Workstation.ini [AREAS] Section Variables

Tag area filtering is a process whereby you may prevent certain tags that have been configured with a given Area property from loading at startup. When employed within an application's Config.ini file (see Config.ini [AREAS] Section Variables), tags with the specified Area property will not be loaded on any workstation running the application. When employed within a workstation.ini file or files, tags with the specified Area property will not be loaded on the applicable workstation(s). By combining tag area filtering for all workstations (i.e. using Config.ini), and custom area filtering on specific workstations (i.e. using workstation.ini files), you can restrict certain groups of tags from loading at startup for all workstations running the application, and then further restrict other groups of tags from loading at startup for selected workstations, thereby reducing the amount of memory required to run the application.

The commonly used application for tag area filtering is on individual workstations where memory is limited, and certain workstations do not require access to all of your application's tags (e.g. in a large plant where a certain plant section is beyond the responsibility of operators in other sections); or where you wish to ensure that your application does not exceed the maximum number of tags permitted according to the licensing restrictions for your VTS installation. This section discusses tag area filtering on individual workstations using a workstation.ini file.

Creating a Workstation.ini File

As discussed in Introduction to Workstation.ini, a workstation.ini file may set the same variables as those that can be included in your application's Config.ini file; however, because the workstation.ini file is named for a specific PC, the variables will only affect that PC (for example, a workstation.ini file named, "Workstation09.ini" will only affect the workstation named "Workstation09").

AreaFilter and AreaExclude Variables

Prior to indicating the tag areas you wish to load on the specified PC, you must set two important variables in the [SYSTEM] section of that PC's workstation.ini file. These are:

•      AreaFiltering: The AreaFiltering variable determines whether or not area filtering should be present in your application. To turn area filtering on, set AreaFiltering to 1 in the workstation.ini file as follows:

[SYSTEM]

AreaFiltering = 1

•      AreaExclude: The AreaExclude variable determines what should be done for those areas not referenced to load. To prevent unlisted areas from loading at startup, set AreaExclude to 1 as follows:

[SYSTEM]

AreaFiltering = 1

AreaExclude = 1

(Should AreaExclude be set to 0, then unlisted areas will be loaded at startup, rather than being excluded from loading.)

Once you have set the above two variables, you may begin to list the areas you wish to load at startup.

[AREAS] Section

When added to a workstation.ini file, the [AREAS] section enables you to perform application-wide tag area filtering. In summary, you simply list the tag areas (i.e. the Area property configured on the ID tab of each tag's properties folder) you wish to load, followed by an equals sign, followed by a 1. An example is displayed below.

[AREAS]

AreaA = 1

AreaB = 1

The result of this example is that tags configured with AreaA and/or AreaB as their Area property will be loaded at startup on the applicable workstation. Additionally, any areas not referenced under the [AREAS] section (e.g. AreaC or AreaD) will not be loaded, as the AreaExclude variable is set to 1.

The section that follows discusses alarm area filtering that can also be achieved using a workstation.ini configuration file.