Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Historian SE 4.0 User Manual
LIVE DATA INTERFACE
USER GUIDE
Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013
Supersedes Publication HSELD-UM023A-EN-E–May 2012
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Chapter 1
Table of Contents
Introduction
Principles of Operation
Configuring FactoryTalk
Historian Live Data Interface
Point Source
Installation ...................................................................................................... 7
Features ............................................................................................................ 8
Related Documentation .............................................................................. 8
Chapter 2
Processing Loops ......................................................................................... 12
FactoryTalk Diagnostics ............................................................................ 13
Chapter 3
Configuring the FTLD Interface Using the FactoryTalk
Administration Console ............................................................................ 16
Configuring the FTLD Interface Using the Interface Configuration
Utility (ICU) ................................................................................................ 16
Adding Remote Servers to Connection Manager .......................... 19
Defining Remote Servers as API Hosts ............................................ 19
Chapter 4
PI 3 Server Node: Reserved Point Sources ............................................ 21
Chapter 5
Point Configuration
Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013 3
Point Attributes ........................................................................................... 23
Length ....................................................................................................... 23
Point Source ............................................................................................ 24
Point Type ............................................................................................... 24
PI 3 Server Nodes ................................................................................... 24
Location1 ................................................................................................. 24
Location2 ................................................................................................. 25
Location3 ................................................................................................. 25
Location4 ................................................................................................. 25
Advise and Polled Tags .................................................................... 26
Output Tags ....................................................................................... 26
Location5 ................................................................................................. 26
InstrumentTag ........................................................................................ 26
Length 26
ExDesc ...................................................................................................... 27
Length 27
Table of Contents
SourceTag ................................................................................................ 27
Compression Testing ............................................................................ 27
Exception Reporting ............................................................................. 28
Output Points ......................................................................................... 29
Trigger Method 1 (Recommended) ............................................. 29
Trigger Method 2 ............................................................................. 30
Sample Tag Configurations ...................................................................... 30
Scan Classes ............................................................................................. 30
Polled Tags ............................................................................................... 31
Advise Tags .............................................................................................. 31
Event Tags ............................................................................................... 31
Chapter 6
I/O Rates Tag Configuration
Performance Point
Configuration
Startup Command File
Interface Node Clock
Security
Starting and Stopping the
Interface
Monitoring I/O Rates Tag on the Interface Node.............................. 33
Configuring I/O Rates Tag with ICU ................................................... 33
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Command-line Parameters ....................................................................... 39
Sample FTLDInt.bat File .......................................................................... 43
Setting File .................................................................................................... 43
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Using the Interface Configuration Utility ............................................ 49
Using the Administrative Tools .............................................................. 50
Chapter 12
Error and Informational
Messages
System Errors and PI Errors ...................................................................... 52
Error Descriptions ................................................................................. 52
Appendix A
4 Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013
Technical Support and
Resources
Table of Contents
Before You Call or Write for Help ......................................................... 53
Find the Version and Build Numbers .................................................... 53
View Computer Platform Information ................................................. 54
Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013 5
Table of Contents
6 Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013
Chapter 1
Introduction
The FactoryTalk Historian system uses the PI system as a back end
to store tag data. The FactoryTalk Historian Live Data Interface
(FTLD) allows FactoryTalk Historian to connect with Rockwell
data sources. The FTLD interface provides buffering capability
before the data is permanently stored in the Historian archive.
Installation
The FTLD Interface is integrated with the FactoryTalk Live Data
service provided by FactoryTalk Services Platform. It is a
FactoryTalk Live Data client that relies on FactoryTalk Live Data
service to talk to FactoryTalk data servers such as FactoryTalk View
SE, RSLinx Enterprise, and OPC servers that are part of a
FactoryTalk application.
NOTE
The FactoryTalk Historian documentation uses the terms tag and point
to mean the same thing. An example of a tag name is:
FTLDEnt:rc:RSLinxC.secondArray000.
The FTLD Interface is configured using the FactoryTalk
Administration Console or Interface Configuration Utility. See
"Configuring FactoryTalk Historian Live Data Interface (page 15)"
for more information.
The steps to install the FactoryTalk Historian Live Data Interface
are explained in the FactoryTalk Historian SE Installation and
Configuration Guide, available from Start > All Programs > Rockwell
Software > FactoryTalk Historian SE > Help.
NOTE
Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013 7
The complete user documentation on FactoryTalk Historian SE is
available in the Common Files\Rockwell\Help folder in your
Program Files directory, and in the Redist\Docs folder on your
FactoryTalk Historian SE installation DVD.
Chapter 1 Introduction
Features
The features of the FTLD Interface include:
Item Description
PI SDK The PI SDK and the PI API are bundled together and must be
installed on each PI Interface node. The FTLD Interface does not
specifically make PI SDK calls. It uses the PI API calls to support
longer instrument tag fields and multiple-character point sources.
The PI SDK cannot be used if the interface will be set up to use
Disconnected Startup because it is based on API calls only.
Source of Time
Stamps
UniInt-based UniInt stands for Universal Interface. UniInt is not a separate
Platforms The FTLD Interface is designed to run on the Microsoft Windows
The FTLD Interface can accept time stamps from the FactoryTalk
Live Data server, or it can provide time stamps from the FactoryTalk
Historian server. This is controlled by a command-line parameter.
See "Startup Command File (page 39)" for more information on
using the command line to control time stamps.
product or file; it is an OSIsoft-developed framework used by
developers, and it is integrated into many interfaces, including this
interface. The purpose of UniInt is to keep a consistent feature set
and behavior across as many Rockwell interfaces as possible. It also
allows for a rapid development of new interfaces. In any
UniInt-based interface, the interface uses some of the
UniInt-supplied configuration parameters and some
interface-specific parameters.
operating systems.
Due to its dependency on FactoryTalk Services Platform, the
FactoryTalk Historian Live Data Interface is not supported on
non-Windows platforms. To see a list of operating systems
supported, refer to the FactoryTalk Historian SE Release Notes.
Related Documentation
The following documentation provides additional information
related to the FTLD Interface:
• FactoryTalk Historian SE Installation and Configuration
Guide
• FactoryTalk Historian SE Release Notes
8 Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013
Introduction Chapter 1
Both documents are available from Start > Programs >
Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk Historian SE > Help.
• FactoryTalk Help, which is available from Start > Programs >
Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk Tools > FactoryTalk Help.
NOTE
To access other documents on FactoryTalk Historian SE, go to the
Common Files > Rockwell > Help folder in your Program
Files directory.
Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013 9
Chapter 1 Introduction
10 Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013
Chapter 2
Principles of Operation
The FactoryTalk Live Data (FTLD) Interface is a FactoryTalk Live
Data client that enables process data to be passed between a
FactoryTalk Live Data server (for example, RSLinx Enterprise) and
a FactoryTalk Historian server. Each instance of the FTLD Interface
can provide data to a single FactoryTalk Historian SE server or
collective. Multiple instances of the interface may be configured, if
required, if API buffering is used.
The figure below shows the basic workflow of the FactoryTalk
Historian Live Data Interface.
Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013 11
Chapter 2 Principles of Operation
Processing Loops
At startup, the FTLD Interface tries to establish a connection to
both the FactoryTalk Live Data server and the FactoryTalk
Historian server.
Once the startup is complete, the Interface enters the processing
loop, which includes:
• Servicing scheduled input points. Each Scan Class is processed
in turn.
• Servicing output points as events arrive.
• Servicing triggered input points as events arrive.
The Historian Point Database is checked every 2 minutes for points
that are added, edited, and deleted. When point updates are
detected, the points are loaded (or reloaded) by the Interface as
appropriate. The 2-minute update interval can be adjusted with the
/updateinterval command-line parameter discussed in the UniInt
Interface User Manual.
The manual is located in the UniInt folder (c:\Program
Files\Rockwell Software\FactoryTalk
Historian\Server\PIPC\Interfaces\UniInt).
The Interface processes a maximum of 25 point updates at a time. If
more than 25 points are added, edited, or deleted at one time, the
Interface will process the first 25 points, wait 30 seconds (or the
length of time specified by the /updateinterval parameter, whichever
is lower), process the next 25 points, and so on. After all points have
been processed, the Interface will resume checking for updates every
2 minutes (or the length of time specified by the /updateinterval
parameter).
All tag edits are performed in the following way: old versions of
edited tags are deleted from the interface, new versions are added.
12 Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013
Principles of Operation Chapter 2
Therefore, it is more efficient to stop and then start the interface if a
large number of tags are edited.
FactoryTalk Diagnostics
The FTLD Interface sends messages about its operation to
FactoryTalk Diagnostics.
FactoryTalk Diagnostics provides the following information about
the FTLD Interface:
• Informational messages on the interface startup and
shutdown.
• The scan rate of each scan class.
• The count of points loaded by the interface.
• Error messages for points rejected by the interface because they
were configured incorrectly.
• Error messages for points rejected by the FTLD server, or error
messages sent from the FTLD server.
Because the FTLD Interface is based on the PI-UniInt framework, a
few messages are sent to the PIPC log by the PI-UniInt. These error
messages are produced by the standard OSIsoft interface routines or
by the PI API.
NOTE
The FactoryTalk Diagnostics Setup and Viewer are available from the
Tools menu of FactoryTalk Administration Console.
To learn more about viewing error messages and accessing the log
file, refer to the help files for FactoryTalk Diagnostics Setup and
FactoryTalk Diagnostics Viewer.
Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013 13
Chapter 2 Principles of Operation
14 Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013
Chapter 3
Configuring FactoryTalk Historian Live Data Interface
To configure a FactoryTalk Historian Live Data Interface (FTLD),
we recommend that you use FactoryTalk Administration Console.
However, you must use the Interface Configuration Utility (ICU)
to configure an FTLD Interface in the following cases:
• If you are configuring redundant FTLD Interfaces.
For more information, refer to the Rockwell Automation KB
59932
(https://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detai
l/a_id/59932) article.
• If you are configuring the buffer subsystem on an FTLD
Interface.
For more information, refer to "Enable Buffering" in the
FactoryTalk Historian SE Installation and Configuration
Guide.
NOTE
Enabling the buffer subsystem is a recommended step during
the installation of the FactoryTalk Historian Live Data Interface.
To take advantage of this feature, you must install the FTLD
Interface on a separate machine than the FactoryTalk Historian
SE.
• If you are configuring the Disconnected Startup option.
For more information, refer to "(Unint) Disconnected
Startup" in the Interface Configuration Utility Help.
Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013 15
Chapter 3 Configuring FactoryTalk Historian Live Data Interface
NOTE
NOTE
To open the Interface Configuration Utility (ICU) online help, go
to Start > All Programs > Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk
Historian SE > Interface Configuration Utility, and select Help >
Contents and Index from the main menu.
If you create an FTLD Interface using the Interface Configuration
Utility, it will not appear in the list of interfaces in the
FactoryTalk Administration Console. As a result, you will not be
able to configure the interface from the FactoryTalk
Administration Console.
Configuring the FTLD Interface Using the FactoryTalk Administration Console
Configuring the FTLD Interface Using the Interface Configuration Utility (ICU)
Refer to "Configuring FactoryTalk Historian Live Data Interface" in
the FactoryTalk Historian SE Installation and Configuration Guide
for information on configuring an FTLD Interface using the
FactoryTalk Administration Console. This section also includes
steps on how to enable buffering on the remote interface.
You can configure the FTLD Interface on your local computer (the
computer on which the FactoryTalk Historian SE server is
installed); however, we recommend that you always install the
FTLD Interface on the computer that has the data server installed.
Refer to "Verifying the FactoryTalk Historian Live Data Local
Interface" in the FactoryTalk Historian SE Installation and
Configuration Guide for more information.
NOTE
For more information on the Interface Configuration Utility, refer to the
FT Historian SE Interface Configuration Utility guide available in the
Common Files > Rockwell > Help folder in your Program Files directory.
If you configure an interface in the ICU, the batch file of the
interface (FTLDInt.bat) will be maintained by the ICU, and all
configuration changes will be kept in that file.
16 Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013
Configuring FactoryTalk Historian Live Data Interface Chapter 3
To configure an FTLD Interface with the ICU:
1. Go to Start > All Programs > Rockwell Software > FactoryTalk
Historian SE > Interface Configuration Utility. The Interface
Configuration Utility dialog box appears.
2. On the Interface menu, click New Windows Interface
Instance from BAT File. The Open Interface
Configuration File dialog box appears.
3. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Rockwell Software\FactoryTalk
Historian\Server\PIPC\Interfaces\LDInterface.
4. Select the FTLDInt_FTLD.bat.bak file and click Open.
5. Click OK in the Interface Configuration Utility message
box to acknowledge the information on duplicated point
sources and ID combinations.
The FTLD Interface configuration is displayed on the
General page of the ICU.
6. From the Type list, select FTLDInt, if it has not been chosen
automatically.
Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013 17
Chapter 3 Configuring FactoryTalk Historian Live Data Interface
7. If necessary, edit the Scan Frequency and Scan Class values.
Item Description
Scan Frequency Indicates the frequency at which the interface reads values
Scan Class #
8. Click Apply.
Note that in this example the API Hostname is localhost, which
means that the interface will be configured to communicate with the
local FactoryTalk Historian SE server.
If you want the interface to communicate with a remote
FactoryTalk Historian server, you need to:
from the FactoryTalk Live Data server.
Associated with the Scan Frequency value. If there is no
interface defined, the Scan Class # will be displayed without
a time period.
1. Add the remote server to the Connection Manager (page 19).
2. Define the remote server as the API host (page 19).
NOTE
This step is required to ensure connection to the correct remote
server.
Once you have added the server to the Connection Manager and
defined it as the API host, you can select the server from the API
Hostname list on the General page in the ICU.
There are additional parameters available for configuring the
interface:
• /MultiCOM
• /uiDll
• /FTDirectory
• /FTContext
To view them, click FTLDInt in the left pane of the dialog box.
18 Rockwell Automation Publication HSELD-UM024A-EN-E–September 2013
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