Doorway Internet News
Last updated - 19th July 2017
The Doorway BMS supervisory software has sold more than 8000 software licenses. Doorway is powerful yet easy to use, and compatible with industry standard Office software. Doorway offers unrivalled value and stability, and there is no page limit so you can monitor every point in your BMS regardless of size.
Doorway 8.61.0 and 9.61.0 19th July 2017
In the NS syntax for lan graphic the left misalignment after _ newline character is fixed. Generic Text pages for sensors have been extended to S416.
Doorway 8.60.0 and 9.60.0 12th Jan 2016
Router, Gateway and Doorway versions aligned.
Doorway 8.54.9 and 9.54.9 14th Nov 2015
Doorway now supports higher screen resolutions, and has been tested at 3840 x 2400 pixels. It is expected that 4K and 5K screens will work normally and user feedback would be appreciated.
Doorway Help fix patch 25th Aug 2015
Doorway 9.54.7 update file now places the patch for Windows Help in Doorway folder HELP-FIX. Right mouse click on file DW-HELP.CMD and choose 'Run as Administrator' to install.
Doorway 8.54.7 and 9.54.7 29th May 2015
Corrected "paper" colour of text datapoints sometimes using previous page value.
Doorway 8.54.5 and 9.54.5 30th Jan 2015
IQ4 Time Zone handling improved and is now consistent across v9.54.05 and v8.54.05.
Doorway 8.54.4 and 9.54.4 26th Nov 2014
Time zone screen sets all 24:00 time slots as Off.
Film "The Imitation Game" 14th Nov 2014
Today the film "The Imitation Game" opens in UK cinemas. This true story is about Enigma code breaking at Bletchley Park in WW2
(Film website here).
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing OBE FRS and Keira Knightley as Joan Clarke MBE.
In WW2 Joan Clarke worked alongside Alan Turing and was one of only four female cryptanalysts at Bletchley Park.
Postwar she worked at GCHQ Cheltenham, retiring in 1977.
Joan Clarke was Godmother to Tony, author of the Doorway software.
(BBC article here).
Doorway 8.54.2 and 9.54.2 25th Feb 2014
The Edit Toolbar operation when used with dual screen displays has been tidied up. The edit toolbars can now be dragged with the mouse in the 64 bit compatible v9 release exactly as has always been possible in v8 and earlier.
A new feature "Convert Path References" has been added to convert a project for server use.
Doorway graphic pages created on single workstation often include fixed file paths for backdrop pictures, button jumps etc. Paths typically start C:\DOORWAY. Such paths will always be incorrect on a fileserver. For many projects Doorway's "Startup page & File Paths" is used to globally change
the C:\DOORWAY\ reference to, for example, P:\BMS\DOORWAY\. If this is not sufficient it would be a lengthy task to manually correct each page, especially on projects with hundreds or even thousands of page files. The automated "Convert Path References" feature makes the conversion of a project effortless. Typically a 1000 page project would be completed in around 15 minutes. The feature inspects and converts as necessary the file paths of the backdrop picture, in all 60 possible buttons and in all 120 possible datapoints on each page.
Doorway 8.53.00 and 9.53.00 25th Feb 2014
Touchscreen numbers pad feature enhanced for Login, Control Knob and Manual Override screens. Bug causing occasional menu 'Show Communications' to be missing has been fixed. Bug causing user option 'Archive Alarms' to not be retained between sessions is now fixed.
Doorway 8.51.00 and 9.51.00 3rd Feb 2014
Control Knob adjustment screen enhanced for touchscreen finger operation, also has the optional numbers pad like the Login screen. A number of other small enhancements have been incorporated from user feedback.
Doorway 8.50.00 and 9.00.01 25th April 2013
Field tested release of both versions.
Doorway 9.00.00 12th Nov 2012
This preview release runs on Windows 8-64 and 7-64 bit is fully functional except Snapshots and LogBook.
Doorway 8.48.00 22nd Aug 2012
After adjusting a Knob, Switch or Override control that page data point should now update faster.
Doorway 8.47.00 15th May 2012
Dual monitor support is improved. Email now allows an email recipient group. The Alarm Retransmission 'Message & Action' field has been increased in size
to facilitate email addressing.
Doorway 8.46.00 6th Feb 2012
Each Snapshot database can hold a very large number of records. The 'Find Records' screen capacity limit was often exceeded by users.
The 'Find Records' capacity limit now accommodates each snapshots maximum database size of 1GB.
Doorway 8.45.00 13th Jan 2012
SMS text alarms are now handled by a queue management system which allows multiple alarms to be received in quick succession and forwarded to the GSM phone system at a user defined rate.
Doorway 8.44.00 10th Jan 2012
The adjustment buttons in analog knob screens have been enlarged to facilitate use with touch screens displays. The Engineering screen caption bar now shows the logged in PIN with the address and lan details. The communications IP screen now allows selection of the 127.0.0.1 Loopback IP which always works even when the DHCP allocated IP changes.
Doorway 8.43.00 4th Nov 2011
Server licence users can now selectively preset individual clients in the Doorway Server Login to use EINC-IQ3 vCNC as an alternative to the IT Net setting.
Time Zone support increased from 5 to 8 for use with IQ3 controllers.
Doorway 8.42.00 13th July 2011
The Map feature of device type details was broken in v8.41 and has been fixed.
Doorway on your iPad and iPhone screen. 17th May 2011
Extensive use with Doorway PC's of Log-Me-In Free from http://www.logmein.com has proved the service secure, reliable and convenient. LogMeIn claim 125 million devices are currently connected worldwide. LogMeIn is completely free for use from a web browser. For more features there is the low cost application LogMeIn Ignition for Windows. The same features are available for mobile devices over GSM, CDMA or WiFi using the low cost LogMeIn Ignition apps for iPad, iPhone and Android which are highly recommended. Doorway's ease of use with touchscreen displays makes it easy to operate from both iPad and iPhone screen sizes. Ensure the Doorway PC has a permanent connection to the Internet and install the LogMeIn software selecting the Free service. LogMeIn works through domestic broadband routers and corporate firewalls by making an outbound connection to LogMeIn's servers. Note that connection may be blocked by corporate IT policy, but you can test that in minutes for free.
Doorway 8.41.00 17th May 2011
Several small improvements requested by users including longer graph and map labels, a snapshot export variation, and writing a value from a datapoint. For more details see the Version web page or Doorway's Help file.
Doorway 8.38.00 8th October 2010
A new command *ALARMSCAN allows the monitoring of up to 120 items to generate fully customised alarms from within Doorway. This feature was designed for applications such as area security and data centre monitoring where a number of items are monitored for digital state or analogue values within preset limits. The feature is designed for simplicity, anything showing on the page with a Red paper colour is in alarm. No BMS controller changes are required so existing BMS alarm routings are unchanged. The Doorway alarm monitor usually just runs one page. Any items on the page whose paper colour goes to red will initiate an alarm event. The alarm can be routed in the normal way to any address on the BMS, or email, or SMS message to GSM mobile phones, or to file server IT monitoring systems. Additional pages may be monitored by using the *WAIT command to rotate through a set of pages.
Doorway 8.37.00 16th September 2010
If an existing Doorway folder is copied to a new PC and a USB Licence Key is inserted Doorway may not see the USB Licence Key. This is because a copy of the original (floppy type) licence token has also been copied across, which is invalid. The solution is to open the Doorway folder and delete the copied licence token folder DOORWAY.203 which is inside. To assist in resolving licence validation failure the licence folder is now indicated with the error message.
Doorway 8.36.00 27th August 2010
For improved IQ3 controller support Doorway now encodes controller PIN 0 which is a valid PIN number unlike IQ1 and IQ2 series controllers. The *LOGEVENT command which writes into Windows application event log for monitoring by IT systems has been enhanced and allows user defined EventID and Category.
Doorway 8.35.00 6th August 2010
The Print Page option now has a selection to print the item only which is intended to improve printed site documentation. Any IC comms by mistake writing to Doorway from IQ1+2+3 controllers are now acknowledged by Doorway so the controller does not become congested making endless retries. Any IC communications write messages are shown in the show communications screen. New Generic text page for IC Comms with failure status indicators to assist in checking for correct IC communications operation.
Doorway 8.34.00 4th July 2010
The Server version now correctly locates SeaChange pages.
Doorway 8.33.00 5th June 2010
Hand-Off-Auto controls now work correctly with IQ3 series. New command *EXIT to close program from button.
Doorway 8.31.00 21st February 2010
The Chart has been extended to show 1000 points. The Sensors Generic Text page has been improved. When a sensor item is clicked if only a single plot channel is connected that is fetched immediately. If more than one plot channel is attached a list appears to allow selection of plot interval, short-long and compact-precise features. Updated sensor syntax options for Sensors include ? to show list of plots (unless one only) and ! to always use first plot in the list like IQ1 controllers. Using the ? and ! syntax graphs arrive slower as the plot list is fetched first, so for fastest graph display place the required plot interval code in the sensor datapoint syntax. The Controller list of plot channels now allows creation, deletion and attachment of plot channels to sensors, and works correctly when a controller pin is in operation.
Touchscreen PCs - 28th January 2010
A plant room panel mounted touchscreen PC that runs the same Doorway graphic pages as desktop and laptop makes managing plant easier, and several users have installed them with Doorway software. Up until now touchscreen PC's have cost around £1500. Doorway Systems has been fitting the Asus EETop PC ET1602 with Windows XP which is available in the UK for around £400. The ET1602 has a bright and clear 15.6" 1366 x 768 pixel resolution screen touchscreen and Doorway works very well with finger control. The existing stand is easily removed to allow secure mounting to a control panel door, using a self made bracket.
Doorway 8.30.01 16th January 2010
This incremental update allows longer entries in datapoint (yellow) and Button (blue) and alarm retransmission properties. The bug where images which changed value when the Doorway screen was minimised vanished until the screen refreshed has been fixed.
Doorway 8.30 12th January 2010
The lists feature now fully supports IQ3 controllers. On the Sensors generic text page when a sensor item is clicked a list of connected plot channels appears which allows selection of plot interval, short-long and compact-precise features.
Doorway 8.26 27th November 2009
The bug in v8.25 where images would occasionally show their file name on top of the image has been fixed.
Doorway 8.25 24th March 2009
*EMAIL command to send messages and alarms by email. New dynamic image type 'L' (Label) to show the numeric value on top of the decimal dynamic image.
Doorway 8.24 5th January 2009
Datapoint ToolTips showing the item's label ($ where available) has been relocated to above the datapoint to facilitate legibility and mouse click.
Text mode 'Enhanced' has been renamed 'Structured' to align with the BMS manufacturer's notation.
Doorway 8.23 1st November 2008
You can now synchronise SeaChange clock from the PC with the command *SEND *NOW /Lnn/onn/[s1]. The INI file option StartupWindow=0,0,0,0 now sets Doorway minimised on start up as documented. Snapshots now correctly collects IQ3 controller sensor labels. The yellow datapoint edit toolbar has been increased from 128 to 150 characters. The Global Rescale feature has been updated to allow screen resolutions up to 2560*1600 pixels, and also allows user entered values.
Small Portable PCs - 8th July 2008
Christmas 2007 the Asus EeePC 701 created a new category of small portable PC now generally called Netbooks, and now most manufacturers have announced similar products. We have been evaluating the Asus EeePC 701-4G. Linux didn't appeal so we chose the Windows XP version at £200 which works well. Doorway works fine and fits in the 800 x 480 screen OK. At a higher price later model EeePC 900 and competitors with 1024 x 600 screens will of course be even more comfortable. The EeePC's small size, light weight of 0.9Kg and low cost means you really can carry this laptop anywhere.
Doorway 8.22 1st July 2008
Start after Delay application (DWdelay) now allows 3rd party application startup, for example the Dynamat DDE link application. There is a new local idle option for the Gateway and Router which replaces the previous preset optimisation with Client 0. Driver bit state syntax D1(B) is now handled as a digital, in the same way as D1(Sv) etc.
The SeaChange SmartServer is now supported. Select EINC and EINC Gateway 0. From IP button top line Gateway 0 set SmartServer IP and Port 80. A new SeaChange generic page shows and allows adjustment of SeaChange serial adapter settings.
New price list from 1st May 2008
Remarkably we have been able to hold Doorway software prices fixed for over 10 years. The new price list comes into force on orders received from 1st May 2008 and shows the various USB licence key options.
Doorway 8.21 7th April 2008
Additional SMS text message support by using a GSM phone with Bluetooth or cable connection to PC. Windows XP and Vista support some Bluetooth hardware without additional software. The availability of low cost GSM handsets and 'PrePay' SIM cards provides an attractive solution compared with expensive proprietary hardware.
A new print page option to select datapoint style facilitates paper documentation for auditing and archiving.
Doorway 8.20 22nd February 2008
Doorway software is now shipping with a USB licence key compatible with all Windows versions that support USB. The USB licence key has to remain in the PC while the software is running. The floppy licence token option is still available and will be supported.
Doorway works fine with Vista32 with Service Pack SP1. SP1 final release to manufacturing was released this month to Microsoft Partners such as Doorway Systems. Vista has 'virtualised' both floppy disk and CD drivers to reduce the PC slowdown that can occur, but it means Doorway's floppy disk security does not validate. However Doorway's floppy licence can be installed over a network from an XP PC. Inconveniently file sharing security in Vista as shipped is set higher than XP as shipped hence people are finding it difficult to share Vista with XP.
Vista file sharing:
Vista account password must not be blank else the only file sharing allowed is Public Folders.
You must log into both Vista and XP PC's with the same Username + Password.
You share the Vista drive for 'Authenticated Users', the 'Everyone' share does not work.
If the shared drive is still not visible then you should align Vista and XP's security policy as follows:
From Control Panel-AdministrativeTools open the LocalSecurityPolicy screen.
Locate SecuritySettings-LocalPolicies-SecurityOptions and find key [LAN Manager Authentication Level].
We suggest setting both Vista and XP to [Send LM & NTLM - use NTLMv2 if negotiated].
If configuration settings file DOORWAY.INI is moved to a new PC on CD the file's Read only attribute from the CD may still be set when copied to the PC,
so user settings are not saved to disk, Doorway now checks the INI file for write access.
Global pagepath modifier now applies to dp image files.
There is a new Snapshot export file format for import into the IPI Climate Notebook software popular with archivists.
The Gateway and Router applications now use the password level set in Doorway when closing, previously this was fixed at level 99.
Doorway 8.13 22nd August 2007
Optional audit trail files .DWA now record user Login and Logout events if the .LOG files option is selected.
Doorway 8.12 24th July 2007
When Edit mode is selected and Windows Taskbar is set for Auto-hide Doorway now places the edit toolbar with space for the Taskbar to reappear below. A COM port locator is introduced in the communications preferences screen, also COM ports above 10 are no longer supported as they don't work with Doorway.
Doorway 8.11 21st June 2007
If an alarms is received from a controller in coded format Doorway will attempt to set the controller's Text On flag by sending B495(S0=I) and any current PIN. Optional font for preliminary support for non Western character sets.
Doorway 8.10 25th April 2007
Doorway Server licence now permits up to 99 clients. The *SEND *NOW syntax now works as documented, sorry about that bug. The wait time for data from failed controllers has been reduced, and is also now user adjustable. New command *START to improve opening of a file in the associated application. The Map's screen size is adjustable. To reduce Windows TaskBar clutter the IT Gateway and IT Router now minimise to an icon on the desktop, double click the icon to open. A user menu option allows minimise to the TaskBar as before.
Windows Vista 16th February 2007
Doorway had no problems with the Windows Vista beta releases for developers we obtained from Microsoft. However the Vista release version (v6000) reveals a problem for Doorway licence installation from floppy disk.
While we investigate the solution you can install the licence over a network from an earlier Windows with integral or usb floppy drive as follows:
1. Install Doorway on Vista PC but omit option 6 Install Licence.
2. Now share Vista hard disk drive C: with 'Full Control, Change and Read' parameters enabled. It's exciting finding where in Vista these features are located...
2. At earlier PC with floppy drive locate the Vista PC in 'My Network Places', select it's hard disk C: and 'Map' as Z:
3. Run Doorway setup on earlier PC and select Option 6 and install licence to folder Z:\DOORWAY.
4. When done disconnect the mapped drive Z:
5. Run Doorway on Vista.
Doorway 8.08 25th January 2007
The edit feature 'DataPoints Distribute' only worked on the first 60 datapoints instead of all 120, this fault has been corrected.
Doorway 8.07 8th January 2007
DDE requests from external applications now use BMS type 'a' (terse) messages as a default to simplify working with IQ3 controllers.
Windows XP can synchronise with Internet or Server time clocks which makes accurate time available for the BMS through Doorway. Doorway can synchronise BMS controller clocks individually or sitewide either manually from a button or automatically with the Event Calendar. The syntax *SEND *NOW has been expanded to update controllers with Winter/Summer time set (chanGe = 1). New screen in Engineering to List User Levels.
Available from your regular BMS specialist or directly from:
E-Mail: sales[at]doorway[dot]co[dot]uk
Telephone: +44 (0)7973-223643
Doorway Systems is based in the UK.