Create a Tag Manually

About this task

This topic describes how to create a tag manually. You can also add tags from source; these tags are then automatically created in the Historian database.
Whenever you add tags, delete tags, or modify certain tag properties, the following collectors reload only the modified tags without restarting the collectors.
  • OPC Collector
  • iFIX Collector
  • Calculation Collector
  • Simulation Collector
  • Server to Server Collector
  • PI Collector
  • PI Distributor

The dynamic collector update feature ensures that any modifications to the tag configuration do not affect all the tags in a collector. Tags that stop data collection may record zero data and bad quality without restarting the collector. Tags that do not stop data collection do not record bad data samples to the collection.

By default, the On-line Tag Configuration Changes option is enabled, which allows a tag to stop and restart data collection without restarting the collector. If you disable the On-line Tag Configuration Changes option, any changes you make to the tags do not affect collection until after you restart the collector. To enable or disable the On-line Tag Configuration Changes option, select Advanced on the Collector Maintenance page.

To restart the collector you must stop and start the collector service or executable. Restarting the collector stops and restarts the tag(s) collection and may record bad data samples to the collection. All the collector configuration changes done within a 30 second time frame are batched up together. To collect the modified data faster, update/modify a small set of tags at a time.

Note: When updating large sets of tags at the same time, best practice is to disable the On-line Tag Configuration Changes option and restart the collector after modification.

Procedure

  1. Access Historian Administrator.
  2. Select Tags.
  3. Select Add Tag Manually.
    The Add Tag Manually window appears.
  4. Enter values as described in the following table.
    Field Description
    Collector Name Select the collector using which you want to collect data for the tag.
    Source Address Enter the source address for the tag.
    Tag Name Enter a unique name for the tag.
    Data Store Select the data store in which you want to store the tag data.
    Data Type Select the data type of the tag data.
    Is Array Tag Select this check box if the tag is an array tag. For fixed string data types only, enter a value in the field adjacent to the Data Type field.

    You can change a tag to an array tag later as well. However, when you do so, only the latest data is retrieved. If you want to get the old data, you must change the tag back to its previous type.

    Time Resolution Select the duration at which you want to collect data for the tag. For example, if you select Seconds, data is collected every second.
    Note: If you add a tag for a Server-to-Server collector, set the Time Adjustment field for the tag to Adjust for Source Time Difference after you add the tag. This field is available under Tags > Advanced. This is applicable only for polled data collection.
  5. Select OK.
    The tag is created.