Format File Layout

The format file is divided into sections:

• [General] Section

• [Columns] Section

• [ImportFilterMap] and [ExportFilterMap] Sections.

Each section consists of a section header (the section name enclosed in square brackets (for example "[my_section]")) on a line by itself. This is followed by the body of the section, typically single line statements of the form:

"something = something_else -> something_else_again"

Any white space (or none at all) is acceptable around the "=" and the "->", but the whole statement needs to be on one line. Most statements within a format file follow this pattern, but in many cases there might be no "->" (the converter), or there might just be a converter without anything following it.

The following sections are necessary in every format file:

[General]
[Columns]
[ImportFilterMap]
[ExportFilterMap]

Other sections might be necessary depending on the complexity of the conversion between Plant SCADA and the external data source. This is determined by the contents of [ImportFilterMap] and [ExportFilterMap].

Comments can also be added within or between sections. To do this, place a semicolon ";" as the first character on the line. The rest of the line is then considered a comment, and is ignored by Plant SCADA. For example:

; I am putting the [General] section here
[General]