Add Items Automatically to the iFIX Process Database

Click the following links for more information regarding auto-creation of items in the iFIX Database.

By selecting the Enable iFix PDB Tag Auto-creation option in the I/O Driver Power Tool, you can create items that are automatically added to the Process Database. You can automatically create items in the Database Tag, Device Browser, and Datablock Browser dialog boxes.

NOTE: This feature is available only for iFIX version 3.0 or later. All tags added to the process database are put off scan. The initial value is displayed in the iFIX process database as ????, however, the actual value is displayed correctly after you have saved and reloaded the database.

The following conditions must be met to add existing items to the iFIX process database:

  • iFIX must be running. If iFIX is not running, a message is displayed.
  • The Enable iFix PDB tag auto-creation check box must be selected.
  • The OPC Client driver must be on the SCU list.

 To auto-create items in the iFIX Process Database from the Device Browser:

  1. In the Tree Browser, select the group in which you want to auto-create items.
  2. From the Display Mode menu, choose Config Mode.
  3. From the Edit menu, choose Add Multiple Items. The Device Browser dialog box appears.
  4. Expand the Path tree and tag type that you want to auto-create items for.
  5. Select an item from the Tag Type list. The item IDs for the selected item appear in the Items list.
  6. From the Items list, select the number of item IDs you want to auto-create. For example, if you want to auto-create 10 items, select the first item ID in the Items list, hold down the Shift key and select the tenth item ID.
  7. If required, select the Enable iFix PDB Tag Auto-creation check box.

NOTE: This check box can also be selected on the Database Tag and Datablock Browser dialog boxes. For more information, see Adding and Modifying Item IDs.

  1. From the iFIX Database Tag Type list, select the type of datablock you want to create items for.
  2. In the Tag Desc Prefix box, enter a brief description of the item you are adding. By default, AG- is displayed.

NOTE: "AG-" is an acronym for "Auto Generated" and indicates, in the iFIX Process Database, that the tag has been automatically generated. Adding AG- to the description provides you with a way to search the iFIX Process Database for the tags you created in the OPC Client Power Tool.

  1. In the Tag Name Prefix box, enter the prefix you want to have appear on the database blocks.

NOTES:

    • You cannot duplicate tag names in the iFIX process database. When adding the same item with a different tag type to the iFIX process database, you must add a tag name prefix to the item name.
    • Tag names must contain only alphanumeric characters. A tag name containing non-alphanumeric characters (e.g., *, ~) will prevent the tag from being added to the iFIX process database.
  1. Click OK. The auto-created items appear under the selected group in the Power Tool Tree Browser and in the iFIX Process Database.

NOTE: The displayed item ID for each of the auto-created items is the same as the corresponding item ID you selected in the Device Browser dialog box. To change the item IDs of the auto-created items, see Adding and Modifying Item IDs.

 To auto-create items in the iFix Process Database from the Datablock Browser:

  1. In the Tree Browser, select the item you want to auto-create a database block for in the Process Database.
  2. From the Display Mode menu, choose Config Mode.
  3. In the Properties Viewer, click the Browse Server button. The Datablock Browser dialog box appears.
  4. In the Item IDs list, expand the server and select the tag type that you want to create an item for.
  5. If required, select the Enable iFix PDB Tag Auto-creation check box.

NOTE: This check box can also be selected on the Database Tag and Device Browser dialog boxes.

  1. From the iFIX Database Tag Type list, select the type of datablock you want to create an item for.
  2. In the Tag Desc Prefix box, enter a brief description of the item you are adding. By default, AG- is displayed.

NOTE: "AG-" is an acronym for "Auto Generated" and indicates, in the iFix Process Database, that the tag has been automatically generated. Adding AG- to the description provides you with a way to search the iFIX Process Database for the tags you created in the OPC Client Power Tool.

  1. In the Tag Name Prefix box, enter the prefix you want to appear on the database block.

NOTES:

  • You cannot duplicate tag names in the iFIX process database. When adding the same item with a different tag type to the iFIX process database, you must add a tag name prefix to the item name.
  • Tag names must contain only alphanumeric characters. A tag name containing non-alphanumeric characters (e.g., *, ~) will prevent the tag from being added to the iFIX process database.
  1. Click OK. The auto-created item is added to the iFIX Process Database and appears in the Datablock Browser the next time it is opened.

See Also