Create a CSV file to add multiple devices

You can create a CSV file to add multiple devices to the project.

Use the sample CSV files as templates to create your own CSV file. For more information, the sample CSV device files, see CSV file samples.

TIP: You can edit the CSV file to remove unused columns, or to drag and drop columns to position them where they are easy to read.

Prerequisites:

  • For existing projects: Make a backup copy of your project.
  • For a new project: In the Power Operation Studio, add a new project, define a cluster; and add alarm, trend, and I/O servers. See Before adding I/O devices for details.

To create a CSV file to add multiple devices:

  1. In the Profile Editor, create and export a project that includes the device types and profiles included in this installation.
  2. In Excel, Open Office, or other .CSV file editor, open the example CSV file for your device type. The files are named "exampleXX," where XX is the device type, such as ION or Modbus TCP. These files are in the Windows Program Data file: 
  3. Program Data > Schneider Electric\Power Operation\v2022\Examples.
  4. In the sample CSV worksheet, for each device that you want to add enter the following information:
    1. ProfileName: the name of the profile that has been exported from the Profile Editor into the target Power Operation project. Type the names of the profiles that have been selected for this project. To view names, open the Profile Editor utility.
    2. Name: Enter the device name, limit of 32 characters; include only letters, numbers, and underscores (_). The first character cannot be a number or underscore. This field becomes the "Name" on the I/O Devices screen and the "I/O Device" name on the Equipment screen.
    3. Cluster: The name of the cluster to which the device will be added. If there is only one cluster in the project, this column is not required.
    4. Equip: Enter the equipment name, limit of 40 characters; include only letters, numbers, and periods (.). The first character cannot be a number or period. This field becomes the "Name" on the Equipment screen. You will use this when adding genies to drawings.
    5. Primary IO Server Name: The name of the primary I/O Server for the device. If there is only one I/O Server in the project, this field is not required.
    6. CommsMethod: Type the communications protocol being used, e.g., MODBUS/RTU via Gateway. See list below for alternate communication connections. When using a composite device, do not use this field. You must enter a "SubProfile1Description" (and a "SubProfile2Description" for the second part of the composite device).

      NOTES: If the CommsMethod column is missing and you define more than one CommsMethod in the project:

      • If one of them is Modbus/RTU via Gateway, it will be used.
      • If one of them is ION it will be used (if there is no Modbus/RTU via Gateway).
      • If the CommsMethod column is missing and you define only one CommsMethod for the project, it will be used.

      DNP3 Serial
      DNP3 TCP
      Modbus/RTU via Gateway
      Modbus/TCP
      ION
      ION/EtherGate
      IEC60870-5-104 TCP
      IEC61850 Built-in
      For all of the protocols supported by the Modbus CommMethods and ION CommMethod, see the PowerModbus Driver Help, PWRMODBUSDriverHelp.chm, located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Schneider Electric\Power Operation\v [version #]\bin.
      For all other protocols, see the Driver Reference Help, DriverReferenceHelp.chm, located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Schneider Electric\Power Operation\v [version #]\bin.

    7. PrimaryIPAddress: Type the IP address that the Primary IO server will use to communicate with the device or the device's Ethernet Gateway.

      NOTE: You can use IPv6 IP addresses – including IPv6 shorthand – for TCP/IP level drivers.

    8. PrimaryEquipmentAddress: Type the device address (required for MODBUS/RTU, MODBUS/RTU via Gateway, MODNET2, and other protocols).
    9. PrimaryPortName: Type the port name of the Primary IO server will use to communicate with the device or the device's Ethernet Gateway. If unassigned, a default name will be provided related to the IP address.
    10. Standby IO Server Name: If you have a redundant I/O server, type the name here.
    11. StandbyIPAddress: If you have a redundant I/O server, type the IP address that the redundant I/O server will use to communicate with the device or the device's Ethernet Gateway.
    12. StandbyEquipmentAddress: If you have a redundant I/O server, type the device address (required for MODBUS/RTU, MODBUS/RTU via Gateway, MODNET2, and other protocols).
    13. StandbyPortName: If you have a redundant I/O server, type the device port name that the redundant I/O server will use to communicate with the device or the device's Ethernet Gateway. If unassigned, a default name will be provided related to the IP address.
    14. Columns that begin with "SubProfile" followed by a number (e.g., SubProfile1, SubProfile2, SubProfile3, etc.) are used to provide the same information as the Primary and Standby columns for composite devices where each SubProfile is a specific device which is part of the larger composite device.
    15. PrimaryPortNumber: Type the port number that the Primary IO server will use to communicate with the device or the device's Ethernet Gateway.
    16. PrimaryComPort: zzzzzzzz
    17. PrimaryBaudRate: xxxxxxxx
    18. PrimaryDataBits: xxxxxx
    19. PrimaryStopBits: xxxxxx
    20. PrimaryParity: asdaafds
    21. StandbyPortNumber: If you have a redundant I/O server, type the device port number that the redundant I/O server will use to communicate with the device or the device's Ethernet Gateway.
    22. Primary SclFileName: For IEC 61850 Built-in, the address where the CID (SCL) file is stored.
    23. Primary IedName: For IEC 61850 Built-in, the name of the IED in the CID file. This was created when the profile was added in the Profile Editor.
    24. FTPHost: For IEC 61850 Built-in, the on-board FTP. Not currently used in Power Operation.
    25. FTPUserName: For IEC 61850 Built-in, the username for FTP on the device.
    26. FTPPassword: For IEC 61850 Built-in, the password for FTP on the device.
    27. BRCBS/URCBS: For IEC 61850 Built-in, buffered report control blocks (BRCBs) and unbuffered report control blocks (URCBs) can be used to return data in blocks, rather than in tags. These two fields provide the instruction used for each. The two examples in the example are:

      BRCB: CFG/LLN0$BR$BRep01,CFG/LLN0$BR$BRep06
      and
      URCB: CFG/LLN0$BR$BRep01,CFG/LLN0$BR$BRep06

    28. Optional Parameters: Used for composite devices only.
    29. Parameter Values: This is optional, and is used in functional addressing. This column includes pipe ("|") delimited values for each of the Optional Parameters.
  5. Comment: This is an optional description of the device; maximum 254 characters.
  6. Close the example CSV file, if it is open.

See Add multiple devices to a project using a CSV file for information on how to add the devices from this .CSV file to your Power Operation project.

Adding a comment

You can add a comment row that will be ignored during processing. To create a comment, begin the row with a double forward slash (//). Power Operation skips this line as it processes the device information. See the example below. In the example, lines 5 and 10 will be skipped.