iTools Release Notes

Recent updates:

• 3500 Series Devices - Support is added for 3500 series controllers version 3.20.

• Fix for cloning problem - iTools 8.44 introduced a problem whereby the process of cloning to a device could erroneously be reported as having failed. This was seen particularly with 2604 and 2704 controllers. This is resolved in iTools 8.46.

• nanodac - Support is added for the nanodac controller/recorder version 2.30.

• EPower Controller - iTools now supports the EPower controller version 3.05.

• Mini8 Controller - iTools now supports the Eurotherm Mini8, version 2.50.

• OPC Scope - OPC Scope has been enhanced with new features. Any item may now be assigned a custom Display Name (or alias). Trend charts support a new Vertical Trend mode, in addition to the existing horizontal mode.

• nanodac - Support is added for the nanodac controller/recorder version 2.10.

• Signed/Unsigned Integers - iTools 8.00 introduced a problem whereby Modbus scaled integer registers were, under some circumstances, rendered into unsigned rather than signed values. This has now been resolved.

• 3500 Series Devices - Support is added for 3500 series controllers version 3.10.

• View Builder - Versions 7.68 and 7.69 included a problem that sometimes prevented view files from being successfully edited if they were created with earlier iTools versions. This is now resolved.

• Changes in supported Windows versions - Usage on Windows 7 is now supported.

iTools for Windows®

First introduced in 1999 as Version 1, iTools continues it's evolutionary progress as the most full-featured industrial software suite of tools for configuration, commissioning, cloning and monitoring of all Eurotherm Series 2000 and Series 3000 controllers and also provides runtime monitoring of the 6000 and 5000 Series data acquisition and management recorders.

Capable of editing, storing and 'cloning'

Editing, storing and 'cloning' complete controller configurations, as well as setting up data logging, process monitoring, modbus/TCP (Ethernet) and modem connections, generating order codes and more.

OPC 

Employs an OPC® (OLE for Process Control) server - EuroMBus - that uses MODBUS® to communicate with Eurotherm or 3rd party instrumentation. The server connects to the controllers via serial communications, modbus/TCP (Ethernet) or a telephone modem, and may also be used by 3rd party 'client' software such as Wonderware® and LabVIEW®. Additionally, a DDE link using iTools OPC Scope allows parameter values to be displayed 'Live' and historical logged data can also be imported to Excel.

Running iTools

Launching the application  

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

• 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.

Opening Views onto Additional Devices  

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”.

Opening Views onto Additional Clone Files

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.

Command line options

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

Command-line options are not case-sensitive.

/AddAll

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.

/NoPurge

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.

/NoSplash

Prevents the iTools splash screen being displayed on startup.

/NoWarn

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

RegServer

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

/Scan

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.

/Server: servername or /Server

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.

/UnregServer

Removes from the Windows Registry all settings added by iTools.