RSLogix5000 tagnames

[Gerry 13]

Terminology: The SLC has a structured data table with specific areas for timers, counters, bits, etc. RSLogix500 gives you the option of referring to a data table address via an often-cryptic 10-character symbol. ControlLogix has no pre-defined structure. In physical memory, a timer may follow immediately after a counter, followed by a string, all jumbled together. The locations are referred to by tags, which can be up to 40 characters long. I definitely fall into the "oldish" category, and I am not a big fan of symbols. While they might help in initial programming of a system, I don't think they offer anything that can't be included in a good description. Maybe these preferences stem from doing after-the-fact documentation with a Xycom system (it had 8-in. floppies, so did the Advisor HMI) which only offered descriptions and rung comments. I don't think the early PC packages (Taylor, ICOM, Teledenken) offered symbols either. On ControlLogix, I like to keep tag names brief (but not cryptic) to avoid excessive rung-wrapping.