# How Can I setting alarms checking the bits (trigger) of the INT word

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-can-i-setting-alarms-checking-the-bits-trigger-of-the-int-word/71111>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Created:** [March 15, 2023, 5:45pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-can-i-setting-alarms-checking-the-bits-trigger-of-the-int-word/71111 "2023-03-15T17:45:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Alexander\_Rivera\_San](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e95f7d/32.png) [@Alexander\_Rivera\_San](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Alexander_Rivera_San)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2023, 5:45pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-can-i-setting-alarms-checking-the-bits-trigger-of-the-int-word/71111/1 "2023-03-15T17:45:34Z")

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Hey Guys.

I have a tag called AlarmPLC (DINT word) configured in the tags folder (Ignition). This tag is linked by OPC Server to my PLC. I would like to know how to configure alarms checking the bits of this tag created in the Ignition. for instance:

Alarm 1 -\> AlarmPLC.0  
Alarm 2 -\> AlarmPLC.1

NOTE: I don't want to check the word AlarmPLC via OPC bit by bit because is inefficient way.

Thanks a lot for your contribution

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**Author:** ![zacht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ea5d25/32.png) [@zacht](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/zacht)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2023, 6:13pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-can-i-setting-alarms-checking-the-bits-trigger-of-the-int-word/71111/2 "2023-03-15T18:13:52Z")

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To answer the question you asked, you can make multiple alarms on `AlarmPLC` and use Mode=Bit State on each alarm.

That said,

> [@Alexander\_Rivera\_San](#):
>
> I don't want to check the word AlarmPLC via OPC bit by bit because is inefficient way.

I'm not sure this is true. Ignition optimizes pretty well and the convenience of having a tag per alarm may be worth the (probably very small) performance hit.

Manual section on alarms. Search for Bit State: [Tag Alarm Properties - Ignition User Manual 8.1 - Ignition Documentation](https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/display/DOC81/Tag+Alarm+Properties)

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**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2023, 6:53pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-can-i-setting-alarms-checking-the-bits-trigger-of-the-int-word/71111/3 "2023-03-15T18:53:06Z")

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> [@zacht](#):
>
> That said,
> 
> > [@Alexander\_Rivera\_San](#):
> >
> > I don't want to check the word AlarmPLC via OPC bit by bit because is inefficient way.
> 
> I'm not sure this is true. Ignition optimizes pretty well

Correct. Ignition's driver will notice that you are asking for bits of an integer (with or without also getting the integer) and will make a single read to satisfy all of the OPC items that want that value.

I recommend making the individual boolean tags.

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**Author:** ![Alexander\_Rivera\_San](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e95f7d/32.png) [@Alexander\_Rivera\_San](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Alexander_Rivera_San)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-can-i-setting-alarms-checking-the-bits-trigger-of-the-int-word/71111/4 "2023-03-15T19:31:56Z")

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Zacht, your answer using mode = Bit State is what I was looking for.

Thank so much for your help.