Preparing for a Database Export

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Limitations on Imported Points

User-defined local points from PPCL cannot be imported into the management platform.

Point Naming Conventions

When you are preparing to export the database, you should use proper point naming conventions such as delimiters since this will save time later. This is especially important if you plan on creating a logical view of your system because a logical view often spans devices and networks. The last delimited section of a point name—for example, BLDG1.FLOOR1.RM1.POINT1—will automatically map the point to the proper function in Desigo CC.

If you must change point names before you export your database, contact your Area Technical Specialist to request the Change System Name utility.

NOTE:
You can specify one of six delimiter conventions for point names. However, it is recommended that you use the default delimiter, the Period. Point names with any of the six delimiters will successfully import into Desigo CC. However, the Discovery feature (used for maintaining the database) can only recognize the period.

• Period (.)
• Apostrophe (‘)
• Comma (,)
• Dash (-)
• Underscore (_)
• Space ( )

Local IO Folder

All point names that do not follow the proper naming convention are placed in the Local IO folder. TECs are an exception to this rule.

Expected Name Mappings

When you import system objects into Desigo CC, you must choose how to map the System Name, User Name, and Descriptor fields into the management station’s Name, Description, and Alias fields.

There are three methods for name mappings between and Desigo CC—Classic, Classic Reversed, and Bad System Name. See the following explanations for more detail:

Classic

• APOGEE System Name > Desigo CC Name
• APOGEE Name > Desigo CC Description
• APOGEE Descriptor > Desigo CC Alias

This method allows Desigo CC users to toggle between System Name and User Name fields. The Descriptor field can be displayed and searched on. Logical View and Function Mapping is built based on System Name.

Classic Reversed

• APOGEE System Name > Desigo CC Description
• Apogee Name > Desigo CC Name
• APOGEE Descriptor > Desigo CC Alias

This method allows you to toggle between the System Name and User Name fields. The Descriptor field can be displayed and searched on. Logical View and Function Mapping is built based on the User Name.

Bad System Name

• APOGEE System Name > Desigo CC Alias
• APOGEE Name > Desigo CC Name
• Apogee Descriptor > Desigo CC Description

This method should be used if the System Name in the APOGEE system is not in a suitable format for end users. It allows Desigo CC users to toggle between the User Name and Descriptor fields. The System Name field can still be displayed and searched on. Logical View and Function Mapping is built based on the User Name.

Name Mappings Shown in Table Format

The following table shows the three methods of name mappings from APOGEE to Desigo CC:

FLN Subpoint Selector

The information in this section applies to creating a new BACnet project or integrating an APOGEE system.

Information about FLN subpoints applies to BACnet objects only. While exporting APOGEE objects, the system always provides subpoints. The FLN Subpoint Selector allows you to enable or disable subpoints for TEC applications. These subpoints are either:

• Imported by Desigo CC through files created by the Desigo CC Export Utility in Insight software or in the Commissioning Tool, or
• Discovered by Desigo CC through the system's Discovery feature, which detects devices already on the network.

The Export Utility exports only pre-defined subpoints in a TEC. TEC subpoints that are not pre-defined will not display in your panels. If you want them to display in the management station, you must add them in the Commissioning Tool’s System Profile application before you create the export files. This allows the subpoints to display as TEC subpoints in your panels, and these subpoints can then be trended, and so on.

The FLN Subpoint Selector also allows you to create default Functions for BACnet TEC applications that are not present in the library. The default Functions can then be configured appropriately.

Insight Graphics

When you prepare your graphics, there are several things to consider and do before exporting them into Desigo CC. Refer to the information below, and make any changes or updates as necessary, before proceeding with an export of your Insight graphics.

Prior to exporting, you should open several graphics from your Graphics folder, and make sure all the backgrounds and images display for each graphic.

Things to consider before exporting to Desigo CC:

• Display Settings on the Export Computer
• Commissioning Tool Database Folder Shared and Permissions Set
• Background Graphics. and .GIF Files Copied to the Database Folders
• Updating the UNC File Path Properties for Dynamic Graphics

Display Settings on the "Export" Computer

The display settings, such as DPI or Resolution, on the computer that you will use to export your graphics from Insight\CT to Desigo CC, can potentially affect how the graphics import into Desigo CC.

If you notice that your graphic(s) are clipped and not fully displaying, once you have imported your graphics into Desigo CC , check the following display settings on your computer and adjust them accordingly. Once you have made the adjustments, you will have to go through the export steps again.

• DPI - Consider setting this to 100%.
• Screen Resolution - Consider using the recommended setting for your system.

Commissioning Tool Database Folder Shared and Permissions Set

You must share the existing Commissioning Tool (CT) Insight database, and you must set the permissions to Everyone prior to a database restore.

Background Graphics and .GIF Files Copied to Database Folders

If you are restoring a Commissioning Tool job, the Background and Animation folders from your project's Commissioning Tool graphics folders must be copied to the following directories in the CommTool\Database\Graphics folder. See the path for copying the content in the table below:

Updating UNC File Path Properties for Dynamic Graphics

If you are moving your exported graphics from one computer to another, you must use the Insight Graphics application Search/Replace File Path Property feature to search the file path property of your graphics database Universal Naming Convention computer name and replace it with the new computers name for all Picture, Advanced Link, and Animation control graphics.

About the Commissioning Tool and APOGEE Insight Databases

Here are the revision requirements for

Requirements

• For an APOGEE BACnet Project: Commissioning Tool (CT) Revision 3.12 and later
• For an APOGEE P2 Project: Commissioning Tool (CT), 3.13 or later, in online mode or APOGEE Insight Revision 3.13 or later for graphics data. Additionally, the InsightDBCSServer service must be running; otherwise, your graphics will not export properly.

Export Utility

The Desigo CC Export Utility is part of CT and part of APOGEE Insight. It is used to convert an existing APOGEE database to a format that can be imported into Desigo CC. The APOGEE database refers to BACnet field panels, P1 Terminal Equipment Controllers (TECs), P2 devices, BACnet MS/TP TECs, and graphics.

Using APOGEE Insight 3.13 or later, you can export graphics and their associated data points. APOGEE graphics imported into the Desigo CC management station display their associated data points. However, there are several conversion limitations associated with the imported graphics.

Features

With the Desigo CC Export Utility you can:

• View hierarchies of the existing database objects and their properties.
• Filter ALNs and devices you want to export.
• Generate an export file or set of files that contain objects that you selected, which can then be imported into a Desigo CC using the method appropriate to the type of data.

File Structure

Depending on the data type, the files contain the following:

• BACnet Panel Data: The name, ID, and description properties that are exported from the database in a SiB-X file. The file also contains physical and logical hierarchies/views of the objects. Upon export, one XML file is created per BLN. Each file resides in the root of the export directory.
• APOGEE P2 Data: One folder and one XML file is created per BLN. For PPCL, one folder is created, and one XML file is created for each program.
• Graphics Data: One folder is created for each graphic. The folder contains all the information and graphics related to the graphic, as follows:
• XML file that contains all the data pertaining to the graphic
• PNG version of the graphics for use as a thumbnail with Desigo CC
• Folder for each graphic attribute or controls, such as Background, Pictures, Animation, Links, and so on. For example, if an APOGEE graphic has a background and animation associated with it. The graphic will have two subfolders: Background, and Animation. Each attribute folder contains the graphic in the original file format, such as Micrografx™, and so on.