The SQL Database TagProvider connects to solution databases at runtime, enabling data querying without local Tags. Configure this TagProvider to display queried data on TrendCharts and other application areas, simplifying real-time access and utilization of database information within the Unified Namespace.
Configuration
To set up SQL Database as a TagProvider, navigate to Unified Namespace → TagProvider Connections and select the SQL Database Connector.
This TagProvider is Read-Only.
Connection Parameters
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Provider | Specifies the system the TagProvider will interface with. In this case, it interfaces with the SQL Database Connector. |
Access Mode | Determines permissions for interacting with tags. Read allows data reading. |
Name | User-defined name for the TagProvider instance. Identifies the specific configuration in the system. |
Description | Explains the TagProvider's purpose or the systems it interfaces with. Provides context for its usage. |
ProtocolOptions | Defines specific communication settings for the connection to the device. True or False. |
Connection | Defines connection string for the SQL database connection settings, including database source, path, and additional parameters. |
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Dataset DBs | Specifies the database to be used for storing and retrieving tag data. |
Is Solution Historian DB | Indicates if the database is used as a solution historian. |
Is Trend XY | Specifies if the data is to be treated as XY trend data, where X is NOT time-based. |
Table | Defines the table within the database to retrieve or store data from. |
X-Axis ColumnName | Specifies the column name to be used for the X-axis in trend data. |
Columns To Discard | List of columns to be discarded, separated by comma (',') |
Filters | Specifies filters to be applied to the data retrieval process. It defines a hierarchical order for columns, separated by comma (','), when assembling the TreeViewStructure. You can use an Asterisk (*) as wildcard for column filtering. Some usage examples are listed below. *Temperature: Will filter out any column that EndsWith the Temperature. LineMonitor*: Will filter out any column that StartsWith the LineMonitor. _*_Q: Will filter out any column that StartsWith an underscore ' _ ', and EndsWith Q. Is useful for filtering out TagQuality Info. |
Test | Verifies the connection settings to ensure successful communication with the specified database. |
Connecting to a Solution Historian
The SQL Connector can be used with any SQL database and schema, but when used in conjunction with the SQL Historian tables, generated by the framework itself, some extended functional is available.
When the flag Is Solution Historian DB is true, some Station parameters are automatically filled.
Is Trend XY: CheckBox is disabled. Default value is false.
X-Axis Column Name: Input field is disabled. Default value is UTCTimestamp_Ticks.
Columns To Discard: Input field is disabled. Default value is ID, LogType, NotSync, UTCTimestamp_Ticks, _*_Q.
Filters: Input field is disabled. Default value is empty.
n Runtime, the DataModel Structure will behave as follows:
In Runtime, the DataModel Structure will behave as follows:
Connecting to an External Database
In this configuration, the flag Is Project Historian DB is false. You can connect to any database (Project Owned or External) and access its contents in your Project.
Using Filters, you can customize your TreeView Structure to look like the result of a search query.
Example
Our Example will be a Multi-Line system, where different machines (PLCs) are acquiring data and sending them to a Main DataServer. All data is being stored in the same Table.
The result Table would look like this:
In order to retrieve data from the Lines, based on which Machine stored them, the TagProvider Configuration parameters are:
Connecting to a table called Custom Table.
Assigning column DateTime for X-Axis.
Discarding ID Column.
Using Machine and Line columns as filters.
In this section: