Cicode Programming Reference > Using Cicode Commands > Using Include (Text) Files

Using Include (Text) Files

There is a maximum number of characters that you can type in a Command or Expression field (usually 128). If you need to include many commands (or expressions) in a property field, you can define a separate include file that contains the commands or expressions.

An include file is a separate and individual ASCII text file containing only one sequence of CitectSCADA commands or expressions that would otherwise be too long or complicated to type into the Command or Expression field within CitectSCADA. The include file name is entered instead, and the whole file is activated when called.

When you compile the project, the commands (or expressions) in the include file are substituted for the property field, just as if you had typed them directly into the field.

Use a text editor such as Notepad to create the text file.

Enter the name of the include file (either upper- or lower case) in the property, in the following format:

@<filename>

where <filename> is any valid DOS file name. Be aware that the bracket characters (< >) are part of the syntax.

You can use include files with many properties (except record names), but they are commonly used for commands and expressions, for example:

In the above example, the setvars.cii include file would contain commands to be substituted for the Command property when you compile your project, for example:

PV12 = 10;
PV22 = 20;
PV13 = 15;
PV23 = 59;
PageDisplay("Mimic");

Notes