PI Module Database Primer: Proytek, S. A

Mailing address in U.S.A.
PROYTEK, S. A. Calle 9 No. 26, La Barraca

Maracay, Venezuela AEROCAV No 2005
Proyectos y Tecnologa Telf.&Fax: (58-243) 2328992 P.O. Box 02 5304; Miami, FL33102-5304
e-mail: proytek@cantv.net Telf.&Fax: (011-58-243) 2328992
Todo en Automatizacin Web: http://www.proytek.com
PI Module Database Primer

The PI Module Database (PI ModuleDB), is a
new feature of the PI Universal Data Server that
installs automatically with version 3.3 of the
software.
The PI ModuleDB adds structure to the PI Server
much like PI ProcessBook Workbooks do on a
user's desktop. This ability provides
organizational structure, allowing users to easily
locate the process graphics and report files
associated with your plant information system.
Now you can provide this same organization on
the server side for your information system
applications.
Within the PI ModuleDB, modules are arranged

in a hierarchical structure, much like you arrange
file directories and subdirectories on your
computer. Using this structure, you will find PI
Modules very helpful for organizing access to the
real-time data in your PI system.
In addition, the PI ModuleDB serves as the
foundation for several new OSI products like the
PI Advanced Computing Engine, PI Real-
time SQC, Sigmafine, ProcessTemplates,
and the new version of PI Batch.
What is a Module ?
PI Modules can be used to represent anything in your production facility. However, a simple way to begin understanding PI Modules is to think of
them as representing a location, process area, or piece of equipment. By creating and arranging modules in the PI ModuleDB hierarchy, you can
develop a logical navigation structure for PI users and applications alike.
Each PI Module includes some very powerful features. First, they have the ability to associate themselves with groups of PI Tags through a concept
called aliasing. Aliases provide a translation from site-specific plant instrument tag names to more generic, process-oriented names, which are more
intuitive to users. This feature is essential for companies attempting to integrate data coming from multiple sites having different naming
conventions, especially those obtained through mergers and acquisitions.
In addition to aliases, PI Modules can also contain properties. Properties can be used to store static information about things modules are used to
represent, like equipment specifications, or maintenance and inspection dates. Properties can also be used to store pathways to other sources of
information, like network file paths to related documents, Web Site URL's, or queries to relational databases.
ModuleDB Management
The PI ModuleDB Editor is the System Management tool for the PI ModuleDB. Using this tool, modules can be created and configured on the PI
server. Navigating through the module hierarchy is much like navigating through Windows Explorer on your computer. Clicking on the "+" and "-"
signs expand or collapse the module tree to view the sub-module at the next level of the hierarchy.
PI System Administrators, having valid accounts on multiple PI Universal Data Servers, can use the editor as an enterprise-wide management tool. PI
Module structures can be copied amongst PI servers much like files can be copied around your computer network.
Navigation
through the
module
hierarchy is like
navigating
through file
manager on
your computer.
PI Aliases
When a module is selected, the folder tabs on the right-hand pane list the aliases and properties associated with the selected module. PI Alias
names can be used to give more generic, process-oriented name to PI tags. Complete alias names require both the PI tagname and PI server name.
This enables aliasing schemes to span multiple PI servers.
PI aliases can be added to a selected module using the Editor by choosing the PI Aliases Tab and right-clicking anywhere in the alias list area white-
space. The PI Alias configuration dialog box provides access to the PI tag search to assist in finding the desired tagname. To edit or delete an
existing alias, right-click on it from the list.
PI Properties
PI Properties are used to store static information about a module, like equipment specifications. Properties can consist of many different data types
including real, integer, string values and dates. Numeric values can even be stored as arrays.
PI properties can be added to a selected module using the Editor by choosing the PI Properties Tab and right-clicking anywhere in the properties list
area white-space. To edit, delete, or add a sub-property to an existing property, right-click on it from the list. PI Properties can also contain any
number of sub-properties.
Creating and Editing Modules

Right clicking on a module presents the menu below. From this menu, New sub-modules can be created for the selected module.
In addition, the selected module can be Edited, Deleted, or Copied

and Pasted anywhere in the ModuleDB hierarchy. This Paste action
creates an entirely new new module in the ModuleDB having the same PI
Aliases and PI Properties as the original.
However, Copying and Inserting a module will not create a new

module. Instead this creates a link in the hierarchy to the original. The
insert function allows a module to appear many times within your
ModuleDB hierarchy, with minimal maintenance. If the module is edited,
all links will reflect the changes. ( See "Building the Hierarchy" below.)
The Refresh and View items allow you to update the ModuleDB tree
and to change the editor's viewing format. The Search item currently
finds information associated with new version of PI Batch. Eventually,
this will provide a means of searching for PI Modules having specified
characteristics.
The ModuleDB editor is being developed to export and import XML data
structures. This provides an easy way to quickly transfer a module
structure to and from other XML compliant applications.
The PI Module Details window is shown below.

PI Module Details Window

Name Provides a text box for editing the name of the PI Module.
UniqueID - This is the modules serial number, generated by the

PI Server when a module is created. This ID is unique to any PI
ModuleDB anywhere in the world.
Created, Modified and Effective Date Important dates relating

to the history of this module. The Effective Date will be discussed in
the Module History and Revision section below.
PI Aliases, PI Properties and PI Heading tabs Present

interactive views of the aliases, properties and headings associated
with this module. The views allow editing of these module
parameters.
Summary Shown below
PI Module Details Window - Summary Tab

Description - Provides a text box for specifying a module
description.
PI Unit ? - Classifies this module as a Batch Unit, used in the new

PI Batch product.
Parent List - Lists all parent modules for this module, including
links to this module. Parent modules are the ones immediately
"upstream" of this one, anywhere in the tree structure.
Effective Date - Enter an effective date for this module, default is

12/31/69. Use this parameter if you want to use the Module History
feature of the PI ModuleDB (see next section).
Query Date - Displays date at which the PI ModuleDB has been

referenced, default is the current time. This specifies the point in
time in the Module History that your are referencing.
Building the Hierarchy

The ModuleDB hierarchy can be use organize a group of modules in multiple ways on your PI Server. Since you
can insert Module links anywhere in the ModuleDB structure, you may want to allow users to choose from
several different navigational paths to access information from a particular plant.
In the example below, the Hi-Tech Chemicals company has provided user's three ways to get to information
about exchanger, E100. They have organized their locations by All Sites, by Business Groups, and by
Regional Divisions. In all cases, the modules used to contain information about each location, its processing
areas, and equipment are the same, they are actually links to the originals.
"All Sites" Path "Business Groups" Path "Regional Divisions" Path
ModuleDB History
Over time, your plant configuration will change, new equipment will be installed, or modified and the associated information will also change. Your
performance monitoring applications will need to reflect these changes as well. You need a means of tracking these changes over time so that the
plant configuration history can be kept in-sync with your historical process data.
The PI ModuleDB allows you to do this through its module history and revision features. For each PI Module, you can specify an Effective Date.
Whenever the PI Module DB is accessed, it is with respect to a specified point in time, or Query Date. By default, the query date is the current time
and all modules having an effective date prior to the current time will be available. If a query date is specified, module having an effective dates after
this date will not be made available.
Here's how module historization works;
Module "TC450" has an Effective Date of

10/20/2001, ( shown in the message box
at the bottom of the Module Database
Editor display).
Collapse the PI ModuleDB tree back to its root. Right-clicking on this module will pop-up the Query Date dialog
box. Specify a new query date and click "Apply".
Expanding the PI ModuleDB tree to view the sub-

modules under the "Controllers" module will no
longer show Module "TC450" because its
Effective Date of 10/20/01 is after the Query
Date of 9/26/01.
The Module history provides a means for saving plant configuration changes as they affect PI Modules. However in many situations, only information
stored as PI Aliases and PI Properties will change. To accommodate this need, the PI ModuleDB supports revisions to the aliases and properties
associated with a PI Module. These revisions are stored and times stamped so they can be referred to by applications using a historical context.
Although module alias and property revision are currently supported by the PI ModuleDB, and the PI SDK version 1.1, the ModuleDB Editor Beta does
not yet provide a means for using this feature.
ModuleDB Application Development and Information Integration

In addition to using the PI ModuleDB Editor, the ModuleDB can be accessed programmatically through the PI SDK version 1.1. Using this
development tool, applications can be written to access PI Modules, Aliases and Properties instead of site-specific tag names and hard coded
constants. Developing applications in this way makes them easily transportable to any other PI server containing the same PI Module structure. The
site-specific details are kept in the ModuleDB, allowing the same application to be used throughout your entire company.
The PI ModuleDB can also be used to store pathways to related information residing in other plant databases, within network documents, or on Web
sites containing safety data sheets or commodity prices. Using PI Properties, relational database query strings, network file path names, and Web
site URL's can be stored as strings, making them available for applications. In the example below, a VBA script in ProcessBook shows data coming
from a relational database.
Clicking on a piece of equipment will

display records that pertain to it.
Here, the VBA script picks up the relational

database query stored in the ModuleDB for
each pieces of equipment.
The script makes the query directly to the

relational database and displays the result.
Shown below, is the query string used to pull this information from the relational database. It is stored as a string property in the ModuleDB. The
"SQLQuery" property has several sub-properties containing the column widths for each field displayed the data grid shown above.
The PI ModuleDB provides a historical, structured layer within your PI Server, enabling you to organize access to your PI tags and related
information. The ModuleDB provides a means for common application development and easy deployment across all your PI sites. It also promotes
information integration by providing a place for you to keep and centrally manage pathways to other sources of information. In the next few months
we will be posting several new applications giving you other examples of how you might use the PI ModuleDB.

PI Module Database Primer: Proytek, S. A

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PI Module Database Primer: Proytek, S. A

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Mailing address in U.S.A.

PROYTEK, S. A. Calle 9 No. 26, La Barraca

PI Module Database Primer

Within the PI ModuleDB, modules are arranged

Creating and Editing Modules

In addition, the selected module can be Edited, Deleted, or Copied

However, Copying and Inserting a module will not create a new

The PI Module Details window is shown below.

PI Module Details Window

UniqueID - This is the modules serial number, generated by the

Created, Modified and Effective Date Important dates relating

PI Aliases, PI Properties and PI Heading tabs Present

Summary Shown below

PI Module Details Window - Summary Tab

PI Unit ? - Classifies this module as a Batch Unit, used in the new

Effective Date - Enter an effective date for this module, default is

Query Date - Displays date at which the PI ModuleDB has been

Building the Hierarchy

"All Sites" Path "Business Groups" Path "Regional Divisions" Path

Here's how module historization works;

Module "TC450" has an Effective Date of

Expanding the PI ModuleDB tree to view the sub-

ModuleDB Application Development and Information Integration

Clicking on a piece of equipment will

Here, the VBA script picks up the relational

The script makes the query directly to the

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