XSTATS11 file

[djayne]

Does anyone know if there is a way to point the XSTATS file to a different directory other than the PCDMIS folder? We are trying to use a WinSPC software and would like to create all the XSTATS files in one specific folder on our server. I was also wondering if there was a way to set the precision of the XSTATS file to 3 decimal places?

[SABarber]

You cannot specify a different directory. You might be able to add a STATS/TRANSFER(?) command. You cannot specify a different resolution in the file.

[Underspec]

You can add an external command at the end of the program that points to a .bat (batch file) which you can use the copy command to do this (DOS style).

Setting the precision you can do within the PCDMIS dimensioning settings.

[djayne]

I've been toying around with the Tranfer Stats command. Unfortunately, it only generates a TMP file and creates a new one for each part ran. The database software we are using is specifically looking for the XSTATS11 file. I guess this is the way it is ensured that you have to buy seperate liscenses for each machine you'd like to run a Database software. We bought seperate ones for each CMM and one plant monitor liscense for the process engineer. That kinda leaves us Quality Techs out of the loop for evaluating SPC without going to each CMM individually and drilling charts.

[djayne]

I just talked to our process engineer and he informed me that the original version of the Database software would look for all TMP files and he had asked them to turn this feature off because of the empty TMP file created as soon as the STATS/ON was commanded. This TMP file seems to stay in the PCDMIS directory until the full XSTATS11 file is created and then a unique TMP file is sent to the desired path. He was excited about this since it will possibly mean not purchasing additional liscenses at $1600 a pop. Now, hopefully the software company will not charge too much to turn the TMP feature back on. Now, if I could just figure out this precision thing. Thanks for the help guys - If you figure out this one please let me know. We've had electrical problems and the plant has been down for three shifts now so it's good to come up with cost savings to justify working in the office.

[SABarber]

The TMP file is created to temporarily hold the stats information during the execution of the part program. At completion it copies the contents of that file to XSTATS11.TMP is STATS/DATAPAGE is on. Otherwise it performs the STATS/TRANSFER if that is on. This file is filled as the part program executes. You will still need to know when to let the stats program to grab the TMP file.

[djayne]

I think I understand now. The file that is transfered is just not named XSTATS11 like I expected. The company that we got the software through had the database setup originally to pull in any TMP file. Our process engineer had asked them only to pull in the XSTATS11.TMP file because it was trying to pull in the temporary file as soon as it was created before it had any data in it. With the transfer option, we can set our data base path to another dedicated folder and the software will not pick up the temporary file and we can go back to the original setup of the software picking up all TMP files. Do you have any idea what the significance of the file name numbering is? I just want to make sure there is no possibility of an error because two different CMMs sent the same file name.

[SABarber]

The resulting transferred file should have the format:
ddHHMMSS.TMP where:
dd = day of month (01-31)
HH = hour in 24 hour format (00-23)
MM = minute (00-59)
SS = seconds (00-59)

[djayne]

Thank you for the explanation. I appears that there is a small possibility of getting mulitiple TMP files named the same at one time. Very slim though I think.