You use the Domain Explorer to create and manage your current domain items. The Domain Explorer displays instrumentation items according to hierarchical structure. You can arrange the hierarchical structure of the data according to the item types, the physical location of the items, or the item sequence within their parent item.
The Domain Explorer enables you to perform almost all the actions that are possible in the Smart Instrumentation modules. For example, you can create new tag numbers, edit their properties, create and edit wiring items, open the Connection window make wiring connections, generate various data sheets, reports, and so forth. Also, you can copy items from the Reference Explorer and this way create items based on reference configurations on the fly.
Working with the Domain Explorer is another mode of working with Smart Instrumentation, just like working with Smart Instrumentation modules.
You can open the Domain Explorer from anywhere in Smart Instrumentation. Press F7 or select Tools > Domain Explorer.
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Depending on the access rights that have been granted to you, the Domain Explorer allows you to perform actions with Smart Instrumentation items that belong to all the existing plants in your domain and not just with the items in the plant that you have currently logged in.
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You can expand the hierarchy of any <unit> and view the item structure. Process data, or calculation sheets are only accessible from the <unit> you have logged on to. However, you can open and edit specification sheets in units you are not currently logged onto, from the following modules:
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Domain Explorer
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Browser
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Spec Binder
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Global Revision
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The main features of the Domain Explorer are:
List of Custom Views
A drop down list where you can select the view required. By default, the Domain Explorer is displayed.
New Custom View 
Opens the Custom View Properties dialog where you can define custom views.
Toolbar
Refresh 
Updates the Domain Explorer display. This feature is useful where multiple users are working on the same set of data.
Filter 
Allows you to filter the items in the Domain Explorer display. You can use this toolbar command if you do one of the following:
Select a tree view node whose immediate child items are folders and not plant items — this allows you to filter the entire tree view according to a specific item type that you select from the Items Type list on the Filter Definition dialog.
Select any tree view node or folder that contains child item to filter that node or folder according to a specific item type.
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Any filter definition that you define using the Filter Definition is saved in the current instance, and is applied to future Explorer instances, until you clear the filter.
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When applying a filter the to Cables folder, Fieldbus Home-run cables are always displayed in the results, regardless of the filter criteria selected. For example if you filter Cable Name = 100 all the cables that contain 100 in their name are displayed as well as any Home run cables in the folder. To filter just cables with out the Home run cables you need to apply 2 filters. For more information, see Applying Filters to a Cable Folder - Example.
Help 
Smart Instrumentation on-line help.
Tree View Pane
The tree view pane of the Domain Explorer opens on the domain you selected after login in to Smart Instrumentation. The software applies a filter to display only the Plant, Area, and Unit that you
selected when you logged in to Smart Instrumentation. A filter icon (
) next to the Plant, Area, and Unit nodes indicates that you are viewing a filtered
Explorer. This filter can be cleared from within the Filter Definition dialog. When you reopen Smart Instrumentation, the software defined filter is reapplied on the Domain Explorer. However, if you
clear the software defined filter, and create your own filter using the Filter Definition,
your filter is saved when you reopen Smart Instrumentation.
The tree view pane of the Domain Explorer shows instrumentation items organized by folders. Smart Instrumentation defines standard folders in the database. You cannot move or delete these folders, nor can you add new folders. Each folder contains an item type, and the options available on the menus depend on the selected item type.
Expand or collapse the hierarchy by selecting the 
and 
icons respectively or by double-clicking a folder. Expand a folder to display the
items. If you cannot expand a folder, that folder is empty. To perform an action,
right-click a folder or an item and then select a command. Also, to move an item to
another parent item, drag that item to another folder or a parent item as you require.
The following is a brief description of the item arrangement in the folders:
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Loops and instrument tags are arranged at the lowest level of the plant hierarchy. You can navigate to a loop or an instrument tag by expanding the plant hierarchy. Continue expanding your plant hierarchy to display the Loops and Instruments folders. The Instruments folder contains all the existing instrument tags in the current <unit>. Instrument tags can be parent items of CS tags, specification sheets, process data sheets, and any other documents that are associated with the selected tag number. Also, there are several other folders that contain view-only information.
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Panels are arranged by their locations and categories. Therefore, you can access a panel and its child items by expanding the Panels by Location or Panels by Category folder. Panels, in turn, contain other wiring items such as racks, wiring equipment, terminal strips, and so forth.
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Cables and their child items are arranged in a separate folder. There is also a separate folder for cross cables.
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Process equipment and lines are arranged in separate folders. Right-clicking the Process Equipment folder allows you to create a new process equipment item. Right-clicking the Lines folder allows you to create a new line.
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Hook-ups are arranged in a folder at top level of the tree view. You can expand the Hook-Ups folder to access all the existing hook-ups and their child items. Right-clicking the Hook-Ups folder allows you to create a new hook-up types and hook-ups.
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CAD drawing are arranged in the Drawing Block Types folder at top level of the tree view. You can expand the Drawing Block Types folder to access all the existing block types and blocks. In this folder, you create your current <plant> blocks but you do not make any associations. You can associate blocks with loops or instruments only in the Loops folder or using the Loop Drawings module options.
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There are several other folders at the top level of the tree view. These folders hold P&IDs, Telecom panels, Foundation Fieldbus segments, controllers, and test equipment. Note that some of these folders only display the existing items and do not allow you to create new ones.
For a detailed explanation of all the folders in the Domain Explorer, see Organization of Items in the Domain Explorer Tree View.
Item status indicators
The software uses various icons beside a folder or item to indicate the status of a folder or an item, for example access denied, view only, an item that belongs to As-Built, and so forth. For the full list of the item indicators, see Item Status Indicators in the Domain Explorer.
Favorites Tab
Allows you to store your frequently used items, as well as organize them in folders. You can select one or more items from the Domain and Reference Explorer, and choose to save them in your favorites tab. To make your favorites easier to track, you can create and organize them in folders. You can open the Favorites from the Tools menu.
For more information on how to create favorites, see Create and Organize Items in the Favorites Tab.
List Count
Displays the number of items contained in the selected folder.
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After exiting Smart Instrumentation, and starting a new session, the software retains the size and position of all the windows that were open in the previous session.
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Some Smart Instrumentation modules have their own Explorers. These are just limited views of the Domain Explorer and they contain items specific to their modules.
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When using the Go To search functionality on a custom explorer view, the custom explorer view must be selected and all its folders expanded.