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Overview

Tags have the ability to define any number of alarms. Each alarm is a condition that will be evaluated when the value of the Tag changes. When the condition becomes true, the alarm is said to be active. When it becomes false, the alarm is said to be cleared.  

To add an alarm to a Tag, click the Edit icon next to Alarms.  The Alarms screen is displayed.

Click the Add  icon to add an alarm. The table below lists all the Tag Alarm property settings.

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Tag Scripts



Alarm Property Reference

The table in this section provides a description of alarm properties. 

Alarms in Scripting

When interacting with the tags system in via scripting, such as with the system.tag.configure function, alarms are represented as a JSON array of JSON objects, where each object contains the configurations for a single alarm. Thus, any scripting names here are assumed to exist under the alarms array.

Reference Table

Property Name

Binding/Scripting Name

Description

Datatype

Applicable Tag Type

Main

Name
name
Identifier of the alarm. Combined with the location of the alarm, this will be the unique alarm ID. For dynamic values, used Label or Display Path.StringOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Enabled
enabled
This boolean determines whether or not the alarm will be evaluated. A disabled alarm's condition will not be evaluated, and thus will not generate any alarm events.BooleanOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Priority
priority

The priority or severity of this alarm. Alarm priorities can be examined by many other systems in Ignition, including the visualization modules, pipelines, and even scripting.

String

PriorityJSON Name
Diagnostic
Diagnostic
Low
Low
Medium
Medium
High
High
Critical
Critical
OPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Timestamp Source
timestampSource
Indicates where the timestamp for the alarm event should come from: the system time of when the event was generated (i.e., the Gateway's time), or the timestamp of the value that triggered the the event (i.e., the timestamp of the value from the OPC server).

String

Timestamp SourceJSON NameInt Value
System
System
0
Value
Value
1
OPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Label
label

An optional name that will be used for display purposes. Provides a dynamic alternative to the static name property. If left blank, the name will be used.

StringOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Display Path
displayPath
Optional text that will be used for display and browsing purposes. If this is blank, this property will show the path to the Tag and the name of the alarm instead.StringOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Ack Mode
ackMode

Dictates how acknowledgement works for the alarm.

  • Unused - Any alarm event that is generated will automatically be marked as acknowledged.
  • Auto - The alarm is acknowledged automatically when the alarm becomes cleared.
  • Manual - The alarm is never set to be acknowledged by the system, and it is up to the user to manually acknowledge alarms.

String

Ack ModeJSON NameInt Value
Unused
Unused
0
Auto
Auto
1
Manual
Manual
2
OPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Notes
notes
A place for any free-form documentation about the alarm that can be displayed to users.StringOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Ack Notes Required
ackNotesReqd
If this setting is true, the operators will be required to provide some explanation when the alarm is acknowledged.BooleanOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Shelving Allowed
shelvingAllowed
If this setting is false, the shelving feature will be unavailable for this alarm.BooleanOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory

Alarm Mode Settings

Mode
mode

This setting controls what condition this alarm is evaluating. The available modes are as follows:

  • Equal - Active when the Tag's value equals the alarm's setpoint.
  • Not Equal - Active when the Tag's value does not equal the alarm's setpoint.
  • Above Setpoint - Active when the Tag's value is above the alarm's setpoint.
  • Below Setpoint - Active when the Tag's value is below the alarm's setpoint.
  • Between Setpoints - Active when the Tag's value is between the low and high setpoints. If any change is true, an event will be generated for each value change between the setpoints.
  • Outside Setpoints - Active when the Tag's value falls outside the low and high setpoints. If any change is true, an event will be generated for each value change outside the setpoints.
  • Out of Range - The same as Outside Setpoints, but uses the Tag's Engineering High and Engineering Low as the high and low setpoints.
  • Bad Quality - Active if the Tag value becomes a bad quality, for example, on communication loss.
  • Any Change - An alarm event is generated every time the Tag value changes. Note that this alarm will never be "active" because each active event is paired with a matching clear event, instantly. 
  • Bit State - This alarm mode is used to alarm when a specific bit out of an integer Tag becomes high. You must specify which bit position to use, with zero being the least significant bit. The On Zero property is used to invert the logic and alarm when the bit is low. 
  • On Condition - This free-form alarm mode is used for when you want to specify the condition using an expression or another Tag. To do this, bind the "Is Active" property to an appropriate expression or Tag.

String

ModeJSON Name
Equal
Equality
Not Equal
Inequality
Above Setpoint
AboveValue
Below Setpoint
BelowValue
Between Setpoints
BetweenValues
Outside Setpoints
OutsideValues
Out of Range
OutOfEngRange
Bad Quality
BadQuality
Any Change
AnyChange
Bit State
Bit
On Condition
OnCondition
OPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory

Setpoint/Low Setpoint

setpointA

Used to determine if the alarm is active by comparing this value to the the tag value.

Some modes under the Mode property allow for multiple setpoints (i.e., a low setpoint and a high setpoint). In these cases, this property is considered to be the Low setpoint.

NumericOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory

Inclusive


inclusiveA
If true, the Setpoint  value is used inclusively for the condition to alarm.BooleanOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
High Setpoint
setpointB
The high value used to initiate an alarm when the alarm mode calls for two setpoints. Available for modes: Between Setpoint, Outside Setpoints.NumericOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
High Inclusive
inclusiveB
If true, the High Setpoint value is used inclusively for the condition to alarm. Available for modes: Between Setpoint, Outside Setpoints.BooleanOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Any Change
anyChange

If true, will alarm on each value change given the alarm mode conditions are met.

This alarm will never be "active" because each active event is paired with a matching clear event, instantly. Available for modes: Above Setpoint, Below Setpoint, Between Setpoints, and Outside Setpoints.

BooleanOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
On Zero
bitOnZero
If true, will alarm when the specified bit is not high (when the bit is 0).BooleanOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Bit Position
bitPosition
The position of the bit, starting at 0 that will be watched. Available for modes: Bit State.NumericOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Is Active
activeCondition
When this property is active, the alarm will be active. Typically has a binding of some sort that will be used to determine when the alarm goes active. If the expression evaluates to True, the alarm is active. If the expression evaluates to False, the alarm is not active.BooleanOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory

Deadbands and Time Delays

Deadband
deadband

The value for the deadband, interpreted according to the Deadband mode. Note that all alarms are only evaluated after the Tag's value changes, which means that the Tag's own deadband will be considered first.

When the deadband is positive, an active alarm condition needs to clear its setpoint(s) by the amount of the deadband for the alarm to clear. For example, suppose you had a Between Setpoints alarm with a low setpoint of 50 and a high setpoint of 70, and with a deadband of 2. The alarm will go active if the value is between 50 and 70, but will only clear if the value falls below 48 or rises above 72.

NumericOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Deadband Mode
deadbandMode

Defines how the deadband value is used.

  • Absolute - The deadband setting is considered to be an absolute value.
  • Percent - The actual deadband is calculated as a percent of the Tag's engineering unit span.

Numeric

Alarming Deadband ModeJSON Name
Absolute
Absolute
Percent
Percent
OPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memoryy
Active Delay
timeOnDelaySeconds
The time, in seconds, before the alarm will be considered active after the alarm's condition becomes true. Also known as a "rising edge time deadband."NumericOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Clear Delay
timeOffDelaySeconds
The time, in seconds, before an active alarm will be considered clear after the alarm's condition becomes false. Also known as a "falling edge time deadband."NumericOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory

Notification Properties

Active Pipeline
activePipeline
The name of an alarm notification pipeline to put this alarm into when it becomes active in order to send out active alarm messages. Many alarms may share a single pipeline.StringOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Clear Pipeline
clearPipeline
The name of an alarm notification pipeline to put this alarm into when it becomes cleared in order to send out cleared messages.StringOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Ack Pipeline
ackPipeline
The name of the alarm notification pipeline to put this alarm into when the alarm has been acknowledged.StringOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory

Email Notification Properties

Custom Subject
CustomEmailSubject
A string that will be used as the subject line of an email notification message. If blank, the message settings defined on the notification block that sent the email out will be used instead.StringOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory
Custom Message
CustomEmailMessage
A string that will be used as the body of this alarm's email notification message. If blank, the message settings defined on the notification block that sent the email out will be used instead.StringOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory

SMS Notification Properties

Custom Message
CustomSmsMessage
If specified, will be used for the SMS message. If blank, the message defined in the notification block will be used.StringOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory

Associated Data

User Defined Data
Associated Data are custom alarm properties that can be added to any alarm. These properties will often be bound to other Tags that represent associated contextual data that may be related to the alarm. A snapshot of the values of these properties will be taken when the alarm becomes active. These values will be attached to the alarm event as it moves through the rest of the alarming system, meaning that the values will be available from the alarm status system, the alarm journal system, and in the alarm notification system.StringOPC, Query, Expression, Derived, Reference, Memory


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Runtime Tag Alarm Properties

There are a number of very useful Runtime Alarm Tag Properties that expose helpful information on the count of alarms in various states, priority, and shelved alarms.

Property NameDescription
ActiveAckCountThe number of alarms on the Tag that are both Active and Acknowledged.
ActiveUnackCountThe number of alarms on the Tag that are both Active and Unacknowledged.
ClearUnackCountThe number of alarms on the Tag that are both Clear and Unacknowledged.
HasActiveTrue, if the Tag has at least one Active alarm. False, if there are zero alarms.
HasUnacknowledgedTrue, if the Tag has at least one Unacknowledged alarm. False, if there are zero Unacknowledged alarms.
HighestAckedNameThe Name of the highest Acknowledged alarm, ranked by Priority.
HighestAckedPriorityThe highest Priority of all Acknowledged alarms on the Tag.
HighestActiveNameThe Name of the highest Active alarm, ranked by Priority.
HighestActivePriorityThe highest Priority of all Active alarms on the Tag.
HighestUnackedNameThe Name of the highest Unacknowledged alarm, ranked by Priority.
HighestUnackedPriorityThe highest Priority of all Unacknowledged alarms on the Tag.
LastActiveTimeA timestamp representing the last time an alarm went Active on the Tag.
ShelvedCountThe number of currently shelved alarms on the Tag.


Binding

Many alarm properties are bindable, which means they can be bound to other Tags in the system, or expressions. For example, you might bind the enabled property to another Tag which represents whether or not your process is running, thereby, disabling the alarm when production is stopped. Another example is you might bind the setpoint of an alarm to a Tag that operators can manipulate, thereby, letting the setpoint be changed at runtime. For more information, see Configuring Alarms.

To bind an alarm property of a Tag, click on the Binding  icon, and the binding UI will slide in from the right. 



From here, you can select the binding type (No Binding, Tag, Expression, or UDT Parameter, if applicable). 


Binding to an Expression can reference many useful values such as the Tag's value and other settings of the alarm. 


When you configured the binding to your liking, click the Commit button. 


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