ALPHA-VISION® Analysis of Recorded Data: Zip2Dbf

Zip2Dbf

SUMMARY

The program AvZip2Dbf.exe allows to merge single Archives of the same type into one file.

CONTENTS

1. Overview
2. Selecting the source
3. Selecting the.DO-File
4. Narrow down to designated Data Objects
5. Predefined Object Lists
6. Preview
7. Filtering of the Preview-List
8. Graphical tabulation of the preview list
9. Time Offset
10. Selecting and creating a target file
11. Writing as .csv File
12. End

Overview

Process data saved as hour-archives and compressed to day archives using the program AvZipArchives.exe can be merged to a single hour/day spanning file by the Zip2Dbf programm. The mass of data may be limited by several filters.
The file created that way may be processed by MDConV or AvReplay.

Dialog window when calling the "AvZip2Dbf" program.

Selecting the source

Via the entry field "Source Directory" the path to the zip files is defined. It can be inputted directly or via the button “Select..” in a standard window dialog.

When modifying the input “Source Directory” the list box “Days” is updated and depending on the selected option below “Typ” (Archive or EventLog) filled with the Archives of the appropriate subfolders.

On a new selection within the Dropdown Listbox “Days” the Hour-Archives contained in the appropriate Day-Archives are listed in the Listbox “Hour:”
For any file the name and the date of the earliest and latest entry to that Archive is shown, as well as the number of records.

Selecting the.DO-File

The connection between the Object Number, the PointID and the according description is done via the <Projekt>.DO-File in the runtime area of ALPHA-VISION.
The connection to the .DO-File is activated via the entry field "Object File [.DO]" and the button "Connect".

Narrow down to designated Data Objects

Output and preview of the program is limited to the DataObjects shown in the Listbox “Objects”
It is possible to set further filters.

A character string defined in the input field “String” is used as a Wildcard-Filter on PointIDs.

• A '?' within the string stays for an arbitrary character at that point in the PointID.
• An '*' within the string stays for an arbitrary number of characters in the PointID.
• Defined characters stay exactly for that character at that point within the PointID.

Examples

"=AS*" Filters all objects whose PointID starts with "=AS".
"???8*" Extracts all PointIds having an '8'on its fourth position.
"*TEMP" Shows all DataObjects, since "TEMP" after "*" is ignored.

The String-Filter is activated / deactivated via the checkbox in front of "String".

From the DropDown-Listbox "Technology-Group" any available Technology Groups may be chosen.

• Simatic-Station - list contains Objects from the selected Simatic-Station only.
• Data-Section - list contains Objects from the selected Data-Section only.
• Object typ: MP, PO, PV, SO - list contains Objects from the selected Object Typ only

Predefined Object Lists

For recurrent analysis Objects may be selected und saved in Object-Lists.
Such Object-Lists can be created using Filters, manually or by combining existing Object-Lists.

• Via the button "Save As..." the Objects contained in the actual Object-List are saved as 'List_xyz' .
• The button "Load..." allows to load such a ‘predefined’ Object List.
  Via the button "Load..." and "Add..." other ‘predefined’ Object-Lists may be added to the actual Object-List.
• Via the "Clear" button Objects can be deleted from the Object-List.

Object-Lists are filled with Objects found in the .DO file.
The field “Quantity:” tells the number of Objects that are loaded into the actual Object-List by “Load…” and “Add…” from predefined Object-Lists.

The 'Object-Lists' can be used by "AcZip2Dbf" und "MDConV".

One or more predefined Object-Lists can be loaded and also be discarded again. The defined filter criteria are valid, i.e. only Objects that meet those criteria are shown.

To create predefined Object-Lists set the wanted filter criteria, then save the selected Objects.

• Set the filter criteria so that the wanted Objects are shown.
• Select the Objects to be written to the List. (Only the blue marked Objects will be saved).

Preview

Via the button “Preview “ a Preview-List with all Data Objects selected from the Hour Archive is created. The field “Quantity:” tells the number of Objects contained in the Preview-List.

• The Preview and writing to the target file relates to the Objects shown in the Object-List only.
• The Preview display is updated when the button “Preview” is pressed – just modifying the Object selection in the Object List has no effect.

The number of Objects in the preview list is limited to 65536. For PCs having little memory the number may be decreased by making an entry in the Vision2000.ini file.
The input should look like:

[AvZip2Dbf]
MaxRecords=5000

Filtering of the Preview-List

The entries in a preview list may be filtered using the following criteria:

• Selecting "Stop-Records" omits any stop records (6666666) in the list.
• Selecting "Status Undefiniert" omits any Status Undefined records (17) in the list.
• Filtering for a certain value.
  
  Note:

  Be aware that a marked checkbox does NOT write the selected data, but an entered value is used for the compare what should be displayed.
• Filtering on Date- resp. Time modification (Type 5).
  That filter selects only entries representing Date- resp. Time modifications (Type 5); the information is taken from the EventLog without looking in the .DO file.
  That is – a Type 5 entry is displayed even without a corresponding entry in the .DO file.
  Activating that filter renders all other filters invalid.

After inputting the relational operator and the value the list is filtered according the provided limits.
The DropDown-Listbox "Value:" offers 4 Choices.
An empty entry, "<" (smaller than), "=" (equal) und ">" (greater than).
An empty entry deactivates the filter; the other entries limit the output to: smaller than, equal or greater than the value defined in the entry field.

Graphical tabulation of the preview list

If a single Object is selected it may be displayed graphical.
The x-axis shows UT; starting with the first available entry, ending with the last one.
The y-axis shows the value range from range-start to range-end.
These limits are investigated on invocation, but may be adjusted . On pushing the button “Graph” the preview list of the selected Data Object is created new.

Time Offset

The Time Offset entry moves the Local Time in relation to the Universal Time by the given value. The Time Offset is activated after pushing the preview button again; it is disregarded when writing to the target file.
The EventLog sets the Time Offset automatically; no manual input is possible.

Selecting and creating a target file

Via the entry field "Target File" resp. the button "Select.." aside, the name and path for the output file is defined.
Via the button "Write" the target file is created, according the selection in "Type" it is an ‘Archive’ or ‘EventLog’.
In case the file already exists the options 'overwrite' and 'append' are offered.

• All selected Hour-Archives are searched.
• Only for the Objects defined in the Object-List entries are made in the target file.
• It is not written what is shown in the preview list, but what is selected in the Object-List.
• The filters selected for the preview take effect on the entries of the target file too. Exception is the Time Offset.

Writing as .csv File

The handling is like described above, the only difference: The file is written in .csv –Format. (Tab as separator)

End

If checkbox “save settings” is ticked all changes made below Source Directory, Target= Object File and Filters are saved, on a restart of AvZip2Dbf they are set as default.