Tag Database Overview
The Tag Database in DataTalk is a central tool for managing and structuring tags within a project. It serves as a hub for creating, editing, and organizing tags, as well as defining their data types, limits, and other key properties. Additionally, the Tag Database enables real-time interaction with PLCs, providing live data monitoring and logging functionalities.
Note: Each type of connection can have a slightly different method of adding tags, for example ETH IP allows online import and import from .L5X files OPC UA allows online browse function and as well adding tags online, however protocols like Modbus doesn’t allow such method of import, you have to type address manually.
Key Features:
1. Tag Creation and Management:
- Add, modify, or delete tags.
- Define tag properties such as data type, scale, limits, and more.
- Centralized changes: When limits or properties are modified in the Tag Database, those changes apply universally across the project wherever the tag is used.
2. Real-Time Data Display:
- Tags can display live values read directly from PLCs.
- The “Read Values” feature allows you to view current data from “expanded” connection tabs.
3. Limits for Alarms and Alerts:
- Define limits for each tag to set thresholds for system checks.
- If a tag’s value exceeds the specified limits, it can trigger alarms or animations.
More about limits here
4. Log Groups for Data Logging:
- Assign tags to log groups to log their values over time.
- Logged data can be visualized in charts or tables.
- Data is logged only when the tag value changes, with the period determining how often the value is checked for updates.
- If “LOG” is not checked, the historical values of the tag won’t be kept!
5. Integration with Animations and Alarms:
- Tags can act as triggers for animations and alarms, creating a dynamic and interactive project environment.
| Feature | Feature desc. |
|---|---|
| Value | Displays the live value read from the PLC when “Read Values” is clicked. |
| Address | Specifies the data point’s address in the PLC. |
| Type | The data type of the tag (e.g., integer, float, boolean). |
| Access | Controls user access to specific tags. |
| Label | Serves as internal notes; additional language-specific fields appear if multiple languages are configured. |
| Scale | Enables automatic scaling of values during read/write operations (e.g., multiplication or division). |
| Limits | Defines thresholds for alarms/alerts. |
| Log | Indicates whether the tag’s values should be logged. |
| Log Groups | Assigns the tag to a log group for data logging. |
| Unit | Specifies the unit of measurement for the value (e.g., °C, kPa, etc.). |
| Format | Allows formatting of tag values (e.g., setting default decimal points) format determinates the number of decimal points as example #0.00 will represent two decimal places so 10,03 as example Complete formating guide |
| Gateway | Enables gateway configuration which can give as example AI module access to the selected data |