Support import/export of AF tables in PI Builder

Hi Todd, as you know, there are two aspects to AFTables: the configuration of the table and the actual table data. We've discussed a few possibilities for how to represent the data in the worksheet, since we can't put an entire table in a single cell. Do you have any thoughts about the best way to represent this? Thanks in advance.

I agree. What would be exceedingly useful would be able to maintain the DESIGN of an AF Table with PI Builder. Right now, it is very easy to copy and paste the actual data contained in the table between Excel and PSE, so this is more about the actual column design (PSE Define Table tab) of the table. OK, just realised I cannot add a screenshot to this feedback form. I will post another feedback entry suggesting that.

In PI Builder, a cell is used to represent data. A table is a 2 dimensional object with rows and columns. What would be the desired way to represent a 2 dimensional object with rows and columns into a single cell? We have considered using a different Excel sheet to represent a table and then referencing this sheet from a single cell in PI Builder. Is that acceptable? Other alternatives?

A table is 2 dimensional, and excel itself, is 2 dimensional. Can you set it up so that when you tell Excel to import a table, it grabs the table as a 2 dimensional object? Adds the Top row as the header and that can't be changed at all, the rows and columns show up as such and can be modified then published back to the same Table name under the headers. We have users who right now log into PIAF and update tables from an excel spreadsheet, this would be better to give them the ability to import the table, modify the data entry points, then publish it back.

My OSI EA contacts have suggested that I use an AF table to manage mappings from a PI Connector array locations and the actual AF element attributes. So far this idea is working well, except for the fact that I have thousands of variables to keep mapped. Rolling out my AF to the rest of the facility will be ten's of thousands of mapping. Any time I need to "tweak" some mappings, add, remove, or even shift up or down variables (similar to managing PIPoints in SMT) I find it to be a less-than-ideal management step to have to manually "copy" "Paste" rows. Things could get mapped incorrectly on accident quite easily. Ideal state is to allow PIBuilder to manage the table exactly like we manage tags. Then we can use Excel tricks to build out AF elements and the table all at the same time.