factorytalk view 5.0 ME edditing tag's name.

[david90]

Dumb question but how do you edit an HMI tag's name in factorytalk view 5.0 me? I can delete, duplicate, create folder etc by using the toolbar but I can't find a button to edit the tag's name.

 

[Operaghost]

As you've discovered, the tag name cannot be changed. Once it is created it cannot be renamed. But as you've seen, you can delete or duplicate a tag.

OG

 

[david90]

Why would AB do that?

 

[david90]

Anybody?? I can't see a reason why AB would not allow you to change the tag's name once it is created.

 

[jkerekes]

It doesn't matter why, that's the way it is.

 

[david90]

It does matter. It is like not being able to rename a folder in Windows OS. You gotta ask why.

 

[jkerekes]

You can ask why, but it's been this way for at least a decade. So the chances of them changing now are slim, but you never know.

 

[Operaghost]

Sorry, no idea why. It just is the way it is even going back to RSView32 and ControlView.

OG

 

[Gil47]

If it was easy to rename a Tag it would also be easy to have accidents with Tags you needed to keep.

 

[DaveW]

If it was easy to rename a Tag it would also be easy to have accidents with Tags you needed to keep.

Well they do allow you to delete an entire folder of tags with one keystroke.


I find renaming a tag is a nice feature to have but not too many hmi packages has this capability. The only one that i can think of is Wonderware Intouch. I remember you couldn't modify tags on the older Wonderware Intouch versions but somewhere along the way, I think version 7, it was added. Wonderware did a good job in that the changed tags will propagate and update all the screens and scripts that it was used in.

 

[Densam]

As you've discovered, the tag name cannot be changed. Once it is created it cannot be renamed. But as you've seen, you can delete or duplicate a tag.

OG

Is it the same as RSView 32? Because same tag name but can not change limit for a speed set points. It does not accept the change. any ideas?

 

[david90]

Is it possible to move tags from one folder to another in FTview ME? I couldn't figure out how to do that either.

 

[VAN]

Talk to Rockwell about the reason they wont let you edit tags.

I think when it came up it was something like if you edit the tags then should all the tags that reference that tag also edit? or just be errors that there is no tag? So, to save people and rockwell time they decided you can duplicate the tag, and change the name. But if you delete the old tag its on you for deleting it.

As for moving tags you can't but you can duplicate and then delete the tags you don't want anymore.

Or just move everything to an excel file and then delete all tags (in factory talk) and reload from excel after you fixed everything. The HMI screens will need the new tag paths or changes though.

 

[OkiePC]

Or just move everything to an excel file and then delete all tags (in factory talk) and reload from excel after you fixed everything. The HMI screens will need the new tag paths or changes though.

Or just move everything in a hardware based HMI to Crimson 3.0 where if you rename a tag by slow double clicking it in the tree and typing in the new name (followed by the enter key), it is automatically fixed everywhere else, and you can folder-ize and de-folder-ize tags at will without errors. I sometimes rename all my tags to one or two character names when I am coding scripts or long expressions, just to reduce the qty of typing, then change them back to normal when I am done and back to picking them from the pane.

There is no explanation why so many basic computing concepts were disregarded by FactoryBalkView. The idea of one all encompassing HMI/SCADA editor sounds great in the marketing meetings, but there really is no excuse for the overall poor job they did with basic things like the tag database and project portability and security...