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Transferring Z Tags matched EID/VID tags to a 5000 indicator

This shows how to download a Z Tags ‘tags file’ (with matched EID and VID tags) from the Z Tags website and upload it for use on your XR5000, ID5000 or JR5000 weigh scale indicator.

This article applies to:

  • XRS2i, XRS2, SRS2i and SRS2 EID stick readers.

  • New Zealand customers only

Let’s look at this common scenario of how and why you would want to do this.

Scenario:

You could be a stud sheep or beef farmer buying matched EID and VID tags. You want to upload the tags file to your indicator prior to a weighing session with the animals. This will allow you access to animal VID information during a weighing session so that you can:

  1. apply the correct VID tag to an animal without one. Once you have scanned that animal’s EID, the indicator will display the correct VID tag to apply to the other ear.

  2. check that the animal you are scanning is the correct one. If it is correct, the VID tag on the animal will match what is displayed on the indicator. If it is not correct, it will be because you accidentally scanned the wrong animal OR you have scanned an EID tag that is in your pocket OR the animal has been tagged with the wrong VID tag.

📝 Other scenarios might include the NAIT number against each animal, for purposes of sending the information onwards to NAIT and/or Datamars Livestock for further analysis.

Steps:

  • Buy a matched set of EID and VID tags (e.g. 100) from Z Tags and the tags file is made available on the Z Tags website.

  • Download the tags file from the website and manipulate the data in Microsoft Excel as required.

  • Upload the modified tags file onto your indicator (via Data Link for PC/Animal Lifetime information).

  • Set up your indicator for a weighing session. Scan each animal with an EID reader (XRP2i EID Panel Reader or XRS2i/SRS2i EID Stick Reader) as you weigh. Visually check the VID on the animal and observe the VID/Birth Year displayed on the indicator. The VID tag on the animal should match what is displayed on the indicator. If not, see the flow-chart on the last page of this document.

Hardware/software you will need

A Windows PC with internet connection to access the Z Tags website.

Installed on the PC:

  • Tru-Test Datalink for PC application

  • MS Excel 2016 (or higher)

A Tru-Test XR5000, IR5000 or JR5000 weigh scale indicator.

USB connecting cable for charging, and it is also used for connecting the indicator to the PC.

Z Tags tags files

A file containing Z Tags information (e.g. EID and VID pairings) can be transferred to the indicator prior to your next weighing session. This will mean that when the animal’s EID is scanned, the corresponding VID will be displayed on the indicator.

📝 Z Tag tags files are named with a syntax of Date_Time_Z Tags Order No._Export.csv.

Saving them with this syntax allows you to save, sort and easily identify your files as you download and work with them

1: Downloading a tags file from the Z Tags website

Recording your Z Tags Order No.

When you purchased or arranged for your new delivery of tags you will have been given a Z Tags WEB Order. No.

If your ordered via LIC, you may also use the LIC Sales Order number.

Both numbers can be used as your Z Tags Order No.

You will enter this Z Tags Order No.number to access your tags file in the next step.

Downloading from the website

Download your Z Tags file (or bucket file) from the Z Tags website:

  1. Access ztags.com in your browser.

  2. From the Z Tags (New Zealand) homepage click on DOWNLOAD YOUR RFID FILES.​

  3. From the Z Tags RFID Number Export screen enter your Z Tags Order no. and check the File Format and File Extension (are set as shown below).
    Then click the Download button:
    ​

  4. After a few seconds the file will download into your local Downloads folder and you will be prompted to save it:​

  5. Click Save and navigate to save it in a suitable folder on your PC.

📝 The files are named with a syntax of Date_Time_Z Tags Order No._Export.csv, See Z Tags tags files section above.

2: Modifying the tags file ready for uploading

Prior to uploading your Z Tags file to the indicator, some manipulation within MS Excel is required to change the format so that the data displays as you want on the indicator.

Navigate to the folder where you have saved the downloaded .csv file and double-click the file (to launch MS Excel) and load the file (if MS Excel is already open click Open to then load and edit the file):​

​

With our scenario example:​

Tags file as supplied from Z Tags

Column A = EID with prefix

Column B = VID

Column C = Birth Year of animal

Tags file modified, ready for uploading to the stick reader

  • A header row has been added in row 1 with column names used to match the defaults used on the indicator (EID, VID).

  • The animal VID # and Birth Years have been combined into the VID field (for useful display on the indicator).

📝 By default, MS Excel will display a long number (e.g. EIDs) in scientific notation (e.g. 9.85152E+15):

This may cause issues when the file is transferred to the indicator.

To change this, select the column containing EIDs, right-click, select Format Cells. In the Number tab, select Number and set Decimal Places to 0.

The EIDs will now display normally:

Combining the birth year and VID

In this scenario you want to see the VID/Birth Year on the stick reader screen and manipulate the tags file data into that format.

  1. Click on cell D1 to select it.

  2. Click on formula text box and enter =B1 & “/” & C1

📝 Apart from numbers and letters, only these characters can be used in data to be uploaded onto the stick reader:

Forward slash (/), full stop ( ), hyphen (-) and embedded spaces.

3. Press Enter to perform calculation in selected cell:

4. Click on cell D1 again to select it.

5. Hover mouse around cell till + appears:

6. Double-click on + to fill column with calculated results, but only down to the last row of data:

7. Right-click on calculated column D (column is selected with green border) and select Copy from the dropdown menu:

8. We need to paste the data on top of itself to turn it into “values”, so click
​Home > Paste > Values & Source Formatting (E)

9. Drag your mouse over cells in Columns B and C to mark them as a selected set of cells.

10. Right-click and select Delete from the dropdown menu:

11. Click option button Entire column and OK to delete columns B and C:

Add a header row

  1. Right-click on row 1 and select Insert… from the dropdown menu.

  2. Click on option button Entire row and click OK

A blank row is inserted as a new row in the spreadsheet as the new row 1.

3. Enter EID as the header above the EID column, and VID above the new combined VID/Birth Year column:

4. Now your tags file is ready for upload to the stick reader and can be saved, ready for use (see next section).

Saving the modified CSV file with a different file name

You need to save your modified csv file with a different file name ready for uploading to the stick reader.

💡 When you save your modified Z Tags file, it is recommended that you name it in a consistent manner, and retain the link to the supplied Z Tags file. When prompted to save the file, use the name of the original tags file and prefix it with something like UPLOAD in the filename. You can retain an archive of tags files for use later and easily sort on date/time and distinguish the modified ones.

In Microsoft Excel:

  1. Click File > Save As (and the dialogue prompts with the existing filename and Downloads folder).

  2. Enter a prefix (e.g. UPLOAD) in front of the filename to indicate this is the modified file.

  3. Click Save to export and save the file as a new tags file, ready for upload to the stick reader:

📝 Should you wish to navigate to a different folder to store your modified tags file in, click the More options… link to do this.

3: Uploading a modified tags file to the indicator

Transfer your modified Z Tags file from the PC to the indicator using Data Link PC software.

  1. Connect the indicator to a PC using the cable supplied.

  2. Launch Data Link PC software on your PC.

  3. Click (Put information onto device) to transfer data from the PC to the indicator.

  4. Select option button Animal lifetime information and click Next.​

  5. Browse to find the modified Z Tags file, select it and click Open.

  6. Data Link will confirm that the file has been successfully transferred to the indicator.

  7. Click OK.

📝 If animal lifetime information already exists on the indicator, the information will be merged with the existing information.

4: Using the tags file information on the indicator

Now that you have uploaded the Z Tags file you can begin a weighing session.

  1. From the Home screen, press to start a new weighing session.

  2. Press , select Weigh with ID (or another favourite setup of your choice) and press Use to display the VID and EID tag numbers as you weigh.

  3. Scan each animal with an EID reader as you weigh. The animal’s VID/Birth Year and EID number will be displayed on the indicator:

  4. Visually check that the animal has a VID tag attached and that the tag details displayed on the indicator match the animal. If not, proceed as follows:

Having trouble?

If you need help, click on the Live Chat bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of this screen or email sf-support@datamars.com

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