GUIDE – Windows configuration recommendations

The GUIDE graphical user interface for the Syncro range of control panels provides a simple to use, yet informative display to show activity on the Syncro panel (or network of panels) to which it is connected.
It also allows the user to control and interrogate the Syncro system using the intuitive GUIDE user interface, including the ability to:

• Disable and enable detection points
• Disable and enable detection zones
• Poll detection devices analogue values

In addition, GUIDE saves Syncro events to an Event Log on the GUIDE computer hard drive, allowing powerful event log filtering and reporting. The Event Log comprises of a number of small files, which are automatically generated and appended to each other – transparent to the end user – to give the impression of a single log file. This structure allows archiving of part of the event log to be undertaken at regular intervals, yet leaving the most current events available for interrogation.

The GUIDE program is best described as a configurable “browser” application, which is used to browse the particular project file designed for the site in which the Syncro system is installed.

Some of the GUIDE configuration options are stored in the Windows Registry and the registry will need to be automatically updated by GUIDE. For example, the current log file name is stored in the registry and this will be amended each time a new log file is automatically created.

Therefore, the following recommendations should be followed to ensure reliable and robust GUIDE operation.

• Ensure there is only a single Windows Login on the target GUIDE computer. The GUIDE settings are stored under the “Current User” registry and therefore it is possible to configure different attributes based upon the Windows Login. To avoid confusion, a single Windows Login account should be used only.
  
• Ensure the Windows Login account is configured as an Administrator. GUIDE needs full access to the Windows registry, the GUIDE Event Log folder and the GUIDE installation folder as a minimum. This degree of access is required to allow GUIDE to automatically generate and modify event log files, store the current event log file name in the registry and also to generate and store a number of temporary files. If the Windows login is not configured as an Administrator then Windows may restrict access to these items and may result in reduced functionality and stability.
  
• Do not use Windows Screen Saver or Power Saving options. The GUIDE product is designed to have full control of the operating system. If Windows is configured to take control of some key functions then the stability of the GUIDE operation may be compromised.
  
• Do not run other programs at the same time as GUIDE. GUIDE should be installed on a dedicated computer with no other programs running, to ensure the reliable and robust operation of the application. If possible, avoid background applications such as Antivirus programs and Firewalls, which may also prevent the application from writing to the registry and hard drive.
• Regularly archive event log files. The event log viewer / filtering process will use progressively more processing power and memory as the event log size increases. Routine archiving of the oldest log files will ensure the computer is capable of processing the event log and simultaneously run the GUIDE interface.

Following these simple rules will ensure that the GUIDE system will maximise the GUIDE performance.

Download the GUIDE Datasheet:
Download the GUIDE Manual:

Loop Explorer V6.005

A revision to Loop Explorer has been made to improve the “Q-config” editing utility.

Q-config is used to provide a quick method to allocate location messages and zone numbers to detection devices, by displaying them in a “spreadsheet” format.
The utility supports all the standard windows editing options (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+X, Ctrl+V) to copy, cut and paste location message and zone numbers between devices.

In addition, there is a “fill” facility, which allows the contents of a selected cell to be copied to a number of cells in a single action.

However we have identified that using the copy / paste facility for zone numbers was writing to the device location text and that the fill facility failed to work for the zone allocation.

These have been fixed in Loop Explorer Version 6.005.

The “Zone Manager” utility is commonly used to allocate detection zones to detection devices, so the failure to use the Q-Config option to copy/fill zone numbers is a minor issue.

Please contact Kentec Technical Support (techsupport@kentec.co.uk) if you would like to receive this updated version of Loop Explorer*

(* - Eligible customers only. To be eligible for Loop Explorer updates you must be a Kentec customer that has previously purchased a Syncro / Syncro AS control panel and/or has previously registered the Loop Explorer product).