This section aims to provide a set of guidelines for deciding in which FunctionalGroup a given Parameter should be located:
If it is common to all AnalyserChannels, it should be at the AnalyserDevice level.
If it is common to all Streams of a given AnalyserChannel, it should be at the AnalyserChannel level.
If it is different for each Stream, it shall be at the Stream level.
If it is a configuration Parameter that does not change from acquisition to acquisition, it should be in the Configuration FunctionalGroup.
If it is a Parameter that is not intended to be modified by the user, is should be in the FactorySettings e.g. SpectralRange of the analyzer, which it is defined at the factory.
If the Parameter changes for each acquisition, it should be in AcquisitionSettings e.g. DetectorGain.
If the Parameter describes the setting of the current acquisition or the one to be started, it should be in AcquisitionSettings e.g. NumberOfScansToBeDone.
If the Parameter is an input from an external system like a PLC, and used to control the acquisition cycle, it should be in AcquisitionSettings e.g. AcquisitionTrigger.
If a status Parameter is independent of the acquisition in progress, it should be in a Status FunctionalGroup e.g. DiagnosticStatus.
If a status Parameter changes during the acquisition, it should be in the AcquisitionStatus FunctionalGroup e.g. Progress.
If the Parameter is updated at the end of each acquisition, it should be in AcquisitionData e.g. ScaledData.
If the Parameter is derived from a Parameter in AcquisitionData, it should also be in AcquisitionData e.g. the concentration derived from the absorbance spectrum.
ADI specification does not define when the Parameters in the AcquisitionSettings FunctionalGroup should be changed. As a general rule they should not change after the start of acquisition except for a case involving an acquisition trigger.