The WebLink Scheduler module allows you to enter control commands in a calendar style interface to send control commands to various devices such as telephone style override, relays, and switch code groups. The control commands are entered to occur on specific dates and times, and can be set to repeat periodically using a variety of parameters. In addition, commands can be set to occur during specific ranges of dates, and exceptions can be handled as well. Once control commands are entered into the Scheduler, the device will automatically send the commands at the appropriate time, and log the result to a database for later review.

The Scheduler interface is accessible via Web Browser, and is made up of the Main page, plus four standard views, as follows:

You can add new actions to a schedule from the Day and Week views of the Scheduler. When you click the New icon, a pop up interface (see Figure 5.1, “Schedule - Action”) will appear so that you can define your New Action.

Figure 5.1. Schedule - Action

Actions have the following attributes:

The WebLink Scheduler interoperates with WinControl. In situations without WebLink Scheduler, schedules are configured in WinControl, and relays are assigned to follow those schedules. Schedules in WinControl are of a weekly, repeating variety. In WinControl, if your schedules do not repeat each week, it requires constant modifications and updates to the WinControl programming.

The WebLink Scheduler allows you to utilize scheduling in a manner that is not constrained by requirements of a constantly repeating schedule. Instead of defining a repeating schedule, and assigning devices to follow that schedule, the WebLink Scheduler takes a different approach. In WebLink Scheduler, you specify the action you want to happen, which will correspond to controlling a device (relay), or group of devices (via phone code or switch code, or template). When you define such an action, you will typically configure that action to repeat (a Weekly repeat is similar to WinControl scheduling).

If you want to transition your scheduling from WinControl Scheduling to WebLink Scheduling, we suggest the following steps:

Warning

WebLink Scheduler does not provide the "Disable Override Duration" automatically at 3:01 each day. To preserve this feature, make sure all relays in WinControl follow at least a single schedule that is setup with a 3:01 Disable Override Duration time. No other events need exist in the schedule. If relays do not follow a schedule, and you do not "Schedule" lights on in the morning, then subsequent overrides will automatically time out.

The Main page shown in Figure 5.7, “Schedule - Main View” includes a listing of all of todays scheduled events on the right, in time order, and a listing of events, sheduled as well as overrides activated via the WebLink, on the left. You may navigate to one of the four views below by clicking one of the four view icons on the right, above label 3.

This main page is divided into 4 parts, as called out by the icons shown in the figure. The parts are:

Figure 5.7. Schedule - Main View

Most often from the main schedule screen the facility manager will want to go into the Daily view. After clicking on the appropriate icon in area 3, they are brought to the screen shown in Figure 5.8, “Schedule - Daily View”. For many, the method of interaction with this screen will be intuitive, as it is similar to the screens for many task scheduling programs (Outlook, etc…).

Events in the Daily View (in fact in every view) are both an identification of the Action, as well as a link to an Action Modifier dialog. To edit an existing event, simply click on the event itself. Or, to create a new event, click on the “New” button in the upper left. In either case the Action Info page will appear. From here, you may choose to modify the day the event happens, the time it happens, and/or the group of relays being controlled. What’s particularly nice is that if the event needs to happen repeatedly, the user can click on the “Repeating Event” button, and a dialog box will appear that allows you to choose how often the event should repeat – every day, every week (For the next 7 Mondays for instance), every month (the 5th of every month for the next 3 months), or every year (Every 4th of July from now on). Modifiers allow the user to pick how many times the event should repeat, or until what day. The WebLink even allows relative events to be pre-programmed – like those that occur the last Sunday of every month - quickly and easily. And once programmed, these recurring events are clearly identified in the daily and weekly views by the little circular arrows preceding the event.

One benefit that’s not necessarily obvious – Events can be applied to individual relays, or groups of relays defined by a telephone code or a switch code. That means that for events where individual relay control is required, the WebLink can handle it. An example would be when an engineer wants to stagger start a large number of arena lights relay by relay to minimize inrush. But the WebLink also allows groups of relays to be controlled, so for instance each gallery in a Museum or each Hall in a Convention Center can be easily assigned their own unique schedule.

Reference the section called “Adding Actions to your Schedule” to see how such events are added to schedule.

The Day view shown provides a listing of all of todays schedules events and allows you to edit and add new events. You may jump to the current Day view by selecting the "Today" button. You may return to the Main view by clicking "Main".

Figure 5.8. Schedule - Daily View

If the user wants to get a more inclusive view of all the events going on, then they can bring up the Weekly, Monthly or Yearly views. As in the Daily view, each event can be clicked on and edited quickly and easily.

The Month view shown in Figure 5.9, “Schedule - Monthly View”provides a listing of all of the events scheduled for the current month, and allows you toedit and add new events. From the month view, you may click on a date to bring up the Day view, or click on an event to bring up the Event editor. You may also add newevents view the "New" button. You may jump to the current month view by selecting the "Today" button. You may return to the Main view by clicking "Main".

Figure 5.9. Schedule - Monthly View

The Week view shown in Figure 5.10, “Schedule - Weekly View”provides a listing of all of the events scheduled for the current calendar week, Sunday through Saturday. You may click on a given day in this view to pull up the Day view, or click on a particular event to bring up the Event editor. Youmay also add newevents view the "New" button. You may jump to the current week view by selecting the "Today" button. You may return to the Main view by clicking "Main".

Figure 5.10. Schedule - Weekly View

The Year view shown in Figure 5.11, “Schedule - Year”provides a listing of the 12 months in the current year, and allows you to select a particular Month and go to the Month view for that month. You may select a particular day and go to the Day view for that date. You may also navigate from one year to the next. You may return to the Main view by clicking "Main".

Figure 5.11. Schedule - Year

The WebLink in action... a couple of example schedules

Here are two quick examples, both of which happen often at sites that have public events.

Templates are a method of creating schedules that allows you to have multiple actions scheduled as part of a group of actions. Within the template, you may specify multiple actions that will occur when the Template is placed in the schedule. Actions may all occur at the same time, or at times that are 'offset' from the Scheduled time when the Template is added to the Schedule.

For example, a template may be created that corresponds to the start time for a certain type of event, such as a Store Opening, or the start of a Football Game. As such, all of the actions in the template are based on the start time of the main 'Event'. In our example, when the Store Opens, you might want certain loads or lights to turn ON 30 minutes prior to the store opening, and additional lights (loads) turning ON at the time of the Store Open. When creating the template, you simply add each action to the Template, and specify the offset time (e.g. 0 or 30 minutes prior), to the Event Time.

When a Template is inserted into the Daily Schedule, you are specifying the time of the Event (e.g. Store Open). In this case, the actions that are to occur 30 minutes prior to Store open will automatically happen. When creating a Schedule Template, you may specify a 'Color' to use to display future occurences of that particular template. Unless overridden when adding to the schedule (see color option in the section called “Adding Actions to your Schedule”), the color used to display occurences of that template will use the color setting selected. You may also choose to leave the color as the "Default", which means the template will use the default color in the theme for Template Actions (see the section called “Setup - Settings Tab - Style Selector / Editor”).

The individual events that make up the template are not displayed by default on any of the Schedule views. You may choose to show the individual actions by click on the "Details" checkbox on any of the schedule views.

Figure 5.12. Schedule - Schedule Template

Figure 5.13. Schedule - Schedule Template No Details

Figure 5.14. Schedule - Schedule Template Details