Never worked on ABB Freelance before, and after this, hope to never again. Hope someone here have worked on/with this spawn of the devil.

I am using Freelance 2016 SP1 [10.3.9142]. I am trying to import Variables with the associated "Location" attached to it. When I Export out of Freelance Engineering, the associated CSV file have the following columns populated. Name/Comment/Type/Res./X/Object/Location/P. When I then delete those variables inside the Variables (For test purposes), and take that same .csv file for import, the Location column is blank. Variable locations not imported.

So, if I create an new .csv file with all my variables (8000 in total), the Location is not imported. This forces me to go and do each one manually. 8000 variables is gonna take some time, don't you agree?

I contacted our local ABB specialists and they confirmed it does the same on their side, but have no solution for this "bug". They did suggest I use the Bulk Data Manager, but this also turned out to be a waste. Bulk Data Manager does not export the Location with Variables.

Please would someone help me do bulk importing of data. I can not believe it is not possible in ABB Freelance. This is a simple task in Siemens and Rockwell. There must be a way. What am I doing wrong?

 

Hi StAnder,

Right, Replying to last line of the above post. there are always way out for any problem.

And for this one highly recommended to contact to your regional/local ABB supportline to get solution through official channel.

And also you can check with online community/forum at www.abb.com\knowledgestore.

And reply to your very first line, Freelance is one the best DCS I have ever worked. And for sure along the time you will start working and exploring many other feature you will start loving it. And not writing long text but the location in Freelance variable list is related/linked to physical HW location. Hence all those HW location you need to change/replace needs to be configured or available in HW tree. Else procedure you have described sounds correct.

Hope this helps.

 

Hi Sugar,

Thanks for the reply. I have tried my local ABB guys and ABB forum. After 2 weeks of not even a reply, I decided to try here. It seems like this issue does not bother anyone but me. A task that is simple in any other system seems to be the most time consuming exercise in ABB. What would take me 10 seconds in Step7 (If I have an Excel spreadsheet with tagname/data type/address/comment in the right order), has taken me the best part of 5 days.

I have the Excel spreadsheet of 8000 items with variables and location in the right order from an export with freelance, but I can not use it. I now have to do each one separately and manually. This is 2017 for crying out loud. I am so frustrated.

I should finish this tonight, then I can get to the coding itself. I trust you when you say I will find nice features in Freelance that I will love. Unfortunately it will always be a love/hate relationship because of my first experience. Sad from a company that I have always held in high regard.

Guess I would not have been so frustrated if it were not for my ADD.....Oh look, another squirrel.