Factorytalk Syntax Address

Hi can someone explain the correct syntax address using offline and online lingking Tags of RSlogix5000 and FTView. i was confused on offine syntax address when i used offline .ACD file here is the syntax
{[Oven alarm]Diagnostic_Alarm[0]}, what if i change to the online controller
can i apply it to shorcut and design(local) using the offline tags i created before?

what is the difference between this syntax address
{[Oven alarm]Diagnostic_Alarm[0]}
{::[Oven alarm]Diagnostic_Alarm[0]}

what is difference in design(local) and Runtime target?

thank you

I asked the same question recently, and I found this explanation on another thread:

Geospark said:

The {curly brackets} denote a connection to a Direct Referenced Tag or Data File address in a controller.
i.e. An external reference to the HMI.

RSLogix 500 example Data File address syntax...

{::[plc_shortcut]N7:0}

The :: must be used when an RSLogix 500 address has a colon.
The [] defines the PLC shortcut name.
"N7:0" defines the Data File address to be accessed.
The {} surrounds the entire Direct Reference.

RSLogix 5000 example Controller Tag address syntax...

{[plc_shortcut]MyTag}

The :: are not required for Controller Tag references.
The [] defines the PLC shortcut name.
"MyTag" defines the Tag address to be accessed.
The {} surrounds the entire Direct Reference.

or

RSLogix 5000 example Program Tag address syntax...

{::[plc_shortcut]Program:MyProgram.MyTag}

The :: must be used when a Program Tag is defined.
The [] defines the PLC shortcut name.
"Program:MyProgram" defines the Program to access.
"MyTag" defines the Program Tag address to be accessed.
The {} surrounds the entire Direct Reference.

If you select PLC Tags by browsing Online or Offline Tags for the controller, the correct syntax will be automatically entered for you.

If you require bit level access then for RSLogix 500 add "/bit number" at the end of the Data File address, or for RSLogix 5000 add ".bit number" at the end of the Tag address.

Regards,
George

Click to expand...

sigmadelta,

I had actually read this thread earlier and was going to go looking for that post, but got waylaid in another thread. When I came back you had beaten me to, well, me.

Poykim said:

Hi can someone explain the correct syntax address using offline and online lingking Tags of RSlogix5000 and FTView...

Click to expand...

Hi,

With respect to the HMI, there is no difference in syntax between offline ACD tag references and online controller tag references. The syntax is either valid for the HMI application, or it is not.

Poykim said:

...what is the difference between this syntax address
{[Oven alarm]Diagnostic_Alarm[0]}
{::[Oven alarm]Diagnostic_Alarm[0]}...

Click to expand...

If you have read the above information I had previously provided, you will note that for Logix 5000 tag referencing, the "double colon" :: is used to prefix and denote a "Program-Scoped" tag reference. This is as opposed to a "Controller-Scoped" tag reference which does not included the :: prefix.

When you offline link your ACD file in FactoryTalk View Studio, and select different tags for referencing, under the controller shortcut name folder in the Tag Browser, a key advantage is that the software will automatically assign the correct syntax for you while applying the tag references to object properties. This way you can be sure that at actual runtime, the HMI should be able to reference the tags successfully, with no further input from you other than the selections you made offline i.e. whatever tags you have selected offline, and no matter how you think some of them might look different syntax-wise; once you have selected the correct tags then all should be fine. Still, it is important to understand the syntax for the different tag references, as described in my previous post above. You may have to manually add or manipulate tag references at some point in the future, like if a program name was changed, for instance.

Poykim said:

...what is difference in design(local) and Runtime target?...

Click to expand...

The Design (Local) tab allows you to temporarily connect your workstation (desktop or laptop) machine to the intended controller, using some supported method of communications/drivers, and test run the HMI application on your workstation, while it simulates being the HMI terminal. This allows you to temporarily interact with the controller and test the functionality of the HMI application (graphics, tag manipulation) without having to compile the application and download to an actual HMI terminal to test, just for each small edit you might make.

Using the Design (Local) option is optional. But if you have used it successfully, and "if" the method of communications you have established with the controller under the Design (Local) tab is the same method of communications that will be used between the actual HMI terminal and the controller (sometimes it is not - serial/Ethernet, etc.), then you may choose to copy the Design (Local) communications configuration over to the Runtime (Target) tab.

The Runtime (Target) tab is where you configure the driver and communications path that will actually be used in the HMI terminal to communicate with the controller at "runtime". As mentioned, this can sometimes to often not be the same communications method as was used during the Design (Local) testing (if testing was used). Under the Runtime (Target) tab you must add/configure the correct driver for the terminal to controller communications method and add the controller type under this driver to establish a valid path. This, once properly configured and verified (I won't elaborate on all that) will become your controller [shortcut] that will precede all controller tag references. In your case, [Oven alarm].

Once the terminal and application is successfully up and running, and communicating with the controller, RSLinx Enterprise, the communications and Live Data server running on the terminal, will use the global [shortcut] to poll for the data for all tags referenced under that [shortcut] name.

That's a little brief and vague a description for my liking but it's all I can afford to write at the moment as I must go "offline" for a little while myself here.

Any further questions, fire away...

Regards,
George

Hi,

With respect to the HMI, there is no difference in syntax between offline ACD tag references and online controller tag references. The syntax is either valid for the HMI application, or it is not.

If you have read the above information I had previously provided, you will note that for Logix 5000 tag referencing, the "double colon" :: is used to prefix and denote a "Program-Scoped" tag reference. This is as opposed to a "Controller-Scoped" tag reference which does not included the :: prefix.

When you offline link your ACD file in FactoryTalk View Studio, and select different tags for referencing, under the controller shortcut name folder in the Tag Browser, a key advantage is that the software will automatically assign the correct syntax for you while applying the tag references to object properties. This way you can be sure that at actual runtime, the HMI should be able to reference the tags successfully, with no further input from you other than the selections you made offline i.e. whatever tags you have selected offline, and no matter how you think some of them might look different syntax-wise; once you have selected the correct tags then all should be fine. Still, it is important to understand the syntax for the different tag references, as described in my previous post above. You may have to manually add or manipulate tag references at some point in the future, like if a program name was changed, for instance.



The Design (Local) tab allows you to temporarily connect your workstation (desktop or laptop) machine to the intended controller, using some supported method of communications/drivers, and test run the HMI application on your workstation, while it simulates being the HMI terminal. This allows you to temporarily interact with the controller and test the functionality of the HMI application (graphics, tag manipulation) without having to compile the application and download to an actual HMI terminal to test, just for each small edit you might make.

Using the Design (Local) option is optional. But if you have used it successfully, and "if" the method of communications you have established with the controller under the Design (Local) tab is the same method of communications that will be used between the actual HMI terminal and the controller (sometimes it is not - serial/Ethernet, etc.), then you may choose to copy the Design (Local) communications configuration over to the Runtime (Target) tab.

The Runtime (Target) tab is where you configure the driver and communications path that will actually be used in the HMI terminal to communicate with the controller at "runtime". As mentioned, this can sometimes to often not be the same communications method as was used during the Design (Local) testing (if testing was used). Under the Runtime (Target) tab you must add/configure the correct driver for the terminal to controller communications method and add the controller type under this driver to establish a valid path. This, once properly configured and verified (I won't elaborate on all that) will become your controller [shortcut] that will precede all controller tag references. In your case, [Oven alarm].

Once the terminal and application is successfully up and running, and communicating with the controller, RSLinx Enterprise, the communications and Live Data server running on the terminal, will use the global [shortcut] to poll for the data for all tags referenced under that [shortcut] name.

That's a little brief and vague a description for my liking but it's all I can afford to write at the moment as I must go "offline" for a little while myself here.

Any further questions, fire away...

Regards,
George[/QUOTE]


Hi Sir George, your explanation is very clear, i understand it now, i was confused before because i used rslogix500 controller , now i apply it to rslogix5000 and the syntax is difference, now i know why, thank u very much

Hi sir thank u i understand it now