# Creating OPC Tags in an offline development environment

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/creating-opc-tags-in-an-offline-development-environment/16228>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Created:** [December 6, 2017, 3:35pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/creating-opc-tags-in-an-offline-development-environment/16228 "2017-12-06T15:35:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MikeAllgood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@MikeAllgood](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/MikeAllgood)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 3:35pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/creating-opc-tags-in-an-offline-development-environment/16228/1 "2017-12-06T15:35:32Z")

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I’m building a project in version 7.9.4 of the Ignition product. The design/build environment does not have access to the PLCs (real or emulated) that will be used in the system. The PLCs being used are AB Logix 5000. Is there a way to take a tag export of the PLC(s) tag database and import that into my Gateway/Project? Is there a preferred (best practice) way to create this configuration offline (with respect to the PLCs)?

Thanks,  
Mike

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**Author:** ![brandon1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@brandon1](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/brandon1)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/creating-opc-tags-in-an-offline-development-environment/16228/2 "2017-12-06T15:50:57Z")

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> [@MikeAllgood](#):
>
> Is there a way to take a tag export of the PLC(s) tag database and import that into my Gateway/Project?

I would recommend looking at [Importing and Exporting Tags](https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/display/DOC79/Importing+and+Exporting+Tags) section of the ignition online manual. Basically you will have to transform the export of your PLC tag database into a structure that Ignition understands.

> [@MikeAllgood](#):
>
> Is there a preferred (best practice) way to create this configuration offline (with respect to the PLCs)?

I'm assuming you mean creating the OPC tags in Ignition. We have created macros that produces the XML so that we capture the alarms we want to configure for the tags. Specifically this marco converts a InTouch tag dump to Ignition XML: import file.  
Using the CSV format will allow you to create the tag structure, you just don't get alarm configuration.

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**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Dutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@Jonathan\_Dutton](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Jonathan_Dutton)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 4:02pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/creating-opc-tags-in-an-offline-development-environment/16228/3 "2024-07-12T16:02:13Z")

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This is exactly what I am trying to do, use an old InTouch dump for the new Ignition tag database. Any instruction on how to access and use the macros?

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**Author:** ![brandon1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@brandon1](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/brandon1)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 5:52pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/creating-opc-tags-in-an-offline-development-environment/16228/4 "2024-07-12T17:52:19Z")

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The macros our an internal tool for us. I would recommend you look into using this: [Ignition Exchange | Inductive Automation](https://inductiveautomation.com/exchange/2440/overview)

I have been using it recently and it can work to create a tag even the alarms if you know how to create the object string for alarms.