Import variable tags properties

Using CitectSCADA > Linking, Importing, and Exporting Tags > Importing tags > Import variable tags properties

Import variable tags properties

Use this dialog for Importing tags from an external data source.

Note: If an I/O Device is linked to an external data source the Database Type, External Database, Connection String, and Tag Prefix fields will be greyed out.

The Import Variable Tags dialog has the following fields:

I/O Device

The I/O Device for which you are importing tags. Use the menu to select an I/O Device that has been defined using CitectSCADA.

Note: Tags will be imported into the project in which the selected I/O Device is defined. This could be either the project selected in the Explorer, or in one of its included projects.

Database type

The format of the data referenced by the external data source.

External database (128 Chars.)

References the source for the external database. Click the Browse button to either navigate to the file or to specify configuration options. The external database can be:

An explicit path and file (for example, C:\Data\Tags.csv)
An IP address and node (for example, 127.0.0.1\HMI_Scada)
A URL (for example http://www.abicom.com.au/main/scada)
A computer name (for example \\coms\data\scada)

Tag data can be read directly from a datasources. Click the browse button to specify configuration options. See or Unity Link Tag Import.

Connection string (128 Chars.)

Connection details for the data source. This is similar to an ODBC connection string. For example:

UserID = XXX; Password = YYY

ServerNode=111.2.3.44; Branch=XXX

Only certain drivers require a connection string:

Mitsubishi FastLinx
Unity Fastlinx (Static/Dynamic)
OPC

Selecting one of these drivers and then browsing for the external database will automatically populate the Connection String field where necessary.

Add prefix to imported tags

Select this box to insert a prefix in front of the names of imported tags in your Variable.DBF.

Tag prefix

The prefix (8 characters max.) that is inserted in front of the names of imported tags in the variable tags database.

Delete I/O Device tags prior to import

Select this box to delete every one of the I/O Device's tags (from the variable tags database) before importing.

If you do not select this checkbox, tags found in CitectSCADA and in the external data source are updated in CitectSCADA. Tags found in CitectSCADA but not in the external data source remain untouched. New tags are appended.

Purge deleted tags not found in data source

Select this box to delete tags which have been removed from the external database. In other words, if a tag is still part of the I/O Device in your project, but not in the external database, it is deleted from your project.