FAST/TOOLS Export/Import Application Database

Here how you would export/import large amount of tag from and to the FAST/TOOLS application.

FAST/TOOLS kernel database tables
FAST/TOOLS kernel database a bunch of table which houses all the systemic application related setup. For example, if you were to add a tag to your FAST/TOOLS application, it would be stored in the “ITEM_DF” FAST/TOOLS kernel database table. And if you were to add a class object, it would be stored in the “OBJECT_DF” FAST/TOOLS kernel database table
The list below show all the available FAST/TOOLS kernel database table.

DOS Command
You can run a generic command to query (export/import) FAST/TOOLS kernel database. In the context of FAST/TOOLS, kernel database can mean, item (tag), class (script), object and even driver setup database (show listed above).

dssqld -e out -d item_df

The command above will export all the records in the “ITEM_DF” table of the FAST/TOOLS HMI application and put it into the “out.qli” file.
These are all the flags for the “dssqld” command.
Error while processing command line options, error ‘4’

Typical Command – Export tags
The steps below outlines how to export the tag database. It queries the item_df database (aka tags database) from the FAST/TOOLS application.

1) Create a file called “qitm.qli”; for this example let say in the “c:\temp” directory with the following content.

@FIELDS
@SELECT
@ITEM_DF

2) Open DOS command prompt and enter the following command. If your “qitm.qli” file is store in the “c:\temp” directory, you have to run the command in the “c:\temp” directory.

dssqld -e out qitm.qli

You “out.qli” file will be created in the “c:\temp” directory

Typical Command – Import tags
Lets say if you want to import (new) tags in the out.qli into the FAST/TOOLS application. The steps below outlines how to do just that.
1) Open DOS command prompt and enter the following command.

dssqld -i out.qli

Typical Command – Modifying tags
The modification flag allows user to make changes to th existing tags. The steps below outlines how this is done.
1) Open DOS command prompt and enter the following command.

dssqld -m out.qli

The command modified tags properties that are different in the FAST/TOOLS application from the “out.qli” file.

Conditions – Basics
Conditions can be applied in the query file. For example, if you want to query for a particular tag name, you can write a query as follows.

@FIELDS
@SELECT
'NAME LIKE "WELL1.SEPARATOR.PT101"'
@ITEM_DF

But if you would like all tags name that begins with “WELL1.SEPARATOR”, you can use a wild card.

@FIELDS
@SELECT
'NAME LIKE "WELL1.SEPARATOR.*"'
@ITEM_DF

Specific Database Table Fields – Basics
By default, when you run the query file using DSSQLD command, you will get all the field names. Which can introduce complexity and and clutter. To disply only specific fields, you can modify your query file as follows.

@FIELDS
NAME,DESCRIPTION,ITEM_REP,ENG_UNIT
@SELECT
'NAME LIKE "WELL1.SEPARATOR.*"'
@ITEM_DF

This query file will output the tag name, description and the data type, only; as shown below.

@LANGUAGE
ENGLISH

@VERSION
10.01

!==================================================================================================================================

@FIELDS
NAME,DESCRIPTION,ITEM_REP,ENG_UNIT

@ITEM_DF
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.SITE_TITLE","Site title","String",""
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_0201","Stn A HPG Suct Gas Temp","Real","DegC"
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_0201_FAIL","Stn A HPG Suct Gas Temp Fail Status","Integer",""
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_0402","Stn A HPG Disch Gas Temp","Real","DegC"
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_0402_CV","Stn A HPG Disch Gas Temp CV","Real","%"
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_0402_FAIL","Stn A HPG Disch Gas Temp Fail Status","Integer",""
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_0402_SP","Stn A Disch Temp Local Setpoint","Real","DegC"
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_T1004","Yard Flex JCP-003 Interior Temp","Real","DegC"

Conditions – Logical operators
Logical operators can be used in the instance where there is a need for multiple conditions. The key words are “AND” and “OR”. the syntax of the query is as follows.

@FIELDS
@SELECT
'NAME LIKE "WELL1.SEPARATOR." OR NAME LIKE "WELL1.BURNER."'
@ITEM_DF

The output of this query is as shown below.

@LANGUAGE
ENGLISH

@VERSION
10.01

!==================================================================================================================================

@FIELDS
NAME,DESCRIPTION

@ITEM_DF
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.SITE_TITLE","Site title"
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_0201","Stn A HPG Suct Gas Temp"
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_0201_FAIL","Stn A HPG Suct Gas Temp Fail Status"
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_0402","Stn A HPG Disch Gas Temp","Real"
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_0402_CV","Stn A HPG Disch Gas Temp CV"
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_0402_FAIL","Stn A HPG Disch Gas Temp Fail Status"
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_0402_SP","Stn A Disch Temp Local Setpoint"
"WELL1.SEPARATOR.TIT_T1004","Yard Flex JCP-003 Interior Temp"
"WELL1.BURNER.TI_4016","Ambient Temp"
"WELL1.BURNER.TI_4207","Stn Boiler Glycol Return Temperature"
"WELL1.BURNER.TI_0300","Unit A2 Suction Temp"
"WELL1.BURNER.TI_0310","Unit A2 Discharge Temp"
"WELL1.BURNER.TI_0320","Unit A2 Avg EGT T5"
"WELL1.BURNER.TI_4425","Unit A2 Comp Bldg Interior Temp"

Below is a syntax example sample for AND logical operator.

@FIELDS
NAME,NSID,PARENT_NSID,SECTION_PATH,DESCRIPTION,ALARMING,ITEM_REP,ACKN_TYPE,ALARM_GROUP,ITEM_STAT_1,ALARM_STATE_1,ALARM_STATE_2,AOI_1,AOI_2,AOI_3,AOI_4,AOI_5,AOI_6
@SELECT
'NAME LIKE "WELL1.SEP*A"' AND 'DESCRIPTION LIKE "* Fail Status"'
@ITEM_DF

Useful fields to query
Throughout my experience in doing projects and providing support for Yokogawa FAST/TOOLS, I find querying these field useful.

ITEM_DF : Alarming
ALARMING,NAME,SECTION_PATH,DESCRIPTION,ALARM_GROUP,ACKN_TYPE,ITEM_STAT_1,ALARM_STATE_1,ALARM_TEXT_1,ITEM_STAT_2,ALARM_STATE_2,ALARM_TEXT_2,AOI_1,AOI_2,AOI_3,AOI_4,AOI_5,AOI_6,AOI_7,AOI_8

ITEM_DF : IO
NAME,SECTION_PATH,DESCRIPTION,POINT_NAME,ITEM_REP

ITEM_DF : OPC
OPC_VISIBLE,PARENT_OPC_VISIBLE,OPC_READ,OPC_WRITE

ITEM_DF : OPC Visibility
NAME,DESCRIPTION,OPC_VISIBLE,OPC_READ,OPC_WRITE,OPC_ALARM_DETECTION

ITEM_DF : Adding items (tags) (type)1
NAME,NSID,PARENT_NSID,SECTION_PATH,DESCRIPTION,ENG_UNIT,COMMENT_1,COMMENT_2,ALARMING,ITEM_REP,ACKN_TYPE,ALARM_GROUP,ITEM_STAT_1,ALARM_STATE_1,ALARM_STATE_2,AOI_1,AOI_2,AOI_3,AOI_4,AOI_5,AOI_6

ITEM_DF : Adding items (tags) (type 2)
ALARMING,NAME,SECTION_PATH,DESCRIPTION,ENG_UNIT,COMMENT_1,COMMENT_2,ITEM_REP,ACKN_TYPE,ALARM_GROUP,ITEM_STAT_1,ALARM_STATE_1,ALARM_STATE_2,AOI_1,AOI_2,AOI_3,AOI_4,AOI_5,AOI_6

ITEM_DF : Engineering Units
NAME,NSID,PARENT_NSID,SECTION_PATH,DESCRIPTION,ENG_UNIT

OBJECT_DF : Object (type 1)
ALARMING,NAME,SECTION_PATH,DESCRIPTION,ALARM_GROUP,ACKN_TYPE,ITEM_STAT_1,ALARM_STATE_1,ALARM_TEXT_1,ITEM_STAT_2,ALARM_STATE_2,ALARM_TEXT_2,AOI_1,AOI_2,AOI_3,AOI_4,AOI_5,AOI_6,AOI_7,AOI_8

OBJECT_DF : Object (type 2)
ALARMING,NAME,SECTION_PATH,DESCRIPTION,ALARM_GROUP,ACKN_TYPE,ITEM_STAT_1,ALARM_STATE_1,ALARM_TEXT_1,ITEM_STAT_2,ALARM_STATE_2,ALARM_TEXT_2,AOI_1,AOI_2,AOI_3,AOI_4,AOI_5,AOI_6,AOI_7,AOI_8

Equipment (driver) : Driver setup
NAME,STATION,POINT,DESCRIPTION,IO_ADDRESS,EXTERNAL_RELATION,SCAN_TYPE

ITEM_HIS_DF : Item history
NAME,ITEM_NAME,GROUP_NAME,ON_EACH_UPDATE,ON_FIRST_UPDATE,ON_OPTION_CHANGE,ON_PASS_PIT,ON_QUALITY_CHANGE,ON_STATUS_CHANGE,ON_VALUE_CHANGE,STORE_DEADBAND,STORE_HIGH_HIGH_LIMIT,STORE_HIGH_LIMIT,STORE_LOW_LIMIT,STORE_LOW_LOW_LIMIT,STORE_VALUE,ON_PASS_PIT,ON_VALUE_CHANGE

ITEM_VAL : Item value (type 1)
NAME,SAMPLE_TIME,UPDATE_TIME,ITEM_VALUE,DEADBAND, LOW_LIMIT,HIGH_LIMIT,LOW_LOW_LIMIT,HIGH_HIGH_LIMIT,QUALITY,OPTION_STATUS,BLOCKED_UPDATE,BLOCKED,UPDATED_BLOCKED,OFFLINE,UPDATED_OFFLINE,ACKNOWLEDGED,ALARM_TYPE_1,ALARM_TYPE_2,ALARM_FORCE_NORMAL,ALARM_FORCE_ALARM,AS_GMT,IN_ALARM,LOCKED,STATUS_NUMBER,ITEM_REP,ITEM_VALUE_STR,DESCRIPTION,STATUS,LOCK_USER,LOCK_TERMINAL

ITEM_VAL : Item value (type 2)
NAME,ITEM_VALUE