Foxboro® Control Software

Product Specifications

PSS 21S-10B9 B3
Foxboro® Control Software Scripting with Direct Access

Internal Loop
Command File(s) Operations Create
Update Modify
Operations Delete
Rename

XML
XML Parser Single DirectAccess
Command File Import
Command Operations
Deploy
InFusion Operations
Galaxy
Import
Files

Object, Block and Filter

Attribute Filters Operations
Export
Operations
InFusion Deploy/undeploy
Deployment or upload
Display or Export Manager commands
Output Files
Command
Operations
Window

Reports Report
SMC Operations
Logfile

Foxboro® Control Software Direct Access is a general purpose scripting and query tool that enables the user
to create, modify, deploy, delete, report, import, and export elements of an I/A Series® system and control
database configuration and ArchestrA Application Objects managed by the Galaxy repository.

FEATURES  Delete existing derived objects

The Foxboro Control Software (FCS) Direct Access  Construct an I/A Series control or system
Query/Scripting tool enables the user to: database configuration by assigning components
 Create new derived objects, instances, or to containing elements, such as the assignment
templates. Examples include: I/A Series Blocks, of:
Strategies, Compounds, Stations, Modules, • Blocks to Strategies
Devices.
• Strategies to Compounds
 Modify the attributes (parameters) of I/A Series
• Compounds to Controllers
elements such as Block or Compound
parameters • Fieldbus Modules to Controllers
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 Report upon the configuration of all or a portion OVERVIEW

of an I/A Series database such as all of the The Foxboro Control Software (FCS) Direct Access
Blocks in a Strategy or all of the Strategies in a Query/Scripting application enables the user to
Compound programmatically create, rename, deploy, undeploy
 Apply multiple criteria (Filters) to queries to limit import, export and delete I/A Series derived template
the returned information to what is required and instance representations of Controllers, Devices,
FBMs, FCMs, Workstations, Network Switches,
 Combine multiple queries in a single script
Blocks and Compounds as well as Strategies,
 Dynamically compute the name of an Object in a Strategy Declarations, PlantUnit nodes, EquipUnit
script using regular expressions nodes, Application Objects & User Attributes and
 Repeat the execution of a set of operations in a Software Packages.
script The user can also update their attributes
 Manage the execution time of operations within a [parameters] and report on their current settings. The
script. user can also construct hierarchical representations
through assignment. For example, assign a Block to
BENEFITS a Strategy, assign a Strategy to a Compound, assign
a Compound to a Controller, assign an FBM to a
 Reduce the elapsed time it takes to complete a
Controller.
set of repetitive tasks because the tasks are
performed at computer speed instead of
USER INTERFACE
performing manual operations
The user can either execute a Direct Access query
 Reduce the engineering hours it takes to
directly through the command line interface as
complete a set of complex repetitive tasks shown below:
 Reduce the errors typically incurred by DirectAccess_Cmd <GalaxyNode> <GalaxyName>
performing highly repetitive manual operations <CommandFile> <UserName> <Password>

 Generate a complex set of reports from a single Or execute a script using the Direct Access dialog
script that can be stored box as shown in Figure 1.

 Perform specified operations, such as back up

the Galaxy, periodically or based on the
occurrence of an event such as the time is 2 AM.

Figure 1. Direct Access Dialog Box

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In both cases the Command File is stored as an XML These are:

document. An example that creates a new Strategy
 BasedOn -All blocks/ECBs satisfying this filter are
Template called $Cascade that is derived from the
based on the base template specified by this
base template called $Strategy is shown below:
base template
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<DirectAccess>  ContainedBy - All blocks satisfying this filter are
<CreateStrategy Template="$Strategy" contained by the strategy specified by this
Strategy="$Cascade"/> tagname. NOTE: The ContainedBy condition can
</DirectAccess>
only be used for the WhereUsed report.
Direct Access provides a rich set of tools to enable
 DerivedOrInstantiatedFrom - All blocks/ECBs
these command files to perform large scale bulk
satisfying this filter are derived or instantiated
edits on the Galaxy Repository database. These
from the template specified by this tagname.
include the ability to apply multiple Filters against a
query, the ability to perform repetitive operations and  NamedLike - All blocks/ECBs satisfying this filter
the ability to apply string and or value substitutions have a tagname that satisfies the specified LIKE
against a named Object or Attribute. clause.
 NameEquals - All block/ECBs satisfying this filter
QUERY FILTERS have a tagname exactly matching the specified
A query filter enables the user to specify criteria when value.
searching for software objects and/or attributes. You
 Hierarchical NamedLike - all blocks/ECBs
can specify filters with standard expressions.
satisfying this filter have a contained name that
With Direct Access querying capabilities, you can use satisfies the specified LIKE clause.
the results of a filter in another operation such as
Two of the Filter Conditions listed above introduce
generating a report, returning a value, updating an
the keyword NamedLike. This clause provides the
attribute, or performing an action on an object or
ability to specify a set of Object that satisfy a regular
attribute.
expression based on one of the following special
The three types of query filters for Direct Access are: characters. These are:
 QueryFilter - search for objects such as a  % - any string of zero or more characters, e.g.,
Controller, Device or Strategy instance or derived NamedLike="AW%" will return all objects with
template tagnames that begin with the characters "AW";
 BlockQueryFilter -define which block and ECB NamedLike="%AW%" will return all object
instances to return instances that have the characters "AW"
anywhere in the tagname.
 AttributeQueryFilter -define which attributes, e.g.
Block parameter to return.  _ (underscore) - any single character, e.g.,
NamedLike="AW000_" will return all objects with
Query filters are constructed using Filter Conditions.
tagnames that begin with the characters
These describe the search criteria to be applied by
"AW000" followed by any other single character.
the filter. Direct Access utilizes five filter conditions.
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 [ ] - any single character in the specified range, REPEAT

e.g., NamedLike="[ACS]%" will return all objects Direct Access can repeat a grouping of statements
with tagnames that begin with the characters "A", using the keywords:
"C" or "S".
 <PerformOperation> and </PerformOperation>
 [^] - any single character NOT in the specified to specify the boundary conditions of statements
range, e.g., NamedLike="[^ACS]%" will return all to be repeated.
objects with tagnames that do not begin with the
 Repeat to specify the number of times the set of
characters "A", "C", or "S".
statements would be repeated
Query filters can be combined to accomplish multi-
 Start to specify the initial integer value when the
criteria searches. Multiple QueryFilter commands can
repeat cycle begins. Note this value is
be issued against the same FilterName, resulting in a
incremented by 1 upon completing a cycle
filter with an implied AND between the multiple
through the set of statements
dissimilar conditions, and an implied OR between
multiple identical conditions.  Pattern to specify a character grouping that will

This is best explained by example. Consider a query be replaced by the value of the integer being
returning all objects that are: incremented each pass through the set of
statements.
 Based on $FCP270
 OR Based on $AW70P Again, this is best understood by examining an
 OR Based on $ZCP270 example. Consider a group of repeated statements
 AND Named like XYZ% (that is, letterbugs that perform the following operations:
beginning with the characters XYZ)  Create 100 controllers based on the FCP270
 AND NOT assigned to equipment unit template
Equip_Unit_001.
 Name the set of Controllers: A10000, A10100,
The filter statements in the Command File would look A10200, …
like this:
 For each Controller, create 8 FBMs based on the
<QueryFilter Filter="Filter1" Condition="BasedOn"
FBM201 template
Value="$FCP270"/>
<QueryFilter Filter="Filter1" Condition="BasedOn"  Assign the currently created FBM to the currently
Value="$AW70P"/> created controller
<QueryFilter Filter="Filter1" Condition="BasedOn"
 For Controller A10000, name that set of FBMs:
Value="$ZCP270"/>
<QueryFilter Filter="Filter1" Condition="NamedLike" Va
A10001, A10002, …
lue="XYZ%"/>  For Controller A10100, name that set of FBMs:
<QueryFilter Filter="Filter1" Condition="!AssignedTo" A10101, A10102, …etc.
Value="Equip_Unit_001"/>
 For each Controller, create 8 FBMs based on the
Notice the use of the keyword NamedLike in the
FBM204 template
Filter construction.
 Assign the currently created FBM to the currently
created controller
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 For Controller A10000, name that set of FBMs: MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS

A10011, A10012, … A variety of additional command utilities prove useful
 For Controller A10100, name that set of FBMs: when managing large databases as indicated in the
A10111, A10112, … etc. following examples.

The query statements to accomplish the above is  The SetVar command allows you to specify a
constructed below. variable and associated value to be used for
<PerformOperation Repeat="100" Start="100" Pattern="ZZZ">
string substitution in any command. You can use
<CreateController Template="$FCP270"
the variable in subsequent commands by
Controller="AZZZ00"/> bracketing its name with a set of percent signs
<PerformOperation Repeat="8" Start="1" (%). Whenever such a string is encountered on
RememberStart="Yes" Pattern="#"> any command, the value of the variable will be
<CreateFBM Template="$FBM201" FBM="AZZZ0#" used to replace the variable name, resulting in
Controller="AZZZ00"/>
string substitution.
</PerformOperation>
 The CommandFile command specifies a
<PerformOperation Repeat="8" Start="11"
RememberStart="Yes" Pattern="??"> command file from which one or more additional
<CreateFBM Template="$FBM204" FBM="AZZZ??" commands are to be executed.
Controller="AZZZ00"/>
 The BackupGalaxy command allows you to back
</PerformOperation>
up the current Galaxy.
</PerformOperation>
 The BulkCompile command allows you to bulk
Notice the pattern used for the creating the set of
compile one or more control strategy templates
FBM270's is ZZZ and the initial value for ZZZ is 100;
or instances.
the pattern used for creating the set of FBM201's is
ZZZ# and initial value of # is 1 while the pattern for  The LogMessage command inserts an
creating the set of FBM204's is ZZZ?? and the initial informational log message into the ArchestrA
value of ?? is 11. The names of both of the FBMs are logger, viewable from the ArchestrA System
created from the pattern governing the outer loop of Management Console (SMC).
the Controller which is ZZZ and the pattern governing
 The Reset command allows you to reset, or
the inner loop of their specific FBM which is # for
change, the most recently referenced object.
FBM type 201 and ?? for FBM type 204.
Many operations allow you to rely on the most
recently referenced object, so that you do not
need to re-enter it each time it's referenced.
However, the Reset operation allows those most
recently referenced objects to be changed, or
nulled out.
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H A R DWAR E A N D S O F T WA R E RE Q U I RE M E N T S

Foxboro Control Software (FCS) Scripting with Direct For more information on the Foxboro Control
Access is a component of the FCS Configuration Software Configuration Tools, refer to the Product
Tools. Specification Sheet Foxboro Control Software
For detailed instructions on how to use Scripting with Configuration Tools (PSS 21S-10B3-B3).
Direct Access, refer to the user document Foxboro
Control Software Scripting with Direct Access
(B0750BM).
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