HISTORIAN USER'S MANUAL

This manual is intended to be used as a simple "How To" guide that will explain,
and show the keystrokes necessary to use, the basic functions of the Historian.
For a more detailed explanation refer to the GE supplied Maintenance Guide.
First, let us talk about what the Historian is. The Historian is a computer that is
separate from the MARK V control system and is used to store turbine data. This
data can be called up by an I processor and is used for maintenance trending or
just monitoring the performance of the unit.

There are several things that you will need to know to use the Historian. These
things are laid out in simple form in this manual. The Historian is a VMS based
system. What this means is that the commands that you will use to copy files,
change directories, and manipulate data on the Historian will all be different from
an IBM or DOS based system. Remember, if you ever get into trouble or feel lost
in the Historian, consult the Maintenance Guide or use the Help function in the
VMS system.
The list of things that follow are in sequential order and are the simple things that
you will need to know to use the Historian.

1) Logging into the system - this will be necessary to do anything on the

Historian so it must be done first

2) Starting the data collection - to tell the Historian to start collecting and
storing the data points

3) Stopping the data collection - to tell the Historian to stop collecting and
storing the data points

4) Archiving data onto tape - because the Historian has a limited

amount of space on the hard drive, the data
must be transferred to tape for permanent
storage and to make room for new data

5) Restoring data from tape - to look at data that has been previously
transferred to tape and is no longer on the hard
drive or is corrupted

6) Logging off the system - this will be done when you are finished with
the Historian
ALSO

7) Editing the Data Dictionary - the Data Dictionary is what tells the Historian
which points to collect and how and when to
collect them. There may be times when you
need to change what the Historian records

8) Storing Data Dictionaries - if changes are made to a Data Dictionary it

should be stored on tape to back it up

9) Retrieving Data Dictionaries- to restore a Data Dictionary in case of

problems with the one on the hard drive

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 Logging into the System

There are three different ways that you can log into the Historian system. These
ways access different "accounts" and the main difference between them is the
number of privileges that each allows. The accounts are logged into in the same
manner in that they all require a username and a password. The username and
password will be different for each and these are outlined below.

Archive Account
The first account is the Archive account. It will be used to maintain and store the
history files to tape. You will log into this account when the hard drive is getting
full and the data needs to be transferred to magnetic tape. The way to transfer the
data to tape will be explained later. The way that you log into the Archive account
is as follows:

1) Insure that you are not already logged in. If you have a system prompt ($), then
you are already logged into another type of account and it will be necessary to
log out and log in again. Simply type LO (short for LOGOUT) and this will
log you out. You can then begin with a fresh slate.

2) Hit any button to bring up the following at the bottom of the screen:

Houston Light & Power

Username:

At this point, you should type: ARCHIVE

Hit return and then the screen will prompt you for the password:

Password:

You should now type the password for the Archive account. The factory
default password is ARCHIVE but it may have been changed. For security
reasons, the password will not show up on the screen as you type it. After
hitting return you will be logged into the Archive account.

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Control Account
The Control account has more privileges than the Archive account and it will be
used for different reasons. The Control account will allow changes to be made to
the Data Dictionary and for starting and stopping the Historian. The method of
changing the Data Dictionary and starting and stopping will be explained later.
The method for logging into the Control account is very similar to the Archive
account and goes as follows:

1) Insure that you are not already logged in. If you have a system prompt ($), then
you are already logged in and it may not be necessary to log in again. If you
are unsure, type LO (short for LOGOUT) and this will log you out. You can
then begin with a fresh slate.

2) Hit any button to bring up at the bottom of screen:

Houston Light & Power

Username:

At this point, you should type: CONTROL

Hit return and then the screen will prompt you for the password:

Password:

You should now type the password for the Control account. The factory
default password is CONTROL but it may have been changed. For security
reasons, the password will not show up on the screen as you type it. After
hitting return, the system will ask you to type in your last name. This is not for
security reasons but, will run customized programs immediately if you have
them set up.

System Account
Getting into this account is very similar to accessing the Control account. The
difference is the Username will be SYSTEM. The default Password from the
factory is SYSTEM but, this may have been changed. This account will be used
when restoring the backup files from the hard drive. The System account has the
most privileges so it is necessary to be knowledgeable about the VAX in order to
avoid causing any problems.

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 Starting the Historian Data Collection

The Historian software must be started in order to collect data points from the
Mark 5. The commands that are necessary to do this are explained here. It will
first be necessary to log into the Control account. Logging in is explained in the
previous section. After getting the system prompt ($), the only thing that must be
done is to type the following:

$ @DTSTARTUP

and then press the return key. When the software has started collecting and storing
data, the system prompt ($) will return.

Stopping the Historian Data Collection

When it becomes necessary to stop the data collection, such as when restoring the
Data Dictionaries to the hard drive, the procedure is similar to starting the
software. If you are trying this command immediately after the startup command,
it is important to note that you must log out after the startup command and then
log back in. The following command must be typed in at the system prompt ($)
after logging into the System account.

$ @DTSHUTDWN

Pressing the return key will begin the shutdown procedure. Messages may appear
about ignoring processes. This is normal as the Mark 5 may still be sending
information that the Historian is now ignoring. The last thing that will appear is
"Enter Mailbox Name". The system prompt should appear next. The entire process
takes about two minutes.

Storing Data on Tape

When the Historian hard drive gets too full to hold more data, the data must be
transferred to tape. This process is called Archiving. The amount of free space on
the hard drive can be determined by typing at the system prompt, SHOW
DEVICE DKA300:. The system will then tell how much space is left under the
words Free Blocks. You will need to monitor the amount of free blocks until you
get a feel for how much space your system uses over a given period of time. This
will help you schedule your archiving sessions. It will not be necessary to shut the
Historian software down to store data to tape.

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The Archive procedure is done in the Archive account. The Historian normally
creates one data file for each day of storage. When the group of files is stored on
tape, the group is called a Volume Set. These sets are numbered sequentially and
each Volume Set may require several tapes to store all the files. Each Volume Set
can be stored on a different tape or placed on the same tape as another Volume
Set. This will save on the number of tapes required but it may be slower to restore
the information to the hard drive. You can start a new Volume Set on the tail end
of an existing Volume Set on a tape by mounting the last tape in the existing
Volume set and answering NO to the question: "Rewind the tape before writing?".
If you answer YES, then the existing information on the tape will be erased. Be
Careful! Also, only tapes that have data written by the Archive function should be
used. This is because the Restore function (explained later) needs the tape to start
with a Volume Set or it will not find the beginning of the set. If there are old files
on the tape that have been written by another Historian command such as Backup,
then you should answer YES to the "Rewind tape before writing?" question. This
again, will erase those files.
To start the archiving process, place a tape in the tape drive and log into the
Archive account. The system will then ask what you want to do in this session as
shown below.

Archive, Restore, Delete, List, Mount, or Exit?

By typing a question mark (?), you will get a brief explanation of what each
function will do. You should answer A, to archive the data files to tape, and then
hit return.
The system will then ask as series of questions about what specific information
you want to store. These questions will concern the time period and which unit the
information will be about. The questions are shown below, and there are some
shortcuts that may help you get the right information faster.

1) For example, when the system asks: Month Range [*]:, by entering an asterisk
the system will place information from all the available months on the tape.

2) You can also specify a range of months by using another format. For example,
typing MAR-JUN will place all the available information from the months of
March, April, May and June on the Volume Set. However; if you want to get
two separate and non-sequential months, you must run the Archive procedure
twice.

These rules will work for the rest of the questions that the Historian will ask such
as, Day, Year, and Unit. Another important question that you will need to answer
is "Delete the data from the main disk?". If you are trying to make more room on

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the hard drive, then you should answer YES to this question. If you want the
information to remain on the hard drive and be placed on tape, answer NO. A
sample archiving section is shown on the next page. The Archive account will
automatically log you out when it has copied all of the files to tape.

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 Restoring Data from Tape

If it becomes necessary to retrieve some old data from a tape then you will need to
use the Restore function in the archiving account. Insert the first tape in the
Volume Set in the tape drive and log into the Archive account. It is important to
understand that if there are several tapes in a Volume Set then you must start with
the very first tape. Also, if you have archived a Volume Set on a tape that has the
tail end of another Volume Set on it, then you will need to start with the first tape
in the first Volume Set.
The procedure for restoring data is very similar to the procedure for archiving it.
Many of the same questions are asked about the time and unit number of the
desired information. It is necessary to first read the "Storing the Data to Tape"
section of this manual to understand what the questions mean.
After logging in, the system will prompt you for what function that you want to
perform in Archive.

Archive, Restore, Delete, List, Mount, or Exit?

Type R for Restore and then hit the return key. All of the same rules apply in
Restore as in Archive. If you do not understand something about a Restore
function, then typing a question mark (?) at any prompt will give a brief
explanation of the function. Also, typing L (for List) instead of R will list all the
files available. When you are done, the Restore account will log you out
automatically.

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 Logging Out

It will be necessary to log out when you are through with the Control or Syetem
account. The Archive account will log you out automatically. There is not much to
logging out as you will see. At the system prompt ($), simply type LO (short for
logout) and then hit the return key.

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 Editing the Data Dictionary

The Data Dictionary is the area of information that tells the Historian which points
in the Mark 5 it should record. Also, the parameters in the Dictionary tell the
Historian how often, under what conditions, and what type of signal it should
record. If a point needs to be added or taken away from the Historian's list, then
this is the place to do it. To access the Data Dictionary, it will be necessary to log
into the Control Account, Change directories, and then enter the Editor.
Logging in was discussed in an earlier section of this manual. Be sure to log into
the Control Account. The next step is to change directories to the one which
contains the SITE.UN file and the *.DD (Data Dictionary) files. To do this, at the
system prompt ($) type the following:

$ SET DEFAULT [RELEASED.SITE]

This will change you over into the SITE directory which is a sub-directory of the
RELEASED directory. Type DIR at the system prompt. A listing of all the current
files in your directory will be shown on the screen. There should be a SITE.UN
file and several files that have the extension DD, i.e. 04.DD;1. The 04 is the Unit
Name and it stands for the steam or gas unit that the file is dedicated to. In other
words, in the 04.DD;1 file there will be all the information about the data points
that the Historian should collect for Unit 4. The current directory will also be
shown in brackets. It should be [RELEASED.SITE]. The next thing that needs to
be done is to run the Data Dictionary Editor. At the system prompt ($), type the
following:

RUN DT_RELEASED_PROGRAMS:X01DEDIT.EXE

This will run the edit program. The editor will ask you for your initials and this
will allow the editor to keep a record of who is making changes. The editor will
then ask you for the unit number. If there are different Data Dictionary files (there
should be at least one file for each unit that the Historian stores data for) in the
Site sub-directory, then type in the name of the unit file that you wish to change.
Typing a Question Mark (?) and hitting the return key will list all the different unit
names. Once inside the editor, units can be changed easily and without exiting the
editor.
The next screen that will come up will be the editor menu. A brief list and
explanation of each command follows.

Create- To add a new data point, such as Compressor Discharge Pressure,

to the Data Dictionary

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Delete - To delete a point that already exists in the Data Dictionary

Exit - To exit the Editor and go back to the system prompt ($)

Find - To find a data point using its device name such as FSRN, for gas
turbines or LDR for steam turbines

List - To list all the data points in the dictionary

Modify - To change a data point that already exists in the Data Dictionary
file. The editor will ask for a field number to be modified and this
will be explained in the next section.

Unit - Used to change Unit files that are being worked on, i.e. to switch
from turbine # 44 to turbine # 43

Next - To edit the data point that follows the one that is currently being
worked on

Previous - To edit the data point that precedes the one that is currently being
worked on

#- Be Careful, this will delete all the data points in the current file

>- To copy all the data points in the current file to another file, called
the target file. This is useful when there are several identical units.
Note that the target file must have all the points in it deleted first.

Now that we know what each editor command does, let's discuss the parameters of
the data points that we might want to change. When a point is Created or called up
by the Find command, a screen appears that shows all the information that the
Historian needs to store that point. Try calling up point FSR by typing F (for find)
at the bottom of the editor menu. The editor will then ask for the name of the point
that you wish to find. If you are working on a gas turbine, type in FSR and if you
are working on a steam turbine, type LDR. Each section of information on the
screen is called a Field. Some fields do not apply to all points and some fields
cannot be modified. A list of the Fields and a brief explanation of each follows.
Reading through this list will help you understand what the Data Dictionary is for.

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Field Number Field Name Description
1. Unit Field This will be the Unit name such as 04
(2 Characters-not modifiable)
2. Point Name The name of the point such as FSR
3. Point Number The number of the point in the list in
Hex - it should match the memory offset
number in the UNITDATA.DAT file
(0000-FFFF)
4. DAS Point Number Another number of the point in Hex - it should
be the same as Point Number
(0000-FFFF)
5. Number of Bytes Do not change this value
(1-255)
6. Point Type The type of number or value the signal
will be. This might be digital, counter, or
intel real. All of the different types are
on a list that follows.
7. UDL Class How often the point should be stored by
the Historian. The value can be from 1 to
255 and each increment means 0.256
seconds. If you enter a value of 100,
then the Historian will record the value
of the point every 25.6 seconds.
8. Dispatch Flag Tells the Historian where to send the
point. See the list that follows.
9. Description Flag Tells the Historian how to collect the
point. It can be collected on a change of
value, alarm, or event, etc... There is a
complete list Flags in the following
pages. (You must enter a zero to exit this field
when modifying it)
10. Long Name An actual description of what the point is. For
example, Compressor Discharge Pressure.

11. Field 11 and 12 can be several things:

Conversion P1 Is a real number and is used for scaling an
analog signal. It is the Gain of the signal as in
the SCLEDATA.DAT file. It sets the limit for
the maximum value of the point.
Logic True State Tells the Historian what value to store for a
logic True signal.

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 Other There are a couple of other things but, they are
not used very often. See the Maintenance Guide
if you have questions.
12. Conversion P2 A real number that is usually zero and is
added to the scaled signal.It is the same as the
offset in the SCLEDATA.DAT file
Logic False State Tells the Historian what value to store for a
logic False signal.
13. Decimal Places An integer (0-255) that determines where to
place the decimal point in the signal.
14. Engineering Units Can be PSIA, "H2O, GPM, etc
15. Low Plot Range Any real number(not used by the Historian)
16. High Plot Range Any real number(not used by the Historian)
17. Low Low Alarm Any real number(not used by the Historian)
18. Low Alarm Limit Any real number(not used by the Historian)
19. High Alarm Limit Any real number(not used by the Historian)
20. High High Alarm Any real number(not used by the Historian)
21. Significant Change When the value of the incoming signal changes
Limit by this amount, the Historian will be told to
record the new value of the signal.

You should begin to see what the Data Dictionary is used for and why some
changes may be necessary. Editing a point can be accomplished by typing M for
modify at the bottom of the editor screen. The editor will ask for the Field Number
of the information you wish to change. The Field Number can be taken from the
preceding list. There is some further description about what the Data Dictionary
fields contain in the next section.

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 How the Historian Knows when to Record Data for a Point

The way that points will be recorded by the Historian is based on the Description
Flag. There are several ways to trigger the Historian to record the value of a point.
It can be told to record the value when the Mark 5 has an Alarm, or an Event. It
will also record a digital signal, or contact, when it changes state. For example,
when the "[DIGIN 006B] Voltage Regulator in Auto Mode" changes state, the
Historian will record this event. This would have a Description Flag value of 7. If
a point has a Description Flag of 10, then it will be collected on a regular time
cycle based on the User Dedined List (UDL) value. For example, the "CPD
Compressor Discharge Pressure" will be recorded approximately every 10
seconds. The UDL Scan Class for CPD is 39. Remember that you multiply the
UDL Scan Class number by 0.256 seconds to get the sample rate.
Another way that the Historian can be triggered to record a point is a change of
value. As an example, if the Atomizing Air Pressure stays at a constant value of
130 PSI then the Historian will not record it, but if the pressure changes by an
certain amount then the point will be recorded. This amount is set by Field
Number 21, called the Significant Change Limit.
Now that Changes have been made to the Data Dictionary it will be necessary to
save the SITE.UN file and the Data Dictionary file to tape. The method for doing
this is explained in the next section.

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 Saving the Data Dictionary to Tape

After making changes to the Data Dictionary it can be saved to tape for a
permanent record. This is done in the Control account. The tape drive is called the
MKA100 in the Historian and there are a few commands that must be understood
to use the it. There is a sample backup session shown on the next page and before
we type any commands in , we will talk about what each line of the command
session means. The first is the Allocate command. The Allocate command tells
the Historian that you are going to be using the tape drive and nothing else should
have access to it. This is necessary because the VAX, when used in applications
other than the Historian, can have several users. The name of the tape drive is
MKA100. The next command is the Mount command. This command tells the
tape drive to expect information and what format it will be written in. The
/Foreign qualifier which follows the Mount command means that the information
will not be written in the standard VAX format. Backup/Verify is the actual copy
command. It has more checks than a regular COPY command to make sure that
the tape is written without errors. Certain information is contained in the tape
volume header such as expiration date, volume protection, and volume label.
Since, this information does not apply to the tape that we are making, we use
IGNORE=LABEL in the command. All of the information that we want to backup
will be in the RELEASED directory. In the command line, the word RELEASED
in brackets is where the information will be written from. By following the
RELEASED with the three periods, the Historian will write all the files to tape
that are in the sub-directories within the RELEASED directory. This is important
because the Data Dictionaries are in the SITE sub-directory. Next comes the part
of the command that tells the Historian where to put the information. The first part
is MKA100. Following this will be the
RELEASED/SAVE/REWIND/IGNORE=LABEL portion of the command line
that tells the Historian how to put the information on tape. RELEASED in this
case is the label of the tape. /SAVE tells the tape drive that this information should
be written in a Saveset. A Saveset is one master file to which all of the files will be
written. This saves you from entering the name of each and every file. /REWIND
specifies that the tape should rewind to the beginning before writing and data. This
will make the Historian overwrite any information that is already on the tape. The
CSF directory should also be saved. The command line for this is below the line
for saving the RELEASED directory. The tape drive must then be dismounted and
deallocated. All of the commands that have been talked about are listed on the
next page.

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 Log into the Control Account.
$ ALLOCATE MKA100:
$ MOUNT MKA100:/FOREIGN
$ BACKUP/VERIFY/IGNORE=LABEL [RELEASED...]
MKA100:RELEASED/SAVE/REWIND

$ BACKUP/VERIFY/IGNORE=LABEL [CSF...]
MKA100:CSF/SAVE/NOREWIND
$ DISMOUNT MKA100:
$ DEALLOCATE MKA100:

Getting a Directory of the Tape

To check the directory of the tape to see if all of the files are actually on the it,
another version of the BACKUP command can be used. Most parts of the
command have already been discussed, but the /LIST is the part that asks for a
directory. The actual command line follows.

$ BACKUP/LIST MKA100:*.*/SAVE/REWIND

To stop the directory from scrolling across the screen, hold the control button
(CTRL) down and at the same time press S. To start the directory scrolling again,
press the control button (CTRL) and at the same time hit the Q key.

Restoring All Savesets from Tape

If there is ever a problem with the Historian or the Data Dictionary is corrupted,
then the tape drive can be used to restore the affected files. It is important to shut
the Historian down before restoring data to it. It will also be necessary to log into
the System account. The commands are similar to those used to save the data on
tape. Again, the tape drive must be allocated and mounted but the mount statement
will change by adding the qualifier /NOWRITE. This qualifier is necessary to read
from the tape and then write the information to the disk drive. The next statement
contains the *.* after MKA100. The asterisks are wild cards and tell the Historian
to get any and all files from the tape that are saveset files. The next thing that is
different is the destination. The name for the disk drive is DUA0: and the [*...]
part of the command line specifies that the files should be put back into the same
directory they were in when the tape was made. This will save the trouble of
typing in the actual directory names. /OWNER=ORIGINAL will copy only the

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files from the original owner when the tape was made. The command sequence
follows.

Log into the System Account.

$ ALLOCATE MKA100:
$ MOUNT/FOREIGN/NOWRITE MKA100:
$ BACKUP/VERIFY MKA100:*.*/SAVE/REWIND
DUA0:[*...]/OWNER=ORIGINAL
$ DISMOUNT MKA100:
$ DEALLOCATE MKA100:

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 Conclusion

This manual has tried to explain in simple terms, some of the more commonly
used functions of the Historian. It is by no means complete but, understanding the
maintenance guide should be easier after reading this manual.There are more
commands in the maintenance guide which may prove useful. and if a more in
depth knowledge is desired, the Maintenance Guide is the place to start.

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