Skip to main content

Using the Data Loader

The Sigmafine Data Loader is used as a command line utility to simplify the following tasks:

  • The loading of flat file (text file) data into PI Points
  • The creation of inputs to Attributes values in cases

The utility is used for upgrading Sigmafine installations that are dependent on flat file data instead of data sent directly into PI Points from control systems, lab systems, etc. New Sigmafine customers can also take advantage of this utility for importing/loading their initial data.

Run the Data Loader from a Windows command line using a .bat file. The executable file Pimsoft.DataLoader.exe and the batch file to run, DataLoader.bat.sample are located in the following folder:

\Program Files(x86)\ Sigmafine\Bin

The Data loader uses the configuration stored in the Sigmafine Database to locate Element attributes. The Data Loader works with the Attributes in two modes. The first mode is in a time context that imports data into PI points using data and time stamps provided. The second mode is in a Case context that imports data directly into a Sigmafine Analysis Case results set. In this second mode, the data is made available only to the analysis rule running the case.

The Data Loader accepts the following file formats:

  • Excel spreadsheet .xls files
  • Comma-separated variable .csv files

Note: Microsoft Excel must be installed on the computer that runs the Data Loader in order to read .xls data files. Excel is not required for reading .csv files.

When the Dataloader.bat file runs, success and error messages are written to a log file. This log file is called 'Dataloader.log' and is located in the %TEMP% directory.

The following \topics describe the syntax and command line arguments for the various types of data files: