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Understanding Tags

This section provides comprehensive guidance on managing tags by covering essential topics such as creating and editing tags, configuring tag properties, formatting tag values, and importing tag definitions. 

Creating and Editing Tags

There are different paths to creating new tags:

1. On the top of the page, click on 'New Tag' icon.

2. In Unified Namespace / Tags, click on the 'New Item' icon to create new tags.

3. On Asset Tree, right click the folder where you'd like to add a tag or use the "New Tag" icon.

The following dialog will be presented. 

The only 2 essential fields to field in are the 'NAME' and the 'TYPE' of the Tag.

To edit the properties of existing local tags:

• At the top toolbar, select the Tag Properties button.
• Go to Unified Namespace / Tags, select the tag you wish to modify and click the Edit icon.

Configuring Tags

Properties Reference

The Properties References section presents a reference that describes and explains each property of Tags on Unified Namespace. The table lists all properties available for the Tags. However, not all properties described in the documentation are displayed in the data grids by default. Right-click column headers to see which property columns are currently displaying. The displayed properties appear with a check mark. By default, the data grid displays the following properties for Tags: Path, Type, Name, Enumeration, Array, Parameters, Domain, and Description. 

Working with Tags

Tag

There are many ways to import Tag definition to the project:

• Just copy from another Solution and paste it in the Unified Namespace / Tags DataGrid.

• Using the import from CSV Files.

• Using the Solution - Import Tags. We offer a wide range of tools, including .NET Classes, CSV files, OPC Server, OSIsoft PI Historian and PI AF, Prediktor Historian, Rockwell ControlLogix, Siemens, SNMP, SQL DataTable, Tundra, TwinCAT, UnityPro, WirelessHart, and XML files.

• Using the EngWrapper API.

After importing the tags, you can organize them using the Asset Modeling feature, which enables you to create a hierarchical structure for your project's tags.

Importing Tags and PLC Addresses from Excel

The "Import from Excel" enables easy importation of tags and PLC addresses. The process is as simple as copying and pasting the content of an Excel table, ensuring that you include the titles of the columns. The feature allows for flexibility in having tables with different columns or arranged differently in your project. 

Importing from CSV Files

The importation of CSV files encompasses two main approaches: Individual CSV Files and Extended CSV Files.

Individual CSV Files

In this scenario, you can import items for each individual table available throughout the Engineering Environment. This feature is especially useful for adding items, such as alarms, to your project. When a grid is in focus, the import button on the top bar becomes available. Upon clicking it, a import dialog window will open, allowing you to select the CSV file to be imported. For a more detailed understanding of this process, refer to our detailed guide in Individual CSV File.

Extended CSV Files

Here, the idea is to use a single .CSV table to import information on Tags, Devices, Alarms, and historian items. In this case, the final table is a concatenation of the various grids from the project. This feature can be particularly useful for importing a large amount of correlated information at once. For more information on how to utilize this feature, refer to our comprehensive guide in the Extended CSV Files section.

Types

All tags have a specific type for its value, such an integer, text or DateTime. The many pre-defined Tag Types are the Built-in tag types. In addition, the tag type can be an UDT (User Defined Type) or Tag Template .

Tags have also pre-defined properties, such as Description and Array size. Different tag types may have specific properties, but most properties are available to all Tags.

When creating the Tag, some of those properties are defined in the configuration — such as the Description —, some of the properties are only accessible when the application is running — like Value, Quality and Timestamp. The complete set of Tag properties when running the project is referred as the Runtime Tag Properties.

Built-in Tag Types

The built-in tag types are based directly as extensions of the .NET datatypes. The tag types are summarized in the following table:

Reference Type

Reference tags allow dynamic addressing of variables. 

The way you use Reference tags in the project is similar to how you use references in .NET programming, as they both have a defined type. The target type for the Reference is defined in the Parameters columns.

Typed references bring advantages in both the engineering stage and in runtime. In the engineering stage, it allows IntelliSense to directly browse the template members if a reference is pointing to a template. In runtime, it allows string data validation. 

All Reference tags have an additional runtime attribute: the Link property, which specifies which tag that the reference will be linked to during execution.

Essentially, the Link property is a string property that needs to receive the target tag name before using the reference tag. You can assign a string directly or by using a string expression. The best way to set the link property is to use the method GetName(), which will create the string based on the current tag name. This way, you can rename the tag without having to search the strings. This also shows the tag names linked on the cross-reference utility. 

Examples:

@Tag.Reference1.Link = @Tag.TagName.GetName();

@Tag.Reference1.Link = @Tag.TagName.GetName();

@Tag.Reference1.Link = "Tag.TagName";

@Tag.Reference1.Link = "Tag.TagNa" + "me";

The reason for using the GetName() method instead of using strings directly is that with GetName() you retain the benefits of Cross-Reference and Refactoring. 

Working with Tags

Import Tag Definitions

There are many ways to import Tag definition to the project:

• Just copy from another Solution and paste it in the Unified Namespace / Tags DataGrid.

• Using the import from CSV Files.

• Using the Solution - Import Tags. We offer a wide range of tools, including .NET Classes, CSV files, OPC Server, OSIsoft PI Historian and PI AF, Prediktor Historian, Rockwell ControlLogix, Siemens, SNMP, SQL DataTable, Tundra, TwinCAT, UnityPro, WirelessHart, and XML files.

• Using the EngWrapper API.

After importing the tags, you can organize them using the Asset Modeling feature, which enables you to create a hierarchical structure for your project's tags.

Importing Tags and PLC Addresses from Excel

The "Import from Excel" enables easy importation of tags and PLC addresses. The process is as simple as copying and pasting the content of an Excel table, ensuring that you include the titles of the columns. The feature allows for flexibility in having tables with different columns or arranged differently in your project. 

Importing from CSV Files

The importation of CSV files encompasses two main approaches: Individual CSV Files and Extended CSV Files.

Individual CSV Files

In this scenario, you can import items for each individual table available throughout the Engineering Environment. This feature is especially useful for adding items, such as alarms, to your project. When a grid is in focus, the import button on the top bar becomes available. Upon clicking it, a import dialog window will open, allowing you to select the CSV file to be imported. For a more detailed understanding of this process, refer to our detailed guide in Individual CSV File.

Extended CSV Files

Here, the idea is to use a single .CSV table to import information on Tags, Devices, Alarms, and historian items. In this case, the final table is a concatenation of the various grids from the project. This feature can be particularly useful for importing a large amount of correlated information at once. For more information on how to utilize this feature, refer to our comprehensive guide in the Extended CSV Files section.

Tag Properties

Either creating a new tag, or editing tags, in the DataGrid view or the properties dialogs, the tag has the following configuration fields: 

DataGrid View

Tag Value formatting 

The format property defines the display format of tag values. For example, N1 defines a number with one decimal place, like 2.1

Proper formatting ensures that the tag values are displayed accurately and are easily understood by users.

These formats follow the specifications provided in Microsoft .NET.

For valid numeric formats, refer to Standard Numeric Format Strings.

For valid date and time formats, refer to Standard Date and Time Format Strings.

For a more in-depth discussion of format strings in .NET, refer to Formatting Types.

Alarm, Historian and Device Configuration

Optional configuration properties offer additional customization for tags. These properties can be edited after importing the tags into the project and include:

Alarm Configurations: Settings related to alarms triggered by tag values.

Key Features:

• Condition : Defines a a conditon for a alarm to trigger.
• Groups: Its possible group the alarms items in a group with its own configuration properties.
• Limit: Difines the value of alarm trigger based on the condition defined.
• Image Added

Historian Settings: Configurations for data logging and archiving.

Key Features : 

• DeadBand: The DeadBand is a range within which value changes are considered insignificant and, therefore, aren't recorded. This helps in reducing unnecessary logging of data when the value changes are minimal or within an acceptable range.

• Table: Defines the specific table where the historical data for this tag will be stored.

• Dev/DeadbandType: This is an extension of the DeadBand concept. It allows you to define the type of DeadBand to be applied. This could be based on an absolute value, percentage, or other criteria, depending on your requirements.

• Dev/DeadBand Limit: Here, you define the specific threshold for the DeadBand. Any changes in the tag value below this threshold won't be recorded. For example, if set at 0.5, only changes greater than this value will be logged.

• Image Added

Device Address: The address or location of the tag in the PLC or data source.

Key Features : 

• Node: Determine the node of the channel source where the tag data resides.
• Address: Defines a address for the  and PLC/data source.
• AcessType: If the tag will be only Read, Write or ReadWrite.
• Image Added

Other Tag Parameters

Tag Properties

Either creating a new tag, or editing tags, in the DataGrid view or the properties dialogs, the tag has the following configuration fields: 

Tag main configuration properties 

Field

Description

Parent

Specify the Parent Level where the Tag is located in Asset tree.

Name

Enter a name for the tag. The system lets you know if the name is not valid.

If you edit the name of an existing tag, the system automatically updates the name throughout the project.

Type

Select the tag type, which may be a built-in type or a user-defined Tag Template.

Parameters

Configure any parameters. The parameters vary based on the tag type. Once the type is entered, you can double-click the parameters field to see a dropdown menu with any applicable parameters.

• DeadBand — It is used as a limitation to save new values to the tag. It defines the difference necessary between the old value and the new value. It is also possible to set the DeadBand as an percentage and with decimal numbers such as: 10.5; 10%; 300%; 17.8%.

      Example 1: If the DeadBand is Set to 5 and initial value of the tag is 0, the next input possible to be saved, need to be >=5 or <=-5.

      Example 2: If the current value of the tag is 100 and the deadband is set to 10%, the next input possible to be saved, need to be >=110 or <=90.

• EnumerationSet: You can also use dictionaries to "translate" tag values into text. These dictionaries are called Enumeration Sets.

For example, a device may have a value of 0  or 1 . Rather than display "0" or "1", you can display the strings "on" or "off."

The definition for the Enumeration Set dictionary is on Tags / Enumeration Sets

When configuring a display component to use these tags, set the TextOutput to one of the following:

• Tagname or Tagname.Value: show the numeric value of the tag.
• Tagname.ValueAsString or Tagname.DisplayValue: show the enumeration string.

Array

When this field is blank, the tag is not an array.

When the field contains an integer value of N, an Array is created from position 0 to N.

For example, if the field contains the value 5, the Array is created from Tag[0] to Tag[5]. This means that 6 elements are created.

Two programming styles are accommodated by this method; one that counts elements from 0 to less than 5, and one that counts from 1 to 5.

Enumeration

User defined types that lists a set of values, messages and colors. They can be connected with a Tag, or used directly in script expressions. 

Description

String message with additional information about the Tag, maximum string length is 1024

DataGrid View

Tag optional configuration properties

Field / Column 

Description 

Min

Enter the minimum value that is valid for the object.

Max

Enter the maximum value that is valid for the object.

ScaleMin

Stores a minimum value to assist scaling charts or communication devices.

ScaleMax

Stores a maximum value to assist scaling charts or communication devices.

String with the Engineering units of measure, simplifying the visualization of the value on Displays, and allowing the dynamic change of metric systems.

Select this option to save the value of the tag and its internal properties to the database every time the value changes. This retains the value when the application shuts down and makes the value available when the next next application starts.

• None — Does not retain the value or properties.
• ValueOnly — Retains only the value.
• Properties — Retains all properties, including the value.
• PropertiesOnly — Retains all properties, except the value.

The values for Retentive Tags are stores at the database defined at Datasets / DBs / Retentive, and it can be customize to use any database. 

Retentive can be applied to Tags of Domain Server, in this case, you can easily allow the cold-start from the Project, without losing Operator-Inputed values or other Tags that shall keep the last value in between a shutdown and a startup.

Retentive can be applied to Tags of Domain Client, in this case, you can falsity create concepts as User Configuration settings, that are stored and located according the client or user connection. 

Defines if the tag value has Server (global) or Client (instance) scope.

Server (Default): the value of tag is unique, synchronize across all operator stations accessing the project. All tags used by Devices Communications and Historian must be or Type Server.

Client: The value of tag is local at each Client Displays Instance accessing the project. Common use for client tags are to manage the user interface.

Select the value visibility of your tag to external connection and the built-in OPC server.

Private: Tag is visible only to the local project and redundant pair.
Protected: Tag is visible on the external connections for read-only operations. 
Public: Tag is visible on the external connections, for both reading or writing. 

If not defined, the visibility is Public by default. 

Allows to define metadata labels to the tag. Categories are useful for project organization during the engineering phase.

Categories are also useful when copy pasting tags directly the draw area, automatically creating symbols. 

Tag Value formatting 

The format property defines the display format of tag values. For example, N1 defines a number with one decimal place, like 2.1

Proper formatting ensures that the tag values are displayed accurately and are easily understood by users.

These formats follow the specifications provided in Microsoft .NET.

For valid numeric formats, refer to Standard Numeric Format Strings.

For valid date and time formats, refer to Standard Date and Time Format Strings.

For a more in-depth discussion of format strings in .NET, refer to Formatting Types.

Numerical values formatting

Specifier

Description

N0

Number with no decimal places

Nn

Number with n decimal places (replace n by any integer number)

X

Hexadecimal (supported only for integral types)

C

Currency

R

A string that can round-trip to an identical number

P

Number multiplied by 100 and displayed with a percent symbol

G

The more compact of either fixed-point or scientific notation

F

Integral and decimal digits with optional negative sign

E

Exponential notation

D

Integer digits with optional negative sign

Date/time formats 

Specifier

Description

T (only)

Long time pattern (equivalent to HH:mm:ss).

d (only)

Short date pattern (equivalent to M/d/yyyy (month/day/year) for en-us).

dd

Show the day of the month as a number from 01 through 31.

ddd

Show the abbreviated name of the day of the week.

dddd

Show the full name of the day of the week.

MM

Show the month as a number from 01 through 12.

MMM

Show the abbreviated name of the month.

yy

Show the year as a two-digit number.

yyyy

Show the year as a four-digit number.

hh

Show the hour as a number from 01 through 12.

HH

Show the hour as a number from 00 through 23.

mm

Show the minute as a number from 00 through 59.

ss

Show the second as a number from 00 through 59.

fff

Show the millisecond as a number from 000 through 999.

tt

Show the A.M./P.M. designator.

Alarm, Historian and Device Configuration

Optional configuration properties offer additional customization for tags. These properties can be edited after importing the tags into the project and include:

Alarm Configurations: Settings related to alarms triggered by tag values.

Key Features:

• Condition : Defines a a conditon for a alarm to trigger.
• Groups: Its possible group the alarms items in a group with its own configuration properties.
• Limit: Difines the value of alarm trigger based on the condition defined.
• Image Removed

Historian Settings: Configurations for data logging and archiving.

Key Features : 

• DeadBand: The DeadBand is a range within which value changes are considered insignificant and, therefore, aren't recorded. This helps in reducing unnecessary logging of data when the value changes are minimal or within an acceptable range.

• Table: Defines the specific table where the historical data for this tag will be stored.

• Dev/DeadbandType: This is an extension of the DeadBand concept. It allows you to define the type of DeadBand to be applied. This could be based on an absolute value, percentage, or other criteria, depending on your requirements.

• Dev/DeadBand Limit: Here, you define the specific threshold for the DeadBand. Any changes in the tag value below this threshold won't be recorded. For example, if set at 0.5, only changes greater than this value will be logged.

• Image Removed

Device Address: The address or location of the tag in the PLC or data source.

Key Features : 

• Node: Determine the node of the channel source where the tag data resides.
• Address: Defines a address for the  and PLC/data source.
• AcessType: If the tag will be only Read, Write or ReadWrite.
• Image Removed

Other Tag Parameters

Column

Description

ID

Database ID assigned to the object in the table. Numbers are assigned starting from 1 for the first object created and continue as needed. The IDs are unique only to a specific table.

PATH

Allows users to associate tags with specific assets. Select the asset you want to associate with the tag.

DateModified

Date the object was last changed.

DateCreated

Date the object was created.

Description

Enter a description of the object.

Tag Types

All tags have a specific type for its value, such an integer, text or DateTime. The many pre-defined Tag Types are the Built-in tag types. In addition, the tag type can be an UDT (User Defined Type) or Tag Template .

Tags have also pre-defined properties, such as Description and Array size. Different tag types may have specific properties, but most properties are available to all Tags.

When creating the Tag, some of those properties are defined in the configuration — such as the Description —, some of the properties are only accessible when the application is running — like Value, Quality and Timestamp. The complete set of Tag properties when running the project is referred as the Runtime Tag Properties.

Built-in Tag Types

The built-in tag types are based directly as extensions of the .NET datatypes. The tag types are summarized in the following table:

Built-in Tag Types

Tag Type

.Net Type

Description and Value Range

Digital

System.Int32

Binary value, 0 or 1. 

Integer

System.Int32

Integer values, range  -2,147,483,648 through 2,147,483,647

Long

System.Int64

Long integer values, range  -2,147,483,648 through 2,147,483,647

Double

System.Double

Floating point value. ranging -1.79769313486231570E+308 through -4.94065645841246544E-324 for negative values; 4.94065645841246544E-324 through 1.79769313486231570E+308 for positive values

Decimal

System.Decimal

Extended precision floating point., ranging 0 through +/-79,228,162,514,264,337,593,543,950,335 with no decimal point; 0 through +/-7.9228162514264337593543950335 with 28 places to the right of the decimal; smallest nonzero number is +/-0.000

The Decimal type allows calculation with higher precision than the Double type. However, math operations using Decimal can be 40 times slower than using Double. So the Decimal type should only be used when Double precision is not enough.

Text

System.String

Text strings composed of Unicode character. Maximum length of the sting is the integer range. 

Timer

System.Int32

Timer is a built-in integer type that can be used to generate precise timing signals and wave pattenrs. Timers have the following models: 

• SquareWave:  The value toggles between 0 and 1. Image Removed

• Pulse: The tag changes to 0. Then immediately changes to 1. Image Removed

• DelayOff: The tag behaves as a PLC Timer Off. If you set the tag with a value other than the StartValue during runtime, the tag will hold that value for the period specified in the Interval. The tag goes back to its StartValue after the period of time (Interval). 

Image Removed

• Comparer: The tag is set to 1 after the specified comparer Interval, and then goes back to zero at midnight. Image Removed

For SquareWave, Pulse, and Comparer, the tag toggles between 0 and the StartValue (instead of 0 and 1) if you set the tag StartValue.

DateTime

System.DateTimeOffset

From 12:00:00 midnight, January 1, 0001 to 11:59:59 P.M., December 31, 9999

TimeSpan

TimeSpan

Data Interval in Days, Hours, Minutes, Seconds and Milliseconds, where each of those properties can hold a Double value

Guid

Guid

Standard Microsoft Globally Unique Identifier (GUID)

DataTable

System.Data.DataTable

Holds an in-memory DataTable

Image

System.Byte[]

Can hold an Image file or any binary content. The Long value is the maximum size of the content. 

Reference Type

Reference tags allow dynamic addressing of variables. 

The way you use Reference tags in the project is similar to how you use references in .NET programming, as they both have a defined type. The target type for the Reference is defined in the Parameters columns.

Typed references bring advantages in both the engineering stage and in runtime. In the engineering stage, it allows IntelliSense to directly browse the template members if a reference is pointing to a template. In runtime, it allows string data validation. 

All Reference tags have an additional runtime attribute: the Link property, which specifies which tag that the reference will be linked to during execution.

Essentially, the Link property is a string property that needs to receive the target tag name before using the reference tag. You can assign a string directly or by using a string expression. The best way to set the link property is to use the method GetName(), which will create the string based on the current tag name. This way, you can rename the tag without having to search the strings. This also shows the tag names linked on the cross-reference utility. 

Examples:

@Tag.Reference1.Link = @Tag.TagName.GetName();

@Tag.Reference1.Link = @Tag.TagName.GetName();

@Tag.Reference1.Link = "Tag.TagName";

@Tag.Reference1.Link = "Tag.TagNa" + "me";