CIMScan-VBA is an easy to use scripting language that uses the same syntax as Microsoft’s Visual Basic for Applications, the macro language used by Excel, Access and Word-97. The VBA script capability provides a user with a very powerful tool to perform numerous real-time calculation and control functions within the CIMScan.

Overview

VBA scripts are called User Functions within CIMScan and are typically very short programs that are triggered periodically or with an Action. The Action may be the result of a database point being updated or the user clicking on an icon. Up to 4,095 scripts can be managed by the system. Each of these scripts runs independently in its own thread.

Uses

VBA scripts can be used to perform a wide variety of functions. The following are just a few of the possibilities:

	Perform a special linearization on an input or group of inputs.
	Set alarm limits based on a test time or on another data point’s value.
	Perform a control function.
	Make decisions based on the values of a number of database points.
	Create customer user entry dialogs.
	Implement a special data logging function.

VBA Key Words

And	Dialog	Global	Not	Seek
Any	Dim	GoSub	Nothing	Select
App	Dir	GoTo	Object	Set
Append	Do	GroupBox	OkButton	SetAttr
Array	Do Events	If	On	Single
As	Double	Iif	On Error	Static
Base	Each	Imp	Open	Step
Begin	Else	In	Option	Stop
Boolean	ELseIf	Input	Option Base	String
ByRef	Empty	Integer	Option Compare	Sub
Byte	End	Is	Option Explicit	Text
ByVal	EndAction	Let	Or	Then
Call	Eqv	Lib	Output	To
Case	Err	Line	Print	Type
Choose	Error	Loc	Private	Until
Close	Exit	Long	Public	Variant
Const	Explicit	Loop	ReDim	Wend
Currency	FileDateTime	Mod	Rem	While
Date	For	Name	Resume	With
				Xor

VBA Functions

Abs	DatePart	GetObject	Left	SeekStmt
AppActivate	DateSerial	IsArray	Len	SendKeys
Asc	DateValue	IsDate	LineInput	Sgn
Atn	Day	IsEmpty	LOF	Shell
Beep	DDEExecute	IsError	Log	Sin
CBool	DDEInitiate	IsMissing	LSet	Space
CByte	DDETerminate	IsNull	LTrim	Sqr
CCur	Dialog	IsNumeric	Mid	Str
CDate	DlgControlHWND	IsObject	Minute	StrComp
CDbl	DlgControlID	Hex	MkDir	Tan
ChDir	DlgEnable	Hour	Month	Time
ChDrive	DlgHWND	Input	MsgBox	Timer
Chr	DlgText	InputBox	Name	TimeSerial
CInt	DlgVisible	InStr	Now	TimeValue
CLng	EOF	Int	Oct	Trim
Close	Erase	IsArray	Open	TypeName
Cos	Exp	IsDate	Print	UBound
CreateObject	FileAttr	IsEmpty	Randomize	UCase
CSng	FileCopy	IsNull	Raise	Val
CStr	FileLength	IsNumeric	Right	VarType
CVar	FileOpen	IsObject	RmDir	WeekDay
CurDir	Fix	JulianDay	Rnd	Write
Date	Format	Kill	RTrim	Year
DateAdd	FreeFile	LBound	Second
DateDiff	GetAttr	LCase	SeekFunc

CIMScan Functions

GroupIndex	Returns the index of the group for a given tag string
TagIndex	Returns the offset into the group for the DB point whose tag is passed
Members	Returns the number of members in a group
Parent	Returns the index of the parent of a group
Child	Returns the index of the next child in the group
DBIndex	Returns the index of the DB point for a given "Group.Tag" string
DBPoint	Returns the absolute index of a DB point for a group "Index.Offset"
StoreDB	Stored the value passed to the DB point whose index is passed
ReadDB	Reads the value of the DB point whose index is passed
ClearDB	Clears the value of the DB point whose index is passed
GetName	Returns DB point's name if index is known
GetTag	Returns DB point's tag if index is known
GetGroup	Returns group DB point is contained in if its index is known
GetStatus	Returns DB point's I/O status if index is known
GetFlags	Returns DB point's flags if index is known
GetUpdated	Returns time when DB point was last updated if index is known
GetReset	Returns time when DB point was last reset if index is known
GetUser	Gets the "User Tag" for the DB point whose index is passed
SetUser	Stores a "User Tag" in the DB point whose index is passed
CurrentTime	Returns the current time in CIMScan format
TimeString	Converts the current time to a string
Wait	Causes the script to wait for the number of msec. Passed
AlarmLimit	Reads a global alarm limit
SetLimit	Sets a global alarm limit
ClearLimit	Clears a global alarm limit
Alert	Displays a User Alert message to the operator
TrigBy	Returns the absolute index of the DB point who triggered the script
TrigTag	Returns the Tag for the DB point who triggered the script
SendComm	Sends a message to a serial port and returns the response

Typical Script

Sub Main

Static Array(1 to Elements) as Single
Static Sum as Single

Dim Count as Integer
Dim Index as Integer

If Count < Elements then Count = Count + 1
Index = Index + 1
If Index > Elements then Index = 1

Sum = Sum - Array(Index)
Array(Index) = ReadDB(DBPoint)
Sum = Sum + Array(Index)

StoreDB Avg, Sum/CSng(Count)

End Sub