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Version 94.2 by Lana on 2025/11/10 00:50
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Lana 4.2 1 **CONTENT**
Lana 1.1 2
Lana 10.2 3 == **1. INTRODUCTION** ==
4
5 CENTO is a multifunctional software platform for data collection, processing, and display.
Lana 5.1 6 CENTO can be used to build various automated systems, for example: dispatching, control, accounting, diagnostics, etc.
7 This guide describes the general steps for setting up CENTO software, as well as links to other instructions.
Lana 10.2 8
9 == **2. DEVICES, TAGS, CHANNELS** ==
10
11 Operations for configuring the CENTO software are performed from the drop-down menu "Settings" (see Fig. 2.1) of the control panel at the top of the CENTO graphical interface.
Lana 16.1 12 \\[[image:1762536204394-536.png||height="430" width="212"]]
Lana 7.2 13 Fig. 2.1 – Settings drop-down menu
Lana 9.2 14
Lana 12.1 15 === 2.1. Creating a device tree ===
Lana 10.2 16
Lana 12.1 17 Configuration begins with the creation of a tree of devices (sources of information). The device tree is formed based on the convenience of further work with this tree and can reflect either the structure and names of the places where information sources are installed, or (in the case of small projects) combine information sources and production facilities of the enterprise.  This tree is necessary for the subsequent attribution of all sources of information and the information itself to this structure.
18
19 To configure the structure, go to the "Devices, tags, channels" page (Settings – Devices, tags, channels) (see Fig. 2.2).
20
Lana 84.1 21 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.07.38.png||height="150" width="1018"]]
Lana 15.2 22
Lana 18.2 23 Fig. 2.2 – Devices, Tags, Channels Page
Lana 15.2 24
Lana 18.2 25 By default, CENTO has a "Root Object" preset. Under the root object, you can specify, for example, the name of a company or a separate object. In order to rename a tree element, you need to hover the mouse pointer over it and right-click, and then select "Edit" (see Fig. 2.3). You can also delete an unnecessary object by clicking on the button [[image:1762746580637-301.png]]
Lana 15.2 26
27
Lana 47.2 28 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.06.44.png||height="332" width="501"]]
Lana 45.2 29
Lana 18.2 30 Fig. 2.3 – Editing an object
31
32 **Attention! There must be no tethered devices in the power facility for removal.**
33
34
35 Adding objects in the structure (name of the system or enterprise) is performed by right-clicking (hereinafter referred to as the "RMB") on:
36
Lana 21.2 37 * Selected object in the tree, in which case the new object will be nested;
38 * In the empty space of a given tree, in this case, the new object will be an independent object in this structure.
Lana 18.2 39
Lana 21.2 40 The sequence and nesting of objects in the tree can be adjusted by dragging objects by holding down the left mouse button (see Fig. 2.4), as well as by using [[image:1762746645908-483.png]] and [[image:1762746672090-269.png]]selecting the desired object in the tree (see Fig. 2.5).
Lana 18.2 41
Lana 45.2 42 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.05.39.png||height="213" width="499"]]
Lana 23.2 43
44 Fig. 2.4 – Dragging a New Object Inside the Tree
45
Lana 45.2 46 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.05.00.png||height="407" width="496"]]
Lana 23.2 47
48 Fig. 2.5 – Dragging a New Object Inside the Tree
49
Lana 28.2 50 To select all objects, click on the button [[image:1762746768528-956.png]] ,  and it will change its appearance to [[image:1762746794500-389.png]]. To reset the selection of all objects in the tree, click on this button again [[image:1762746812138-731.png]]. To collapse the tree, click on , and [[image:1762746841632-572.png]] to expand it [[image:1762746869342-141.png]]. To change the width of the tree, you need to hover over the vertical line, and drag right/left while holding down the click and click.
Lana 23.2 51
Lana 29.2 52 The search input field [[image:1762746912120-741.png]] allows you to search for information by the name of the tree object, the name of the device, as well as its ID or Code.
53
54 Adding and configuring power facilities to CENTO is possible both through the above-described WEB-interface and using Excel files. Loading the CENTO configuration via Excel files is described in Section 3 of this guide.
55
Lana 31.2 56 === 2.2. Creating devices ===
Lana 29.2 57
Lana 31.2 58 You can create new devices (information sources) and edit existing ones on the "Devices, tags, channels" page ("Settings" – "Devices, tags, channels") (see Fig. 2.6).
Lana 29.2 59
Lana 44.2 60 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.04.03.png]]
Lana 31.2 61
62 Fig. 2.6 – Devices page
63
64 On this page, you can perform the following operations:
65
Lana 38.2 66 * Creating a device by clicking the button [[image:1762747055524-817.png||height="22" width="94"]] in the upper right corner of the screen;
67 * downloading/uploading selected devices to an Excel file by pressing a button [[image:1762747071069-512.png||height="21" width="88"]] , which allows you to configure devices for scanning without uploading the entire configuration on the page from section 3;
Lana 36.2 68 * go to the device editing window by left-clicking on the device name or its ID;
69 * search for an already configured device by selecting in the object tree and searching for devices in these objects manually or through filters in the headers of the device table, where [[image:1762747071070-762.png||height="25" width="30"]] it searches by ID or by Code, depending on the user's choice;
70 * enabling and disabling device polling by switches in the "Status" column;
71 * viewing the status of the device and polling it according to the configured protocols;
Lana 38.2 72 * copying an untagged device [[image:1762747071070-928.png||height="24" width="24"]] with its tags [[image:1762747071070-641.png||height="25" width="24"]] and deleting devices [[image:1762747071071-408.png||height="23" width="23"]] ;
Lana 36.2 73 * filter by category;
74 * filter by formula;
75 * filter by device.
Lana 31.2 76
Lana 38.2 77 Clicking on the button will open the [[image:1762747182802-715.png||height="26" width="110"]] "Create a device" page, where you need to enter the parameters of the new device (see Fig. 2.7).
Lana 31.2 78
Lana 42.2 79 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.02.13.png]]
Lana 40.2 80
Lana 42.2 81 Fig. 2.7 – Device Creation Page
82
Lana 40.2 83 In order to edit an already configured device, click on its name on the "Devices" page, which will take you to the "Device Editing" page (see Fig. 2.8).
84
85 To speed up the creation of a device group, CENTO has the function of copying devices with all their settings by clicking the button [[image:1762747218001-134.png||height="27" width="27"]] on the "Devices, tags, channels" page (see Fig. 2.6). Next, you need to change the configuration in accordance with the project, also going to the "Edit device" page.
86
Lana 41.2 87 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.01.08.png]]
88
89 Fig. 2.8 – Device Editing Page
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Lana 48.2 91 The "Create Device" window ("Edit Device") consists of 2 blocks. The first block "General settings" has the same view for all devices. In the second block, you are asked to select and enter settings for the device polling protocol. For each device, it is possible to poll according to 2 or more protocols, for example, for electricity meters (polling real-time parameters, downloading archives of accumulated interval values of electricity) (see Fig. 2.8).
92
93 The "General settings" block contains the following fields:
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Lana 60.1 95 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.32.16.png||height="57" width="240"]]
Lana 48.2 96
Lana 84.1 97 Device name.
Lana 48.2 98
Lana 66.2 99 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.23.37.png||height="57" width="232"]]
Lana 60.1 100
Lana 84.1 101 Select a template that corresponds to the selected device from the drop-down list or create a new one using the "+" button.
Lana 60.1 102
103 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.26.11.png||height="58" width="235"]]
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Lana 84.1 105 Identification number of the device in the system (by default, it is set automatically).
Lana 60.1 106
107 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.27.03.png||height="59" width="240"]]
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Lana 84.1 109 IP address of the device.
Lana 60.1 110
111 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.28.08.png||height="58" width="240"]]
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Lana 84.1 113 Serial number (for electricity meters).
Lana 60.1 114
115 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.29.00.png||height="57" width="241"]]
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Lana 84.1 117 The object to which the device belongs.
Lana 60.1 118
119 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.30.58.png||height="74" width="242"]]
120
Lana 84.1 121 Stores a note on the device.
Lana 60.1 122
123 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.31.47.png||height="57" width="243"]]
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Lana 84.1 125 Binding the device to the object of the information model.
Lana 60.1 126
127 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.33.17.png||height="29" width="129"]]
128
129 Allows you to replace the existing device with a new one, saving the metering data (after clicking, an additional window with instructions pops up, see Fig. 2.9).
130
131 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.34.00.png||height="364" width="720"]]
132
133 Fig. 2.9 – Window "Replacement of the metering device"
134
Lana 66.2 135 After filling in the required fields, you should click on the "Save" button.
136
137 Then, to apply the changes, you need to click the "Update Configuration" button in the drop-down menu in the upper right corner of the page.
138
139 Adding devices and configuring protocols to CENTO is possible both through the above-described WEB-interface and using Excel files. Loading the CENTO configuration via Excel files is described in Section 3 of this guide.
140
141 The rules and features of setting up devices and protocols are described in separate commissioning manuals.
142
143 After you add a new device, it appears in the device tree on the Devices page. The device name in the tree and in the device table may be preceded by one of the following icons ("statuses"), which are described in Table 2.1.
144
145 Table 2.1 – Device status decoding
146
147 |Status Number|Device Status|Decoding
148 |0|[[image:1762749353292-521.png]]|Disabled (device polling disabled in CENTO)
149 |1|[[image:1762749353293-182.png]]|Normal (the device is connected, tags arrive without errors)
150 |2|[[image:1762749353293-752.png]]|Data in the device with errors (some tags come with errors or are not polled)
151 |3|[[image:1762749353293-611.png]]|Device is not available (device polling is enabled, but the device is not responding)
152 |4|[[image:1762749353293-609.png]]|Tags or channels by device contain data with manual input
153 |9|[[image:1762749353294-893.png]]|Status Not Available (Status Not Yet Received or Not Available)
154
Lana 67.2 155 === 2.3. Set up tags and channels ===
Lana 66.2 156
Lana 67.2 157 In CENTO software, information is divided into 2 types: tags and channels.
Lana 66.2 158
Lana 67.2 159 Tags are data, conditionally, "real-time". That is, data collected from sources of information with the lowest possible delays. The frequency of updating the value of each tag depends on the settings you set, the technical features of the data sources, and their capabilities. For example, in dispatching systems, data is updated once per second, but it can be both more frequent and less frequent (for example, it may depend on how much the value itself has changed).
Lana 66.2 160
161 Channels are data used for metering (electricity, other energy resources, operating time, products, etc.). A feature of metering channels is a clearly defined discreteness of information (for example: 1 minute, 3 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, etc.). The value of the channel is recorded as an increment of a value for a given period, averaging for a given period and a value at the end of the period. In metering systems, information is most often transmitted in this form by the data sources themselves (meters, heat calculators, etc.), but accounting channels can also be formed in CENTO itself based on tag values. The use of information in the form of "channels" in accounting allows you to receive information from data sources even in case of failures in communication channels (data can be obtained from the archive after the connection is restored), it is convenient to work with data, and generate various reports.
162
163 Tags and accounting channels are configured on the same page "Devices, tags, channels" ("Settings" - "Devices, tags, channels") on the "Tags, channels" tab (see Fig. 2.10).
Lana 67.2 164
Lana 72.2 165 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.38.04.png]]
166
167 Fig. 2.10 – Parameter Description Page
168
169 On the "Tags, Channels" tab, when selecting one or more devices, all tags and channels of device data accounting are displayed in a tabular form. In this table, you can perform the following operations for each signal separately:
170
171 * Create a tag or channel by clicking [[image:1762749527914-134.png||height="20" width="117"]] the button in the upper right corner of the screen.
172 * the button [[image:1762749527915-501.png||height="21" width="69"]] allows you to export data on selected tags to an excel table, completely repeating columns and rows from "Tags, channels", while this uploaded file serves only for analysis, not configuration;
173 * The button [[image:1762749527915-879.png||height="21" width="85"]] allows you to upload/download an Excel file with selected tags, in which you can remove/add tags to specific devices without downloading the entire configuration from the page from section 3 of this manual;
174 * Go to the tag or channel editing window by clicking the left mouse button on the tag name or its ID;
175 * viewing the values of tags and channels and going to the graph page of the required parameter by clicking the left mouse button on the value;
176 * enabling and disabling tag (channel) polling by radio buttons in the "Status" column;
177 * viewing the status of the tag (channel) and its polling;
178 * viewing the time of the last update of the tag (channel) survey – the date and time (in the format "yy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss") of the last successful receipt of the tag (channel) value (the value of the tag or channel itself may not have changed);
Lana 84.1 179 * copying and deleting tags and channels by clicking buttons [[image:1762749562010-279.png||height="25" width="25"]] and [[image:1762749562011-728.png||height="24" width="24"]] respectively.
Lana 72.2 180
Lana 84.1 181 ==== 2.3.1. Adding a protocol tag ====
182
183 To create a separate tag, click on the "Create Tag" button. This will open the "Tag Polling Creation" page (see Figure 2.11).
184
185 To display the protocol settings, you must first select the device (data source). After that, a set of protocols configured for the device will appear in the "Protocol" drop-down list (see p.2.2).
186
187 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.42.20.png]]
188
189 Fig. 2.11 – Adding a protocol tag
190
191 The "Tag Polling Creation" window consists of 4 blocks. The first block "General settings" contains the settings of the protocol that is configured in the device for which the tag is created. The second block contains the settings of the protocol through which the tag is passed (appears when the protocol is selected). The third block contains functions for processing the value of the tag. In the fourth block, the tag settings are configured, which determine the permissible limits of its change and the system's reaction to violation of these limits.
192
Lana 88.3 193 ----
194
Lana 84.1 195 The "General settings" block contains the following fields:
196
197 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.43.37.png||height="51" width="258"]]
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199 Parameter name (set by the user).
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201 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.44.12.png||height="51" width="257"]]
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203 Selection of the parameter category.
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205 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.45.47.png||height="51" width="257"]]
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207 The alphabetic code of the tag, which can be used instead of ID (it is possible to enter numbers, Latin letters and the symbol _ ).
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209 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.46.25.png||height="51" width="257"]]
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211 The identity address of the parameter. Default is set automatically, and can be changed.
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213 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.47.06.png||height="49" width="125"]]
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215 Units of measurement of the parameter.
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217 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.47.38.png||height="53" width="255"]]
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219 The device from which the parameter is read.
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221 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.49.12.png||height="53" width="258"]]
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223 Protocol used (the list of protocols is formed from the configured protocols for the selected device).
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225 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.49.50.png||height="58" width="98"]]
226
227 Affects the appearance of charting on the "Live Data" analysis page, if the tag is analog, then the switch should be like in the picture.
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229 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.50.20.png||height="70" width="254"]]
230
231 Stores a note on the tag, does not affect the survey.
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233 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 20.51.17.png||height="57" width="115"]]
234
235 Appears for tags with a protocol, saves the history of changing values. When the "Save to database" function is disabled, tag data is not transferred to the backup server and is not transmitted via the S2S protocol.
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237 Depending on the selected device, the protocol specified when creating the device will be automatically selected in the "Protocol" field.
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239 The rules, description, and specifics of setting up tags in terms of protocols are described in separate setup manuals.
240
Lana 88.3 241 ----
242
Lana 85.2 243 The "Processing" block contains the following fields:
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Lana 85.3 245 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 21.34.56.png||height="60" width="289"]]
Lana 85.2 246
Lana 87.2 247 The formula for mathematical processing of the parameter (according to a predetermined formula or the user's formula). Clicking on the "+" opens the window for creating a new formula, which then appears in the list of templates.
Lana 85.2 248
Lana 87.2 249 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 21.36.47.png||height="18" width="139"]]
250
251 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 21.37.18.png]]
252
Lana 88.2 253 A field for entering a custom formula, not from the list of templates.
Lana 87.2 254
Lana 88.2 255 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 21.41.53.png||height="26" width="158"]]
256
257 Button to open help with formulas.
258
259 ----
260
261 The "Setpoints" block contains settings for the following limits:
262
263 * upper physical limit
264 * a lower physical limit
265 * upper emergency limit
266 * lower emergency limit
267 * upper warning limit
268 * Lower warning limit.
269
Lana 90.2 270 ----
Lana 88.3 271
Lana 90.2 272 Each of the above limits has the following settings:
Lana 88.3 273
Lana 90.2 274 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 21.44.56.png||height="66" width="49"]]
275
276 Enabling/disabling value control.
277
Lana 91.2 278 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 21.45.38.png||height="66" width="111"]]
Lana 90.2 279
Lana 91.2 280 Limit value in units specified by the tag.
281
Lana 93.2 282 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 21.46.31.png||height="66" width="111"]]
Lana 91.2 283
Lana 93.2 284 Exposure time in milliseconds before the setpoint is triggered.
Lana 91.2 285
Lana 93.2 286 [[image:Screenshot 2025-11-09 at 21.47.13.png||height="66" width="111"]]
287
288 Enabling/disabling the acknowledgment of the event that occurs when the setpoint is triggered.
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290 To save the tag settings, click the button [[image:1762753677285-432.png]]
291
Lana 93.3 292 Then, to apply the changes, you need to click the "Update Configuration" button in the drop-down menu in the upper right corner of the page.
293
294 Adding tags to CENTO is possible both through the above-described web interface and using Excel files. Loading the CENTO configuration via Excel files is described in Section 3 of this guide.
295
296 The rules and specifics for setting up tags for different protocols and devices are described in separate configuration guides.
297
298 ==== 2.3.2. Add a calculation tag ====
299
300 If you select the "No log" item in the "Tag Polling Description" window (see Fig. 2.11) in the "Log" field, a calculated tag will be created, the value of which can be formed based on the transformation of other tags.
301
302 The value of the calculated tag is determined by the formula entered in the "Value Processing Formula" field (see Fig. 2.11) or by the Custom Formula (see Fig. 2.12). Examples of formulas are given under the Value Processing Formula field. The available features are also listed in Table 2.1 of this manual.
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304 For calculation tags, setpoints can be configured in the same way as tags with protocols.
Lana 94.2 305
306 After filling in the required fields, you should save the changes by clicking the button  [[image:1762753769568-573.png||height="23" width="60"]]. Then, to apply the changes, you need to click the "Update Configuration" button in the drop-down menu in the upper right corner of the page.
307
308 Adding calculation tags to CENTO, as well as other configuration elements, is possible through the above-described web interface and using Excel files. Loading the CENTO configuration via Excel files is described in Section 3 of this guide.
309
310