TotalFlow Laptop File Import Service

Table Of Contents

Overview

The TotalFlow Laptop File Import Service is a service that is designed to take manually collected historical data from a TotalFlow device and import it into the ACM database as if it were collected by ACM. The service periodically checks a configurable folder for laptop import files and processes these files to create history records in the ACM database. There must be a meter object in ACM that matches the meter name found in the laptop file. If a match is found, the data in the laptop file will be imported and assigned to the matching meter object in ACM. If a matching ACM meter can't be found, the history data in the laptop file won't be processed. This service only processes history records from laptop import files specific to TotalFlow devices.

If an error occurs preventing reliable processing of the file, or if the configuration information is not present in ACM, the service will move the file to the folder configured for failed processing.

Service Location

The service consists of one file named asiTotalflowManualImportService.exe. The recommended location for this file is in the ACM server installation folder so that the required DLL's the service needs to interface with ACM will already be present and registered. A typical location for this folder is: C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoSol\Communication Manager\Server. The service can be enabled and disabled from the ACM Monitor.

Service Configuration

The service is configured using the Totalflow Laptop File Import Service section of the ACM Monitor Properties tab.

These are settings that can be modified:

Configuration: Select the ellipses to open the configuration properties of this service.

Import file folder: The folder where the service looks for the files to import. You have to create this folder if it does not already exist.
Completed File Folder: The folder where import files are moved if everything works successfully and data is imported.
Failed file folder: The folder where import files are moved if something fails.
Frequency to check for new files: A timer. The service looks in the import folder at this interval to see if new files are available.
Prevent Duplicate Records: An option to skip importing history records if they are already in our database. (If you have already imported the same file, or there is some overlap in multiple files, this should be enabled.)
Update History Position: Option to update the saved history position in ACM, this option should typically be enabled.
Enable Diagnostic Logging: Extra logging for troubleshooting.