The Bql Query Builder is the initial dialog you use in the Niagara Point Manager when you “Discover” proxy points in a station under the Niagara Network. You also use it in discovers in other managers, for example, the Bacnet Export Manager.
This dialog provides extensive Find and Match filters, plus other controls, which are briefly discussed in the following sections:
Note that the default point Discover for a NiagaraStation produces a Bql Query Builder dialog with a Find of (all) “Config,” type “Control Point,” and Match of “All,” as shown in Figure 90. While this may be usable, typically you narrow this range, and run multiple point discovers, as needed.
By default, the Find filter preselects all control points in the target NiagaraStation (Config). Often, you may wish to narrow this range. For example, you may wish to find Boolean proxy points only under a specific driver network (during this particular Discover sequence).
To do this, simply click the Find icon (magnifying glass) which produces the Choose Root dialog, as shown in Figure 91.
As needed, expand Config to select the root component of interest and click (or simply double-click the component of interest). The proxy point Find is now limited to that area of the station.
To change the type of component, click the “Of type” drop-down and make a selection (Figure 92).
The proxy point Find is now limited to that class of component.
A basic understanding of the NiagaraAX component class structure is helpful when making type selections. For example, selection
of Boolean Point (as shown in Figure 92) includes all components that “subclass” from the simple BooleanPoint. Included are all BooleanWritables, as well as many kitControl components (Logic components, as one example in this case).If you select type “Component,” you have a “full-width find.” This means that all components are included—this includes everything listed in the “Of type” drop-down, plus extensions and many other items (including kitControl objects not subclassed from Control Points, for example, “NumericConst,” “DegreeDays,” and “LeadLagRuntime,” as a few examples).
Use the Match filter when you wish to further limit proxy point candidates. For example, you may wish to filter on object names (this translates to displayNames).
To see the match dialog options, click the plus (“+”) icon in the far right corner of the Bql Query Builder dialog, and use Match entry fields as needed (Figure 93).
In the Figure 93 example above, the Match filter is set to: displayName, like, “Fan*”. This point discover returns components (within the Find parameters) that are named beginning with “Fan”.
This match would include all components named “Fan”, “FanAhu1”, “Fan21”, “Fantastic”, and so on. However, components named “FAN” or “FAN21” would not be included (case-sensitivity), nor would components named “AhuFan” or “BFan” be included—no leading wildcard (“*”) was used.
You can click the Match plus (“+”) icon multiple times to add multiple match lines, and configure each match line differently, as needed. Click the minus “–” icon to remove a match line.
If you have multiple match lines, note the drop-down selection beside Match (“All”, “Any”) becomes important, and works as follows:
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All— Works as “AND” logic, where a match must occur as specified on every match line. -
Any— Works as “OR” logic, where a match must occur as specified on any match line.
Save the setup of any Bql query by simply clicking the Save query icon (diskette). This produces a Save Query dialog in which you give the query a unique name (Figure 94).
Saving a query allows you to recall it later to either use directly, or to modify further as a “starting point” for another query. You can save as many Bql queries as you need. You can also edit a saved query (meaning rename it or reorder it in your list of saved queries).
Saved queries are unique to your Workbench instance, and not to any particular station.
To recall a saved query, click the Load saved query icon (folder), and make a selection, as shown in Figure 95.
This loads that query into the Bql Query Builder dialog, where Find and Match entries automatically change to reflect how that query was constructed.
To edit saved queries, click the Edit saved query icon (note pad). This produces a Save Query dialog in which you can rename and/or reorder the queries in the list (Figure 96).
If you are interested in the Baja Query Language (BQL), you can learn about queries within the Edit dialog. Make the dialog
window wider, and study the syntax of a saved queries. For detailed information about queries, see “BQL” in the Niagara Developer Guide.