3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

ID: QA33725 | Access Levels: Everyone

FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

Document ID QA33725

Published Date 03/13/2023

Summary
FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

Question
How do I convert, read and save the following file types with the FactoryTalk File
Viewer Utility?
FactoryTalk View ME, FactoryTalk View SE Datalog files
FactoryTalk View ME Alarm Log files
RecipePlus files and dBASE files
How do I extract logged data from an FactoryTalk View SE project so I can view it on
another computer?
How do I open the data from a datalog model that is logging to a file set?
How to use .dlg file to view alarms in Excel?
Can the FactoryTalk File Viewer Utility software be installed separately and without
requiring activation?

Environment ACCEPT
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Answer

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3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

Note: The installation of version 8.10 and later of the FactoryTalk View HMI software will automatically include an
installation of the FactoryTalk File Viewer utility. It can be located from Start-->Rockwell Software-->FactoryTalk
View-->Tools-->FactoryTalk File Viewer. Any patched or updated versions for FactoryTalk File Viewer utility
versions 8.10 and later will be provided from the QA49264 - Patch Roll-up for CPR9 SRx.

Separate Installers for older versions of FactoryTalk File Viewer is attached at the bottom of this TechNote.

Note: If there is no RA Software installed on computer, then you will not have a Rockwell folder. Therefore,
the RSTXViewCmn.ocx file will not get registered when running batch file. The PLOT option will not
function unless you manually create a Rockwell folder and place the RSTXViewCmn.ocx file in this folder
and then manually register RSTXViewCmn.ocx file using command prompt run As Administrator.

FactoryTalk File Viewer Functionality

The FactoryTalk View Enterprise File Viewer utility can be used to read and save the following files:

FactoryTalk View SE Datalog file (.DAT, .OBF formats)

FactoryTalk View SE HMI Tag Alarm file (.DAT format) [Not Supported]
FactoryTalk View ME Datalog file (.LOG format)
FactoryTalk View ME Alarm Log file (HISTORY.ALM)
dBASE file (.DBF)
FactoryTalk View ME RecipePlus file (.RPP)

The FactoryTalk View SE Datalog files, FactoryTalk View ME Datalog files, RecipePlus files and FactoryTalk View
ME Alarm Log file can be saved as .CSV or .DBF file formats.

Note: To read FactoryTalk View ME files from PanelView Plus CE or PanelView Plus terminals, copy the files to a
CompactFlash card or SD card and move them to the desktop where the FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility
resides. These log files are in a non-standard format.

Note: With the File Viewer Utility, once the log file is open the file can be saved as a .CSV format file. You can
only access the datalog files if they are closed, as a result you must stop a running FactoryTalk View Machine
Edition application or FactoryTalk View SE Datalog (in version 9 or below) in order to be able to access the file.
Beginning in SE 10, the File Viewer can read the current datalog files.
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FactoryTalk View SE Datalog File
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analytics
1. Pickpartners.
FactoryTalk View SE Datalog file in Files of Type
2. Select the .DAT or .OBF file to open in the File Viewer Utility.

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3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

***** RA internal *****

Comment: As of 2019/04/25 This TechNote contained the below instruction - but

neither 8.10, 8.20 or 10.0 offer this functionality? In 8.10 and 8.20 the File Viewer
Crashes, in 10 it reports an invalid file format as the Tagindex column is not found
- Christopher Van Schaijik

FactoryTalk View SE HMI Tag Alarm file (.DAT format)

FactoryTalk View SE HMI Tag Alarm Log File

1. Pick SE HMI Tag Alarm Log Files. The default file location is
C:\Users\Public\Documents\RSView Enterprise\SE\AlarmLog.
2. Select the .DAT file to open in the File Viewer Utility.

***** End RA Internal *****

FactoryTalk View ME Datalog File (FactoryTalk View ME Station Software)

1. Pick FactoryTalk View ME Datalog File in Files of Type.
2. Select the .LOG file to open in the File Viewer Utility.
3. In the Set Time Zone dialog, select the time zone you would like the file to be
converted in.
4. Starting with version v1.9 you can save the Log file in a .CSV List or .CSV Table
format:
1. .CSV Files (List)

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3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

2. .CSV Files (Table)

Note: the correspondingly-named .tag file needs to be in the same folder as the .log file or else the Tag
column will be replaced by a TagIndex column.

System default location of the FactoryTalk View ME data log files:

***** TechConnect *****

Note: You can use QA2144 - PanelView Plus: Batch file copy Alarm, Audit, and Datalogs from a PanelView
Plus Terminal to Removable Media to collect the log files of any PanelView Plus terminal.
***** End TechConnect *****

Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008:
C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\RSView
Enterprise\ME\Logs\Runtime Application
name\DLGLOG\Data_Log_Model_Name
Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\RSView
Enterprise\ME\Logs\Runtime Application
Name\DLGLOG\Data_Log_Model_Name
PanelView Plus and PanelView Plus CE:
\Storage Card\Rockwell Software\RSViewME\Logs\Runtime
Application Name\DLGLOG\Data_Log_Model_Name
PanelView Plus 6 and PanelView Plus 7 terminals:
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\Windows\Logs\Runtime Application
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Name\DLGLOG\Data_Log_Model_Name
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FactoryTalk View ME Alarm Log File

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3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

During runtime, four .ALM files are generated from a FactoryTalk View ME application with alarms:

embedded.alm
history.alm
reset.alm
status.alm

Of these files only the history.alm can be opened by the File Viewer. The history.alm file is the main data
table for alarm information, some additional information is saved to other .ALM files. If information is needed
from the other files, such as embedded variable information, the File Viewer Utility will automatically open the
required files after opening the history.alm file when the other .ALM files exist within the same folder. Any
attempt to open the other .ALM files results in the error messages below.
Furthermore to avoid this error you should copy the files embedded.alm, history.alm, reset.alm,
status.alm from PanelView Plus terminal on the computer with the File Viewer Utility.

This FactoryTalk View ME Alarm File can not be opened! or Convert log file error

1. Launch the File Viewer utility.

2. The location of the alarms files are:
***** TechConnect *****
Note: You can use QA2144 - PanelView Plus: Batch file copy Alarm, Audit, and Datalogs from a
PanelView Plus Terminal to Removable Media to collect the log files of any PanelView Plus terminal.

***** End TechConnect *****

FactoryTalk View ME Station on Windows 7:

C:\Users\Public\Documents\RSView Enterprise\ME\Logs\
\M_Alarms
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View We also
ME Station onshare information
Windows XP:
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C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared
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Documents\RSView
Enterprise\ME\Logs\ \M_Alarms

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3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

On PanelView Plus terminal versions 3.20 - 5.10:

\storage card\Rockwell software\RSViewME\Logs\ \M_Alarms\
On PanelView Plus terminal version 6 or higher:
\Windows\Logs\ \M_Alarms
3. File --> Open and select ME Alarm Log File(*.ALM) in Files of type drop down.

4. Select the history.alm file to open in the File Viewer Utility.

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5. Browse of our
thesite with our social
FactoryTalk Viewmedia, advertising
Machine and Alarm Setup File (.MAL), and select
Edition
analytics partners.
the FactoryTalk View ME Runtime version that the .ALM file was generated from.

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3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

Note: You can only use the .MAL file that comes from the FactoryTalk View Studio HMI
project directory. Using the runtime .MAL file will result in missing the Message
column information for your alarm log files.

Windows 7 / 8 / 10 / 2012
C:\Users\Public\Documents\RSView Enterprise\ME\HMI projects\
\M_Alarms

Windows XP / 2003:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\RSView
Enterprise\ME\HMI Projects\ \M_Alarms
6. Click the proper format from where the alarm log files came from.

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3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

7. Click the Ellipses (...) and browse for the project's .MAL file.
8. Click OK.

Your log files should look similar to the below screen shot:

Column Name Description

Corresponds to the order of your Triggers, on the
Triggers Tab in the Alarm Setup within FactoryTalk View
TrigIdx Studio software. The count of alarm triggers starts at 0.
Note: If you do not see a particular TrigIdx in the log
files it means that Alarm never went to a high value.

Corresponds to the Trigger itself in the Alarm Setup

TrigTag
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within FactoryTalk View Studio software.
performance and traffic on our website. We also share Corresponds
information to the Trigger value in the Messages tab of
ID
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Alarm Setup.
analytics partners.
Corresponds to the actual Message in the Messages tab
Message
of the Alarm Setup.

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3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

It is an numerical index to all the alarm events in log

EVIndex
files.
AllTrigMsg
Corresponds if the alarm itself was high when the log
Active files were pulled. The majority of the alarms should be
0.
TimeOn When the alarm went to a high value.
When the alarm was acknowledged by the operator. A
TimeAck
value of 0 means alarm never was Acknowledged.

Below is the Alarm Setup screen shot that correspond to the above log file.

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3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

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performance and traffic on our website. We also share information
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dBASE File use of our site with our social media, advertising and
analytics partners.
1. Pick dBASE File in Files of Type.
2. Select the .DBF file to open in the Viewer.

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3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

FactoryTalk View ME RecipePlus file (.RPP)

1. Pick RecipePlus file(.RPP) in Files of Type.

2. Select the .RPP file to open in the File Viewer Utility.

Command Line Parameter Capability

Command line parameter capabilities are supported to allow generating automatic reports.

FactoryTalk View SE Datalog file: /sd

FactoryTalk View ME Datalog file: /md
FactoryTalk View ME Alarm log file (Default for CE
/ma
terminal log file):
FactoryTalk View ME Alarm log file generated by CE
/ma / ce
terminal:
FactoryTalk View ME Alarm log file generated by Win32
/ma /3xx
(3.xx):
FactoryTalk View ME Alarm log file generated by Win32
/ma /4xx
(4.xx):
dBASE file: /dbf
Adjust time zone: /tz
Show help dialog: /?
.CSV Table Export: /Table

Examples
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Syntax to convert to a .CSV List file:
about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and
RSView
analytics Enterprise File Viewer.exe /md process.log
partners. process.csv
/tz8

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3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

Syntax to convert to a .CSV Table file:

RSView Enterprise File Viewer.exe /md process.log process.csv
/tz8 /table
Syntax to open a file when the Viewer is launched:
RSView Enterprise File Viewer.exe /sd datalog.dat
The AppStart macro command can start the FactoryTalk Enterprise File Viewer
utility. However, to run and do a task in the background, the FactoryTalk Enterprise
File Viewer utility requires command syntax.

For FactoryTalk View SE, the files chosen to open can use either command syntax
/sd for a Datalog file or /dbf for a dBASE file.

If you don't specify a directory path, the file will be created in the same directory
location where the FactoryTalk Enterprise File Viewer.exe utility is located. However,
Windows 7 or Server 2008 64-bit operating systems have enhanced default security
settings for directory locations within such areas as C:\Program Files (x86)\
and C:\Windows\ and others.

There will be unexpected behavior if you place the FactoryTalk Enterprise File Viewer
utility in these protected folder areas. A best practice would be to create and use
specific user directory folder locations for any files that are to be generated.

To convert to a .CSV file using a button using Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008
Server 64 Bit operating system using AppStart a syntax example could be as
follows:

AppStart "C:\Program Files (x86)\Rockwell Software\RSView

Enterprise File Viewer.exe" /sd
This"C:\Users\Public\Documents\RSView
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Projects\Manning1303\DLGLOG\Run Report\2012 04 04 0000
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(Float).dat" "C:\folder name\test.csv"
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Version History

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3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

Version 2.0.0.3 corrects the following:

Alarm message contains comma symbol, export alarm history with File Viewer, the CSV file will be jumbled.

Version 2.0.0.2 Corrects the following

Trying to open a PanelView Plus 6 version 8 Alarm log files with FactoryTalk Enterprise File Viewer v2.0.0.1 gives
Convert Log file error.

Version 2.0.0.1 corrected the following:

When processing records the memory allocated was not being freed in a code loop. Data records could no
longer be processed once the Windows 32-bit 2GB memory limit was reached. This issue is now corrected in
version 2.0.0.1.

Version 2.0.0.0 added the following:

Name changed from RSView Enterprise File Viewer Utility to FactoryTalk View File
Viewer Utility
SE Datalog file .dat and .odf can be saved as .CSV table (Wide format).
Added /table as a command line parameter

Version 1.9.0.0 added support saving FactoryTalk View Machine Edition datalog (.log) files to CSV Table format

Version 1.8.0.0 added support for FactoryTalk View Machine Edition version 6.x Alarm Log files

Version 1.7.0.0 added support for additional command line options, see the RSView Enterprise File Viewer
version Help for details.

Version 1.6.0.3 added the following:

Show tag name in Trend.

Support to show Trend for FactoryTalk View ME datalog.
Note: The Trend Plot for FactoryTalk View ME datalogs currently supports 8 pens only.
Additional items logged will show values of 0. The List View displays all logged tags
as expected.
Change FactoryTalk View SE Datalog list view to show a tag name instead of tag index
when <Tagname>.dat exist.
ThisFixed
websiteauses
problem
cookieswith FactoryTalk
to enhance View MEand
user experience alarm on date and time format and alarm
to analyze
ACK date/time
performance introduced
and traffic in 1.5.0.0
on our website. We also share information
about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and
***** RA Internal
analytics partners.*****

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 3/24/23, 4:35 PM FactoryTalk View File Viewer Utility

On Windows 7 64 bit, if the Setup_Trend_for_FTViewFileViewer.bat does not work, then it could be

necessary to register the RSTXViewCmn.ocx by hand. Run Regsvr32.exe from the
%SystemRoot%\Syswow64 folder.
For example, type the following commands to register the DLL: cd \windows\syswow64 regsvr32
c:\myfolder\RSTXViewCmn.ocx

***** End RA Internal *****

Attachments

File
FTViewFileViewer_2.0.0.3.zip

File
FTViewFileViewer_2.0.0.2.zip

File
FTViewFileViewer_2.0.0.1.zip

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