You can search for all occurrences of a single tag in the current application. This includes tags that are used by screen objects as well as objects that do not appear on the screen, such as embedded variables or print objects.
Select the row of the tag you want to search for, then right-click and select Used By from the shortcut menu. A dialog opens and shows all occurrences of the selected tag in the application. For each occurrence (or row), you will see the following fields:
•Tag name
•Screen name (where tag is used)
•Object ID (of object using tag)
•Object type (type of object using tag)
•Details (provides information for a tag used by embedded variables or print objects since these objects do not appear on a screen)
You can navigate to a screen using the tag by selecting a tag row and then clicking the Go To button. The screen is opened and the object using the tag is selected. The GoTo button is only available for objects that appear on a screen.
The Tag Search dialog opens in pin mode. This allows you to perform other operations without closing the dialog. If the dialog is not pinned, it will close when you click outside the dialog.
You can also search for tags from PanelBuilder32 (without the Tag Editor open):
• Right-click on a screen object, then select a tag from the Tag Search submenu. This menu lists all tags that could be defined for the selected object. Tags that are defined for the object will appear on the menu with a tag name. Undefined tags are dimmed and not available for searching. Selecting a tag opens the Tag Search dialog..
• Select Edit>Tag Search. When the Tag Search dialog opens, select a tag from the Tag Name list and then click the Search button. The dialog is updated to show all occurrences of the tag.
Right-click on tag row and select Used By from shortcut menu.
Numeric entry object has one write tag defined, named Set_Max_Motor_Speed.
Selecting this tag opens the Tag Search dialog.
Counting and Purging Tags
It’s a good idea to check for tags that are not used in the application and purge them. Purging unused tags will reduce the size of the application. Select Tools>Tag Count. A dialog opens with the names of all tags that are defined in the application and the number of times each tag is used. Tags that are not used will have a Usage Count of 0.Tags that are used by objects will have a Usage Count that is greater than 0.
You can purge unused tags but not the others. You can purge a single tag or a range of tags. To purge all unused tags, sort by the Usage Count field so that all unused tags (Usage Count of 0) are grouped together. Select all unused tags by clicking on the first row, then hold down the Shift key and click the last row in the range. Click the Purge button. The unused tags are permanently removed from the
application.
Converting Tags
When an application is converted to run in a different terminal, you must also convert the tags to use the proper data fields for the new protocol. This conversion occurs automatically if you select the Convert check box under Auto Options on the Tag Edit tab of the Tools>Options dialog.A worksheet is created for the selected protocol and has a tab with the protocol name. Tag data from the old worksheet is imported to the new worksheet. None of the tag data is modified. You must update the data for each field appropriately.
To manually convert the tags, right-click in the worksheet and select the appropriate protocol from the Convert to submenu. Common refers to DF1, DH485, DH Plus, Remote I/O or ControlNet Unscheduled. These protocols are available as one menu option because they use the same data fields.
Dialog is pinned. Click Refresh to update the Tag
Name list with new tags added to the application while the Tag Search dialog is open.
Saving Tags
Tags are not saved automatically. You must click the Save tool or select File>Save Project. Tags are checked for errors, such as missing or invalid field data, and then saved to the tag database or project associated with the application. Error checking does not validate the contents of field data, such as the address syntax, but checks only for missing information. See the next section on how to correct errors.In addition to saving the tags in the Tag Editor, you must also perform a File>Save in PanelBuilder32 to make the tags available to the
application (unless you are using a project).
You have the option of saving tags temporarily to a tag editor draft file (.tdf) for later use by selecting File>Save as Draft.
These tags are not available to the application until saved without errors. Please note that .tdf files are only used by PanelBuilder32 and are not available to other programs. To open .tdf files, select
File>Open Draft. Any tags in the active worksheet should be deleted before opening a draft file or you may end up with duplicate tags.
Checking Tags for Errors
Tags are automatically checked for missing or required information when you save the tags. If there are no errors or warnings, you will get the message Check Tags Passed - No Error Founds.If errors or warnings are detected, the Errors worksheet is activated.
This is a read-only worksheet to assist with error correction. Errors must be corrected, warnings are optional. When errors are corrected, the worksheet closes.
The Errors worksheet shows all errors, warnings and information messages. Each row displays the following fields:
• Error type (Error, Warning, Information)
• Row number of tag containing error
• Message relating to the error or warning
IMPORTANT Error checking does not validate the tags for correct data such as the address syntax - only for missing field data.
The example shows errors in rows 4 and 6. In row 4, the node name is missing and in row 6, the tag name is field is empty.