Offline / Online View in the SIMATIC Manager

Offline View

In the project window of the SIMATIC  Manager, the offline view displays the

project structure stored on the hard disk of the programming device.

The " Step7 Program" folder contains the "Sources" and "Blocks" objects.

The "Blocks" folder contains the system data created with the HWConfig tool

and the blocks created with the LAD/STL/FBD Editor.

Online View

The online view shows the offline project structure in the left window and in the

right window it shows the blocks stored online in the selected CPU.

As a result, the " Step7 Program" seen in the online view only contains the "Blocks"

folder which contains the following objects:

• System data blocks (SDB)

• User blocks (OB, FC, FB)

• System blocks (SFC, SFB).

Changing Views

Changing between offline and online view takes place:

• through the View -> Offline or View -> Online menu items

or

• with the corresponding symbol in the toolbar:

Online

Offline

Note

You can arrange the "ONLINE" and "OFFLINE" views next to each other or

under each other when you use the Window -> Arrange option in the menu bar.

Standard Library

Introduction

Libraries are used to store reusable blocks.The blocks can be copied into a

library from existing projects or they can be created directly in the library

independent of projects.

Standard Library

A Standard Library is installed when you install STEP 7. You can access this standard library from the SIMATIC  Manager (File -> Open -> Libraries) or from

the Block Editor (Overviews -> Libraries). The library contains the following S7

programs:

Communication Blocks:

FCs (functions) for communication between the CPU and the distributed I/O

via communication processors.

Organization Blocks: Organization blocks (OBs).

S5-S7 Converting Blocks:

Blocks that emulate STEP 5 standard function blocks and that are necessary for converting STEP 5 programs.

TI - Step7 Converting Blocks: Generally usable standard functions such as analog value scaling.

IEC Function Blocks:

Blocks for IEC functions (IEC: International Electrotechnical Commission), such

as for processing time and date information, for string processing and for

selecting maximum and minimum.

PID Control Blocks: Function blocks (FBs) for PID closed-loop controls.

System Function Blocks: System functions (SFCs) and System function blocks (SFBs).

Miscellaneous Blocks: 

FCs and Fs for switching between daylight savings time and and standard time

(summer and winter times).

Note Additional libraries are added when optional software is installed.