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This chapter presents a high level description of concepts used in TAN, that user needs to know about to fully understand the module.
Auto Naming Expression
A basic template for defining what Tags can be created using TAN is called Tag Expression. Tag Expression is a series of Chunks delimited using ; (semicolon). When creating Tags, Chunk names in the Expression will get replaced to the actual values and form an actual Tag Number.
Chunk Types
There are 4 types of Chunks that can be used in the Expression:
1)Property Chunks:
a)Discipline Shortcode Chunk - denoted as Disc in the Expression,
b)Classification Shortcode Chunk - denoted as Class in the Expression,
c)Location Shortcode Chunk - denoted as Loc in the Expression.
2)X4D Attribute Chunk - denoted with Attribute Name in the Expression
Example: For Attribute named "Gauge" use Gauge in the Expression.
3)Counter Chunk - unique and auto-incremented (or set manually) Chunk for Tag numbering in the sequence - use Counter<n> where <n> is a count of digits that Counter should be aligned to.
Example: Counter5 for 5 digits like TAG-00001.
4)Static text Chunks - if Chunk name could not be resolved to any of the above, it is treated as a static text Chunk.
Example: - will always result in - in the Tag Number (unless there is an Attribute named "-").
Example: "Flow" is X4D Attribute. When creating Tags using Expression Disc;-;Class;-;Flow;-;Counter4 for Discipline "Piping - P", Classification "Valve - V", and "Flow" value="2", Tag Numbers generated will be P-V-2-0001, P-V-2-0002, etc.
Optional Chunks
// TODO
Dependent Chunks
// TODO
Core Tag Expression
Core Expression is a unit which is an entry point for both TAN configuration and Tag creation. It defines a top level Tag Number.
Display Tag Expression
For each Core Expression, multiple Display Expressions can be defined. When creating Tags, a single Display Expression needs to be chosen. Tag Number generated from this Expression will be stored under main Tag in "Display Tag" Attribute.
Part Tag Expression
// TODO: after we stabilize the feature
Tag Expression Reference
// TODO: after we stabilize the feature
Counters
As shown above, a Tag created from Expression can (and should have) a single Counter. It cannot have more than one counter. Counters cannot be used in Part Tag Expressions, as they already inherit the counter from their main Tags.
Counter Modes
During Tag creation, user can control how the counter should behave. There exists 3 modes of Counter assignment during Tag creation:
1)Next Counter mode - Counter value will be assigned based on previous Tags created in TAN.
2)Manual Start Value - Counter value will be assigned sequentially from an user selected value.
3)Manual Values - Counter value will be assigned from user selected values delimited using , (comma) or ; (semicolon).
Unique Counters
The Next Counter mode has the property that it will continue to increment itself regardless of Discipline, Classification, Location or Attribute Values selected for created Tag. However, there may be cases when it is required to have individual Counters for different Core Expression Chunk valuations. To do that follow the Chunk name in the Expression with ! (exclamation mark).
Example: "Area" is X4D Attribute. To create Tags with reset Counters for each "Area" Attribute valuation and selected Discipline Shortcode combination, follow both with !. Expression Area!-;Disc!-;Counter4 for "Area" value="10" and Discipline "Piping - P" will generate Tags 10-P-0001, 10-P-0002, etc. After these Tags are committed, if another Tags were generated for an Expression without Unique Counters and "Area" value="15" or Discipline "Instruments - I" (or both changed), the Counter would continue to increment (so 15-I-0003, ...). But with both "Area" Attribute and Discipline Shortcode Chunks set to Unique Counters, Tags generated for this case will be 15-I-0001, 15-I-0002, etc.
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