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Note that any Symbol Factory object, including Bitmap, DIB and metafile
can be pasted into Image Browser where it will be stored as a bitmap.
Tag placeholders can save time spent developing and maintaining
applications, by providing a way to use a single graphic display for several
similar operations.
For example, to create displays for a plant that uses the same machinery to
can corn and beans, instead of specifying corn-related tags in one display and
bean-related tags in another, you can create one display and use tag
placeholders where tags are required.
At run time, the placeholders must be replaced with the actual tag names for
the different corn and bean processes. To do this, you would specify the
actual tag names in parameter files or parameter lists, and then load the
appropriate file or list with the display.
Parameter files and parameter lists are loaded using the Display command
parameters /P and /T , respectively. For details, see the examples on
Replacing tag placeholders using parameter lists on page 427.
Creating a tag placeholder
A tag placeholder is the cross-hatch character ( # ) followed by a number
from 1 to 500.
You can use a tag placeholder to specify a value for a graphic object instead
of (or as part of) specifying a tag name, expression, command, or embedded
variable.
In the following illustration, the tag placeholder #1 is the value assigned to a
numeric inpu
t object. In this case, the tag placeholder stands for the tag’s full
name, which will be provided at run time or at test display mode.
You can also use one or more tag placeholders to specify parts of a complete
tag name. In #1\PV, for example, the tag placeholder #1 stands for the name
of the folder that contains an HMI tag named PV.
To specify the full tag name at run time, you would only have to provide the
folder name in a parameter file or parameter list.
Using placeholders
to specify tag
values
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Replacing tag placeholders using parameter files
One way to replace tag placeholders in a graphic display with actual names at
run time is to load a parameter file with the display.
The parameter file should contain one entry for each unique tag placeholder
in the display. For example, to replace #1 with a tag named corn/weight, you
would create a parameter file that specifies #1 = corn\weight.
Tip: You can use wildcard characters in a parameter file entry
only if the tag placeholder to be replaced is specified for
an HMI tag alarm summary. In that case, a parameter file
containing the entry #1 = bean_* would specify alarms
associated with all tags beginning with bean_ .
Loading a parameter file with the initial client display
You can specify a parameter file to load with the graphic display that opens
initially, when the FactoryTalk View SE Client starts up.
To do this, in the FactoryTalk View SE Client Wizard, select the display in
the Initial display list. Then, in the Display parameters box, type /P
followed by the name of the parameter file to load with the display (for
example, /PBeans).
Example: Replacing tag placeholders using a parameter file
To open a graphic display named Canning and replace tag placeholders in the
display with the names specified in a parameter file named Beans, you would
issue this command:
Display Canning/PBeans
Replacing tag placeholders using parameter lists
Instead of using a parameter file to replace tag placeholders in a graphic
display, you can load a parameter list, using the /T parameter with the
Display command.
Example 1: Replacing tag placeholders with a list of tag names
To run a graphic display named Canning, with the tags Pea_Weight,
Pea_Level, and Pea_Temp, type:
Display Canning/TPea_Weight, Pea_Level, Pea_Temp
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Example 2: Replacing tag placeholder with a list of folder names
The tag database contains these tags:
Corn\Weight
Bean\Weight
Corn\Level
Bean\Level
Corn\Temp
Bean\Temp
Wherever the tags are needed, the placeholder #1 is used for the folder name,
as follows:
#1\Weight, #1\Level, #1\Temp
To run the display named Canning with the tags in the Corn folder, you
would type:
Display Canning /TCorn
To run the display named Canning with the tags in the Bean folder, you
would type:
Display Canning /TBean
Using tag placeholders in a global object lets you assign unique values to the
different reference objects linked to the global base object.
To set this up, first you define the tag placeholder for the global base object,
and then you assign run-time values to the linked reference objects.
When displays containing the reference objects are run, the tag placeholder is
replaced with the value specified for each reference object.
For grouped reference objects, the value specified for the top-level object is
applied to every object comprising the group, that uses the same tag
placeholder.
If you do not assign a value to a tag placeholder at design time, you can
provide the value at run time using either a parameter file, or the /T
parameter with the Display command. For information about using these
methods, see Replacing tag placeholders using parameter files on page 427
and Replacing tag placeholders using parameter lists on page 427.
Defining tag placeholders for use in reference
objects
You can use tag placeholders instead of (or as part of) a tag name,
expression, command, or embedded variable associated with a global object
or group of objects.
Setting up tag
placeholders for
global objects
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These are the steps involved in setting up tag placeholders for global objects:
1. Define one or more tag placeholders at the global base object.
2. Create one or more reference objects linked to the base object.
For information about creating reference objects, see Creating global
objects on page 497.
3. For each reference object, assign a value to the tag placeholder (or
placeholders) defined at the base object.
You can assign a unique value to the same tag placeholder, for each
different reference object. For an example, see page 1-39.
To define tag placeholders for the global base object:
1. Right-click the global base object (or group), and then select Global
Object Parameter Definitions.
2. In the Global Object Parameter Definitions dialog box, specify a tag
placeholder name (#1, for example) and optional description, as shown
in this illustration:
You can define multiple tag placeholders for a single global object or
group.
For grouped objects, the placeholder defined for the top-level object
applies to all objects in the group.
For details about options in the Global Object Parameter Definitions
dialog box, click Help.
To assign a value to a tag placeholder in a reference object:
1. Right-click the global reference object (or group), and then select
Global Object Parameter Values.
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Tip:
If there are no tag placeholders defined for the linked
base object, the Global Object Parameter Values
dialog box is not available.
The Global Object Parameter Values dialog box shows the Name and
Description of all tag placeholders defined for the global base object,
as shown in the following illustration.
2. In the Value column, specify a value for each tag placeholder, either by
typing in the box or by clicking Tag to browse for and select a tag.
For details about options in the Global Object Parameter Values dialog
box, click Help.
Example: Assigning different values to the same placeholder in two
global reference objects
To assign different values to two global reference objects that are linked to
the same base object, follow these steps:
1. In the global object display, right-click the global base object (or
group), and then select Global Object Parameter Definitions.
Tip:
If you select any of the individual objects in a group
object, the Global Object Parameter Definitions dialog
box is not available.
2. In the Global Object Parameter Definitions dialog box, provide a tag
placeholder name. For this example, use #1.
3. Type a description for the tag placeholder, that indicates what type of
value to assign to the placeholder.
4. Right-click the global base object, and then select Global Object
Defaults.
5. In the Global Object Defaults dialog box, ensure that these options are
selected:
For the LinkAnimation default, select Link with expressions.
For the LinkConnections default, select True.
Click OK.
6. Create a global reference object, by copying the base object and then
pasting it into a standard graphic display (in the Displays folder).
Documents you may be interested
Documents you may be interested
