As you know, there are many ways to program an FxIP system: through the faceplate, on a laptop through the Administrator or by Auto-Programming the panel out in the field. There are advantages to each method. depending on your needs.
However, when bringing a new installation on line – it’s best to use a little of all three methods.
First, when all your modules and devices have been installed and you’re ready to bring the system on-line, auto-program the modules with the attached devices to identify and resolve any wiring issues that may exist.
Once you’re satisfied that all of your devices have been identified and that they are operating properly, you’ll want to back up the entire system to a USB stick. Place the USB device into the programming slot and go through the menu options until you’re at the ‘Backup All Modules’ option.
When the backup is complete, you can now take the USB stick and import your new system configuration into your laptop (or desktop!) programming tool we call the ‘Administrator’. From here you can program all of your unique device names, set up all of your zones/groups, do all of your group control-by-event routines and easily set up some Boolean logic routines if you need to create some advanced output scenarios. Much more than that, all programmable features are available through the Administrator, so you can fully program each and every aspect of the panels performance directly from the comfort of your desk.
When your done, save our file, and then export it back to the USB stick. You can now take the USB stick back to the job site and upload all of your off-site programming to the panel.