Manual LIAN 98(en) : 3.9 ARC file, Recording Archive

3.9 ARC file : Archive containing all recorded Transmission Data

The recording of send and receive telegrams are entered into the archive file in binary format. The maximum size of this file can be set in the configuration between 1 up to 32 MB. If the amount of the received data exceeds this size recording is continued at the beginning of the file. ( ring buffer principle ) When opening the ARC file the recorded data are translated into an easily legible procedure specific plaintext and displayed on screen. Via format settings ( Button FMT ) the output format can be defined as required. Through different colors for the individual information the data appear in a clear and for the user easy readable form. The user can change the colors at any time just as he wants. To simplify the analysis of the recorded data furthermore the possibility exists, to set filters and triggers ( Button NFL ) in order to reduce the received data. With an integrated search function particular values can be found easily and without problems.

Name, path and size for the ARC files are defined in the <configuration>

Toolbar ARC file

open document		Opens an existing document.
save document as		Saves the ARC file under a new name.
copy		Copies selection in the clip board.
search		Searches the declared text in the current document.
select all		Selects the whole text in the document.
font		Changes the font for the selected text.
text color		Assigns a color to the selected text.
background color		Assigns a color to the window background.
page view		This view offers the possibility to scroll through the pages or to print particular pages or the whole document on request. Before this function can be used, a printer must be installed in the operation system. Font and size for the side view can be adapted to your monitor resolution via the menu item <view - printer fonts>. The print margins are set via the menu item <file page setup>.
print		Prints the active document with the current settings.
Info		Displays information about the ARC file.

Open the Archive File

By pressing the <Button ARC> a file selection window is displayed in which the archive can be selected that should be opened.

After the selection of the required archive a windows opens with all necessary information about the archive file and the post-filters <NFL File> used at the moment.

Archive file name	Name and path of the selected archive file is displayed. ( Information field, the entry can not be changed here. )
Archive size	The actual size of the archive file is displayed.
LIAN 98 version	The software version which creates the archive file.
Archive version	Structure version of the archive file.
Recording start	date/ time Shows, when the recording was started.
Recording stop	date/ time Shows, when the recording was stopped.
Archive start	date/ time Shows the time of the first record in the archive.
Archive stop	date/ time Shows the time of the last record in the archive.
NFL (filter) file name	Name and path of the selected NFL file, used for the analysis, is displayed. With the selection button another NFL file can be selected.
open filter	Opens the NFL ( post-filter ) file in order to change the filter settings.

Records total	Shows the total number of records in the archive.
Errors total	Shows the total number of errors in the archive.
Archive commentary	A commentary can be added to each archive in order to describe the archive contents. The length of the commentary is limited up to 50 characters.

Current filter settings : ( see <NFL file> )

Start analysis at	Start archive analysis at time ( yes/ no ) Shows whether the global parameter "Start at time" in the post-filter is activated or deactivated.
Stop analysis at	Stop archive analysis at time ( yes/ no ) Shows whether the global parameter "Stop at time" in the post-filter is activated or deactivated.
Start all channels	Start all channels ( yes/ no ) Shows whether the global parameter "Start all channels" in the post-filter is activated or deactivated.
Stop all channels	Stop all channels ( yes/ no ) Shows whether the global parameter "Stop all channels" in the post-filter is activated or deactivated.

CHL	Channel number ( 1 ...12 )
Data format	The data format of the recorded protocol type is displayed.
counted	Shows the number of records that are contained in the archive for this channel.
Errors	Shows the number of error records that are contained in the archive for this channel.
CHL released	Channel released ( yes/ no or recv/ send ) Shows whether the channel-related parameter in the post-filter "Channel released" is activated or deactivated.
FLT released	Filter released ( yes/ no ) Shows whether the filter-related parameter in the post-filter is activated or deactivated.
FLT setup	Filter setup ( yes/ no ) Shows whether at least one filter is set or not in the post-filter.
Start TRG	Start trigger released ( yes/ no ) Shows whether the trigger-related parameter "Start trigger released" in the post-filter is activated or deactivated.
Start setup	Start trigger released ( yes/ no ) Shows whether at least one start trigger is set or not in the post-filter.
Stop TRG	Stop trigger released ( yes/ no ) Shows whether the trigger-related parameter "Stop trigger released" is activated or deactivated.
Stop setup	Stop trigger released ( yes/ no ) Shows whether at least one stop trigger is set or not in the post-filter.
Stop on error	Stop archive analysis when detecting an error ( yes/ no ) Shows whether the trigger-related parameter "Stop on error" in the post-filter is activate or deactivated.
records after stop	records after stop on error/ stop trigger Shows the number of records that are set in the post-filter.
last (n) records	Limit analysis to the last records ( yes/ no ) Shows whether the channel-related parameter "last (n) records" in the post-filter is activated or deactivated.
number (last n) records	Shows the number of (last n) records that are set in the post-filter and taken into account if the parameter "last (n) records" is activated.

Start analysis :

For the Microsoft® Windows® operation systems ( from 98 up to Windows 7 ) there is the big problem when loading a colored rich-text with the increasing size of the text, unfortunately, the loading time increases "exponentially" and not linear. This means that a 32 MB archive ( ca. 220 000 records/ 1 500 000 lines/ 90 000 000 bytes ) needs nearly 2 hours from opening up to the display on screen.

Therefore we offer an alternative solution for the opening of huge archives. This has however the disadvantage that the individual lines of the telegrams are no longer in different colors. The 32 MB archive above needs from opening up to display on screen only less than 10 minutes.

Text format ( huge archives )	This format is suitable for huge archives because it takes not much time from the opening up to the display ( black on white ) on screen.
Rich Text Format	This format is suitable for smaller archives ( up to 5 MB ) because it takes more time from the opening up to the display ( colored ) on screen.

Screen output ARC file

Archive output in Rich text format.

Archive output in text format. Also shown the archive- and filter information over the Info button.

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Manual LIAN 98