Summary
This article explains the core concepts behind Mango’s event system: events, event detectors, and event handlers. Read this first before configuring any alarms or notifications.

1. What is an event?

In Mango, an event represents “something important happened.”

Common examples:

• A temperature sensor goes above or below a safe range

• A device stops updating or goes offline

• A script or data source throws an error

Each event has:

• Source – where the event comes from (data point, data source, system, etc.)

• Severity / Alarm Level – how serious it is (e.g., Information, Warning, Critical)

• State –

  • Active / Inactive – is the condition currently happening?

  • Acknowledged / Unacknowledged – has a user seen and acknowledged it?

• Message – human-readable description of what happened

[Screenshot: Events/Alarms list showing columns for source, severity, active/inactive, acknowledged state, and message]


2. Event Detectors (WHEN to create an event)

Event Detectors continuously monitor a source (usually a data point) and decide when an event should be created.

Examples:

• “If server room temperature > 80°F for more than 5 minutes”

• “If a door is left open”

• “If a point hasn’t changed for 10 minutes (sensor frozen / offline)”

You configure detectors on individual data points (and in some cases on other sources, depending on modules).

[Screenshot: Event Detection types]


3. Event Handlers (WHAT to do when an event occurs)

Event Handlers react when an event’s state changes and define what should happen.

Examples:

• Send an email when a Critical alarm becomes Active

• Turn on an auxiliary cooling unit when room temp is too high

• Run a script that logs data or calls an external API

Handlers can be configured to trigger on:

• Event becomes Active

• Event becomes Inactive (condition clears)

• Event is Acknowledged

[Screenshot: Event Handlers types]


4. Typical flow

A standard alarm flow looks like this:

1. Data point value changes.

2. Event Detector’s condition becomes true → event becomes Active.

3. Event Handler triggers and performs an action (email, set point, script, etc.).

4. Condition clears → event becomes Inactive.

5. Operator Acknowledges the event (if required) for tracking and reporting.




[Screenshot: Single event detail view showing timeline or state changes from Active to Inactive to Acknowledged]


5. When to use this

Use events, detectors, and handlers when you need:

• Automated alerting (email/SMS/other) for system issues

• Automated responses (e.g., turning devices on/off)

• A historical record of alarms and conditions for reporting

Related articles

• Creating Your First Event Detector in Mango (TO-DO)

• Configuring Email Event Handlers in Mango (TO-DO)

• Using Set Point and Script Event Handlers for Automatic Actions (TO-DO)

• Testing and Best Practices for Events in Mango (TO-DO)