Formats & Formulas

Formats & Formulas provide a flexible way to control how tag data is displayed throughout your project.

Where Formats & Formulas Can Be Applied

Formats & Formulas can be configured in two locations, at the Tag Level (from the tag list) and at the Object Level (from the HMI):

1. Tag Level (Communications Page)

• Applied within the Tags Editor.

• When configured here, formatting can be reused anywhere the tag is linked.
  

Best for: Standardizing how a tag appears across the entire project.

2. Object Level (Canvas Editor)

• Applied directly to an object from the object's Properties Panel. (requires selecting Raw when linking the tag)

• Allows unique formatting per object, even when using the same tag.
  

Best for: Custom displays (e.g., different precision, labels, or formats for the same tag).

Tag-Level Configuration

To apply Formats & Formulas at the tag level:

1. Open the Tags Editor by selecting the desired tag from the tag list nested below its respective controller.

2. Click the green “Select Formats & Formulas” icon.

3. The configuration window will open, containing:

• Preview area

• Quick format buttons

• Format/Formula selection tool

• Apply / Cancel buttons
  

Quick Format Buttons

• % (Percent): Adds a percent symbol and enables decimal selection

• 123 (Number): Enables decimal selection

• abc (Text): Treats the value as text

Available Format Options

Click “Select Format/Formula” to access the following tools:

Basic Formats

• Plain Text: Displays value as text

• Convert to ASCII: Converts binary data to ASCII

• Number: Displays numeric values with selectable precision

• IP Address: Formats value as an IPv4 address

• Percentage: Adds % with selectable precision

• Scientific: Displays in exponential notation

Time & Date Formats

• Duration: Displays as h m s

• More Duration: Multiple time conversion options

• Date: MM/DD/YYYY

• Time: HH:MM AM/PM

• Date Time: Full date and time display

• More Date/Time: Additional format variations

Formulas

Formulas allow you to transform raw data values.

Creating a Formula

1. Select Formulas from the Format selection tool

2. Click Add

3. Enter:

• Formula Name

• Formula Expression

Use x to represent the tag value.

Example:

x / 1000

(Commonly used to convert scaled integers to decimal values.)

Advanced Formulas with Constants

You can include additional variables:

1. Under Range, select Current Read Value

2. Click + Add Constant

3. Constants are assigned letters (a, b, etc.)

4. Constants can reference other tags

Example: Totalizer With Rollover Counter Calculation

(a * 32767) + x

Where:

• x = current value

• a = rollover counter
  

Dictionaries

Dictionaries can be used to map numeric values to text.

Creating a Dictionary

1. Select Dictionaries

2. Click Add

3. Enter a Dictionary Name (use shorthand for easy identification)

4. Click Add Definition for each value

Examples:

• 0 = OFF, 1 = ON

• 0 = OK, 1 = ALARM

• 0 = HAND, 1 = ON, 2 = AUTO
  

Labels

Labels add units or suffixes to values.

Creating a Label

1. Select Labels

2. Click Add

3. Enter the desired label (e.g., PSI, GPM, pH, Kgal)
   

Scaling

Scaling converts raw input values into engineering units.

Example (4–20 mA Signal)

1. Select Scale → Custom

2. Enter:

• Raw Low: 4000

• Raw High: 20000

• Scale Low: 0

• Scale High: 100

• Offset: (if applicable)

This maps the raw range (4000–20000) to a display range (0–100).

Applying Formats in the Canvas Editor

To apply formatting to an individual HMI object (formatting options will be the same as from the communication page, but will only apply to the selected HMI object)

1. Select the object on the canvas

2. Open the Properties Panel

3. Scroll to Formats & Formulas

4. Click Select next to the Options field and choose the type of formatting to apply
   

Preview & Removal

• The Preview field displays the formatted value in real time

• To remove formatting, click the “-” icon next to each applied item