Data Storage in Data Blocks

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PRO1_10E.1

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Storage Areas for Data

Bit memories

DBz

PIQ

DBy

PII

DBx

I/O area

L stack

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PRO1_10E.2

.
.
.

Data blocks

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Knowledge for Automation

Data Blocks (DBs)

Accessible to all blocks
OB1

Function
FC10

Global data
DB20

Function
FC20

Instance DB for FB1

Function
block
FB1

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PRO1_10E.3

Instance data
DB5

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Overview of Data Types in STEP 7

Elementary
data types
(up to 32 bits)

Bit data types (BOOL, BYTE, WORD, DWORD, CHAR)

Mathematical data types (INT, DINT, REAL)
Time types (S5TIME, TIME, DATE, TIME_OF_DAY)

Time (DATE_AND_TIME)

Complex
data types
(longer than 32 bits)

Array (ARRAY)
Structure (STRUCT)
Character chain (STRING)

User-defined data types

(longer than 32 bits)

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Data type UDT (User Defined Type)

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Elementary Data Types in STEP 7

Keyword

Length (in bits)

Example of a constant of this type

BOOL
BYTE
WORD
DWORD
CHAR

1
8
16
32
8

1 or 0
B#16#A9
W#16#12AF
DW#16#ADAC1EF5
'w'

S5TIME

16

S5T#5s_200ms

INT
DINT
REAL

16
32
32

123
65539
1.2 or 34.5E-12

TIME
DATE
TIME_OF_DAY

32
16
32

T#2D_1H_3M_45S_12MS
D#1993-01-20
TOD#12:23:45.12

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Complex Data Types

Keyword

Length (in bits)

DATE_AND_TIME

64

DT#97-09-24-12:14:55.0

STRING
(character string with
max. 254 characters)

8 * (number of
characters +2)

This is a string
SIEMENS

ARRAY
(Group of elements
of the same data type)

user-defined

Measured values: ARRAY[1..20]

INT

STRUCT
(Group of elements
of different data types)

user-defined

Motor: STRUCT
Speed : INT
Current: REAL
END_STRUCT

UDT
(User Defined Data Type =
Template" consisting of
elementary or complex
data types

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user-defined

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Example

UDT as block

UDT as array element

STRUCT
Speed : INT
Current: REAL
END_STRUCT

Drive: ARRAY[1..4]
UDT1

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PRO1_10E.6

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Example of a Structure
Motor_data
Operating Speed, data type Integer
Rated Current, data type Real
Startup Current, data type Real

Structure with the name "Motor_data"

(several elements
with different data types)

Turning Direction, data type Bool

Display in the Program Editor (Data block DB 1):

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Example of an Array
Measuring_point
1. Measuring_point, data type Real
2. Measuring_point, data type Real
3. Measuring_point, data type Real

10. Measuring_point, data type Real

Array with the name "Measuring_point"

(several elements
of the same data type)

Display in the Program Editor (Data block DB 2):

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PRO1_10E.8

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Creating a New Data Block

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PRO1_10E.9

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Entering, Saving, Downloading and Monitoring a Data Block

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PRO1_10E.10

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Addressing Data Elements

8 Bits
7

Data Byte 0

DBB 0

Data Byte 1

DBW 0

Data Byte 2

DBD 0

Data Byte 3

DBX 4.1

DBD 8188
DBW 8190
Data Byte 8191

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DBB 8191

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PRO1_10E.11

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Accessing Data Elements

DB 19
(Symbol name: Values)

Fully-qualified Access

Traditional
Access

absolute

symbolic

OPN DB19
A DBX 0.0

or

A DB19.DBX0.0

or

A Values".Start

Number

OPN DB19
L DBW2

or

L DB19.DBW2

or

L Values".Number

Loop

OPN DB19
L DBB5

or

L DB19.DBB5

or

L Values".Loop

1)

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

1) Data bit 0.0 with the

element name "Start"

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Validity of an Open DB
OB 1
OPN
L

DB 4
DBW2

FC 1
DB 4

CALL FC 1

DBW 4 DB 4

T
OPN
L

DB 5
DBB6

DB 5

CALL FC 2
T

DBW 2

DB 4

DBW 0 DB 5

FC 2
T

DBW 8 DB 5

OPN

DB 6

DBB6

DB 6

T DB2.DBB 0 DB 2
L

DBW 4 DB 2

FB 1
CALL FB1, DB1

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DBW 10

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DB ??

???

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PRO1_10E.13

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User-Defined Data Type (UDT)

UDT block as Template

Global DB (Example)

Flour

Flour

Milk

Milk

Eggs

Eggs

Yeast

Yeast

Sugar

Sugar

Recipe
1

Flour
Milk
Eggs
Yeast

Flour

Flour

Milk

Milk

Eggs

Eggs

Yeast

Yeast

Sugar

Sugar

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Array with
3 elements
of type UDT

Sugar

DB created according to UDT

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Recipe
2

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PRO1_10E.14

Recipe
3

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Entering a UDT Block

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Creating a Data Block Referencing a Data Type

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Example: Array of UDTs

Declaration View

Data View

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PRO1_10E.17

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Exercise: Program for a Bottling Plant - Data Storage

Data block DB5

Empty bottles (MW 100)

Variable: empty

Full bottles (MW102)

Variable: full

Variable: broken

"Broken" bottles (MW 104)

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PRO1_10E.18

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