Archive creation

You can use the piarcreate or the piartool command to name, locate, create, and initialize a new archive. You can create either a fixed-size archive or a dynamic archive, which can grow up to a particular size.

Every archive has a parallel annotation file that has the extension .ann. Either utility creates this file automatically. This file must remain in the same directory that contains its archive file at all times.

piarcreate command

The piarcreate command creates an archive without registering it. You can specify the size of the archive with the piarcreate command, but you must complete a second step to register the archive. Use the -d option to create a dynamic archive. With the piarcreate command, you can specify the maximum number of points and maximum size of a dynamic archive. See Set maximum file size or maximum number of points for a dynamic archive for details.

Note: The piarcreate command has minimal impacts on system resources. Therefore, use of this command is considered the most efficient way to create archives. However, you cannot specify start and end times using the piarcreate command.

piartool utility

You can use the piartool command to optionally specify the following for new archives:

• Start and end times for both fixed and dynamic archives

• The piartool utility lets you specify the start and end times for both fixed and dynamic archives.

Use option -ac to create a fixed-size archive and option-acd to create a dynamic archive. With both the piartool -ac and piartool -acd commands, the default created archive size matches the current primary archive size, and registration is automatic.

Creation of a fixed archive with the piartool utility used interactively

C:\PI\adm\piartool -ac
This procedure will create and register a new archive. The archive path and
optional start/end times or size may be specified.

WARNING: This will reduce system responsiveness for the duration of the process.
If you do not need to initialize the archive times it is more efficient to
run 'piarcreate' and then register the new archive with 'piartool -ar'.
Enter the complete path to the new archive: C:\PI\dat\piarch.113
You have entered the archive path: C:\PI\dat\piarch.113.

Is this correct (y/n/q)? y

Would you like to initialize the start and end times (y/n)? y

Times must be entered in standard PI Time Format, for example: 04-Jun-89 10:00:00
Enter the archive start time: t

You have entered the start time: 12-Nov-07 00:00:00
Is this correct (y/n)? y

Enter the archive end time ('*' for primary): 12-Nov-07 01:00:00
You have entered the end time: 12-Nov-07 01:00:00
Is this correct (y/n)? y

Would you like to set the archive size to something different than the
current primary archive (y/n)? y

You have requested to create an archive with the attributes:
File Path: C:\PI\dat\piarch.113
File Path: C:\PI\dat\piarch.113
Start Time: 12-Nov-07 00:00:00
End Time: 12-Nov-07 01:00:00
File Size: 200MB
Is this correct (y/n)? y

Successfully scheduled the archive creation. Archive path: D:\PI\dat\piarch.113.
Check the message log for completion status.

Creation of a dynamic archive with the piartool utility used interactively

C:\PI\adm\piartool -acd
This procedure will create and register a new dynamic archive. The archive
path and optional start and end times may be specified.

WARNING: This will reduce system responsiveness for the duration of the
process. If you do not need to initialize the archive times it is more
efficient to run 'piarcreate' and then register the new archive with
'piartool -ar'.

Enter the complete path to the new archive: C:\PI\dat\piarch.224

You have entered the archive path: C:\PI\dat\piarch.224.
Is this correct (y/n/q)? y

Would you like to initialize the start and end times (y/n)? y

Times must be entered in standard PI Time Format, for example:
04-Jun-89 10:00:00

Enter the archive start time: 31-Dec-06 00:00:00
You have entered the start time: 31-Dec-06 00:00:00
Is this correct (y/n)? y

Enter the archive end time ('*' for primary): 17-Jun-07 02:00:00
You have entered the end time: 17-Jun-07 02:00:00
Is this correct (y/n)? y

You have requested to create an archive with the attributes:
File Path: C:\PI\dat\piarch.224
Start Time: 31-Dec-06 00:00:00
End Time: 17-Jun-07 02:00:00
Is this correct (y/n)? y

Successfully scheduled the archive creation. Archive path: D:\PI\dat\piarch.113.
Check the message log for completion status.