Configure creation of PI points

In an attribute template, you can configure a PI point data reference to create PI points.

1. In the Library browser, select an element template.

2. Click the Attribute Templates tab.

3. Add a new attribute template to the element template, as described in Create attribute templates.

4. From the Data Reference list, select PI Point.

5. Click Settings.

6. In the Tag name field in the PI Point Data Reference window, set up the PI point names for the generated points. Use substitution parameters to enable PI AF to build point names for the points it generates.

   1. Click to select name substitution and related attribute values from a context menu. For more information on name substitution values, see List of PI AF substitution parameters.

      Note: If the attribute value substitution is a string that contains spaces, you must surround the entire tag name in double quotes. Concatenate the entire string first, then substitute the value into the tag name portion of the string with String Builder.

      For example:

      "\\%Server%\%Element%.%ID%.%@ConcatStringName%;pointtype=String"

   2. Select the Tag Creation check box.

   3. Click .

   4. In the Tag Creation Settings window, specify a point class and point type in the Point Class and Point Type fields. For more information on PI point classes and attributes, see Point classes and attributes.

   5. Default attribute values are displayed for the selected point class. You can edit the default PI point attributes, or you can click Import to import PI point attribute values from an existing point that you locate in the Tag Search window.

7. To preview how the selected substitution parameters resolve, click the Select example instance link in the Preview section.

8. In the Find Derived Elements for Element_Template window, select a sample element.

9. Click OK.

   The ConfigString and Value fields display the resolution of the substitution parameters you selected, as well as the tag creation settings.

10. To save your work, press CTRL-S or click Check In.

11. Create a new element based on your element template and click on the Attributes tab.

12. Right-click the PI point data reference attribute and click Create or Update Data Reference.

13. To save your work, press CTRL-S or click Check In.

All the points that the new elements reference are created. This only works because the elements were based on a template and the attribute template for the data reference uses the Tag Creation option.

After the PI points are created, it might take some time before values are written into Data Archive by the specified interface. Until then, the values are displayed as Pt. Created.