Datasets and Data Exchange

Creating a Connection

By default, FactoryStudio uses an embedded SQL database (TatsoftDB) for the tag and alarm historians. You can configure external databases such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, or others. If you expect your database to grow to more than 10 GB, you should consider using an external database. 

When using the embedded database, the system automatically creates the database file. When using external databases, the database itself must already exist. However, FactoryStudio can create the tables in the database. 

You can also use external databases as a data source in your application to display such things as customer or product information or to configure systems from recipes.

You must be logged in as Administrator in FactoryStudio to configure the database login and password.

To configure an external database:

• Go to Edit >Datasets > DBs.
• Click Create New. The Create New Database Connection window displays.

• Enter or select information, as needed.

• Click OK. The database is added as a new row in the table.
• Enter or select information, as needed.

• If you are using the new external database for the alarm or tag historian, rename the existing TagHistorian or AlarmHistorian database to something else, then rename the new database configuration to TagHistorian or AlarmHistorian. For the tag or alarm historian databases, the database configuration on this tab must be named TagHistorian or AlarmHistorian. You cannot have two databases with the same name.
• Continue adding as many database configurations as you need.

The databases you create are available for use on the Tags > Historian tab, in displays, and in scripts.

• If needed, right-click a row to cut, copy, paste, or delete the row.

Accessing Microsoft Excel

You can connect to Excel databases using an ODBC driver, an ODBC DSN, or OleDB.

Using ODBC

Select, then name a range of rows and columns in the worksheet. This will allow the software to read the information as a table. Choose one of the following naming processes for your version of Microsoft Excel:

For Microsoft Office 2007:

Right-click the selection then choose "Name a Range".

For Microsoft Office 2003:

In Microsoft Excel go to "Insert > Name > Define". 

Name the selection (e.g., "itemsTable"). The Excel file is now ready for use. 

There are several methods for communicating using ODBC:

Using ODBC Microsoft Excel Driver

• • In the Datasets namespace, choose "DBs" tab and create a new Provider by clicking Create new.
  • Select "Odbc Data Provider" in the "Provider" data field. 
  • "Database" field choose "Microsoft Excel Database".
  • Click Ok.

• • A new row is created in the data grid, click the "ConnectionString" column.
  • In the pop-up window enter the path and the filename in the "Dbq" field.
  • Click the "Test" button to ensure that the connection is OK.

Using ODBC with a DSN

• • Go to your computer's "Control Panel", select "Administrative Tools".
  • Double-click on "Data Sources (ODBC)". 

• • In the "ODBC Data Source Administrator" window click Add. You are prompted to select a driver. 
  • Select the "Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls)". 
  • Click Select Workbook, then select the name of the Excel file created previously. 
  • Name the Data Source, (e.g., "excelDatasource"). 
  • For Write access uncheck the "ReadOnly" checkbox. 

• • In the Datasets namespace, choose "DBs" tab and create a new Provider by clicking Create new.
  • Under "Odbc Data Provider" options, choose "ODBC using DSN" then click Ok.
  • Click the ConnectionString column of the new row, then enter the DSN in the "DSN" field.

Using OleDB

• • In the Datasets namespace, choose the "DBs" tab.
  • Select the "OleDb data provider" option of the combo-box and create a new Provider by clicking Create new. 
  • Choose "Microsoft Excel Database" then click Ok.
  • Click the ConnectionString column of the new row, then enter the path and the name of the Excel (.xls) file in the "DataSource" field. 

Working with Database Tables

If you are using an external database as a data source in your application, you can specify which table to use from the database.

To configure database tables:

• Go to Edit >Datasets > Tables.

• Enter or select information, as needed.

  Column	Description
  Name	Enter a name for the table configuration. The system lets you know if the name is not valid.
  DB	Select the database configuration.
  TableName	Select the table name.
  WhereCondition	Specify parameters to filter the data using SQL syntax. E.g. "ColumnName = {@tag.tagInt}"
  Access	Select the access permissions for the table.
  Mapping	Click ... to select the tags that you want to populate with data from the first row of the table with data from specific columns.
  MappingDateTime	Select the time reference: UTC or Local.
  Description	Enter a description for the table configuration.
  [Other columns]	For definitions of other columns that are available in this table, see "Common Column Definitions".

• Continue adding as many table configurations as you need.

Reading and writing the table contents

Runtime access to the table contents is executed automatically when the table is mapped to a DataGrid object. See "Configuring a DataGrid Window". You can also get the table contents or perform operations on the tables, using the runtime properties for the Dataset table object. See http://www.tatsoft.com/help/fs-2014/runtime/index.html. 

Configuring Database Queries

You can configure queries to perform more advanced functions with SQL statements to work with data from external databases.

To configure database queries:

• Go to Edit >Datasets > Queries.

• Enter or select information, as needed.

  Column	Description
  Name	Enter a name for the query. The system lets you know if the name is not valid.
  DB	Select the database configuration.
  SqlStatement	Enter the query using SQL syntax.
  Mapping	Click ... to select the tags that you want to populate with data from specific columns returned by the query.
  MappingDateTime	Select the time reference: UTC or Local.
  Description	Enter a description for the table configuration.
  [Other columns]	For definitions of other columns that are available in this table, see "Common Column Definitions".

• Continue adding as many queries as you need.

Getting the query contents

Runtime access to the table contents is executed automatically when the query is mapped to a DataGrid object. See "Configuring a DataGrid Window".

You can also get the query contents or perform operations on the query, using the runtime properties for the Dataset.Query object. See http://www.tatsoft.com/help/fs-2018/runtime/index.html. 

Configuring Files for Data Exchange

You can configure files to retrieve data from a network location. 

To configure database files:

• Go to Edit > Datasets > Files.

• Enter or select information, as needed.

  Column	Description
  Name	Enter a name for the file configuration. The system lets you know if the name is not valid.
  FileName	Enter the full path to the file.
  FileType	Select the type of file.
  Objects	Click ... to select the tags that you want to populate with data from the file with data from specific columns.
  Description	Enter a description for the file configuration.
  XMLSchemaType	Represents the schema type of an XML file, which can be: TagList: XML containing a tag list with tag name and tag value TagObject: XML containing the entire tag tree and its children
  [Other columns]	For definitions of other columns that are available in this table, see "Common Column Definitions".

• Continue adding as many file configurations as you need.

The Dataset Namespace

The namespace Dataset is the entry point to all objects related with the Datasets module.

The Dataset.DB object lists all configured database connections and its runtime properties

The Dataset.Table object lists all configured tables and their runtime properties

The Dataset.Query object lists the defined queries and their runtime properties.

The Dataset.File object lists the defined queries and their runtime properties.

See "Namespaces" for the complete programming reference on runtime objects.