Importing and Exporting Tags

Ignition can export and import tag configurations to and from XML (Extensible Markup Language) or CSV (Comma Separated Value) file formats.

To import and export tags

  1. Go to the Designer. Select the desired folder from the Tag Browser that contains the tags that you want to export.

  2. On the Tag Browser toolbar, click the Export icon to export, or Import icon to load a previously exported file.
    The Save (to export) or the Open (to import) window is displayed.

  3. Choose the .xml or .csv to export or import your tags.
    Note: Importing tags from XML will overwrite tags if exact match is found.

XML Format

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a markup language that defines a set of rules to encode documents. XML is easy for software to read and export therefore exporting tags to an XML format results in simple and reliable transport of all tag configuration settings.The XML format is best for cases where you are interested in transferring tag definitions and configurations from one Gateway to another. However it is not optimized for directly editing its contents. Modern variations of Microsoft Excel can open and display the contents of an XML file.

CSV Format

The CSV format is often used to export tags with the intent of making mass edits to the tag definitions and configurations in a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel. The tags can be edited and imported back into the Gateway. Alarm properties are not included in CSV export format but are included in XML export format.

There are many configuration settings for tags than what is displayed in a CSV or XML export file. The tag export feature only exports the configuration properties that have been edited in at least one of the tags in the selected export folder. Therefore, to ensure the desired configuration setting is available in the export file, at least one tag within the selected export folder must have that configuration property changed.

Property Values in CSV Export Files

When viewing a CSV file which has been exported from Ignition, you will see many columns each showing a configuration property value. The property consists of its name and its value, in some cases there might be additional attributes available.

The following table shows the configuration property names and values you will see in an exported CSV file.

Tag Properties
Property Name
Type
Values (if applicable)
Description

Value

 

 

The value of the tag, dependent on the data type.

Data Type

Int

0 - Int1
1 - Int2
2 - Int4
3 - Int8
4 - Float4
5 - Float8
6 - Boolean
7 - String
8 - DateTime
9 - DataSet

 

Enabled

Boolean

true/false

 

AccessRights

Int

0 - Read Only
1 - Read/Write
2 - Custom

If custom, will be defined by a Permissions tag.

OPCServer

String

 

 

OPCItemPath

String

 

 

OPCWriteBackServer

String

 

Write back target for expression tags.

OPCWriteBackItemPath

String

 

 

ScaleMode

Int

0 - Off
1 - Linear
2 - Square Root
3 - Exponential Filter

 

ScaleFactor

Float

 

For exponential filter

RawLow

Float

 

Defines scale range

RawHigh

Float

 

 

ScaledLow

Float

 

 

ScaledHigh

Float

 

 

ClampMode

Int

0 - None
1 - Low
2 - High
3 - Both

 

Deadband

Float

 

 

DeadbandMode

Int

0 - Absolute
1 - Percentage

 

FormatString

String

 

 

EngUnit

String

 

 

EngLow

Float

 

 

EngHigh

Float

 

 

EngLimitMode

Int

0 - None
1 - Low
2 - High
3 - Both

 

Tooltip

String

 

 

Documentation

String

 

 

ExpressionType

Int

0 - None
1 - Expression
2 - SQL Query

 

DriverName

String

 

Used for external tags

ScanClass

String

 

 

HistoryEnables

Boolean

true/false

 

PrimaryHistoryProvider

String

 

The history provider to use if storing history

HistoricalDeadband

Float

 

 

HistoricalDeadbandMode

Int

0 - Absolute
1 - Percentage

 

HistoricalScanclass

String

 

 

InterpolationMode

Int

0 - Discrete
2 - Analog (deadband)
3 - Analog (compressed)

How values are interpolated. 2 exists for backwards compatibility (and is equivalent to 1), but only 0 or 3 should be used in the future.

HistoryTimestampSource

Int

0 - System
1 - Value

 

HistoryMaxAgeMode

Int

0 - Unlimited
1 - Limited

 

HistoryMaxAge

Int

 

Max cycles between storage.

UDTParentType

String

 

The path to the parent UDT type. Used by sub-types and instances.

Alarm Property Values included in XML Export Files
Property Name
Type
Values (if applicable)
Description

Enabled

Boolean

true/false

 

Priority

String

Diagnostic, Low, Medium, High, Critical

May also be numeric, 0-4.

DisplayPath

String

 

 

ActivePipeline

String

 

 

ClearPipeline

 

 

 

Deadband

Float

 

 

DeadbandEvalMode

Integer

0 - Absolute
1 - Percentage

 

TimeOnDelaySeconds

Float

 

 

TimeOffDelaySeconds

Float

 

 

TimestampSource

Int

0 - System
1 - Value

 

AckMode

Int

0 - Unused
1 - Auto
2 - Manual

 

Notes

String

 

 

AckNotesReqd

Boolean

true/false

 

ShelvingAllowed

Boolean

true/false

 

Mode

String

Equality
Inequality
AboveValue
BelowValue
BetweenValues
OutsideValues
OutOfEngRange
BadQuality
AnyChange
Bit
OnCondition

 

SetpointA

 

 

The setpoint, or the low setpoint for dual value modes.

SetpointB

 

 

The high setpoint for dual setpoint modes.

InclusiveA

Boolean

 

 

InclusiveB

Boolean

 

 

BitOnZero

Boolean

 

Used by the Bit condition, to indicate that 0 is active.

BitPosition

 

 

Bit to use in Bit condition.

ActiveCondition

Boolean

 

The property that drives the OnCondition mode.

AnyChange

Boolean

 

Whether or not to apply the any change behavior in applicable modes.

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