Overview

The DVs in the Dataset module make it easier for you to communicate with external databases, enhancing data integration and accessibility.

On this page:

DBs

The customization properties available on Dataset DB enable users to customize connections to external databases.

Create A New Database DB

To create a new DB connection, follow the steps below:

  1. Access Datasets → DBs.
  2. Click the plus icon.
  3. Fill in the Name field and select a Provider and a Database. In addition, provide a meaningful description to make it easier to execute maintenance in the future.
  4. Click Ok.

Configure A Database DB

To configure a DB, follow the steps below.

  1. Access Datasets→ DBs.
  2. Double-click the property you wish to edit on the row corresponding to the channel you want to modify.
  3. Edit the property field.

The following table describes each available property you can configure when editing a DB:

If a column is not visible on the grid, enable it by right-clicking the grid header and selecting it from the list.


Parameter

Description

Name

Enter a name for the database configuration. The system will warn you if the name is not valid.

Provider

Identifies the Provider technology used in this connection 

Database

Identifies to which type of dataset is this connection

Connection String

Enter the server path and instance needed to connect with the database, the selected Database Provider defines the syntax. It is a third-party component, and any additional parameter supported by the provider can usually be used.  

You can use macros on the connection string, for example, for the filename in an SQLite connection string, use <projectName>, which is replaced by the solution's name.

Logon Name

Enter a valid login name for the database.

Logon Password

Enter the password that corresponds to the database login. (Only accessible by Administrators)

Server IP

Optionally, an IP or DNS name for a computer to be used as a Secure Gateway.

Description

Enter a description for the database connection.

Please check the Connecting to SQL Server and Connecting to Excel for additional information.


The flexible Connection String supports third-party components and macros, while Logon Name and Logon Password manage secure access. Users can optionally specify a Secure Gateway via ServerIP, and a Description field provides additional context.

SolutionTest Databases Example

Assume you must transition the Alarm Historian configuration to a Microsoft SQL production database within your organization. During the development and testing phases of the application, you may prefer to wait to publish alarm events to that database. In other platforms, it would be necessary to manually switch connections between test and production environments or devise workarounds to handle this situation. We provide a built-in, optional feature: configure the Alarm Historian DB to target the production database, regardless of its current availability or intended use. Subsequently, run the solution in Test Mode, storing data in the local SQLite file <projectName>.dbAlarmHistorianTest.

When running the solution in validation mode, there is a configuration confirmed by default that can override the connection of the pre-defined DB, using testing ones instead. The following table lists the database files that can be enabled to use when running in Validation Mode:

DB

Database

Path Location

Usage

Retentive

SQLite

<ProjectNameAndPath>.dbRetentiveTest

Stores values for Retentive Tags.

RuntimeUsers

SQLite

 <ProjectNameAndPath>.dbRuntimeUsersTest

Stores dynamically created Users.

AlarmHistorian

SQLite

 <ProjectNameAndPath>.dbAlarmHistorianTest

Stores Alarm and AuditTrail records.

TagHistorian

SQLite

<ProjectNameAndPath>.dbTagHistorianTest

Stores Tag Historian and Annotations.



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