Request Data Commands

Device Communication: Request Data

Request Data (REQDATA via script) is a Node-level command that triggers the service to retrieve device data for each eligible device.

Devices are eligible if the following apply.

Their device record is set to "active"
The associated device record in the DDS is enabled
The user executing the command has the appropriate security access

The type(s) of data requested is configurable via the command parameters. Available data is dependent on the configured device properties, which in turn is related to the types of data available in the associated field device. The types of data that can potentially come back are PM history, PQ history, Events history, or Alarms history.

You must have proper security authorization to execute this command. See FMS Security (and CMDDEV security event) for information about configuring security access for FMS commands.

Note: Prior to the initial poll using this command, it is important that you first have current configuration data for the Node.

See Configuring Request Data Commands and Running Node Commands for more information about using this command via FMS Explorer.

See Special FMS Command Notes for more information about requesting alarm and event data.

See Scheduling FMS Command Tasks in the MSS for more information about scheduling commands.

See FMS ActiveX Controls and CxHmiFms for more information about using commands via FMS ActiveX controls on CygNet Studio or CygNet Vision screens.

See CxFms for more information about scripting commands.

Command Definition Properties

The following command definition properties apply to Request Data commands, when scheduling, creating, or editing commands via CygNet Explorer.

Property	Description
FMS service	Select a Site.Service for the command from the available FMS service list in the drop-down menu.
Command	Select the desired Command name from the drop-down menu. See FMS Commands for more information about available command types.
Time format	Select the desired Time format for the command from the drop-down menu. Options are as follows. Contract Device Default value is Device time. Notes: This parameter determines how the time window is selected in the database; not how the data is exported. For daily devices only, specifying start and end times of midnight (00:00:00), will always be interpreted as Contract time format, regardless of this selected parameter value.
Priority	Select a processing queue Priority for the command from the drop-down menu. Options from least to greatest priority are as follows. Low level Medium level High level User initiated transaction Admin initiated transaction Default value is Low level processing queue priority.
Logging	Select a Logging level for the command results from the drop-down menu. Options are as follows. Low — displays errors Medium — displays errors and warnings High — displays errors, warnings, and status Default value is Low level logging when scheduling a command via the MSS in CygNet Explorer. Default value is High level logging when creating or running an ad-hoc command in FMS Explorer or via the FMS in CygNet Explorer.

Command Parameters

The following command parameters apply to Request Data commands, when scheduling, creating, or editing commands via CygNet Explorer or scripting.

Parameter	Description	Type	Usage Notes
SDateTime	Start date/time	DateTime	Double-click to access the Select Start Date/Time dialog box. Select the starting date of the time range to retrieve device data. See Note below this table. See Selecting Date and Time for more information. This parameter is required.
EDateTime	End date/time	DateTime	Double-click to access the Select End Date/Time dialog box. Select the ending date of the time range to retrieve device data. See Note below this table. See Selecting Date and Time for more information. This parameter is required.
GetGMHist	Get periodic metering history	String Enum	If used, double-click to access the Get Periodic Metering History dialog box. Select one of the following options. Yes (YES via script) No (NO via script) This parameter is optional. Default value is Yes.
GetGQHist	Get periodic quality history	String Enum	If used, double-click to access the Get Periodic Quality History dialog box. Select one of the following options. Yes (YES via script) No (NO via script) This parameter is optional. Default value is Yes.
GetEvents	Get events history	String Enum	If used, double-click to access the Get Events History dialog box. Select one of the following options. Yes (YES via script) No (NO via script) This parameter is optional. Default value is Yes. See Special FMS Command Notes for more information about requesting alarm and event data.
GetAlarms	Get alarms history	String Enum	If used, double-click to access the Get Alarms History dialog box. Select one of the following options. Yes (YES via script) No (NO via script) This parameter is optional. Default value is Yes. See Special FMS Command Notes for more information about requesting alarm and event data.
AddNodeGrp	Add Node to group if unsuccessful	String	If used, double-click to access the Enter Add Node to Group if Unsuccessful dialog box. Enter the name of a valid general group Node to which device Nodes will be added if they fail polling. This facilitates future polling by providing a group containing the device Nodes for which the data request was unsuccessful. See Creating General Group Nodes for more information. Notes: Create the targeted general group Node in advance, naming the group descriptively to clearly identify its data request type. It is recommended to NOT enforce uniqueness when configuring a group Node for this purpose. Review command logs for details of Node additions and/or errors. Manually remove each Node from the polling group once its corresponding data request has succeeded. This parameter is optional.

Note: Date/time — When using relative (rather than absolute) date/time, if both the start and end date/time have hour, minute, and second values of 00 (or if both are set to midnight), an additional day will be added to the date at the end of the range. This occurs because the service assumes the start of the day for the starting date/time and the end of the day for the ending date/time in these circumstances. Therefore requesting a time range from T to T will yield one day of data, and from T-1 to T will yield two days of data. If only one day of data is desired when using relative date/time, the start and end date/times must therefore be the same. If any of the start or end date/time hour, minute, or second values are specified as a value other than zero (or midnight) however, the range will be used as specified.