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DTL format is - a stupid format type

Created by: Yarek_ at: 7/24/2013 1:47 AM (6 Replies)

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7/24/2013 1:47 AM	Rate (1)
Yarek_ Posts: 5 Rating: (1)	I'm begginer in TIA and S7, but I've very large experience with PLC deticated to HVAC. I must work in TIA v11 SP2 and Basic Panel. I have big problem with simple subject - Time and Date setting for end user. I can read System Time and Local Time in DTL format (DD.MM.YYYY HH:MM:SS:MS) and after then I can show this on the HMI KP400 Basic. But, what should I do, If I try to change only for example hour or minutes ? Nothing, heh, because this is stupid format. How explain to the end user: if you want to change only minutes, you must edit all DTL data (year, month, day of month, etc.), and you can't do mistake with format (you must edit this all values as:YYYY/MM/DD/HH/MM), because data will not save, heh. This is similar to Struct data type, but it not the same. I prepared DB and simple HMI app to play with DTL. DTL was displayed correctly, but I don't want to change all in DTL format, so I prepared HMI tags and linked it with DTL format (one edit box for year, one edit box for MM etc. as Iinput/output fields on the HMI app.). If I tried edit this edit box my DB did not update. But If I prepared this all values in my DB as Struct - they was update. And there is a problem, because you don't have to possibility to convert Struct data to DTL format. I'm very disgusting :(, because this is very simple operation - change RTC on the other PLC. For example system time is saved as structure: systime.year systime.month etc. And you have free permission to change every you want. I don't understand maker's idea for DTL format usage ( only for watch in HMI as 1 HMI tag ?) Sorry for my english. If every one have idea for change for axample only year or month, or other DTL structure values by the simple edit box on the Basic HMI please help. Best regards. Jarek
Yarek_ Posts: 5 Rating: (1)
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7/24/2013 4:14 AM	Rate (1)
dchartier Grandmaster-Expert Joined: 9/27/2006 Last visit: 1/22/2025 Posts: 12330 Rating: (2702)	Hello Yarek_; Welcome to the Forum, although we generally do not expect to be used as a shoulder to cry on. As you say, you are a beginner with Siemens products, and Siemens products require some work and experience to get used to. They are not designed as user-friendly as some other automation products I have used elsewhere, I freely admit it, but most people here have not only learned to use them properly, they have managed to master them quite well. One of the best tools available to learn tricks and tips to program these CPUs is here, in the forum, in the guise of the Search box at the right of thos page. Try it before frustrating even more. Use "DTL Tia Portal" as a search string, or any other that fits your requirement. My search on "DTL TIA Portal", with the selection of the FAQ filter, brought me directly to this thread: In STEP 7 (TIA Portal) V11, how can you input, read out and edit the date and time for S7-300/400/1200? There were 4 more posts along the same lines, any of which can explain and demonstratehow to read, write and manipulate date-and-time data formats. There is even a sample program attached to the FAQ that will guide you in using the appropriate functions. Hope this helps, Daniel Chartier

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7/24/2013 9:35 AM	Rate (0)
Yarek_ Posts: 5 Rating: (1)	Thanks for help. When I searched DTL on Thermotec forum I didn't find this post. There are interesting information. I see the new one command like T_combine. I will check this. Sorry for my frustration. Please understand this if you try to do some simple thing since 5 hours, and it was about 3AM ( at the night off course ).
Yarek_ Posts: 5 Rating: (1)
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7/24/2013 3:45 PM	Rate (0)
dchartier Grandmaster-Expert Joined: 9/27/2006 Last visit: 1/22/2025 Posts: 12330 Rating: (2702)	Hello Yarek_; We have all been through similar stages in our projects, and we can sympathize. Try to use all available help ressources(including the forum) to make your life easier until you are more familiar with the programming software and the hardware. We have an excellent (and deserved) reputation of help and tips on this forum if you ask for them directly. Regards Daniel Chartier

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7/25/2013 11:47 AM	Rate (0)
Yarek_ Posts: 5 Rating: (1)	Unfortynatelly I have still problem, because I'he only V11 STEP7 Basic , and your Date and Time simple sent by you don't work. I don't have professional version. I try to find answer on this forum, or meybe some one just have solution for me. I try to change date or time on the KP400 by simple edit box: HH MM YYYY MM DD And save button will set the new values to the DTL system time. Best regards. Jarek
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7/25/2013 2:40 PM	Rate (0)
0_Einstein Diamond Expert Joined: 7/7/2010 Last visit: 1/21/2025 Posts: 15549 Rating: (2467)	Yarek_ Unfortynatelly I have still problem, because I'he only V11 STEP7 Basic , and your Date and Time simple sent by you don't work. I don't have professional version. I try to find answer on this forum, or meybe some one just have solution for me. I try to change date or time on the KP400 by simple edit box: HH MM YYYY MM DD And save button will set the new values to the DTL system time. Best regards. Jarek How are you combining the various edit box inputs from the HMI inside the PLC to then issue the system time update instruction? A screenshot might be helpful. If you can develop your code to work properly using just watch table data and no hmi, you can figure out the DTL date functions rather quickly. Then you just push the values from the HMI into your working process, possibly with various commands.
	science guy
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7/25/2013 5:41 PM	Rate (0)
Marko Bursic Platinum Member Joined: 9/8/2009 Last visit: 7/17/2023 Posts: 1410 Rating: (153)	I agree with you, Yarek. The even more stupid is T_DIFF, that you can use to calculate the time between two DTLs, it has a precision of nanosecond, but only few days of maximum distance- useless. I have managed to set the time with KTP400 with some trick, I have one bit that toggles if time adjustment screen is present. When screen is not visible I do copy time to one DTL, when screen is diplayed it shows the time that was before screen was displayed. Now when you edit this variable, you have a prepared a copmlete time. You need to go with cursor to interest area and change. Another event on HMI is when you change new bit is set that in plc means to set the time from adisplayed variable. It isn't the perfect sollution, but I had to go home instead to look in the panel and swear all the time. I also thought for next project that is simpler to buy a dcf77 clock module from Conrad, rather then make this again.

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