1) What are *.e3i and *.e3o files?
These files (.e3i and .e3o) are basically intermediate files, working as buffers between E3 and the Database, where all the information to be recorded in the Database is stored. All data to be recorded by E3 tools are placed initially in .e3i files. If no e3o files are found by E3, the .e3i file will be renamed .e3o, which means it will become an output file. As soon as an .e3o file is thoroughly consumed (all its files have been recorded in the Database), it will be deleted, and the .e3i file is then renamed again as e3o.
Usually, when the connection to the Database is ok, these files are practically invisible for the user, since these operations happen very quickly. When the data to be recorded by E3 are generated at a higher rate than the Database’s recording speed, or when there are connection issues between E3 and the Database, these files (.e3i and .e3o) increase their size, and thus become visible.
2) E3 is downloading data in the DB via *.e3o files, but the data is being stored faster in the *.e3i file. How can I fix this?
To download data from the *.e3o file and allow E3 to continue recording data directly from the database at the same time (so that *.e3i and *.e3o files can download all data), you must do the following:
1. Create a new database in your application, connecting to the same database to which these files belong.
2. Rename the file with the same name as the new database. Thus, the files will store the data in another DB (as a back-up procedure) and the new data will be recorded normally.
3) Is there a size limit for *e3i and *e3o files?
No, these files will store data as long as the space in disk is still available.
The only pre-existing limitation is regarding the procedures to download data in the DB. Up until Elipse E3 version build 263, the limit of *.e3i and *.e3o is 4 GB; after this limit is reached (and even if the connection to the DB is reestablished), the data can no longer be downloaded. Since version 3.2 build 264, there has been no limit size whatsoever for these files.
4) Can I use *.e3i and *.e3o files to store data from the application and then unload it into a specific database?
Yes. To do so, just point (via the application) to the active database (by selecting the DB server: MS Access, SQL Server, or Oracle DB) so that the files can download the stored data.
5) How fast can *.e3o file download data in the DB?
Data transference speed depends only on the database server’s performance. The operations are grouped every 200 insertions and then later sent to the DB.
