Data Exchange Oracle Primavera P6 with TILOS 9

 

First step to bridging TILOS and Primavera is to install the Primavera API on your computer.

The installs can be downloaded from your e-delivery account. If you are unsure about licensing and installation please contact your IT department or your Oracle support.
 

The calling mode for the database has to be local. The remote mode is not supported.

After having installed the API you may test the API based on the installed sample programs from Primavera. All the sample programs are copied to the API folder and start with word Demo*. If these works OK, then the connection will also work with the TILOS integration.
 

If there are any problems with the sample applications, contact your IT department or your Oracle support.

 

3. Work flow

 

You don’t need to install any separated program for exchanging process between TILOS 9 and P6. You also don’t require any special profile to control data exchange parameters, as it was in TILOS older versions. In TILOS 9 and upper now you can very easy exporting save project to .XML file and choose which part of schedule you want to move to another program. In this chapter, we will describe detailed every step of exporting and importing data in both ways.

3.1 Push data from TILOS to Primavera

Step 1: Start TILOS and open the file that you want to push to Primavera.
Step 2: Select from File option Export than choose from Export format the Primavera native XML format and click next

 

Step 3: Then you need to select the data destination on your space where you want to put .XML file. For example:
 

 

Step 4: In next window, you need to select data which you want export to Primavera and which method you will use to export task templates. You can do this by User Defined Field (UDF) or by the Activity Codes.
 

 

We will describe the data types and method of exchanging them in further parts of this manual. 
Now we will focus only on exchanging process.

Step 5: You can select the Task Filter that you want to use for export. If no filter is set, then all task data will be exported. If you don’t want use Task Filter go to the Step 6.

Step 6: Click Finish button to create xml file

Step 7: Go to Primavera and select file and then Import. Next in Import Format select XML format and click Next

Step 8: Select created previously .XML file and click Next

 

Step 9: Select the project in Primavera to which you want import to data. The default Project- ID is taken from the TILOS project ID if the project info section has been added to the data file. If you want to save this as a new project just select Create New Project.
 

 

Step 10: Choose an import template. You can edit already existing template or create new one.
 

 

Step 11: When you will be ready just click Finish and project will import to P6
 

3.2 Push data from Primavera to TILOS

Step 1: Start TILOS and open the project to which you want to export data to. There should be only one instance of TILOS running at this time. If there are multiple running the first found instance will be used.
 

Step 2: Run your Primavera. Please remember that TILOS is two-dimensional program where except time we have also a distance. P6 from another side have only one dimension – time. So, before you will start exporting data to TILOS, you need to add two additional columns in Primavera with start and end distance.
 

Step 3: Select File and Export
Step 4: The same as previous one in Export Format select .XML format
Step 5: Now you need to select from which project you want take data to export.
 

 

Step 6: Type the file name and select destination where you will save .XML. Remember if you will have selected Export all project level layouts a .ZIP file will be created. Unselected this option.
 

 

Step 7: Click Finish to create .XML.

Step 8: Go to TILOS and select File and Import. Choose .XML format and select file with project from P6. Click Next.
Step 9: Select which data you want to import. Except standard option please click Additional Field Mapping. Here you can additional data which you want to import or export. Please add in Settings two columns with Start Distance and End Distance. You can add new field by using plus button and removing by using red x button. It’s very important to remember that the names of columns need to be exactly the same like in Primavera. When you finish click OK.
 

 

Step 10: Click Finish button to import project in Primavera.
 

 

3.3 Task data exchange

This section describes how the exchange of task data works.
 

As I mention before we have two ways of exchanging task template between TILOS an P6 – by Activity Codes and by using UDF. In this section, we will describe both of them.
 

Activity Codes: In Primavera we are able to assign codes to our task. There are three kinds of codes in P6 – Global, EPC and Project. We will not describe difference between them, we need only remember that we can use them all for exchanging templates.
 

 

When you want Import/Export data form TILOS you must select in option Activity Codes ad type below exactly the same code name like in Primavera. Here we recommend to use task template name.
 

 

Second option is by using UDF. In that case we need to add in Primavera extra column (except already existing additional columns with start and end distance). This column we named as we want but one more time we must remember to use in TILOS exactly the same name like is Primavera. Here we recommend to use task template name.
 

 

 

When you will choose which method, you will use to exchange task template, select on screen above which data you want to export/import. You are able to import/export WBS, Category data, Links, Allocated Resources, Cost Allocations, Sectors Profiles and Layers
 

Please pay attention for this if you will export task templates from P6 to TILOS you should create in TILOS library task templates. If you will have empty task library you will get visualization of all task after importing as black lines.
 

As you notice to this point in Primavera we need to add extra columns with start and distance, and also with TILOS Template (if we use UDF method). It also good idea to add some extra columns with additional information which we are also able to exchange. You can add them but it’s not necessary.

Below you can list of columns with field type. This highlighted in yellow are minimum for correct exchange. Remember about that you need the same name of fields in Primavera and in TILOS Additional Field Mapping.
 

You can change the name of field as you want.
 

4. Filtering data

4.1 Filter on TILOS Export

Exporting the data from TILOS you can apply a standard filter stored in your TILOS file.
This controls which tasks get exported.

The name of the applied filter gets stored in the profile. The filter itself is stored in the TILOS file.

4.2 Filters on Primavera Export

For the export from Primavera the filter definitions are stored in the TILOS file.

There are 3 types of filters:

Activities    

• This filter allows to filter the activities to be exported. All activity attributes in the combo list can be used.
• Not all operators can be used for all fields. For codes and UDF fields we can only apply positive filters as only is this case we can                  select the activity and later the links.
• Code assignments: IsAssigned, Equal. No other operator will work.
• UDF Text Fields: Equal, Greater than or Equal. No other operator will work.
• To get all tasks where a UDF field has been edited, use Greater than or Equal =! This is a very low character in ASCII table, so all edited field will be added to filter result.
• The value is entered directly into value field. Wildcards (*) are supported only in combination with the operator Like. Please use % instead of *.
• Multiple filter lines on Activities work like “And”
   

Codes         
By default no code libraries are exported. Only those that are nominated in the code filter list. Each Code filter line is independent. They work as or.

Resources

• In general all used resources are exported if we select also to export resources. However, using a filter that may include also user defined field allow to take only specific resources that should be shown in TILOS.
• Same conditions as for Activities.