDS system is reporting as occupied.  Unlike the other methods, which will offer blank fields, this will provide the reference to the next empty pallet stack location, irrespective of whether the stack can be seen or the location is inhibited.  The "next" refers to the first location after that specified in the highlighted retrieve request. After typing in the source location, you should type [ENTER] or [RETURN].  The destination will be automatically set to either "M89A", or "M40A" depending upon which is appropriate.

In all cases, the priority will be set to 0 or blank, indicating the highest priority.  Don't concern yourself with the priority at this stage.  Should you need to alter the priority, you may do so, on an individual record basis, when you have returned to the "Maintenance Viewing Data" screen.  The altering of priorities is described in the section titled: ""Prioritise, Modify, or Delete".

In response to typing [ENTER] or [RETURN], certain checks are made of your entry.  If your entry fails one of these checks, you will be informed of this. If the failure is due to a location being inhibited, you will be given the opportunity to clear the inhibited status.  Certain, of the other possible causes for the failure of these checks, may also be overridden.

If your entry passes these checks, the dialogue box will be presented again, allowing you to immediately enter the next request.  In the case of the "Replenishments" and "Outfeeds", the dialogue box will provide you with the barcode corresponding to the request that you had just entered, allowing you to check that you had entered the correct source location.

Once you have entered all the requests that you need to, either press [ENTER] or [RETURN] with blank entries, or press [ESCAPE].  If you press [ESCAPE], then anything that had been entered into the fields in the current dialogue box will be discarded.  In either case, you will be returned to the "Maintenance Viewing Data" screen, now including your new requests.  These will not, yet, be acted upon.

To remove a request, simply highlight the request in question, then type "D" twice.  The first "D" invokes the menu bar option "Delete", whilst the second confirms the deletion request by activating the "Delete" button in the resulting dialogue box.

The difference between this window and a standard "Maintenance Viewing Data" window is that, as well as modifying a load, the operator has the option to conveniently adjust the priority of the load.

When selecting a record, if "U" or [RETURN] is used, you will be asked, after specifying the record, whether you wish to prioritise (type "U" or click on "Urgency"), modify (type "M" or click on "Modify"), or delete the load (type "D" or click on "Delete").

On the other hand, had you used [ENTER] to select the record, it will be assumed that you wish to prioritise the load. Double-clicking the mouse on the desired load is equivalent to typing [ENTER].

Had you opted to prioritise the load, you will be presented with the prompt, "Please enter new urgency for the load, Urgent 0:most 10:stop <0-10>".  Enter the desired priority.

When happy with the schedule, you can submit it by exiting the screen.  In response, these requests will be transfered to the "Waiting" queue.  You can monitor the requests from this point by using the "Review Loads Being Retrieved" screen.  Please refer to the sections titled: "Review Loads Being Retrieved".

As the cursor is moved (using the [SEPARATE LEFT] and [SEPARATE RIGHT] keys, or clicking with the mouse) among the schedules, the box will be shown open, and its contents are displayed in the rack face display.

There will also be a horizontal scroll bar, in case the window is not large enough to present the maximum number of schedules.  This scroll bar can only be operated using the mouse - this is the fourth scroll bar on this window, so all the usual keys have been otherwise used.

As the commands to retrieve a load are issued, the box representing its location in the rack face display, is darkened.

A schedule may be created by typing [INSERT].  The cursor will be moved to the "Set of Fields", this data may now be set as required.  Refer to the section titled: "Set of Fields".

This "Set of Fields" typically includes the destination (a "Destination" field) and a load number (a "Numeric" field). For editing instructions for these types of fields, please refer to the sections titled: "Numeric", and "Destination".

After setting the destination and load number, the cursor will be relocated into the rack face display.  The normal functions associated with this display are available.  Refer to the section titled: "Stores Diagram", and in particular, its subsection titled: "Select Loads for Retrieval".  In the rack face display, selecting a location allows you to edit the database details associated with the location, but, in this case, selecting a location will, instead, add it to the schedule (or, should it already be on the schedule, remove it from the schedule).

When all required locations have been selected, type [ESCAPE].

At the bottom of the window, each schedule is represented by a box.  As you create more schedules these will be arranged in the order in which they are created and will be executed, with the first at the left.

A schedule may be modified by moving the cursor to that schedule then typing the "S", [RETURN] or [ENTER] key.  The cursor will return to the "Set of Fields".

Proceed from here as you did to create the schedule.  Refer to the section titled: "Creation of Schedules".

If the order of the schedules requires modification, move the cursor to the schedule that needs to be repositioned, then type the [SEPARATE UP] key.  The schedule is then positioned one line above its current position, and if possible the cursor is moved one position left. Clicking on the schedule at the cursor will alternately raise and lower it, leaving the cursor at the schedule.

By using the [SEPARATE LEFT] and [SEPARATE RIGHT] keys this schedule may be moved along the string, one place to the right of the cursor whenever possible, while the contents of the schedule at the cursor position are displayed.  When its new location has been found type [SEPARATE DOWN].  The schedule will be lowered into position and the cursor moved back to it. The schedule may also be moved to a given place in the queue by clicking the mouse on the schedule currently in that location.  This moves the schedule into this position, moving the other schedules left or right to fill the vacancy left, while placing the cursor one position to the left of the schedule if possible.

Any schedule may be deleted by moving the cursor to that schedule then typing [DELETE].  If you type [DELETE] you will be prompted to confirm your intention by typing [F1].

The difference between this window and a standard "Maintenance Viewing Data" window is that, as well as modifying a load, the operator has the option to conveniently adjust the priority of the load.

When selecting a record, if "U" or [RETURN] is used, you will be asked, after specifying the record, whether you wish to prioritise (type "U" or click on "Urgency"), modify (type "M" or click on "Modify"), or delete the load (type "D" or click on "Delete").

On the other hand, had you used [ENTER] to select the record, it will be assumed that you wish to prioritise the load. Double-clicking the mouse on the desired load is equivalent to typing [ENTER].

Had you opted to prioritise the load, you will be presented with the prompt, "Please enter new urgency for the load, Urgent 0:most 10:stop <0-10>".  Enter the desired priority.

As the cursor is moved (using the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys or clicking on the schedule with the mouse) among the schedules, the box will be shown open, and the details of the schedule will be displayed.

There will also be a horizontal scroll bar, in case the window is not large enough to present the maximum number of schedules.  This scroll bar can only be operated using the mouse - this is the fourth scroll bar on this window, so all the usual keys have been otherwise used.

At the top of the window is displayed the order's customer, while in the main body of the window are the requirements of the order.  Each requirement consists of the product code and description and the quantity required.

To create a schedule, press [INSERT].  You will be presented with a "Set of Fields" for you to edit.

Below is a rough text-representation of this window:

Enter orders for picking


Order's customer           t  P & O Cold Storage
Customer address           t  69 Mandoon Road
Customer town or suburb    t  Girraween
Town in state/province     t  N.S.W.
State in country           t  Australia
Country's ISD      (NZ=64) a
Zip mask (Canada: ###-###) a  ####
Town or suburb post code   a  2145
Town STD          (Melb=3) a
Customer's phone number    a  96362666
Customer's facsimile no.   a  96882610
Customer's delivery notes  s

Order number               a  111111
Special instructions       a
Order destination lane     a  81



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This data may now be set as required.  Refer to the section titled: "Set of Fields".

This "Set of Fields" includes the customer (a "Symbolic Name" field), the customer's order number and any special delivery instructions - additional or overriding the customer's standard instructions - (both "Name" fields) and a destination pick area zone (a "Symbolic Name" field). For editing instructions for these types of fields, please refer to the sections titled: "Symbolic Name", and "Name".

Once you have entered this "Set of Fields", you will be presented with a substantially blank window on which the entries of the schedule will be displayed as they are entered.  To create an entry in the schedule, type [INSERT], then enter a product code and then the number required.  Repeat this for each product the order specifies.

Below is a rough text-representation of this window:

Enter orders for picking

CODE                                                  ORDERED ISSUED  QUANTITY
GEFFEN GEFD-24612        |Judy Collins                    5              100   ^
FIE! RECORDS FIE9115     |Guy Evans and Peter Hammill     5              450   █
EMI CDP 7 46605 2        |Animals, The                    5               60   █
DEMON FIEND CD 704       |Beausoleil                      5               85   █
CAPITOL CDP 7 46069 2    |Band, The                       5               95   █
BLUE NOTE CDP724385548420|Jacky Terrasson & Cassandra     5              450   █
ATLANTIC 7 82526-2 DISC 9|Led Zeppelin                    5                    █
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The lines will be presented in the order (with the latest at the top) they are entered until you delete a line.  Once a line has been deleted, the next entry will fill its place.

To modify an entry, highlight the line, then type [RETURN] or [ENTER].  Then in response to being presented with the product code, you must press [RETURN] or [ENTER] again; if, instead, you enter a different product code you will create a fresh entry.  You may now change the number required.  If you set this number to zero, you will delete the entry.

To delete an entry, refer to the previous paragraph.

If you make an entry requesting a product code that is not in stock, the entry will not be displayed but will remain.  Once you exit from the creation process, these entries will be displayed.

The above discussion has assumed that the window has been set to show only ordered and stocked product codes.

If you wish to show all product codes that are not stocked, enter "QU", if you wish to display product codes irrespective of whether they are stocked or not, enter "QA", and if you wish to return to displaying only stocked product codes, enter "QS".  This selection will be remembered only until you exit from the creation of this schedule. You may also click on the menu item "Quantity", then click on either the "Unstocked", "Stocked" or "All" button.

If you wish to show all stocked (or unstocked - refer previous paragraph) product codes, enter "OA", and if you wish to return to displaying only ordered product codes, enter "OO".  This selection will be remembered for the user until the software is next rebooted. You may also click on the menu item "Ordered picked", then click on either the "Ordered" or "All" button.

In this mode (showing all product codes - not only those ordered), each product code is shown in alphabetical order.

Once you have made all entries, type [ESCAPE].  The original display will again be presented, with the new schedule positioned at the end of the queue of boxes.

To modify a schedule, use the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys to move the cursor to the schedule you wish to modify. the cursor may also be moved to a schedule by clicking the mouse on the desired schedule. Then type [ENTER] or [RETURN].

Once selected, a "Set of Fields" is presented containing the schedule's details. If you are sufficiently privileged you will be asked to confirm that you wish to modify the details by pressing [F1].  You will, then, be presented with a "Set of Fields" in a window, for you to edit.

From this point, proceed as described for the creation of schedules.  Refer to the section titled: "Creation of Schedules".

The first schedule (or order/carton) to be executed will be the one corresponding to the box at the extreme left of the window. The order of execution of the schedules may be changed.

This reordering is conducted by picking up a schedule, moving it to a new position in the queue and then lowering it into this position.  Use the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys to move the cursor to a schedule, then the [UP] key to pick it up, then again the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys to move it to its new position and, finally, the [DOWN] key to lower the schedule into this position. Clicking on the schedule at the cursor will alternately raise and lower it, leaving the cursor at the schedule.

When the schedule is first picked up, the cursor remains beneath it.  The Movement Controller takes its first opportunity to separate the cursor and schedule, keeping the cursor one position to the left of the schedule, when you first type [LEFT] or [RIGHT].  As a result the first time you type the [LEFT] key only the cursor is moved or the first time you type the [RIGHT] key only the schedule is moved. The schedule may also be moved to a given place in the queue by clicking the mouse on the schedule currently in that location, placing the cursor one position to the left of the schedule if possible.

The cursor is kept one position left of the schedule to show you the contents of the schedule currently in front of the raised schedule.  The cursor is not initially moved automatically left because you may wish the cursor to remain beneath the schedule in order to copy it to the templates (or to the schedules if working with the templates).  More about templates later.

The only differences between the schedules and the templates are that the schedules appear at the left whilst the templates are on the right and that the schedules are being executed whilst the templates are not.

You can switch from side to side by typing [CONTROL RIGHT] to move to the template side and [CONTROL LEFT] to return.  If at the time you switch to the templates, the schedule at the cursor is raised, a template will be created identical to the schedule; the schedule will be unaffected. You can switch to or from the template side by merely clicking on that side with the mouse.

If at the time you switch back to the schedules, the template at the cursor is raised, you will be presented with a "Set of Fields" for you to edit.

From this point, proceed as described for the creation of schedules.  Refer to the section titled: "Creation of Schedules".

Once you have completed any modifications you might wish to make to the new schedule, and have pressed [ESCAPE], The original display will again be presented, with the new schedule positioned at the end of the queue of boxes.  The original template will still exist and will be unaffected by the changes made when creating the schedule based on it.

As the cursor is moved (using the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys or clicking the mouse on the desired schedule) among the schedules, the box will be shown open, and the details of the schedule will be displayed.

There will also be a horizontal scroll bar, in case the window is not large enough to present the maximum number of schedules.  This scroll bar can only be operated using the mouse - this is the fourth scroll bar on this window, so all the usual keys have been otherwise used.

The top line of the window will be blank, while in the main body of the window are the contents of the replenishment carton.  Each replenishment consists of the product code and description and the quantity contained.

To create a schedule, press [INSERT].  You will be presented with a substantially blank window on which the entries of the schedule will be displayed as they are entered.  To create an entry in the schedule, type [INSERT], then enter a product code and then the number contained in the replenishment carton.  Repeat this for each product in the carton.

Below, once you have made a number of entries in the schedule, is a rough text-representation of this window:

Replenish the pick areas

CODE                                                  ON HAND ISSUED  QUANTITY
ATLANTIC 7 82526-2 DISC 2|Led Zeppelin                  100              480   ^
HANNIBAL HNCD 1326       |Danny Thompson                100               20   █
GEFFEN GEFD-24612        |Judy Collins                  100              100   █
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The lines will be presented in the order (with the latest at the top) they are entered until you delete a line.  Once a line has been deleted, the next entry will fill its place.

To modify an entry, highlight the line, then type [RETURN] or [ENTER].  Then in response to being presented with the product code, you must press [RETURN] or [ENTER] again; if, instead, you enter a different product code you will create a fresh entry.  You may now change the number of items on hand.  If you set this number to zero, you will delete the entry.

To delete an entry, refer to the previous paragraph.

If you make an entry for a product code that is completely out of stock, the entry will not be displayed but will remain.  Once you exit from the creation process, these entries will be displayed.

The above discussion has assumed that the window has been set to show only on-hand and stocked product codes.

If you wish to show all product codes that are not stocked, type "QN"[ENTER], if you wish to display product codes irrespective of whether they are stocked or not, type "Q"[SPACE][ENTER], and if you wish to return to displaying only stocked product codes, type "QS"[ENTER].  This selection will be remembered only until you exit from the creation of this schedule. You may also click on the menu item "Quantity", then enter "N", "S" or a [SPACE] into the field provided.

If you wish to show all stocked (or unstocked - refer previous paragraph) product codes, type "O"[SPACE][ENTER], and if you wish to return to displaying only product codes on hand, type "OO"[ENTER].  This selection will be remembered for the user until the software is next rebooted. You may also click on the menu item "Ordered picked", then enter "O" or a [SPACE] into the field provided.

In this mode (showing all product codes - not only those on hand), each product code is shown in alphabetical order.

Once you have made all entries, type [ESCAPE].  The original display will again be presented, with the new schedule positioned at the end of the queue of boxes.

To modify a schedule, use the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys to move the cursor to the schedule you wish to modify. The cursor may also be moved to a schedule by clicking the mouse on the desired schedule. Once at the desired schedule, type [ENTER] or [RETURN].

Once selected, a "Set of Fields" is presented containing the schedule's details. If you are sufficiently privileged you will be asked to confirm that you wish to modify the details by pressing [F1].  You will, then, be presented with a "Set of Fields" in a window, for you to edit.

From this point, proceed as described for the creation of schedules.  Refer to the section titled: "Creation of Schedules".

The first schedule (or replenishment carton) to be executed will be the one corresponding to the box at the extreme left of the window. The order of execution of the schedules may be changed.

This reordering is conducted by picking up a schedule, moving it to a new position in the queue and then lowering it into this position.  Use the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys to move the cursor to a schedule, then the [UP] key to pick it up, then again the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys to move it to its new position and, finally, the [DOWN] key to lower the schedule into this position. Clicking on the schedule at the cursor will alternately raise and lower it, leaving the cursor at the schedule.

When the schedule is first picked up, the cursor remains beneath it.  The Movement Controller takes its first opportunity to separate the cursor and schedule, keeping the cursor one position to the left of the schedule, when you first type [LEFT] or [RIGHT].  As a result the first time you type the [LEFT] key only the cursor is moved or the first time you type the [RIGHT] key only the schedule is moved. The schedule may also be moved to a given place in the queue by clicking the mouse on the schedule currently in that location, placing the cursor one position to the left of the schedule if possible.

The cursor is kept one position left of the schedule to show you the contents of the schedule currently in front of the raised schedule.  The cursor is not moved automatically left because you may wish the cursor to remain beneath the schedule in order to copy it to the templates (or to the schedules if working with the templates).  More about templates later.

The only differences between schedules and the templates are that the schedules appear at the left whilst the templates are on the right and that the schedules are being executed whilst the templates are not.

You can switch from side to side by typing [CONTROL RIGHT] to move to the template side and [CONTROL LEFT] to return.  If at the time you switch to the templates, the schedule at the cursor is raised, a template will be created identical to the schedule; the schedule will be unaffected. You can switch from side to side by simply clicking on the side with the mouse.

If at the time you switch back to the schedules, the template at the cursor is raised, you will be presented with a "Set of Fields" for you to edit.

From this point, proceed as described for the creation of schedules.  Refer to the section titled: "Creation of Schedules".

Once you have completed any modifications you might wish to make to the new schedule, and have pressed [ESCAPE], The original display will again be presented, with the new schedule positioned at the end of the queue of boxes.  The original template will still exist and will be unaffected by the changes made when creating the schedule based on it.

As the cursor is moved (using the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys or clicking on the desired schedule) among the schedules, the box will be shown open, and the details of the schedule will be displayed.

There will also be a horizontal scroll bar, in case the window is not large enough to present the maximum number of schedules.  This scroll bar can only be operated using the mouse - this is the fourth scroll bar on this window, so all the usual keys have been otherwise used.

If the schedule corresponds to a customer's order, at the top of the window is displayed the order's customer, while in the main body of the window are the requirements of the order.  Each requirement consists of the product code and description and the quantity required.

If the schedule corresponds to a replenishment carton, the top line of the window will be blank, while in the main body of the window are the contents of the replenishment carton.  Each replenishment consists of the product code and description and the quantity contained.

This is not a normal activity, as these schedules are not usually created here but transferred here from the Enter Orders for Picking and Replenish the Pick Areas windows as cartons are scanned onto the conveyor system.

However, to create a schedule, press [INSERT].  You will be presented with a "Set of Fields" for you to edit.

Below is a rough text-representation of this window:

Cartons within the conveyor system


Order's customer           t  P & O Cold Storage
Customer address           t  69 Mandoon Road
Customer town or suburb    t  Girraween
Town in state/province     t  N.S.W.
State in country           t  Australia
Country's ISD      (NZ=64) a
Zip mask (Canada: ###-###) a  ####
Town or suburb post code   a  2145
Town STD          (Melb=3) a
Customer's phone number    a  96362666
Customer's facsimile no.   a  96882610
Customer's delivery notes  s

Order number               a  111111
Special instructions       a
Order destination lane     a  81



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This data may now be set as required.  However if you are entering the details for a replenishment carton, these details should be left blank, indicating that it is a replenishment.  Refer to the section titled: "Set of Fields".

This "Set of Fields" includes the customer (a "Symbolic Name" field), the customer's order number and any special delivery instructions - additional or overriding the customer's standard instructions - (both "Name" fields) and a destination pick area zone (a "Symbolic Name" field). For editing instructions for these types of fields, please refer to the sections titled: "Symbolic Name", and "Name".

Once you have entered this "Set of Fields", you will be presented with a substantially blank window on which the entries of the schedule will be displayed as they are entered.  To create an entry in the schedule, type [INSERT], then enter a product code and then the number required.  Repeat this for each product the order specifies.

Below, once you have made a number of entries in the schedule, is a rough text-representation of this window:

Cartons within the conveyor system
Select  Change  Restrict  Where  Match  Expand  First  Last  Ordered picked  Quantity

GEFFEN GEFD-24612        |Judy Collins                    5              100   ^
FIE! RECORDS FIE9115     |Guy Evans and Peter Hammill     5              450   █
EMI CDP 7 46605 2        |Animals, The                    5               60   █
DEMON FIEND CD 704       |Beausoleil                      5               85   █
CAPITOL CDP 7 46069 2    |Band, The                       5               95   █
BLUE NOTE CDP724385548420|Jacky Terrasson & Cassandra     5              450   █
ATLANTIC 7 82526-2 DISC 9|Led Zeppelin                    5                    █
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To proceed from here please refer the sections titled: "Creation of Schedules", and "Creation of Schedules".

To modify a schedule, use the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys to move the cursor to the schedule you wish to modify. The cursor may also be moved to a schedule by clicking the mouse on the desired schedule. Once at the desired schedule, type [ENTER] or [RETURN].

Once selected, a "Set of Fields" is presented containing the schedule's details. If you are sufficiently privileged you will be asked to confirm that you wish to modify the details by pressing [F1].  You will, then, be presented with a "Set of Fields" in a window, for you to edit.

From this point, proceed as described for the creation of schedules.  Refer to the section titled: "Creation of Schedules".

There is no control purpose served by reordering the schedules in this list, however you may wish to do this so as to arrange schedules corresponding to cartons of particular interest towards the front of the list for ease of reference.

This reordering is conducted by picking up a schedule, moving it to a new position in the queue and then lowering it into this position.  Use the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys to move the cursor to a schedule, then the [UP] key to pick it up, then again the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys to move it to its new position and, finally, the [DOWN] key to lower the schedule into this position. Clicking on the schedule at the cursor will alternately raise and lower it, leaving the cursor at the schedule.

When the schedule is first picked up, the cursor remains beneath it.  The Movement Controller takes its first opportunity to separate the cursor and schedule, keeping the cursor one position to the left of the schedule, when you first type [LEFT] or [RIGHT].  As a result the first time you type the [LEFT] key only the cursor is moved or the first time you type the [RIGHT] key only the schedule is moved. The schedule may also be moved to a given place in the queue by clicking the mouse on the schedule currently in that location, placing the cursor one position to the left of the schedule if possible.

The cursor is kept one position left of the schedule to show you the contents of the schedule currently in front of the raised schedule.

There are "push buttons" presented at the foot of this window. The purpose of these push buttons is indicated by the text within them.  The first letter of this text is larger and is to be typed to "press" the button. The button may also be clicked with the mouse.

There are also two operating-system-painted buttons.  One of which, "ESCAPE: exit", is for exiting from a "push button" selection or from the window completely if no such selection is active.  The other, "HELP", calls up the help feature, refer to the section titled: "Help".

If the button is grey, it is available.  If it is dark green with black text it is unavailable.  If it is light green, it is either available with there being some particular reason that you might wish to "press" it or it is "pressed".

In response to activating certain push-buttons, the mode of control changes. This is reflected by a change in the push-buttons available.

Running conveyors are shown in green, stopped in yellow and those in alarm in red.

Clear photocells, undiverted diverters and deflated air-bags are shown dark, whereas those blocked, diverted or inflated are shown in blue.

Any alarms in the carton conveyor system are presented in the bottom right hand corner of the window.

This section discusses each alarm that can be raised by the carton conveyor PLC.

Please bear in mind that all these alarms are based on the PLC's view of the system and may therefore be the result of a failure in the sensing mechanisms and/or circuitry or in the control mechanisms and/or circuitry.  This is not reiterated in the following discussions of the individual alarms.

The sensing mechanisms include reed switches, relay contacts, proximity switches and photocells, while the sensing circuitry includes wiring, terminations, PLC inputs, the field input power supply and circuit breakers.

The control mechanisms include cylinders and associated gates and levers, motors and associated gearboxes, belts et cetera, while the control circuitry includes circuit breakers, the field output power supply, PLC outputs, relays, solenoids, motor contactors, variable speed drives, motor circuit breakers, thermal overloads and motor isolators.  In particular, check that the motor isolators are turned on.

The following alarms may be reported:

• Emergency stop     

  An emergency stop has been operated.  The reason for pressing the stop should be established, then, when safe to do so, the stop should be released, allowing the operation of the system to continue.

• PLC battery flat   

  This is an alarm reported to the PLC program by the PLC. For further refer to the appropriate Allen-Bradley SLC-500 manual.

• CI Tect DH+ link off

  There is a flag within the PLC that is set to zero by the CiTect system.  The PLC is continually setting this flag.  If the CiTect system fails to zero the flag within a given time, this alarms will be raised.

  This alarm, therefore, indicates that the CiTect system is unable to communicate or is not functioning correctly.

• Field power lost

  The power supply for the inputs and outputs from the PLC is monitored.  If this fails, this alarm will be raised.  While this alarm is present, any other alarm should be ignored as it is very likely to be parasitic.

• Main power lost

  The main power supply for conveyor motors, et cetera, is monitored.  If this fails, this alarm will be raised.

• Air pressure low

  This indicates that the air pressure is low.  Any alarms associated with the actions of cylinders (such as the diverter) should be attributed to this cause.

• Conveyor didn't start

  There are a series of these alarms, one for each conveyor. There is contactor feedback for each conveyor.  If this feedback is not seen within a given time of requesting the conveyor to run or is removed while the request is still in force, this alarm will be raised.  You should have an electrician investigate the cause.

• Conveyor didn't stop

  There are a series of these alarms, one for each conveyor. There is contactor feedback for each conveyor.  If this feedback is not removed within a given time of requesting the conveyor to stop or is asserted while there is no request, this alarm will be raised.  This is not expected to be at all common.  You should have an electrician investigate the cause.

• VSD not running

  There are a series of these alarms, one for each variable speed drive.  There is a signal from each variable speed drive indicating whether it is running.  If this signal is not seen within a given time of requesting the drive to power up or is removed while the request is still in force, this alarm will be raised.  You should have an electrician investigate the cause.

• Conveyor case jam

  There are a series of these alarms, one for each conveyor.  As cases are seen to move onto a conveyor, the case is recorded on the conveyor, and as it is removed from the conveyor, this record is removed.  Each case is allowed a given time to reach the end of the conveyor, if it fails to do so within this time, then this alarm will be raised.

  This could be the result of the case being caught, or the PLC failing to distinguish the gap between the cases and, therefore, failing to remove its record of the case.

  Resetting the alarm allows the case more time to reach the end of the conveyor.  If the problem is that the PLC failed to see the gap, then the record will need to be removed from the PLC.  Please refer to the section titled: "Conveyor Mode".

• Diverter failed

  The diverter has failed to operate within the time expected. This could be because the diverter has not moved, or has not been seen to move.

  If it has failed to move, check for obstructions, especially cases caught.

  If it has not been seen to move, check the adjustment of the proximity switches.

Certain alarms within the carton conveyor system are "latched". These alarms are usually associated with an action not completing within a reasonable amount of time.  Once these alarms are corrected, it is necessary to reset them before normal operation may recommence.  To reset these alarms type 'A'.

Other alarms, such as emergency stops, need no resetting, once the stop has been released.

In the place where the alarms are normally displayed, the tally of cases produced on the two lines may be displayed by typing "T", or, after noting the tallies, the alarms may be again displayed by typing "T" a second time.

Conveyor mode is entered for more information or more control over the conveyors.  This is achieved by typing "C".  In response a new set of push buttons is presented, along with a list of the conveyors with the estimated number of cases on each.

The list may be scrolled using [UP] and [DOWN], [PAGE UP] and [PAGE DOWN].  These keys no longer perform vertical scrolling of the carton conveyor diagram.

One conveyor in the list will be highlighted and the border of that conveyor in the diagram will be shown in white.

You may simultaneously enter "Conveyor Mode" and select a conveyor by clicking on the conveyor.

The colour of the conveyors will be as before, except that, should the conveyor be in automatic, it will be shown in red. The devices will all be shown in grey, indicating that they are irrelevant to what you are currently about.

Each conveyor can be set to automatic, by typing "A", manually stopped by typing "M" or manually running by typing "G". Subsequent typings of "G" will switch the conveyor between manually stopped and running.

The inventory for each conveyor may be zeroed by typing "K".

The contents of each conveyor may be displayed by typing "C" (for case listing).  In response, the list of conveyors will be replaced by a list of cartons on the highlighted conveyor.  In this mode, individual cartons may be deleted by typing "D".  To return to the conveyor mode type [ESCAPE].

You may call up the contents of a conveyor by double clicking on the conveyor.

To exit conveyor mode type [ESCAPE].

Device mode is entered for more information or more control over the devices.  This is achieved by typing "D".  In response a new set of push buttons is presented, along with a list of the device types.

It is first necessary to select a type of device to view or control.  Once done, this list is replaced by a list of the devices of that type.

The lists may be scrolled using [UP] and [DOWN], [PAGE UP] and [PAGE DOWN].  These keys no longer perform vertical scrolling of the carton conveyor diagram.  A selection of device type is made by pressing [ENTER] once the desired entry has been highlighted - the devices do not need to be selected, only highlighted.

One device in the list will be highlighted and that device in the diagram will be shown in yellow.

You may simultaneously enter "Device Mode", and select a device type, and select an individual device by clicking on the device.

The colour of the devices will be as before, except that, should the device be in automatic, it will be shown in red.  The conveyors will all be shown in grey, indicating that they are irrelevant to what you are currently about.

Each device can be set to automatic, by typing "A", manually deactivated by typing "M" or manually activated by typing "G". Subsequent typings of "G" will switch the device between manually deactivated and activated.

A different type of device may be chosen by typing "T" then making a new selection.

To exit device mode type [ESCAPE].

The carton conveyor PLC is informed by others as to what product it is conveying from each cartoner.  For it to make intelligent use of this data it needs to know the case lengths and number of cases per pallet load for this product.

This information is contained within the Movement Controller and can be modified. Refer to the sections titled: "Enter or Modify Palletiser Product Data", and "Enter or Modify Palletiser Patterns".

Anytime this information is changed or added to it should be written to the carton conveyor system.  This is done by typing "S".

Each pick area is displayed as a blue rectangle, representing a unit of shelving viewed from above, with black lines around three of its sides, leaving no such border on the side from which the picking will occur.

A unit of shelving may consist of several shelves, with each shelf consisting of several compartments arranged across the shelf.  Less orthodox arrangements may also be configured.

In the centre of this rectangle is a small circle, which will be coloured to reflect the state of the pick-to-light system within this unit of shelving.  These colours (in order of precedence) are:

• YELLOW

  The pick area is being picked.

• RED   

  The pick area has a problem.

• GREY  

  The pick area has stock.

• BLACK 

  The pick area contains no stock.

Pick area mode is entered for more detailed information or to adjust the data associated with individual pick areas or to access the pick-to-light units.  This is achieved by typing "P". In response a new set of push buttons is presented, along with a list of the picking zones.

A picking zone corresponds to a carton stopping position, where the carton is expected to be loaded.  These tie the carton stopping positions to a group of pick areas.

It is first necessary to select a zone (i.e. a group of pick areas) to view or adjust.  Once done, this list is replaced by a list of the pick areas in that zone.

The lists may be scrolled using [UP] and [DOWN], [PAGE UP] and [PAGE DOWN].  These keys no longer perform vertical scrolling of the carton conveyor diagram.  A selection is made by pressing [ENTER] once the desired entry has been highlighted.

One picking zone in the list will be highlighted and that zone in the diagram will be shown normally; the others will be grey.

One pick area in the list will be highlighted and that pick area in the diagram will be shown in light blue.

You may simultaneously enter "Pick Area Mode", and select a zone, and select a pick area by clicking on the pick area.

After selecting a zone and before examining a pick area, all pick areas may be enabled by typing "A".  This resets the "Shelf Disabled" status for all divisions of all pick areas of all zones.  This is particularly convenient when a communications link has been restored, having caused a large number of pick areas to be disabled.

A different zone may be chosen, at this time, by typing "S" then making a new selection.

To exit pick area mode, type [ESCAPE].

Examining a Pick Area

To examine a pick area, first highlight the desired pick area (as described above) then type "E".  Once a pick area has been selected for examination, the window is replaced with a face view of the selected pick area shown within a yellow border, with its neighbouring pick areas shown alongside it.

You may examine a pick area by double clicking on the pick area.

The window will appear as shown overleaf:

The pick area selected may be changed, without returning to the pick area selection window, by pressing [PAGE DOWN] for its right hand neighbour or [PAGE UP] for its left hand neighbour.

The top-left division will be shown in light blue and its details (contents and whether disabled) will be shown below the depiction of the pick areas.  Other divisions may be alternatively highlighted by using the cursor keys.  In addition, the [END] key moves you to the bottom-right division, while the [HOME] key returns you to the top-left division.

Within each division is shown the number of items to be picked, or if there is no picking, the number of items on-hand in the division.  This number will be coloured to reflect the status of the division.  These colours (in order of precedence) are:

• YELLOW

  The pick area division is being picked.

• RED   

  The pick area division has a problem.

• GREY  

  The pick area division has stock.

A new set of push buttons are now provided, primarily to manipulate the data of these divisions.

The contents of the division shown in light blue may be manipulated by pressing:

• "I"

  to modify the details.

• "D"

  to delete/destroy/wipe the details.

• "Z"

  to zoom-into/expand the details.

• "C"

  to copy the details to memory/scrap-buffer/clip-board.

• "G"

  to get the details from memory/scrap-buffer/clip-board.

• "S"

  to swap the details with memory/scrap-buffer/clip-board.

The expanded details include the shelf pick-to-light address, the quantity to be picked, whether picking is in progress, and the reason the division is disabled.

The expansion of these details may be at the expense of the pick area window.  Once expanded, you may return to the non-expanded mode by pressing "Z" a second time.

The division could be disabled either because it could not be communicated with, or because it reported a fault with its display.  If the fault is with its display, the offending digit and segment is indicated, otherwise the text "Separate LED" is displayed.

When the memory (scrap buffer or clip-board equivalent) is set its details will be shown alongside the division's details.

The remaining push buttons allow you to access the pick-to-light unit's memory (by pressing "M") or to exit this window (by pressing [ESCAPE] or "E").

Monitor Memory

This option should only be used by people with knowledge of the hardware and software of the pick-to-light system, or under the guidance of someone who has this knowledge.

The window is now substantially green.  Within this green area is displayed the memory of the selected division.

The window will appear as shown overleaf:

In the top left of the green, following the text "PTL Address:" is the address of this division (a pick-to-light unit) - its communications address or station number, not its memory address. This will not change as you page through the memory - it will only change if you select another division.

This is followed by the text "READ/WRITE".  Alternatively, you may access the division's program memory by pressing "P".  In response the text "READ/WRITE" will be replaced with "PROGRAM". To return to the display of the division's read-write memory, press "R".

Below this the memory is displayed twice.  The first time in decimal and the second in hexadecimal.  The memory is displayed as eight-bit bytes in five rows of sixteen columns.  The row starting addresses are shown at the left of the rows in hexadecimal and the column offsets from these addresses are shown as a single hexadecimal digit above the columns.

An asterisk (star) is shown in the hexadecimal memory area to the right of the memory location currently being interrogated.

In both the decimal and hexadecimal memory areas, one location is displayed in reverse video.  The address of this location is shown below the hexadecimal area at the right, followed by a colon, then the binary representation of the value, followed, usually, by a less-than ("<") sign then, if read-write memory and known, the description of the byte.

The reverse video may be moved using the cursor keys. The cursor may also be moved by clicking on the desired memory location.

Some individual bits within the read-write memory have descriptions.  These may be presented by typing [CONTROL LEFT] or [CONTROL RIGHT] to move through the bits.  In response:

• The less-than sign is removed and a circumflex ("^") is presented beneath the corresponding bit.
• The bit number is appended to the byte address.
• The byte description is replaced with the bit description.
• The [LEFT] and [RIGHT] move through bits not bytes, until you move beyond the last bit.

A bit can also be selected by clicking on the bit.

At the bottom of the green is presented the base address of the memory being displayed, in hexadecimal.

The base address may be increased or reduced by 50 hex by typing [PAGE DOWN] or [PAGE UP] respectively.  Alternatively, the base address may be set to an arbitrary value by typing "A" then entering the desired address.

Alternate divisions may be interrogated by typing in the pick-to-light address of the division.

To exit monitor memory mode, type [ESCAPE].

Read-Write

These features are only available when the read-write memory is selected.

The memory location highlighted in reverse video may be altered in a variety of ways.  You can set the value of the byte to a given decimal number by pressing "C" then entering the new value, or you can set the value of the byte to a given hexadecimal number by pressing "H" then entering the new value, or you can invoke the circumflex and move it to an individual bit of the byte and toggle this bit by pressing "T".

You can double click on the location rather than move the cursor there and type "C".

Any changes made to the read-write memory will be lost whenever power is removed from the device.  Upon restoration of power, part of this memory is restored from EEROM.  If you make changes to this part of the memory, you can have these changes secured to EEROM by pressing "S".

In addition, you can specify that the changes and the securing you are about to perform are to apply to all divisions by pressing "G".  In response the "GLOBAL WRITING" push button will be illuminated indicating that the changes you are making are global.

The diagram can be scrolled (panned and tilted), rotated, and zoomed.

The [LEFT], [RIGHT], [CONTROL LEFT], [CONTROL RIGHT], [HOME], [END], [CONTROL PAGE UP], and [CONTROL PAGE DOWN] keys are used to horizontally scroll (pan) the view past the conveyors, with the [LEFT], [CONTROL PAGE UP], and [HOME] keys moving the view left while the [RIGHT], [CONTROL PAGE DOWN], and [END] keys moving the view right.  The [HOME] and [END] keys scroll to the ends while the [CONTROL PAGE UP] and [CONTROL PAGE DOWN] keys scroll by larger increments than do the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys.  The [CONTROL LEFT] and [CONTROL RIGHT] keys do the same as the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys, respectively.

The [UP], [DOWN], [PAGE UP], [PAGE DOWN], [CONTROL HOME], and [CONTROL END] keys are used to vertically scroll (tilt) the view past the conveyors, with the [UP], [PAGE UP], and [CONTROL PAGE UP] keys moving the view "higher".  The [CONTROL HOME] and [CONTROL END] keys scroll to the ends, while the [PAGE UP] and [PAGE DOWN] keys scroll by larger increments, than do the [UP] and [DOWN] keys.  The [CONTROL UP] and [CONTROL DOWN] keys do the same as the [UP] and [DOWN] keys, respectively.

By typing "R" or [SHIFT R] the display may be rotated or rotated back in 15 degree increments. [CONTROL R] will rotate the display in 1 degree increments in the reverse direction to the last "R" or [SHIFT R] key.  [ALTERNATE R] will reverse the direction for future typings of [CONTROL R].  Clicking on the "ROTATE SH.: CCW" button, with the left button, rotates the display clockwise while clicking, with the right button, rotates the display counter-clockwise.

By typing "Z" or [SHIFT Z] the display may be zoomed in or out.  [CONTROL Z] will zoom by a finer amount in the opposite direction to the last "Z" or [SHIFT Z] key. [ALTERNATE Z] will reverse the direction for future typings of [CONTROL Z].  Clicking on the "ZOOM IN SH.: OUT" button, with the left button, zooms the display in while clicking, with the right button, zooms the display out.

These changes can be made permanent for this terminal by pressing "W" to store them.  To return to the settings last made permanent, press "L".

This window is entered from the first by pressing "V".  When you wish to examine a portion of the conveyor system you can pan, tilt, rotate and zoom the diagram as described previously.  Alternatively, these settings may be stored and recalled as "views".

When you enter this window, the carton conveyor diagram will be returned to the settings last made permanent.  The pan, tilt, rotate and zoom functions are disabled.

A view is defined by providing it with a name, the coordinates of its centre in millimetres, the rotation in degrees and the scale in millimetres per pixel.  All these parameters, except for the name, can be set interactively and explicitly; the name must be set explicitly.

To add a view, you need to press "A" or [INSERT].  You will be then prompted to pan, tilt, rotate and zoom the window to create the desired view, then to type "D" when done.  These functions are now enabled.  Refer to the section titled: "Changing the Appearance".  Once you are satisfied with the appearance of the system for this view, type "D".  In response, you will be presented with a set of fields.  You will need to set the name of the view and may, optionally, make adjustments to the other parameters, which have been set from the pan, tilt, rotate and zoom operations you have just completed.

This set of fields includes the view's name (a unique "Name" field), the x and y coordinates of the centre of the view, the angle of rotation, and the scaling (all "Numeric" fields).  For editing instructions for these types of fields, please refer to the sections titled: "Name", and "Numeric".

As views are defined, they will be listed to the right of the push buttons, with one entry highlighted.  The highlight may be moved to other entries using the following keys:

• [UP]               

  Move the highlight up one line

• [DOWN]             

  Move the highlight down one line

• [PAGE UP]          

  Move the highlight up seven lines

• [PAGE DOWN]        

  Move the highlight down seven lines

• [CONTROL PAGE UP]  

  Move the highlight to the first line

• [CONTROL PAGE DOWN]

  Move the highlight to the last line

These views are also presented on the carton conveyor diagram as thin rectangles.  The rectangles will be coloured black, except for the rectangle corresponding to the highlighted entry, which will be coloured yellow.

A view may be highlighted by clicking within the corresponding thin rectangle.

The highlighted entry may be modified by pressing "M".  In response, the carton conveyor diagram will be panned, tilted, rotated and zoomed in accordance with the selected view.  You will be then prompted to pan, tilt, rotate and zoom the window to create the desired view, then to type "D" when done, as was the case when adding a new type. After typing "D", you will not be required to enter a name for the view as it already has one, however, the name and the other parameters may now be edited explicitly if so desired.

It is desirable to be able to set the parameters explicitly if creating a series of views that you wish to be same in all respects except for, say, the x coordinate.

The highlighted entry may be deleted by pressing "D" or [DELETE].

Finally, the highlighted view may be selected as the current view, by typing "S" or [ENTER].  In response, the carton conveyor diagram will be panned, tilted, rotated and zoomed in accordance with the selected view and you will be returned to the first carton conveyor diagram window.

A view may be selected by double clicking within the corresponding thin rectangle.

To return to the first carton conveyor diagram window, without selecting a view, press [ESCAPE].

To cancel a view, when back at the first carton conveyor diagram window, type "L" to return to the settings last made permanent.

There are "push buttons" presented at the lower right hand side of this window.  The purpose of these push buttons is indicated by the text within them.  The first letter of this text is larger and is to be typed to "press" the button. The button may also be clicked with the mouse.

There are also three operating-system-painted buttons.  One of which, "Palletiser select", can be used to select another palletiser.  The "ESCAPE: exit" button is for exiting from a "push button" selection or from the window completely if no such selection is active.  The "HELP" button calls up the help feature, refer to the section titled: "Help".

If the button is grey, it is available.  If it is dark green with black text it is unavailable.  If it is light green, it is either available with there being some particular reason that you might wish to "press" it or it is "pressed".

In response to activating certain push-buttons, the mode of control changes. This is reflected by a change in the push-buttons available.

This section discusses each alarm that can be raised by the palletiser PLC.

Please bear in mind that all these alarms are based on the PLC's view of the system and may therefore be the result of a failure in the sensing mechanisms and/or circuitry or in the control mechanisms and/or circuitry.  This is not reiterated in the following discussions of the individual alarms.

The sensing mechanisms include reed switches, relay contacts, proximity switches, photocells, fork lift detection loops and light curtains, while the sensing circuitry includes wiring, terminations, PLC inputs, the field input power supply and circuit breakers.

The control mechanisms include cylinders and associated gates and levers, motors and associated gearboxes, sprockets, chains, pulleys, belts et cetera, while the control circuitry includes circuit breakers, the field output power supply, PLC outputs, relays, solenoids, motor contactors, variable speed drives, motor circuit breakers, thermal overloads and motor isolators. In particular, check that the motor isolators are turned on.

There are two classes of palletiser alarms: alarms that stop the palletiser, alarms that advise that an operator action is required.

The following alarms belong to this first class:

• Open case flap

• Open or no barcode

  There are three photocells at the metering belt.  Depending on the product believed to be at this position, one of these photocells, at least, will be expected to be clear.  If this photocell is blocked, either because a case flap is open or the carton is not of the expected product, the metering belt will stop and this alarm will be raised.

  Had there been a no-read from the barcode scanner in the last five seconds, there is an increased chance that the cause is that the carton is not of the expected product, being falsely assumed to be the same as the previous carton as a result of a no-read.  Under these circumstances, the second of these alarms is raised instead.

  To clear this alarm, you will need either to reseal the flap or amend the expected cartons.

• Infeed guide fault

  The infeed guide's reed switches did not indicate that the guide had moved to the intended position within the time allowed.  This could result from insufficient air pressure, an obstruction (such as a carton in the wrong orientation or of the wrong product) or badly adjusted reed switches on the cylinders.

• Meter belt PE

• Turn peg PE

• Row entry PE

• Row gate A PE

• Row gate B PE

• Row gate C PE

• Row gate D PE

• Row gate E PE

• Row gate F PE

• Glue spray PE

  The nominated photocell has been blocked for too long while the belt or rollers have been running.  This could indicate that the photocell is out of adjustment, there is a carton stuck at this position or two or more cartons passed without the photocell seeing a gap.

• Row sweep intrusion

  The row sweep intrusion photocell is just beyond the row sweep bar.  This photocell must be clear for a row sweep to be able to run.  If this photocell is blocked at this time, then this alarm is latched.

  Generally you will find a carton in front of this photocell that will need to be relocated according to the arrangement of cartons shown on the window.

• Row sweep failed

  This indicates that the row sweep bar failed to travel out and back within the expected time.  Check for cartons (or other items) blocking its progress.

• Layer exit gate flt

  This indicates that the layer exit gate failed to lower in the time expected.  Check the air pressure and then the reed switch adjustment.

• Layer side fault

• Apron side fault

• Apron end fault

  This indicates that the corresponding compression operation failed to either extend or retract in the time expected. Check the air pressure and then the reed switch adjustment.

• Layer transfer fail

  There is a photocell just beyond the layer exit gate.  This is expected to be clear before the layer transfer is deemed to be complete.  Check that cartons are not straggling behind and that the photocell is correctly aligned.

• Layer VSD fault

• Apron VSD fault

• Lift VSD fault

  These faults indicate that the corresponding variable speed drive has signaled that it has a fault.  You should refer to the drive's display for further details.  To reset the fault, you can cycle the power to the drive by dropping the master control relay.  This is accomplished by hitting any emergency stop associated with this system.

• Apron open/close fl

  The apron has failed to open or close within the time expected.  This could be because the apron has not moved, or has not been seen to move.

  If it has failed to move, check for obstructions.  Should you need to enter the lift to do this you should follow the isolation procedure.

  If it has not been seen to move, the apron is likely to have overrun the proximity.  Check the adjustment of the proximity switches.

• Pallet part in lift

  This implies that either the photocell at the rear of the lift or the photocell beyond the load stop is blocked while the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System has deemed the transfers into and out of the lift to have been completed.

  This could result from problems with the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor system transfers.  For more details on these problems, refer to the section of the TECHNICAL MANUAL titled: "Transferring Loads".

  To correct the problem, you will need to relocate the loads on the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyor System to the positions shown on the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyors diagram.  This can be achieved using the "push button control" via the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyors diagram.  Please refer to the section titled: "Control of Loads".

• Lift gone too high

  There is an overrun proximity at the top of the permitted lift travel.  If the lift contains a good pallet, of the correct dimensions, the lift should have stopped a short time after the first of the six photocells below the curtain have been blocked.

  The most common cause is the lift not having a pallet on board, however other causes include the proximity switch or slow down photocells being out of adjustment and the variable speed drive not reacting fast enough (incorrect settings).

  The alarm can not be reset until the lift is lowered; this must be done in manual.  If you intend to reject the load, return to automatic mode on the window and type "R", before resetting the alarm, so that the system does not immediately attempt to raise the load again.

• Lift up PE when down

  One of the six photocells under the apron is blocked while the lift is down.  This should indicate a photocell that is out of adjustment, or that a piece or cardboard has been left behind blocking one of these photocells.

  Another cause could be the palletiser attempting to load too many layers on the pallet.

• Lift up PE disagree

  The lift rises until the first of the six photocells under the apron is blocked, then travels for a little longer expecting the remaining photocells to become blocked in this time.  If this fails to happen, this alarm is raised.

  Typical causes include bad pallets, cartons not sitting down, carton flaps sticking up, or photocells out of adjustment.

• Lift up/down failed

  The lift is allowed a certain amount to time to travel from the down proximity to the overrun proximity (and reverse).  If it did not complete within this time, this alarm is raised.

  This could be because the lift has not moved, or has not been seen to move.

  If it has failed to move, check for obstructions.

  If it has not been seen to move, the lift is likely to have overrun the proximity.  Check the adjustment of the proximity switches.

• PLC battery flat

  This is an alarm reported to the PLC program by the PLC. For further refer to the appropriate Allen-Bradley SLC-500 manual.

• Lower light curtain

• Upper light curtain

  There is or was an obstruction to the light curtain.  This obstruction should be removed and the appropriate light curtain reset push button operated before the alarm can be reset.

  Should the alarm remain, the alignment of the light curtain should be checked and adjusted.  Otherwise there may be a fault with the unit.

  Please note that the light curtains appear to have a "bug filter", allowing them to be automatically reset after a momentary violation.  There is no corresponding filter in the PLC software, so it is possible that these alarms may be set while the light curtain appears not to have been interrupted.

• No case @ turn peg

• No case @ row entry

  These alarms arise when a carton is expected at these locations but has either failed to arrive or pass within a reasonable time.  The problem could be that the machine has failed to count correctly at an earlier photocell, or that the carton was delayed in its travels.

  You should relocate the cartons to reflect the arrangement shown on the window.

The following alarms belong to the second class (advice):

• Stopped:Press start

  This is a reminder that the system will not run until the start button is pressed.

• No empty pallets

  This is a reminder to load some more pallets at the heavy-unit-load conveyor infeed.

• Outfeed chockers

  This is a request to remove the loads from the outfeed so that the system may continue to operate.

• Many barcodes late

  The barcode reader is expected to return a barcode within a given time after the carton has passed the photocell.

  This alarm indicates that, recently, the number of missed barcodes is excessive.

  To be more explicit, if a barcode is not received in time, a tally is incremented.  If a barcode is received, the tally is decremented.  If the tally reaches 5, this alarm is raised, whereas if it makes it back to 0, this alarm is cleared.

  If the rate exceeds 50% eventually the alarm will be raised, whereas if the rate is below 50% eventually the alarm will be cleared.  There is no point resetting this alarm.

• Many barcode noread

  The barcode reader should report for every carton, with either a barcode or a no-read.

  This alarm indicates that, recently, the number of no-reads is excessive.

  To be more explicit, if a no-read is reported, a tally is incremented.  If a barcode is reported, the tally is decremented.  If the tally reaches 5, this alarm is raised, whereas if it makes it back to 0, this alarm is cleared.

  If the rate exceeds 50% eventually the alarm will be raised, whereas if the rate is below 50% eventually the alarm will be cleared.  There is no point resetting this alarm.

Most alarms within the palletiser are "latched".  These alarms are latched either because they are associated with an action not completing within a reasonable amount of time, or so that the alarm, if possibly fleeting or intermittent, is captured. Once these alarms are corrected, it is necessary to reset them before normal operation may recommence.  To reset these alarms type 'A'.

Other alarms, such as emergency stops, need no resetting, once the stop has been released.

In the place where the push buttons are normally displayed, the tally of cases produced on the two lines feeding the palletiser may be displayed by typing "C".  After noting the tallies, the push buttons may be again displayed by typing any key.

This function causes all cartons known to the palletiser to be gathered onto the pallet, without waiting for the complete load. This would typically be done when shutting down.  Type "F" to invoke this function.

This function causes the pallet in the lift to be lowered and transferred from the lift.  This would typically be done when you are dissatisfied with the pallet in the lift.  Type "R" to invoke this function.

In automatic, the PLC decides when to perform its various cycles and controls a number of devices to achieve each cycle.  In semi-automatic, you leave the coordination of the devices to the PLC but take over the decision as to when each cycle is to be performed.  Type "S" to enter this mode.  Once you do so the PLC will cease to start any new cycles.

The push buttons will be replaced with a new set listing the keys that control the semi_automatic operations.

If one of these buttons is grey, there is no outstanding action. If it is light green, it has requested the PLC to perform a semi-automatic operation and has not yet been informed by the PLC of its compliance. If it is dark green, it has been informed by the PLC that it has started/completed (depending on how the PLC handles the operation) the requested operation and has removed its request.  Once the PLC acknowledges that it has seen the request removed, the button will be returned to grey.

The semi-automatic cycles are:

• "C"

  Release a case from the metering belt

• "R"

  Sweep a row onto the layer area

• "T"

  Transfer a layer onto the apron

• "A"

  Release the layer onto the lift

• "D"

  Discharge the load on the lift

Type [ESCAPE] to exit semi-automatic mode.  The palletiser will immediately resume automatic operation.

In automatic, the PLC decides when to perform its various cycles and controls a number of devices to achieve each cycle.  In manual, you take over all these responsibilities.  Type "M" to enter this mode.  Once you do so, the PLC will stop all motors it controls and will freeze all other outputs until you instruct it otherwise.

The push buttons will be replaced with a new set listing the keys that control the manual operation for most of the devices.

If one of these buttons is grey, it is untouched.  If it is light green, it is turned on.  If it is dark green with black text it is turned off.

The manual control keys are:

• "S"

  corresponds to the enabling/disabling of the glue spray unit.

• "I"

  corresponds to the operation of the infeed guide.

• "T"

  corresponds to the operation of the turn peg (off = turn).

• "M"

  corresponds to the running of the metering belt.

• "W"

  corresponds to the running of the wider infeed rollers.

• "R"

  corresponds to the running of the row form area rollers.

• "N"

  corresponds to the running of the row sweep arm.

• "L"

  corresponds to the running of the layer area rollers.

• "H"

  corresponds to the selection of speed for the layer area rollers.

• "A"

  corresponds to the running of the apron rollers.

• "O"

  corresponds to the running of the apron open or close.

• "U"

  corresponds to the running of the lift up.

• "D"

  corresponds to the running of the lift down.

In addition, the keys "C", "G" and "P" allow you to enter the sub-manual modes to control the compressing of the loads, the gates and the pilot lamps respectively.  These sub-modes may be exited by typing [ESCAPE].

Type [ESCAPE] to exit manual mode.  The palletiser will immediately resume automatic operation.

Motors Versus Solenoids

Palletiser Gates

Palletiser Compress

Palletiser Pilot Lamps

When the palletiser's knowledge of the position of cases is in error, it is usually simplest to rearrange the cases as shown on the window.

If this is impractical, you may clear up the situation using the semi-automatic commands, then zero the case counters.  This is done by typing "E" to enter the edit cartons mode, then typing "Z" to zero the counters.  The load in the lift is then discharged.

Alternatively, you may, should you be of sterner stuff, attempt to correct the palletiser's view of the cartons by editing this data.  The data at the glue spray, the metering belt, the turn peg, the row entry, the layer form, the apron and the lift are presented in the top centre of the window.

Each line of data consists of the product code (accompanied by the pattern name), followed by the coordinates of the next carton expected at these locations.  When editing these, horizontal and vertical pointers are provided to indicate which datum is to be edited.  Once the pointers are positioned using the cursor keys or clicking on the location, type [ENTER] then enter the new value.

This is further complicated should the end of a load occur. Here a single line may contain two sets of data, one black relating to the end of the load and the other indicating how far into the next load we have progressed.  In these circumstances, after editing one line vertically scroll to the next and edit it as well.

Once happy, press [ESCAPE] to exit and see how it goes.

Should the barcode reader fail, it can be disabled by typing "B" followed by entering the product code of the expected cartons. It is then necessary to type "B" again and enter the product code each time the line is cleared for a new product.

When disabled the push button advertising this will be coloured light green.

To bring the barcode reader back into service type "B" and enter a blank product code.

The operation of the glue spray is determined on a pattern and product basis.  Refer to the sections titled: "Enter or Modify Palletiser Patterns", and "Enter or Modify Palletiser Product Data".

If however, contrary to these settings you require the current batch not to be glued, type "G".

When disabled the push button advertising this will be coloured light green.

To bring the glue spray back into operation type "G" a second time.

The palletiser PLC is informed by its barcode reader of the product it is receiving.  For it to make intelligent use of this data it needs to know the product code to which the barcode relates, the pattern to be used for this product et cetera.

This information is contained within the Movement Controller and can be modified. Refer to the sections titled: "Enter or Modify Palletiser Product Data", "Enter or Modify Palletiser Patterns", and "Enter or Modify the Palletisers".

Anytime this information is changed or added to it should be written to the palletiser.  This is done by typing "W".  The palletiser is switched to manual while the transfer takes place.

You can call up the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyors diagram from this window by typing "P".  Subsequently, when you exit the Heavy-Unit-Load Conveyors diagram, you will be returned here.

You can call up the carton conveyors diagram from this window by typing "I".  Subsequently, when you exit the carton conveyor diagram, you will be returned here.

There are two "machines", the "Freezer Detierer", and the "Chiller Detierer".

These windows allow you to, more conveniently than via the conveyor diagram, observe the state of a detierer and to control it manually.

These windows provide buttons that can be used to set the corresponding conveyor (M02A or M52A) to manual or automatic.  The corresponding conveyor must be set to manual before the manual control buttons can be used.

When these conveyors are set to manual in this way, they must be set back to automatic in the same way, though any terminal on the network can be used to do this.  If you right click on the conveyor on the conveyor diagram, while it is set to manual via this window, it will show the controlling location to be "Indirect", rather than a specific terminal; this is intended to tell you that it is held in manual via the machine status window.

These windows present their status, graphically, in the following areas:

• Elevation
• Plan view

Below these areas are the control buttons, while to the right is presented the status in text form.

In the "Elevation" area, it presents the entry and exit height photocells, the photocells that look to find the gap in a pallet and that to see below the pallet, and the vertical position of the forks.

In the "Plan view" area, it presents the too-far left and right exit photocells and whether the forks (or pegs) are back, extended, or fully inserted into a pallet.

Controls