Project Database Template / Structure
New Instrument Manager project databases are created from templates. The template used to create the database contains default tables and default configuration data.
Microsoft Access and SQL Server
Instrument Manager is supplied with a Microsoft Access project database template, suitable for creating project databases for both Microsoft Access and Microsoft SQL Server. This template is named "Access 2000 Sample.mdb".
Creating or Modifying Project Database Templates
You may create your own project database templates. The template is copied to the new project database name when you create a new project.
A database template provides a place to make initial configuration, which you would otherwise need to do for every new project. For example, the supplied database templates have the settings pre-set so that each of the data sheet templates is associated with the appropriate instrument type.
Instrument Manager will check the database for certain required tables and columns and the type of those columns. If your existing database is missing something or you have created a new database from a template that is missing something then you will be asked if you wish to fix the errors when you open the project.
Updating Existing Projects with Template Changes
If you have added new tables or added new columns to existing tables in your database template, you can update an existing project database with these changes. Choose from the menu to start this function. If you have only a single database template then that template will be used automatically. If you have more than one template then you will be asked to choose the template from which to update your database.
Project Database Template Location
Save your database templates in the <EDS>\IMP_IM\DBTemplates directory for imperial units or the <EDS>\MET_IM\DBTemplates directory for metric units.
Project Database Load in to Elecdes Project Cache
Under normal operation Instrument Manager will update the Elecdes project cache with any changes that have been made during the session when creating wiring diagrams, terminal strips or EDS reports.
The data updated in the Elecdes project cache is controlled by the image file templates in the <EDS>\RTEMPLATE directory (e.g. The file template_$DEVICE.DBF contains all of the columns that can be written into the Elecdes project cache for Devices).
Should you have extra columns of data that you wish to include in the IM database and later output to the various EDS diagrams and reports then you will need to add this column to the appropriate template file.
ODBC Data Source: ".DSN" File
An "ODBC Data Source" is used to connect to the project database. For Instrument Manager this is a file with the extension ".DSN", usually called a "File DSN". This data source file will have the same name as the project database to which it is supposed to connect.
The "DSN" file for a project database is listed in the Ebase project along with any drawings that are also part of the project. This entry retains Instrument Manager's link to the project database.
Instrument Manager creates the data source file when you first open or create a project by copying a template DSN file from the folder "<EDS>\ODBC\Data sources".
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EDS_Access.dsn is the template data source for a Microsoft Access database.
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EDS_SQL.dsn is the template data source for an SQL Server database.
The data source file is a text file. Instrument Manager stores user-specific configuration in the data source file for the project. This does not affect the ability of this file to act as an ODBC data source.
You can create entries in the template for the data source file to set the initial column arrangement for all new projects. Do this by copying the settings created by Instrument Manager from the DSN file for a project into the template DSN file.