SOFTWARE OBJECT PROPERTY RETURN METHOD AND SYSTEM

In one embodiment, a method is provided that includes designating a visual representation of an object in a display screen of a human machine interface, changing the state of the object, and creating an entity in response to the changing, wherein the entity includes any properties, connections and text associated with the object. An interface system is provided that includes a machine readable medium having programming code implementing the method. An industrial automation device is also provided.