Overview
Asset Tree refers to the asset modeling graphical tool on the software platform. It provides a structured way to organize and categorize solution elements within a customizable hierarchy. It enhances navigation, data management, and visualization of complex industrial systems. The feature is available on the software platform, allowing users to create levels, add tags, and associate metadata (e.g., alarms, historians).
During runtime, the Asset Control component displays the hierarchy, enabling users to interact with elements and view relevant data.
Additionally, asset elements can be accessed programmatically using the ASSET() syntax, providing flexibility for integrating other system components and processes.
This feature streamlines the representation of real-world assets or logical groupings within the software platform, aiding in monitoring and analysis.
On this page:
Key Concepts and Terms
Asset Tree
Hierarchical representation of the Solution real-time data variables. The Asset tree is composed by Tag (which can be simple values, or User DataTemplates), and Nodes.
Element
Any item in the Tree, whatever is a Node or or a final branch
Asset Folder
Nodes in the tree, which are container for other objects, or partial paths for TagNames
BaseTags Folder
Pre-defined Node with holds the definition of all tags that aren't in any Asset Folder. Those tags, in principal, would belong the root of the tree, but in order to make the User Interface manageable to large solutions, they are placed in that pre-defined location.
Linked Folder
Special type of need that is dynamically liked to the contents of Data from an External Tag Provider
TagProviders Sub-Tree
At the end the Asset, there one "TagProviders", which will hone connection information of all TagProvider created.
The elements in that sub-tree are not part of the Solution Data Model, they are not Asset Folder, neither Tags, they are show on that are in order to simply the monintoring and data mining on your connections.
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 UNS - External TagProviders 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
Once your Asset Tree is defined, you'll be able to see it in the Draw Environment, on the right-side of the screen, where you can drag them into any display.
Add the component to your display, and customize it according to the settings described below. Does this still exist in v10?
The parameters are described as follows:
AssetsControl Configuration | |
|---|---|
ControlName | Element's reference name so its properties can be accessed and manipulated in CodeBehind. |
SelectedAsset | Tag that will be receiving the selected Asset Name in Runtime as a String. |
Selected Path | ------------------- |
Initial Path | ------------------- |
Branch Filter | ------------------- |
Attribute Filter | ------------------- |
Blinding | Select OneWay or TwoWay or OneWay to Source. |
SelectedLevel | Tag that will be receiving the selected Level Name in Runtime as a String. |
Show Only Tags | Flag that indicates if the Asset Tree will display only Tags or other project objects (such as Displays). |
Show 'Root Tags' On Root | By default, all common type Tags (Integer, Digital, Text, etc) are added to the Root. By unchecking this option you can filter these elements out. |
Expand Tags | Flag that indicates if multi-level Tags can be expanded (Templates, Arrays). If unchecked, only the main Tag will be in the Asset Tree. |
Show Client Tags | Flag to define if client domain Tags will be displayed in Runtime. If unchecked, only server domain Tags will show up. |
Show 'LinkedTags Sources' on root | ------------------- |
Prefer Display Text | Flag to indicate if the text that will show up in the Tree is the TagName or its Alias (defined in Unified Namespace > Asset Tree > DisplayText). If checked and the column is empty, the TagName will be used. |
Localizable | If checked, Tag Names (or aliases) can be translated to different languages according to your project dictionary's settings. |
Utilize on CodeBehind and IO Components
You can also access the Asset elements from the CodeBehind by navigating through the Tag Namespace. IntelliSense will display the Tags and their respective Levels.
Similar to the ExternalTags approach, the elements from the Asset View can be accessed with the syntax: ASSET("? CompleteAssetName ?") either in a TextBox element or the CodeBehind.
In this section:
Define Dynamic Displays
In runtime, your Asset Tree and its components will look like the image below.
The IO element mapped with the ASSET(” CompleteAssetName ”) syntax will be resolved similar to the TK.GetObjectValue and will display the current value of the specific Tag it was mapped to.
The SelectedAsset and SelectedLevel Tags will also change according to the element you click on.