Configuring: Sink block

Select the dataset to export, select which fields will be exported, and choose the type of sink block to which the fields will be exported. Timestamps need to be configured for the fields, and data qualities need to be specified. Start by highlighting the dataset to export.

Worked example: Sink block

Steps to configure

  1. Field selection: Select which fields to export to the sink block.

  2. Sink selection: Select the type of sink block to use.

  3. Sink configuration: Configure the sink block by following the configuration prompts.

  4. Timestamp configuration: Choose whether to create a timestamp or use the timestamp fields.

  5. Qualities: Choose the data quality to use or map qualities to fields.

  6. Runnability check: This will check if the block is runnable. If not, errors will be listed for correction.

  7. Execute: The dataset fields will be exported to the selected sink block.

Step 1: Field selection

Select which fields to export to the sink block.

  • Supported data types are double, integer, string and timestamps.

  • Default: All fields of the selected dataset are selected.

  • Minimum configuration: At least one field must be selected.

Step 2: Sink selection

Select the type of sink block to use.

  • The sink blocks available include the Text -, Optimized Database-, Proficy Historian, and Tabular Database sink.

  • Default: No sink is selected.

  • Minimum configuration: One sink block type must be selected.

Step 3: Sink configuration

Configure the sink block according to the individual requirements.

Step 4: Timestamp configuration

Choose whether to create a timestamp or use the timestamp fields.

Create timestamp

  • Start time:

    • Now: the timestamp of all fields will start when the operation starts executing.

    • Specify Date and Time: the timestamp of all fields will start at the date and time specified by you. The date and time values need to be valid entries - use the calendar provided from the drop down menu.

  • For both of these two setting the timestamp for each new execution will be increased by the interval specified by you.

  • Interval must be > 0 and must be an integer value. Milliseconds are not valid.

  • When there are no timestamp  values in the original dataset, the [Use Timestamp Field] option will be disabled.

Use timestamp fields

  • Default Timestamp:

    • The block will use the timestamp field, from the original dataset, specified here as the default timestamp.

    • Select which timestamp to use from the drop down list of timestamp fields.

  • Map Timestamps:

    • Here you can map each selected field to a timestamp field.  This means that on execution, a field's timestamp will be that of its associated timestamp field.

    • Timestamp mapping is one-to-many, so one or more fields can all be associated to the same timestamp.

  • Default: [Create Timestamp], Start time = Now, Interval = 1 second

  • Minimum configuration: The timestamp field must be configured in some way.

Step 5: Qualities

Configure the input qualities of the data to the sink block. The sink block will have been configured during step 3, defining how to use the quality of the data. Now it is important to set the data to that quality in order for it to sink to the sink block correctly.

  • Quality can be set to [All Good], [Set Nulls To Bad] or [Use Quality Fields].

  • Use Quality Fields:

    • Default Quality: The block will use the quality column from the original dataset, to set the default quality of the output.

    • Map Qualities:Here you can map each selected field to a quality field.  This means that on execution, a field's quality will be that of its associated quality field.

    • Quality mapping is one-to-many, so one or more fields can all be associated to the same quality.

  • Default: [Set Nulls to Bad]

  • Minimum configuration: The quality must be configured in some way.

Related topics:

  

CSense 2023- Last updated: June 24,2025
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