Categories provide metadata labels for organizing and classifying objects throughout your solution. They enable filtering, grouping, and standardization across all configuration tables.
Access: Solution → Categories
Parent Page: Solution Settings & Tools (Reference)
Categories Interface
Category Definition Table
| Column | Description | Type | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Category identifier | Text | Yes |
| Description | Purpose and usage | Text | No |
| Color | Visual indicator | Color picker | No |
| Icon | Associated symbol | Symbol selector | No |
| Parent | Hierarchical parent | Category reference | No |
| DefaultSymbol | Auto-assigned symbol | Symbol reference | No |
Category Properties
| Property | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Enabled | Active for assignment | Checked |
| Visible | Shows in filters | Checked |
| Priority | Sort order | 1-999 |
| Scope | Where applicable | All/Specific modules |
Category Types
System Categories
Pre-defined categories:
| Category | Use | Auto-Applied |
|---|---|---|
| System | Platform objects | Yes |
| Template | Template instances | Yes |
| Imported | Import wizard items | Yes |
| Plugin | Plugin objects | Yes |
User Categories
Common organizational patterns:
| Pattern | Example Categories | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Functional | Pumps, Valves, Motors | Equipment type |
| Location | Building_A, Floor_1, Area_North | Physical location |
| Process | Intake, Processing, Output | Process stage |
| Priority | Critical, Important, Standard | Importance level |
| Department | Operations, Maintenance, Engineering | Responsibility |
Using Categories
Assignment Methods
| Method | Where | How |
|---|---|---|
| Direct | Object properties | Category dropdown |
| Bulk | DataGrid selection | Right-click → Set Category |
| Import | Import wizards | Category mapping |
| Template | Template definition | Inherited by instances |
Filtering by Category
| Location | Method | Result |
|---|---|---|
| DataGrids | Column filter | Show only selected |
| Asset Tree | Category view | Grouped display |
| Cross Reference | Category filter | Scoped search |
| Reports | Category parameter | Filtered data |
Category Hierarchy
Parent-Child Structure
Equipment
??? Rotating
? ??? Pumps
? ??? Motors
??? Static
? ??? Tanks
? ??? Vessels
??? Instruments
??? Temperature
??? PressureInheritance Rules
| Rule | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Symbol | Child inherits if not set | Pump uses Equipment symbol |
| Properties | Not inherited | Each has own color |
| Assignment | Can use parent or child | Tag can be "Equipment" or "Pumps" |
Symbol Association
Default Symbols
Categories automatically assign symbols:
| Category | Symbol | Applied To |
|---|---|---|
| Motors | Motor.svg | New motor tags |
| Valves | Valve.svg | New valve tags |
| Sensors | Sensor.svg | New sensor tags |
Symbol Rules
| Condition | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Category has symbol | Uses category symbol |
| Parent has symbol | Inherits parent symbol |
| No symbol defined | Uses default tag symbol |
| Multiple categories | Uses first with symbol |
Best Practices
Category Design
DO:
- Define before creating objects
- Use consistent naming convention
- Create logical hierarchies
- Document category purpose
- Associate relevant symbols
DON'T:
- Create too many categories
- Use overlapping categories
- Change after widespread use
- Delete without checking usage
Naming Conventions
| Type | Convention | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | Type_Subtype | Motor_AC, Valve_Ball |
| Location | Level_Area | F1_North, B1_Storage |
| Process | Stage_Number | Stage_01, Stage_02 |
| Priority | P_Level | P_Critical, P_Standard |
Integration
Module Usage
| Module | Category Application |
|---|---|
| UNS Tags | Organization and filtering |
| Devices | Channel and node grouping |
| Alarms | Priority classification |
| Historian | Data categorization |
| Displays | Symbol assignment |
| Reports | Data filtering |
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Category not visible | Disabled or hidden | Check Enabled/Visible |
| Symbol not applying | No default set | Configure DefaultSymbol |
| Can't delete category | In use | Check usage first |
| Filter not working | Wrong scope | Verify category scope |
See Also
- Solution Settings & Tools (Reference) - Parent section
- Symbols (Reference) - Symbol configuration
- Asset Tree (Reference) - Category organization
Overview
Categories allow to add custom labels and metadata information to the configuration objects in your solution.
This enriched set of information is useful during the configuration of large solutions, allowing to Group and Sort elements during the Design phase. It can also be used when the application is running, to run automated scripts, filter or present advanced User Interfaces, verifying the categories attributed to Tags, PLC's Nodes, or other configuration elements.
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Understanding Categories
Categories are powerful organizational features that function as metadata labels for data items and application objects. They organize solutions by grouping related items, facilitating efficient data management, especially in large systems.
Using categories, is a two-step process. First, in this user interface, you create the category items. A Category Item is a label, or can understand it as a parameters, key, or simply a category name.
For instance, in an energy grid management solution, you could have categories such as "Generation", "Transmission", and "Distribution". In a factory you can have categories like Sensor, Output, Conveyor, Robots.
Once you have your category names, you can apply those labels to relevant tags or or configuration objects (devices, displays, alarms, queries), which can then be used as a filter or sorting parameter.
This ability to view data selectively enhances solution manageability during the configuration process. For advanced solutions, that metadata information is also accessible though scripts, allows the creation of custom logic, or operation displays, based on that custom classification.
In summary, to use categories:
Step 1: Define the names of categories items in this user interaface
Step 2: Go To UnifiedNamespace Tags, or Displays List, or Device Nodes, or any configuration object you want to apply the label, make the Category column visible (right-click in the column names), and apply the categories to the elements you want.
Working with Categories
Create a Category Item
- Go to the Insertion Row (first row of the table) in the Solution Categories table.
- Type a text in the NAME column, optionally add Description.
- Press ENTER.
Apply Categories to Configuration elements
- Navigate to the configuration table of the desired element.
- Right click on the titles of the Table, to make the Category column visible
- Select the Category items that applies to that element.
| Tip | ||
|---|---|---|
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If you select multiple rows, using shift-click or ctrl-click, you can open the Context Menu (with a mouse right-click) and select the Edit Combined Rows options. That enables you to apply a category to multiple configuration objects in one step. |
Using Categories on Runtime
The object categories can also be accessed during runtime for filtering and other custom applications from Category.
A list of all the categories that are defined in the solution during runtime is available in the property
@Info.CategoryItem
All the configuration objects that allow to receive a category classification, like Tags, Device.Nodes, and others, they have a Category property, like in the examples:
@Tag.Tag1.Category
@Device.Node.Node1.Category
Categories Columns
Categories Properties
ID
Identifies the category uniquely.
VersionID
Identifies the version of the category, allowing for version control.
Name
Specifies the name of the category, which labels and identifies it.
DefaultSymbol
Indicates the default symbol assigned to the category for use in displays or other applications.
LockState
Denotes the current state of the category, determining whether it can be edited.
LockOwner
Identifies the user or system entity that has locked the category.
DateCreated
Records the date and time when the category was created.
DateModified
Tracks the date and time when the category was last modified.
Description
In this section:
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