Echelon LonMaker - Manual (Page 26)

10 Introduction
Multi-User Modification
The new features in the LonMaker Turbo Editions for multi-user modification are described in the
following sections. See Resynchronizing a Network in Chapter 7, Maintaining Networks, for more
detailed information on using these new features.
Automatic Drawing Synchronization
You can make changes to a LonMaker drawing at the same time other users are modifying the
network, even if the other users are modifying the same subsystem as you. The LonMaker tool uses
LNS events and a new LonMaker event log described in the following subsections to keep the
LonMaker drawings synchronized with the LNS network database and with each other. The
LonMaker drawings will remain synchronized even as multiple users and applications access and
modify the drawings and the LNS network database.
LNS Event Tracking
The LonMaker tool uses LNS events to detect changes to a LonMaker drawing made by LNS
applications other than the LonMaker tool, as well as changes in the status of devices as reported by
the LNS server. Actions tracked exclusively by LNS events consist of detecting and commissioning
application devices and routers. LNS events track other actions that are also tracked in the LonMaker
Event Log described in the next section. These actions include upgrading application devices; creating
application devices, routers, subsystems, and connections; deleting application devices, routers, and
connections; and renaming application devices, routers, functional blocks, and subsystems.
LonMaker Event Log
The LonMaker tool stores every change made to a LonMaker drawing in a shared log called the
LonMaker event log. The LonMaker event log is kept in the LNS network database so that all
LonMaker tools on a network can view the events logged by all other LonMaker tools on the same
network—including tools that are not active at the same time. All LonMaker tools check the log when
they open a LonMaker drawing and periodically thereafter (every 10 seconds by default), and update
their copies of the LonMaker drawing based on the log entries.
Additional benefits of the LonMaker event log are that it can be used by the LonMaker tool to restore
your work if you computer fails while you are updating a drawing, and it reduces the number of times
that you need to resynchronize a LonMaker drawing. You may still need to resynchronize if
applications other than the LonMaker tool make changes to the LNS network database that affect a
LonMaker drawing, or if log entries are deleted.
You can view the LonMaker event log, and you can export it to an XML file. See LonMaker Event Log
in Chapter 7, Maintaining Networks, for how to do this.
Resource Usage Reports
The LonMaker Turbo Editions include the following new features to help you determine usage of
critical network resources such as group IDs, subnet IDs, selectors, and network variable alias table
space. See Using Resource Usage Reports in Chapter 8, Managing Networks, for more information on
using these new features.
Network Resource Report
You can display a summary of the usage of group IDs, subnet IDs, and selectors in your network. The
usage of these resources is displayed in a network resource report. This report displays the number of
group IDs, subnet IDs, and selectors that have been allocated out of those available in your LonMaker
drawing. Individual color status bars indicate the percentage consumed and availability of each
resource. As more network resources are consumed, the status bar fills up and changes color.
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Green . Resource is readily available (up to 75 percent used).
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Yellow . Resource is available, but beginning to run low (between 75 and 90 percent used).