P-CIM

SCADA/HMI
Version 7.70 SP4 HF10
Release Notes

Revision: August 2013

Copyright
The information in this document is subject to change without prior notice and does
not represent a commitment on the part of AFCON Control and Automation Ltd.,
AFCON Software and Electronics Division.
No part of this document may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever
without written permission from AFCON Control and Automation Ltd., AFCON
Software and Electronics Division.
The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement or
a non-disclosure agreement.
The software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the
agreement. It is against the law to copy this software on any other medium for any
purpose other than the purchaser's personal use.
Copyright 2013 AFCON Control and Automation Ltd., AFCON Software and
Electronics Division.
All rights reserved.

Pulse logos are registered trademarks of AFCON Control and Automation Ltd.,
AFCON Software and Electronics Division.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States
and other countries.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

Table of Contents
P-CIM Version 7.70 SP4 HF10 ..........................................................................................4
About the P-CIM Version 7.70 SP4 HF10 .............................................................4
Requirements .........................................................................................................5
Software Requirements ...................................................................................5
Minimum Hardware Requirements.................................................................5
Installing P-CIM 7.70 SP4 HF10............................................................................6
P-CIM 7.70 SP4 HF10 New Features...................................................................7
P-CIM 7.70 SP4 HF10 - Solved Issues................................................................12
P-CIM 7.70 SP4 HF10 Known Issues .................................................................18

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

P-CIM Version 7.70 SP4 HF10

About the P-CIM Version 7.70 SP4 HF10
The Hot Fix(HF) for P-CIM 7.70 Service Pack 4 HF10 is a software package
containing fixes and corrections for problems that were not answered in Service
Pack 4 or previous service packs.
In this Hot Fix 10, problems that were reported to us by our customers as critical
were assigned the highest priority, examined and fixed quickly and accurately.
These solutions were provided to our customers and are presented in this Release
Notes document.
Below is a list detailing the solved issues included in the Hot Fix as well as new
features and known issues.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

Requirements
Software Requirements
P-CIM version 7.70 Service Pack 4 HF10 runs on Windows 2000, Windows XP
Professional (SP1/SP2) and Windows 2003 Server.

Minimum Hardware Requirements

Intel Pentium 4

512 MB RAM

40 GB free disk space for initial installation

VGA display card with 128 MB of memory

Parallel printer port or USB

Network adapter and fixed IP address for network applications

Microsoft IIS for P-CIM Web server (for P-CIM Web and/or Supreme Report
Web portal).

Microsoft Access or SQL server (for P-CIM database and/or Supreme Report
database) Optional.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

Installing P-CIM 7.70 SP4 HF10

NOTE This Hot Fix can only be installed on computers running P-CIM 7.70 Service
Pack 4.
P-CIM 7.70 Service Pack 4 Hot Fix 10 is available from the Afcon DVD and by
downloading from the Afcon web site at: (www.afcon-inc.com).
NOTE Make sure that P-CIM 7.70 Service Pack 4 is not running before replacing
the files.
It is recommended to restart the computer before installing the Service Pack 4 Hot
Fix 10.
1 The P-CIM 7.70 Service Pack 4 Hot Fix 10 files are compressed in a .ZIP file.
Copy the compressed file to the P-CIM root directory, for example:C\PCIM32
and extract the files into the P-CIM 7.70 installation folder.
2 A folder named Rev contains the Dynamic Trend templates and is included in
the compressed file. Replace the files of existing projects only with the
contents of the Rev folder. For example: C:\PCIM32\Demo.
3 When prompted, click Yes to replace the existing files with the new ones.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

P-CIM 7.70 SP4 HF10 New Features

PQR#

List Animation Window

6232, 6195

List Animation Window size is controllable

The List Animation Window is now resizable. Standard
Windows Maximize, Minimize, and Restore commands
are available, as well as click-and-drag corner resizing.

PQR#

INI File Editor

6230

Find & Replace functions added to INI File Editor

In the INI File Editor, instances of a string may be
searched and replaced as needed. Two levels of Find &
Replace are now available:
Find button - Enables find and replace of strings in
the currently selected token.
Replace button - Enables find and replace of strings
in the currently open file.

PQR#

Database Editor

6202

Overwriting existing blocks when importing ASC files

In the Database Editor, an Overwrite Existing Blocks
option is now available when importing data in ASCII
(*.ASC), TSV, or OLEDB format.
Enabling this option allows the overwriting of identical
blocks, in addition to adding new blocks, whenever
importing data to the P-CIM Database.

PQR#

Basic Server>Trace Window

6191

Basic Server>Trace Window size is controllable

The Trace Window (for script debugging) is now
resizable. Standard Windows Maximize, Minimize, and
Restore commands are available, as well as click-anddrag corner resizing.

PQR#

Progate Editor

6172

Skip First Trigger Data option added

The Skip First Trigger Data option was added to the
Progate Editors Group Properties dialog box. If this
option is selected, the first instance of trigger conditions
will not cause the data exchange to begin.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

PQR#

Database Server

5958

New $lastalarm Variables

A new set of 10 $lastalarm variables
$lastalarm_zn1, $lastalarm_zn2, $lastalarm_zn3,
..., $lastalarm_zn10 were added.
The $lastalarm variable returns only the alarm last
received by P-CIM from the entire monitored facility.
This new set of variables is useful when your P-CIM
application is receiving alarms from multiple zones (set
up according to your monitored facilitys departmental
organization). Use these variables to display the last
alarm that occurred in each individual zone (up to 10
different zones may be specified).
NOTE $lastalarm is still available for use.

PQR#

Hot Redundancy Mode

5954

New $IsPassiveRunning Variable

A new variable, $IsPassiveRunning, was added. This
variable enables users to know if the passive server in a
Hot Redundancy configuration is running.

PQR#

P-CIM Scheduler

5947

Disabling a Scheduled Action

To disable a scheduled action so that it does not occur at
its scheduled time, you have to enable a parameter in
the current years schedule configuration file for 2009,
this file is named psch2009.ini and is located in the
project root folder.
1 In the psch[+year].ini file, find the
DisableMidnight token and change its value to 1
(TRUE).
2 Then, in the Scheduler Editor, change the time of the
action to 0:00:00.
To re-enable the scheduled action, change its scheduled
time in the Scheduler Editor to any other time.
If you want to run the action at 0:00:00, then enter the
psch[+year].ini file and change the DisableMidnight
tokens value to 0 (FALSE).

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

PQR#

Advanced Alarm Handler

5920

Triggering Alarm Action By Double-Click Only

An option was added to the Advanced Alarm Handler
which enables the triggering of an action only when the
user double-clicks on an alarm entry. Users may set this
option in the pcimuser.ini configuration file, in the
[AlarmWinDBF] sections UseOnDClickOnly
parameter.
1 = Command runs only upon double-click of alarm
entry.
0 = Command runs either upon double-click of alarm
entry or upon standard Acknowledge or Clear
procedure.

PQR#

Operator Workstation

5982

Smart Information support

In the Operator Workstation, it is now possible to display
Smart Information - refreshed real-time data and
historical trend graphs for advised items that receive
data from analog value, digital value, Boolean, and
calculation blocks.
The Smart Information is accessed by right-clicking on
the relevant object(s). The information displayed
includes:
Symbol ID, Action UP item, Action DOWN item, I/O Text,
Visibility, Height, Width, Horizontal and Vertical Position,
Horizontal and Vertical Slider, Orientation, Fluid Fill, Fill
Color, Text Color, and Line Color

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

PQR#

Operator Workstation

5915

Creating a Customized Context (Right-Click) Menu

It is now possible to design and add a customized menu
under the Historical Trend context (right-click) menu in
the Operator Workstation. Users may set this option in
the pcimuser.ini configuration file, in the
[AdditionalCommandMenu] section. The format for
adding the commands is as follows:
X1=Y1
X2=Y2
X3=Y3
In the above structure, the tokens X1, X2, X3, and so on,
represent the labels in the menu, depending on the
number of required commands. The values Y1, Y2, Y3,
and so on represent the commands to execute.
For example:
[AdditionalCommandMenu]
Report=RepData dbf rep1
Acknowledge=Set |!AV1.Ack 1
Advanced Alarm Handler=C:\Pcim32\ALMH.EXE
The customized menu appears under the Historical
Trend menu.
It is possible to hide the Historical Trend menu
commands, and display only the customized menu, if no
blocks are selected. To do this, go to the pcimuser.ini
files [PcimConf] section and set the
MuteHistPopUpMenu token to 1.

PQR#

NICEVISION Player

5804

Option to Hide Minimize Button

Users can now remove the Minimize button from the
NICEVision Player window. Users may set this option in
the pcimuser.ini configuration file, in the[PcimConf]
sections NVPlayer_DisableMinimize parameter.
1 = Disable the Minimize button
0 = Hide the Minimize button.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

10

PQR#

P-CIM Hot Redundancy

4621

Collecting Historical Data and Daily Log on Passive

Server
Two new switches were added to the P-CIM applications
pfwredun.ini file.
EnableHisOnPassiveServer

1 = Identical historical data (HIS file) is collected

on both the active and passive servers (default
setting).

0 = The historical data is not copied to the passive

server.

EnableLogOnPassiveServer

1 = Identical message entries are copied to Daily

Log files on both the active and passive servers
(default setting).

0 = Messages are not collected in Daily Log files

on the passive server.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

11

P-CIM 7.70 SP4 HF10 - Solved Issues

PQR#

Operator Workstation

6764

Listbox Commands
Listbox commands were not executed when working in
the P-CIM Windows Authentication mode.
In the P-CIM Authentication mode the feature worked
properly.
This problem was fixed.

PQR#

Operator Workstation

6399

Idle Action mistakes

There were Idle action mistakes in about 30% of the
configured number of seconds
For example:
If configured to 10 seconds the action was set after 13
seconds.
The Time mistake was fixed.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

12

PQR#

Operator Workstation

6125

Group and Alias caching

A caching mechanism now allows clients to maintain
identical, updated versions of a display located on the PCIM Server. When enabled, the displays group file,
[displayname].grp, is updated on all clients that access
that display so that they match the same file on the
server. This ensures synchronization of data between all
clients working on the same display.
The following token was added to the projects
pcimuser.ini file:
Token: [PcimConf]
String = WriteAliasToCacheAlias
Value = 0 - Caching is enabled - group file on P-CIM
client is always updated to match the group file on the
P-CIM Server. This is the default value.
1 - Caching is disabled - each client may maintain a
different group file for the display.

PQR#

P-CIM Text File Server

6573

A Client can now write to the Server alias file

The text file Server automatically wrote to its own
Pfwalias.exe file located in its
Util or cache folder, and not to the Server alias file.
Now, the text file Server can write to the Server alias
file.

PQR#

OPC Browser

6535

The OPC Browser immediately closes when P-CIM

starts its shut down process.
The OPC Browser had a 10 seconds closing delay after PCIM was shut down. The issue is fixed and now the OPC
Browser closes immediately when P-CIM starts its shut
down process.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

13

PQR#

OPC Browser

6109

The OPC Browser supports browsing items when

working in flat project structure.
The OPC Browser was not able to display project files
that were saved under the projects folder and not under
the sub folders.
Now, the OPC Browser can display project files that are
saved under the projects folder.

PQR#

OPC Browser

5833

The OPC Browser and Kepware Client now show

the same/right value
The OPC Browser displayed the wrong switch Link state
value while the Kepware client showed the right value.
PCIM did not start the SNMP service and the client
showed a different value than that of the OPC Browser
and the application.
Now the OPC Browser and the Client show the same
status values and so does the application.

PQR#

P-CIM Redundancy

6452

Secondary Server
The Secondary Server did not take control when the
Active server was changed in the redundancy
configuration.
This problem was fixed.

PQR#

P-CIM Database Server

6251

Long data synchronization time after P-CIM Client

reconnects to DBSR
Fixed a problem where, after P-CIM Client reconnected
to the P-CIM Database Server, the Client displayed
incorrect data for a long period before it started
displaying correct values.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

14

PQR#

PCIM Database Server

6211

P-CIM Client Cannot Connect to More than Nine P-CIM

Stations
In a P-CIM Server-Client configuration, the client
succeeds in connecting to only nine P-CIM stations.
Attempts to connect to the 10th station or more are
unsuccessful.
This problem is now fixed.

PQR#

P-CIM Database Server

6131

New $CWeek Variable Added

Previously, the $CWeek variable always incremented on
Sunday (value =0), instead of Monday.
The PcimUser.ini file now includes the new parameter:
Section: [PcimDbsr]
Token: NewWeekOnMonday
Values: 0 Week begins on Sunday
1 Week begins on Monday

PQR#

Historical Trend

6234

Historical Trend Graph did not display all historical data

Fixed a problem where the historical trend graph did not
show updated historical data, even though the relevant
HIS file was collecting historical data.

PQR#

Advanced Alarm Handler

6215

Only Functional Branch in Advanced Alarm Handler

Selected After TSV File Import
Following import of a database in TSV file format, only
the Functional branch is selected in the Advanced Alarm
Handler, regardless of whether the block is also assigned
to the Location branch. This problem is now fixed.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

15

PQR#

Supreme Reports

6139

Supreme Report Malfunctions Due to Errors in Logger

Errors in Supreme Report's Logger, such as incorrect
data path, cause Supreme Report to stop functioning
during report generation.
This problem is now fixed.

PQR#

P-CIM Network /Web

6097

The string type value is now displayed in the P-CIM

Client
The String type value is now supported in a P-CIM
network using a Modbus driver. The Time Register
address string can be displayed on the P-CIM Client or
the P-CIM Web Client.
The PcimUser.INI [PcimDBSR]
SupportTextOverNetwork=1 switch is used to
overcome the problem.

PQR#

P-CIM Communication Setup

6081

P-CIM Communication Ports 126-128 are reserved

for internal use.
Ports 126, 127, and 128 are reserved for internal use by
P-CIM. P-CIM prevents user assignment of these ports.
The P-CIM Communication Setup does not allow users to
define these ports in their driver configurations.

PQR#

P-CIM History OLEDB Collector

6065

The OLEDB Collector module worked only when

the Regional Settings was English.
Records of collected data that included values with
decimals are not written to the database. This issue
occurred in regions where the decimal separator is a
comma instead of a period, i.e., Spanish, Russian, etc.).
The issue is fixed and records of collected data are
written to the database when the Regional Settings is set
to other languages other than English.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

16

PQR#

P-CIM Web - Supreme Report

4573

Error closing report from Adobe Reader v7.05 ME

edition
When closing the P-CIM Web portal while a report is
open in Adobe Reader v7.05 ME edition, a bad sector is
referenced in the computer memory causing an error.
This problem has been fixed.

PQR#

Supreme Report Runtime

4527

Incorrect login information caused Supreme Report to

stop responding
When trying to open Supreme Report in runtime with
incorrect login information (user name, password),
Supreme Report stopped running and could only be
cleared from memory by ending the drt.exe process in
the Windows Task Manager. This problem has been
fixed.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

17

P-CIM 7.70 SP4 HF10 Known Issues

PQR#

P-CIM Database Import

6215

After importing a Database, blocks which were

configured to be attached to both the Functional and
Location trees are attached to the Functional tree only.

PQR#

P-CIM Supreme Report

6218

Supreme Report did not record string type tags using the
P-CIM native driver with the Supreme Report history.

PQR#

P-CIM Project Pack settings

6219

The Project Pack settings were not saved in the Backup

settings. After the Project Backup and Restore procedure
the settings were lost.

PQR#

P-CIM SEK

6344

Viewer Only License

In No SEK stations with Viewer Only settings
(Pcim.ini,[PWEM],ViewerOnly=1) or stations with
Viewer Only keys, the writing commands:

Set

Inc

Dec

Inv

will be blocked.
These Autoaction activities are always performed
without being dependent on the Vieweronly mode.
PQR#

Updating P-CIM License

6425

When uploading a PUF file and the Extra drivers option

is added, the option is not saved on the SEK.

PQR#

Digital Value Block

6634

The Digital Value block value address, including PLC and

ValueOK dot field, (for example, 1:1:40888.valueOK)
always returns 0.

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

18

PQR#

P-CIM Database Server

6711

Alarm Wait
The Alarms were generated before an Alarm Wait time
period was finished.

PQR#

P-CIM Communication Setup

6081

P-CIM Communication Ports 126-128 Reserved for

Internal Use
Ports 126, 127, and 128 are reserved for internal use by
P-CIM. However, instead of blocking user assignment of
these ports, the P-CIM Communication Setup allows
users to define these ports in their driver configurations
anyway, thereby causing database malfunction.

PQR#

P-CIM Startup

4682

P-CIM starts up twice on Windows 2000 Server systems

On computers running Windows 2000 Server, two
instances of P-CIM modules were starting up and
running at the same time. This caused inconsistencies in
data collection and historical data presentation.

PQR#

Operator Workstation

2202

Selecting Time Format HH:MM:SS

To display the time in format HH:MM or HH:MM:SS (with
leading zero when applicable), set the Text Animation
properties as follows:
Use Format - Advanced
Mask Type - Simple
Category - Short Time (for HH:MM) or
Long Time (for HH:MM:SS)

P-CIM Ver. 7.70 SP4 HF10 Release Notes

19