04 IP21Database

The InfoPlus.
21 Database
InfoPlus.21 Foundation Course
©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

Database Module Overview
• What does an InfoPlus.21 system comprise?
• How is data stored within the real-time database?
• Record structure and hierarchy:
– What is an InfoPlus.21 record?
– What types of records exist?
– How are records grouped inside the database?
– What is the InfoPlus.21 tag set?
– What record fields are commonly used?
• How are records viewed, modified and deleted?

• How can folders be used to organize records?
• What is InfoPlus.21 Database Security?
• What audit facilities exist?

Glossary of Terms
• API
• Click, Double-Click, Right-Click
• Expansion Button
• Historian
• Layered Product
• Real-time database

InfoPlus.21 Functional Overview
Client Applications
Aspen Data Source Administrator
Layered Layered
Product: Product:
1st Quality SQLplus core product
Data Real-Time
Acquisition Interface Layered Database
or Technology: Product:
Control Cim-IO Batch.21
Historian Archives
System Layered
Custom
Product:
Application
other InfoPlus.21 API
Other Systems, e.g., InfoPlus.21

The Real-Time Database
InfoPlus.21 Core
• All data in the System
InfoPlus.21 Real- Real-Time
Database
Time Database
are stored in memory, Historian
Archives
in structures called
records InfoPlus.21 API
• Real-time database features:
– High Speed Data Storage and Retrieval
– Pre-defined or custom record structures
– Built-in data processing, with custom options

Record Structures and Concepts

Glossary of Terms
• Definition Record
• Field
• Fixed Area
• Repeat Area
• Record
• Record Folder
• Record ID
• Usability Status, Usable, Unusable

Section Overview
• In this section:
– Review of Record Structures and Role of Definition Records in
database hierarchy
– Record Names and IDs
– Record and Field Pointers
– Usability Status
– Fixed and Repeat Areas
– Record Folders
– Security and Permissions Concepts

About Records in General...
• A record is a collection of related data
• Each record must have a unique name
Field Names
• Each piece of data is stored in a “field”
Record Employee Location Hire Date Salary Employee
Records Name #
Employee 1 Stacey W Houston 15-Oct-92 08:00:00 4000.00 3625
Employee 2 Ollie C Houston 28-Jun-90 08:00:00 5000.00 4799
Employee 3 Valerie L Houston 01-Jan-88 08:00:00 5560.00 6177
Employee 4 Charles L Warrington 01-Nov-96 08:00:00 5201.00 1275
– Fields
• Contain various data types Fields
• Can refer to other records
• Use unique field names within a record

Simplified Examples
• Records belong to various “families.” Each family has a
set of fields (and some built-in processing) suitable for
storing a particular kind of data
Analogs
Record Name Description Value Quality Status Eng Units
ATCPH101 Raw Material ph 9.6 Good
ATCTIC301 Reactor 1 Temperature 210.77 Bad degrees
ATCF202 Mix 2 Tank Flow 21.67 Good liters/sec
ATCL301 Reactor 1 Level 3452.98 No Status liters
Discretes
Record Name Description Value
V501D Fuel Valve Line #5 Closed
V401D Fuel Valve Line #4 Travel
M288D Conveyor Motor Line #2 On
ProductionD Total Shift Production 15291
Record Hierarchy
DefinitionDef
DefinitionDef
Defines Definition records Other
Definition
Records
IP_AnalogDef
IP_AnalogDef IP_DiscreteDef
IP_DiscreteDef
Defines
Data ATCPH101 V501D
Records ATCTIC301 V401D
ATCF202 M288D
ATCL301 ProductionD
• Each record “family” is identified by a special kind of record called a

DEFINITION record
• The Definition records (e.g., IP_Analogdef) determine the
characteristics for each data record created from them
– For example, number of fields, data types of fields

InfoPlus.21 Records
• InfoPlus.21 records can be:
– “Tags,” each containing data about a single process value
– Other kinds of records, such as records that:
• Hold lists of things, like engineering units
• Perform processing on other records, such as calculations, or data
movements
• Hold system information

What is a “Tag?”
• An InfoPlus.21 tag is a record that contains information
about a single point, which could be a single:
– Measured value read from plant instrumentation
– Setpoint value read or to be written to a control system
– Value representing the result of a calculation
• Some Definition families whose members are tag records are:

– IP_AnalogDef Tag records that store analog values
– IP_DiscreteDef Tag records that store integer or single
state values
– IP_TextDef Tag records that store Text values
– There are many other flavors of pre-configured tag families
– InfoPlus.21 also supports custom tag families for unusual
requirements

What is Stored within a Tag?
• A tag stores information about a single process value,
such as:
– Name of the tag
– Description
– Current value
– Name of engineering units used
– Plant area
– Historical values
• A module later in this course details the types of

information stored in a typical tag

InfoPlus.21 Records Review
• All data in InfoPlus.21 is stored in structures called records
• Each record must have a unique name
• Each piece of data is stored in a “field” within record
• Each record belongs to a definition “family” that determines:

– Number, size, and type of fields
– Any processing which might take place within records
• A special kind of record (“Definition Record”) identifies and specifies

a record family

Record Names and IDs
• Names*
– 1 to 24 characters long
– Non-blank
– Unique
– May contain any characters, not case sensitive
• IDs*
– Used internally by InfoPlus.21 API
– Positive integers 1 to 65,535
– Unique
* All Records have a Name field (minimum requirement).

Names and IDs can be changed after a record is created

Records May Point to Other Records
Field name Value
Field name Value
NAME: ATCP301 NAME: ATCXfer3
Records for Data Links
IP_DESCRIPTION: Pressure IO_DESCRIPTION: Get psi
Supporting Cim-IO via pointers
IP_INPUT_VALUE: 42.0 IO_VALUE_RECORD&FLD : ATCP301 IP_INPUT_VALUE
Supporting Data Flow

Cim-IO
Records Tag Records
Get / Put records
Plant
SQLplus Instrumentation
Calculation Query Scheduling
Records Records Records

Usability vs. Unusability
• Every record can exist in one of two states:
– Unusable Records
• Cannot be pointed to by another record
• Cannot be activated, scheduled, or use archiving
• Can be deleted
• Can be set to USABLE at any time
– Usable Records
• Can be pointed to by another record
• Can be activated, scheduled and can use archiving
• Cannot be deleted
• Cannot be set to UNUSABLE when referenced by other records

Fixed and Repeat Areas

Fixed Area of a record is shown Field name Example Value
beside this text NAME: PLANT-AREAS
1ST_SELECTION_VALUE: 0
#_OF_SELECTIONS: 2
0
5
1 SELECT_DESCRIPTION:
field name
2 SELECT_DESCRIPTION:value
Raw
RawMaterl
Materl

The fixed area of all records NAME: VALVE-STATES
3 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: Mixer
belonging to same definition
41ST_SELECTION_VALUE:
SELECT_DESCRIPTION: -1 Reactor
always has same number of fields #_OF_SELECTIONS: 0 Storage

Some Definition families also have
one or more Repeat Areas 
Fields in a Repeat Area can occur
zero, once or many times

The number of repeats
(occurrences) is configurable at any
time

Record Folders
• A way of organizing InfoPlus.21 records to make
the database more manageable
• Record Folders can contain:
– Other Folders
– “Short cuts” (pointers) to InfoPlus.21 records
• Record Folders are themselves InfoPlus.21 records and, therefore,

their names cannot exceed 24 characters
– Example:
• The AspenChem Simulated Application comprises over 100 records (Many
applications are > 1000 records!)
• Folders are created to group the records by the area to which they relate
• The folders can be used by the InfoPlus.21 Administrator program and by the
Tag Browser to locate records efficiently

Example Record Folder Hierarchy

Security and Permissions
• From V3 onwards, the InfoPlus.21 database has
role-based security at:
– Database level
– Record Level
– Field level
• Aspen Roles can be defined for all users, and each Windows user
login is associated with a Role
• Permission to access the database as a whole, to individual or
families of records, or to fields within the records can be controlled
• Security will be fully explained and implemented on the training
database in the System Administration module of this course

Audit Trails, and 21CFR11
• Latest version of InfoPlus.21 incorporates features that generate
audit trail messages
• Purpose of messages is to allow traceability of manual changes
made to data or configuration
• These features:
– Allow InfoPlus.21 based Management Information Systems to comply
with statutory regulations applicable to the food, drink, and
pharmaceuticals industries, such as FDA 21CFR11
– Are also useful to others who do not require statutory compliance, but
who need to add accountability and traceability to their Manufacturing
Information Systems
– Are enabled by purchasing license keys additional to the core product
• More information on this subject appears later in this module

Review: Record Structure and Concepts
• The InfoPlus.21 Database consists entirely of records
• Records are collections of related data, which are stored in fields
• Records can be used to store process data (tags), or to schedule and process data
operations
• Every record is created using a particular definition record as a template, which determines
the record’s structure and properties
• Every record must have a unique name and an ID number
• It is worthwhile considering adopting a naming convention
• All records contain a Fixed Area; some records also contain one or more Repeat Areas
• Any records can be in a Usable state or an Unusable state
Only Usable records can be referred to by other records
Only Unusable records can be deleted
• For convenient database management, records can be arranged into Record Folders
• InfoPlus.21 has the capability to record configuration changes (Audit trail)

Introduction to InfoPlus.21
Administrator Tool

Section Overview
In this Section, you will learn:
• How the InfoPlus.21 Administrator
can be used to:
– Locate records by Folder or by Definition
– Create, Manage, and populate Record Folders
– View and Modify Data

Starting InfoPlus.21 Administrator

Exploring InfoPlus.21
Local
Click
server
Expansion Button
Click
Expansion
Button
Objects that
represent different
possible “Views”
of a database
6
Ways of Viewing the Database
For viewing or configuring data:

User Defined view containing a
selection of records
For configuring history system
For investigating I/O transfers

For viewing or configuring data:
Natural view containing all records
For the System Architect

Three Main Ways of Locating Data
• By Folder
– Root Folder -> Sub-Folder(s) -> Records ->Areas-> Data
– User-defined Hierarchy
• Makes records easy to find
• Requires some work to configure initially
• By Definition Family
– Definitions ->Definition Records ->Records ->Areas->Data
– Natural Hierarchy
• Some record groups can be very large making records difficult to find
• requires no configuration or maintenance
• Using “Find” Facility

– Locates records whether organized by Folder or not
– Allows records to be copied into Folders, if required

Locating Records in Folders
 Expand a folder to  Expand child

see child folders folders to see records
4
Viewing Fixed Area Data in Records
Click Scroll

Modifying Data
• To Modify Data, click a data item in the right panel
• To commit the change, you MUST press Return key
• Once committed, the change is permanent
• Some fields require keyboard input, others present picking lists

Viewing Repeat Area Data in Records
Click Expansion Button
or
Double-click Record Name
Drag edge

Another Way of Viewing Repeat Area Data
Scroll
Down
Double-click
the repeat
area sizing
field
Result
How Much History Can You See?
• InfoPlus.21 Administrator automatically fetches values from Historian, even
though only two repeats are specified in record
• Amount of history to view, and the start-time for the fetch can be controlled

Finding Records
• Use Find | InfoPlus.21 Records if you don’t know a record’s definition or
folder, or just to save time!
• Double-click the item in the results box of the Find dialog to see data
Atc*
Double-clicking in
Find window opens
a Second instance Double
of the Administrator
Click
that Maintains a list
of all Find results

Dragging Records into Folders

Folders Context Menu: New Folders
• Folder context menu allows new folders to be created
• May be necessary to press F5 key (refresh display) to see newly
created folder
Right-click

Locating Records by Definition Family
A
to
Click
Expansion Z
Button

Record Organizer
• Records within a Definition Family are organized into
groups of 100
Here, all IP_AnalogDef

records are organized
100 records in each group
into groups

T
Review: Using InfoPlus.21 Administrator

• InfoPlus.21 Administrator provides a way of viewing, modifying, and organizing
InfoPlus.21 data similar to that provided for the Windows environment by
Windows Explorer
• Expanding the InfoPlus.21 object allows you to browse the InfoPlus.21
neighborhood for remote InfoPlus.21 databases
• Expand an InfoPlus.21 database Group object to see trees starting with
Folders, Definition Records, and others
• Folders expand (eventually) into data records
• Records expand into Fixed and Repeat Areas
• Fields are shown as each area’s contents
• It is also possible to locate records by:
– Find mechanism
– Definition records hierarchy

Navigating: Lab 1
• In this Lab, the student will use InfoPlus.21 Administrator
to:
– Locate tags and other records by:
• Record Folder
• Definition Family
• Find facility
– View fields in a record’s
• Fixed Area
• Repeat Area
– Modify some data in a record’s fixed area
– Create a new Record Folder
– Add existing records to the Record Folder

InfoPlus.21 Tag Sets

Section Overview
• In this Section, you will learn how to:
– Define the concept of InfoPlus.21Tag Set
– Consider the effect of data source in selecting appropriate tags
– Recognize other standard tag sets available for InfoPlus.21
– Know the anatomy of a typical tag including:
• Identification Fields and Fields that control display
• Process Data storage fields
• Fields for controlling data processing
• Fields associated with historical values

What is the “InfoPlus.21 Tag Set?”
• InfoPlus.21 database comes with pre-configured
definition record families called the “InfoPlus.21 Tag Set”
• These tag sets can be used:
– Immediately to create data records to be configured for an
application, or
– To create custom definition records if the application has
unusual requirements
• Certain layered applications may require that only

standard tag set records are used

Data Sources to Tags
Manual Entry
InfoPlus.21
Calculations
Name ATCL101
IP_Description Tank Level
IP_Input_Value 24.0
IP_Eng_Units Gal SQL
CIMIO

Example Structures from the InfoPlus.21 Tag Set
• The InfoPlus.21 tag set includes three standard record
structures used for storing process data:
– IP_AnalogDef- Used to store Real values
– IP_DiscreteDef- Used to store Integer values
– IP_TextDef- Used to store Text strings

Other Tag Sets
• Other off-the-shelf tag sets are available
for InfoPlus.21. They include:
– InfoPlus-X tag set (included with standard product)
– PMC tag set (layered product with Human Interface)
• Features of InfoPlus-X tag set

– Tags store: compressed, uncompressed history, up to six
average histories, and comment history
– Customizable flow control, filtering and data compression
algorithms
– Tags can belong to Plant Areas subdivided into Plant Units
– Multiple configurable Engineering Unit Lists

General Purpose Tags
• In this course, the focus will be on several of the general
purpose tags that are part of the InfoPlus.21 tag set
• The other non-standard tag sets will be mentioned from
time to time as a contrast to the InfoPlus.21 tag set

Typical Tag Structure and Behavior
• All standard tags have: Fixed Area
• A Fixed Area  Identification and Display Information
• One Repeat Area
 Stores 1 Raw data value Limit
• Incoming Data Checking?
 Processes Raw data
• Interface to plant
automation  Stores processed data
(e.g., Cim-IO) Timestamp? Data
 Copies processed data
• Manual Entry Compression
to repeat area
• Value calculated ?
elsewhere in database Repeat Area
or by a program
 Stores historical processed data
 Historian gets historical values from

Historian here for long-term storage on disk

Analog Record Overview Example
Fixed Area:
 Identification & Display Information
 Raw data value storage
 Processes Raw data

More  Stores processed data
fields
Repeat Area:

Stores historical processed data
Fields for Identification/Display
• The fields shown below are found in the fixed area of all
standard tags (not necessarily in this order)
• Purpose: Identification/General Display parameters
Field Name Example Value

NAME: ATCP301
IP_DESCRIPTION: Reactor Pressure
IP_PLANT_AREA: Reactor
IP_TAG_TYPE: Analog
IP_ENG_UNITS: psi
IP_VALUE_FORMAT: F7.2
IP_GRAPH_MINIMUM: 0.0
IP_GRAPH_MAXIMUM: 600
IP_TREND_VIEW_TIME: +000:30:00
IP_STEPPED: Interpolated

Fields for Storing Data Values
• The fields shown below are found in the fixed area
of all standard tags (not necessarily in this order) Structure
Value
• Purpose: Integer Quality From
– Storing Raw data from any source Timestamp Interface
to
Field Name Example Value Process
Real, Integer Equipment
IP_INPUT_VALUE: 101.35
or ASCII Value
IP_INPUT_QUALITY: Good
IP_INPUT_TIME: 12-JUN-98 12:00
– Storage after processing the Raw Data

IP_VALUE: 101.35 Processing: e.g.,
IP_VALUE_QUALITY: Good Data Compression
IP_VALUE_TIME: 12-JUN-98 12:00
IP_DC_STATUS: Boxcar
IP_DC_SLOPE: .0000105
Fields for Processing Raw Data
• The fields shown below are found in the fixed area of all standard
tags (not necessarily in this order)
• Purpose: Processing Raw Data
IP_HIGH_HIGH_LIMIT: 600
Alarm IP_HIGH_LIMIT: 500
Processing IP_LOW_LIMIT: 100.0
IP_LOW_LOW_LIMIT: 20.0
IP_LIMIT_DEADBAND: 20
IP_ALARM_STATE: OK
IP_ALARM_FORMAT: IP_AlarmMessages
IP_ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: UNACK
IP_MESSAGE_SWITCH: OFF
Data Compression IP_DC_SIGNIFICANCE: 2.57
Processing IP_DC_MAX_TIME_INT: +000:30:00

Alarm Processing in InfoPlus.21 Tags

    
IP_HIGH_HIGH_LIMIT
(600)

IP_HIGH_LIMIT  
(500)
IP_LOW_LIMIT
(100)
IP_LOW_LOW_LIMIT
(20)
IP_INPUT_VALUE: 205
500
501
601
599
582
579 IP_ALARM_STATE: OK
HIGHHIGH
HIGH
IP_LIMIT_DEADBAND: ???
20 (No Deadbanding)
Review of InfoPlus.21 Tag Set
• Tags are records that hold process values
• The standard tag set is a set of pre-configured Definition records
delivered with InfoPlus.21 that create a selection of tag records
• It is also possible to configure custom Definition records if a different
tag structure is required
• Tags contain fields for:
– Identification and controlling display features
– Storing Data Values
– Controlling built-in processing
– Storing historical values

Creating, Modifying, and Duplicating
Records

Section Overview
• In this Section, you will learn how to:
– Use InfoPlus.21 Administrator to create and populate new
records via:
• Folder Hierarchy
• Find mechanism
• Definition Hierarchy
– Modify data in existing records
– Replicate records
• And
– Overview of bulk record creation
– Protecting changes to the database with snapshots

Creating a New Record in a Folder
• Use InfoPlus.21 Administrator, Locate Folder to use
• Right-click for Context Menu
Enter new Record name
Select Definition Family
Click OK

Overview: Configuring a New Tag Record
Choose
Locate New Is
a Select a
Record History
Definition Value Format
in Folder Required?
and Name
No
Yes
Set Repeat Enter History Switch

Area Sizing Repository Archiving
Field to 2 Name ON
Populate
Other
Fixed Area
Fields

New Tag Record: Formatting Fields

IP_Value_Format field must be filled in before number fields
can be accessed

Click your choice of format record from the list box

After format has been assigned, number fields all contain
default values. Data can be entered

New Tag Record: Setting Up for History
Scroll
Down
3. Turn Archiving ON
2. Select History Repository
1.Set Repeat Size to 2

Creating New Records from Definitions List
• The list of Definition Records is an alternative starting point for
record creation
Scroll
Down
Right
Click

Duplicating Records
• Instead of creating new, consider using Duplicate
• All data is copied from source record
NewRecordName
Right-Click
Click OK
Mass Record Creation
• It is also possible to save, replicate, and load records in
mass
• Ways of doing this are:
– Load and Save options from InfoPlus.21 Administrator
– Use Utility Recsave and Recload
– Via SQLplus scripts
• Many plant automation systems can create text “taglists”
• SQLplus can read such taglists and create records in InfoPlus.21
database
• These and other system management issues are
discussed in a later module

Protecting Changes to the Database
• As stated earlier, for performance reasons, the entire contents of the
InfoPlus.21 real-time database resides in the host computer’s RAM
memory
• Any changes – such as creating, deleting, or modifying records –
are vulnerable to loss in the case of an unexpected system
shutdown
• When modifying the database, it is a good practice to take periodic
snapshots of the memory database to protect against such loss
• In addition, an image of the real-time database must be available to
load into the host computer’s memory when starting InfoPlus.21

What is a Snapshot?
• Saving a snapshot captures the following information in a binary disk
file, at a given instant of time:
– The data contained within all records, all record structures, names,
and IDs
– All pointers, status flags, and processing queues within the real-time
database
– All internal database properties such as size, free space, and time
display format
• Snapshots can be saved at any time
• Snapshots should be restored:

– At system start-up
– After careful thought!

How are Snapshots Taken?
• Database snapshots can be taken:
– On demand, using any of the following:
• InfoPlus.21 Administrator Tool
• ENGCON character based engineer interface
• A command file
– Automatically on a regular schedule
– Automatically on database shutdown
– With any combination of the above

Taking a Snapshot on Demand
Right-click

Scheduling Regular Snapshots
me
en a
fil
s h ot
ap
Sn
Sn
ap
sh
o t fr
eq
ue
n cy

Adding Extra Scheduled Saves
ot file
apsh
Right-Click Sn name
C:\Snp\End_of_Day.Sn
p2-JUN-99 23:58:00.0
Schedule
+024:00
Fre
que
ncy

Configuring a Shutdown Snapshot
Expand
Sn
ap
s
ho
t file
na
Expand
m
e
The Snapshot Mechanism Explained
1. Database is Locked
2. Copy made in RAM Memory, if

possible. If not, virtual memory is
used. RAM to RAM copy behavior
enabled in DBCLOCK
3. Database is Unlocked
4. Memory copy is transferred

to disk file

Review: Record Creation/Modification
• Ways of creating new records from InfoPlus.21 Administrator:
– Context Menu from Folder
– Context Menu from a Definition Record
– Context Menu from a similar record located by:
• Folder Definition Find
• Records can also be duplicated
• When creating a tag record, it is usual to populate, at a minimum,

• Value Format Repeat Area Size field Archiving Fields
• Other methods exist to load records in mass

Create New Records: Lab 2
• In this lab, you will:
– Create a data model of a unit within the database by:
• Creating tag records and supporting records
• Modifying their data

Deleting Records

Delete Record: First Make Unusable
Right-Click

Why Won’t it Become Unusable?

Removing References

Manually Removing References
• Sometimes…
• Go to reference by double-clicking the entry in window
• Then remove
reference manually

Manually Re-Initializing Fields
• Real, or Timestamp:
– Enter a single “?”
• Integer
– Enter a “0”
or character equivalent
(usually first item
in selection list)
• Character, Record or Field Pointer

– Delete previous entry,
then enter 1 blank Space

Deleting Unusable Record
• Previously grayed out option now available
Right-Click

Showing References
Right-Click

Review: Deleting Data
• To Delete a record it first must be made Unusable
• To make a record Unusable:

– It must not be using archiving (remove manually)
– There must be no references to it elsewhere in the database
(usually remove automatically, sometimes manually)
• Data fields can be re-initialized manually
• There are facilities within the InfoPlus.21 Administrator to

show record cross references and record properties

Records That Support Tags

Section Overview
• In this Section, there will be a:
– Discussion of some records in the database whose function is
to support tags, rather than store process data
• Format records
• Selector records
• Map records

Display Format Fields in InfoPlus.21 tags
• The display format of fields holding data in InfoPlus.21
tags can be changed by adjusting the contents of the
IP_VALUE_FORMAT field
• Examples:
Field Name Example Value Field Name Example Value
NAME: ATCP301 NAME: V111
IP_VALUE_FORMAT: F7.2 IP_VALUE_FORMAT: I 2
IP_INPUT_VALUE: 234.67 IP_INPUT_VALUE: 99

IP_VALUE: 234.00 IP_VALUE: 99
IP_GRAPH_MINIMUM: 1.20 IP_GRAPH_MINIMUM: 0
IP_AnalogDef Example IP_DiscreteDef Example
Using Numeric Field Formats
Value Format FI 7.2
4
5.2
Value Held
in Field
9++9 2999
+ 2 39 9
. 4914
3 99 . .91. 606
2 7803 0940
81 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Value Displayed >+

+ >
9 992 3>
2 941 1..
.93 5> 60 870
in Field 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
F7.2, F5.2, I 4 and all other field formats are records

in InfoPlus.21 database
Numeric Field Formats
Record
Type Format Name Examples Representations
Integer Iw I3 -10 Decimal
UIw UI3 999 Unsigned Decimal
Bw B16 1010101010101010 Binary
Zw Z4 -A1B Hex
UZw UZ4 0A1B Unsigned Hex
DTw DT10 +1:30:00.1 Delta Time
DT14 -12345:30:00.0 (.1 sec)
DSw DS8 +1:30:00 Delta Time
DS12 -12345:30:00 (sec)
DMw DM5 +1:30 Delta Time
DM9 -12345:30 (min)
Real Fw.d F6.2 -99.99 Absolute time
Time TSw TS20 01-Jan-97 12:00:00.1
TS18 01-Jan-97 12:00:00
Selector Records
• Used to associate user-specified text strings with integer values
• Can be used as Field Format record
Field Name Example Value Field Name Example Value
NAME: NO/YES NAME: V111

1ST_SELECTION_VALUE: 0
-1
#_OF_SELECTIONS: 2
3 IP_VALUE_FORMAT: NO/YES
1 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: NO
2 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: YES IP_INPUT_VALUE: NO
3 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: MAYBE IP_VALUE: NO
Selector Record Discrete Record using

defined by Selector record to format fields
Select6Def NO
NO represents
represents0
YES
-1 represents 1
MAYBE
YES represents
represents 20
Selector Records: Further Example
• The field IP_Alarm_State in Tag records is an integer data type
• It is formatted by IP_AlarmMessages to display text rather than

the integer value
Selector Record
NAME: IP_AlarmMessages
1ST_SELECTION_VALUE: -2
#_OF_SELECTIONS: 5
1 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: LOW LOW
2 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: LOW
3 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: OK
4 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: HIGH Example Value
5 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: HIGH HIGH
NAME: ATCP301
IP_ALARM_FORMAT: IP_AlarmMessages
Tag Record
IP_ALARM_STATE: OK
Implicit Field Formatting
• This same mechanism is used to format other fields in standard tag
records
• The formatting for these is implicit, or specified within the tag’s
Definition record
• Example: IP_Eng_Units is an integer field formatted by the selector
record Eng-Units
Field Name Example Value IP_AnalogDef
NAME: ENG-UNITS
1ST_SELECTION_VALUE: Field Name Example Value
0
#_OF_SELECTIONS: 5 NAME: ATCP301
2 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: degrees
3 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: psia IP_ENG_UNITS: psia
4 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: PSIG
5 SELECT_DESCRIPTION: feet/second
So What?
• To add new engineering units to the system, you need to:
– Increase the repeat area size of selector record ENG-UNITS
– Type text to describe the additional engineering unit into the
new occurrence
– This is now available to all tags
• The same applies to Plant Areas

– Selector record is PLANT-AREAS
• To customize the descriptions of the alarm states, modify

selector record IP_AlarmMessages

Viewing Format Records
• Building
Blocks
Object under
InfoPlus.21
Administrator
Tools
provides a
useful view
of all format
records
available

Summary of Tag and Related Records
Plant-Areas
Definition
Definition Folder
Record
Record Record RealFormatDef
Records
F10.2
F5.2
F7.2
Tag Record F5.2
Eng-Units
IP_PLANT_AREA
IP_PLANT_AREA
IP_ENG_UNITS
IP_ENG_UNITS
IP_VALUE_FORMAT IP_AlarmMessDef
IP_VALUE_FORMAT
Records
TSK_DHIS
TSK_DHIS IP_ALARM_FORMAT
IP_ALARM_FORMAT IP_AlarmMessages
IP_REPOSITORY
IP_REPOSITORY

Other Supporting Records: Map Records
• Map records, defined by ATMapDef, allow InfoPlus.21
database fields to be mapped to Process Explorer

Review: Supporting Records
• InfoPlus.21 records which support tags include:
– Format Records
– Selector Records
– Map Records
• Format and Selector records can be used to format the data storage fields in
records
• New Selector Records can be defined using definition Select(n)Def where
(n) is the maximum number of characters
• Different selector records also format other fields in tag records, such as:
– IP_PLANT_AREA (plant-areas), IP_ENG_UNITS (eng-units)
– IP_ALARM_STATE (IP_AlarmMessages)
• Map records must exist if tags are to be trended using Aspen Process
Explorer

Support Records/Deleting Records: Lab 3
• In this Lab, you will:
– Experiment with integer format records
– Add a new engineering unit to the global engineering units
record and use it within the Valve records
– Create new Selector records and use them to format the Valve
records created during the previous lab
– Create a new number Format record and use it to format the
Tank Level record created during the previous lab
– Delete the new format record and observe the effects
– Delete a tag

Other Kinds of Records in the
InfoPlus.21 Database

Review: InfoPlus.21 Records
Records Supporting Records
Records for
Process Explorer & Supporting
Supporting Cim-IO
GCS GUIs Summaries
Data Flow
Supporting Cim-IO
Tag Records Get / Put records
Records
Plant
SQLplus Scheduling Instrumentation
Query Records
Calculation
Records
Records
COS records
Introducing Reactor Expansion Project: Lab 4
• In this Lab, you will:
– Use the techniques and knowledge gained so far to create a
database model that extends the AspenChem application
– Create a process graphic to help visualize the model

Reactor Expansion Project
Product Flow Recirc Flow
0 - 100 GPM 0 - 110 GPM
Salt Flow
0 - 10 GPM
Product Valve3 Ratio
Mixer
Production Back-
flush Salt Tank Level
0-100%
Salt Tank
Valve2
Valve1
Raw
Liquor
Quality Valve4 100 GPM
Rating
0-100% Valve1- Blue color indicates tag data
Recirculation
available
Introducing Process Graphics
• To complement the
Reactor Expansion
Project, create a
schematic using
Process Graphics
to display values
from the simulation
in Process Explorer

Displaying a Process Value
• To display a value from the database, select Data Field and draw a
box with the mouse
• This will be the position of the value on the display
• The position and other properties can be modified at any time

Setting Data Field Properties
2. Select Data Source
1.Right-click
3. Enter Tag Name and Attribute (field)

Check the Value
• The value appears and updates inside the box

Including Animation
• Include animation to bring your process graphics to “life”
Draw box
Right-Click
Min and Max

values for bar graph

Animation Ranges
• Add ranges as appropriate for your application
Select Add Range to specify
different colors for different
values
When value is
0-20 bar fill color shows red,
20-80 color is green,
80-100 color is blue
What happens when the value is 20?

Viewing Graphic
• Once graphic is complete, save and open in Process Explorer

Main Stages Overview: Lab 4
D o t hi s
f i rs t
then this..
then this..

04 IP21Database

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

04 IP21Database

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The InfoPlus.

InfoPlus.21 Foundation Course

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

• How are records viewed, modified and deleted?

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

• Click, Double-Click, Right-Click

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

Aspen Data Source Administrator

Other Systems, e.g., InfoPlus.21

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

InfoPlus.21 Foundation Course

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

• Usability Status, Usable, Unusable

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

• Each record “family” is identified by a special kind of record called a

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

• Some Definition families whose members are tag records are:

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

• A module later in this course details the types of

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

• Each record must have a unique name

• Each piece of data is stored in a “field” within record

• Each record belongs to a definition “family” that determines:

• A special kind of record (“Definition Record”) identifies and specifies

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

* All Records have a Name field (minimum requirement).

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

Supporting Data Flow

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

• Record Folders are themselves InfoPlus.21 records and, therefore,

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

• More information on this subject appears later in this module

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

Ways of Viewing the Database

For viewing or configuring data:

For investigating I/O transfers

For the System Architect

• Using “Find” Facility

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

 Expand a folder to  Expand child

Viewing Fixed Area Data in Records

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

Here, all IP_AnalogDef

©2004 AspenTech. All Rights Reserved.

Review: Using InfoPlus.21 Administrator