Exporting tag database from FactoryLink ECS 5.5

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Thread Starter

Brian Cleven

I'm in the process of converting an old HMI that was made in 1996 using FactoryLink ECS to the new RSView Studio SE. I desperately need to get the tag database out of the HMI application so that I don't have to manually enter in all those tags. I have never used FactoryLink ECS in the past and could not figure it out after hours of trying to export the database.

This implementation communications to a PLC5 over DH+ via a SST 5136-SD card (ISA slot). There were 3rd party communications drivers that were installed and I was told that I have to install these drivers to get the tag database out. This doesn't quite make sence to me, so can anyone verify this? The driver vendor can be found here:
http://www.axisware.com/awb/fldes18.htm

I tried installing it but it bugged out.

So... can anyone tell me if exporting the tag database is reliant on having that driver installed, and if not, what methods you'd use to export the database into a .csv (or similiar) format?

Thanks a million,
-Brian Cleven
Celco Controls
Toll Free: 1-866-99CELCO
[email protected]
 
Brian,

I am familiar with FactoryLink 6.6, and I believe your version should behave in the same way.

If you have a copy of the FLAPP directory(FactoryLink Application)you should find a folder in it called ASC. This folder contains the data held in the indiviual tables you use to program FL. One of these will be called Object.asc this is a complete tag list of all tags configured.

Bear in mind though, that this will not show you what points are referenced in the end devices being polled. To view this data look for file names similar to the TASK TABLES that you would look at in FL. For example I would look at kdtl_ovr.asc and kdtl_hdr.asc to view the tags used to poll my plc.

These are comma separated files and can be opened in Excel easily. The first rows represent the column names in the table so after you open the file in Excel you can insert the column headers to make more sense from the table.
Hope this helps you out.

If you need more help email me at: [email protected]

Good luck,
DF
 
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Gustavo A. Valero P.

Funny!
Let me help you friend...

FactoryLink is an HMI/SCADA based on the Task instead of the Tag such as iFix, Wonderware, RSView, etc, therefore, there is no a main database in which you are going to see the whole information per each tag. You need to find and use the DB associated to a task (whatever you need) and handle the information stored there.

For example, if you need to know everything about alarms tags, you must go and open the DBs associated to Alarms tasks (Distributed Alarms Definitions panel is maybe the most important sub-task) and use the information inside it.

In FL, each task has its own DB (FactoryLink uses dBase IV format that helps a lot!), in my example regarding to Alarms task, you just go to your FL application directory and search the file called "al_info.cdb" and open it using MS Excel if you want (be carefull in not modify it if you don't handle FL very well). There, you will find everything about alarms (and tags) that FL is using and recording.

Again, the reason of this is because of FL is oriented/based on task and not on tag. In FL you can have a tag with 5, 10, 20, etc. different alarm messages which could have 5, 10, 20 different alarm limits too, this kind of things is possible due to exist an specific task for it (based on task). In Wonderware, iFix and other softwares based on tag, this kind of things is not possible! (I always laught when remind the first time I saw it!).

In those softwares, the Tag Description is always used as Alarm Message and is allowed 1-4 alarm limits (in some cases) only. Morever, any tag in FL can have more than 1 I/O address from different drivers without any problem or limitation (of course, it is for an special app).

Finally, if you need to see/know the I/O DB belongs to your app, you don't need DH+ driver from Axisware mandatorily, just try to find the name of the .cdb file that this task created and uses and open it by using Excel. As a tip, find something like "XXXXovr.cdb" (the .mdx files are indexes files for .cdb files").

You must find this file on current PC where FL is running at plant, if you try to install FL on another PC and restore the app without install DH+ driver from Axisware, you will never see the file you want. The FL restoration only created the tables/DB of tasks already installed and registered.

I hope it helps you!.

Regards.

Saludos desde Venezuela.
 
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