FileDevice is the “device level” container to import local delimited-type files (such as CSV) as Niagara histories. It resides under the FileNetwork. It has common device properties (see Device status properties) and Health and Alarm Source Info slots.

The FileDevice’s only device extension, and most important child slot, is the FileHistoryDeviceExt (Histories), under which you add file import descriptors. The sole configuration property of importance is “Base Ord”, where you can select a specific local directory (use drop-down control beside folder icon, choose Directory Chooser). This allows you to enter relative file ord values in the “File” property of history file import descriptors (under its child Histories extension). Otherwise (using the default “null” Base Ord), you specify absolute “File” ord values in child descriptors. For related details, see Properties of history file import descriptors.

Typically, a FileNetwork is configured with only a single FileDevice, with a default “null” value Base Ord property. However, if you wish to impose some logical grouping, you can create multiple FileDevices, and use the Base Ord scheme (with different directory ords) to separate import descriptors by source.

Unlike many fieldbus drivers, there is no “frozen” LocalFileDevice in a FileNetwork—any FileDevice named “LocalFileDevice” is simply a standard FileDevice component.