Project Tags folder

The Project Tags folder contains all tags created and customized by the user. You can create project tags for displays, to read from and write to field equipment, for control, to perform mathematical calculations, and so forth.

To update a list of project tags, right-click on the Project Tags folder (or Datasheet View icon ) and select the Refresh option.

Note: Before deleting a tag, we strongly recommend using the Object Finder tool (on the Home tab of the ribbon) to verify that you are not using the tag in another part of the project (screens, math sheets, so forth). If you delete a tag from the project database that is being used in another part of the project, you will cause a compiling error and the project will function poorly.

To create a new tag, right-click on the Project Tags folder, the Tag List sub-folder, or Datasheet View icon and select Insert Tag from the shortcut menu. You also can click Tag on the Insert tab of the ribbon.

The New Tag dialog displays, as shown in the following figure:

Use this dialog to specify the following parameters:

• Name field: Type a name for the new tag. The first character must be a letter and you can use up to 255 characters in the name.

• Array Size field: Type a value to specify the size of the tag. Any size greater than 0 implies that the tag is an array.

• Type combo-box: Select a standard tag type from the list (Boolean, Integer, Real, or String). You also can define new types as structures formed by the classes.

• Description text box: Type a tag description for documentation purposes.

• Scope combo-box: Click to select one of the following options:

  • Server (default): The tag is maintained on the project server, and it is shared by all connected thin clients. A change to the tag value affects the entire project.

  • Local: A virtual copy of the tag is maintained separately on each local station (server + clients), and a change to the tag value affects only the station on which the change was made.

These options have no effect on projects that do not have Web capabilities. If you select a Scope option for a project with Web capabilities, then any object property using the Local tag will not work properly over the Web.

Note: Tag are required to have unique tag names. You cannot create a tag that uses the name of an existing tag.

You can view or edit the properties of a tag from either of the following dialogs:

• Tag Property dialog: Click Properties on the Home tab of the ribbon when the tag name displays in the Tag name field or double-click on the tag name in the Tag List subfolder located in the Project Tags folder.

• Project Tags dialog: Click the Datasheet View icon in the Project Tags folder.

The Project Tags datasheet includes columns for many of the tag properties.

Use this dialog to create, modify, or delete tags or tag properties. You can right-click on a tag property and use standard Windows commands to cut (Ctrl+X), copy (Ctrl+C), or paste (Ctrl+V), any tag and its properties. You can also undo (Ctrl+Z) the last modification to a field.

Note: You can sort the data in the Project Tags sheet and/or insert/remove additional columns to/from the sheet by right-clicking on it and choosing the applicable option from the shortcut menu.