# "-" in static string value for Multi-Instance wizard

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/in-static-string-value-for-multi-instance-wizard/22487>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Created:** [February 11, 2019, 10:38pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/in-static-string-value-for-multi-instance-wizard/22487 "2019-02-11T22:38:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nicklas.thystrup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee59a6/32.png) [@nicklas.thystrup](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nicklas.thystrup)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 10:38pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/in-static-string-value-for-multi-instance-wizard/22487/1 "2019-02-11T22:38:41Z")

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I am trying to use the multi-instance wizard to create a huge amount of UDT tags. One of my parameters is the OPC server as a string. I’m using the default ignition OPC server, “Ignition OPC-UA Server”. When I try to enter this as a static string value in the multi-instance wizard, it errors because it is interpreting the “-” as a range. Is there a way to indicate the entered pattern is a static value?

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/2X/7/70e53663ce62e76bb8f60e022380cea72f579a24.png)

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**Author:** ![mrogers](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/mrogers/32/4110_2.png) [@mrogers](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/mrogers)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 11:35pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/in-static-string-value-for-multi-instance-wizard/22487/2 "2019-02-11T23:35:36Z")

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As far as I know there isn’t (though I wonder if a \ before the dash would do what you want?). But, one way you could do things is import them using some short but unique character string like “_^_”, make the UDTs, then export the ones you just created and open them in a text editor. Do a find/replace for that string and replace it with a normal dash, then import them back in.

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**Author:** ![nicklas.thystrup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee59a6/32.png) [@nicklas.thystrup](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nicklas.thystrup)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 9:59pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/in-static-string-value-for-multi-instance-wizard/22487/3 "2019-02-12T21:59:48Z")

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The \ didn’t work out, but I just ended up using a “ReplaceMe” string and then used find and replace in Ignition.

Thanks!