WinCC Professional V13 SP1 – Simple Sample: getting the controller communication status

“Simple Samples” are small projects that demonstrate simple features. The target is give a quick overview about the theme and be used as start point for related discussions. Follow there are a short description and the configuration main steps.

Description:

WinCC Professional has already an efficient system alarm diagnose that inform the communication status to the users.

In some applications, however, it is necessary to represent the communication status in another form (like a icon on the screen).

There are many ways to get the controller communication status.

In this simple sample is showed the follow ways:

1 – By evaluation of the substitute value of a controller tag (simplest way).

2 – By Animation of a IO field

3 – Getting a quality code of a controller tag by VB script

4 – Getting a quality code or tag status of a controller tag by C script.

Monitoring the tag status will allow for conclusions on the status of associated links for external tags.

Monitoring the quality code of external tags will also allow for conclusions on the quality of associated tags during the process.

Requirements:

WinCC Professional V13 SP1.

Project with a minimum configuration (stop button, tags, etc.).

Configuration main steps:

1 – By evaluation of the substitute value of a controller tag (simplest way).

• Create in WinCC a PLC tag as usual (e.g. by drag and drop, in this example the AlwaysTRUE tag).

• Set the tag properties → properties → Value → Use substitute value → set option After Communication error ; Substitute value = 0

• Drag & drop the tag on a screen.

Notes:

• The displayed values will change from 1 (in normal operation) to 0 when a communications fault occur.

• You can use this feature in different ways like linking to text display

2 – By Animation of a IO field

• Create in WinCC a PLC tag as usual (e.g. by drag and drop, in this example the AlwaysTRUE tag).

• Place on screen a IO field.

• Configure the IO field: Properties → animation → animate property → add new

• Set the animation properties:

  • set Tag; Tag = AlwaysTRUE; Type = direct; Tag Status = Quality code;

  • Add properties, link to Process value

  • Define values for each Quality code

Note:

in this example the IO field was configured as string display format, and text animation Process values text were copied from the value column.

3 – Getting a quality code of a controller tag by VB script

• Create in WinCC a PLC tag as usual (e.g. by drag and drop, in this example the AlwaysTRUE tag).

• Place on screen a IO field.

• Link to process value of a IO Field the follow script

Function ProcessValueValue(ByVal item)

Dim aaa

Set aaa = HMIRuntime.Tags("AlwaysTRUE")

aaa.Read

ProcessValueValue = aaa.QualityCode

End Function

4 – Getting a quality code or tag status of a controller tag by C script.

• Create in WinCC a PLC tag as usual (e.g. by drag and drop, in this example the AlwaysTRUE tag).

• Place on screen a IO field.

• For Quality code use the follow script:

#include "GlobalDefinitions.h"

double ProcessValueValue(char* screenName, char* objectName, char* propertyName)

{

//Insert the code starting here

DWORD aaa=0, bbb = 0;

GetTagBitStateQC ("AlwaysTRUE",&aaa, &bbb);

return bbb;

}

• For Status tag use the follow script:

#include "GlobalDefinitions.h"

double ProcessValueValue(char* screenName, char* objectName, char* propertyName)

{

//Insert the code starting here

DWORD aaa=0;

GetTagBitState ("AlwaysTRUE",&aaa);

return aaa;

}

References:

FAQ

How do you implement tag status monitoring or connection status monitoring in WinCC?

https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/br/pt/view/382120/en

Note this FAQ, despite for WinCC 7.3 gives goods references about the meaning of Quality Code and Tag Status.

Which VBS information and VBS programming tools are there in WinCC (TIA Portal)?

https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/br/pt/view/59885894/en

Tips and tricks for creating scripts in WinCC (TIA Portal)

https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/br/pt/view/57132412/en

Manual

WinCC Professional V13.0

https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/br/pt/view/92323076/en

Online helps system

WinCC Professional V13.0 SP1

https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/br/pt/view/109096785/en

Project:

Due a size / format restrictions, the project are first compacted as zip archive (data.zip).