Writing to values in a string array - Logix 5000 - offline

Does anyone know of a way to set the values of strings in a string array in a Logix5000 program when offline (before connecting to a PLC) so when it gets downloaded, the values are ready to go.

We're looking to make some generic alarm and I/O screens on our HMI, so we want all the tag names and descriptors to come from String tags in the PLC, but we don't want to have to manually type them all into the PLC.

I've seen several posts on using DDE, etc. from Excel...but from what I can tell, those all require an on-line connection to a PLC. I'm looking for a way to do it directly into the offline file tag config. before I have access to the physical PLC. I'm at the home office, the PLC is at the panel vendor being assembled, so I'm looking to get the file ready for download ahead of time.

From what I've seen of the the Tag/Import export tool, it doesn't allow setting tag values, just tag configuration. And the Upload/Download Tool is an on-line tool as well, like DDE, so doesn't help me with this.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

-G

Create your tags and save your project in the L5K format. You can change the data there and re-open. But if you don't have a lot of tags, the editor in RSL5K is not bad.