Hi, I need to store production data, that comes from a weight meter, by hour, by day, by month, etc, in order to be able to show the information in screens and also generate reports.
As I Ignition Edge doesn´t have database module, I decided to store the information in tags created in the project. But I'm wondering if this would be the best solution.
In the future I'll have an EAM with an Ignition full version receiving the data from this and other Edges, but right now I don´t have it.
So in general lines, what would be the best solution for this scenario?
There's no solution. Edge, by license, is limited to 35 days of history. You want more. There are various ways to script the storage of longer-term data (CSV, perhaps), but they are all very difficult to query from.
The right answer is to expedite the deployment of the full instance of Ignition, and tell your clients that is necessary.
Consider also replacing Edge with cut-down version of standard Ignition, using a client-count-limited UI module, and scripted database activity instead of using the tag historian. You can get rather close to the price of Edge. I have clients who do that.
I agree with you. The future way is to go to standard license.
But now, I'm trying to develop a fist application, show the benefits and ask for approval.
The 35 days of data will be ok for now.
Considering this, work with the tags is still the unique solution?
The way I found was to create a big structure of tags having "year/months/days/hours".
Create a template screen and move the desired period of data to the variables, on demand.
I'd need to have each tag on the screen or report, which would be very massive job.
If the proper solution is standard Ignition instead of Edge, don't waste your time on Edge. Really.
Develop in Trial Mode for your Proof of Concept. Once all the basics work, ask IA sales for an expiring license for the client to try. (A 30 day expiring license is usually possible.)
Let the client pay to lift the expiration if they like it.
On your current path, you will have to redo the whole thing after the client decides to buy it.
Do the latter, coupled with a free database (e.g. MariaDB). You can have 35 years of history with the latter solution, not 35 days (HDD space and hardware failures aside).
