[MSG] section

The PI UFL interface filters incoming data to catch messages, which are assigned names. For each message name you assign, you use the name to define a section that parses and processes the message. For messages containing tag names, you can enable point creation and specify the data type or another point from which the new point inherits its data type and attributes. If the point does not exist, the interface creates it.

Assign names to messages as follows:

[MSG] section message

[MSG]
MSG(n).Name = "MessageName"

For example:

Assigning names to messages

MSG(1).Name = "HEADER"
MSG(2).Name = "DATA_LINE"

Message names are not case-sensitive. Names can contain alphanumeric characters or underscores, but no space characters.

Point creation

There are three methods to create PI points in the PI UFL interface. These are:

• Setting a value for MSG(n).EPC

• Setting a value for MSG(n).EPC_Inherit

• Using variables in the StoreInPIPoints() function. See Miscellaneous functions.

  Note: MSG(n).EPC and MSG(n).EPC_Inherit cannot be set for the same message type. When StoreInPIPoints() is used, the EPC definitions are not reflected.

The PI UFL interface supports the following PI point data types:

• Int16

• Int32

• Float16

• Float32

• Float64

• Digital

• String

• Timestamp

The MSG(n).EPC setting enables point creation and specifies the data type of the point to be created. For those messages where the MSG(n).EPC = "PI point data-type" is defined, and the points do not already exist, the PI UFL interface automatically creates points for the specified data type. All other PI point attributes will have their default settings. For example:

Defining the point data type

[MSG]
MSG(1).Name = "Title"
MSG(1).EPC = "Float32"

By default, when creating digital tags, the interface creates a state set and assigns it the name of the tag plus "_SET" (unless the state set already exists). To override the default name, set the DigitalSet attribute. For example:

Overriding the default state set name

MSG(1).DIGITALSET = "UFL"

The MSG(n).EPC_Inherit setting enables point creation and specifies all inheritable attributes through the referenced point. Attributes that can be set by the user, such as the exception reporting settings, extended descriptors, and data type, will be inherited by newly-created points. For example:

Inheriting user settable point attributes from "Sinusoid"

MSG(1).EPC_Inherit = "Sinusoid"

Note: The PI UFL interface logs the point creation error message:

[-10550] Tag Already Exists in Table

• If the interface attempts to create a point and a point with the same name but a different point source already exists.

• If the PI UFL interface user has not been granted read privilege for an existing point. The interface cannot check whether the point exists before attempting to create it.