Tag placeholders

Use a tag placeholder to mark where you want to insert a tag name or some part of a tag name at runtime. A tag placeholder is a crosshatch character (#) followed by a number from 1 to 500. Tag placeholders let you create one display that you can use to represent a number of similar operations. At runtime you use a parameter file or parameter list to supply the tag names associated with the particular operation, and these names are used in place of the tag placeholders.
You can also use tag placeholders with global objects. You can assign tag placeholders to the connections for base objects, and to connections for reference objects with the LinkConnections property set to False. For more information, see Global object parameters.
TIP:
  • A placeholder need not be a complete tag name. It can be only part of a tag name, for example, the name of the folder in which the tag is stored.
  • You can use parameter files or parameter lists to replace tag placeholders in these graphic displays:
    • The graphic display that opens when the project is first run; specify the graphic display and the parameter file or list in the
      Startup
      editor.
    • Graphic displays that are opened using a logout button, goto display button or display list selector, specify both the graphic display and the parameter file or list in the
      Properties
       dialog box.
    • The graphic display specified on the
      Project Settings Runtime
       tab when auto logout is enabled.
    • Displays specified on the
      Display
      tab of the
      Global Connections
      editor.
To use a tag placeholder in a graphic display
  1. Type the placeholder (# and a number) where you would normally type a tag name or some part of a tag name.
  2. If you are using a parameter file, create a parameter file that lists the tag names in the order they are to be used and references them to the placeholder.
    Then, in the
    Startup
    editor, Project Settings,
    Global Connections
     editor, or in the
    Properties
    dialog box for the graphic object, specify the parameter file to use with the graphic display.
    At runtime, the tags in the parameter file replace the tag placeholders.
  3. To use a parameter list, in the
    Startup
    ,
    Project Settings
    ,
    Global Connections
    , or in the
    Properties
     dialog box for the graphic object, select the tags to use with the graphic display. The first tag in the list will replace #1, the second will replace #2, and so on.
    At runtime, the tags in the parameter list replace the tag placeholders.
    TIP:
    • Tag placeholders cannot be tested in Test Display Mode.
    • Tag placeholders cannot be used in macros.
    • If a tag placeholder is not replaced by a tag from a parameter file at runtime, an error will be shown in the diagnostics list.
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