Many of the HMI software packages use a tag database to reference PLC addresses by a tag name/alias. This allows you to use an address in multiple places throughout the HMI, but change the actual PLC address in one location.
AdvancedHMI has both the capability of using a direct PLC address in properties such as PLCAddressValue or creating a Tag Name database. The tag name database for AdvancedHMI is referred to as Application Settings. The data is stored in an XML file which allows you to edit the XML file and change addresses without the need of editing in Visual Studio and recompiling.
Here's how you go about using these Application Settings to do the equivalent of a Tag Database:
- Add a driver to the form
- Add a BasicLabel to the form
- In the Properties Window for the BasicLabel, scroll all the way to the top
- You will see Application Settings with a "+" sign next to it. Click the "+" sign
- Click in the (Property Binding) and you will get a button with 3 dots (ellipsis)
- Click on the ellipsis to open a new window of Application Settings for BasicLabel1
- In that Window look for PLCAddressValue, click in the area to get a drop down arrow
- Click (New...)
- Another window will open of New Application Setting
- For Defaultvalue enter your PLC Address (e.g. N7:0, 40001, MyTag, etc)
- For Name enter the Tag Name/Alias you would like to refer to this address as
- Click OK to close the 2 windows
You can now run your application that fetches its PLC address from an equivalent of a Tag Database.
These Application Settings are not limited PLC addresses. For example, let's say you have many forms each with a driver instance and you want them to all have the same IPAddress. Using the same procedure you can create an Application Setting for IPAddress and use that application setting for every driver instance.
