Importing variables with Location?
Hi
I am using Freelance 2016 SP1 [10.3.9142]. I am trying to import Variables with the associated "Location" attached to it. When I Export out of Freelance Engineering, the associated CSV file have the following columns populated. Name/Comment/Type/Res./X/Object/Location/P. When I then delete those variables inside the Variables(For test purposes), and take that same .csv file for import, the Location column is blank.
So, if I create an new .csv file with all my variables (8000 in total), the Location is not imported. This forces me to go and do each one manually. 8000 variables is gonna take some time, don't you agree?
I contacted our local ABB specialists and they confirmed it does the same on their side, but have no solution for this "bug". They did suggest I use the Bulk Data Manager, but this also turned out to be a waste. Bulk Data Manager does not export the Location with Variables.
Please would someone help me do bulk importing of data. I can not believe it is not possible in ABB Freelance. This is a simple task in Siemens and Rockwell. There must be a way. What am I doing wrong?
Answers
Hello StAnder!
I'm sorry, you had this bad experience with Freelance.
There is no supported way /(to my knowledge) to import the location into Freelance.
Reason is, that the hardware structure does not support bulk data operation which is a missing feature and the location is a hardware structure attribute.
The location is shown in the variable list for information purpose only. It is exported to help you sort/filter your Excel sheet, but ignored during import as you have rightly stated.
The only thing that can help you minimize your work is to press the F2 key in the I/O editor, which will present you with the variable list (you imported) and a match (type ahead) filter that allows you to fast narrow down the list to the name area that contains your variable. By picking it out of the list you save some typing effort and avoid typos. Because the list offers only variables which have no location set it will get shorter over the assignment process.
That is actually the workflow suggested in case you create your variable / Tag list outside of Freelance. As you program your logic, you also assign the location using the F2 list. As a help you could also put the location in the comments section (in addition to your other comment info). That would help you to make sure to assign the correct location.
Again I'm sorry for the bad experience you had with Freelance engineering.
Hi HenkelD
It is not a bad experience per se. It is just a missing piece of technology from the software. I am using mouse double click, same as F2, but I have to do this for thousands of variables. It is a time consuming excersise, which can easily be made more simple. Siemens and Rockwell allow you to do this. As for not making mistakes this way, I have made quit e afew already and it is a real PIT to fix them.
In Excel I can use formulas to check for double variables or locations etc before I import. I can easily, with a drag of the mouse, populate Locations ot write macros to populate columns. It is also my responsibility to check accuracy, either the manual way or via an import. I just can not understand that in 2017, a company would want you to do all of this manually? tehre is so many clever pieces of software and tools available to complete a 2 week manual job in a day.
And then there is a tool called Bulk Data Manager in the software suite. I still have to find a use for it, because it does not help me to manage bulk data???
I am so frustrated in my first few weeks of working with Freelance. I hope there is somethjing good in this software later on, because first impressions are not good.
Thank you again for at least answering me and confirming that manual is the only way.
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