Overview
he Asset Tree is a graphical tool on the software platform for organizing solution data within a customizable hierarchy. It enhances navigation, data management, and visualization of complex industrial systems. Users can create folders, add tags, and associate metadata (e.g., alarms, historians). During runtime, the AssetTree Control displays the hierarchy, allowing interaction with elements and viewing relevant data. The ASSET() syntax allows programmatic access to asset elements for integration with other system components and processes.
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Key Concepts and Terms
Asset Tree
Hierarchical representation of the solution’s real-time data variables, composed of tags and nodes.
Element
Any item in the Tree, whatever is a Node or a final branch
Asset Folder
Nodes in the tree that are containers for other objects or partial paths for TagNames.
BaseTags Folder
Pre-defined node holding all tags not in any Asset Folder, helping manage large solutions.
Linked Folder
Dynamically linked to data from a TagProvider Connection.
Understanding the Asset Tree
The Asset Tree is main centralized location for the Configuration of your Unified Namespace, Tags and Assets Organization.
At this interface, you can create AssetFolders, new Tags, move elements on the Tree, and create connections with external TagProvider.
When the Solution is running, and the Designer is connected with the Runtime, the Asset Tree also shows the current Values for the Tree elements.
Asset Tree User Interface
The left side shows the AssetTree with its own toolbar for localized actions.
The right side shows detailed information about the Node and the children's of the selected element.
Asset Tree Toolbar
Create a new folder: Folders allow you to organize, group, and create hierarchies for your assets. Click the new Asset Folder icon to create one or right-click the Asset Tree.
Create new tags: After selecting a folder, use the New Tag toolbar button or the right-click menu to create a new tag inside that folder.
Move tags to selected folders: Drag tags from the BaseTags folder or other locations to the desired placement level in the tree.
Insert remote assets: If an ExternalTags connection is defined, you can insert specific assets from the external system into the asset tree.
Configuring the Asset Tree
Configuration Workflow
The Asset Tree configuration is located at Unified Namespace → Asset Tree.
The Asset Tree has pre-defined folders:
BaseTags: All local tags created in the solutions that were not placed in any folders (levels) are automatically placed in this folder.
TagProviders: When creating ExternalTags connections, they are automatically included in this folder, so you can easily browse the dynamic contents of the remote system.
The typical action when configuration the asset tree are:
Create a new folder: Folders allow you to organize, group and create hierarchies for your assets. Click the new Asset Folder icon to create one or right click the Asset Tree.
Create new Tags: After selecting a folder, use the New Tag toolbar button or right-click menu, to create a new tag inside that folder.
Move Tags to selected folders: Just drag tags from the BaseTags folder — or other location — to the desired placement level at the tree.
Insert Remote assets: If there is a ExternalTags connection defined, you can insert specific assets from the external system in the asset tree.
The image below describes an example of a solution's hierarchy.
By right-clicking any folder or tag, you can also rename it directly from the Asset Tree. You can copy/paste an entire folder or just one Asset from one folder to another. By doing so, all Tags (and their Alarms, Historian, and Device configurations) will be copied as well.
You can also have the same name Tag in more than one folder.
Once your solution is running, you will be able to monitor the Tag values directly from the Asset Tree through the Value column.
You can add Dynamic Data from the ExternalTags inside your treeview structure. For more information, please refer to the UNSTagProviders Connections documentation.
To create tags and folders in the Unified Namespace, follow these simple steps:
Go to Unified Namespace → Asset Tree.
Add New Asset Folders
Add New Tags
If you don't specify a folder, the new tag will be placed in the 'Base Tags' section of the tree.
Working with the AssetTree
Show the AssetTree on displays
At Displays → Draw, under the Modules components, the is a TAssetTree controls.
Just drop that control to your Display, and the AssetTree is now available in Runtime Displays for the Operators.
Go to TAssetTree Control for information
Map Tags and Assets on CodeBehind and Displays objects
When creating Scripts, or mapping Tags for graphical elements, the AssetTree will be available on the ObjectSelection window.
There are two ways to access the variables on the AssetTree.
Tag Syntax
If you need to access a Tag in the AssetTree you can get directly the TagName, even that tag name has folders in the name.
Example: Tag. Area1/linha1/state
Asset Path Syntax
Another way to reach the same value is using the ASSET keyword.
Example: Asset("/Area1/linha1/state")
The Asset Path syntax is useful when using dynamic mapping, or using TagProviders, which values are not in Tags.
Example: Asset ( client.SelectedAssetFolder + "/state")
in this example, the expression will get the SelecteFolder combine with the string "/state", and that is the element from the AssetTree that will be show.
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