S-Monitoring Application

In PG5 2.3.175, due to a bug in Web-Editor8 when compiling the Web-Editor8 project (as HTML5 or Hybrid solution), all horizontal and vertical lines of the Web-Editor project were ‘crooked‘ by 1 pixel and this information was stored in the Web-Editor project.

The bug was fixed in PG5 2.3.192 but unfortunately Web-Editor projects compiled in PG5 2.3.175 as HTML5 or Hybrid solutions, have to be reworked manually in PG5 2.3.192 (or newer).

The information about the issue and how to solve the issue is described on the attached document on the chapter ‘Web-Editor8; Horizontal and vertical lines are displayed with an offset’

For connecting a PCD to the internet a router is required. In case this router "knows" a DynDNS service, it is possible to find this this router by name.

The attached document contains an example of a step by step procudure for configuring dynamic DNS on a router (which "knows" DynDNS).

Remarks

• Note that the choice of the router or the DynDNS service from this document is sheer coincicence and does not mean that only this router works with PCD systems.
• Saia-Burgess Controls AG can not give support for the router configuration or the DynDNS setup. For support request regarding the router functionality or DynDNS please contact the according provider. 

The use of DNS (Domain Name Service) is very convenient for remembering the address of a host (e.g. a PCD3 connected to the internet with a DSL router). However, in some cases it is necessary to know the IP address of this host rather than the domain name.

How to translate the URL of a host to its IP address?
This task can be done by the tool "nslookup" which is installed on every Windows system:

• Open the DOS console (from the "Windows Start menu" select "Run..." and type in "cmd") 
• Type in the the instruction
  nslookup myname.dyndns.com.
  
  (don't forget the point after the URL)

As response you will receive the IP address of the requested name. In the screenshot above the IP address of the host "durrer.dyndns.tv" is 83.222.146.209.

As a PCD system does feature various "Internet communication features" (Web Server, Ether-S-Bus, SMTP etc.), it suggests itself to connect it to the Internet using e.g. an (A)DSL router. This FAQ is aimed to explain some key-points to be considered for accessing a PCD over the Internet.

General introduction
For connecting a PCD to the internet using an ADSL router, the principal understanding of the functionality and tasks of a router need to be understood. In a second step, the communication protocol for the connection is to be defined because
every of the following protocols does require other configurations of the router. The attached document tries to explain the router functionality and tries to point out relevant information for connecting a PCD to the Internet and realizing the communication over the following protocols:

• http direct (for accessing the Web Server of the PCD, don't forget the password protection of the Web Server)
• Ether-S-Bus (not recommended unless you are using a secure VPN connection)
  - for programming the PCD with PG5
  - for connecting a PCD which does not feature http direct with WebConnect)
• SMTP (for sending EMails from the PCD)

For each of these protocols, please refer to the corresponding chapter in the attached document.

Important remark concerning security
Please consider the fact that the connectivity of a PCD on the internet does also mean that everyone can connect to the system. Therefore the interfaces over which the PCD can be reached from the internet need to be protected additionally (if the web server can be reached from the internet and no security is implemented, everyone can e.g. modify Register values on the PCD which can lead to malfunction of the application).

We therefore recommend whenever possible to use a VPN connection rather than just forwardig ports.
If this is not possible:

• Enable the password protection of the S-Web server (this can be configured in the PG5 Device Configurator)
  Note that the password macro in the Web Editor does NOT secure the access to the media of the PCD (but only the access to the Web Editor Pages)
• Remove the default user "root" from the FTP server (can also be done in the PG5 Device Configurator)
• Do not enable Ether-S-Bus unless the PCD is connected over a VPN connection only (because even with the password protection of S-Bus will still allow everyone to modify media values as e.g. Register Values)

The settings of the ADSL router which we do use in Murten are shown on the attached document.

Depending on your configuration and your needs you have to adapt the settings of the ADSL router.

The instruction nslookup allows to find out the TCP/IP address of a public e-mail server.

To know the e-mail address of a public e-mail server enter the following string on the command window of windows.

nslookup

After this you have to enter the smtp address of the e-mail server.
(On the example below it's the address smtp.green.ch)

The TCP/IP address of the e-mail server is shown on the next line below the name of the smtp server.
(On the example below it's the address 81.221.250.52)

§ix100292§

For our Webserver Demo installation we have worked with different ADSL Routers, none of which was perfect.

Our Webserver Demo installation is connected to the Internet via an ADSL Link on an ISDN line, which is provided by www.green.ch. This provider offers fixed IP addresses for a good price and can be recommended vividly to all Swiss Customers.

Criterias to choose an ADSL Router

• you need to know whether an analogue or ISDN version is required (depends on the telephone line)
• it must support "nailed up connections", which means that if the internet connection is not closed periodically and if for some reason the connection gets lost anyway, the Router re-establishes the connection
• it should contain a firewall
• it should support address translation, so you can route telegrams to port 80 to the PC with WebConnect and telegrams to port 5050 to a PCD directly. Other ports should be blocked inwards
• an integrated switch is quite useful

Zyxel Prestige 650 ME-I

• does not support nailed up connections, so you need to run a software on the frontend PC which simulates Web traffic (for instance come.to/StayAlive ), to make sure the installations stays available from outside. Without such a tool the Router closes the Internet connection after a while and you cannot access the frontend PC or PCD anymore until you create Web traffic on the PC
• user friendly configuration tool

Zyxel Prestige 650 H-I

• nice product with rich features, 4 Port Switch, supports nailed up connections. Didn't work in our installation, Web traffic was only possible from the LAN to the WAN, but not vice versa, independent of the firewall configuration
• user friendly configuration tool 

Devolo Microlink ADSL Modem Router

• nice product with rich features, 4 Port Switch, supports nailed up connections. Blocks periodically in our installation, a power down / power up is necessary to re-establish the Internet connection. Since we cut the supply of the unit for a moment at noon, the product works fine...
• very bad documentation, configuration tool is not user friendly, not suitable for people that configure an ADSL Router for the first time

General Remarks

• we bought standard low price Routers, which are designed to let a workgroup share an Internet connection. With the Webserver we use the product the other way around, which can cause problems with some products
• do not expect to get useful support from the suppliers of ADSL Routers in this class. If the product does not work in your installation, it is worth returning it and try another model from the same or from another manufacturer
• using an output of the PCD to cut the supply of the Router periodically has proved to be a good idea. The cheap routers are usually used in an environment where somebody can interact easily in case of problems (private use at home), for Webserver applications in the field this is not always that easy

In PG5 2.3.175, due to a bug in Web-Editor8 when compiling the Web-Editor8 project (as HTML5 or Hybrid solution), all horizontal and vertical lines of the Web-Editor project were ‘crooked‘ by 1 pixel and this information was stored in the Web-Editor project.

The bug was fixed in PG5 2.3.192 but unfortunately Web-Editor projects compiled in PG5 2.3.175 as HTML5 or Hybrid solutions, have to be reworked manually in PG5 2.3.192 (or newer).

The information about the issue and how to solve the issue is described on the attached document on the chapter ‘Web-Editor8; Horizontal and vertical lines are displayed with an offset’

Due of an error on PG5 2.3.192, the Web-Editor login macro does not work well if the web page is displayed on SBC Microbrowser Web-Panels or Windows Microbrowser App.

The issue is fixed on PG5 2.3.193

If on the Web-Editor8 included in PG5 2.3.192, an ifCondition statement was used on the function editor, then the ifCondition was not behaving correctly and does not correctly execute the code on the condition.

Such ifConditions statements are used very often on our Web-Editor macros, for example on the login macro.

Issue happens only on Web-Editor project which were compiled with PG5 2.3.192 and if the web-pages are displayed on Microbrowser runtimes (SBC Microbrowser web-panels or Windows Microbrowser App)

There is no issue if the web-page is displayed as HTML5.

To solve the issue, use PG5 2.3.193 or a newer version of PG5.

Since early 2018, Apple and Android have changed the rules for the checking the licensing of their Apps. If the device is not connected to Internet for a period of time, the license on the device is disabled and it’s no longer possible to use the App until the device is reconnected to the Internet/App store and the device is re-licensed.

An Error message will be displayed.

Unable to Verify App
A connection to the App Store is required for the first launch of ‘SBC Micro Browser’ on this iPad.
Please connect to the internet and try again.

Before 2018 it was possible to install and license once the application on the devices and then operate the devices without Internet connection in offline mode.

Since early 2018, the device needs to connect from time to time to Internet to verify the license on the App store.
If this check is not performed in a regularly, then the license on the device will be disabled and it will be no longer possible to use the App until the device is connected again to Internet/App store and the device is relicensed.

This are Apple/Android rules over which SBC has no control.

To solve the issue:

For Android and iOS devices:
The Web-Editor 8 which is included in PG5 2.3 (or newer) allows the generation of HTML5 compatible web pages.
To avoid this problem, the web pages stored in the PCD can be displayed in a 'standard web browser' in HTML5 format on the Android or iOS device instead of using an MB app.

For Android devices:
Status august 2018: not possible to use the MB-App for longer time in Offline mode:
SBC will provide an MB-App that allows the Android devices to run in offline mode without Internet connection.
This FAQ will be updated as soon as the new version of the MB-App will be available.

For iOS devices:
Longer use of the MB-App on the devices in offline mode without an Internet connection will remain not possible.

It could happen that the message 'File not found' is shown on the microbrowser app on your smartphone/handheld when trying to display the web-pages stored on the PCD.

When you make frequently logs and create a file only every week it is possible that you get the message “File is too big for the heap” on the Micro Browser App on the Android smartphone/tablet.

It's possible to increase the Heap by modifying the file uBrowser.xml which is stored on the smartphone/tablet.
To do this connect the smartphone to the computer and export all config files with the app menu button (Options-> Export Files to SD card).
The config files are saved in the internal flash in the folder “Download”. 
Take the file uBrowser.xml and copy it to the computer, open the file and mofify the parameters.
After that save the file in the same folder “Download” of the smartphone and import all config files with the app menu button (Options-> Import Files from SD card) 
For info, since V.1.5.15.131 (26.04.2013) of the Micro Browser App, the default heap sizes are defined like that:

// Heap for memory allocation of painter objects
#define MYHEAPSIZE1_KB          2048
// Heap for memory allocation of HTML tags and CO
#define MYHEAPSIZE2_KB          2048
// Heap for Macro Offline Trends and HDLog Trends (4MB instead of 1MB)
#define MYHEAPSIZE3_KB          4096
// For Macro online trends (4MB instead of 1MB)
#define MYHEAPSIZE4_KB          4096

Yes, it is available under:

play.google.com/store/apps/details

In a usual Web-Browser (IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari etc.) running on a PC, the content of the PCD WebServer is displayed by simply typing the IP-Address of the PCD into the URL field. With iPad-, iPhone-, iPod- and Android Apps, the procedure is slightly different.

With iPad-, iPhone-, iPod- and Android Apps it is mandatory to type as well "http://" before the IP-Address of the PCD.

In PG5 2.3.175, due to a bug in Web-Editor8 when compiling the Web-Editor8 project (as HTML5 or Hybrid solution), all horizontal and vertical lines of the Web-Editor project were ‘crooked‘ by 1 pixel and this information was stored in the Web-Editor project.

The bug was fixed in PG5 2.3.192 but unfortunately Web-Editor projects compiled in PG5 2.3.175 as HTML5 or Hybrid solutions, have to be reworked manually in PG5 2.3.192 (or newer).

The information about the issue and how to solve the issue is described on the attached document on the chapter ‘Web-Editor8; Horizontal and vertical lines are displayed with an offset’

The error is shown due of an error on the HD_log Fupla library 

Error description:

An error message ‘Direct I/O access is not allowed by this device type' is displayed when the PG5 project is compiled and if the project contains ‘HDLog File’ or ‘HDLog File 4’ FBoxes and the device type is a pWeb Panel such as PCD7.D457VT5F or a Room Web panel such as PCD7.D443WT5R.

Error message is displayed only on PG5 2.3.192 or newer versions of PG5
and if HD_log FBox library 2.6.311 or older are used.

The error message is displayed due of an error on the HD_log Fupla library

Solution:

To solve the issue, the HD_log FBox library 2.6.312 or newer must be used.

Due of an error on PG5 2.3.192, the Web-Editor login macro does not work well if the web page is displayed on SBC Microbrowser Web-Panels or Windows Microbrowser App.

The issue is fixed on PG5 2.3.193

If on the Web-Editor8 included in PG5 2.3.192, an ifCondition statement was used on the function editor, then the ifCondition was not behaving correctly and does not correctly execute the code on the condition.

Such ifConditions statements are used very often on our Web-Editor macros, for example on the login macro.

Issue happens only on Web-Editor project which were compiled with PG5 2.3.192 and if the web-pages are displayed on Microbrowser runtimes (SBC Microbrowser web-panels or Windows Microbrowser App)

There is no issue if the web-page is displayed as HTML5.

To solve the issue, use PG5 2.3.193 or a newer version of PG5.

On the Web-Editor8 it is possible to ‘transfer’ the user name and the password with the help of session containers, if a url jump to another PCD is executed.

This ‘transfer’ is used to avoid that the user has to enter again the user name/password on the other PCD/Web-Project and works very well on Java and on SBC MB panels.  

But if the Web-Editor8 project is displayed as HTML5 web page then it’s no more possible to transfer the user name/password between different PCD’s and the user has to enter after each url jump his user name/password.

The restriction is not on the Web-Editor8 but on the HTML5 Web-Browser.
Although the HTML5 Web-Browser would have SessionStorage properties, the content of the SessionStorage is cleared in the Browser after each url jump.
Look like that the deleting was introduced to avoid security issues on the Web-Browser

The single sign-on (SSO) authentication which would be suitable for this is not supported in the PCD.

Means that the only solution for HTML5 web pages is, that the user have to enter after each url jump his user name and password to access the web-pages stored on the PCD.

Since early 2018, Apple and Android have changed the rules for the checking the licensing of their Apps. If the device is not connected to Internet for a period of time, the license on the device is disabled and it’s no longer possible to use the App until the device is reconnected to the Internet/App store and the device is re-licensed.

An Error message will be displayed.

Unable to Verify App
A connection to the App Store is required for the first launch of ‘SBC Micro Browser’ on this iPad.
Please connect to the internet and try again.

Before 2018 it was possible to install and license once the application on the devices and then operate the devices without Internet connection in offline mode.

Since early 2018, the device needs to connect from time to time to Internet to verify the license on the App store.
If this check is not performed in a regularly, then the license on the device will be disabled and it will be no longer possible to use the App until the device is connected again to Internet/App store and the device is relicensed.

This are Apple/Android rules over which SBC has no control.

To solve the issue:

For Android and iOS devices:
The Web-Editor 8 which is included in PG5 2.3 (or newer) allows the generation of HTML5 compatible web pages.
To avoid this problem, the web pages stored in the PCD can be displayed in a 'standard web browser' in HTML5 format on the Android or iOS device instead of using an MB app.

For Android devices:
Status august 2018: not possible to use the MB-App for longer time in Offline mode:
SBC will provide an MB-App that allows the Android devices to run in offline mode without Internet connection.
This FAQ will be updated as soon as the new version of the MB-App will be available.

For iOS devices:
Longer use of the MB-App on the devices in offline mode without an Internet connection will remain not possible.

If the cost calculation in the S-Monitoring is not correct, then do check the format of the PCD variables in the *.wvar file of the web-editor8.

If for example the variable NT-EM,Addr,WTxtotal.Tariff does have a format definition, then the cost calculation doesn’t work correctly.

To solve the problem remove the format definition in the format field and compile/download the project in to the PCD.

It’s not allowed that the NT-EM… variables does have any format value in the format field.

If trendcurves are displayed in a Browser (IE / Firefox / Chrome) or a MB-Panel and the Reload button on the web-page is pressed, then the trendcurves are updated with the newest values.
But if the web-applicaiton is running on a MB-App for Windows, then the trencurves are only loaded once if the web-page is displayed the first time, but they will be never updated by pressing the reload button.                 

Reason:
There is a problem in the PCD-Firmware.
The PCD send the Information that the .csv file has been changed, but the MB-App does not notice it.
Therefore the MB-App never does a reload by pressing the reload button.

Solution:
Use the PCD FW 1.24.30 or newer to solve the problem.