Issue
"Misleading source names" refers to unwanted sources that have been created in a PME system by the PME software itself. Data will log under these sources instead of the desired source. Examples are show in the screenshot below. The misleading source names typically consist of the meter/VIP name and the name of a specific quantity, or specific data recorder output name.
Product Line
Power Monitoring Expert 9.x
Power Monitoring Expert 2020
Power Monitoring Expert 2021
Power Monitoring Expert 2022
Power Monitoring Expert 2023
Power Monitoring Expert 2024
Environment
Power Monitoring Expert (PME)
SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
Cause
PME creates these "misleading sources" to prevent data loss. The is due to how data is stored in the PME SQL databases. Each measurement that logs to a PME source requires a "quantity ID," and if the quantity ID is already being used, the PME software will make an additional source to log the quantities.
Below are some individual causes that should be avoided in the future. The resolution for the causes is the same. There can be additional causes outside of what is described below. If after resolving the issue, the misleading sources return, the PME system should be further investigated.
Cause #1
A common cause of this issue is human error when the PME "Designer" application is utilized to enable software logging for data points and log to data to a custom measurement name (described in this Schneider FAQ https://www.se.com/us/en/faqs/FAQ000265723/).
The default names in ION modules follow the convention of [shorthand ION module name][output register result number]. E.g., in an arithmetic module, the shorthand module name is "art1" and the result number would be 1 - 9. If the framework is saved before renaming the output registers, the default name will be saved. This can cause Art1Result 5 to appear as a new source with the VIP name preceding it, rather than the intended result of a custom measurement logging to a specific meter.
Cause #2
There is some duplicate measurement for the device after enabling software logging using the meter driver. The software logged quantities have a conflict with the quantities already being logged. These should be evaluated to see how necessary they are if there are existing logs using the same SQL quantity IDs.
Cause #3
This can sometimes occur after a PME upgrade depending on the meter type.
Resolution
*Warning: Irreparable database damage can occur. This procedure should only be performed by users familiar with SQL Server Management Studio. Databases should be backed up prior to performing this procedure.*
1. Identify the 'Name' of your original source and the duplicate/misleading source name. This step is necessary because the display name that appears in management console may differ from the name in the SQL database. Using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), run the below query to get the list of sources from your PME system. (If there is greater than 1000 devices, the number can be increased.) Replace "yourMeterGroupName.yourMeterName" with the device name as it appears in the management console/device manager (leave the '%' symbols).
SELECT *
FROM [ION_Data].[dbo].[Source]
where DisplayName = '%yourMeterGroupName.yourMeterName%'2. In the results table, your source should appear, as well as the misleading/duplicate source. Copy the full names from the 'Name' column of the results table. Also keep note of the value that appears in the "ID" column.
3. Edit the attached queries (labeled 1 - 3) to include your source names. Replace the places that say 'group_name.misleading_source_name' with the full misleading source name and 'group_name.actual_source_name' with the real source name.
4. A stored procedure to delete the data from the misleading source needs to be added to the PME if it does not already exist. Navigate to the FAQ https://www.se.com/us/en/faqs/FA210105/ to create the stored procedure for your PME version.
5. Stop all ION Services
6. Run these queries in order (if after running query #1 an error on duplicate data appears, refer to the "Optional" section at the end of this article.
1. Reassign_historical_data.txt
2. Delete_misleading_sources.txt
3. Clear_logging_configuration.txt
7. Restart the ION services.
8. You can check if it successfully removed the misleading source by re-running the above query in step #2 and identifying if the extra source was deleted. You can also check if the DataLog2 now contains the data that uses the quantityID of the misleading source.
9. If you have many misleading sources, you can use the attached script "correct_many_misleading_sources." This script will only apply if the misleading sources are named in the convention of CorrectDeviceName-AdditionalText. (E.g., my_Correct_Meter-Art1Result2, my_second_Correct_meter-RealEnergyTotal, etc.). Enter the names of the misleading sources in the Values list at the top of the file.
-- Insert the sources into the temporary table
INSERT INTO #Sources (SourceName)
VALUES
('my_Correct_meter-RealEnergyTotal'),
('my_second_Correct_Meter-Art1Result2'),Optional
- Typically, misleading sources only store data for one measurement. You can run the below query to identify what QuantityID the misleading source is logging data under. 'group_name.misleading_source_name' with the misleading source name found in the previous step. The expected results is a single quantity consistently logged. Make note of the QuantityID for the next step.
SELECT * FROM [ION_Data].[dbo].[DataLog2] where (SELECT ID FROM Source WHERE Name = 'group_name.misleading_source_name') order by TimestampUTC desc - Run the below query but use the SourceID of your actual device and the QuantityID you found in the previous step. You can identify the last date the quantity logged for the actual source, alternatively there may be no data (expected).
SELECT * FROM [ION_Data].[dbo].[DataLog2] where (SELECT ID FROM Source WHERE Name = 'group_name.actual_source_name') and QuantityID = [QuantityID] order by TimestampUTC desc - If an error message that shows "duplicate data" was found, this means the misleading source was logging data at some point in time that the actual source was also logging data. You can trim the data from the actual source that is in the time frame that the misleading source was logging to resolve this issue. (The data will be re-assigned from the misleading source to the correct source after the 1-Reassign_historical_data query is ran.)
