Hi, I hope I can export an area from DeltaV into an editable format, Make some changes and then Reimport into a different Area in the same control system.
I have been able to export modules using custom format files. However, when creating the format file, it seems to only be able to add fields from one type of module. Id like to combine fields from many modules.
Im working on configuring a plant with 3 identical lines. Each line has a few hundred IO points. I was thinking I could program the first, export the area (line) and then swap out the IO information etc.. and re import into the other areas.
Is the only way to accomplish this exporting each type of module one at a time? then editing them indivivualy and then re importing?
Cheers,
Eric
Emerson doesn't recommend it (they may actively discourage it) but you can do a standard export to a FHX file and re-import it after editing it or doing a series of search/replace operations. There are some gotcha's to be aware of though. If you export and change the names of the modules and the I/O, then reimport, DeltaV will create the new modules with the I/O specified. If you export and existing module and then change just the I/O then reimport, then DeltaV will ignore your entire import file. That is because each item that you can see in the tree has a timestamp in the FHX file. If the timestamp in the FHX file is earlier or the same as the timestamp in the DeltaV database, then DeltaV will ignore that object in the FHX file.
There are several ways around this but each one has its own drawbacks.
Is there some reason you do not just want to copy/paste the entire area in DeltaV Explorer and then rename the modules and use the Configure I/O tool to set the I/O references for the whole area?
In reply to carllemp:
Carl is right. Depending on the configuration and how you manipulate this, you could create more problemsn than you know and be trouble shooting your system for quite a while. DeltaV allows you to create embedded blocks that are not intended to be manipulated outside of Control Studio in context of the module. Copying the FHX and reimporting new modules will create duplicate references to objects intended to have only a one to one link in the database. You might overright something that negatively affects the initial strategies.
The FHX is not intended as a medium for exporting and editing the configuration, so if things go awry, your only recourse is to start again.
If you start the project by creating a valid set of module templates, and create the first line using these templates, you would be able to create the second line from a Bulk Edit import. This would be a minimal definition of the changed module names, instrument tags and associated descriptions and Display files.
Embedded blocks will export with a system created name like "__a9d9ef209dc_defa8d7ca6__" (give or take a few letters and numbers). If you modify one of these and import, you'll be affecting the original module with your change. This would not be apparent and could result in unexpected operation as a result of the logic in the block. This has actually happened, and caused a plant shutdown and damaged equipment. This cannot happen if the module is copied in DeltaV and the modification is done through DeltaV control Studio.
I would strongly recommend against using the FHX file to copy and edit to create a new train. If you do proceed, pay very close attention to embedded blocks and global items. Be prepared to revalidate the running modules to make sure they are not affected, and since this would be unexpected, it will be difficult to know you've actually created a problem. If you are not intimately familiar with FHX structures and how DeltaV manages imports, you should not use this method.
To clarify the timestamp issue, During import you are prompted if the object exists, to overwrite it. If you say yes, but the time stamp is the same, DeltaV will "skip" the item during import. Your changes will actually not be imported. The import log will show "Skipping ..Object name..." If the time is different (older or newer) and you say yes to the import, it will overwrite the object. This allows you to revert to a previous version of a module via import of the older FHX file. If you import an area, and you say Yes to ALL, you are not prompted for each object, and those with identical time stamps will be skipped. Check the log file after every import as it is overwritten with each import or export. If you don't save this file after every import, you won't know what imported or what was skipped.
Hope not to see you post a question on why my module is doing weird things after an import.....
Andre Dicaire