# Ignition Gateway Setup Pre-Startup

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-gateway-setup-pre-startup/57365>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [March 18, 2022, 3:57pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-gateway-setup-pre-startup/57365 "2022-03-18T15:57:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![amarks](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/amarks/32/45610_2.png) [@amarks](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/amarks)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2022, 3:57pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-gateway-setup-pre-startup/57365/1 "2022-03-18T15:57:23Z")

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I have a new panel that we will be installing in the future. I will be creating an Ignition project to interact with the panel.

I’ve added my PLC to the gateway as a device connection. However, I do not have physical access to the components yet, but the program has been written and I know all of the tags that Ignition will need access to.

How can I create all of my tag connections without physical connection to the device so that those connections exist once the panel is started up?

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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 18, 2022, 5:11pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-gateway-setup-pre-startup/57365/2 "2022-03-18T17:11:18Z")

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Depends on the brand of PLC. If you are lucky (running a Logix PLC), then you can use my EtherNet/IP module to pretend to be your PLC. See this topic for instructions:

> [@AB PLC tag import/export](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ab-plc-tag-import-export/33050/2):
>
> You might find [my Ethernet/IP module](https://inductiveautomation.com/moduleshowcase/module/automation-professionals-llc-ethernetip-class-1-communications) useful for this, without needing to buy it. Export the Logix 5000 project in L5X format. You can import that into an instance of my driver and it will render the data types and tags into my module’s virtual controller. OPC item syntax is identical to that in Ignition’s own Logix v21+ driver (with a handful of exceptions). For even more fidelity, do the above in another Ignition gateway, and let the first gateway connect to it with the normal v21 driver. W…

If not AB, but lucky enough to be using Modbus, you can use my Advanced Modbus module's server driver to pretend to be your PLC.

If not lucky, you might be able to get the device simulator to pretend to have your OPC item paths.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![amarks](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/amarks/32/45610_2.png) [@amarks](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/amarks)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2022, 2:13pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-gateway-setup-pre-startup/57365/3 "2022-05-02T14:13:48Z")

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For anyone still wondering about this, I did find a decent solution (for AB systems anyway).

There’s the L5K Parser ([Ignition Exchange | Inductive Automation](https://www.inductiveautomation.com/exchange/2114/overview)) that allows you to import tags and UDTs directly from a project L5K backup file. You can also export all tags (with expanded UDTs) to a CSV and use that for a simulation device. I now have 2 OPC devices, one the physical device, and the second a simulator. By renaming/swapping the names for the physical device and the simulator I can quickly switch back and forth between the CSV (for testing) and the physical device connection (for deployment).