Tab PLC box

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Tab PLC box

In this tab you specify the properties for the selected PLC box. (At the main function you specify the properties for the entire PLC card.) In addition to the properties possessed by all functions, further PLC specific properties are shown here.

In the Properties (global) processing mode, you edit the properties of all representations of the function jointly; in this case, the tab shows the supplement "(Device)".

Overview of the main dialog elements:

Displayed DT:

The displayed DT is displayed in the graphical editor on the component. If you have defined in the project settings that devices are to be automatically numbered when symbols are inserted, then a DT is automatically suggested here. You can accept this DT or overwrite it manually.

In addition you can use the popup menu or the [...] button to create or select a DT.

Full DT:

This field displays the full DT (i.e. structure identifier of the current environment + displayed DT) of the component / item. Use the [...] button to open the Full DT dialog. You can edit the structure identifiers there and select, e.g., another mounting location.

Technical characteristics:

Enter the technical characteristics of the PLC box here.

Function text:

Here you enter the function text for the function / device.

Aside from the manually entered function text, there are other (automatically determined) function texts that you will find in the table of properties:

Function text (automatic): Displays the content of the manually entered function text or, if it is empty, the path function text. If you edit this function text in the Properties (global) processing mode, the content is returned to the function where the function text was entered originally. When this property is displayed on a project page, the line breaks are removed.
Function text (common): Displays the function text (automatic) of the function or, if it is empty, the function text (automatic) of the associated main function.

Engraving text:

Here you enter the engraving text for the PLC box, or select an entry from the drop-down list. The list shows all values that you have previously entered for the same type of function at other places in the project.

Mounting site (describing):

Here you enter the descriptive mounting site for the PLC box, or select an entry from the drop-down list. The list shows all values that you have previously entered for the same type of function at other places in the project.

Main function:

Select this check box if the current function is a main function.
When using a DT for which there is already a main function, when using a placed main function, or when placing an already placed main function, this property will automatically be switched off at the target function, that is, the check box is deactivated.

Note:

The setting is automatically compared to the check box of the same name in the Symbol / function data tab.

Properties group box

For PLC boxes, among other properties, the following are available:

Object description: Enter a descriptive text here, e.g., the type number of the bus node.
CPU: Name: Here the CPU names that were entered in the properties CPU: Name [1] to CPU: Name [128] of the PLC structure data tab are displayed semicolon-separated. The display is effected without gaps, meaning that empty entries are not listed.
Start address of PLC card: The value entered here specifies the start value for the address range of a PLC card. At the same time the addressing of the inputs and outputs of this card begins with the start value entered here. This value can also be used as the configuration value for readdressing PLC configurations. For a card that has both inputs and outputs, specify the start value of the inputs here.

PLC device: Data length (inputs): This property - together with the start address - is used to determine the address range of the PLC card. The data length indicates the number of bits up to the next free address on the next PLC card. Enter the number of bits for the inputs of the PLC card here. In the case of a PLC output card or a PLC card that has both inputs as well as outputs, enter the number of bits for the outputs in the property PLC device: Data length (outputs).

Notes:

In the case of PLC cards that have either only inputs or only outputs you specify the start address via the property Start address of PLC card. This means that depending on the PLC card the property applies either for the inputs or for the outputs. In the case of PLC cards that have inputs and outputs enter the value for the inputs in this property.
In the case of PLC cards that have both inputs and outputs you can use the Start address 2 of PLC card property to determine a separate address range and a separate start address for the outputs. In order for the property to be evaluated during addressing the Separate address range for inputs and outputs check box has to be deactivated in the PLC-specific settings.
If the Start address 2 of PLC card property is filled for a PLC box, the values of the properties Start address of PLC card and Start address 2 of PLC card are written to the export file during export of PLC data; even if there are no PLC connection points for the respective address range.

Note:

The properties Address range (SIEMENS STEP 7 Classic) and Address range 2 (SIEMENS STEP 7 Classic) are available for data exchange in the "SIEMENS STEP 7 Classic" format. In these properties enter the size of the address range within the PLC controller that is occupied by the card here, for example "4". Depending on the PLC card used a specification either in bits or bytes is required here. You can use the Address range 2 (SIEMENS STEP 7 Classic) property to specify a separate size for the address range of the outputs. The usage of these properties for the address range is analog to the properties of the start addresses. The above mentioned notes for the start addresses also apply for these properties.