Areas | Options 2

Advanced Options

  • Enable Stay Arming: When an area is stay armed only inputs with the Stay Input option enabled (Programming | Input Types | Options 1) will be monitored. For example, this allows you to arm the perimeter of an area without arming the internal sensors, so that users can remain securely inside. With this option disabled the area cannot be stay armed.

  • Enable Force Arming: When an area is force armed it is armed without testing the inputs. The area will be armed even if there are inputs open, provided that the inputs have the Force input option enabled (Programming | Input Types | Options 1). When this option is disabled the area cannot be force armed.

    See also Use unattended brute force arming below.

  • Enable Instant Arming: When an area is instant armed it arms immediately with a 1 second exit delay. Also, all inputs that would normally initiate the entry delay instead trigger the alarm immediately (i.e. all inputs are treated as 'instant' inputs). When this option is disabled the area cannot be instant armed.

    Areas can be instant armed or instant force armed from the software, and instant stay armed or instant force armed from a keypad.

  • Do Not Arm if Trouble Condition: When this option is enabled the area will be prevented from arming if there is any trouble input open in the system. This ensures that all trouble conditions are resolved before the area is armed.

    This is useful for high security areas which should not be vacated before all troubles are resolved.

  • Prevent Arming On Count Not Zero: When user counting is enabled (Options (1) tab), this option prevents the area from arming when the user count is not zero. This ensures that the area cannot be armed (manually or automatically) when there are still users in the area.

    It is recommended that this feature is used alongside antipassback settings to ensure the user count is accurate. If there is an error in the user count it may become impossible to arm the area even after all users have left.

  • Always Verify Area Schedule: By default, the area only checks the Arm/Disarm Schedule (Configuration tab) on edges, i.e. when the schedule becomes valid or invalid. This means the area can be disarmed or armed manually regardless of the status of the schedule.

    When this option is enabled the area will verify the schedule every minute. If the area is not in the armed/disarmed state required by the schedule it will change to the correct state.

  • Area can be Reset: When this option is enabled the area can be rearmed from a keypad without being disarmed first. This means that an area that goes into alarm can be reset (silencing the bell output) without being disarmed. Use this option for areas that should not be disarmed after an alarm.

  • Vault Control Area * : When this option is enabled the area will not disarm until the defined delay period elapses. The Vault Disarm Delay is set in the Configuration tab. This ensures that very high security areas such as bank vaults cannot be disarmed quickly in the case of a hold up.

    For more information and programming instructions, see Application Note 338: Programming Protege Keypads.

  • Dual Code Vault Control * : When this option is enabled two separate users must log in to a keypad and press the disarm button in order to disarm the area. After the first user presses disarm, the vault disarm delay must expire before the second user can enter their code. The time allotted for the second user to disarm the area is the Vault Dual Code Delay set in the Configuration tab.

    The Vault Control Area setting above must also be enabled.

  • Enable Smart Input * : By default, an area will go into alarm based on a single input activation. In smart input mode multiple unique inputs must be activated before the area will activate the alarm. This is useful for preventing false alarms.

    When an input is opened in the armed area a timer starts based on the Smart Input Timer (Configuration tab). The area will count unique input activations (reactivating the same input will not increase the counter). If the number of activations reaches the Smart Input Count (Configuration tab) the alarm will be activated. The same number of activations is required to initiate the entry delay.

    The response of the area depends on the input type of the final input that is triggered. For example, if the first input would start the entry delay but the last causes an instant alarm the area will go into alarm instantly.

    Smart inputs can be used alongside the remote notify delay feature to send confirmed alarm reports to the monitoring station. For more information, see Application Note 312: Minimizing Offsite Reporting of False Alarms in Protege GX and Protege WX.

Arming Options

  • Always Force Arm Using Card Reader: When this option is enabled, whenever a user arms an area using a card reader the area will be force armed. If this option is disabled open inputs can prevent the area from being armed.

    Options for arming using a card reader can be found under Reader Arming Mode in Expanders | Reader Expanders | Reader 1/2.

  • Disable Exit Output on Stay Arming: When this option is enabled the Exit Delay Output / Output Group (Outputs tab) will not be activated when the area is stay armed. This is useful when there is no need to prompt users to leave the stay armed area.

  • Clear Alarm Memory after Arming: When this option is enabled (by default) the area's alarm memory is cleared every time the area is armed. When it is disabled alarms will remain in the alarm memory until a user acknowledges them at a keypad ([MENU] [5] [1]).

  • Enable Late Arm Report: When this option is enabled the system will generate a report for the monitoring station and event log whenever the area is armed later than expected. The report is generated if the area is still disarmed when the Normal Arm Schedule set below becomes invalid. This ensures that operators and monitoring stations are alerted to any anomalies.

  • Enable Early Disarm Report: When this option is enabled the system will generate a report for the monitoring station and event log whenever the area is disarmed earlier than expected. The report is generated if the area is disarmed before the Normal Disarm Schedule set below becomes valid. This ensures that operators and monitoring stations are alerted to any anomalies.

  • Disable Rearm On Schedule: When this option is enabled, automatic rearming will be disabled when the area has been disarmed by the Arm/Disarm Schedule (Configuration tab). Use this to ensure the area does not automatically rearm when it is supposed to be disarmed.

    The command ReArmLevelTrigger = true prevents the area from automatically rearming while the schedule is valid, regardless of how the area was disarmed.

  • User Rearm in Stay Mode: With this option enabled, when certain users disarm the area it will automatically rearm in stay mode after a period of time. Users must have the Rearm Area In Stay Mode option enabled in Users | Users | Options. The area will remain disarmed for the length of time specified in the Rearm Time setting (Configuration tab).

    This option is useful for allowing users to enter the building to temporarily disarm the area and remain inside while the perimeter is secured again.

    Stay arming must be enabled (above).

  • Defer Automatic Arming * : When this option is enabled, whenever the area begins arming automatically by a schedule the arming can be deferred (delayed) for a defined period of time. Users will receive notice that the area is about to arm, allowing them to leave the area or log in to the keypad and press the disarm key to defer the automatic arming.

    The Always Verify Area Schedule option (see above) must be disabled as it will override any defer arming.

    The following settings are available:

    • The Defer Warning Time (Configuration tab) determines how long the area will display the warning before beginning to arm.
    • You can give users a visual and/or audible indication that the area is about to arm using the Defer Warning Keypad Group (Configuration tab) and Area Defer Arming Started Output / Output Group (Outputs tab).
    • When a user defers arming from the keypad, the Rearm Area Time (Configuration tab) defines how long the area will wait before attempting to arm again.
    • Alternatively, the AskForDeferTime = true command allows users to specify the number of hours that arming will be deferred for when they cancel the arming at the keypad.

    • The ReArmAsDeferArea = true command allows the area to defer automatic rearming, so that defer arming can be used alongside the Re-Arm Enabled feature (Options 1 tab).

    For more information and programming instructions, see Application Note 338: Programming Protege Keypads.

Squawk Options

Squawk operation is not supported on the controller's onboard reader expander outputs.

  • Bell Squawk On Arming Start: When this option is enabled the area's Bell Output (Outputs tab) will squawk (sound briefly) when the area begins arming.
  • Bell Squawk On Arming Complete: When this option is enabled the area's Bell Output (Outputs tab) will squawk (sound briefly) when the area successfully finishes arming.

  • Bell Squawk Only When Unattended: With this option enabled the bell output will only squawk when the area is armed or disarmed by an unattended method such as schedule, automated rearming or programmable function. It will not squawk when armed or disarmed from the keypad or card reader.

    One or more of the other Squawk Options must also be enabled.

  • Bell Squawk On Disarm: When this option is enabled the area's Bell Output (Outputs tab) will squawk twice when the area is disarmed.
  • Bell Squawk On Successful Report: When this option is enabled the area's Bell Output (Outputs tab) will squawk when a successful 'Area Armed' report has been sent and acknowledged by the reporting service.

Schedule

  • Normal Disarm Schedule: This schedule defines when the area is expected to be disarmed on any given day. Along with Enable Early Disarm Report above this allows you to generate reports if the area is disarmed earlier than expected.

    For example, you might set the normal disarm schedule to 8:30-9:30am every weekday. This represents when you expect the area to be disarmed for the first time. If the area is disarmed at 7:00am (before this schedule becomes valid) an event will indicate that the area is 'Early to Disarm'.

  • Normal Arm Schedule: This schedule defines when the area is expected to be armed on any given day. Along with Enable Late Arm Report above this allows you to generate reports if the area is armed later than expected.

    For example, you might set the normal arm schedule to 4:30-5:30pm every weekday. This represents when you expect the area to be armed for the last time. If the area is still disarmed at 5:30pm (when the schedule becomes invalid) an event will indicate that the area is 'Late to Arm'.