Pulse 3

SCADA/HMI
Pulse Historian
Data Logger

August 2014

Pulse Historian - Data Logger

Copyright
The information in this document is subject to change without prior notice and does not
represent a commitment on the part of AFCON Control and Automation Ltd., AFCON
Software and Electronics Division.
No part of this document may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without
written permission from AFCON Control and Automation Ltd., AFCON Software and
Electronics Division.
The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement or a nondisclosure agreement.
The software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the agreement.
It is against the law to copy this software on any other medium for any purpose other than
the purchaser's personal use.
Copyright 2014 AFCON Control and Automation Ltd., AFCON Software and Electronics
Division.
All rights reserved.

Pulse logos are registered trademarks of AFCON Control and Automation Ltd., AFCON
Software and Electronics Division.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other
countries.

Pulse Historian - Data Logger

Table of Contents
Copyright....................................................................................................... 2
Pulse Data Logger.............................................................................................. 4
Data Logger Functionality................................................................................. 4
Data Logger Groups ........................................................................................ 4

Historical Group............................................................................... 4
Report Group .................................................................................. 4

Activating the Data Logger ............................................................................... 5

Historical Data Collection for Database Blocks ..................................................... 6

Enabling Historical Data Collection ..................................................... 6

Historical Logger Groups .................................................................................. 7

Creating a Historical Logger Group ..................................................... 7

Report Logger Groups.................................................................................... 10

Creating a Report Logger Group....................................................... 10

Viewing the Historical and Report Logger Groups from the Item Manager
Window ................................................................................... 16

Pulse Historian - Data Logger

Pulse Data Logger

The Pulse Data Logger collects any item data and saves it to a compatible user database
or to a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel. The data is collected through triggered or time
events. It can then be retrieved from the database using standard SQL queries, which can
be used by the user for multiple purposes.
The Data Logger can be used as follows:

Generating reports
Creating graphs
Creating table lists, etc.

Data Logger Functionality

The user can gain multiple benefits from the Data Logger functionality:

Historical and report groups can be set from the Pulse Client within the Developer
Workstation.

Historical data (i.e., direct addresses) can be collected from any item and not just for
blocks.

Users can save their data to external databases or spreadsheets and may use third
party applications to retrieve specific data.

Data Logger Groups

There are two types of Data Logger groups:

Historical Group
Report Group

Historical Group
The Historical Group data is logged to a pre-defined Pulse database. The user can define
multiple Historical groups and multiple tags added to each group. The collection of data is
initiated by pre-defining a logging function such as time intervals, value change and other
functions.
Items that are set in a Historical group are automatically integrated as groups in Historical
Trends.

Report Group
The Report Group data is logged to a user-defined database. The user can define multiple
Report groups and multiple tags added to each group. The data is collected by setting up
Item tags and then defining one or multiple triggers to initiate the collection. The trigger
modes can be data capture at a certain scheduled time, change in value or a specific event.

Pulse Historian - Data Logger

Activating the Data Logger

When the Data Logger is enabled, it allows the user to save History data to any compatible
user database or to a form of spreadsheet instead of just the default .HIS files used in prior
versions of Pulse.
To activate the Data Logger functionality:
1

Open Project Setup and create a new project where you want to run the Data Logger
or select an existing project.

Set the new project as the default project.

Go to PCIM-Software > PCIM[x.x] > Projects > [Project Name - for Data
Logger] > Settings > Historical Data > Historical Data - Enable Collection.

The Historical Data - Enable Collection window is displayed.

Select Data Logger History Enabled from the Enable Historical Data Collection
drop-down list.
The Data Logger is enabled for the selected project. The Data Logger only collects data
to a database or to spreadsheet from the moment this option is set.

Pulse Historian - Data Logger

Historical Data Collection for Database Blocks

The collected and saved of History values are saved to the default Pulse database.
Historical data collection can be used with the following blocks for previous and present
versions of Pulse:

Analog Value
Digital Value
Calculation
Boolean

Enabling Historical Data Collection

To enable Historical data collection
1

Log into the Developer Workstation and go to the Database Explorer.

Create a new block by right-clicking on a block type and selecting New Block from the
pop-up menu
or
use a block that was previously created.
Collecting historical data can also be applied to old blocks but they have to be
configured to do so first. Previous history are not migrated.

In the Create New dialog box, define the block parameters.

Click to select the Enable History checkbox option in the History area to enable
collecting historical data from the block.
When enabling the History option for an Analog Value or Calculation block, the user can
also define the following parameters otherwise default values are set:

Logging Interval - The time interval between data recordings

Logging Dead Band - The range of the value the user sets that is
considered as a 'dead band'. The dead band is the value range that is not
logged.
For example, if the value set by the user is '1', then the data recorded is from
'2' or '-1', values like .5 or 1.5 are not logged.

Use Logging Average - Select this checkbox option to display the average
log value between the logging intervals.

Pulse Historian - Data Logger

Historical Logger Groups

The Historical Logger Group is defined from the Pulse Developer Workstation. The user can
define a historical group collection for a specific set of items that can be used in Historical
Trends (Historical Trend Graphs and Smart Information) or any third party application for
various purposes. Any item's history data can be collected without the need for blocks, i.e.,
direct addresses.

Creating a Historical Logger Group

To create a Historical Logger Group
1

Go to the Data Logger Explorer and expand the Groups folder.

Create a new Historical group by going to the tree and right-clicking on Groups >
Historical and selecting New from the pop-up menu option.

The Historical Logger Group dialog box is displayed. It consists of the General and
Tags tabs. The user can set the actions and values range in the General tab and set
the tag parameters in the Tags tab.

Pulse Historian - Data Logger

Enter a description for the Historical Logger Group in the Description field.

Define the following parameters in the General tab:

Log On Failed checkbox - Select this Action option to log when a failure is
recorded.

Action On Failed - Set the required action from the Action Selector when
a failure is recorded.

Enable Log Values Range checkbox - Select this checkbox option to

enable the parameters for logging the values that are within or out of range.

Log In Range - Select this option to log values that are within the specified
range; this parameter is only active when the Enable Log Values Range
option is selected.

Log Out of Range - Select this option to log the values that are out of the
specified range; this parameter is only active when the Enable Log Values
Range option is selected.

From - Provide the lowest value in this field.

To - Provide the highest value in this field.

Define the following parameters in the Tags tab:

Dead Band - Data Logger only logs the value when it is equal or greater
than the dead band value.

Logging Function drop-down list - Select the AnyChange, CurrentValue,

Average, Lowest, or Highest option from the drop-down list.

Pulse Historian - Data Logger

When the CurrentValue, Average, Lowest, or Highest option is selected,

the Logging Interval parameter is displayed.

Logging Interval - Define the logging interval period between logging

sessions.

Import from TSV button - Click this button to browse for the *.tsv file to
import.

Export to TSV button - Click this button to export the list to a *.tsv file.

Tag Name - The name of the tag.

Address - The address designated to the tag, i.e., AV1 or 1:1:40001.

Description - Provide a tag description.

Pulse Historian - Data Logger

Report Logger Groups

Report logger are defined from the Pulse Developer Workstation. The user can define a
Report group collection for a specific set of items, save the data to any user-defined
database or spreadsheet that can be used by any third party application for various uses.
Item history data are collected for blocks and for other items such as direct addresses.

Creating a Report Logger Group

To create a Report Logger Group
1

Go to the Data Logger Groups tree, right-click on Reports and select New from the
pop-up menu.
The Report Logger Group dialog box is displayed.

Enter a description for the Report Logger Group in the Description field.
The Report Logger Group dialog box consists of the following tabs:

General tab - Where the general parameters such as timeouts, description,

actions and log parameters are defined.

Triggers tab - Where triggers and their parameters are defined.

Connection tab - Provide the connection parameters here.

Tags tab - Define the tag and tag parameters here.

Define the following parameters in the General tab:

Tags Timeout (0 - 60 seconds) - Provide the timeout period for the tag
here.

Tags Loading Wait (0 - 60 seconds) - Provide the waiting time when

loading a tag in this field.

Load Tags before Report checkbox - Check this option to load tag data
before capturing the report tag values.

Log on Success checkbox - Select this Action option to log the successful
event to the Data Logger event log.

Action on Success - Set an action to execute, from the Action Selector

when an event is successful.

Log on Failed checkbox - Select this Action option to log a failed event to
the event log.

Action on Failed - Set an action to execute from the Action Selector when
a failure is recorded.

Log on Timeout checkbox - Select this Action option to log on a timeout

event to the event log.

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Action on Timeout - Set an action to execute from the Action Selector

when a timeout is recorded.

Define the following parameters in the Triggers tab:

The collection of data is initiated by triggers. The Triggers tab is used to add and
specify the trigger's mode and properties to initiate the collection of data.

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Trigger Name - The name of the Report trigger; the name is unique to each
group.

Trigger Mode - Select BySchedule, ByItemChange or ByEvent from the

drop-down list.

a.)

Define the following parameters when the BySchedule option is selected:

Starts on Pulse Startup - Select this option to activate the trigger for the
Data Logger Report during Pulse startup.

Start at - Select this option and set the time schedule when the Data Logger
Report should start collecting data.

End Time - Set the time schedule when the Data Logger Report should end
logging data, if no end time is selected, the data is only logged at start time.
Select the day(s) when the Data Logger Report trigger is activated by
clicking on the day of the corresponding checkbox(es): Sunday, Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday

Repeat Task Every checkbox - select this option to repeat the trigger
according to the frequency set on the drop-down list (from 1 to 60) and
select the type of frequency time, i.e., by seconds, minutes or hours

b.) If ByItemChange is selected as the Trigger Mode, then the Data Logger Report
is triggered when the specified tag item value is changed.

c.) If ByEvent is selected as the Trigger Mode, then the Data Logger Report is
triggered when an event occurs. Define the following parameters for this mode:

Event Mode - Select ByAnyChange, FromZeroToAny, or

FromAnyToZero from the drop-down list to set the type of trigger for the
event mode.

Event Expression - Define the expression for the event.

Skip First Trigger Data checkbox - Click to select this checkbox option to
cause Pulse to skip the first event Report trigger

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Define the following parameters in the Connection tab:

Provider - Select one of the following type of database connection from the
drop-down list:

SQL

Structured Query Language, the programming

language for managing data held in Relational
Database Management System

Access

A Microsoft Office data management system that

stores data in its own format based on the Access
Jet Database Engine. It can import or link directly to
data stored in the Pulse application and database

Oracle

An object-relational database management system

ODBC

Open Database Connectivity - accesses any user

defined Pulse database management system

CSV

Comma-Separated Values - stores tabular data

(numbers and text) in plain text form

When SQL is selected, define the following parameters:

Data Source - Define the path of the data source location.

User - Enter the SQL user name.

Password - Enter the SQL password, the entry appears in asterisks.

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Initial Catalog - Select tempdb, model, msdb or any of the available

database from the drop-down list

Target Table - Set this parameter from the Item Manager window

Connection String - Displays the string of the connection

Test Connection button - Click this button to see if the connection is

working; if successful, a Connection Success message is displayed.

When Access is selected, define the following parameters:

Data Source - Define the path of the data source location.

Target Table - Set this parameter from the Item Manager window.

Connection String - Displays the string of the connection.

Test Connection button - Click this button to see if the connection is

working; if successful, a Connection Success message is displayed.

When Oracle or ODBC is selected, define the following parameters:

Data Source - Define the path of the data source location.

User - Enter the SQL user name, the default is 'sa'.

Password - Enter the SQL password, the entry appears in asterisks.

Target Table - Set this parameter from the Item Manager window.

Connection String - Displays the string of the connection.

Test Connection button - Click this button to see if the connection is

working; if successful, a Connection Success message is displayed.

When CSV is selected, define the following parameters:

Target Table - Set this parameter from the Item Manager window.

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Define the following parameters in the Tags tab:

The Tag tab is used to compose the table in which the item data values and Item
properties are saved.

Import from TSV button - Click this button to browse for a *.tsv file to
import.

Export to TSV button - Click this button to export to a *.tsv file.

Click the '+' to add a tag; the following table parameters are shown in the table:

Primary Key checkbox - Select this option if the tag should be a primary
key.

Use Index checkbox - Select this option if the tag should be used as an
index.

Tag Name - The name of the tag.

Address - The address of the tag and item name, i.e., |!AV_FANSPEED

Data Type - The type of tag data.

Width - The width of the tag or the number of digits consisting the width.

Decimal - The number of the decimal places.

Default Value - The default value of the tag, if any.

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Allow DBNull checkbox - Select this option to show a null value in the
database field.

Auto Increment checkbox - Select this option to add a column with

automatically incremented values (row value); if this option is selected, the
Column Name field becomes active.
Column Name - This option is only available if the Auto Increment option
is selected, specify the column name of the automatically incremental
values.

Current Time - Select this option to use the current time, if this option is
selected, the following parameters are available:
Current Time Index checkbox - Select this option to use a current system
index for the time.
Current Time Column Name - Enter a name for the current index time
column that is added to the table.

Viewing the Historical and Report Logger Groups from the Item
Manager Window
The Historical and Report Logger Groups can be viewed from the Item Manager window.
To view the Historical Logger Group

Go to the Item Manager and look under Hosts > Masterhost > Data Logger >
History.

To view the Report Logger Group

Go to the Item Manager and look under Hosts > Masterhost > Data Logger >
Report.

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