I am trying to create templates to replace HMIs that we have done in FactoryTalk View. One feature that FT View has is parameter lists. You can load a list of parameters that can be used throughout the screen.I understand this is not a part of ignition vision but what I am trying to do using the Custom Properties (This is what I view as analogous to parameter lists) is double reference. Such that I create a template with a custom property. Then I place that template in a screen and I want to be able to make such that I can alter the screen’s custom properties and have the template’s custom property reference whatever the current screen’s property is.
Vision windows can receive parameters from the caller into named properties of the window’s root container. The caller’s script simply includes a dictionary containing the values to pass attached to keys matching the property names. Any keys not present in the dictionary, or when no dictionary is supplied, yield the designer’s last saved value in the root container property.
For me, I only used one or two tags in a list. Parameter files, a bit different. So, you are just passing in a tag for the placeholder. Ignition is no different. UDTs make this a whole lot easier.
I never used parameter files as I found them clumsy. I would always pass in a single string such as the device name and use that in my tag references. Parameters themselves in FT are a bit hard to use. In Ignition, parameters/properties are simply data types and you can use them intelligently as such. In FT, parameters are only treated as substitutions in a tag path, nothing more. If you want to pass in eng units, a boolean flag, or maybe a max range value, you're mostly out of luck! All possible in Ignition. Of course, in Ignition you would most likely reference the tag's properties for these values which isn't possible in FT.
Ok, with that out the way, to answer your question, I would create tag path properties in the template (i use two: deviceParentPath and deviceName, then I combine these in another property called deviceTagPath). I'm not sure what your page is used for and the reason for using a page property, but on the page, for example you might have another set of device path properties that then you would pass onto the templates on your screen. The page might display 1 of 4 tanks for example that each have their own devices, and a tab strip to switch between tanks which would simply change the page's device property values. You would pass the page's deviceTagPath to the templates' deviceParentPath, and then set their deviceName values accordingly