Guidelines for entering arguments manually

Standard functions

You can include various functions in arguments that accept expressions. For a list of functions, see the PI Server topic Built-in performance equation functions.

Strings

Surround string arguments with double quotes. For example, to retrieve the snapshot time and value for the PI point sinusoid from the Data Archive server named casaba, select a 1 x 2 output array and enter:

=PICurrVal("sinusoid", 1, "casaba")

Expressions

Surround expression arguments with double quotes. Within the expression, surround PI point or PI AF attribute names with single quotes and surround string values or digital states with two double quotes.

For example, to enter an expression that returns a value of true when the PI point cdm158 equals Manual, type:

"'cdm158'=""Manual"""

Cell references

You can use cell references for any PI DataLink function arguments. For example, suppose the worksheet cells have the following values:

• A1: "sinusoid"

• A2: 1

• A3: "casaba"

  Then, entering the following function in the formula bar:

  =PICurrVal(A1, A2, A3)

  is equivalent to entering:

  =PICurrVal("sinusoid", 1, "casaba")

Root path

Surround an entry with double quotes. For example, to retrieve the current value for the PI AF attributes specified in cells B3 through B5 and stored in the PI AF server DLAFPI, database MyTest, and element Reactor, enter:

=PICurrVal(B3:B5,0,"\\DLAFPI\MyTest\Reactor")

To specify no root path, such as if the data item is a PI point on the default Data Archive server, enter two double quotes:

""

See Data items for information about valid entries.

Output codes

Determines what appended data the function returns and how the function orients output. See Output codes.