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8.14.5.1 Common Settings (Symbol Variables) - Import STEP7 Project

You can use symbols and comments set up in Siemens configuration software STEP7 projects by using the Step7 Symbol Extract Tool.

After importing the symbols into GP-Pro EX, you can use them in GP-Pro EX projects. And during set up, you can check imported comments.

Supported drivers

You can import data from Step 7 projects when any of the following series is set up in the [System Settings], [Device/PLC].

Manufacturer

Series

Siemens AG

SIMATIC S7 3964(R)/RK512

SIMATIC S7 Ethernet

SIMATIC S7 MPI Direct

Data You Can Import

You can import the following data using the Step7 Symbol Extract Tool.

  1. DB (data block) registered addresses

  2. Shared data set up with symbol names (system memory data)

*1 The data of ARRAY will be imported as follows.

- Imports 1 dimension array data only.

- If import starts from array element 1 or greater, each array element is imported as individual symbols.

- If import starts from a negative array element (-1 or less), negative array elements are not imported. Elements 0 and higher are imported as an array.

Importing

  1. From the [Common Settings] menu, click [Symbol Variable]. In the [Edit Symbol Variables] page, click [Utility], point to [Import] and click [STEP7 Project File]. The [Step7 Symbol Extract Tool] displays.

     

    • You cannot run two instances of the Step7 Symbol Extract Tool.

  2. Click the icon to select the STEP7 project (*.S7P) to import.

  3. Click [Change Name] to select the external device for imported symbols.

  4. From the [Programs in Project] table (Program List), select a program and click [Read Symbols and DB]. System memory and data blocks are read in from the selected program, and displayed in the [Symbols] and [DB #] tables (Symbol List and DB List).

  5. From the [DB #] table (DB List), select the data blocks to import and click [Read Symbols from DB]. Addresses are loaded from the selected data blocks and displayed in the [DB Symbols].

  6. Select addresses in the [Symbols] and [DB Symbols] tables and click [Import]. The selected addresses are imported.

 

Settings Guide

File

Open Step7 Project

Displays a dialog box where you can select the STEP7 project to import.

Read Symbols and DB

Reads the shared data (system memory) and data blocks from the program selected in the [Programs in Project] table, and displays the result in the [DB #] and [Symbols] tables.

Read Symbols from DB

Reads symbol information from data blocks selected in the [DB #] table, and displays the result in the [DB Symbols] table.

Import

Imports the STEP7 project addresses into the [Symbol Variable] list.

End

Exits the Step7 Symbol Extract Tool.

Help

About

Displays version information about the Step7 Symbol Extract Tool.

Select the STEP7 Project

Displays a dialog box where you can select the STEP7 project to import.

Select All

Selects all programs.

Unselect All

Clears selection of all programs.

Change Name

Defines the device/PLC for the selected program. Click to display the following dialog box where you can confirm the device/PLC set up in GP-Pro EX, and set [Change After]. Clicking [Change] will define the device/PLC name displayed in the [Programs in Project] table's [GPPRO EX (PLC) Name] column.

Programs in Project

Displays all the programs in the selected project.

Step7 Project

Field displays the project name and path.

GPPRO EX (PLC) Name

Displays the name of the associated device/PLC for symbols to be imported.

DB #

Displays a list of the data blocks loaded in from the program.

DB #

Column displays the name of the data block.

Name

Column displays the symbol name associated with the data block.

Device/PLC Name

Displays the device/PLC defined in the [Programs in Project] table.

Comment

Column displays the symbol comment associated with the data block.

Read Symbols and DB

Reads the shared data (system memory) and data blocks from the program selected in the [Programs in Project] table, and displays the result in the [DB #] and [Symbols] tables.

Read Symbols from DB

Reads symbol information from data blocks selected in the [DB #] table, and displays the result in the [DB Symbols] table.

Add DB Name in front

When reading symbols from the [DB #] table, you can add the data block name as a prefix to symbol names.

Symbols

Displays a list of the symbols loaded in from the STEP7 project.

Address

Displays the system memory address for the symbol.

Symbol Name

Column displays the symbol name associated with the system memory.

Device/PLC Name

Displays the device/PLC defined in the [Programs in Project] table.

Comment

Displays the comment associated with the symbol.

DB Symbols

Table displays the symbol names registered to data blocks.

Address

Column displays the symbol registered to the data block.

Symbol Name

Column displays the symbol name.

Count

When using arrays, displays the element index number.

  • Loads elements 0 and higher when using ARRAY data type and 1-dimensional arrays.

Device/PLC Name

Displays the device/PLC defined in the [Programs in Project] table.

Comment

Column displays the comment associated with the symbol.

Add special Datatype to comment

When importing as System Variables, you can add the STEP7 data type to comments.

The data types you can append, and the text added to comments are as follows. You cannot append with other data types.

Data Type

Text

DWORD

32_

DINT

32_

REAL

FL_

S5TIME

S5_