OpenGround Cloud and HoleBASE Connect Edition Database Model Upgrades

Introduction

This article details the planned changes which will be made to the HoleBASE (desktop) and OpenGround Cloud database structure, to provide support for AGS 4.0.4 and enable capabilities to further standardise data across multiple standards.  The main focus of the release is to support the data storage of text and prefix values within numerous test results across multiple tables alongside a few other updates.

This upgrade is currently planned for release for all Cloud and CONNECT users at the end of September. OpenGround Cloud users will receive a service maintenance notification via the App Launcher confirming when this upgrade will take place.

Please review the section “Actions required by our users” to determine what actions (if any) will be required following the upgrade.

Video

The following video gives a brief introduction to the proposed changes.

https://vimeo.com/458093491

What is included in this update?

Qualifier, Code, Value and Result Fields

The primary focus of this update is to support the storage of non-numeric data relevant to database fields that have been traditionally formatted for numeric only. One approach to this would have been to convert these fields to text only fields, however this would cause further data management issue such as preventing data being reported to the correct precision, enforcing data validation and preventing data being used correctly in numeric only circumstances, such as on graphs and in calculations. The solution that has been adopted is to carry on with the use of numeric only fields, but also add in a code field, a qualifier field and a concatenated field which takes the values from the other three fields and combines them into a reported value. This gives four database fields for each scenario.

• Value Field – This field stores the numeric value, to the required precision, of the field. This is also where most of the previously stored data will be migrated to. For example, 45.12.
• Qualifier Field – The qualifier field stores the prefix for the value data. This is a picklist of data that will appear before the value. For example, <12.5, where the ‘<’ is the qualifier. This uses the new Qualifier picklist mentioned below.
• Code Field – This allows for a text value to be stored in a field, such as Dry in water fields and FI in fracture fields. These will use either the Fracture Field Code, Plasticity Field Code, Water Field Code or Other Field Code picklists mentioned below.
• Combined Field– The combined field is the repurposed field that used to be in the database from before the upgrade. For most of the cases below, unless otherwise stated, this field has had its data moved into the corresponding Value, Qualifier and Code fields. The Combined field will now take the data from those fields and combine them into one field. This field will carry on working the same way that it used to for all outputs, such as Borehole Logs, Excel Reports and Civil Extension Strips.

Affected Fields

The below is a list of affected fields.

 Water Value Fields

The following fields have also been updated with the same logic, however, they do not have the qualifier field.

Note : ASTM configuration users who do not use the Standard Penetration Test Results table, and store the data in the Sample Information table instead will not be affected by this change. ASTM configuration users who do not use the Water Strike - Details table, and store the data in the Water Level table instead will not be affected by this change.

Data Import and Export Mapping Auto Updates

The above changes have led to a requirement to update the AGS and CSV import mappings so that they can support the affected fields.

• AGS 3.1 Import – AGS 3.1 mapping has been updated to include the new fields and to evaluate the changed fields so that they will split into the required Code, Value and Qualifier fields on import. All custom user mapping will be retained. An archive data mapping has also been created which will store a copy of the previous mapping for support purposes.
• AGS 3.1 Export – AGS 3.1 mapping has been updated to include the new fields and will still export the combined fields into the relevant AGS3.1 field. All custom user mapping will be retained. An archive data mapping has also been created which will store a copy of the previous mapping for support purposes.
• AGS 4 Import – AGS 4 import has been updated to include the new fields and will now import AGS 4.0.3 and AGS 4.0.4 data. An update has also been applied to evaluate the changed fields so that they will split into the required Code, Value and Qualifier fields on import. All custom user mapping will be retained. An archive data mapping has also been created which will store a copy of the previous mapping for support purposes.
• AGS 4.0.3 Export – This is no longer the default export mapping but can be selected from the mapping dropdown list when selecting AGS4 as the export type. The mapping has been updated to include the new fields and will still export the value fields into the relevant AGS 4.0.3 field (AGS 4.0.3 does not support different data types in numeric fields). All custom user mapping will be retained. An archive data mapping has also been created which will store a copy of the previous mapping for support purposes.
• AGS 4.0.4 Export – This is now the default export mapping when selecting AGS 4 as the export type. The mapping has been updated to include all of the new fields and will still export the combined fields into the relevant AGS 4.0.4 field (With the new XN data type). All custom user mapping will be retained.
• CSV Import – CSV Import mapping has been updated to include all of the new fields but will support any old files as well.
• CSV Export– CSV Export mapping has been updated to include all of the new fields.
• PLOG Import - PLOG Import mapping has been updated to include all of the new fields but will also support existing files.
• GINT Import – GINT Import mapping has not been updated and will need review.

If you have edited any of the above listed fields’ mapping already, then we advise you to contact our support team who can advise the best course of action to resolve any issues.

Data Migration to new fields

Due to the change to make the existing fields calculated to support the qualifier, value and code fields, all existing data has been evaluated and moved to the relevant field as appropriate. This has been done based on the following rules:

• If the data is a number only, move it to the value field.
• If the data is a number with text in front of it, it will be split between the value and qualifier fields as appropriate and a value entered into the relevant picklist.
• If the data is text, or a combination of text and number then it will be placed in the code field and a value entered into the relevant picklist.

New Qualifier Picklist

The following values have been added to the new Field Qualifier picklist that is used by the qualifier fields listed above.

• < Less Than
• <= Less Than or Equal To
• <> Less Than or Greater Than
• = Equal To
• > Greater Than
• >= Greater Than or Equal To
• # Assumed
• ~ Approximately

Further items can be added to this list if required.

New Code Picklists

The following Fields have new picklists available for selection of their code field:

• Plastic Limit Fields
  • Liquid and Plastic Limit Tests - Plastic Limit
    • Plasticity Field Code
      • NP
• Fracturing Fields
  • Fracture Spacing – FI
  • Fracture Spacing- Fracture Spacing Average
  • Fracture Spacing - Fracture Spacing Max
  • Fracture Spacing - Fracture Spacing Min
    • Fracturing Field Code
      • NI
      • NA
      • N/A
• Water Fields
  • Boring-Drilling Progress by Time - Depth Water
  • Standard Penetration Test Results - Depth Water
  • Water Strike – Details - Depth Water
    • Water Field Code
      • Dry
• All other fields that have a code field listed above
  • Other Field Code
    • This is an empty picklist used as a catch all and is used to store the picklist items of any of the other items not defined already.

Table Renamed

The Window or Windowless Sampling Run Details table has been renamed to the Dynamic Sampling Run Details table to better match the purpose of the data stored within the table.

New Fields

Fields Removed

Monitoring Readings - Reading Text has been removed. The data that was in this field has now been moved into the value, code or qualifier fields and the reading field now concatenates these values together instead.

Field Updates

Point Loads – Uncorrected Point Load and Point Loads – Corrected Point Load are now reported to 2 decimal places by default

Triaxial Total Stress – CU is now reported to 2 significant figures by default.

Actions Required by Our Users

Users who enter data via the Data Entry App or the Data Entry Module may need to update their data entry profiles to include the new fields listed above. More information on how to do this can be found here.

Users with custom gINT import mappings may require an update to support the changes. Contact the consultant who created your import mapping for more details on how we can help to apply these updates.

Users with Template Studio Templates, Excel Extension Reports and Civils Extension Strips and Templates which reference the Monitoring Readings - Reading Text field will need to update their respective outputs to look at the Reading field instead.

More warning messages may appear on data import regarding fields being ignored due to fields being calculated fields. This data will import, it will just now be split into the different fields mentioned above.

Any configuration packs that were created in older versions of the software will import and attempt to upgrade during the import process.

Please contact our support team for help or more information on the above and we will help guide you through any of the changes that you need to make.

How to get hold of this update?

Please see the below section, depending on the solution that you use.

OpenGround Cloud

All OpenGround Cloud users will be updated to this latest model update, currently scheduled for the end of September 2020. More information on when this will happen exactly will appear in your launcher as a notification of upgrade before the planned maintenance time.

HoleBASE CONNECT

Users on HoleBASE CONNECT will be prompted to download the latest update through the CONNECT centre once available. Once downloaded, any HoleBASE administrator user can login and initiate the database upgrade by logging into the software and allowing the process to complete.

HoleBASE Professional and Standard

We do not plan to release this update to users on this solution at this time.

Users who wish to upgrade can do so by upgrading to a HoleBASE CONNECT edition licence and then following the instructions in this section above.