Tags, decoding & import

Views answer “what should Busloom read?” Tags answer “what does the data mean?” A tag begins at one PDU address and may consume one bit, one word, or several consecutive words depending on its codec.

Tag anatomy

Identity

Name, address space, starting PDU address, group, and manual order.

Codec

Boolean, signed/unsigned integer, float, ASCII, hexadecimal, or binary plus required register count.

Layout

Byte and word order for multi-register values.

Engineering semantics

Scale, offset, precision, unit, limits, and value labels.

A safe decoding workflow

1. Name the raw location

   Create the tag with the correct address space and PDU address. Do not compensate for addressing mistakes with a scale or word swap.

2. Choose the codec

   Match the vendor's width and signedness. Ensure the source view includes every consumed word.

3. Prove layout

   Use hexadecimal raw words and a known device value to establish byte/word order.

4. Apply scale and offset

   Only after the raw numeric value is correct, add the documented engineering conversion.

5. Add presentation

   Set unit, precision, value labels, and limits. These should communicate meaning, not hide uncertainty.

6. Test boundary values

   Verify zero, negative values, high range, or enumerated states where possible.

Import a vendor register map

Busloom imports CSV, TSV, and XLSX through a preview rather than guessing column meaning. Choose whether source addresses are PDU offsets or documentation addresses, map columns to Busloom fields, review validation errors, then decide whether conflicts add only or update existing tags.