Create the Content for a Property Translation Table

You create the content for a Sparkplug Publisher Property Translation Table outside of Geo SCADA Expert. The content has to take the form of a TSV (tab-separated values) file. You include an entry in the file for each point configuration property in the client for which the value is to differ from the default. Once you have completed populating the file, you import it into the Property Translation Table in the Sparkplug Publisher driver. You associate that Property Translation Table with a Sparkplug Publisher item in the database. In the birth messages that it publishes, the Sparkplug Publisher will then include the values that exist for those point configuration properties in the Geo SCADA Expert database. Only include entries for configuration properties of points for which the Sparkplug Publisher is to publish data (see Define the Historic Export Details). Do not include entries for point configuration properties that are to use the default value or are to remain unpopulated during the automatic configuration process.

Each entry has to be in the format:

<Property Set Key><tab><Geo SCADA Expert Class><tab><Geo SCADA Expert Property Name>

Where:

• <Property Set Key> is the key that represents the name of a property in a Property Set that you want to map to a configuration property of a point in the Geo SCADA Expert database.

A Property Set comprises key and value pairs. It is part of the metric information for a point in a birth message. The Property Set Key is one of the keys in a Property Set. The value of a Property Set key will be the value that is configured for the point property that is associated with the <Geo SCADA Expert Property Name>.

The <Property Set Key> is an arbitrary value. However, if you are going to use a Property Translation Table in the Sparkplug client along with the Sparkplug Publisher Property Translation Table, then the Property Set key must be the same in both Property Translation Tables.

• <tab> inserts a horizontal tab to separate the elements in a single entry.
• <Geo SCADA Expert Class> is the database class of the type of point, or a base class of that point. This identifies the Class in which the configuration property is located in the Geo SCADA Expert database.
• <Geo SCADA Expert Property Name> is the relevant configuration field in the above database class. The field has to be readable.

Ensure that each entry is formatted on a single line in the file.

You use the Database Schema in Geo SCADA Expert to ascertain the name of each <Geo SCADA Expert Class> and <Geo SCADA Expert Property Name> that you require. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the Database Schema and its structure before attempting to produce the content for a Property Translation Table file. For more information, see Welcome to the Guide to the Database, along with Understanding the Database and Working with the Database Schema. You also have to be familiar with the Property Set keys, values, and data types of the metrics that you intend mapping to equivalent configuration fields of Sparkplug Points in the client database.

Be aware of the following:

• You cannot include a Property Translation Table in a Group Template.

• Do not include any blank spaces in the Property Translation Table file (other than if they exist in the Property Set Key).

• Use the exact spelling and case for each string in the Property Translation Table file. These have to match the case and spelling used in the Class and Property Name in the Database Schema. Be aware that British English might be used for some Class and Configuration Field names in the Database Schema.

• Ensure that you specify the Name (rather than the Display Name) of the Configuration Field in the Database Schema. (The Name does not include any spaces and might also differ in other ways from the Display Name.)

• Ensure that you only map properties that are of the same or equivalent data type. For example, match a Boolean property in the file to the corresponding Boolean configuration field in the Database Schema.

  The Type column of a Configuration Field in the Database Schema indicates the property's data type.

• You can map to Reference Fields that are in the Database Schema. Only include Reference Fields in the Property Translation Table file if the Sparkplug client in which you want to automatically create and configure points is the Geo SCADA Expert Sparkplug driver. Ensure that you map the equivalent Reference Fields when you Create the Content for a Property Translation Table in the Sparkplug client.

• Only map to a Configuration Field in the Database Schema. (Property Translation Tables do not support mapping to Data Fields.)

• You only need to include entries for configuration properties for which both of the following apply:

  • The values are to differ from the defaults in Geo SCADA Expert

  • If you are publishing to a Geo SCADA Expert Sparkplug client, and you want the Geo SCADA Expert client to set the values automatically when it creates the points. (If you are publishing to a third-party Sparkplug host application, you should consult your Sparkplug application documentation to determine what properties to send in birth certificates.)

• If an extra (custom) database field exists on any of the Point Forms in your Geo SCADA Expert database, you can map a suitable Property Set Key to such a custom configuration field if required.

Once you have produced a suitable Property Translation Table file, you import that file into Geo SCADA Expert. You do this using the Import Property Translation Table pick action on a Sparkplug Publisher Property Translation Table in the database.