Uniint End User - OSIsoft
BatchFile NT, VAX and UNIX
Interface to the PI System
VMS: version 1 - 1.3
NT and UNIX: version 2.7.x
Document Revision D
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batchfl.doc
( 1996 – 2001 OSI Software, Inc. All rights reserved
777 Davis Street, Suite 250, San Leandro, CA 94577
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Reference Manuals 1
Supported Features 1
Principles of Operation 3
Installation Checklist 5
Interface Installation on NT 7
Naming Conventions and Requirements 7
Microsoft DLLs 7
Interface Directories 8
The PIHOME Directory Tree 8
Interface Installation Directory 8
Interface Installation Procedure 8
Installing the Interface as an NT Service 9
Interface Installation on UNIX 11
Naming Conventions and Requirements 11
Interface Directories 11
The PIHOME Directory 11
Interface Installation Directory 12
Interface Installation Procedure 12
Interface Installation on VMS 13
Naming Conventions and Requirements 13
Interface Installation Procedure 14
Digital States 17
PointSource 19
PI Point Configuration 21
Point Attributes 21
Tag 21
PointSource 21
PointType 21
Location1 21
Location2 21
Location3 22
Location4 22
Location5 22
InstrumentTag 22
ExDesc 22
Scan 22
UserReal1 22
Shutdown 22
I/O Rate Tag Configuration 25
Monitoring I/O Rates on the Interface Node 25
Configuring the PI Point on the PI Server 25
Configuration on the Interface Node 25
Data File Format 29
NT and UNIX Data Files 29
VMS Data Files 31
Startup Command File 33
PI-Interface Configuration Utility on NT 33
PI-ICU BatchFL Control on NT 33
Command-line Parameters for NT and UNIX 36
Sample File for NT 39
Sample batchfl.sh File for Unix 40
Command-line Parameters for VMS 41
Sample File for VMS 41
Interface Node Clock 43
NT 43
UNIX 43
VMS 43
Security 45
NT and UNIX 45
VMS 45
Starting / Stopping the Interface on NT 47
Starting Interface as a Service 47
Stopping Interface Running as a Service 47
Starting / Stopping the Interface on UNIX 49
Command-Line Syntax for Background Processes 49
Terminating Background Processes 49
Anomalous Background Job Termination 50
Starting / Stopping the Interface on VMS 51
Starting a Detached Process 51
Stopping the Interface 53
Appendix A Error and Informational Messages 55
Message Logs 55
System Errors and PI Errors 55
Revision History 57
Introduction
The BatchFile interface reads data from comma-delimited ASCII files and sends the data to a Plant Information (PI) System. Basically, the files include the PI tagname, timestamp, and data value. Other formats are described later in this manual. The interface requires the PI-API so it may run on a PI-API node or a PI Home node.
This document applies to NT, UNIX and VMS platforms.
Reference Manuals
OSIsoft
• PI Data Archive Manual
• PI-API Installation Instructions
• PI-ICUUserManual
• UniInt End User Document
Supported Features
|Feature |Support |
|Part Number |PI-IN-BF-LAB-AIX |
| |PI-IN-BF-LAB-AXP |
| |PI-IN-BF-LAB-DUX |
| |PI-IN-BF-LAB-HP |
| |PI-IN-BF-LAB-NTA |
| |PI-IN-BF-LAB-NTI |
| |PI-IN-BF-LAB-SOL |
| |PI-IN-BF-LAB-VAX |
|Platforms |VMS / VMS Alpha / NT-Intel / NT-Alpha / DUX/ HPUX / |
| |Solaris / AIX |
|PI Point Types |Float16 / Float32 / Float64 / Int16 / Int32 / Digital |
| |/ String |
|Sub-second Timestamps |Yes - NT/UNIX only |
|Sub-second Scan Classes |No |
|Automatically Incorporates PI Point Attribute Changes |Yes |
|Exception Reporting |Yes - NT/UNIX only when /ex is passed |
|Outputs from PI |No |
|History Recovery |No |
|Failover |No |
|Inputs to PI: Scan-based / Unsolicited / Event Tags |Scan-based |
|UniInt-based |No |
|Maximum Point Count |Unlimited |
|PI-SDK |No |
|* Source of Timestamps |Vendor |
|Vendor Software Required on PI API / PINet node |No |
|Vendor Software Required on DCS System |No |
|Vendor Hardware Required |No |
|Additional PI Software Included with Interface |No |
* See below for more information.
Source of Timestamps
Each line of the input file includes the timestamp for the given data value.
Principles of Operation
The Batch File interface reads ASCII files of the format described in the Data Files section.
The oldest data files are read first. The last modified time is read to determine the oldest file. Data in the files is read from the top, so older data should be at the top.
If communication fails to the PI Server, the interface will stop reading data files and the files will queue. The interface will try to re-connect every 30 seconds. When the connection is back, the data files will be processed. The record that was being read at the time of a communication failure will be reprocessed once communication has resumed.
For NT and UNIX versions, extended PI-API calls for string tag support and sub-second data support are used by default if the PI server is at version PI 3.1 or higher. The command line parameters /lb for piar_putvalue and /ex for pisn_sendexceptionqx support the extended PI-API calls if the PI server is PI 3.2 SR1 or higher and PI-API 1.3.0 or higher. If both /lb and /ex are passed, /lb takes precedence.
For VMS / VMS Alpha, only putlabvalue (piar_putvalue) is used.
The maximum tagname size is 255 characters. The maximum string value size is 1024 characters. If a PI Tagname does not exist, a single error message will be written to the log file.
With NT/Unix interface version 1.9 or higher, data that is out of order will be rejected and an error message written. The exception to this is if the interface is started in the /lb mode where data can be replaced.
On NT and UNIX, when using the Alias Tag command line argument (/as=E or I), the data file will have an Alias Tagname instead of a PI tagname or PI tag number. The interface will search for the alias tag in the Extended Descriptor (E) or Instrument Tag (I) of the points with the specified point source. The interface will HALT if anything other than an E or an I is passed. The strings in the extended descriptor or instrument tag field and the alias tag field in the data line are not case sensitive. All strings are converted to upper case before being used.
The interface supports checking for point updates when running in alias mode. It is imperative that the user passes a unique point source when in this mode. A maximum of 25 points will be processed for point updates and is done after all files are scanned.
With interface version 2.6 or higher, scaling can be performed on the data. If you put a /sc in the startup file, the userreal1 point attribute will be read and the value will be multiplied by the value in the data file. This is only for integer and real type points. No scaling will be done if the userreal1 value is equal 0.0.
Connection Establishment and Connection Recovery to PI
The interface establishes the initial connection to PI and reconnects to PI in the event that the connection is lost. If the interface is started while the PI Server is down, the interface will try to establish a connection until the PI Server is up.
Point Updates
If the interface is running in alias mode (/as), a list of tags with the specified pointsource is maintained along with the instrumenttag or alias. The interface is notified when a PI point is added, deleted, or an instrumenttag is edited. It is imperative that the user passes a unique point source when in this mode.
The interface will only process 25 point updates at a time. If more than 25 points are added, edited, or deleted at one time, the interface will process the first 25 points, wait 30 seconds, process the next 25 points, and so on. Once all points have been processed, the interface will resume checking for updates every 2 minutes.
If the interface is not running in alias mode, point updates have little affect on the interface. The interface will put data into PI for those PI tags that exist at the time the file is read.
Installation Checklist
For those users who are familiar with running PI data collection interface programs, this checklist helps you get the BatchFile interface running. If you are not familiar with PI interfaces, you should return to this section after reading the rest of the manual in detail.
1. Verify that the PI-API is installed. (On VMS, the PI-API is part of the PI Home node or of PINet.)
2. Install the BatchFile interface.
3. Create any needed digital states.
4. Choose a point source. If PI 2 home node, create the point source.
5. Configure PI Points.
6. Configure I/O Rate Tag.
7. Edit startup command file.
8. Set up security.
9. Create a test input file.
10. Start the interface without buffering.
11. Verify data.
Note: Bufserv is not recommended for this interface.
Interface Installation on NT
OSI recommends that interfaces be installed on PI-API nodes instead of directly on the PI Server node. A PI-API node is any node other than the PI Server node where the PI Application Programming Interface (PI-API) has been installed (see the PI-API Installation Instructions manual). With this approach, the PI Server need not compete with interfaces for system resources. The primary function of the PI Server is to archive data and to service clients that request data.
Bufserv is not needed for this interface. The interface will stop scanning data files when the connection to the PI server is down. The interface will start scanning the data files once the connection is backup. Bufserv may be used.
In most cases, interfaces on PI-API nodes should be installed as automatic services, except during the initial testing period, during which it is recommended that you run the interface interactively to simplify troubleshooting. Services keep running after the user logs off. Automatic services automatically restart when the computer is restarted, which is useful in the event of a power failure.
The guidelines are different if an interface is installed on the PI Server node. In this case, the typical procedure is to install the PI Server as an automatic service and interfaces as manual services that are launched by site-specific command files when the PI Server is started. Interfaces that are started as manual services are also stopped in conjunction with the PI Server by site-specific command files. This typical scenario assumes that Bufserv is not enabled on the PI Server node.
Naming Conventions and Requirements
It is customary for the user to rename the executable and the startup command file when multiple copies of the interface are run. For example, one would typically use batchfl1.exe and batchfl1.bat for interface number 1, batchfl2.exe and batchfl2.bat for interface number 2, and so on. When an interface is run as a service, the executable and the command file must have the same root name because the service looks for its command-line arguments in a file that has the same root name.
Microsoft DLLs
The following Microsoft DLLs are distributed on the installation CD-ROM. Copy these files to the Winnt\system32 directory only if the files in the Winnt\system32 directory are older than the files on the CD-ROM.
|MSVCIRT.DLL |
|MSVCRT.DLL |
|MSVCRT40.DLL |
|MSVCP50.DLL |
|MSVCP60.DLL |
The following additional Microsoft DLLs are also distributed on the CD-ROM. These DLLs are only used by a debug version of an interface. Copy these files to the Winnt\system32 directory only if the files in the Winnt\system32 directory are older than the files on the CD-ROM.
|MSVCIRTD.DLL |
|MSVCRTD.DLL |
|MSVCP50D.DLL |
|MSVCP60D.DLL |
Interface Directories
The PIHOME Directory Tree
The PIHOME directory tree is defined by the PIHOME entry in the pipc.ini configuration file. This pipc.ini file is an ASCII text file, which is located in the WinNT directory. A typical pipc.ini file contains the following lines:
[PIPC]
PIHOME=c:\pipc
The above lines define the \pipc directory as the root of the PIHOME directory tree on the C: drive. OSI recommends using \pipc as the root directory name. The PIHOME directory does not need to be on the C: drive.
Interface Installation Directory
Place all copies of the interface into a single directory. The suggested directory is:
PIHOME\interfaces\batchfl\
Replace PIHOME with the corresponding entry in the pipc.ini file.
Interface Installation Procedure
In the installation procedure below, assume that interface number 1 is being installed and that all copies of the interface will be installed in the same directory.
1. Copy the interface files from the installation media to
PIHOME\interfaces\batchfl\. Create the directory if necessary.
2. If necessary, rename the command file so that it has the same root name of the executable.
3. Alter the command-line arguments in the .bat file as discussed in this manual.
4. Try to start the interface interactively with the command:
batchfl1.bat
If the interface cannot be started interactively, one will not be able to run the interface as a service. It is easier to debug interactively started processes because error messages are echoed directly to the screen. Once the interface is successfully running interactively, one can try to run it as a service by following the instructions below.
Installing the Interface as an NT Service
Change to the directory where the batchfl1.exe executable is located. Then, consult the following table to determine the appropriate service installation command.
|NT Service Installation Commands on a PI-API node or a PI Server node |
|without Bufserv implemented |
|Manual service |Batchfl1.exe –install –depend tcpip |
|Automatic service |Batchfl1.exe –install –auto –depend tcpip |
|Interface reading from a mapped drive |
|Manual service |batchfl -install -depend “tcpip lanworkstation” |
|Automatic service |batchfl -install –auto -depend “tcpip lanworkstation” |
When the interface is installed as a service on the PI Server node and when Bufserv is not implemented, a dependency on the PI network manager is not necessary because the interface will repeatedly attempt to connect to the PI Server until it is successful.
Note: Interfaces are typically not installed as automatic services when the interface is installed on the PI Server node.
Check the Microsoft Windows NT services control panel to verify that the service was added successfully. One can use the services control panel at any time to change the interface from an automatic service to a manual service or vice versa.
Interface Installation on UNIX
One of the first issues that must be resolved is where the interface should be installed. Should the interface be installed on the PI Server node or on a remote PI-API node? OSIsoft recommends that the interface be installed on a remote PI-API node. The primary function of the server node is to archive data and to service the clients that request that data. The PI Server should not need to compete with interfaces for the machine’s resources. If the interface is installed on a remote PI-API node, then the PI-API must be installed on that node before the interface is installed. Refer to the PI-API Installation Instructions manual.
If the interface is installed on the PI Server node, the advantage of using Bufserv is diminished because it is no longer needed to protect against network failures. Bufserv would still allow data to be collected when the PI Server is brought down for routine maintenance, but one must weigh this advantage against the additional load that Bufserv incurs on the server. Typically, users do not choose to run Bufserv on the PI Server node. If Bufserv is used on the server node, one must make sure that Bufserv is started before any interfaces by the startup script for PI.
If the interface is installed on a server node, the interface should be configured to start and stop in conjunction with the PI Server. If the interface is installed on a PI-API node, then the interface should be configured to start and stop with the PI-API. Site-specific scripts can be edited for this purpose, as described in the installation procedure below. The PI Server and the PI-API, in turn, can be configured to start and stop automatically when the system is shut down or rebooted. Procedures for automatic startup and shutdown of PI or the PI-API are platform specific. The automation procedures are discussed in the PI System Management chapter of the PI Data Archive manual.
Naming Conventions and Requirements
In the installation procedure below, it is assumed that the name of the interface executable is batchfl.exe and that the startup command file is called batchfl.sh.
Note: UNIX does not enforce file-naming conventions, and it is possible that the file name extensions for the actual interface executable and command files are different than .exe and .sh, or it is possible that the file extensions are eliminated entirely.
In order to run multiple copies of the interface from the same directory, it is necessary to rename the executable and the command file. It is customary to use batchfl1.exe and batchfl1.sh for interface number 1, batchfl2.exe and batchfl2.sh for interface number 2, and so on.
Interface Directories
The PIHOME Directory
PIHOME is an environment variable that points to the base directory where the PI-API is installed. The setting of environment variables is discussed in the PI-API Installation Instructions manual.
Interface Installation Directory
There are two conventions for the installation directory. The first convention is to place all copies of the interface into a single directory. If this convention is followed, it is recommended to place batchfl1, batchfl2, batchfl3, etc., in the directory:
$PIHOME\interfaces\batchfl\
The second convention is to create a separate interface directory for each copy of the interface. If this convention is followed, it is recommended to place batchfl1, batchfl2, batchfl3, etc., in the directories:
$PIHOME\interfaces\batchfl1\
$PIHOME\interfaces\batchfl2\
$PIHOME\interfaces\batchfl3\
and so on.
Create the installation directories as necessary.
Interface Installation Procedure
In the installation procedure below, it is assumed that interface number 1 is being installed and that all copies of the interface will be installed in the same directory. To install another copy of the interface, repeat the following procedure with batchfl# used in place of batchfl1, where # is the interface number between 1 and 99.
1. Copy the interface files to $PIHOME\interfaces\batchfl\. Create the directory if necessary.
2. If necessary, rename the executable and command files to batchfl1.exe and batchfl1.sh. The executable and command file should have the same root name.
3. Alter the command-line arguments in the batchfl1.sh file as discussed in the section “Startup Command File.”
4. Try to start the interface as a foreground process. Follow the instructions in the next two sections to configure the command file and start the interface. It is advantageous to begin with foreground processes because the procedure for starting and stopping foreground processes is easier than for background processes. Once the interface is successfully running as a foreground process, one can try to run the interface in the background by following the appropriate instructions in the section “Starting and Stopping the Interface.”
Interface Installation on VMS
One of the first issues that must be resolved is where the interface should be installed. Should the interface be installed on the PI Server node or on a remote PINet node? OSIsoft recommends that the interface be installed on a PINet node. The primary function of the server node is to archive data and to service clients that request data. The PI Server should not need to compete with interfaces for the machine’s resources. If the interface is installed on a PINet node, then PINet must be installed on that node before the interface is installed. Refer to the PI 2.1.x Installation and Upgrade Handbook for installation instructions.
If the interface runs on a PINet node, interfaces can communicate to either a PI 2 Server or a PI 3 Server. If the interface runs on a PI 2 Server, the interface can only communicate to the PI 2 Server.
On a PINet node, PISysExe, PISysMgr, and PISysDat are all aliases for the PINet directory, and PIBuild is an alias for the PINetBuild directory.
Naming Conventions and Requirements
In the installation procedure below, it is assumed that the interface executable is called batchfl.exe, the startup command file for interactive processes is called , and the startup command file for detached processes is called .
Install the interface executable and command files in the PISysExe directory. If multiple instances of the interface must be run as interactive or detached processes, create multiply copies of the file. For this purpose, it is customary to copy the file to for instance 1, to for instance 2, and so on. The individual command files then need to be edited separately as appropriate.
Regardless of how many instances of the interface are running as interactive or detached processes, only one batchfl.exe file and one file are needed.
When the interface is run as a detached process, interface-specific log files are created in the PISysExe directory. The interface log files are .out, .log, or .txt. The log files typically have names similar to batchfl1.out, batchfl2.out, and so on.
Note: The interface will always write error and informational messages to the PISysMgr:PIMessLog.txt file.
Interface Installation Procedure
Interface files are installed and linked automatically as part of PI or PINet installations. If the interface has been automatically installed, skip to the “Starting / Stopping the Interface” section. Sometimes, however, an interface needs to be installed or upgraded separately from the PI or PINet installation. This procedure is frequently done when the available version of the interface is newer than that which is included with the PI or PINet distribution.
Interface files for VMS-based interfaces are now distributed on CD-ROM readable by NT or Windows machines. The appropriate files must be transferred over the network to the VMS node. The following files are distributed.
|Distribution Files |
|batchfl.DOC |Interface manual (Microsoft Word Document). The interface-specific |
| |installation procedure is in this manual. |
|batchfl.BCK |Saveset containing the interface files. |
|batchfl_version#.TXT |Release notes. |
|READBLOCK.README |Readme file for REBLOCK.EXE. |
|REBLOCK.EXE |The interface backup saveset must be reblocked before the saveset can be |
| |unpacked. See the REBLOCK.README. |
The following procedure is typical.
1. Transfer batchfl.BCK and REBLOCK.EXE to the VMS node by some sort of binary file transfer mechanism. For example, one could use binary ftp. Copy the files to a safe directory, one that will not be overwritten during an upgrade of PI or PINet.
2. Run REBLOCK.EXE on the batchfl.BCK file. Reblock corrects the block size of the batchfl.BCK file, which is altered during the binary file transfer. Binary file transfer does not affect the block size of the reblock executable itself. An example reblock session is given below.
|$ run reblock |
|REBLOCK: Convert file to blocksize 32256 |
| |
|Filename ("\" to exit): batchfl.bck |
|Filename ("\" to exit): \ |
3. Unpack the saveset by using the backup command:
backup/log/verify batchfl.bck/sav *.*
4. Install the interface files with the command:
@batchfllink
The command file links the interface executable. Files similar to the following are typically installed.
|PIBuild Directory |
|batchfl.OBJ |Object file for the interface. |
| |Command procedure for re-linking the executable. |
|PISysExe Directory |
|batchfl.EXE |Interface executable. |
| |Startup command file for interactive processes. |
| |Startup command file for detached processes (the command-line |
| |arguments are still defined in the file). |
Digital States
For more information regarding Digital States, refer to the PI Data Archive Manuals.
PI 2 Home Node
Digital states are defined by running the Digtl Stat display from the PI menu. The states must be contiguous for each status type and may be anywhere within the Digital State Table outside of the range 193 - 320, which is reserved for OSIsoft. The digital states need to be defined prior to point configuration. The digital state sets described in the PI 3 sections below should be entered into the PI 2 Digital State Table.
For more information, see the DA manual.
PI 3 Home Node
Digital State Sets
PI digital states are discrete values represented by strings. These strings are organized in PI as digital state sets. Each digital state set is a user-defined list of strings, enumerated from 0 to n to represent different values of discrete data. For more information about PI digital tags and editing digital state sets, see the PI Data Archive Manual for Windows NT and Unix manual.
An interface point that contains discrete data can be stored in PI as a digital tag. A Digital tag associates discrete data with a digital state set, as specified by the user.
System Digital State Set
Similar to digital state sets is the system digital state set. This set is used for all tags, regardless of type to indicate the state of a tag at a particular time. For example, if the interface receives bad data from an interface point, it writes the system digital state bad input to PI instead of a value. The system digital state set has many unused states that can be used by the interface and other PI clients.
PointSource
The PointSource is a single, unique character that is used to identify the PI point as a point that belongs to a particular interface. For example, one may choose the letter B to identify points that belong to the Batch File interface. To implement this, one would set the PointSource attribute to B for every PI Point that is configured for the Batch File interface. Then, if one uses /ps=B on the startup-command line of the Batch File interface, the Batch File interface will search the PI Point Database upon startup for every PI point that is configured with a PointSource of B. Before an interface loads a point, the interface usually performs further checks by examining additional PI point attributes to determine whether a particular point is valid for the interface. For additional information, see the /ps argument.
Case-sensitivity for PointSource Attributes
If the interface is running on a PINet node and the Server node is a PI 3 system, use a capital letter (or a case-insensitive character such as a number, a question mark, etc.) for the PointSource attribute when defining points. For all other scenarios, one does not need to be careful with the case of the PointSource.
In all cases, the point source character that is supplied with the /ps command-line argument is not case sensitive. That is, /ps=B and /ps=b are equivalent. One only needs to be careful with the case of the PointSource during point definition, and only if the interface will be running on a PINet node communicating to a PI 3 Server.
PI 2 Server Nodes
The following point source characters are reserved on PI 2 systems and cannot be used as the point source character for an interface: C, ?, @, Q, T. Also, if one does not specify a point source character when creating a PI point, the point is assigned a default point source character of L. Therefore, it would be confusing to use L as the point source character for an interface.
Before a PI point with a given point source can be created, the point source character must be added to the PI 2 point source table. For example, if point source B is not defined in the PI 2 point source table, a point with a point source of B cannot be created. This prevents the user from accidentally creating a point with an incorrect point source character.
Defining a Point Source Character in the PI 2 Point Source Table
1. Enter PI by typing the following command from a VMS command prompt:
@pisysexe:pi
2. Select the PointSrc option from the menu.
3. Select New from the menu.
4. Assign a point source next to the Code: field. Also, assign minimum and maximum values for the Location1 to Location5 attributes.
| |Location1 |Location2 |Location3 |Location4 |Location5 |
|Minimum |-20000000 |-20000000 |-20000000 |-20000000 |-20000000 |
|Maximum |20000000 |20000000 |20000000 |20000000 |20000000 |
5. Select “Save” from the menu.
PI 3 Server Nodes
No point source table exists on a PI 3 Server, which means that points can be immediately created on PI 3 with any point source character. Several subsystems and applications that ship with PI 3 are associated with default point source characters. The Totalizer Subsystem uses the point source character T, the Alarm Subsystem uses G and @, Random uses R, RampSoak uses 9, and the Performance Equations Subsystem uses C. Either do not use these point source characters or change the default point source characters for these applications. Also, if one does not specify a point source character when creating a PI point, the point is assigned a default point source character of L. Therefore, it would be confusing to use L as the point source character for an interface
PI Point Configuration
The PI point is the basic building block for controlling data flow to and from the PI Data Archive. A single point is configured for each measurement value that needs to be archived.
Configuration of these points is discussed below.
Point Attributes
Tag
A tag is a label or name for a point. Any tag name can be used in accordance to the normal PI point naming conventions.
PointSource
The PointSource is a single, unique character that is used to identify the PI point as a point that belongs to a particular interface.
Note: The Batch File interface processes tags with any point source unless the /PS command line parameter is used in the startup file.
A point source must be specified on the command line when running the interface in alias mode.
PointType
Typically, DCS point types do not need to correspond to PI point types. For example, integer values from a DCS can be sent to floating point or digital PI tags. Similarly, a floating-point value from the DCS can be sent to integer or digital PI tags, although the values will be truncated.
PI 2 Server Nodes
Scaled real, full-precision real, integer, and digital point types are supported on PI 2 Servers. For more information on the individual point types, refer to the Data Archive (DA) section of PI System Manual I.
Unix or NT Interface Node Connected to a PI 3 Server Node
Float16, float32, int16, int32, digital, string, and blob point types are supported on PI 3 Servers. For more information on the individual point types, see PI Data Archive for NT and UNIX. For String values to be replaced, you must have a PI Server 3.2 SR1 or higher and PI-API version 1.3.0 or higher.
Location1
Not used by this interface.
Location2
Not used by this interface.
Location3
Not used by this interface.
Location4
Not used by this interface.
Location5
Not used by this interface.
InstrumentTag
For a PI 2 server, the instrument tag attribute is limited to 32 characters. For a PI 3 server, the instrument tag is limited to 32 characters.
When using the Alias Tag command line argument (/as = E or I) on NT or UNIX, the data file will have an Alias Tagname instead of a PI tagname or PI tag number. The interface will search for the alias tag in the Extended Descriptor (E) or InstrumentTag (I) of the points with the specified point source. The interface will HALT if anything other than an E or an I is passed. The strings in the extended descriptor or instrument tag field and the alias tag field in the data line are not case sensitive. All strings are converted to upper-case before being used.
ExDesc
This is the extended descriptor attribute. For a PI 2 server, the extended descriptor is limited to 80 characters. For a PI 3 server, the extended descriptor is limited to 80 characters.
When using the Alias Tag command line argument (/as = E or I) on NT and UNIX, the data file will have an Alias Tagname instead of a PI tagname or PI tag number. The interface will search for the alias tag in the Extended Descriptor (E) or Instrument Tag (I) of the points with the specified point source. The interface will HALT if anything other than an E or an I is passed. The strings in the extended descriptor or instrument tag field and the alias tag field in the data line are not case sensitive. All strings are converted to upper-case before being used.
Scan
The Scan attribute is not used.
UserReal1
With version 2.6 or higher on NT and UNX , scaling can be performed on the data. If you put a /sc in the startup .bat file, the userreal1 point attribute will be read and the value will be multiplied by the value in the data file. This is only for integer and real type points. No scaling will be done if the userreal1 value is equal 0.0.
Shutdown
It is undesirable to write shutdown events for this interface. The interface will stop scanning data files when the connection to the PI server is down. The interface will start scanning the data files once the connection is backup, allowing continuous data collection when the server is down for maintenance, upgrades, backups, and unexpected failures.
PI 2 Server Nodes
The Shutdown attribute is not used if the server node is a PI 2 system. For information on configuring shutdown events for PI 2, see Data Archive (DA) section 4.2.3 of PI System Manual I.
PI 3 Server Nodes
The Shutdown attribute is 1 (true) by default. The default behavior of the PI Shutdown subsystem is to write the SHUTDOWN digital state to all PI points when PI is started. The timestamp that is used for the SHUTDOWN events is retrieved from a file that is updated by the Snapshot Subsystem. The timestamp is usually updated every 15 minutes, which means that the timestamp for the SHUTDOWN events will be accurate to within 15 minutes in the event of a power failure. For additional information on shutdown events, refer to PI Data Archive for NT and UNIX.
To disable SHUTDOWN events from being written to PI when PI is restarted, set the Shutdown attribute to 0 for each point. Alternatively, one can change the default behavior of the PI Shutdown Subsystem to write SHUTDOWN events only for PI points that have their Shutdown attribute set to 0. To change the default behavior, edit the \PI\dat\Shutdown.dat file, as discussed in PI Data Archive for NT and UNIX.
Bufserv
Bufserv is not needed for this interface. The interface will stop scanning data files when the connection to the PI server is down. The interface will start scanning the data files once the connection is backup.
If you do have bufserv running, data files will continue to be processed when the connection to the PIServer is down, but will stop processing data files when batchfl needs information from the PIServer. The most likely information needed would be translating strings to digital codes for digital tags.
Since bufserv is not necessary for this interface, it is not recommended that you use it.
I/O Rate Tag Configuration
An I/O Rate point can be configured to receive 10-minute averages of the total number of exceptions per minute that are sent to PI by the interface. An exception is a value that has passed the exception specifications for a given PI point. Since 10-minute averages are taken, the first average is not written to PI until 10 minutes after the interface has started. One I/O Rate tag can be configured for each copy of the interface that is in use.
Monitoring I/O Rates on the Interface Node
For NT and UNIX nodes, the 10-minute rate averages (in events/minute) can be monitored with a client application such as ProcessBook. For Open VMS nodes, the rate (events/minute) can be monitored with the PISysExe:IOMonitor.exe program or with another client program such as Process Book. The IOMonitor program is discussed on page DA-71 of PI System Manual I.
Configuring the PI Point on the PI Server
PI 2 Server Nodes
A listing of the I/O Rate Tags that are currently being monitored can be obtained with the command:
@PISysDat:
Create an I/O Rate Tag using one of the existing I/O Rate Tags as a template.
PI 3 Server Nodes
Create an I/O Rate Tag with the following point attribute values.
|Attribute |Value |
|PointSource |L |
|PointType |float32 |
|Compressing |0 |
|ExcDev |0 |
The default settings can be used for the remaining PI Point attributes.
When Compressing is set to Zero the I/O Rate Tag acts like a heartbeat tag for the interface, which can be examined easily in PI ProcessBook with markers turned on. If a value is not written to the I/O Rate Tag every 10 minutes, there is problem with the interface communication.
Configuration on the Interface Node
For the following examples, assume that the name of the PI tag is batfile001, and that the name of the I/O Rate on the home node is batfile001.
NT Nodes
1. Edit/Create a file called iorates.dat in the PIHOME\dat directory. The PIHOME directory is defined either by the PIPCSHARE entry or the PIHOME entry in the pipc.ini file, which is located in the \WinNT directory. If both are specified, the PIPCSHARE entry takes precedence.
Since the PIHOME directory is typically C:\PIPC, the full name of the iorates.dat file will typically be C:\PIPC\dat\iorates.dat.
Add a line in the iorates.dat file of the form:
batfile001, x
where batfile001 is the name of the I/O Rate Tag and x corresponds to the first instance of the /ec=x flag in the startup command file. X can be any number between 1 and 34 or between 51 and 200, inclusive. However, it is best to use an event counter, x, that is not equal to 1 because 1 is the default event counter for the interface.
To specify additional rate counters for additional copies of the interface, create additional I/O Rate tags and additional entries in the iorates.dat file. The event counter, /ec=x, should be unique for each copy of the interface.
2. Set the /ec=x flag on the startup command file of the interface to match the event counter in the iorates.dat file.
3. The interface must be stopped and restarted in order for the I/O Rate tag to take effect. I/O Rates will not be written to the tag until 10 minutes after the interface is started.
UNIX Nodes
1. Edit/Create a file called iorates.dat in the $PIHOME\dat directory. PIHOME is an environment variable that is set equal to the PI home directory name as discussed in the PI-API Installation Instructions manual.
Add a line in the iorates.dat file of the form:
batfile001, x
where batfile001 is the name of the I/O Rate Tag and x corresponds to the first instance of the /ec=x flag in the startup command file. X can be any number between 1 and 34 or between 51 and 200, inclusive. However, it is best to use an event counter, x, that is not equal to 1 because 1 is the default event counter for the interface.
To specify additional rate counters for additional copies of the interface, create additional I/O Rate tags and additional entries in the iorates.dat file. The event counter, /ec=x, should be unique for each copy of the interface.
2. Set the /ec=x flag on the startup command file of the interface to match the event counter in the iorates.dat file.
3. The I/O Rate shared memory server and the I/O Rate monitor program must be stopped and started for the changes to take effect. The easiest way to do this is to run the pistop and pistart command scripts with the following commands:
sh $PIHOME/bin/pistop
nohup sh $PIHOME/bin/pistart
One can determine that the shared memory server and the I/O Rate monitor are running with the commands:
Ps –ef | grep ioshmsrv
Ps –ef | grep iorates
Open VMS Nodes
I/O Rates are discussed on page DA-59 of PI System Manual I.
To implement an I/O Rate tag, perform the following steps.
1. Add a line to the PISysDat:IORates.dat file of the form:
batfile001, x
where x corresponds to the event counter specified in the startup command file of the interface. X can be any number between 1 and 34 or between 51 and 200, inclusive. However, it is best to use an event counter, x, that is not equal to 1 because 1 is the default event counter for the interface. The event counter should be unique for each copy of the interface. The PISysDat:IORates.dat file must be edited on the node where the interface is running. That is, if the interface is running on a PINet node, then the PISysDat:IORates.dat file on the PINet node must be edited, not the PISysDat:IORates.dat file on the home node.
2. Set the event counter number in the startup command file of the interface to match the event counter in the PISysDat:IORates.dat file.
3. Stop and start the I/O Rates process with the following commands so that the changes take effect:
@PISysExe:stop iorates
@PISysExe:
1. Data File Format
NT and UNIX Data Files
The BatchFile Data records consist of PI Tagname or Alias, timestamp, and value. Optionally, there can be a digital ordinal number in the fourth field and a questionable bit in the fifth field.
There are several options for the data file format described in the section Startup for NT and UNIX. Edit the batchfl.bat file for NT or batchfl.sh file for UNIX to configure the format.
Field One – Required
The first field may use any one of the 3 possibilities below. It will be consistent in each data file for each instance of the interface.
Tag Name
This is the PI Tag.
Point Number
The PI point number can be used instead of a tagname by using the command line parameter /tn.
Alias
When using the Alias Tag command line argument (/as = E or I), the data file will have an Alias Tagname instead of a PI tagname or PI tag number. The interface will search for the alias tag in the Extended Descriptor (E) or Instrument Tag (I) of the points with the specified point source. The interface will HALT if anything other than an E or an I is passed. The strings in the extended descriptor or instrument tag field and the alias tag field in the data line are not case sensitive. All strings are converted to upper case before being used.
Delimiter – Required
The delimiter between the fields defaults to a comma ‘,’ Passing a command line parameter of /fs= can change this.
Field Two – Required
The time of the data may be either in absolute time or in seconds since 1970 in local time.
Time Stamp
The time stamp is in the form dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss or dd-mmm-yy hh:mm:ss (two-character year). When connected to a PI 3.1 or higher server, the timestamp can have sub-second data. E.g.: dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss.nnnn.
Seconds Since 1970
By passing a command line parameter of /ts, the number of seconds since 1970 in local time will be expected in the time field. This can also be a sub-second time. Ex: 90009009.1255
Seconds Since 1970 (UTC)
By passing a command line parameter of /tsu, the number of seconds since 1970 in UTC time will be expected in the time field. This can also be a sub-second time. Ex: 90009009.1255
Field Three – Required
The value field can be any appropriate numeric type, a digital state string, or a string for string type points available on PI 3 servers.
Field Four – Optional
There can be a digital ordinal number (0,1,2,,,) in the fourth field. A value in the ordinal field will take precedence over any value in the value field according to the rules below.
• Ordinal values of 0 through X for non-digital points will result in the system digital state corresponding to the negative of the ordinal being written to the points. However, a value of 0 for Real or Integer type points is not valid and will be ignored.
• Ordinal values of 0 through X for Digital points specify the offset into the point’s digital state set that will be written to the point.
• Ordinal values of –1 through –X specify the system digital state to be written to the point.
Field Five – Optional
A questionable bit in the fifth field. 1 for questionable bit being set, 0 for not set. Questionable indicates that there is some reason to doubt the accuracy of the value. The functions in the extended PI_API give programmers access to these flags through a separate argument labeled flags.
Example File
The following is an example of a data file:
au1311.01,29-May-1998 07:00:25.21,234.3,,1
au1321.01,29-May-1998 08:00:26.1,2.3,,1
au1331.01,29-May-1998 08:30:00,34.3,,1
au1301.01,29-May-1998 07:30:00,BAD DATA
au1302.01,29-May-1998 07:00:50,ON,1,0
au1303.01,29-May-1998 07:00:00,OFF
au1304.01,29-May-1998 17:00:00,RUNNING
au1305.01,29-May-1998 17:00:00,Value has exceeded high limit
VMS Data Files
BatchFile Data records consist of PI Tag name, Time stamp for the data when put in the database, and value.
The following is an example of a file:
au1311.01,29-MAR-1990 07:30:00,234.3
au1321.02,29-MAR-1990 08:00:00,1.2
au1331.03,29-MAR-1990 08:30:50,34
au1301.01,29-MAR-1990 07:30:00,BAD DATA
au1302.02,29-MAR-1990 07:00:50,OFF
au1303.03,29-MAR-1990 07:00:50,ON
au1304.04,29-MAR-1990 17:00:00,RUNNING
Note: The fields are separated by commas. The first field is the PI Tag name.
The next field is the time stamp, i.e. (format: dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss)
The last field is the value (float, integer, or digital state).
The digital state can be an offset for digital tags.
Startup Command File
PI-Interface Configuration Utility on NT
The PI-Interface Configuration & Management Utility is an application that aids in PI System management by consolidating the setup and configuration options required for new and existing PI Interfaces.
Any new or existing PI Interface can be configured and maintained using PI-ICU.
PI-ICU uses the PI-Module Database on the PI Server as a host for its interface startup information, so PI 3.3 on Windows NT/2000 is required on the host PI server. In order to access the interface startup information stored in the Module Database, PI-SDK 1.1 must be installed on the machine where the Interface/PI-ICU run.
Version Requirements
PI Host Server (PI Home Node)
• PI 3.3.361.43 or greater
PI-ICU/Interface Node
• Windows NT/2000
• PI-SDK 1.1.0.142 or greater (installed by the PI-ICU setup)
Functions
PI-ICU includes a series of concise dialogs and tab sheets that allow the user to:
• Set all Interface parameters
• Start and stop the interface interactively or as a service
• View and configure Interface service dependencies
• Configure and run PI-Buffer Server application
• Configure and run PI-Log Server application
Options
PI-ICU also includes an assortment of tools and options that allow the user to:
• Manage multiple PI Interfaces
• Quickly find and view the PIPC log files
• Execute Interface configuration diagnostics
• Run Bufutil Buffering utility (Not recommended for this interface.)
PI-ICU BatchFL Control on NT
The PI-ICU for the Batch File interface is a graphical interface utility that assists the user in creating the interface startup file, amongst other things.
[pic]
The BatchFL control for PI-ICU has five sections. Yellow indicates that an invalid value has been entered, or that a required value has not been entered.
Data Files
Path
Specifies the path pointing to the directory where Batch File interface data files.
Mask
Specifies the data file mask. Processed files will have 999 added to the file name. Do not make data files with 999 at the end of the name. They will be ignored and purged.
Purge Files
Specifies the age of processed data files to be deleted. In this example, processed data files older than 2 days are deleted. The command line equivalent is /pu.
Pause Between Parsing Files
Specifies the number of seconds to pause between processing files. This can be used to throttle the rate that the data files get processed. The command line equivalent is /sl=xxx.
Data Handling
Replace Existing Events
Uses putlabvalue so data can be replaced. Default is putsnapshot. Extended API supported so string tags and sub-second timestamps are supported. The command line equivalent is /lb.
Note: You must have a PI 3.2 SR1 or higher server and PI-API 1.3.0 or higher to support string tags and sub-second timestamps.
Do Exception Reporting
Uses pisendexceptions instead of putsnapshotsx. Supports extended API, so string tags and sub-second timestamps are supported. The command line equivalent is /ex.
Note: You must have a PI 3.2 SR1 or higher server and PI-API 1.3.0 or higher to support string tags and sub-second timestamps.
Enable Data Scaling (userreal1)
With version 2.6 or higher, scaling can be performed on the data. If you put a /sc in the startup .bat file, the UserReal1 point attribute will be read and the value will be multiplied by the value in the data file. This is only for integer and real type points. No scaling will be done if the UserReal1 value is equal 0.0. The command line equivalent is /sc.
Adjust Timestamps
Specifies the number of minutes to adjust the timestamp, ie: 60 will add 60 minutes to the timestamp in the data file. –60 will subtract 60 minutes from the timestamp in the data file. The command line equivalent is /ta=x or /ta=-x.
Input Data File Format
Field Separator
Specifies the field separator between tagname and timestamp, and timestamp and value. This is an optional parameter. If not specified a comma(‘,’) is used. The command line equivalent is /fs=x.
Use Tag Number Instead of Name
Specifies that the data line has a tag number instead of the tagname. If not specified, the tagname is used. The command line equivalent is /tn.
Use Alias Tag
Alias tag in point field instead of PI tag name. Looks in the PI tag’s extended descriptor or instrument tag field for matches with the alias tag in the data.
E indicates extended descriptor has alias tag name
I indicates instrument tag field has alias tag name.
Anything else will cause the interface to HALT after writing an error message. The command line equivalent is /ta=I or /ta=E.
Timestamps
• PI string time format
Data files specify timestamps in standard PI Time format: dd-mm-yy hh:mm:ss. No command line parameter is required, as this is the default behavior.
• Seconds since 1970 (local time)
Data files specify timestamps in number of seconds since 1970 (local time) in time field instead of time string. The command line equivalent is /ts.
• Seconds since 1970 (UTC time)
Data files specify timestamps in number of seconds since 1970 in UTC time in time field instead of time string. The command line equivalent is /tsu.
Debug Flags
Debug Enabled
The Debug Enabled check box is used to turn on debug messaging. The command line equivalent is /db.
Verbose Debug Enabled
The Verbose Debug Enabled check box is used to turn on verbose and detailed debug messaging. The command line equivalent is /dev.
Additional Arguments
The Additional Arguments section is provided for any flags that may be required in the future.
Command-line Parameters for NT and UNIX
Notes for NT
For NT, command file names have a .bat extension. The NT continuation character (^) allows one to use multiple lines for the startup command. The maximum length of each line is 1024 characters (1 kilobyte). The number of flags is unlimited, and the maximum length of each flag is 1024 characters.
Note: The PI-ICU BatchFL Control is the preferred method of managing the startup file on NT. The information below may be used as a more detailed reference.
Notes for UNIX
For UNIX, command file names typically have a .sh extension, but UNIX does not enforce file-naming conventions. The backslash (\) continuation character allows one to use multiple lines for the startup command. There is no limit to the command-line length and there is no limit to the number or length of the command-line parameters.
|Parameter |Description |
|/ps=x |The /ps flag specifies the point source for the interface. X is not case sensitive and|
|Optional |can be any single character. For example, /ps=L and /ps=l are equivalent. |
| |The point source that is assigned with the /ps flag corresponds to the PointSource |
| |attribute of individual PI Points. The interface will attempt to load only those PI |
| |points with the appropriate point source. |
|/f=SS |The /f flag specifies the cycle time, in seconds for the checking for data files. |
|Required | |
|/host=host:port |The /host flag is used to specify the PI Home node. Host is the IP address of the PI |
|Optional |Sever node or the domain name of the PI Server node. Port is the port number for |
| |TCP/IP communication. The port is always 5450 for a PI 3 Server, and the port is |
| |always 545 for a PI 2 Server. It is recommended to explicitly define the host and port|
| |on the command line with the /host flag. Nevertheless, if either the host or port is |
| |not specified, the interface will attempt to use defaults. |
| |Defaults: |
| |The default port name and server name is specified in the pilogin.ini or piclient.ini |
| |file. The piclient.ini file is ignored if a pilogin.ini file is found. Refer to the |
| |PI-API Installation Instructions manual for more information on the piclient.ini and |
| |pilogin.ini files. |
| |Examples: |
| |The interface is running on an API node, the domain name of the PI 3 home node is |
| |Marvin, and the IP address of Marvin is 206.79.198.30. Valid /host flags would be: |
| |/host=marvin |
| |/host=marvin:5450 |
| |/host=206.79.198.30 |
| |/host=206.79.198.30:5450 |
|/ec |The first instance of the /ec flag on the command line is used to specify a counter |
|or |number, x, for an I/O Rate point. If x is not specified, then the default event |
|/ec=x |counter is 1. Also, if the /ec flag is not specified at all, there is still a default |
|Optional |event counter of 1 associated with the interface. If there is an I/O Rate point that |
| |is associated with an event counter of 1, each copy of the interface that is running |
| |without /ec=x explicitly defined will write to the same I/O Rate point. This means |
| |that one should either explicitly define an event counter other than 1 for each copy |
| |of the interface or one should not associate any I/O Rate points with event counter 1.|
| |Configuration of I/O Rate points is discussed in the section called “I/O Rate Points,”|
| |page 25. |
|/fs=x |The /fs flag specifies the field separator between tagname and timestamp, and |
|Optional, |timestamp and value. This is an optional parameter. If not specified a comma (‘,’) is |
|default: |used. |
|/fs=, | |
|/id=x |The /id flag is used to specify the interface identifier. For example, |
|Optional |/id=int1 |
| |The interface identifier is a string that is no longer than 9 characters in length. |
| |The interface concatenates this string to the header that is used to identify error |
| |messages as belonging to a particular interface. |
| |No identifier will be used if the /id= is not passed. |
|/pu=-xx |Specifies the age of processed data files to be deleted. Ex: /pu=-2d data files older |
|Optional |than 2 days are deleted. |
|/tn |Specifies that the data line has a tag number instead of the tagname. If not |
|Optional |specified, the tagname is used. |
|/lb |Use putlabvalue so data can be replaced. Default is putsnapshot. Extended API is |
|Optional |supported so string tags and sub-second timestamps are supported. Out of order data is|
| |accepted in this mode. If a /lb or a /ex is not passed, the default is putsnapshot |
| |and out of order data will be rejected and error messages will be written. |
| |Note: You must have a PI 3.2 SR1 or higher server and PI-API 1.3.0 or higher to |
| |support string tags and sub-second timestamps. |
|/ts |Use number of seconds since 1970 (local time) in time field instead of time string. |
|Optional | |
|/tsu |Use number of seconds since 1970 (UTC) in time field instead of time string. |
|Optional | |
|/ex |Use pisendexceptions instead of putsnapshotsx. Supports extended API, so string tags |
|Optional |and sub-second timestamps are supported. Out of order data is rejected and error |
| |messages written in this mode. If a /lb or a /ex is not passed, the default is |
| |putsnapshot and out of order data will be rejected and error messages will be written |
| |to the pipc.log file. |
| |Note: You must have a PI 3.2 SR1 or higher server and PI-API 1.3.0 or higher to |
| |support string tags and sub-second timestamps. |
|/as=E or I |Alias tag in point field instead of PI tag name. Looks in the PI tag’s extended |
|Optional |descriptor or instrument tag field for matches with the alias tag in the data. |
| |E indicates extended descriptor has alias tag name. |
| |I indicates instrument tag field has alias tag name. |
| |Anything else will cause the interface to HALT after writing an error message. |
|/sl=xx |Specifies the number of seconds to pause between processing files. This can be used to|
|Optional |throttle the rate that the data files get processed. |
|/sc |With version 2.6 or higher, scaling can be performed on the data. If you put a /sc in|
|Optional |the startup .bat file, the UserReal1 point attribute will be read and the value will |
| |be multiplied by the value in the data file. This is only for integer and real type |
| |points. No scaling will be done if the UserReal1 value equals 0.0. |
|/ta=xx |Specifies the number of minutes to adjust the timestamp, ie: /ta=60 will add |
|Optional |60 minutes to the timestamp in the data file. /ta=-60 will subtract 60 minutes from |
| |the timestamp in the data file. |
|/oo |Enable data to be entered out of order. Default is not to allow out-of-order data. |
|Optional |/lb will allow out of order data regardless of whether the /oo flag is passed. |
|/db |Specifies that debug messages be written to the log files. |
|Optional | |
|/dev |Specifies that more detailed debug messages should be written to the log file. |
|Optional | |
Sample File for NT
The following is a manually generated NT sample startup file.
REM batchfl.bat
REM
REM This command procedure passes required, default parameters to
REM process batchfl.
REM
REM Required command-line parameters
REM /f= Frequency in seconds to check for new data files
REM /pa= Path and mask to data files
REM /pu= Relative purge time to delete processed data files -xh,-xd. –xm
REM
REM Optional command-line parameters
REM /ps= Point source character. Default is none.
REM /host= Name of PI home node:port number Default is localhost:5450
REM For a PI2 server, port is 545, For a PI3 server, port is 5450
REM /fs= Character to separate fields in data line. Default is comma
REM /id= Character string no longer than 9 characters.
REM The interface concatenates this string to the header that is
REM used to identify error messages as belonging to a particular
REM interface. No identifier will be use if the /id= is not passed.
REM /tn Read point number instead of tag name in data line.
REM Default is read tag name.
REM /lb Use putlabvalue. Allows data to be replaced.
REM Default is to use putsnapshot.
REM /ts Time field is number of seconds since 1970 instead of time string
REM /tsu Time field is number of seconds since 1970 in UTC time.
REM /ex Use pi send exception instead of putsnapshots
REM /as= Alias tag in point field instead of pi point.
REM E for alias tag in extended descriptor
REM I for alias tag in instrument tag field.
REM /sl= Specify the number of seconds to pause between processing files.
REM /sc Scaling will be performed on the data. The userreal1
REM attribute will be read and the value will be multiplied by the
REM value in the data file. This is only for integer and real type
REM points. No scaling will be done if the userreal1 value is 0.0.
REM /ta= Adjust the timestamp by + or – XX number of minutes.
REM /oo Enable data to be enterd out of order. Default is not
REM to allow out of order data. /lb will always allow out of order
REM data regardless.
REM /db Turns on additional debug messages
REM /dev Turns on more detailed debug messages
REM
REM Sample command line
REM Run string needs a space between arguments, no spaces within argument.
REM
..\interfaces\batchfl\batchfl /host:dragon:5450 /f=60 /pa=c:\batchfl\*.dat /pu=-1d
REM
REM end of batchfl.bat
Sample batchfl.sh File for Unix
The following is a UNIX example:
#
# @(#)batchfl.sh 1.0 07/29/96
#
#
# This command procedure passes required, default parameters to
# process batchfl.
#
#
# Required command-line parameters
# /f= Frequency in seconds to check for new data files
# /pa= Path and mask to data files
# /pu= Relative purge time to delete processed data
# files (-Xh,-Xd,-Xm)
#
# Optional command-line parameters
# /ps= Point source character. Default is none.
# /host= Name of PI home node:port number Default is localhost:5450
# For a PI2 server, port is 545, For a PI3 server, port is 5450
# /fs= A character to separate fields in data line.
# Default is comma
# /id= A character string that is no longer than 9 characters in length.
# The interface concatenates this string to the header that is
# used to identify error messages as belonging to a particular
# interface. No identifier will be use if the /id= is not passed.
# /tn Read point number instead of tag name in data line.
# Default is read tag name.
# /lb Use putlabvalue instead of putsnapshot. Allows data to be replaced.
# Default is to use putsnapshot.
# /ts Time field is number of seconds since 1970 instead of time string.
# /tsu Time field is number of seconds since 1970 in UTC time.
# /ex Use pi send exception instead of putsnapshots.
# /as= Alias tag in point field instead of pi point.
# E for alias tag in extended descriptor
# I for alias tag in instrument tag field.
# /sl= Specify the number of seconds to pause between processing files.
# /sc Scaling will be performed on the data. The userreal1 point
# attribute will be read and the value will be multiplied by the value in the
# data file. This is only for integer and real type points. No scaling will
# be done if the userreal1 value is equal 0.0.
# /ta= Adjust the timestamp by + or – XX number of minutes.
# /oo Enable data to be enterd out of order. Default is NOT to
# allow out of order data. /lb will allow out of order data regardless.
# /db Turns on additional debug messages
#/dev Turns on more detailed debug messages
#
# Run string needs a space between arguments, no spaces within argument.
#
echo “Starting Batchfl Interface”
./batchfl /host=dragon:5450 /f=60 /pa=/usr/labdata/*.dat /pu=-1d \
/host=casaba > ../../log/batchfl.log 2>&1 &
Command-line Parameters for VMS
Notes for VMS
For VMS, command file names have a .com extension. The VMS continuation character (-) allows one to use multiple lines in the command file. However, the maximum number of characters in a single or multi-line command is 256 characters. That is, adding continuation characters may make the command file easier to read, but they do not extend the 256-character limitation.
When the interface is installed, the following parameters in this file should be adjusted.
|Parameter |Description |
|1 |Number of seconds to wait before checking for data files. If less than 1 minute, a default time of |
| |900 seconds will be used. |
|2 |Point source character of the points to search for. |
|3 |Path and mask of data files. Processed files will have 999 added to the end of the file name. Do not |
| |make data files with 999 at the end of the name, they will be ignored and purged. |
| |The path needs to be specified even if in the default dir. |
|4 |Event counter number should match that of a tag in PISysDat:IORates.dat. A range of 1 – 34, 51 - 200.|
| |Default of 20 is used if an invalid counter is specified. |
|5 |How long should processed files be kept after they have been processed? The format for time is |
| |relative format. For example, 2d will delete files 2 days after they were processed. The time must be|
| |in the past, or a default purge time of 2d will be used. |
Note: The parameters for the VMS version of this interface are order-dependent.
Sample File for VMS
You can adjust parameters by editing PISysExe::
$ ! 4/7/89 MMG
$ !
$ ! Command file to read values from a BATCHFL Interface File
$ ! The parameters for the BATCHFL.exe run string must
$ ! be entered in the order below:
$ ! 1 – frequency of check(secs) (300 = 5min)
$ ! 2 – Point source character
$ ! 3 – Path and mask of data files
$ ! 4 – Event counter number (1-34, 51-200)
$ ! 5 – Time for data files to be Purged
$ ! (dd-mmm-yy hh:mm:ss or – n d/h/m)
$ !
$ BATCHFL :== $PISysExe:BATCHFL.exe
$ BATCHFL 900 L [batchfl]*.dat 20 –2D
Interface Node Clock
NT
The correct settings for the time and time zone should be set in the Date/Time control panel. From this control panel, configure the time to be automatically adjusted for Daylight Savings Time. The correct local settings should be used even if the interface node runs in a different time zone than the PI Server node.
Make sure that the TZ environment variable is not defined. The currently defined environment variables can be listed by going to Start | Settings | Control Panel, double clicking on the system icon, and selecting the environment tab on the resulting dialog box. Also, make sure that the TZ variable is not defined in an autoexec.bat file. When the TZ variable is defined in an autoexec.bat file, the TZ variable may not appear as being defined in the System control panel even though the variable is defined. Admittedly, autoexec.bat files are not typically used on NT, but this does not prevent a rogue user from creating such a file and defining the TZ variable unbeknownst to the System Administrator.
UNIX
The correct time and time zone must be configured on the interface node. Also, the interface node should be configured to automatically adjust for daylight savings time for locations that use daylight savings time. The correct local settings should be used even if the interface node runs in a different time zone than the PI Server node.
VMS
By default, the system time of a PINet node is synchronized with the system time on the PI Server node once every hour by the PINETSYNC program. Edit the PINet: file to alter he behavior of the PINETSYNC. The synchronization interval can be changed, a time offset between the PINet node and the server node can be applied, and/or time synchronization can be disabled. The command-line parameters for implementing these changes are described in the PINet: file itself.
Security
NT and UNIX
If the home node is a PI 3 Server, the PI Firewall Database and the PI Proxy Database must be configured so that the interface is allowed to write data to the PI Data Archive. See “Modifying the Firewall Database” and “Modifying the Proxy Database” in the PI Data Archive Manual.
If the home node is a PI 2 Server, the read/write permissions should be set appropriately in the pisysdat:piserver.dat file on the PI 2 home node. For more information on setting permissions on PI 2, see the pibuild:piserver.txt file on the PI 2 home node.
If the interface cannot write data to a PI 3 Server because it has insufficient privileges, a –10401 error will be reported in the pipc.log file. If the interface cannot send data to a PI2 Serve, it writes a –999 error. See the section “Appendix A: Error and Informational Messages” for additional information on error messaging.
VMS
If the interface runs on a PINet node and communicates to a PI 3 Server, make sure that the PI Firewall Database and the PI Proxy Database are configured so that the PINet node is allowed to write data to the Archive. For more information, see “Modifying the Firewall Database” and “Modifying the Proxy Database” in the PI Data Archive manual.
If the interface runs on a PINet node and communicates to a PI 2 Server, make sure that the PINet node has read/write permission to the PI 2 Archive by checking the configuration in the PISysDat:PIServer.dat file on the PI 2 home node. For more information on setting permissions on PI 2, see the PIBuild.PIServer.txt file on the PI 2 Server.
If the interface cannot write data to a PI 2 or PI 3 Server owing to permission problems, error –10401 will be written to the PISysMgr:PIMesslog.txt file.
Starting / Stopping the Interface on NT
This section describes starting and stopping the interface once it has been installed as a service. See the UniInt End User Document to run the interface interactively.
Note: If your PI Home node is version 3.3 or greater, you should use the PI-ICU for interface administration.
Starting Interface as a Service
If the interface was installed a service, it can be started from the services control panel or with the command:
batchfl.exe –start
A message will be echoed to the screen informing the user whether or not the interface has been successfully started as a service. Even if the message indicates that the service started successfully, make sure that the service is still running by checking in the services control panel. There are several reasons that a service may immediately terminate after startup. One is that the service may not be able to find the command-line arguments in the associated .bat file. For this to succeed, the root name of the .bat file and the .exe file must be the same, and the .bat file and the .exe file must be in the same directory. If the service terminates prematurely for whatever reason, no error messages will be echoed to the screen. The user must consult the pipc.log file for error messages. See the section “Appendix A: Error and Informational Messages.”
Stopping Interface Running as a Service
If the interface was installed a service, it can be stopped at any time from the services control panel or with the command:
batchfl.exe –stop
The service can be removed by:
batchfl.exe –remove
Starting / Stopping the Interface on UNIX
This section describes starting and stopping the interface as a background process. See the UniInt End User Document to run the interface as a foreground process.
Command-Line Syntax for Background Processes
Jobs that are run in the background remain in existence even after the user that has started the process has logged off of the system. The command line in the batchfl1.sh startup command file should begin with nohup and end with &. For example:
nohup batchfl1.exe program_arguments > batchfl1.log 2>&1 &
The & at the end of the command line causes the job to be launched in the background. The nohup at the beginning of the command line causes hang-ups and quits to be ignored. HPUX boxes are notorious for sending hang-up signals to jobs that a user has started when that user logs off. Always execute a background job with nohup, either by incorporating it into the startup command file of the interface or by typing nohup batchfl1.sh or nohup sh batchfl1.sh from the terminal. Unless the job is executed with nohup, the hang-up signal will cause the job to be terminated even if it is run in the background.
A job that is started with nohup will have its standard output redirected to the file nohup.out, unless the standard output is redirected to a different file name. On the command line above, the standard output is redirected with the > director to the file batchfl1.log.
The optional sequence 2>&1 causes the standard error to be redirected to standard output so that the standard error will also appear in batchfl1.log. System commands typically send error messages to the standard error. For example, the command:
cat nonexistentfile
fails with the error message “cat: cannot open nonexistent file: No such file or directory.” This error message is redirected to the standard error, which is normally seen on the screen.
Typically, messages that interfaces write to the standard output are also written to the $PIHOME/dat/pimesslogfile. To avoid this duplication, the user can redirect the standard output to the null device, which discards the messages. For example:
nohup batchfl1.exe program_arguments > /dev/null &
redirects the standard output to the null device. Initially, it is recommended to use the first command-line example, where the output is redirected to the batchfl1.log file.
Terminating Background Processes
First, obtain the process id (pid) of the background job. This is done as follows. First execute the command:
ps –ef | grep batchfl
which produces output similar to:
matzen 12788 12707 2 09:55:27 ttys1 0:00 batchfl1.exe /ps=B …
The second column is the pid of the process. That is, 12788 is the pid of the batchfl1.exe interface in the example above.
The process is then stopped by:
kill 12788
The kill command sends the SIGTERM signal to the interface, causing the exit handler to be invoked.
Unless it cannot be avoided, do NOT stop the interface with kill –9 pid. The option -9 causes the SIGKILL signal to be sent to the interface. The exit handler cannot catch this signal. SIGKILL will immediately terminate the process.
Anomalous Background Job Termination
On some platforms, processes that are started in the background will be terminated if one types “control-c” in the same window that the job was started in. If one closes the window in which the interface was started or if one logs off and logs back on, the user will not be able to accidentally terminate the job in this manner.
Starting / Stopping the Interface on VMS
This section describes starting and stopping the interface as a detached process. See the UniInt End User Document to run the interface interactively.
Starting a Detached Process
The interface is started as a detached process with the command file. Typically, the file does not need to be edited, because the command-line parameters are edited in the associated batchfl#.com file. However, in some cases it may be necessary to edit the file to increase quotas such as the page file size. Detached processes continue running after the user who started the process logs off.
The following is an example of a file.
|$! 09-Apr-99 GWM OSI SOFTWARE, INC |
|$! |
|$! starts the batchfl interface as a detached |
|$! Process by detaching the command file batchfl#.com. |
|$! |
|$! The following parameters must be passed to : |
|$! 1 – interface number (1-99) |
|$ if ('P1' .eq. "") then goto BadParameter |
|$! |
|$ if (f$search("pisysexe:batchfl''P1'.com") .nes. "") then goto Next |
|$ goto BadFile |
|$! |
|$ Next: |
|$ if (f$search("pisysexe:batchfl''P1'.out") .nes. "") then - |
|purge/keep=3 pisysexe:batchfl'P1'.out |
|$! |
|$ run/detach/uic=[system]/proc="PI-IFC-''P1'"/priority=4 - |
|/input=pisysexe:batchfl'P1'.com - |
|/output=pisysexe:batchfl'P1'.out- |
|/working_set=512/maximum_work=1024/extent=2048 - |
|/pagefile=10000/buffer=20480 sys$system:loginout |
|$ exit |
|$! |
|$ BadParameter: |
|$ write sys$output "The Interface # Must Be Passed" |
|$ exit |
|$! |
|$ BadFile: |
|$ write sys$output "batchfl''P1'.Com does NOT Exist..." |
|$ exit |
|$! End of File |
|$ |
Assuming that the example command file is used to start the interface, the following command will start instance 1 of the interface as a detached process:
@PISysExe:batchfldetach 1
The name of the process will be “PI-BATCHFL-1” as defined by the /proc flag to the run command in the above command file
The example command file performs the following tasks in the order listed.
1. The command file checks whether the interface number is passed as a command-line parameter to . If it is not passed, the command file will terminate with the error message:
The Interface # must be passed.
2. searches for the existence of the PISysExe: file, which is the file where the command-line parameters for the interface are set. If the file does not exist, the command file will terminate with the error message:
does not exist.
3. searches for the existence of the PISysExe:batchfl1.out interface-specific log file. If the file exits, the command file executes the purge command to eliminate all but the last three versions of this file.
4. The PI-BATCHFL-1 process is started with the run command. Several actions are performed by the run command:
• The name of the process is set to PI-BATCHFL-1 by the /proc flag.
• The UIC of the process is set to the system account by the /uic flag.
• The priority of the process is set to 4 by the /priority flag.
• The input command file for the process is set to PISysExe: by the /input flag.
• The standard output from the interface is redirected to the PISysExe:batchfl1.out file by the /output flag.
• The remaining parameters, /working_set, /maximum_work, /extent, /pagefile, and /buffer, are used to adjust the resources that are available to the interface.
Stopping the Interface
To stop the interface, issue the following command:
@PISysExe:stop PI-BATCHFL-1
Where 1 is the instance number of the process.
Appendix A
Error and Informational Messages
A string NameID is pre-pended to error messages written to the message log. Name is a non-configurable identifier that is no longer than 9 characters. ID is a configurable identifier that is no longer than 9 characters and is specified using the /id flag on the startup command line.
Message Logs
The location of the message log depends upon the platform on which the interface is running. See the UniInt End User Document for more information.
Messages are written to PIHOME\dat\pipc.log (NT and Unix) or PIsysexe:BATCHFL.out (VMS) at the following times.
• When the interface starts many informational messages are written to the log. These include the version of the interface, the version of UniInt, the command-line parameters used, and the number of points.
• As the interface retrieves points, messages are sent to the log if there are any problems with the configuration of the points.
• If the /db is used on the command line, then various informational messages are written to the log file.
• For invalid parameters and defaults used.
• The number of points found for the BATCHFL interface.
• When a file has not been processed for more than 24 hours.
• When a file has been processed and the last file that has been processed was done more than 24 hours ago.
• When more than one point is found for a record.
• When a Digital state is not found.
• When a PI Point is not found for data.
• For an error when putting a Lab Value in the archive.
• = message written with data record and file name.
They are only written to BATCHFL.out for data errors. One message per data file is written to the PI message log with the number of data errors found and the name of the data file.
If the PI Point is not found, only one error message is written in BATCHFL.out.
System Errors and PI Errors
System errors are associated with positive error numbers. Errors related to PI are associated with negative error numbers.
Error Descriptions on NT
On NT, descriptions of system and PI errors can be obtained with the pidiag utility:
\PI\adm\pidiag –e error_number
Error Descriptions on VMS
On VMS, descriptions of system errors can be obtained with the exit command:
exit positive_error_number
1. Revision History
|Date |Author |Comments |
|05-Jun-96 |MMG |Initial draft |
|23-July-96 |MMG |Revised for NT platform |
|12-Sep-96 |MMG |Revised for Unix platforms |
|23-Sep-96 |JFZ |Added tar –xv command for UNIX platforms |
|21-Nov-96 |MMG |Revised for running as a NT service |
|25-Jun-97 |SRG |Minor formatting changes. |
|11-Dec-97 |MMG |Combine vms and nt/unix documents and update nt/unix part t0 |
| | |version 1.5 |
|14-Feb-98 |JFZ |Added info for installing VMS interface from tape |
|17-Jul-98 |MMG |Add /lb startup parameter for nt/unix. Change installation for NT |
| | |to use new service install commands. Version 1.6.6 |
|23-Oct-98 |MMG |Add new startup parameters for NT/UNIX. Version 1.8.x |
|7-Dec-98 |MMG |Add /tsu startup parameter |
|23-Jul-99 |MMG |Version 2.1.0 on NT or UNIX for new API calls that support |
| | |replacing string data and sub-second data with the /lb parameter. |
|29-Feb-00 |MMG |New features for alias tag (match extended descriptor or |
| | |Instrument tag field) for NT or Unix Version 2.3 |
|6-Mar-00 |MMG |Support extended API call for exception reporting /ex. |
|2-May-00 |CG |Standardize format |
|9-June-00 |MMG |Add description for /sl parameter and adding lanworkstation as a |
| | |dependency for when data is on a mapped drive. NT/Unix version |
| | |2.4.x |
|18-Sept-00 |JMP |Updated manual to skeleton 1.02 |
|10-Oct-00 |JMP |Updated manual to skeleton 1.03; eliminated index |
|17-Nov-00 |MMG |Updated manual for nt/unix version 2.6 or higher. Added a /sc to |
| | |allow for scaling data |
|21-Nov-00 |MMG |Update manual for nt/unix version 2.7 or higher. Added a /id= |
| | |parameter for putting in error messages for identifying what |
| | |interface the messages are coming from. |
|8-Dec-00 |MMG |Add description about how out of order data is rejected |
|6-Mar-01 |MMG |Take out comma in install lanworkstation dependency |
|04-Jul-01 |HAB |Added BatchFL ICU Control section. |
|22-Aug-01 |MMG |Clean up, clear up what is in VMS version. Fix startup table. Add|
| | |/00 startup parameter. |
|22-Aug-01 |CG |Formatting |
|05-Sep-01 |HAB |Updated section on ICU Control |
|25-Sep-01 |CG |Continued reformatting; skeleton 1.09 |
|4-Oct-01 |MMG |Fixed typo in point source section |
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