Testing SIMCA^®-online with real-world data without a SimApi (Q811)

Summary:

A SIMCA^®-online demo installation comes with demo data so that the product can be setup and tested quickly by customers.

Sometimes the demo data is too generic, and it would be useful to test SIMCA^®-online with real-world data without having to install and set up a SimApi to connect to a real data source.

This article outlines how you can test SIMCA^®-online with your own SIMCA^® project (USP-file) and your own dataset in the database simulation tool DBMaker. The database simulation tool DBMaker publishes data to SIMCA^®-online observation by observation to simulate a process.

More Information:

Requirements
You need a SIMCA^®-online installation. Either a licensed version or a demo version. Instructions for a demo installation can be found in the Readme file that comes in the downloaded ZIP-file found on Umetrics web site (simple registration required). If you need a password to unzip the zip-file please contact your Umetrics sales representative.

Since projects for SIMCA^®-online are created in SIMCA^®, you'll also need SIMCA^® to be able to create the project in the first place (but not necessarily on the same computer as where the SIMCA^®-online server is running).

Creating a new database in DBMaker
If you have your data in SIMCA^®, first export the dataset as text or DIF so that you can read it in DBMaker later. Or create the dataset in Excel. You can use the primary dataset from the project or for more realistic testing a separate dataset with prediction data (that is not part of the models).

Then start DBMaker on the SIMCA^®-online server computer (make sure the SIMCA^®-online service is not running, since while it is running you cannot create new databases), and follow the procedure described in the SIMCA^®-online User Guide.pdf or the built-in helpto create the DBMaker database.

Upload and configure the project in SIMCA^®-online

1. Make sure the SIMCA^®-online server service is started, and log in to it with a client.
2. In Project Administration in the SIMCA^®-online client, upload the SIMCA^®-project (USP-file) to the server.
3. The project configuration wizard is started. Now you need to configure the project so that SIMCA^®-online knows how the models in it are to be executed. This means:
   a. For batch projects you need to specify which node in DBMaker is the batch node, the layout of the project on the Unit Group page (if you have multiple units or phases) and the rules that govern phase execution on the Phase conditions page.
   b. Associate variables in the models and other fields to tags in the DBMaker databases.
   c.Go through each page and complete the configuration. This article doesn't contain the full details for this. Consult the SIMCA^®-online Guide.pdf or the help for assistance with each page or the built-in help.

How to move DBMaker to another SIMCA^®-online server computer

If you have created a good database in DBMaker and want to move it to another SIMCA^®-online computer, follow these steps:

1. Start DBMaker and click the Stop All button in the toolbar to stop publishing data in all databases.
2. In DBMaker, locate the Window for the database you want to copy. It shows one row for each node (data table) in the database. Make a note of the node names, since you'll need to copy them later.
3. Locate the directory where DBMaker stores data by going to File > Manage Databases. Select and copy the Database directory path (for example C:\ProgramData\Umetrics\SIMCA^®-online DBMaker\15.1)
4. Exit DBMaker.
5. Start Windows File Explorer and paste the path you copied and hit Enter.
6. In File Explorer, locate and copy all files that matches the node names you saw in step 2. Paste them to a folder on your desktop. Tip: zip the folder so that it becomes easier to manage and send.

How to import DBMaker databases

If you want to import databases in DBMaker you do as follows:

1. Unzip or copy the files you created above to your desktop (for example.
2. Start DBMaker (and make sure the SIMCA^®-online server service is not running).
3. Click File > Import. Locate the folder, select the .DBMaker file and click Open.
4. Repeat for all DBMaker files in the folder.