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Context Help

Most pages in Green Book offer a link labeled [Help] that takes to context-related topics in this manual. This section contains those topics, not suitable for casual reading. They are listed in the order they was written.

Sorry, this topic has not been written yet.

The Device Library contains device definitions, templates from which you create actual devices. They are grouped by Dev Types.

Use the Dev Type list box to select the device type (for example, VDA). A list of relevant definitions will be shown. If your type is not listed, press the [...] button near the list box to go to the Device Types entity list where you will have the opportunity to add it; then go back to this view.

Pick the desired item from the table (by clicking the corresponding row) to see information about that device definition. If you plan to make changes in that information, click the Edit link instead.

For adding a new definition of that type, press the [Add] button.

Keep present that you won't be able to change data if you are not logged in.

A Device Definition is a template from which you create actual devices. In this view you have all the information available for the definition being presented.

The Dev Type value is a link you can use as a shortcut to get back to the Device Library. The Hash Number is a unique identifier you will use in certain operations, optionally some times. In the case of frames, there is also a Slots Count field. If you plan to change this info, press the [Edit] button located at the bottom of the page.

The [Existing Devices] button will take you to a list of all devices that have been created from this definition.

It follows the Inputs/Outputs table listing all of the ports showing: Label, Signal Type and Connector Type. Label refers to that bared in the physical equipment. You can change a port information by clicking in the Edit link located in the corresponding row.

In the case of type FRAME, there is usually no ports. Some frames, however, have ports such as Black Burst, Serial and Ethernet.

To add new ports (either input or output), click the [Add Ports] button.

Buttons [Remove Inputs] and [Remove Outputs] will remove all input or output ports respectively. You will be prompted for confirmation before proceeding.

Keep present that you won't be able to make any change if you are not logged in.

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If you plan to create a device from this definition, you need to navigate to the location (Rack, Desk or Frame Slot) where the device will reside and press the [Add Device] button on that view.
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It is recommended that you create device definitions as complete as possible. The recommended practice is to use the manufacturer's manual or datasheet as a direct reference. Nevertheless, if the definition is some how incomplete, you will be able to add/modify/delete ports in the actual device created from this definition later on. Changes you make in that device will not impact the definition in any manner.

The Find Box is intended for quick navigation and wire lookup. You can enter things like:

    wire c123
    rack 27
    rack liveu
    frame 31
    room 237
    room color video
    device skype
    device 7700da7
    definition vda

The first word is called "qualifier" and indicates the kind of object you are looking for. The default qualifier is "wire", meaning that you can omit it so that "wire c123" is equivalent to just "c123".

The following qualifiers are recognized:

   bulding
   bld
   room
   rm
   rack
   rk
   desk
   frame
   fr
   device
   dev
   equipment
   eq
   definition
   def
   wire

For wires, you can enter a simplified, non standard, version of the wire number; for example,"c2" instead of "C-002". You can also enter keywords that seem related to the wires you are seeking, for example, "roof cam".

Your entry is memorized in a session variable. You can continue to navigate the system, then return to the same result by just pressing the [Go] button again.

Locations are organized into a hierarchy:

   Buildings
     Rooms
       Racks or Desks
         Frames
           Slots

This hierarchy can be navigated up and down starting at Buildings.

To add a new location to the present list, press the [Add] button. You need be logged in in order to be able to do that.

If delocated devices exists, those will listed at the bottom in this view. See Allocating and Delocating Devices for more info.

A device can not be deleted from the circuit. It must rather be "delocated", using the Delocate button.

The Delocate operation mimics the physical removal of the equipment from the rack. This could be the case, for example, in which you are sending that equipment to the factory for repair.

When delocated, the equipment loses its reference to the location where it belonged, but it keeps all other information such as Serial Number, Designation and History Log. Later on, you will be able to "re-allocate" that device to the location it was in, or maybe a different one.

When you delocate a device, all wires connected to it are disconnected automatically and marked as "dangling" at that location.

Delocated devices are listed at the bottom of the Locations root. You get there by pressing the Locations button in the Toolbar. They can be "re-allocated" to a rack or desk by pressing the [Relloc Device] button in the Rack View, or the "@" link in the Frame View.

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If you plan to actually DELETE a device, proceed as following:

* Delocate the device as explained.
* Press the Locations button in the Toolbar.
* Select your device from the list of Delocated devices.
* In the Device View, press the Edit button.
* In the Edit Device view, press the [Delete] button.

This page allows for quick wire lookup.

Press the [Dangling] button for a list of wires that are connected in one end only.
Press the [Disconnected] button for a list of wires that are disconnected in both ends.
Press the [Available] button for a list of wire numbers that are not in the database, so available for you to add.

Picking an item from the By Status list will take you to a list of wires presenting the selected status.

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See Status for more information on what "status" means.

This table lists wires matching your search criteria. The table first appears sort by wire number, but you can re-order by any column by just clicking at that column.

Columns "Connected From" and "Connected To" may contain links to devices this wire connects to. Click on those link to go to the Device View of that device. If not a link, the column content is a textual indication of the referred equipment; that text is in the connection reference string of the wire record.

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Note:

If you see a weird date in the "Updated" column (12/31/1969) it means that the wire record has not an updated date at all. In terms of implementation (if you are curious), this database field is a UNIX timestamp; value zero means: just before the "UNIX epoch" (1/1/1970), hence the value 12/31/1969.

Status is an attribute of Wires and Devices representing the current situation of that wire or equipment in real life.

Status values come from a user defined list accessible from button [Entities] then [Status] in the Toolbar. This list contains values such as: Installed, Preliminary, Obsolete, etc. Status are color-coded for easy reference. Colors are user definable as well.

Default Status
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When you add a new wire or device to the system, it comes with a default status (you can change the status later on by editing that device or wire).

The System Default Status is set in the configuration file, but you can change it temporarily for the duration of your session. This is useful, for example, when you are adding multiple wires with status different from the default (for example, "Preliminary").

To set the session Default Status, proceed as following:

* Login.
* Go to [Entities], then [Status].
  Notice that one list element is presented in bold. That is the current Default Status.

* Click the list element for the status you want as default.
  Notice that now your new status is in bold.

The new Default Status will remain until you logout and it is only valid for you, that is, other users accessing the system from other hosts won't be impacted.

This view shows all devices mounted in the rack. Click on the desired row to get the Device (or Frame) View of that device.

On top is the "Loc Navigator" indicating in what Building and Room this rack is located. You can use this tool to navigate back in locations.

Buttons at the bottom act as following:

[Fav +]    Adds this device to "Favorite Devices" in the Home Page.
           If the device is already a favorite, the button will read "Fav--" instead
           in which case, pressing it will remove the device from the list.

[Add Device] Will add a new device to the rack from a Definition you pick from the Library.

[Reloc Device]  Will re-allocate a device that was previously de-allocated.
               (See Allocating and Delocating Devices).

[Edit]  Will take you to the Device Edit form.

Know that you will not be able to use any of these buttons if you are not logged in.

This view represents a Frame, each row representing a Slot.

Empty rows correspond to empty slots while non-empty ones give you a brief description of the device (card) inserted in that slot. Click on it to get its Device View.

The "Do" column reads "Edit" for installed devices, "@ +" for empty slots. Click in the "+" for adding a device to that slot from the Library. Click "@" to relocate a device instead. (See Allocating and Delocating Devices).

If the frame has ports (such as Ethernet or Black Burst), a link appears at the bottom, labeled: "This frame has direct connections". Click on it to get a device view of the frame where those connections are shown.

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The [Fav +] button will add this frame to "Favorite Devices" in the Home Page. If the frame is already a favorite, the button will read "Fav--" instead, in which case, pressing it will remove the device from the list.

The [Edit] button will take you the the Frame Edit form you will use to change information to the frame as a whole.

This view represents a device and its connections.

On top is the "Loc Navigator" you can use to navigate back in locations: Building, Room, Rack, Frame.

It follows device information such as Brand and Model. To note here is the "Designation" field; this identifies the role this equipment in particular is playing in the facility. Also interesting is the "Definition"; this is the template from which this device was created (clicking the field value will take you to the Definition view in the Library). And also the "Hash Number"; this is an internal unique identifier you will use occasionally for certain operations.

The IP field shows the IP of that device, if any. Clicking on it will take you to the Web Interface of the equipment, if it exists and is accessible from your computer.

It follows three buttons: [Show All Ports], [History Log] and [Goto Circuit]. We will talk about that later.

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Finally is the Inputs/Outputs table.

Each row in the table represents a device port (input or output) to which a wire can be connected. For connected ports, information about the connected wire is also shown. Columns "Connected To" may content either a link to the other end of the wire (another Device View) or just a textual reference in case the wire is not "connected" in Green Book.

You can click in the "CABLE" column to get more information about that wire.

----> You can click in either of the "Connect To" columns to navigate to the other Device (if the cell contains a link), effectively following the circuit path.

Initially, only connected ports are displayed. Hit the [Show All Ports] button to view all ports both connected and disconnected. Now the button reads [Hide discon. Ports] so pressing it again will take you back to the connected-only view.

Button History Log will display the History Log for this device. That place is intended to maintenance notes. The button will present a white background if the log is not empty.

Button Goto Circuit will take you to the circuit in which this device is in (or a list of various if it participates in more than one). It can also lead to nowhere if the device is not in any circuit. If it is, the button will present an orange background. (See: Circuits).

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Multi-conductor connectors are represented with multiple rows: one per connection. That is the case, for example, of various GPIO or Analog Audio signals exposed in a single DB25 connector.

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Button Add Ports will allow you to add ports (inputs or outputs) to this device in particular. That will not affect the device definition from which this device was created.