Database Structure Overview
Instrument Manager Database / "Project Database"
Projects created by Instrument Manager are primarily stored in database files. Each project has its own database. The database is named after the project name. This will be referred to as the "Project Database". This database can be either a Microsoft Access database or Microsoft SQL Server database.
The project database is the central storage of all of the data. All other files associated with an Instrument Manager project can be re-created from the data in the project database.
The project database contains tables. The tables contain records for component tags, component data, diagram data and project configuration data. The database is relational. There are many links between the records in different tables for component tags, component ratings and diagrams.
Components
Data for components is stored in two types of tables: "tags" tables and "ratings" tables.
Tags Table
Each component has one tag record in a tags table. The tag record contains the naming of the component. It also contains all of the relational links to other components and to ratings or diagram records. A database can contain one tags table or many tags tables.
The names of the tags tables begin with "Tags_". Each tags table has the same basic structure. You can add columns to tags tables, but you should not remove any of the columns that are present in the supplied database as these are used by Instrument Manager to make relational links. You can add and remove tags tables as required, but there should always be at least one.
Ratings Tables
Each component can have one ratings record in a ratings table, although this is not essential. The ratings record contains the specification of the component, which may be displayed on a datasheet or diagram.
The names of the ratings tables begin with a component category name, for example "Instrument_" or "Cable_". Each ratings table has data columns that are specific to a particular type of component, and generally different to other types of components. There will generally be many different ratings tables, especially for instruments.
You can add or remove columns from the ratings tables as required. You can add and remove ratings tables as required. If a component does not have a ratings record, then any specification for that component must be stored in its tag record.
Each ratings table appears as a folder under a component category, see Category Tree. You can move a component from one folder to another and the data will be shifted from one ratings table to another but, if the column structure of the two ratings tables is different, you may lose data from those mismatched columns.
Terminal Group Table
Instruments and devices can have Terminal Groups, which are defined groupings of their individual terminals, for example specific input or output channels. The grouping of terminals is stored in tables with names beginning with "TerminalGroup_". These tables contain the definitions of groupings for all instruments and devices and their terminals; the groupings are not stored in the Tags table. Each record in a TerminalGroup_ table consists primarily of a name and links to the parent component and terminals in a group.
Component Categories
Components are divided into categories, for example: Instruments, Enclosures, Devices, Cables, etc. The type of a component is defined by a value in the tag record for that component. The full list of component types is defined by the Instrument Manager program. The tags for different component types can be stored in the same tags table.
User Defined Component Categories
Instrument Manager supports user defined component types. To learn more about making your own component categories see Configuring User Defined Components.
Global Project Data Table
The database contains a global table, named "ProjectData", with a single record that contains the constant data for the entire project, for example: customer reference and project title. This data can be shown on any diagram or report with a special #PJ:...# formula.
The data in this table is edited on the Project Data page of the preferences dialog.
Diagrams
Instrument Manager can produce datasheets, hook-up diagrams, instrument loop diagrams, terminal strip and wiring diagrams. Each diagram has a record in an output diagram table. There are four diagram tables, one for each type of diagram. The record for each diagram contains data to be placed on the diagram that is not specific to any particular component on the diagram, for example the title block information.
Output diagram table names begin with "Datasheet_", "Loop_", "CustomLoop_", Hookup_" and "TStripDiag_". Terminal strip and wiring diagrams use an additional table "WireDiag_Prefs" for component-specific diagram preferences.
The diagrams are produced as either Microsoft Excel spreadsheets or AutoCAD drawings, depending on the diagram type. These files are produced by populating diagram templates with data from the project database.
The diagram templates that are chosen to be available are listed in tables with names that begin with "Template_".
Modified data sheets can be imported back into the project database. Modified drawings cannot.
Existing Databases and Data Sheets
If you have existing data in either a Microsoft Access database, a DBF format database or in Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, you can import this data into the project database. Importing existing data sources requires a certain amount of configuration that must be done prior to importing. The required configuration identifies the structure of your data to Instrument Manager.
System Tables
The following tables do not contain component data. They contain mappings, settings and links that enable you to use the data in the components. These tables have a specialised user interface if they have one at all.
Alias_* - mappings for columns.
Settings - project-specific preferences used by all users in this one project.
TableModificationsTimes - tracks the last modification of each table to enable you to see other users' changes.
Raised_Issues and Raised_Issue-Types - Storage for the notes and instructions in raised issues, and a lookup table for issue type names.
Database Maintenance
If you are using an Access database file you should periodically run > directly inside Access. Deletion of records and other operations can result in a build-up of unused space in the database, which can lower performance and increases the storage space required for backups. Ensure that you have exclusive access to the database at the time. No other user should have it open in Instrument Manager or Access.
Instrument Manager logs changes to the [Event_Log] table. If you have enabled logging for changes to terminals or cable-cores/conductors then these log entries can build up quickly. Instrument Manager does not delete log entries but you may wish to create a query to remove older entries if you no longer need a log of these events once some time has passed. This is entirely optional and the contents of the [Event_Log] table should not cause performance problems.