How do I troubleshoot a gp_test Abort?

CyFlex provides several mechanisms for troubleshooting a gp_test abort. Used together, these mechanisms can help determine the cause of the abort. The mechanisms are:

  • Display Screen
  • Limit Report
  • Error Log
  • Trace Log
  • Delta History

EXAMPLE SCENARIO

The 200-hour durability test being conducted at the cell goes down in the middle of the night. The technician comes in and finds that the test has been terminated, the engine is shutdown and the active test procedure is gp_shutdown.


Display Screens

  • Blinking Variables
    A blinking value is an indication that a limit associated with that variable has been tripped.
  • Active Test Mode
    The Active Mode will show the latest mode that was executed by the gp_test scheduler.
  • Previous Test Modes
    The Previous Modes will show what gp_test modes were executed prior to the Active Mode.
  • Notification Messages
    The NOTIFY message will indicate the last message spawned from the Event_Response test or from the command line.

Limit Report

The Limit Report tracks all variables that have been tripped and records them in a memory resident utility. The report will remain active until the command nt, reset_ltch or a go is received by the system.

  • To access the active Limit Report, at a text console, at the command line type: limit_rpt
  • Result: The Limit Report will open and display the current limit violations.

If the desired results are not seen in the limit_rpt utility, it is possible that the suspected limit violation has been saved to the limit_rpt file.

Steps for viewing the limit_rpt file:

  1. From a text console, at the command line, move to the /data/ errors > subdirectory by Typing:  cd /data/errors
  2. At the /data/errors > prompt, Type: edit limit_rpt
    Result: The editor will open with the limit_rpt displayed.
  3. Press CTRL+PAGEDOWN.
    Result: The Editor will move to the bottom of the file.
  4. Use the UPARROW key to view the most recent entries.
    Result: The Limit Report documents the date and time the violations occurred. The latest entries could be the reason why the gp_test was terminated.

Error Log

The Error Log will typically contain error entries when a gp_test has been aborted. When the events, abort_limit or emergency occur, they normally produce new entries into the error log.

To view the contents of the Error Log, at a text console, at the command line Type: errs
Result: The Error Log will open and display the most recent errors at the top.

If the desired results are not seen in the error log, it is possible that the suspected error has been saved to the errors file.

Steps for viewing the errors file:

  1. From a text console, at the command line, move to the /data/ errors > subdirectory by Typing:  cd /data/errors
  2. At the /data/errors > prompt, Type: edit errors
    Result: The editor will open with the error log displayed.
  3. Press CTRL+PAGEDOWN.
    Result: The Editor will move to the bottom of the file.
  4. Use the UPARROW key to view the most recent entries.
    Result: The Error Log documents the date and time the violations occurred. The latest entries could be the reason why the gp_test was terminated.

Trace Log

The Trace Log contains entries that are derived from the gp_test scheduler. The entries contain useful information such as when a test was started, stopped and events that may have spawned a new test.

Steps for viewing the trace file:

  1. From a text console, at the command line, move to the /data/ errors > subdirectory by Typing: cd /data/errors
  2. At the /data/errors > prompt, Type: edit trace
    Result: The editor will open with the Trace Log displayed.
  3. Press CTRL+PAGEDOWN.
    Result: The Editor will move to the bottom of the file.
  4. Use the UPARROW key to view the most recent entries.
    Result: The Trace Log documents the date and time the entries occurred. The latest entries could be the reason why the gp_test was terminated.

Using Delta History

Delta History is a screen available in the CyFlex/GUI. It depicts traces of 1-8 CyFlex Variables and Events as a function of clock time. By using the Error Log, Limit Report, Trace Log and Display Screens to determine the Variables and Events to monitor, Delta History can be an effective troubleshooting tool.

Steps for using Delta History for troubleshooting:

  1. Use the Error Log, Limit Report, Trace Log and Display Screens as outlined in this document to determine the CyFlex Variables and Events to monitor.
    Note: Delta History can monitor up to eight variables or events at one time.
  2. Start the GUI from Console 9 by Typing: xgui &
    Result: The CyFlex/XGUI opens.
  3. From the Data menu, Select the History option.
    Result: The Delta History program opens with the Timeline and CyFlex variables listed in the panel.
  4. Modify the variables listed in the Channel Display until just the variables desired display.
    Note: For more information about modifying variables, see the Using Delta History document.
  5. Zoom in on the timeline by locating the date and time reference of the gp_test termination using the Timeline key. Then place the mouse cursor just to the left of the gp_test termination time and Click and Drag the reference point to the right of the termination time.
    Note: Repeat the zoom in process until the appropriate time displays.
  6. If required, save the Delta History for future reference.