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S7300>CP343-1>Ethernet>WinCC6 HELP, Please!

Created by: keyclick at: 10/9/2006 9:20 PM (7 Replies)

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10/9/2006 9:20 PM	Rate (0)
keyclick Posts: 9 Rating: (0)	Note: I have read the "Everyone read this!" thread, and I have searched the forum and the FAQ's, and think I am at least in the ballpark, but I need some advice/help trying to communicate between WinCC 6 sp4 and a S7 CPU317F-2 based PLC system. We have a CP343-1 Lean Ethernet processor in the rack with the CPU. WinCC is on a seperate computer which does not (will not) have S7 programming software on it. We did install SIEMATIC NET on the HMI pc, though, as we were told we needed the drivers therin. We would like this communication to be over ethernet, we would like to use a standard NIC which came in the PC. There will eventually be several (more than 8) machines reporting into this WinCC app. I have read something in a FAQ that implies that some kind of licence (Softnet S7) is needed if you are not using a Siemens hardware-type ethernet adapter in the PC. I also saw a distintion made between a "softnet lean" (8 devices) and Softnet S7 (64 connections). Can someone explain what these are, how much they cost (ballpark) and whether they would have come with the SIEMATIC NET install? I have tried everything I can to get a simple integer value from the PLC into a tag in WinCC unsuccsessfully. I tried the TCP/IP driver, and the Industrial Ethernet driver. Which of these would be used with the hardware I have described? What needs to be done in the PG/PC Interface Settings applet? I had zero trouble getting the data to flow using KepwareEx OPC server. So I know the ethernet connectivity is there. I might just go with that. Finally, is there any scenario (using any driver, whatever) that I can "browse" for tags by name in the PLC? I mean we use WinCC Flexible for the local operator interfaces, and there you can just browse using the human-readable tagnames...including even complex types we have created using UDT's. ie Station[12].downtime.hours for example, vs. DB19.DBW128 or whatever. I am used to using controllogix and Linx, etc where this is possible in HMI client programming as well. Thanks for any help you can give me, or if there are any demo programs showing this, etc. Greg
keyclick Posts: 9 Rating: (0)
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10/10/2006 7:57 AM	Rate (0)
maz Posts: 13 Rating: (0)	HI! You haven't drivers for connection to PLC? I it is correct has understood? I can offer the bypass way, if you haven't Softnet and have STEP7 V5.3 or high. Instal it, after deinstall. But drivers for connection will remain. Maybe I not rights?
maz Posts: 13 Rating: (0)
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10/10/2006 9:26 AM	Rate (1)
Reuben Posts: 70 Rating: (13)	Hi Let me give you the number one problem I know for first time setup of TCP/IP connection. By default the WinCC S7 Protocol Suite sets up the TCP/IP link with "S7ONLINE" as the logical device name. Unless you set "S7ONLINE" in pg/pc interface it will not connect. So, without touching pg/pc interface you can just right-click on the TCP/IP channel and select "System Parameter", then in the "Unit" tab select the correct NIC from the list (see attachment). Other than that it should "just work" - assuming correct rack/sloty/ip config. As for the licenses: you need "softnet" license because you are using PC software to do communication as opposed to dedicated Simatic hardware. The "lean" is merely a cheaper license that only allows fewer connections. If you need to connect more PLCs you must upgrade to the "full" softnet. PS: I think for S7 lean you can use licenses that ship with the WinCC v6 licenses (experts confirm please). Either way, the comms should still work even with no license loaded, you may just get a big ugly dialog explainng that you have no license loaded. Attachment System Parameters.GIF (410 Downloads)
Reuben Posts: 70 Rating: (13)	Last edited by: Reuben at: 10/10/2006 9:31 AM
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10/10/2006 9:43 AM	Rate (0)
Wizard Diamond Member Joined: 4/24/2006 Last visit: 12/6/2024 Posts: 8781 Rating: (1172)	Hello, When you buy a WinCC v6 Runtime License, it's equipped with a Softnet S7 Lean license Best regards, Wizard

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10/10/2006 12:30 PM	Rate (0)
Salma Gold Member Joined: 9/27/2005 Last visit: 11/27/2007 Posts: 1398 Rating: (151)	Great explanation Reuben ! Yes as Wizard says, Softnet Lean is included when you buy WinCC. See thisFAQfor more information.

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10/10/2006 3:47 PM	Rate (1)
Danielle Posts: 1275 Rating: (123)	Yup! From WinCC v6.0 SP3 on a Simatic Net Lean license comes with WinCC. The first SP3's issued didn't have that license yet, though... The Simatic Net Lean license allows you to have up to 8 Ethernet connections. If you have Step7 installed, and a license for Step7, you won't need Simatic Net. As Reuben said, to configure a TCP/IP connection, for instance, you need to make sure that thedevice to be used is selected. For that you need to first of all add the "SIMATIC S7 PROTOCOL SUITE" driver (right-click Tag Management and choose "Add New Driver..."). Then expandTag Management -> SIMATIC S7 PROTOCOL SUITE, and right-clicktheTCP/IP, then select the option "System Parameter". On the System Parameter box, select the tab "Unit", and choose the appropriate logical device name. Then for each connection you must configure the IP, Rack and slot, under it's properties.
Danielle Posts: 1275 Rating: (123)	Last edited by: Danielle at: 10/10/2006 3:54 PM
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10/11/2006 3:10 PM	Rate (0)
keyclick Posts: 9 Rating: (0)	Thanks to everyone who replied so far. Thats pretty much the approach I am taking. Still no joy, though. A few follow-up questions: Our installation is an unlicenced v6.0 Sp4 install... I had tried installing the ill-fated v6 demo DVD, and it failed in the way I have seen others describe on this forum. So our local rep installed a copy, but it is unlicenced. I presume that the Simatic Net is unlicenced, too... I see nothing in the license manager. Should there be any way to confirm if this is present. Does the lean softnet driver work in demo mode at all? (we are trying to evaluate WinCC, and decide if we sould use it...its kinda hard when you cant even connect to a PLC!) Finally, I diddnt see any responses about the other question...is there anyway to browse tags from the PLC or the S7 project like in WinCC flexible where the "human readable" tags can be selected rather than having to type in raw byte addresses and formats? Thanks again, Greg
keyclick Posts: 9 Rating: (0)
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10/11/2006 3:20 PM	Rate (0)
Danielle Posts: 1275 Rating: (123)	[quote user="keyclick"] Our installation is an unlicenced v6.0 Sp4 install... I had tried installing the ill-fated v6 demo DVD, and it failed in the way I have seen others describe on this forum. So our local rep installed a copy, but it is unlicenced. I presume that the Simatic Net is unlicenced, too... I see nothing in the license manager. Should there be any way to confirm if this is present. Does the lean softnet driver work in demo mode at all? (we are trying to evaluate WinCC, and decide if we sould use it...its kinda hard when you cant even connect to a PLC!) Greg, Both WinCC and Simatic Net will work just fine as a demo. The License manager would be showing your licenses, if you had any. If there's nothing there then you're using demo mode for both software. A message box should appear, saying you're in demo mode, but it will not stop either software from working. There should be a problem with your communication configuration. Did you configure the communication card properly? Did you input the IP, rack and slot? About importing the tags have you checked: /tf/WW/en/Posts/4842 Best regards, Danielle
Danielle Posts: 1275 Rating: (123)	Last edited by: Danielle at: 10/11/2006 3:22 PM
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