TOP Server Wonderware InTouch Tag Import Wizard
The Details

What is the TOP Server InTouch Tag Wizard?

This free tool is a Wizard designed to work with Wonderware InTouch to take tags that have been created in the TOP Server with any TOP Server driver and build an InTouch tag database automatically. The wizard is particularly useful with the TOP Server AB ControlLogix driver because with that particular driver, we are able to import an L5K configuration file from RS Logix 5000 and build a tag database that matches that in the AB ControlLogix PLC in the InTouch system in two simple steps.

How Does the Wizard Work?

The wizard connects to the TOP Server and reads the available tags and then using the Wonderware Extensibility Toolkit, we populate and/or update the InTouch tag database automatically. We setup the Access Names in InTouch to communicate to the TOP Server via SuiteLink so that once you have run the wizard, you can immediately start using the tags to build animated screens. As soon as you switch to WindowViewer, you'll see live data.

How Does this Wizard save me time and money?

This wizard saves you engineering time and effort in that it allows you to go from PLC tags to Intouch tags in two simple steps that can take only minutes to complete.  Not only does this save the time of entering all the data into InTouch, but it also reduces the chance for errors since the setup is automated.

What Hardware Can I use the Wizard with?

You can use the TOP Server InTouch Tag Wizard with any TOP Server driver , which currently numbers over 70 drivers.  In the AB ControlLogix, Yokogawa, PLC Direct EBC, GE Ethernet, SNP, SNP -X & EGD, Idec, and Thermowestronics drivers we have the ability to read the tag configuration from either the hardware or the PLC programming software (which one depends on the hardware) and build a tag database in the TOP Server in one step. One more click and those tags are in InTouch. 

The PLC I am using does not support automatic generation of the tags in the TOP Server – is this Wizard of any value to me?

Yes it can be. Although with the TOP server you do NOT have to configure any tags in the TOP Server and can use it like a classic I/O server in that you put the PLC address up into the Item names in InTouch, there is a benefit to having tags in the TOP server. That benefit comes in the ability to share the same PLC data with other applications. In today's multi-vendor world, users are often asked to share information between applications.  By exposing the tags in the TOP Server, other applications can connect via OPC or DDE and see the same data that InTouch pulls in via FastDDE or Suitelink, thus offering another means of sharing of information throughout the enterprise.

How Do You Get the Wizard?

The TOP Server InTouch Tag Wizard may be downloaded from our downloads page in the Wonderware section.

How Do I Install the Wizard?

Installing the Wizard is simply a matter of copying a single file into your InTouch directory from the TOP Server installation directory and installing the Wizard like any other InTouch Wizard. 

1) Copy the file Wztstagimportwizard.wzu into your InTouch directory, which is typically Program Files\FactorySuite\InTouch

2) Within InTouch WindowMaker click on SpecialConfigureWizard/ActiveX Installation

3) You will see the "TOP Server InTouch Tag Import Wizard" in the list of uninstalled wizards provided that you did step 1 properly. Select it and click "install" and click OK.

4) When you bring up the Wizard selection menu, the group "Software Toolbox Wizards" will be visible and in that group you will find the TOP Server InTouch Tag Wizard.

I still have questions ?

No problem - send us an email or call us at 704-849-2773 - we'll be happy to answer your questions.