Simple Sample – WinCC Unified and SiVArc

As from V17 the WinCC Unified devices could be configured with help of SiVArc. SiVArc is a tool that configures WinCC Unified objects automatically, based on PLC objects and predefined rules.

In this example, a screen will be copied from the master copy library to the project and a faceplate will be placed on this screen for each instance of a given block that exists in the controller.

Requirements:

• There is a reference block (FB) in the controller with one or more instance DB.
• There is a faceplate on the project libraries (types)
• There is a screen on the project libraries (master copies) – not in the project.

In our simple sample the FB is Block1; the instances DB’s are instBlock1 and instBlock2; the faceplate is Faceplate1.

Configuration steps:

1. Go to project tree, Common data, SiVArc, Screen Rules, <create new rule>
2. As “Rule trigger” set the block name (you can browse it). That means for each instance of this block do something.
3. As ”Master Copy/Screen type” set the screen name from the library (you can browse it). That means, if you find at least one instance of the trigger block, copy this screen to the project.
4. As” Screen object” set the faceplate name from the library (you can browse it). That means, for each instance DB of the trigger block, copy this faceplate to the referred screen on the project.
5. Go to project tree, select the WinCC Unified application, Right mouse click, “Generate the visualization (SiVarc)”, “Generate the visualization (SiVarc)”

TIP:

Up to this point, all faceplates will be copied with the same name, overwriting one to other, so that at end there will just one faceplate in the screen. So, it is necessary to give different names for each faceplate. It is done in the faceplate configuration. There are different possibilities to configure unique names for the faceplate. Here we are going to use the instance DB name to differentiate the faceplate names.

Faceplate adaption steps to unique name based on instance DB:

1. Edit the faceplate type.
2. Go to inspector window, Plug-ins tab, Miscellaneous, Name row, Expression for the static value column , click on “…” button
3. Type Block.DB.SymbolicName (as you type, the program will auto-complete the text).
4. This configuration means: change the name of the faceplate for the instance name of the block that triggered the copy.
5. (you can build complex names adding fix text, concatenating, renaming and accessing different properties, for example, “faceplate_of_” & Block.DB.SymbolicName)

TIP:

• if you are working with multiintaces it may be necessary to get the symbolic name not of the block DB itself but of the names of higher hierarchies. To do it instead of Block.DB, use .DB, ..DB, …DB, etc.
• Use & to concatenate text
• Replace instruction has the follow syntax Replace(original name, key word, substitute word).

Sample program

The same reasoning applied to the dynamization of object names can also be applied to faceplate properties or interfaces. SiVArc will take care to create the used tags in your HMI project (and rename someone if it already was created before).

Faceplate, Plug-ins, Miscellaneous, Name configuration:

"faceplate_of_" & Block.DB.SymbolicName

Faceplate, Plug-ins, Miscellaneous,  Property interface, myTitleProperty:

Replace(Block.DB.SymbolicName,"inst","")

Faceplate, Plug-ins, Miscellaneous, Tag interface, interface_Tag_1 (type tag):

Block.DB.SymbolicName & "_hmiInterface"

Faceplate, Plug-ins, Miscellaneous, Tag interface, invidualTag (individual tag):

Block.DB.SymbolicName & "_individualTag"

Sample program:

Here the faceplate position is calculated by a formula

100 + (200 * Block.DB.Number)

Sample program

In this example, a ConfigurationString faceplate parameter become the instance DB name, with Rename function, the prefix is eliminate. In the faceplate load event, a script copy the Configuration String parameter to a text box. It is used as faceplate title. Individual tags is also filled as type tags.

1. Configure the blocks, faceplates as usual (see open posts
2. Create a screen as usual (HMI > screens > add new) as layout template
   1. In this screen, place rectangles in the position where you intend that the faceplates should be placed.
   2. In the rectangles: inspection window > Plug-ins > SiVArc properties > set the checkbox “Use as layout field” and give a name for the “Layoutfield name” (the name is arbitrary but should be the same for all rectangles that represent the position of a same faceplate).
3. Save the layout in the library as master copy and delete the original from the project folder screens.
4. Adapt the Screen rule table, setting the name given in the open step to “Layoutfield name” to the column Layout field.

1. Create an alarm as usual (project tree > Unified > HMI alarms > add new
2. Inspection Windows > Plug-ins tab > SiVArc properties: configure the alarm properties. In this simple sample:
   1. General > name = Block.DB.SymbolicName & "Alarm1"
   2. Text > Alarm Text = "Alarm active in " & Replace(Block.DB.SymbolicName, "inst", "") it creates an unique name for each alarm
   3. Tag > Trigger tag > Block.DB.SymbolicName & "_hmiInterface.alarm" (asTag expression) it create a connection with the alarm tag in the block
3. Copy the created alarm to the project library (master copy) and delete it from the project
4. SiVArc rules configuratoin
   1. Project tree > SiVArc > AlarmTables > Default alarm rule table > create new rule
   2. Ruler trigger = PLC block in our example, Block 1
   3. Master copy of alarm/class/groups = alarm created in the step above, saved in the master copy library