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Problem (Issue) Statement:

How to fix xPortalNet software hang (not responsive) problem.

Description:

Software hang can be caused by many reasons. This article will focus on how to find out whether xPortalNet Client software hang is due to too many pending alarms, and to guide you to check and how to resolve the problem.

Related Software:

/wiki/spaces/SRN/pages/132382980 or higher

Related Hardware:

NIL

System Application:

Door Access System

Symptom and Finding:

xPortalNet software system hang/ not responsive.
CPU usage of xPortalNet Client software is high constantly.

Cause:

Can be caused by too many pending alarms awaiting to be acknowledged.
Can be due to computer specs.
Other reasons.

Solution:

Warning

title	Warning!

Users are not recommended to run any xPortal software in Windows XP operating system as the system is unstable
Users are also advised to stop the xPortal Services before shutting down the Server PC to prevent any missing transaction issues.

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Summary

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Step-by-step Guide:

Tip

title	Tips

If the software hangs, you can forcefully terminate the xPortalNet application from the Task Manager.

Step 1: From the desktop, right click on the task bar and select "Task Manager" from the context menu.
Open Task Manager Image Modified
Figure 1: Open Task Manager

Step 2: From Processes > Right click on xPortalNet Client > End task.
End Task xPortalNet Client software Image Modified
Figure 2: End Task xPortalNet Client software

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Anchor
verifyissue
verifyissue
To verify if the hang issue is due to too many pending alarm:

In these steps, user will be guided to verify whether the hang issues is caused by too many pending alarm.

Info

title	Info

Why there are so many pending unacknowledged alarm?

It is because of now users are enforced to acknowledge each alarm event. Differs from the previous software version, all alarm events will be gone after services restarted/ the alarm count exceed 200 after services running. So the alarm events would accumulate until user acknowledged it.

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Option 1: To check the count of pending alarm.

Step 1: Stop xPortalNet Service if it is running.
Stop xPortalNet Service Image Modified
Figure 3: Stop xPortalNet Service

Step 2: Go to C:\ > ProgramData > MicroEngine > xPortalNet v1> Redundancy.

Step 3: Open the 'PendingAlarmTransaction.bin' file to search on how many "structOnlineTransRec" node can be found. Click here to download Notepad++.
Open the Pending Alarm Transaction file Image Modified
Figure 4: Open the Pending Alarm Transaction file

Step 4: Search for <anyType xsi:type="structOnlineTransRec"> from the opened file. Press 'Ctrl + F' button from your keyboard.
Image Modified
Figure 5: Search the structOnlineTransRec node from the file

Enter the node: <anyType xsi:type="structOnlineTransRec"> in find box.
Click Find All in Current Document.

Step 5: At the Find Result section, see the total count of hits that matched the searching.
Total node founds Image Modified
Figure 6: Total node founds

Observation:

If the count > 300, then you can try to rename the file and perform Option 2 below.
If not, then the hang issue might be due to other reason.

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Option 2: To rename the 'PendingAlarmTransaction.bin' file.

Step 1: Stop xPortalNet Service if it is running.
Stop xPortalNet Service Image Modified
Figure 7: Stop xPortalNet Service

Step 2: Go to C:\ > ProgramData > MicroEngine > xPortalNet v1> Redundancy.

Step 3: Rename the 'PendingAlarmTransaction.bin' file.
Rename the Pending Alarm Transaction file Image Modified
Figure 8: Rename the Pending Alarm Transaction file

Step 4: Start the xPortalNet Service again.
Image Modified
Figure 9: Start xPortalNet Service

Observation:

If the client can start normally now, then it can be due to too many pending alarms if you never configured the 'Max Transaction Display'.
If not, then the hang issue might be due to other reason.

Warning

title	Important

There is a concern that pending alarm will be gone if you renamed the 'PendingAlarmTransaction.bin' file. So you should merge it back if you still need to view previous pending alarms. Those alarm transactions are kept in memory. As it is alarm event, you should attend to the event and acknowledge it.

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Anchor
reviewalarmdefinition
reviewalarmdefinition
To Review the Alarm Definition:

In these steps, user will be guided to review and modify the pre-defined alarm definition if user don't want to see / acknowledge the alarm. This can help in reducing the total numbers of alarm listed in the Latest Alarm Event List when the events occur.

Tip

title	Tips

If you does not care much about alarm acknowledgement, then you can modify the Alarm Definition to classify events that you are concern about. Eg. alarm triggered, door force open, controller down. Or you can just remove it if you don't want to acknowledge the alarm event.

Step 1: Re-login to xPortalNet Client software.

Step 2: Go to Data Setup > System Setting > Alarm Configuration > Alarm Definition.

Step 3: The Alarm Definition Library window will be displayed.
Alarm Definition Library window Image Modified
Figure 10: Alarm Definition Library window

Select which Alarm Definition you wish to modify.
Click Modify.

Step 4: In Edit Alarm Definition window, you can modify its Assigned Events.
Edit Alarm Definition window Image Modified
Figure 11: Edit Alarm Definition window

Select Assigned Events tab.
Click Modify.

Step 5: In Edit Alarm Event window, you can define which event to be displayed / acknowledged in Latest Alarm Event List once it is triggered.
Specify transaction events to be displayed/ acknowledged Image Modified
Figure 12: Specify transaction events to be displayed/ acknowledged

At Transaction field, check the transaction event to be displayed / acknowledge when it is triggered.
Click OK once you are done.

Step 6: Click OK to confirm and save the changes.
Confirm edit Alarm Event Image Modified
Figure 13: Confirm edit Alarm Event

Step 7: "Record Updated" message will be shown.
Record Updated message Image Modified
Figure 14: Record Updated message

Step 8: Finished.

Info

title	Info

For more info about Alarm Definition see article How to Configure Alarm Definition in xPortalNet Software

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Anchor
setmaximumalarmevents
setmaximumalarmevents
To Set the Maximum Alarm Events to Be Displayed:

In these steps, user will be guided to configure the maximum alarm events to be displayed from the Latest Alarm Event List.

Warning

title	Important

Reminder: The lower the configured number, the lower the probability of the software to hang is not always true due to pending alarms are kept in memory. Another workaround is you can clear all unacknowledged alarm from time to time. There is a trade-off when you set the limit. It will cause not all alarm events will be shown, it depends on the priority and chronological. So you might not aware that there are quite a number of unacknowledged alarms.

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Step 1: Go to the Latest Alarm Event List tab from the main window of xPortalNet Client software.

Step 2: At the top-right side of the window, you can find the Limit Max. Transaction Display.
Configure the Limit of Max. Transaction to be displayed Image Modified
Figure 15: Configure the Limit of Max. Transaction to be displayed

Tick the Limit Max. Transaction Display checkbox.
Set the limit number of the transaction to be displayed. Reminder: the lower the configured number, the lower the probability of the software to hang.
Click Save when done.

Info

title	Info

The default settings is to limit to 150 records only. However, all unacknowledged alarms will be stored in memory.

Common Issue:

NIL

Date Documentation:

22/10/2018 (Rev 2.0)

Status

subtle	true
colour	Yellow
title	Proof-read

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Section

border	true

Column

width	100%

Versions Compared

Old Version 4

New Version Current

Key

Users are not recommended to run any xPortal software in Windows XP operating system as the system is unstable

Users are also advised to stop the xPortal Services before shutting down the Server PC to prevent any missing transaction issues.

Summary

To verify if the hang issue is due to too many pending alarm.

To review the Alarm Definition.

To set the Maximum Alarm Events to be displayed.

Step-by-step Guide:

Anchor
verifyissue
verifyissue
To verify if the hang issue is due to too many pending alarm:

Option 2: To rename the 'PendingAlarmTransaction.bin' file.

Anchor
reviewalarmdefinition
reviewalarmdefinition
To Review the Alarm Definition:

Anchor
setmaximumalarmevents
setmaximumalarmevents
To Set the Maximum Alarm Events to Be Displayed:

Related Articles.

Page Comparison

Versions Compared

Old Version 4

New Version Current

Key

Users are not recommended to run any xPortal software in Windows XP operating system as the system is unstable

Users are also advised to stop the xPortal Services before shutting down the Server PC to prevent any missing transaction issues.

Summary

To verify if the hang issue is due to too many pending alarm.

To review the Alarm Definition.

To set the Maximum Alarm Events to be displayed.

Step-by-step Guide:

AnchorverifyissueverifyissueTo verify if the hang issue is due to too many pending alarm:

Option 2: To rename the 'PendingAlarmTransaction.bin' file.

AnchorreviewalarmdefinitionreviewalarmdefinitionTo Review the Alarm Definition:

AnchorsetmaximumalarmeventssetmaximumalarmeventsTo Set the Maximum Alarm Events to Be Displayed:

Related Articles.

Anchor
verifyissue
verifyissue
To verify if the hang issue is due to too many pending alarm:

Anchor
reviewalarmdefinition
reviewalarmdefinition
To Review the Alarm Definition:

Anchor
setmaximumalarmevents
setmaximumalarmevents
To Set the Maximum Alarm Events to Be Displayed: