iTools may be launched in any of the following ways:

• By starting the iTools application itself. By default, the Setup program will have created a Program Group called “Eurotherm iTools” containing an “iTools” icon. Selecting this icon will launch the application.
• By opening an instrument clone file directly from the Windows Explorer or Shell. The iTools Setup program copies three such clone files onto the user’s computer. Each is accessible from the iTools Program Group. A clone file may be recognized by its filename extension, .UIC, or by its icon:

or

• By opening a view of a connected on-line device from the Eurotherm Network Explorer. Each device attached to a Modbus port in the Eurotherm Network Explorer will present a command, ‘Open in iTools’, on its File menu and Context menu.

If the first method is used to start the application, it may appear initially empty, with no device views or edit windows open. See the following section for information on how to open views of devices or clone files.

It is not necessary to run the iTools Modbus Server separately. This, and any other required components will be loaded automatically as needed.

See also Command-Line Options.

Views of additional devices may be opened in any of the following ways:

• By enabling Background Scanning for new devices. This can be achieved from the iTools main menu or toolbar.

• By selecting the “Add Devices” command from the iTools menu or toolbar. This will display a list of available devices (both real and simulated) to select from.
• By opening a view of either a real or a simulated device from the Eurotherm Network Explorer (see the third bullet point above). The same copy of the iTools application is used to display all open device views, just as one copy of, say, Microsoft Word, can handle multiple open documents simultaneously. By dragging a device’s icon out of the Eurotherm Network Explorer and dropping it onto the iTools window.

As implied above, iTools is able to handle simulated as well as real devices. Simulated devices behave very much like real devices, but do not implement a true control algorithm. They are provided for demonstration and training purposes only.

In this iTools release, simulated devices are distinguished from real devices by the use of a different color for the panel LEDs (white rather than yellow), and by the prefixing of the panel’s device type label with the letters “SIM”.

Views of additional clone files may be opened in any of the following ways:

• By selecting the “Open Clone File” command from the iTools menu or toolbar. This will display a standard File Open dialog for file selection.

• By opening a clone file directly from the Windows Explorer or Shell, e.g. by double-clicking the file.
• By dragging a file out of the Explorer and dropping it onto the iTools window.

Using the Application

There are two different types of view which show the set of available devices: Device Panel Views (also known as device faceplates, towards the top of the iTools main window) and the Device Browser (to the left of the main window). Both of these views may be shown or hidden as required - see the View menu.

The functionality of iTools may be accessed by various means:

• The main iTools menu bar.
• The iTools toolbar.
• Context-sensitive pop-up menus accessed by clicking with the right mouse button.
• Double-clicking a device faceplate (or a device listed in the browser) will show the parameter lists for that device, and double-clicking a parameter in a list will allow the value of that parameter to be modified.

All iTools features may be accessed from the keyboard as well as the mouse. It is a continuing aim of the development that all functionality should be accessible from both a pointing device (mouse, touch screen, etc.) and the keyboard.

This section provides a full version history for iTools. For other release notes, please see the iTools ReadMe file.

Version 7.00

• Within iTools Engineering Studio, the Graphical Wiring Editor now allows wiring diagrams to be split across multiple nested pages known as Compounds
• The OPC Server component of iTools 7.00 has passed all sections of the OPC Foundation Compliance Test for OPC Data Access 2.05a servers
• OPC Scope now includes a readout cursor facility, allowing for precise review of item values within the chart display; this facility is activated by double-clicking in the chart whilst in review mode
• Usage on Windows Server 2003 and Windows Vista is now supported; support for Windows 98, Windows Me and Windows NT 4.0 is withdrawn
• Most iTools programs will now make use of the theming support built into Windows XP and Windows Vista, where enabled
• A problem has been resolved that caused iTools View Builder to generate access violation errors on some systems
• Support added for 3500 series controllers version 2.70

Version 6.52.2

• Support is added for 3200 series controllers versions 2.11 and 2.31 (VP).

Version 6.52.1

• iTools now supports the Eurotherm model 2604 controller, version 6.30
• iTools now supports the Eurotherm Mini8, version 2.30

Version 6.52

• Support added for 2704 controller version 6.40
• Support added for 3200 series controllers versions 2.10 and 2.30 (VP)
• Support added for 3504/3508 controllers version 2.60

Version 6.50

• Support added for 2500 version 3.70
• Support added for 3216i/32h8i/3204i indicators version 1.03
• Support added for Mini8 version 2.10
• Support added for 6100XIO and 6180XIO recorders
• Support added for Eycon-10 and Eycon-20 Visual Supervisors version 1.00
• Support added for T2550 Programmable Controller 2.00 and T820 HMI/Control Unit 2.00

Version 6.44

• Support added for 3200 series controllers versions 2.09 and 2.29 (VP)

Version 6.42

• Support added for 3504/3508 controllers version 2.30
• iTools Wizards: fixed a problem where users without administrator rights would be unable to see the list of available wizards
• iTools Control Panel: fixed a problem with removing hostnames from TCP/IP ports with multiple hosts
• Correction to device faceplates for 2100 and 2200 series devices
• Fixed a problem with 2604 version 6.20 communications via the Series 2000 Interface Adapter

Version 6.40

• The Terminal Wiring Editor in iTools Engineering Studio now supports Mini8
• iTools Wizards now support report generation at the end of the configuration process; this facility is identical to that included within iTools Engineering Studio
• New iTools OPC Service allows the iTools OPC Server to run at system startup time, and at any time when no user is logged in - see separate readme file for more information
• Support added for 3216i/32h8i/3204i indicators version 1.02
• Support added for 3504/3508 controllers version 2.21
• Support added for Mini8 version 2.00

Version 6.20

• Support added for 3504/3508 controllers version 2.18 (and 2.19)
• Tested for full product release

Version 6.12 (Not Released)

• Programmer Editor updated for 3500 version 2 release, including dual programmer modes
• User Pages Editor updated for 3500 version 2 release
• Within iTools Engineering Studio, the 3200 series Flash Memory editor now allows Recipe editing
• Configuration Wizards for 3200 series devices now include a new tab allowing Recipe editing
• New horizontal format 32h8 controller fully supported, including Device Panel and Terminal Wiring views
• The iTools Print facility (iTools Report Wizard) now allows access to 'hidden' device lists, such as those included in the 3200 series Flash Memory editor
• Support added for 3200 series controllers versions 2.07 and 2.27 (VP), including the new horizontal format 32h8 controller
• iTools icons on the Windows program menu are now positioned in a "Eurotherm" folder rather than a "Eurotherm iTools" folder
• Fixed problem with location of Eurotherm Suite licensing component
• Clone Verify function of iTools Engineering Studio now blocked while edit windows open for that device, to ensure data integrity
• Standalone Programmer Editor now optionally allows device scanning; to expose this feature, the editor must be started with the /EnableScan command line option

Version 6.00

• iTools Engineering Studio includes a new Terminal Wiring Editor, showing rear terminal connections for the following device types: 2200 series, 2400 series, 2604, 2704, 3100 series, 3200 series, 3500 series
• The opening screens of the iTools Configuration Wizards have been redesigned for improved ease of use
• iTools Configuration Wizards are now available from within the iTools Engineering Studio application
• Graphical Wiring Editor now offers full support for 2604, 2704 and X26 controllers, version 5.00 and later
• Graphical Wiring Editor: new color scheme which matches the LINtools defaults wherever possible
• Graphical Wiring Editor: wires now have a curve at each change of direction so that it is easy to see the difference between two wires which cross and two wires which meet at a corner
• Graphical Wiring Editor: 'Hide Unwired Connections' on block context menu - useful for the loop where there can be many inputs and outputs shown which have no wire
• Graphical Wiring Editor: all changes undoable and redoable - undo information is cleared on saving to a 3508, 3504 or Mini8
• Graphical Wiring Editor: wire tags can now be moved so that multiple wires from a single output can be shown using tags
• Graphical Wiring Editor: 'Find Start' and 'Find End' added to wire context menu to make finding where a wire comes from or goes to easy
• Graphical Wiring Editor: hint for a wired input shows the name of the parameter it is wired from
• Graphical Wiring Editor: hint for a wired output shows the names of all the parameters it is wired to
• Graphical Wiring Editor: when placing new wires the auto wire routing is improved
• Graphical Wiring Editor: new 'Show Wires Using Tags' item on the block context menu toggles the tags state of attached wires
• Graphical Wiring Editor: major performance improvements
• Graphical Wiring Editor: mouse drag while holding the spacebar or the shift key scrolls the diagram
• Graphical Wiring Editor: if there is a parameter help window open, mouse over a monitor changes the help to that parameter's help
• Graphical Wiring Editor: monitors now have a parameter help context menu entry
• Programmer Editor: a number of minor usability enhancements have been made, including automatic scaling of multiple 2604/2704 plots so that all plots can be shown simultaneously to best effect
• iTools includes a comprehensive new help file; the same information is also included in a new manual, available in Acrobat PDF format on the iTools CD-ROM
• Support added for model 2604 controller, version 6.20, and model 2704 controller, version 6.30

Version 5.60

• Support added for Mini8 version 1.04
• Support added for 3116/3216 controllers version 2.02; this includes an update to the existing Configuration Wizards to add support for the new version
• Support added for 3504/3508 controllers version 1.20
• iTools Views now allows any document to be opened or command to be executed on a button press; the document name or command is supplied as the ViewFilename property of a ViewButton component
• Fixed a problem whereby custom linearization downloads, or Graphical Wiring Editor layout downloads, to 3500 series devices could occasionally fail without error or warning
• MODBUS TCP block writes are now limited to a maximum of 100 registers, as per the MODBUS TCP specification
• MODBUS Function 6 (Write Single Register) is now supported by the iTools OPC Server; Function 16 (Write Multiple Registers) was always used in earlier versions
• Any failure (or user intervention) during clone or linearization download to an instrument now forces a resynchronization, to ensure that data held by the IDM is current
• Fixed an occasional access violation in the iTools Parameter Explorer views

Version 5.58

• Support added for 2500 version 3.62
• Support added for 3504/3508 controllers version 1.12; support for version 1.10 was withdrawn as this version was never manufactured
• The Programmer Editor now includes full support for 3500 series controllers, version 1.12

Version 5.56

• Support for 3500 series controllers version 1.10
• An error message was previously generated when placing the Loop block in the Graphical Wiring Editor window in the case where the Programmer feature was disabled; this is now resolved

Version 5.55

• The Programmer Editor now allows event outputs to be defined for 3500 series End (Dwell) segments; this facility will be available for future 3500 versions only
• Fixed a problem which prevented saved Programmer files from being reloaded in the case where accented characters were used in program names
• Tested for full product release

Version 5.53 (not released)

• Added new iClone dedicated cloning utility

Version 5.52 (not released)

• Fixed a problem whereby iTools could occasionally freeze when either loading or saving in the Graphical Wiring Editor or Programmer Editor
• Fixed a problem whereby Graphical Wiring Editor layouts could not be reloaded when certain characters were used in comment blocks
• Improved performance of the Programmer Editor for 3500 series controllers
• Minor French translation updates
• Several minor enhancements and corrections

Version 5.50 (not released)

• Corrections to Tutorial section of help file
• Improved performance of iTools Engineering Studio when Parameter Explorer windows open
• Further translation updates
• Several minor enhancements and corrections

Version 5.25 (not released)

• Updated French translations
• iTools application help file corrections
• Several minor enhancements and corrections

Version 5.24 (not released)

• Support for 3500 series controllers version 1.04
• Support for 3200 series controllers version 1.10
• Updated French and German translations
• Several minor enhancements and corrections

Version 5.19 (not released)

• Graphical Wiring Editor is now the default device view in iTools, where available; at present, this means simply that double-clicking a 3504 or 3508 device in iTools will launch the GWE
• Fixed recently introduced problems with iTools Report Wizard
• Fixed a problem whereby iTools programs would refuse to run if no Product Key was supplied

Version 5.18 (not released)

• Several minor enhancements and corrections

Version 5.17 (not released)

• iTools Engineering Studio has new Device Information dialog
• Included some foreign language translations (French, German, Spanish) for the 3116/3216 Configuration Wizard
• Several minor enhancements and corrections

Version 5.16 (not released)

• Numerous improvements to the Graphical Wiring Editor for 3500 series devices
• Enhancements to the 3116/3216 Configuration Wizard, including improved time editing on the Timer page
• Fixed a problem whereby the 2704 User Pages editor could not be opened when connected to an instrument via the Series 2000 Configuration Station

Version 5.14 (not released)

• In-place editing of parameter values is now possible in Parameter Explorer and other editors
• Direct grid editing features a special hint that is updated if the current value changes during editing; this hint also shows the parameter's limits
• The edit dialog for time (duration) types has been enhanced
• The Scan dialog in iTools now makes clear which option should be used in conjunction with the CPI clip
• Parameter Explorer windows now size themselves according to their contents, unless they have been manually resized
• 3500 User Pages editor windows may now be resized
• Parameter Explorer etc. have a new column showing pencil for writeable parameters; also, the hint on this column describes the availablility/accessibility of the parameter
• Much better hint (tooltip) support for grids: any grid cell that overruns gets a hint
• Device Recipe and Watch/Recipe now have a row selection indicator to make the selected row clearer (can't have selectable rows in an editable grid)
• Device Recipe editor has a new toolbutton for the 'Load Access Level' action; the bitmap used varies according to whether the selected data set's load access level is 'Config', 'Operator' or 'Never'
• Row reordering spin button now featured in the 3500 UPE, Device Recipe Editor and Watch/Recipe window
• Can now copy rows in the Device Recipe Editor by drag/drop (same as Watch/Recipe)
• New 'button combination' toolbuttons for 2400, 3200 and 3500 Device Panel Views
• 3116/3216 panel displays now support the special '-1' character
• Enumerated parameter values within iTools are now available for translation into non-English languages

Version 5.11 (not released)

• Much faster handling of .UIS files in the iTools OPC Server
• Fixed a problem, introduced in 5.10, which prevented parameter edits in the programmer editor
• Updated beta support for 3504/3508 controllers

Version 5.10 (not released)

• Enhancement to iTools device panel views, allowing combinations of two buttons to be pressed together via the toolbar
• Fixed a problem whereby button presses from device panel views in iTools were sometimes ignored
• It is now possible to control the promotion of individual programmer parameters for 2400 series devices
• Minor enhancements and corrections

Version 5.01

• Fixed handling of boolean parameters when configuring 3116/3216 controllers off-line (i.e. via clone files)
• Fixed a fault in the upload of custom linearization files from 3116/3216
• Fixed an occasional error when cloning to 3116/3216 devices (note: where this occurred, the clone errors were clearly displayed and were corrected by repeating the operation)
• Fixed an error message which was displayed when all rows of the 3116/3216 Promote editor had been filled
• Force the browse panel in iTools Engineering Studio to be always visible; this corrects problems which occurred in version 5.00 if this view was closed, and is also necessary when using the Graphical Wiring Editor
• Fixed a problem in the iTools OPC Server which prevented devices from being manually renamed, even with no OPC clients connected
• Fixed a problem in the iTools OPC Server whereby the bitfield/compound position option was incorrectly disabled in the Tag Properties dialog
• Corrected a problem which prevented the Programmer Editor from being used on certain systems, due to an erroneous deduction that MSXML was not installed
• Updated beta support for 3504/3508 controllers

Version 5.00

• Further iTools help file additions
• Introductory help file for View Builder
• Updated beta support for 3504/3508 controllers

Version 4.70 (not released)

• Expanded iTools help file
• Updated French translations
• Corrections to IOPCBrowseServerAddressSpace implementation of iTools OPC Server, when using 'flat' address space browsing
• Minor enhancements and corrections

Version 4.68 (not released)

• View Builder enhancements, including button types for writing OPC values, and switching to alternative views
• Support for 3200 series controller version 1.05/1.06 (product release)
• Fixed a problem whereby the Programmer Editor consumed excessive Windows resources on Windows 9x systems
• Improvements to legibility of series 3000 faceplate mimics
• Updated German translations
• Numerous minor enhancements and corrections

Version 4.41 (not released)

• Release candidate support for 3200 series controller version 1.04 (product release)

Version 4.40 (not released)

• Completely new installer (using Windows Installer technology)
• New help file, using HTML Help in place of the older WinHelp
• Support for Windows 95 is now officially discontinued
• The old STANDARD and OPEN Editions of iTools have been replaced by a greater number of product options, with finer granularity of enabled features
• Early access release of Configuration Wizard for 2132 controllers
• Miscellaneous 3000 series updates

Version 4.37 (not released)

• Early access release of Configuration Wizard for 3200 series controllers
• Miscellaneous 3000 series updates

Version 4.34 (not released)

• The Scan function in iTools now allows an upper limit to be defined for the addresses which will be scanned
• Enhanced flexibility when setting up communications with MODBUS TCP devices: one 'port' in the iTools OPC Server may now map to multiple IP addresses
• Improved performance in the Parameter Explorer and 2704 User Pages editor windows
• Fixed an OPC Scope bug: when opening a .UIX file, chart axis settings were sometimes not applied correctly

Version 4.32 (not released)

• iTools now only shows windows relating to the currently selected device, but any window may be 'pinned up' so that it is always visible

Version 4.31 (not released)

• Added preliminary support for 2500 version E3.50
• New utility for writing configurations to devices; iCloneLite works with parameter data files (.UID) generated from within the main iTools program (File | Save As…); iCloneLite is not dependent on the iTools OPC Server or any other part of iTools, and may also be supported for Pocket PC devices; please note that this feature is subject to change, or even removal
• Parameter List windows now show immediate child folders on additional tabs, for faster navigation
• OPC Scope will now log values to file correctly if, for any reason, the PC's clock should be altered backwards in time
• OPC Scope document files may now be saved with the list/chart views set to maximized; new items on the list/chart popup menus have been added to enable this

Version 4.30 (not released)

• Very early support for E2400 series controllers
• Preliminary version of restyled Ordering Codes utility

Version 4.21

• Added support for 2500 versions 3.56 and 4.21
• Programmer editor updated for forthcoming 2704 version 6.xx
• Toolkit Blocks editor updated for forthcoming 2704 version 6.xx
• User Pages editor updated for forthcoming 2704 version 6.xx
• Updated support for 5000 series recorders
• Parameter Help window in iTools (currently provided for 2500 only) now allows text to be copied to the clipboard
• MODBUS TCP service may now be enabled in the iTools OPEN Edition OPC server
• Corrected fault in Programmer editor which prevented the last numbered program from being loaded or saved
• Programmer editor now (correctly) disables save operations at times when not all relevant data is available for saving due to a program currently being run
• Corrected problem with cloning programmer data from newer to older 2400 series controllers
• Other minor corrections

Version 4.20

• Support for Eurotherm X26 version 5.20
• Support for Eurotherm 5000B recorder
• Full product release

Version 4.15 (not released)

• Product release to be supplied only with Windows PS for PC3000

Version 4.14 (not released)

• The iTools Programmer Editor has preliminary support for the asynchronous programmer model to be introduced with 2704 version 6.00
• A new, more flexible, model has been adopted for enabling different product features within iTools itself; the existing iTools Product Keys remain unchanged at present

Version 4.13 (not released)

• Inclusion of User Pages editor for 2704 devices
• The Parameter Properties dialog in iTools is now modeless, meaning that the dialog may be left open while navigating around iTools; throughout most of iTools, when a particular parameter is selected, the Parameter Properties dialog will be updated accordingly
• The performance of the Programmer Editor has been enhanced when handling 2400 series programs which include sub-program calls
• The iTools OPC Server now provides options for the automatic naming of devices found during network scans; these options (available from the Server Settings dialog), allow for the device version, or version and type, to be omitted from the generated device name

Version 4.12 (not released)

• The iTools OPC Server now includes a MODBUS TCP slave capability, offering a range of new options for accessing remote data; this facility is available in iTools OPEN Edition only
• Added preliminary support for 2500 versions 3.43 and 4.10

Version 4.11 (not released)

• Added new iTools Terminal utility (iTERM.exe), allowing greater control of the iTools OPC Server from batch files and scripts
• Added preliminary support for 2408i indicator, version 3.02
• Added preliminary support for 2500 version E3.40

Version 4.10

• Full product release

Version 4.06 (not released)

• Improved support for 2408i indicator, version 3.00
• Updated support for 2604 version 5.00 and 2704 version 5.00
• Fixed 2200e cloning problems when temperature units set to Fahrenheit or Kelvin
• Fixed Windows Registry description of 25F0 version 4.00, for compatibility with Eurotherm Suite
• Minor usability improvements to Ordering Codes utility

Version 4.05 (not released)

• Added preliminary support for 2408i indicator, version 3.00
• Fixed a number of cosmetic display issues when large or unusual fonts are selected as part of the current Windows display scheme [
• The iTools OPC Server may now be launched by opening a .UIS document from the Windows Explorer
• Added a parameter help file for 2500 version 3.30

Version 4.04 (not released)

• Ordering Codes utility updated to include 2116i and 2132i indicators, plus 2416 version 4.09
• Fixed a problem in the Ordering Codes utility when selecting 2604/2704 VP options
• Added a new utility to remove DCOM configuration settings from the iTools OPC Server and all IDMs; this program should not be used under normal circumstances
• Reinstated support for 2604 version 5.00 and 2704 version 5.00 – it seems these devices should be ready for iTools 4.10 after all!

Version 4.03 (not released)

• Fixed an instability in OPC Scope when monitoring more than 128 items
• Fixed a problem with the use of add-on pricing files in the Ordering Codes utility
• The (unsupported) IDM for the Eurotherm Controls 902 device is no longer installed by default; if it is required, a Custom install must be performed and 902 support explicitly selected
• Added support for 2200 special versions A3.53 (EU0433, on/off cool output) and A3.55 (EU0481, remote setpoint)
• Removed support for 2604 version 5.00 and 2704 version 5.00 – these devices will not be ready for the iTools 4.10 release
• Added a clone file template for 2500 v3.30

Version 4.02 (not released)

• When scanning for new devices, the iTools OPC Server now attempts to connect at 38400 Baud, as well as 19200, 9600 and 4800 Baud as previously; this is to support new versions of the 2500 device, and this selection of scan rates is the default behavior which may be modified by the user
• Fixed a problem whereby Access/Edit parameters for 2400 series devices (including indicators) were not saved into clone files; this problem was introduced between the 3.00 and 4.00 versions of iTools
• Fixed a problem whereby on-line edits to Access/Edit parameters of 2200 series instruments would be ignored by the device; this problem was introduced between the 3.00 and 4.00 versions of iTools
• A Programmer Editor fix: reloading of 2604/2704 fine and coarse holdback settings sometimes failed in previous versions
• Corrected the Windows Registry description for the 2500 v4.00 IDM
• Updated version of German LiesMich (ReadMe) file included

Version 4.01 (not released)

• Text (string) parameters which begin with numeric characters (0 to 9) were previously liable to be truncated when reloaded from clone files; this is now fixed
• The Programmer Editor incorporates several usability enhancements and a small number of fixes
• The Programmer Editor Configuration utility has been redesigned for improved usability
• Fixed a problem which prevented EI-BISYNCH devices being configured manually via the OPC server’s HMI
• Added preliminary support for 2604 version 5.00 and 2704 version 5.00
• Added preliminary support for 2500 version 3.30

Version 4.00

• Parameter Help information is now available from the Parameter Properties dialog in iTools; this has only been implemented for 2500 series devices so far
• The standalone Programmer Editor now includes a brief help file
• Support for Eurotherm Controls 2400 series version 4.09

Version 3.07 (not released)

• Optional user authorization is now included. This is disabled by default each time iTools is (re)installed, and passwords may be set up and changed from the iTools applet in the Windows Control Panel
• Optional user authorization is now included. This is disabled by default each time iTools is (re)installed, and passwords may be set up and changed from the iTools applet in the Windows Control Panel The Parameter Properties dialog in iTools now shows the actual communications address for the parameter, as well as the parameter’s canonical address; for most Eurotherm devices, the ‘canonical’ address equates to the value represented as a scaled integer, while the ‘actual’ address returns an IEEE floating point value
• A number of problems have been resolved with features first introduced in iTools E3.06

Version 3.06 (not released)

• A beta version of the new Programmer Editor for 2604/2704 and 2400 series is included (the previous Setpoint Program Editor is no longer accessible from within iTools)
• Full cloning of Custom Linearization data is now supported (except for 2604 and 2704 controllers)
• Improved support for the Custom Enumerations feature of 2604/2704 controllers
• Parameters with enumerated values are now handled faster throughout iTools; this will be reflected in faster launching of parameter list and toolkit block editor displays
• A prototype application is included which allows an iTools clone file to be generated from a standard Eurotherm Ordering Code entered by the user (except for Eurotherm 2500 devices)
• Preliminary support for Eurotherm Controls 2200 series version 4.01
• Preliminary support for Eurotherm Controls 2400 series version 4.07
• Preliminary support for Eurotherm 2500 version 4.00
• Improved support for Eurotherm 5100 series recorders via MODBUS TCP
• Fixed a possible problem with cloning of 2704 vacuum applications, where absolute values of less than 1E-7 (i.e. with a higher negative exponent) were set; using previous versions of iTools could have caused truncation of such values
• The iTools applet in the Windows Control Panel now allows greater access to configuration of serial and TCP/IP ports
• A small number of minor issues were resolved

Version 3.05 (not released)

• It is now possible to upload and save Custom Linearization data from devices
• A prototype version of a restyled iTools HMI is included; the goal of this change is improved usability
• The iTools Control Panel applet has been enhanced to give greater control over serial port configuration, particularly to allow EI-BISYNCH options to be set up
• Support for the following instruments is included, to the same level as planned for iTools 3.00 Service Pack 1: 2500 V3.27, 2500 fast/acquisition IOC V1.03, 2604 V3.00, 2704 V4.00

Version 3.04 (not released)

• Preliminary support for Eurotherm 2500 version 3.27; iTools cloning behavior for this instrument has been optimized to avoid unnecessary access level switches
• Preliminary support for EI-BISYNCH communications to Eurotherm Controls PC3000
• A small number of minor issues were resolved

Version 3.03 (not released)

• Preliminary support for Eurotherm 2500 fast/acquisition IOC version (no control loops)
• A small number of minor issues were resolved

Version 3.02 (not released)

• Preliminary support for Eurotherm 2604 E3.0x and 2704 E4.0x
• A small number of minor issues were resolved

Version 3.01 (not released)

• Fixed an error in the handling of time types within iTools recipes which had been reloaded from file

Version 3.00

• A new utility is now included to help diagnose some of the most common problems with iTools installations; this is accessible under ‘Advanced Tools’ on the iTools program menu
• iTools now allows a descriptive comment to be attached to a device or clone file; this facility is accessible via the ‘Device Comment…’ command from the main Device menu or a device’s pop-up menu, and the comment will be automatically copied into the device’s ‘Description’ field within the iTools Report Wizard
• Added preliminary support for the Eurotherm T630 controller, versions 2.01 and 2.02; this should currently not be relied upon for production use, and is subject to change in later iTools versions
• Fixed a problem whereby the control action (direct or reverse) of Eurotherm 2100 series devices was not cloned correctly
• Fixed a problem whereby the setup of Eurotherm 2200 Factory Mutual devices (type AU91) could become damaged, when connecting to iTools via the Series 2000 Configuration Station
• The startup behavior of the Modbus OPC Server has been modified: it will no longer automatically reload its last saved address space (.UIS) file upon being restarted; as before, the user may specify an address space file to be loaded; this is done by naming the file as a command line parameter when starting the Server explicitly
• iTools may now be run by ‘Restricted users’ (i.e. members of the ‘Users’ group) on Windows 2000, as well as by ‘Standard users’ (i.e. members of the ‘Power Users’ group)

Version 2.58 (not released)

• The default behavior has been modified so that all parameter list updates are suspended during clone operations, with the intention of speeding up cloning; the user may override this setting using the ‘Update Rates…’ command from the Options menu
• A new option has been added to prevent loading of parameter enumeration strings within the Block Wiring view of the Toolkit Blocks editor; the default setting prevents these strings from being loaded, resulting in much faster opening of this editor
• In previous versions, clone operations were sometimes automatically (and prematurely) terminated if they took longer than 5 minutes; this timeout period has now been extended to 20 minutes, e.g. to allow for heavy communications bus activity from other OPC client programs
• Fixed a problem which caused iTools to crash when a parameter list window was closed with the list having been scrolled away from initial position (i.e. with the topmost line no longer visible)
• Enhanced the dialog used for editing program event and pattern generator parameters of Eurotherm 2604 and 2704 controllers, allowing bitwise editing of these parameters (P_DOut and PtnNN)
• Cloning of Eurothem 2200 and 2400 series parameters has been further optimized, preventing attempts at writing to parameters which are known not to be alterable
• Access/Edit parameters for Eurotherm 2400 series controllers are now hidden when not appropriate to the current configuration
• Added more vacuum linearization definitions for use with Eurotherm 2704 controllers

Version 2.57 (not released)

• Added support for Eurotherm 2580 version 3.26
• Added support for Eurotherm 2408i indicator version 2.00
• Added initial support for new Software Options Server to allow field upgrading of 2604 and 2704 controllers
• The OPCItemGrid ActiveX Control has been restored in this release
• OPC Scope now allows ‘print to file’ from the print dialog when printing the chart
• OPC Scope now saves its working directory between sessions
• OPC Scope now always uses a sensible format for the labels on the time axis after zoom operations

Version 2.56 (not released)

• Added support for Eurotherm 2580 version 3.25
• The configuration of Access/Edit parameters for 2100 and 2200 series controllers has been made much easier
• When saving a clone file to disk, if a file of the same name is already present then the new file will be written to a temporary filename until the operation is known to have succeeded; this change prevents ‘good’ clone files being overwritten by ‘bad’ ones, e.g. in the event of a device communications failure
• The Modbus OPC Server now checks for low system memory and will warn the user via the Message Log window whenever a command such as a clone operation is issued
• The OPCItemGrid ActiveX Control is not present in this release – it will be restored in a later version; this is due to a substantial rewrite of all iTools tabular views, which has also resulted in a number of minor HMI changes

Version 2.55 (not released)

• A number of problems introduced during the code restructuring of version 2.54 were resolved
• The Toolkit Blocks editor was updated for full compatibility with 2580 version E3.20

Version 2.54 (not released)

• Major internal code restructuring
• Added support for Eurotherm 2580 version E3.20
• The process of cloning to devices has been optimized for certain types and versions of device, resulting in faster cloning in most cases; this has currently been implemented for all 2100 devices, all 2200e devices, all 2400 devices, and 2500 devices from version 2.22 onwards
• iTools no longer attempts to scale parameter values appearing in the Comms_Blocks lists – it will instead show the raw integer value as transmitted by the device over its communications bus
• Resolved an issue with loading of floating-point values from clone files when running on certain non-English locales (problem introduced in 2.52)
• Other minor issues were resolved

Version 2.53 (not released)

• The process of scanning the Modbus network for new devices has been speeded up, particularly when using more than one serial port
• A new command has been added: ‘Load Comments From File’ overlays the current configuration with parameter Comments from the selected clone file
• The Modbus OPC Server now allows serial ports to be configured to connect to instruments remotely via a modem link; the port configuration dialog allows modem setup and dial commands, and other parameters, to be specified; note: this new area of functionality is subject to change in later iTools versions
• A bug which caused a memory leak when saving device clone files has been fixed; the bug may have led to eventual instability after repeated clone saves
• The Modbus OPC Server has been updated to correct minor incompatibilities with the OPC Data Access Custom Interface Standard Version 2.03, based on testing with a pre-release version of the OPC Foundation’s Compliance Test Tool
• The Modbus OPC Server’s capability to reload its configuration from .UMS files has been removed; any users with .UMS files still in use should resave the configuration using the newer .UIS format prior to upgrading to this version
• Added support for Eurotherm Controls 2604 version 2.05 (in fact versions 2.51 and 2.52 of iTools also handled this 2604 version correctly, apart from the display of a warning message on first connecting to the device)
• Added support for Eurotherm Controls 2704 version 3.01

Version 2.52 (not released)

• Copying and pasting values between parameter lists is now supported through the iTools Browse view; this allows the configuration of an entire loop, module, channel, etc. to be duplicated in a single operation
• Parameter values may now be shown using scientific notation, or using the display format specified by the actual device (where available)
• The ‘New Clone’ dialog now presents a set of tabbed pages, allowing the available clone file templates to be categorized for ease of location
• OPC Scope now supports logarithmic scaling of the chart’s Y axis, as an option
• OPC Scope now allows the colors used for the Chart display to be customized according to user preferences
• The Modbus OPC Server now supports Modbus block write operations for faster cloning
• Added support for Eurotherm Controls 2704 version 3.00 (vacuum controller)

Version 2.51

• Fixed a problem with cloning of alarm setpoints of 2200e devices

Version 2.50

• Added support for Eurotherm Controls 2580 version 3.07
• Added a facility for validating the configuration of certain controllers when connected via the Series 2000 Configuration Station; this is necessary for 2100 and 2200e series controllers because some settings are written to the instrument using direct memory write operations, and these are not validated by the controller until it is next power-cycled; to ensure that this validation takes place, iTools will automatically power-cycle the device before removing it, if this is required
• Many of the functions of the OPC Scope utility may now be accessed using Automation; this allows OPC Scope to be controlled, for example, using the freely-available Windows Script Host from Microsoft; scripts may be written in a variety of scripting languages including VBScript and JScript

Version 2.35 (not released)

• Added support for Eurotherm Controls 2604 and 2704 version 2.04 controllers
• Improved support for Eurotherm Controls 2604 and 2704 version 2.01 controllers
• Using the Modbus OPC Server’s user interface, it is now possible to modify the settings for a serial port which is already in use

Version 2.34 (not released)

• Initial support for pre-release Eurotherm Controls 2500 version 3.x
• Initial support for Eurotherm Controls 2108i indicators
• Fixed a problem that prevented charts in OPC Scope from displaying correctly with certain regional language/locale combinations
• Log files created from OPC Scope in CSV format will now use the list separator character defined by the current locale for delimiting fields - this is not always a comma; this should give greater compatibility with third-party programs
• OPC Scope’s log files may now safely be opened (read-only) in other programs while logging continues

Version 2.33 (not released)

• Added support for Eurotherm Controls 2604 and 2704 version 2.01 controllers
• Added support for additional Eurotherm Controls 2100 device versions

Version 2.32 (not released)

• Initial support for Access/Edit facility (hide/promote/read/alter) of Eurotherm Controls 2200 devices
• Improved support for Eurotherm Controls 2100 devices
• Improved support for Eurotherm Controls 2604/2704 phase II devices
• Faster cloning performance across all devices, when cloning to a device

Version 2.31 (not released)

• Initial support for Eurotherm Controls 2100 devices
• Initial support for 2604/2704 pre-release phase II devices
• The dialog shown when performing lengthy commands (such as device cloning) now has an option to prevent it being automatically closed on completion of the command, allowing the full results of the command to be viewed/saved/printed at leisure
• A ‘Resynchronize’ command was added to force iTools to update itself to reflect changes made to a device by other means (e.g. the device’s own front panel)
• Dialog boxes incorporating parameter browsers now cause the name and description of the current parameter (i.e. the one under the mouse cursor) to be shown in the main iTools status line, as an aid to navigation
• Preliminary support was added for communicating with devices via a Modbus/TCP connection
• A bug in the ‘Find’ facility was fixed: if a search was made for any string containing a left square bracket character, that search and all subsequent searches would fail
• A bug in the cloning of 2604 programmer data was resolved
• iTools now provides a range of features equivalent to many of those supported by the earlier Series 2000 Configuration Station software; this includes the use of a dongle for enabling additional-cost software features of controllers - contact Eurotherm for further information

Version 2.30

• A number of usability improvements have been made specifically for 2604 devices
• Cloning of Access and Config passwords of 2200 and 2400 devices is now supported
• Reliability of cloning 2200 version 1.x devices has been improved

Version 2.21

• The contents of the message log produced during a cloning operation (and certain other operations) may now be saved to file as well as being printed
• The dialog which shows the properties of a selected parameter now shows the communications address of the parameter in hexadecimal as well as decimal

Version 2.20 (not released)

• Support for 2604 version 1.x
• Support for 2500 version 2.22
• The Toolkit Blocks editor has been enhanced to support 2604 devices, and to provide faster performance
• Within the iTools Parameter Lists, Block Wiring may now be performed by drag/drop onto the …Src parameter, as well as the corresponding ‘value’ parameter
• Access to the Comms Blocks parameters of 2500 devices has been speeded up
• Bit field parameters (status words etc.) are now broken out into separate configurable items in the iTools parameter lists
• An intermittent problem with cloning 2500 block wiring parameters has been resolved
• The ability to clone 2200 and 2400 devices has been improved in a number of areas
• The ‘Send To Device’ operation for clone files, which was broken in version 2.09, has been fixed
• iTools version 2.09 sometimes exhibited a problem when iTools views were maximized; this has been resolved
• The iTools Print Wizard now shows help information about the available output formats (HTML and CSV)
• The Parameter Availability Settings dialog in iTools has been simplified for ease of use; a single option now controls visibility of both parameters and lists throughout iTools
• The Modbus OPC Server now supports the OPC Data Access version 2 interfaces
• An additional ActiveX Control has been added; the OPCItemGrid control shows the contents of an entire parameter list and allows parameter value edits

Version 2.09

• Support for 2500 version 2.10

Version 2.08

This is the first full version 2 product release of iTools.

Version 2.07 (not released)

• Support for 2500 versions 2.08 and 2.09
• Reports generated using the iTools Report Wizard now show the device’s type and version prominently near the top of the report

Version 2.06 (not released)

• Support for 2500 version E2.06

Version 2.05 (not released)

• Support for 2500 version E2.05

Version 2.04 (not released)

• A Control Panel applet is supplied for changing the set of serial ports used by the Modbus OPC Server

Version 2.03 (not released)

• 2204, 2208 and 2216 devices of version 2 or later are now correctly identified as type 2204e etc.

Version 2.02 (not released)

• The Browse view now updates to reflect any changes to parameter or list visibility after each parameter write
• Handling of the Series 2000 Configuration Station has been made more reliable
• A warning is now generated when loading a device whose type/version is not fully supported by iTools; this warning may be suppressed using the new /NoWarn command line option

Version 2.01 (not released)

• When using iTools or OPC Scope to connect to a remote server using the /Server command line option, the dialog for entering the remote server name now includes a history list of recently used servers
• A correction was made to resolve an issue with licensing of iTools as part of Eurotherm Suite

Version 2.00 (not released)

• The Device Browser view has been replaced with a new Browse/Find view, allowing various kinds of parameter searches as well as hierarchical browsing
• A number of performance improvements have been made to the Toolkit Blocks editor

Version 1.11 (not released)

• 2500 version 2 devices are now supported
• A toolbar button was added in iTools for toggling the access level of a device between Operator and Configuration
• Support was added for licensing of iTools as part of Eurotherm Process Automation’s Eurotherm Suite package
• When operating remotely to a server running on Windows NT, the default behavior is to use the security settings defined in the Windows Registry on that computer; the user on the server computer may optionally relax the security through the Modbus Server’s user interface

Version 1.10 (not released)

• Printing and Report Generation of device and clone file definitions is now supported
• When scanning the Modbus network for new devices has been launched from iTools, the current scanning address is now shown in the iTools status bar
• Scanning the Modbus network for new devices may now be started at a device address specified by the user
• 2200 version 2.x devices (2200e) are now supported via the Eurotherm Series 2000 Configuration Station, as well as through a communications module
• The Modbus OPC Server now provides diagnostic information to OPC clients through sets of special data items
• When saving the Modbus OPC Server’s configuration to file, a much more efficient and reliable storage mechanism is now used; this change will increase the portability of these files to future releases of iTools
• Changes have been made to the Modbus OPC Server to improve performance and robustness
• OPC Scope provides a number of new features: ‘stay on top’ , buttons adjacent to chart to page through the chart in historical review mode, facility to remove all display elements except list/chart view so as to maximize data display area
• A fix to the User Wiring editor prevents overwriting of fields that are currently being edited

Version 1.04 (not released)

• iTools is now supplied in several ‘Editions’, requiring a serial number to be entered on installation; iTools reverts to demo mode if no serial number is supplied
• Support is now provided for download of Custom Linearization tables to 2500 devices
• iTools now explicitly indicates when a device is in Standby mode
• The Modbus OPC Server no longer removes from its list of COM ports those ports which are temporarily unavailable at the time it starts up
• The Modbus OPC Server now properly implements IOPCItemMgt::ValidateItems
• The Modbus OPC Server is now able to show information on communications errors and timeouts
• Parameter List views may now be opened by double-clicking a list in the Device Browser
• A new option has been added allowing entire parameter lists (folders) to be concealed from browser windows when they would be irrelevant to the current device configuration - see Options | Parameter Availability Settings
• Editing and display of parameter values which represent times (i.e. durations) has been improved
• Some terminology improvements have been made in the User Wiring editor; the functionality is unchanged
• Setpoint Program Editor windows launched from iTools now appear on the Windows taskbar for ease of navigation
• The behavior of the ‘Remove’ command has been modified: it now attempts to remove the device from the Modbus Server as well as from the iTools display (the device will not be removed from the Server while it is in use by any client program); a new command ‘Remove From Display Only’ provides the equivalent of the former functionality, where applicable
• The Modbus Server application is now run invisibly be default; it can be made visible, if required, using a command found under Options | Advanced on the iTools main menu - this should only be done by expert users or under guidance from Eurotherm support staff for diagnostic purposes
• It is now possible to communicate with certain Series 2000 devices via the Eurotherm Series 2000 Configuration Station; this functionality is available for 2400 devices and 2200 version 1.x controllers, where explicitly supported by iTools
• Fixed a problem with the handling of the Instrument Units parameter (‘unit’) on 2200 controllers
• Clone files saved from 2200 and 2400 series instruments now include the instrument form factor information; e.g., for a 2400, whether the instrument is a 2404, 2408 or 2416
• A number of improvements have been made to iTools OPC Scope (formerly OPC Explorer) and to the Modbus OPC Server

Version 1.03

• Fixed a problem where Remote Feedforward (FF) parameters in 2500 version 1.04 could not be wired to with User Wiring
• iTools OPC Explorer now displays a window indicating its pre-release status on startup
• Fixed a problem whereby parameter accessibility information sometimes did not update correctly in iTools following configuration changes to a device
• Fixed a problem where the list of serial ports set up for iTools use during installation was ignored when running with standard User privileges on Windows NT
• Added IDM Manager, an advanced utility for managing the set of devices supported by iTools, including installing support for additional devices

Version 1.02

• Support for 2500, version 1.04
• When iTools detects a device which it does not recognize, it now displays a special panel image to indicate this, rather than showing the default 2500 image as before
• User Wiring editor now shows input and output values for the selected calculation
• It is now possible to launch the OPC Explorer utility from any Watch/Recipe window in iTools
• Various enhancements to the OPC Explorer utility

Version 1.01

This is the first full release of iTools.

Supported instruments and versions are:

• 2204/2208/2216, versions 1.30 and 2.06
• 2404/2408/2416, versions 3.01/3.51, 3.05/3.55 and 3.06/3.56
• 2408i, version 1.00
• 2500, version 1.04

As well as the main iTools application, this package contains some programs and features which may be of interest, but for which no support will be provided. These are:

• OPC Explorer utility, which provides data logging and trending, and DDE server capabilities
• Use of iTools to connect to a Modbus OPC Server running on a remote computer using DCOM

The command-line options supported by this release of iTools are outlined below.

Command-line options are not case-sensitive.

Causes faceplates for all devices known to the iTools Server to be displayed on startup. Devices identified later, e.g. by the Server scanning the network, will not be added. See also /Scan.

Devices which had been known to the Modbus Server but which are no longer present are normally purged when iTools starts up. Using the /NoPurge option will prevent this.

Prevents the iTools splash screen being displayed on startup.

Suppresses the warning messages which iTools normally generates when loading a device of an unsupported type and/or version.

Updates the Windows Registry with all settings required by iTools. This is performed automatically by the iTools Setup program.

Enables a Background Scan for new devices. As additional devices are detected by the iTools Server during execution, corresponding faceplate views are displayed in the iTools main window. This functionality can also be enabled or disabled from the iTools main menu.

See also /AddAll.

Specifies the location of the computer running the iTools Server application. Using this option will cause iTools (client) to try connecting to the remote server machine using DCOM, instead of using the server on the local computer.

If servername is not specified on the command line, a dialog box prompts for the name of the remote server.

Please note that the iTools Server must be installed and registered on the local (client) computer, even when connecting to a remote server using DCOM.

Important: please note that this option is provided as a convenience to the user, but is not officially supported by Eurotherm.

Removes from the Windows Registry all settings added by iTools.