Importing PLC Configuration Files

In EPLAN, PLC configuration files generated or edited with external PLC configuration programs can be imported. These configuration files contain the rack structures and - in as far as they exist - the network structures.

The format of the import file is automatically detected for many common PLC configuration programs during the Import of PLC data. The data from the import file is assigned to the EPLAN properties based on the selected format. During importing EPLAN supplements item data such as unused inputs / outputs from the parts data. A well-maintained parts database facilitates the further usage of the imported data.

Part allocation

When importing PLC configuration files, a part is entered at the main functions that are created, if a suitable part is found in the parts database. If no suitable part is found, a simple PLC box is generated and a corresponding message is output.

A part is suitable for a device if either the PLC type designation property or the Device description: File name property in the import file and the parts management match. The PLC type designation property is compared if no Device description file is specified. In the simplest case the PLC type designation corresponds to the order number. After the import, the parts data is automatically synchronized with the parts database. In the process parts that exist in the parts database, but not yet in the project, are inserted into the project.

If a device description file is specified, the Device description: Index in file property is also compared for the AutomationML AR APC formats. Through the index it is possible to select a device within such a file language-neutral. For all other formats the Object description property is compared.
If a PLC type designation is specified the Object description property is compared additionally. If multiple parts with the same PLC type designation exist, then the first part from these with a matching object description is assigned. If no part has a matching object description, then no part is assigned. If the PLC type designation is empty, then all parts with empty PLC type designations are suitable. In this case, the assignment is based only on the object description.
For the "Phoenix Contact PC WorX" format, part variants are assigned via the Version property.
Example:
A bus coupler project contains two cards of the "IB IL 24 DI 16-PAC" type. This device is also contained in the parts management ("PXC.2861250"). A second variant is generated in the parts management, and the two variants are given different version numbers (Version property of the Properties tab). These version numbers are also set on the cards in the bus coupler project. The data is exported and re-imported into an empty project. After the import, the version numbers of the cards differ in the empty project, and each card references a different variant of the same part (Part tab in the Properties dialog).
For the 'PLC standard exchange format', a parts list is also exported and imported in addition to the PLC type designation for each PLC device. If several parts have been entered for a PLC box (at the main function), these are exported and reassigned when the PLC box is imported.
For Ethernet-based bus systems the number of bus ports is additionally taken into consideration if a part was found multiple times. If two part variants with a different number of bus ports are available in the parts management, the matching variant can be selected during the import via the differentiation by the number of bus ports.

Supporting of placeholder characters during the part allocation

The PLC configuration files can contain similar devices that only differ in certain characteristics, such as their use in different environmental conditions. The programming of the PLC software is identical for these devices. Only the part to be used respectively differs depending on the field of use. The order numbers, type designations or similar data of these parts often only differ in one or a few positions. Placeholders such as "*" and "?" are often to this purpose in the PLC configuration files of various manufacturers. During the import these data are compared with the PLC type designation - depending on the selected format. If several parts with suitable PLC type designations are found in the parts database, the first one found is assigned automatically. The messages generated during the import of the module-specific check run 004057 can be used to find the corresponding functions in order to assign these to a different part.

During importing the AutomationML AR APC format, parts are also assigned for which the PLC type designations only differ by a different number of blanks - if there is no part with exactly matching PLC type designation.

Assignment of connection point designations

In many cases, the addresses are identifying in the PLC configuration files and not the PLC connection point designations as in EPLAN. If a PLC configuration file does not contain connection point designations then, on import, connection point designations with leading question marks are assigned. In this process, the connection points are sequentially numbered from "?1" to "?n" for each PLC card.

If the PLC configuration file contains the PLC type designation and the corresponding parts exist in the parts management, the connection point designations from the function templates are automatically assigned to the Signal connection points (i.e., the digital or analog inputs and outputs). The connection point designations are assigned in the same sequence as the function templates are sorted in the parts management. The function templates must therefore be sorted in the parts management according to the channel sequence. Power supply connection points are not taken into account by the assignment process and may need to be manually assigned.

PLC connection points that could not be assigned to a part retain the question mark in their designation and must be subsequently manually assigned.

Assignment of properties for different representation types

The following behavior applies to the Symbolic address and Symbolic address (automatic) properties:

If the manually entered Symbolic address is filled for all representation types of a function, then the symbolic address is overwritten with the value from the import file.
If the manually entered Symbolic address is empty for all representation types of a function, or the Symbolic address (automatic) is empty for all representation types of a function, then for all representation types the Symbolic address field receives the value from the import file.
If the Symbolic address (automatic) value is different for different representation types of a function, then for all representation types the Symbolic address field receives the value from the import file.
If the Symbolic address (automatic) value is the same for different representation types of a function, then the Symbolic address field in each representation type that contains a value receives the value from the import file.

The same behavior also applies to the following properties:

Plug designation and Plug designation (automatic)
Channel designation and Channel designation (automatic).

The following behavior applies to the Function text and Function text (automatic) properties:

If the values of the Function text and Function text (automatic) properties are the same in a representation type, then this function text is overwritten with the value from the import file.
If the Function text (automatic) is empty in a representation type, then the value from the import file is written to the Function text field.
If the manually entered Function text is empty and the Function text (automatic) is filled in a representation type, then the corresponding path function text is overwritten with the value from the import file.