AF data that can be transferred
- Last UpdatedSep 28, 2026
- 3 minute read
You can transfer the following AF element data into CONNECT:
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Dynamic AF attributes with PI point data references
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Static AF attributes (attributes with no data reference)
Supported dynamic AF attributes can reference a PI point via a Data Archive server name and tag name. This transferred data does not include any attributes with non-automatic retrieval methods. The associated event data contains simple PI point attributes with the same historical and streaming transfer mechanism as explicit PI points.
The table below lists the AF objects that can be included in a PI to CONNECT data transfer and what those objects appear as in CONNECT.
|
AF Object |
CONNECT Object |
|---|---|
|
Elements |
Entities |
|
Dynamic AF attributes with PI point data references Note: Dynamic AF attributes are transferred only if they are on AF elements. They are not transferred if they are on AF element templates. Note: Only AF Attribute Templates with a basic type (Boolean, Byte, DateTime, Double, GUID, Int16, Int32, Int64, Single, or String) and Enumeration Set are supported and will be transferred. |
Entity stream relationships |
|
Static AF attributes Note: Static AF attributes configured as type 'Boolean' are not supported and will not be transferred. |
Properties on entities and Entity Types |
|
Element templates |
Entity Types |
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Event Frames |
Events |
|
Event Frame templates |
Event Types |
These AF objects are not included in a PI to CONNECT data transfer and no CONNECT objects will be created from them:
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AF categories
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AF enumeration sets
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AF models/layers/connections/ports
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AF tables
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Analysis data reference attributes
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Attributes that reference a non-registered data source/Data Archive
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Attributes with a non-automatic data retrieval method
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Custom units of measure (UOMs)
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Excluded attributes
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Extended properties and annotations on entities not supporting AF versioning
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Formula data reference attributes
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Implicit PI points with attributes that reference other attributes
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Implicit PI points with multiple attributes on an AF element (only one attribute will be transferred)
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PI point arrays
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String builder attributes
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Table lookup attributes
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URI Builder data references
When an AF element is transferred and a corresponding CONNECT asset is created, if any attributes are undefined in the element but have default attribute values defined in the applicable AF element template, the default values will be shown in the Asset Explorer.
Limitations of element search
When building an AF element transfer list in the portal, the AF element search does not detect element references, those elements shown in PI System Explorer with a shortcut icon next to them. The search returns only child elements that have reference types of either composition or parent-child. This means that while you can add any element to a transfer, there are limitations with how the search results are displayed, and, because of these limitations, each element appears only once in the search results.
Units of Measure (UOM) transfer
An AF attribute can have two different UOMs set, both the Default UOM and the Source UOM (also called DataReference UOM). CONNECT only allows for one UOM. PI to CONNECT considers an attribute's UOM to be its Source UOM if set; otherwise, it uses the default UOM. If both are set and they are different UOM classes, PI to CONNECT logs a warning that they are mismatched, but still uses the Source UOM.
Multiple PI point data reference attributes can reference the same PI point. If multiple attributes reference the same PI point but have different UOMs, a stream UOM is not transferred. If you update your AF attributes to resolve the conflict, the UOM will be transferred.
Custom units of measure (UOMs) do not transfer.