APS Connector tab

The APS Connector tab contains PI APS settings that apply to the currently selected interface.

Note: The settings on this tab, unlike the other tabs, are specific to the selected interface.

Interface Point Group Sizes

During a synchronization scan, the Sync Engine calls the PI APS Connector to retrieve a group of available points or updated attributes for a group of existing points. The settings in this area configure how many points are retrieved or updated by each call. See Synchronization in PI APS. In conjunction with the Milliseconds to Pause between Interface Point Group Sizes setting on the Sync Engine tab, the values for these settings affect the load that the Sync Engine can put on the local CPU, the PI Server, and the data source. For details on Sync Engine performance and resource usage, see Synchronization in PI APS.

Tag Names

The check boxes in the Tag Names area control options related to tag names.

The first check box affects what the Sync Engine and the PI APS Configuration Utility do if creation of a new point fails because a PI point already exists with an identical tag attribute. This check box only affects the Sync Engine if the rule for points not in PI Server is Create automatically. See Rules dialog box. If this check box is not selected, points that the Sync Engine cannot create are stored in the APSPoints database as available points. If this check box is selected, the Sync Engine constructs an alternate tag name by appending an underscore and the interface name to the tag name provided by the PI APS Connector, that is, tagname_interfacename. The Sync Engine then makes a second attempt to create the new point using this tag name. If creation fails using the alternate tag name, the point is stored as an available point in the APSPoints database.

The second check box affects how the Sync Engine handles tag names that contain characters that are illegal in PI tag name attributes. If this box is cleared, the Sync Engine uses tag name attributes from the PI APS Connectors as-is. If the tag name for a new point contains any illegal characters, point creation fails and the Sync Engine stores the point as an available point in the APSPoints database. If this box is selected, the Sync Engine checks every new tag name attribute for illegal characters before any other processing is done for the point. If illegal characters are found, they are removed from the tag name. When this box is selected, point creation should not fail due to illegal tag name attributes. However, point creation may fail for other reasons. For example, removing illegal characters may result in a tag name that is the same as the tag name of an existing PI point.

The PI APS Configuration Utility provides Create Point(s) commands on the shortcut menus for available and hidden points. When these commands are used to create points, the first check box also affects how the PI APS Configuration Utility handles point creation failures. If this check box is not selected, point creation failure is reported and the Create Point(s) command terminates. If multiple points are selected for creation, the first failure terminates the command without attempting to create the remaining points. If the first check box is selected and point creation fails because the tag name is identical to an existing point, the PI APS Configuration Utility behaves like the Sync Engine and constructs an alternate tag name by appending an underscore and the interface name to the tag name. The PI APS Configuration Utility then makes a second attempt to create the point. If creation fails using the alternate tag name, an error message is displayed and the Create Points(s) command terminates.

The PI APS Configuration Utility ignores the second check box. If the second check box was selected during the last synchronization scan, the Sync Engine stripped illegal characters from tag names that were stored for available points. However, if the second check box was not selected during the last synchronization scan, then tag names for available points may contain illegal characters and the PI APS Configuration Utility will not be able to create points. To strip illegal characters from available point tag names, select the second check box and run another synchronization scan.

Displaying Points

The check boxes in the Displaying Points area are options for the PI APS Configuration Utility itself.

The Display tags on startup check box controls whether the PI APS Configuration Utility automatically loads PI points into the grid when the Interface: selection is changed to this interface. Since loading points can be time consuming, the default is cleared. If the check box is selected, the PI APS Configuration Utility loads the PI points for this interface when it is made the current selection.

The Refresh display after synchronization scan completes check box controls whether the PI APS Configuration Utility automatically reloads points into the grid when a synchronization scan completes. Since loading points can be time consuming, the default is cleared.

Leaving these options cleared avoids having to wait for points to load when you only want to view or change configuration settings. The grid can be loaded when needed by clicking the Display Now button in the Tag Search Criteria area.