Create an Object Type

When you create an object type, you also create the default template, custom templates, and variables for each template. For information on each of these template types and variables, refer to About Object Templates and About a Historian Model.

This topic describes how to create an object type. You can also copy one.

  1. Access Configuration Hub.
  2. In the NAVIGATION section, select Model. Alternatively, you can select Systems, and then in the row containing the system in which you want to create a model, select , and then select Browse Model.
    The Model section appears.
  3. In the upper-right corner of the section, select .
    The New Object Type window appears.
  4. Enter values as described in the following table.
    Field Description
    NAME Enter a name for the object type. A value is required and must be unique.
    The value that you enter:
    • Must begin with a letter or a number.
    • Can contain up to 256 characters.
    • Can include any of the following special characters: /!|#{}%$-_
    • Must not include a space or any of the following characters: ~`+^:;.,?"*={}@
    DESCRIPTION Enter a description for the object type.
  5. Select Create.
    The object type is created.
  6. In the main section, under Object Types, right-click the object type that you have created (or select ), and then select Edit.
    The <object type name> section appears. The OBJECT TYPE TEMPLATE field contains the default template.
  7. To add variables to the default template:
    1. In the Variables table, select New.
      A blank row appears in the table.
    2. Enter values as described in the following table.
      Column Description
      VARIABLES Enter the name of the variable. A value is required and must be unique for the object type.
      The value that you enter:
      • Must begin with a letter or a number.
      • Can contain up to 256 characters.
      • Can include any of the following special characters: /!|#{}%$-_
      • Must not include a space or any of the following characters: ~`+^:;.,?"*={}@
      VARIABLE TYPE Choose one of the following types of variables:
      • Direct: Tags for these variables are created in Historian for a selected collector instance.
      • Indirect: These variables are mapped with existing Historian tags.
      • Static: These variables have a static value, which you provide when you create an object instance.
      DATATYPE Select the data type of the variable.
      DESCRIPTION Enter a description for the variable.
      INCLUDE Switch the toggle to indicate whether you want to include the variable in the template.
      Note: After you apply a template to an object instance, you cannot modify or delete a variable in the object type; you can only add more variables. You can, however, copy the object type, and modify or delete variables in the copied one.
    3. Press ENTER.
      The default template is created, along with the variable that you have added. You can add more variables or include/exclude variables later too.
      Note: If you want to create a variable by copying an existing one, select the check box next to the variable that you want to copy, and then select . You can copy only one variable at a time.
  8. To create a custom template:
    1. Next to the TEMPLATE field, select , and then select New.
      The New Object Template window appears.
    2. Enter values as described in the following table.
      Field Description
      NAME Enter a name for the template. A value is required and must be unique.
      The value that you enter:
      • Must begin with a letter or a number.
      • Can contain up to 256 characters.
      • Can include any of the following special characters: /!|#{}%$-_
      • Must not include a space or any of the following characters: ~`+^:;.,?"*={}@
      DESCRIPTION Enter a description for the template.
    3. Repeat step 7 to add variables to the custom template.
    The custom template is created, along with the variables. You can add more variables, and include/exclude existing variables later too.
  9. In the upper-left corner of the page, select Save.
    The object type, along with the default template, custom templates, and variables, is created.
Create an object instance.