Variable import

[sgrant]

I am in the process of importing a large number of variables into a Zenon 7.5 application using the .xml file import process.

Import1.jpg shows a sample of three data types having just been imported. Note the column Drivers how the parent data type is the same as its child variables for all three occurrences.

Import2.jpg shows the same three variables taken minutes later following a workspace backup. Note again the column Drivers. It is now different for the parent data types than those of the child variables without me changing anything following the import.

I am importing many similar .xml files ultimately containing 15000+ variables which are created from a backup of the same workspace running on a separate machine to facilitate simultaneous testing on the live system.

I am really confused as to why Zenon does the following:

1) .xml files generated from the same project do not import correctly into the live application.
2) Displays everything was fine prior to creating a backup of the workspace and then on the reload of the project everything changes.
3) Most importantly not log any errors during the import process.
4) Not log any problems on the reload of the variables following the workspace backup.

[ursulak]

This mismatching in drivers between the node of structure variable and its items: is it an issue only in Editor (wrong display), or causes it also that the communication in the Runtime does not work correctly?

In general: when a variable is a structure/array then all items are handled by only one driver - the driver of node. Thus in Editor the items settings like 'driver' and 'net address' are grayed out - cannot be edited, not even by activated 'manual addressing'. Maybe under some circumstances they are not displayed correctly, e.g. if xml-file was manually edited, then i could imagine some inconsistencies.

Please try if the wrong driver is displayed when you create backup of the project and restore it as new project. If this issue also affects the Runtime then maybe the editor data stored in SQL databank is corrupted (as you probably know - the zenon Editor stores the definition of created drivers, data types, variables etc. in the SQL databank). I'm not sure how immune the import mechanism is against faults in XML and the compiler against the mismatches (or corrupted SQL data). I'm not sure if our Automated Testing covers such scenarios (have to discus internally with responsible team).

During the compilation of the project the structure is split to "flat" variables and they shall have the driver and net address of the node. So mismatch display in Editor does not automatically mean a problem in the Runtime.

Please contact your local COPA-DATA Support and send project backups ("before" and "after"), XML files and step-by-step description how to reproduce the issue.