Device: TP700 Comfort

Hello everyone , 

I am having a frustrating issue with trying to get this below script to work using the For loops "prdctCount" variable declared as "Dim prdctCount" as the array's index reference as shown.

Simply putting "prdctCount" itself as the index like this:

SmartTags("ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{prdctCount}.Date_Time").Value

Does not work.

It made sense logically to me to have it this way, because if I put the exact index of the array element I want to access like this:

SmartTags("ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{1}.Date_Time").Value 

It works.

This tag is from a DB that has an array of UDT type with information about each dough ball.

In the code snippet, I tried using {" & prdctCount & "} to reference the array index using the tag, however, it still does not work.

I have had a look at https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/ww/en/view/26165877 and I cant make sense of anything.

Attached in the error message I get when trying it with the aforementioned code.

Kind regards

Hello BGImmelman,

I wonder about the error showing the tag <ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{10}_Date_Time> doesn't exist, because according the code snipplet it should be "...Ball{10}.Date_Time" (. instead of _).

Is the index 0-9 or 1-10 for those tags?

Is it working with <SmartTags("ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{" & 1 & "}.Date_Time").Value>?

How are the tags resp. the array defined?

Regards,

Frink

 Hey Prof. Frink,

Thank you for the reply!

Prof. Frink

Hello BGImmelman,

I wonder about the error showing the tag <ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{10}_Date_Time> doesn't exist, because according the code snipplet it should be "...Ball{10}.Date_Time" (. instead of _).

I have tried both with the . as well _ I get the same message, just with the . or _ again.

Is the index 0-9 or 1-10 for those tags?

All my ranges are from 1 to 10 and consistent like that within my DB, and script.

Is it working with <SmartTags("ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{" & 1 & "}.Date_Time").Value>?

I just tried your suggesting now to see what would happen, and I get the exact same message as shown in the picture, just now with <ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{1}_Date_Time> not existing.

The funny thing being that if I just use the single number itself to reference the index without the "& # &", it will work perfectly fine. 

I am having an issue with trying to reference that specific array's index using the for loop's count to cycle through the array, as if the VBscript is just too fussy and being difficult. 

How are the tags resp. the array defined?

I have attached a picture showing how my DB is set up, having an array of UDT type with the same range from 1 to 10.

I just dragged the entire DB into my HMI tags which made 10 seperate tags for each array index, and then try get the values from it using the FOR loop script.

Regards,

Frink

 Kind Regards,

BGImmelman

Hello BGImmelman,

the following might be worth a try:

SmartTags("ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{" & CStr(prdctCount) & "}.Date_Time").Value

Regards,

Frink

Hi Prof. Frink,

I tried your suggestion, and it unfortunately still gives me the same error as before. I'm completely out of ideas.

Kind regards,

BGImmelman

Hello BGImmelman,

I found this discussion about the tag-name-assembly in a script in the German forum.

mm76 found that tags with assembled names in scripts work when the tags are used with I/O fields. Finally he created a dummy script (which is not called in the application) where the tags (with the complete names) are assigned with 0. Then also the assembling in the really used script would work.

Regards,

Frink

 Hey Prof. Frink, 

Prof. Frink

Hello BGImmelman,

I found this discussion about the tag-name-assembly in a script in the German forum.

mm76 found that tags with assembled names in scripts work when the tags are used with I/O fields. Finally he created a dummy script (which is not called in the application) where the tags (with the complete names) are assigned with 0. Then also the assembling in the really used script would work.

Regards,

Frink

I had a look at that forum as well, and tried to make sense of it myself, along with your summary.

I don't understand what "tags with assembled names" implies, and for them to be used with I/O fields. Are you talking about tags declared locally in the script with "Dim whatever" that are then used with an I/O field element on the screen itself?

_____________________________________________________________________________

Is my understanding correct in thinking that I have to set the acquisition mode for all tags I would be using (DB Tags too) to "Cyclic Continuous"?

In addition to that, as you said, have a separate dummy VBScript which just initializes all the tags linked to the array DB to 0 (and any other internal hmi tags), for example:

SmartTags("ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{1}.Recipe_Number").Value = 0 (For each element?)

while still using a locally declared Dim prdctCount variable to access the array's elements through the loop?

______________________________________________________________________________

Or rather use an internal integer type HMI tag and initialize that in a dummy script too, and then link it to the local prdctCount variable.

Something like:

SmartTags("indexNr") = prdtCount

where I then use the internal tag to reference the array's index instead?

SmartTags("ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{" & indexNr & "}.Recipe_Number").Value

SmartTags("indexNr") = prdtCount 

...

...

This feels like some sort of massive over-complication for just wanting to run a for loop to index through an array of UDT of whatever size.

I apologize if I missed point. Thank you for at least taking the time to reply.

Kind regards,

BGImmelman

Hi again, 

BGImmelman 

I don't understand what "tags with assembled names" implies

e.g. <ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{" & indexNr & "}.Date_Time"> where the name is kind of a string concatenation.

BGImmelman 

[...] , and for them to be used with I/O fields. Are you talking about tags declared locally in the script with "Dim whatever" that are then used with an I/O field element on the screen itself?

Using the tags in I/O fields would be another workaround, but in my opinion using the dummy script is more comfortable.

BGImmelman 

Is my understanding correct in thinking that I have to set the acquisition mode for all tags I would be using (DB Tags too) to "Cyclic Continuous"?

Yes, when using them in a script. 

BGImmelman 

In addition to that, as you said, have a separate dummy VBScript which just initializes all the tags linked to the array DB to 0 (and any other internal hmi tags), for example:

SmartTags("ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{1}.Recipe_Number").Value = 0 (For each element?)

while still using a locally declared Dim prdctCount variable to access the array's elements through the loop?

Assign each required element in a dummy script as you did here. Then the application knows the tag and recognizes the assembled tag (with "xxx" & IndexNr & "yyy") - this is the conclusion of the other post.

BGImmelman

Or rather use an internal integer type HMI tag and initialize that in a dummy script too, and then link it to the local prdctCount variable.

Something like:

SmartTags("indexNr") = prdtCount

where I then use the internal tag to reference the array's index instead?

SmartTags("ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{" & indexNr & "}.Recipe_Number").Value

For prdctCount = 1 To 10

SmartTags("indexNr") = prdtCount 

'CREATE DATASET TO POPULATE CSV FILE ROW

dataValues = _

SmartTags("ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{" & indexNr & "}.Date_Time").Value & ";" & _

SmartTags("ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{" & indexNr & "}.Recipe_Name").Value & ";" & _

SmartTags("ProductsCopy_DB_Dough_Ball{" & indexNr & "}.Recipe_Number").Value & ";" & _

...

...

...

'FILL CSV FILE ROW WITH DATASET

fctl.LinePrint dataValues

Next

In my opinion it is not necessary to use an HMI tag for the index, you can use a script-local tag, too, which is maybe even better. 

BGImmelman 

This feels like some sort of massive over-complication for just wanting to run a for loop to index through an array of UDT of whatever size.

I agree. Maybe easier solution on the HMI when using basic data types (INT, REAL, BOOL) in an array than using structured like UDT.

Regards,

Frink