Click View > Tag Editor to open the Tag Editor pane, as displayed on the right:

Here, all created tags, and their designated names, data types, connected I/O devices, assigned I/O addresses, initial values, persistent attributes, and descriptions are shown. Users can create, group, edit, paste, copy, cut, and delete tags from this pane by clicking the icons or using the right-click menu. The user can also click the Tag Count icon to see how many tags of each type or device have been created.

The Tag Editor pane can be undocked by dragging the pane's header to be placed to the user’s user's liking.

To add a tag group, click the Add tag group icon in the Tag Editor pane. After pressing the button, a text field will open in the Tag Editor pane where a name for the tag group can be assigned.

If the user has too many tags in a single pane, finding and managing individual tags may be challenging. Tag groups allow the user users to organize tags based on category, with a tree structure for subordinate tags. The grouped tags are displayed and managed in the Tag Editor pane.

Tags can be defined and configured inside the Tag Editor pane. Within a Canvas project, tags can be accessed and updated by UI elements, external devices, scripts, and various utility functions (recipes, alarm groups, etc).

Support for remote and Shared tags which can connect to an external device and Local tags which are used internally.

Support for group,

Canvas currently has three types of tags: Remote, Virtual, and Virtual (Runtime Only). Remote tags write and read their value to and from external devices. Virtual tags allow access to the Xpanel's gateway and can be accessed by other devices through the Data Server feature. Virtual (Runtime Only) tags are only used internally within the Xpanel. They simulate devices and processes, process input data, and store data describing the application state.

Each tag supports boolean, analog, and string tags with the following data types: BOOL, REAL, LREAL, SINT, INT, DINT, LINT, USINT, UINT, UDINT, ULINT, and STRING.

Project status and local tag values can be maintained when stopping and restarting the project, allowing operators to continue their work.

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To create a new tag, click the Add tag icon to open the Edit Tag window. This window will also pop up when double-clicking an existing tag or right-clicking an existing tag and clicking Edit Tag. In this window, tag names, data types, I/O devices, I/O addresses, etc may be assigned. One field, Path, may not be assigned, but it shows the location where the tag is being created or resides. When selecting Virtual or Virtual (Runtime Only) in the I/O Device field, a Type field populates in the I/O Address Editor. The options of this drop-down are shown in the image at the top right. All options are available to Virtual (Runtime Only), whereas some are unavailable to Virtual. Each chosen option populates another Value field with pre-set selections to do particular functions.
The visibility of the Advanced section and the fields shown inside depend on the Data Type field. The BOOL data type does not show the Advanced drop-down, whereas some data types do not have the Encoding field. Shown at the bottom right, the STRING data type is selected, which has a different Advanced section than the others:

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To add a new tag, click Add tag icon, and Edit Tag pop-up window will appear.

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General Settings

This setting contains pertinent data for all tag types.

Item

Description

Tag Name

Input the desired tag name

Path

Outlines the group path of the tag

Type

Allows the user to select from 12 possible data types. The available fields in the advanced options tab will change based on the selected data type.

I/O Device

For remote tags, select the external device to associate the tag with. The user can check the name of external devices by clicking Tools > I/O Device Editor.

For shared tags, a Data Server must be set up to allow communication with these tags.

I/O Address

Enter the external device address to associate the tag with. The user must enter the address using the device’s addressing method. For example, for a CIMON PLC, valid bit addresses include “X00”, “Y1E”, etc. This field is enabled only when an I/O device is selected.

Persistent

When this option is true, the last state of the tag is stored when the project is closed. When the user executes the project again, the tag values will be reloaded.

Value Changed

With this option enabled, a user-defined script or action list will be performed when the tag value changes.

Quality Changed

With this option enabled, a user-defined script or action list will be performed when the quality of the tag changes. In this case, quality refers to the communications status of the tag.

Advanced Settings (Analog Type)

Item

Description

Encoding

Selecting the BCD option from the drop down menu enables binary-coded decimal encoding. With this mode enabled, a binary sequence will represent the analog tag’s value. Note that binary-coded decimal does not function the same as converting a decimal number to binary.

Clamp Mode

This option dictates how the tag will handle values outside of the specified maximum/minimum values. Note that this setting only applies to write requests, and will not change values read from the PLC.

Clamp High

To use this feature, select Clamp High from the drop-down menu. Next, enter the desired Engineering Max value. Any tag value greater than the assigned Engineering Max value will be overwritten to the Engineering Max value.

Clamp Low

To use this feature, select Clamp Low from the drop-down menu. Next, enter the desired Engineering Min value. Any tag value less than the assigned Engineering Min value will be overwritten to the Engineering Min value.

Clamp Both

To use this feature, select Clamp Both from the drop-down menu. Next, enter the desired Engineering Max and Engineering Min values. Any tag value greater than the assigned Engineering Max value will be overwritten to the Engineering Max value, and any tag value less than the assigned Engineering Min value will be overwritten to the Engineer Min value.

Reject High

To use this feature, select Reject High from the drop-down menu. Next, enter the desired Engineering Max value. Any tag value greater than the assigned Engineering Max value will be discarded, and the tag value will remain at the last recorded tag value.

Reject Low

To use this feature, select Reject Low from the drop-down menu. Next, enter the desired Engineering Min value. Any tag value less than the assigned Engineering Min value will be discarded, and the tag value will remain at the last recorded tag value.

Reject Both

To use this feature, select Reject Both from the drop-down menu. Next, enter the desired Engineering Max and Engineering Min values. Any tag value greater than the assigned Engineering Max value will be discarded, and the tag value will remain at the last recorded tag value. Any tag value less than the assigned Engineering Min value will be discarded, and the tag value will remain at the last recorded tag value.

Deadband Type

Filters the original input data and discards any new input data that falls within a specified range of the last recorded tag value.

Absolute

To use this feature, select Absolute from the Deadband drop down menu. Next, assign any numeric value in the Deadband field. If the absolute difference between the current tag value and the last recorded tag value is greater than the Deadband value, the current value of the tag is sent. If the absolute difference is less than the Deadband value, the current value is filtered.

Example: Select a DINT tag type and an Absolute Deadband type. For a Deadband of 10:

Last Recorded Tag Value: 40

Current Tag Value: 12

Absolute Difference = |Last Recorded Tag Value - Current Tag Value|

For this case, the absolute difference between the two tags is 28. The absolute difference is higher than the Deadband, so the current tag value will be recorded. Next, say that the last recorded tag value remains at 40 with a new current tag value of 32. The absolute difference in this case would be less than the deadband, so the current tag value would be filtered and the tag value would remain as the last recorded tag value.

Percent

To use this feature, select Percent from the Deadband drop-down menu. Next, assign a numeric value between 1 and 100 in the Deadband field. If the percent difference between the current tag value and the last recorded tag value is greater than the Deadband value, the tag's current value is sent. The current value is filtered if the percent difference is less than the Deadband value.

Example: Select a DINT tag type and a Percent Deadband type. For a Deadband of 10:

Last Recorded Tag Value: 40

Current Tag Value: 12

Percent Difference = |Last Recorded Tag Value - Current Tag Value| /(Last Recorded Tag Value) * 100

For this case, the percent difference between the two tags is 70%. The percent difference is higher than the Deadband, so the current tag value will be recorded. Next, say that the last recorded tag value remains at 40 with a new current tag value of 37. The percent difference in this case would be less than the deadband, so the current tag value would be filtered and the tag value would remain as the last recorded tag value.

Scale Mode

Converts the original input data into a new value using one of four methods.

Linear Range

To use this feature, select Linear Range from the drop-down menu. Next, enter the desired Raw Low, Raw High, Scaled Low, and Scaled High values. With this option, the tag value will be linearly scaled such that the Raw Low is converted to the Scaled Low and the Raw High is converted to the Scaled High. Intermediate values are scaled linearly. For a given input (raw) value, the exact output (tag) value can be calculated using the formula below:

Tag Value = (Input Value – Raw Low) / (Raw High – Raw Low) * (Scaled High– Scaled Low) + Scaled Low

Example: Select a REAL tag type. Set the Raw Low to zero and the Raw High to one. Set the Scaled Low to zero and the Scaled High to 100. Now, PLC values (on the left) will be converted to the following tag values (on the right):

-17.0 becomes 0
0.0 becomes 0
0.25 becomes 25
0.75 becomes 75
1.0 becomes 100
24.0 becomes 100

Any input value below the Raw Low will be converted to the Scaled Low. Any input above the Raw High will be converted to the Scaled High.

For a given tag value, the corresponding input value can be calculated using the formula below:

Input Value = (Tag Value – Raw Low) / (Scaled High – Scaled Low) * ( Raw High– Raw Low) + Raw Low

Linear Slope

To use this feature, select Linear Slope from the drop-down menu. Next, enter the desired Slope and Intercept values in their respective fields. With this option, the tag value will be calculated using the formula below:

Tag Value = (Input Value * Slope) + Intercept

Example: Select an analog tag with data type UINT. For a Slope of 0.1 and an Intercept of 10:

Minimum value: (0 * 0.1) + 10 = 10,
Maximum value: (65535 * 0.1) + 10 = 6563.5

For a given tag value, the corresponding input value can be calculated using the formula below:

Input Value = (Tag Value – Intercept) / Slope

Square Root

To use this feature, select Square Root from the drop-down menu. Next, enter the desired Raw Low, Raw High, Scaled Low, and Scaled High values. With this option, the tag value will be exponentially scaled, such that the Raw Low is converted to the Scaled Low and the Raw High is converted to the Scaled High. Intermediate values are scaled exponentially, with a fixed exponent of 1/2. For a given input (raw) value, the exact output (tag) value can be calculated using the formula below:

Tag Value = (Scaled High – Scaled Low) * sqrt((Input Value - Raw Low) /(Raw High – Raw Low)) + Scaled Low

Any input value below the Raw Low will be converted to the Scaled Low. Any input above the Raw High will be converted to the Scaled High.

For a given tag value, the corresponding input value can be calculated using the formula below:

Input Value = ((Tag Value – Scaled Low) / (Scaled High – Scaled Low))^2 * ( Raw High – Raw Low) + Raw Low

Polynomial

To use this feature, select Polynomial from the drop-down menu. Next, enter the desired Exponent, Slope, and Intercept values. With this option, the tag value will be exponentially scaled. For this option, the tag value will be calculated using the formula below:

Tag Value = Slope * (Input Value)^Exponent + Intercept

For a given tag value, the corresponding input value can be calculated using the formula below:

Input Value = ((Tag Value - Intercept)/(Slope)) ^ (1/Exponent)

Advanced Settings (String Type)

Item

Description

Max Length

Assign the maximum string length that can be written to the tag. For local tags, the user can choose a value between 1 and 2147483647. For remote tags, the maximum length is only limited by the device memory. Note: Be careful to avoid overlapping device addresses. For example, if one string tag “STR1” begins at address D00 on a CIMON PLC, and another string tag begins at address D07, then STR1 should be no longer than 14 characters (7 words * (16 bits/word) / (8 bits/character) = 14 characters). Otherwise, editing one string may affect the other.

Tag Types

Data Type

Description

BOOL

Represent ON/OFF status, 0 or 1, True or False, or other values with only two possible states. If a boolean tag is tied to a device address with more than one bit, then any value other than one will be treated as a one.

Analog

Represent 8, 16, 32, or 64-bit numeric values. Choosing the correct data type for interpreting your data (INT16, UINT32, Float, etc.) is crucial.

Analog Data Type

Description

Range

SINT(INT8)

Signed 8-bit integer. Enables the Encoding, Clamp Mode, Deadband Type, and Scale Mode advanced options.

-128 – 127

INT(INT16)

Signed 16-bit integer. Enables the Encoding, Clamp Mode, Deadband Type, and Scale Mode advanced options.

-32768 – 32767

DINT(INT32)

Signed 32-bit integer. Enables the Encoding, Clamp Mode, Deadband Type, and Scale Mode advanced options.

-2147483648 – 2147483647

LINT(INT64)

Signed 64-bit integer. Enables the Clamp Mode, Deadband Type, and Scale Mode advanced options.

-9223372036854775808 – 9223372036854775807

USINT(UINT8)

Unsigned (non-negative) 8-bit integer. Enables the Encoding, Clamp Mode, Deadband Type, and Scale Mode advanced options.

0 – 255

UINT(UINT16)

Unsigned (non-negative) 16-bit integer. Enables the Encoding, Clamp Mode, Deadband Type, and Scale Mode advanced options.

0 – 65535

UDINT(UINT32)

Unsigned (non-negative) 32-bit integer. Enables the Encoding, Clamp Mode, Deadband Type, and Scale Mode advanced options.

0 – 4294967295

ULINT(UINT64)

Unsigned (non-negative) 64-bit integer. Enables the Clamp Mode, Deadband Type, and Scale Mode advanced options.

0 – 18446744073709551615

REAL(FLOAT)

32-bit floating-point number. Enables the Clamp Mode, Deadband Type, and Scale Mode advanced options.

-3.403e+038 – 3.403e+038

LREAL(DOUBLE)

64-bit floating-point number. Enables the Clamp Mode, Deadband Type, and Scale Mode advanced options.

-1.798e+308 – 1.798e+308

STRING

Stores a string value composed of ASCII characters. For local tags, strings up to 22 characters long can be created. For remote tags, strings will use a contiguous data block on the target device.

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• It is important to verify that the data type of every tag matches the data type used within the paired device. If there is a mismatch, data may be incorrectly represented or manipulated.

• For data types that span multiple addresses (namely 32-bit double words), only the first address is needed. The address of the remaining words or bytes is implied. Note that Modbus devices typically only send and receive one 16-bit word per address. Therefore, Modbus double words may not be directly accessible via a single real tag.

Spreadsheet Compatability

Copying from the Tag Editor to Spreadsheet

Tags can be bound to objects and their parameters. Within Canvas projects, tags can be bound to specific values in objects, and some objects require tags to be bound to them before they can function properly. To bind a tag to an object parameter, users must hover over any parameter that can have a tag bound to it. Once hovering over, there will be a Link icon, and clicking on this icon will open the Binding Properties window. Clicking the Tag field will open a tag window and display all tags in the project. Users can select a tag from the page, which will then be bound to the parameter. Users can pick the direction for how the tag will function. Users can pick Tag to Property, Property to Tag, or Bidirectional.

Users can also Drag and drop the tag onto the parameter. To bind a tag to a property, click and hold the tag's name from the Tag Editor. While holding, drag onto the property that the tag needs to be bound to, and once the Link icon appears, let go of the tag, and it will automatically be bound to the property. After this, no further input will be required for the tag unless necessary.

Depending on the tag type, users can also add Formatting Options. These options can specify how many decimal places, how many leading zeroes, or even if the base should be decimal or hexadecimal, or if there should be a thousand separators. These will only work on tags that are bound to Text.

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Some objects can be bound by just dragging the tag onto the object. This will automatically bind the tag to a specific property of the object. An example of this would be a Text Box. When the user smart binds to a Text Box, it will automatically bind the tag to the text. To smart bind, click and hold the tag's name from the Tag Editor. While holding, drag onto the object that the tag needs to be bound to, and the cursor will change, indicating it can be bound to. Once the cursor changes, let go, and it will be bound, requiring no further input on the object. Objects that have a bindable parameter in basic properties will be able to have tags smart bound to them.

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Custom Expressions can be used on object parameters. Custom expressions can be used in place of a tag to have an object parameter function in a specific way. There are currently six expressions that are possible in the Custom Expressions. There is a Condition Map, Boolean Value, Multilanguage String, Scale Tag Value, Date/Time String, and Custom Expressions. Each of them can perform a specific function; for more information on what they do, please look at the Appendix, as there will be more details on each Expression.

Not all parameters can access all of these choices. Specific parameters will only have access to some of the parameters listed above.

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Excel

1. the spreadsheet.

The user

1. Users can automatically create consecutive tags with

Excel’s

1. a spreadsheet's increment/decrement feature. Note:

Excel’s auto

1. Most Auto-increment

feature does

1. features do not work for hexadecimal values. Please double-check that word and bit addresses for real tags follow the correct device address format.

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Pasting from Spreadsheet to the Tag Editor

1. Select the rows in the spreadsheet to copy.

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2. Copy ([Ctrl] + [C]) the rows to the clipboard and paste ([Ctrl] + [V]) them to the Canvas Tag Editor pane. The pasted contents will replace tags with the same name.

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Excel Tag Attributes

The tag attributes listed in Excel match the ones described in section 4.1.2 Settings. A detailed description of the tag attributes and their intended functions can be found here. Note that the associated attributes of Encoding, Clamp Mode, Deadband Type, & Scale Mode populate in excel, even if their parent attribute is disabled.

1. All tag attributes must be copied for Canvas to paste into the Tag Editor pane.

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