Browse for attributes

You use the Galaxy Browser to browse for:

• Attributes of objects, either instances or own relative references.

• Attributes of templates.

You can open the Galaxy Browser to browse for attributes from:

• Within an AutomationObject Editor. For example, from a script, from an attribute of type MxReference, or from a custom alarm message attribute field).

• Within an Industrial Graphic Editor. For example, to use in scripts, animation links and references, properties and custom properties.

• Within InTouch WindowMaker. For example, to use in a reference expression from an animation link or a script.

The Galaxy Browser shows objects in the left pane and the attributes associated with the current selection in the right pane. Only attributes that can be referenced at runtime are shown. You can browse "Me." references for alarm messages only.

When you open the Galaxy Browser, the last browsed location for attributes is shown. The Galaxy Browser shows the object list based on the last used state (Tagname or Hierarchical name). If the last used state of the browser was Tagname and the selected editor reference is a Hierarchical name, the browser opens in Tagname mode.

The status bar displays the attribute property name and the graphic element attribute name and description.

To browse for attributes

1. In any area on a page, select the Browse button (...), if available. The Galaxy Browser opens.

   

   If you are browsing for attributes to use with an Industrial Graphic, such as for an animation or script, the Galaxy Browser shows the attributes in an Attribute Browser tab.

   

2. By default, the browser shows only those attributes that are frequently accessed. If you are viewing the attributes of an object for the first time, the right pane can be blank. Select the Show all attributes check box to show all of the object’s attributes.

3. To filter the list of tagnames, select the Filter button. For information about configuring a filter, see Create a filter for the galaxy browser. To switch the content of the left pane between a Tagname and Hierarchical Name list of objects, select the Show Tag name or Show Hierarchical name buttons.

   

4. You do not have to explicitly make a selection in the Property list. If you only select an attribute (leaving Property set to <none>), the property of the attribute defaults to Value.

   If the option in the Object Editor is already configured with an object reference, the Attribute Browser shows it or expands to the nearest matching object/attribute/property currently configured in the Galaxy.

   If you selected text in the script editor, that text is used as the initial reference string and the browser finds the nearest attribute reference to the selected text

5. When you are done selecting the attribute/property, select OK to place the reference into the Object Editor and close the Galaxy Browser.

   • The fully-qualified reference string appears in the editor option.

   • If you are working in the script editor, the selected reference appears in the script at the current cursor position and replaces text that was selected.