Excel file location

[Dave]

Does anyone know of a way to change the location of the folder where DataXport saves the Excel files it creates......without creating a new project?

 

 

 

[s.pratt]

Hello,

 

You should be able to change this directory through the Project tab.

 

Project > Excel/.csv File Properties..

[Dave]

Yes, I tried many times with no luck .....until just now.

I found that when the dialog box opens after selecting "Project > Excel/.csv File Properties", the folder(s) that I created are displayed. I had them created on my C drive, but..... I found that none of the other folders on my C drive were displayed, nor could I browse to any other location(s) without first selecting one of the other drives listed in the dialog box.( I never did this before because the other drives displayed were CD & DVD drives that I knew were empty) Then, when I select the C drive again, I am able to see and browse through all the folders on that drive, and select a new location.

Don't know if its a glitch or an oversight, but at least I now know how to work around it.

 

Another discovery I made was regarding file names of the Excel files created by DataXport. The file names are created based on the following format:

 

"Site Name\ structure name.table name_DD_MM_YY_HH_MM.xls(x)"

 

When I transfer a data table from the PLC to DataXport more than once in any given minute, DataXport will overwrite the previous file because the file name format ignores the "seconds"

This is not a major concern for my current application, but I can see it being bothersome in the future. Now that I have a "taste" of DataXport, I'm sure I'll come across an application later where I'll want to log more than one data table per minute.

 

 

[s.pratt]

Hello Dave,

 

I have not seen or know of an applciation where it was necessary to cerate a log file mutliple times within a minute.  Do you have a scenerio where this would be necessary?

 

As a work-around for the mean-time, you could create multiple data tables on the PLC (DT1, DT2, ... DTX) and then sequence through to log each data table according to your interval time.

 

Please let us know at support@unitronics.com if you come across a need for this DataXport application.

[Dave]

Well....... it didn't take too long at all before I came across a need desire to transfer data tables to DataXport, more than once per minute!

 

Client has DataXport set up to listen for calls from V570. These calls happen approx. twice every 8hrs and transfer one data table for each of two machines.

 

The client cannot ensure that DataXport will always be open and the configured application running, so I added PLC logic to monitor the data transfer and if the transfer fails for any reason, the data table is saved to SD card.

 

After a weekend with the DataXport being down, the SD card can accumulates up to 12 or more files. The client can later access the SD card using a "Variable: Browser SD Contents" screen object, and using the "Send file"  feature and some additional code, initiate a call to to transfer each file to DataXport.

 

Transfer time per file is about 2 seconds.....however, I must force the client to wait for 1 minute between each file transfer to avoid DataXport overwriting a previous excel file.

Time standing at the machine, 12 minutes, instead of 24 seconds.

 

My only solution right now (although I'm certainly open for suggestions), is to write some code that allows the user to press a "Send ALL" button, then automatically send each file, one at a time, every minute.

 

It would be SO much nicer if I could customize the filename structure that DataXport uses when creating Excel files........but if that's too much to ask,

maybe DataXport could add a "_1", "_2", "_3", etc. at the end of the filename structure it already uses?

[s.pratt]

Hello Dave,

 

Could you please e-mail into support@unitronics.com about this request?