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New Features

Data Connectors

• eWON
A multi-device connector to data collected by an eWON device. The connector supports raw data, analytics and alarm data.
• Rockwell Automation, FactoryTalk View SE
Improved data retrieval from FactoryTalk View SE and RSView32 data log models is 50% faster, both for raw data and analytics.
• Emerson Automation Solutions, DeltaV Event Chronicle
• Discrete Text Files
The data sources for these connectors are file based. Data groups that retrieve data from these interfaces can have the file name specified as a fixed name or a variable.
For example, the scheduler can assign a new name to the variable each time a new file is created, enabling the data group to use the latest data file.
• Database (time series) historical values (wide)
The Data groups for this connector support the specification of the database table. This allows a single connector to be used for multiple tables in a database rather than separate connectors for each table.
• Database Text Files - Text Historian (time series)
These connectors are file based. Support for both ANSI or UNICODE encoding is supported.
• OPCDA and OPCHDA
The OPCDA or OPCHDA connectors contain a Test Connection button to verify the connection to the server.

Advanced Connectors

• Alarm Management
This connector is used to report advanced alarm metrics in compliance with ISA 18.2. “Out of box” templates are provided for alarm systems provided by Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk, Emerson Automation Solutions DeltaV, Siemens PCS 7 and more.
• Emerson Automation Solutions, DeltaV Basic Batch
This connector is used to report advanced batch metrics. “Out of box” templates are provided for DeltaV Basic Batch system provided by Emerson Automation Solutions.
• Rockwell Automation, FactoryTalk VantagePoint - Publishing to the Portal
This connector delivers content to the VantagePoint Portal by adding additional items to the navigation tree. The content is delivered automatically or via a dropbox:
• Automatic
Two new schedule actions added to the schedule designer, Save Workbook to VantagePoint and Save Worksheet to VantagePoint. These actions publish reports generated by XLReporter automatically to the VantagePoint Portal.
• Dropbox
Drop box folder(s) are configured as part of the VantagePoint connector. Any Excel workbook that is added or modified in the drop box folder is automatically added/modidfied in the VantagePoint Portal. The report may contain hyperlinks to VantagePoint objects, like trend objects, using the time period and tags of the report. When the report is published, these hyperlinks are preserved in the VantagePoint Portal, so using them launch VantagePoint object.

Template Design

• Template Protection
Templates are protected with a password to protect them from unauthorized changes.
• Full row/column insert
The Placement Type of a data connection has been expanded to include
• Insert At Start (full)
• Insert At End (full)
When source data is added to report, entire rows or columns are inserted into the report to the extent of the of rows/columns produced by the source. Insert At Start will leave the last record of the source data at the point where insert is taking place whereas Insert At End will leave it at the bottom of the range.
Use this option when copying a range from one sheet to another, preserving row heights of the range.
• Support for Named Cells
Named cells in a workbook are an alternative way of referencing cells. They are created using the Excel menu option Formula and then Defined Names.
The Placement Cell of a data/management connection can be a named cell. This feature provides a powerful way of targeting report data to a dynamic position. In other words, any report data added above or to the right of the named cell, causing the named cell to move, will also move the location of the data connection.
Use named cells when a report is built from a number of tables that do not have a fixed size.
• Named Cell "LastCell"
The named cell “LastCell” provides custom functionality when used as the Placement Cell of a data/management connection and the Placement Type is one of the “insert” types.
When data is added to the report, which could be from a data source or a copy management function, the named cell “LastCell” is moved down or across to the extent of the number of rows or columns of the data.
Use “LastCell” to copy cell ranges over a period of time from a source sheet to a target and have the cell ranges stacked on the target sheet.

On Demand Designer

• Date Panel
The Date panel includes the additional option to Add Period List. This option provides more methods to select date ranges for the panel.
• Database Panel
The Database panel includes the additional option Use As Filter for database columns of type date. The panel has also been enhanced to also support text files.
• On Demand Reports/Manual Data Entry
Date Panel
The date panel End label pushbutton toggles between End and Span.
With the Add Period List, additional methods are available for selecting a time frame
• Date Range
• Last...
• Last X Days
Database Panel
The database panel has been modified to limit the number of records displayed to the user. The choices are either None for no filter or Last X Rows where the number of rows is specified.
If the panel contains a date column, it can be marked as a filter column with the Use As Filter setting. With the option enabled, the filter options are:
• None
• Date Range
• Current
• Previous
• Last...
• Last X Days
• Last X Rows

Data Management

• Copy Range and Cut Range
For the Copy Range and Cut Range management functions, if the Placement Type is Insert At Start (full) or Insert At End (full), entire rows or columns (depending on Direction) of the Source is copied/cut and pasted.
• Chart Enhancement
The Chart Enhancement management function includes Anchor Plot Area setting. This setting is used for charts that are expand (and remain anchored) as data is inserted into the report.
• Data Export To Database
The performance of exporting data to a Microsoft SQL Server database with Method set to Column has been improved by at least 500%.

System Check

When repairing the Design Studio System Check may re-install Microsoft Visual Studio for Office Runtime (VSTOR) and Microsoft Primary Office Interops (PIA). These are typically installed as part of an Office/Excel installation but sometimes need to be repaired if updates or service packs are applied. This is only done if the XLReporter menu cannot be installed in Office.

Enhancements

Installation - Team Edition

If Internet Information Services (IIS) is enabled during the installation of the Team edition, but some of the features required for Team are not enabled, the installation would continue without warning and cause issues when Team Clients are installed.
This procedure has been changed. If any required IIS feature is not enabled, installation will not continue. A PDF document is displayed describing the prerequisites required for the Team Edition.

Data Management

• Placement - Insert
For Data Management functions that support Placement, the Insert was not consistent with how Insert behaved with Data Connections.
• Logic - Cell Value
If the setting Criteria Value was set to a cell reference then the EQUALS and LIKE operators did not working correctly.

History Connector Groups

• Database Time Period
In some instances, when the Time Period of a group is set to Database, an invalid time period error would return even though the Database connector group itself worked just fine. This was due to a case sensitive comparison of columns which has now been corrected.
• Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk View SE Data Log Models - History Values (narrow)
If the group is set to Summary Values from XLReporter and for a selected tag no data was recorded for an entire interval, the result would appear a random number. This has been corrected to show no value at all.

Workbook Viewer

• Automatic Refresh
If a report is automatically updated by the scheduler at the same time as it was being refreshed in the Workbook Designer, an error could occur displaying a message that the file is not available.

Design Studio (Excel)

If the Trust Center in Excel has the Add-ins setting Require Application Add-ins to be signed by Trusted Publisher checked, the XLReporter menu would not appear in Excel. XLReporter is now signed and the certificate added for Trusted Publishers on install.

Web Portal

If Internet Information Services (IIS) is enabled during the enabling of the Web Portal, but some of the features required are not enabled, the portal would not function correctly.
This procedure has been changed. If any required IIS feature is not enabled, the web portal is not enabled. A PDF document is displayed describing the prerequisites required.

Office 365

With some installations of Office 365 the XLReporter installation and System Check are not detecting that Excel is installed and would therefore not allow an installation of the Design Studio. This has been corrected to properly detect Excel when installed as part of Office 365. Version 12.5 Summary