UPS Daemon 1.0 for eComStation

Please read this entire document to understand
the function of UPS Daemon.

This version of UPS Daemon is for contact closure
type interfaces through RS-232 comm ports and 
supports UPS like APC (simple signaling), Belkin,
Tripplite, IBM, CyberPower, etc.

NOTE: You must determine the proper command line
switches before running UPSDAEM.EXE. Improper
switches may start a system shutdown within 20
seconds. If that happens, UPSDAEM.EXE can be
terminated by pressing CTRL Q.


Contents:

1. Installation
2. UPS Daemon Command Line Switches
3. UPS Daemon Log File
4. CAUTION
5. Running UPS Daemon
6. Displaying UPS Status - UPSCONFIG.EXE
7. Legal
8. Contact
9. History


1. Installation

Copy the files to any new folder on your system.
Run UPSDAEM.EXE and UPSCONFIG.EXE from the open
folder. Once proper command line options have
been determined, use the included STARTUPSD.CMD 
to start UPSDaem.exe from within the Start-up folder.
See remarks inside STARTUPSD.CMD for more information.


2. UPS Daemon Command Line Switches

UPSDAEM.EXE [-comx] [-ACfn] [-LBn] [-SDn] [-NoLog] [-OFF] [-ES] [-X] [-H]

-comx  x = 2-5 (COM2 through COM5; default if omitted is COM1)
-ACfn  AC Fail polarity is negative (default = positive)
-LBn   Low Battery polarity is negative (default = positive)
-SDn   UPS Shutdown polarity is negative (default = positive)
-NOLOG Turn UPS event log off (default = on)
-OFF   Turns UPS off after shutdown (default is no UPS turn off)
       Use to turn UPS off after OS shutdown. Not supported by all UPS.
-ES    Use this option for APC Back-UPS ES models only.
-X     Don't shutdown operating system. To be used for testing only
       AND computer power is NOT connected to UPS outlets.
-H     Shows help.

Command line switches are case insensitive. You may use - or / as
option separator.

Pressing CTRL Q will quit UPS Daemon.


Timing Details:

UPSDAEM UPS status polling rate:
  - every 5 seconds when no AC Fail. 
  - every 1 second during AC Fail.

Timed shutdown:
20 seconds after AC Fail has been detected.
Should a low battery alarm be detected during AC fail,
then UPSDAEM will shut down system within 6 seconds.

AC Fail and Low Battery alarm detected: 10 seconds to shutdown.

UPSCONFIG polling rate of UPSDAEM status: every 4 seconds


3. UPS Daemon Log File

UPSMON.LOG is located where upsdaem.exe is running at. It's a plain
text file. This log is not checked for size and continues growing in
size until manually deleted.


4. CAUTION

NOTE: You must determine the proper command line
switches before running UPSDAEM.EXE. Improper
switches may start a system shutdown within 20
seconds. If that happens, terminate UPSDAEM.EXE by
pressing CTRL Q.


5. Running UPS Daemon

By default, the UPSDAEM.EXE selects positive AC Fail
and positive Low Battery polarity. This prevents
the UPSDAEM.EXE from activating shutdown when
started into an unconnected serial port.

Most UPS require negative AC Fail and Low Battery
polarity. Make sure the UPS is properly connected
to the serial port and powered up before running
UPS Daemon with the negative polarities.

UPSDAEM.EXE is a VIO program handling all interfacing
to the UPS. Use STARTUPSD.CMD to run UPSDaem.exe from
the Start-up folder once the proper command line switches
have been determined. See STARTUPSD.CMD for more information.

UPS Daemon needs to know your UPS signal polarity. This is
a manual process and can't be done automatically because
of the simple nature of the interface. You can use
UPSCONFIG.EXE to find out the correct command line parameters.
First, connect your UPS to a free serial port. Then simply
run UPSDAEM.EXE -COMx where -COMx is the serial port you
have the UPS connected to (i.e. UPSDAEM -COM2). If UPS
Daemon displays "Power failure detected" terminate it by
pressing CTRL Q. Add -ACfn to the UPSDAEM.EXE command line
(i.e. upsdaem -COM2 -ACfn). Run UPSDAEM.EXE again and no
power failure should be detected.

If you get a "Low battery alarm" at this point, add -LBn
to the command line of UPSDAEM.EXE.

Once you get no power failure or low battery alarm, it is
time to test the UPS for real. Pull the plug on the UPS and
check if UPSDAEM.EXE reports a power failure. This will take up
to 5 seconds to detect. If a power failure is detected, plug the
UPS in again. You are done!

If no power failure is detected, your UPS may not be supported.

Test shutdown by unplugging the UPS for 20 seconds.
UPS Daemon will shut down the operating system.
Inspect the UPSMON.LOG with a text editor for entries.

The command line options can now be edited into the STARTUPSD.CMD
start up script.

6. Displaying UPS Status - UPSCONFIG.EXE

This GUI program lets you select various command line
options and then starts UPSDAEM to test them. If
UPSDAEM is already running, UPSCONFIG will stop
and restart it with the new settings.

The selected command line parameters are displayed
in the text box and can be highlighted and copied
to the clipboard. (Use CTRL-INS to copy,
SHIFT-INS to paste)

UPS line and battery status is displayed with
this program as well.

All *.dat files contain preconfigured and tested settings for
certain UPS models. Use File - Open UPS Configuration
to select from different models. When UPSCONFIG is closed,
the chosen settings will automatically be saved to the file
default.dat and be reloaded the next time UPSCONFIG is used.

New icons have been added. Only upsdaem.ico is currently used
as the main program icon. Others can be used to indicate
AC fail, low battery, error or shutdown with your own program.


7. Legal

UPSDAEM.EXE and UPSCONFIG.EXE are copyright
2005 by Lone Peak Automation, LLC.

Tests with these programs have been successfully completed on
a limited amount of hardware platforms and software configurations.
However, we do not guarantee proper operation on all possible
configurations UPSDAEM.EXE and UPSCONFIG.EXE can run on.
You are on your own should this program cause damage to data,
equipment or personnel.

UPSDAEM.EXE and UPSCONFIG.EXE are freeware.

All icons are provided by Eugene Gorbunoff.


8. Contact

Email: LPAInfo@att.net
Website: http://home.att.net/~LPAInfo/upsmonitor.html

Include upsdaem log file, UPS brand and model when reporting errors.


9. History

March 8, 2004  0.9   Initial test release.

June 15, 2004  0.9d  Fixed crash when started from Start-up folder.
                     Added icons.

Jan 6, 2005    1.0   Fixed start-up crashes for good - don't
                     start UPSDAEM from within Start-up folder
                     directly, rather use STARTUPSD.CMD script.
                     Removed alternate language support as msgc 
                     did not perform as expected.
                     Extended expiration until end of 2005.
