Modifying default actions

Unless all the defaults for actions of a writable point are acceptable (display names, all actions available, default user access), you may wish to modify action defaults. You can do this selectively from the slot sheet of the writable point.

Or, using facets you can limit the duration of manual overrides.

The following sections provide more details on slot sheet techniques:

  • Display names — Change how the point’s action menu lists available actions

  • Action access — Limit the actions that are made available, either by user level or for all users

    Note: As a global alternative to editing display names on slot sheets, you can edit the default values of lexicon keys, in this case for the control module for action type slots. For details, see the Niagara Lexicon Guide.

    You can also modify the display name of the same action in multiple points in a single operation, using the (default) Batch Editor view of the station’s ProgramService (Config > Services > ProgramService). This is one of many examples of using the Batch Editor.

    You can use the Batch Editor to modify a config flag of the same slot on multiple components in a single operation.

Display names

By default, action display names are generic (Emergency Inactive and so on). You can change the display name for any action. From the slot sheet, click on an action’s Display Name for an editor. When you change a display name from defaults, it appears listed in bold.

Figure 1. Editing action display names from slot sheet


When a user invokes an action, the menu lists possible actions by more meaningful descriptors. For example, you could change the set action display name from Set to Set Fallback.

Action access

By default, for any writable point, all actions are available to any admin-level user, and all actions except emergency-level ones are available to an operator-level user. As needed, you can selectively hide actions (from any level user), or change default permissions for actions.

Note: From a Px widget, you can also disable Px access to a bound writable point’s actions, by setting the popupEnabled binding property of the widget to false. In this case, access to the point’s actions would still be available from the point’s property sheet or in the wire sheet, unless otherwise changed from its slot sheet. For related Px details, see the Niagara Graphics Guide.

From the slot sheet, do this by editing the action’s config flags (right-click the action and select Config Flags as shown below.

Figure 2. Editing config flags of action to hide or change permission level


In the Config Flags editor, you click to assign or remove config flags. As pertains to action slots, the following flags are most often changed:

  • Operator

    If checked, only operator-level access is needed to invoke the action. If cleared, admin-level access is needed.

  • Confirm Required

    If checked, the action is invoked. By default, this flag is cleared.

  • Hidden

    If checked, the action does not appear (is hidden) from the action menu—for any user. You may wish to do this selectively for some actions, for example, the set action for Fallback access. (Note that a user with admin-level rights to the point may still access the point’s slot sheet.)