18 syntax rules v1.0

1. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax Rules
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 18 - 1
Content 18
18 Syntax Rules..............................................................................................................3
18.1 Special Characters ...................................................................................................................3
18.1.1 General Background Information..............................................................................................3
18.1.2 PC(s).........................................................................................................................................4
18.1.3 ES .............................................................................................................................................4
18.1.4 OS.............................................................................................................................................5
18.2 Maximum Length for Names.....................................................................................................6
18.2.1 ES – CFC..................................................................................................................................6
18.2.2 ES – SFC..................................................................................................................................6
18.2.3 ES – Blocks...............................................................................................................................6
18.2.4 ES - General Naming in Project................................................................................................7
18.2.5 OS – Alarm Logging .................................................................................................................7
18.2.6 OS – Pictures and Variables.....................................................................................................7
18.3 Rules for Naming in the PH ......................................................................................................8

2. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax Rules
18 - 2 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS

3. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax Rules
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 18 - 3
18 Syntax Rules
18.1 Special Characters
This section provides information on which special characters should not be used in
your PCS 7 projects.
18.1.1 General Background Information
PCS 7 OS utilizes WinCC in its underlying software and structures the PC, ES, and OS
into common interrelated groups. Therefore the naming within all three of these groups
must follow standards different from typical WinCC standards. The standards apply
specifically to the use of Special Characters (signs).
Each of the three components (PC, ES, & OS) has its own naming requirements which
must be followed. The following Tables indicate the Special Characters (signs) which
should not be used. The underscore (_) is allowed for naming. Within the WinCC
portion of the OS, you may use the ASCII Character set (although, do not use National
special character sets). Avoid all special characters in object names, particularly, if the
object names are used in Scripts. The following tables show the characters which you
may not use in WinCC components, designations and specified names.
Additionally, Microsoft Excel interprets texts with special characters as formulas. For
this reason these characters should not be used as part of object naming schemes
(e.g., “=”, “+”, ‘-“) for group name, variables, texts, etc.

4. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax Rules
18 - 4 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
18.1.2 PC(s)
Component Do not use these characters Remarks
Computer name [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-]
[+] [=] [/] [] [*] [#] [%] [&] [§] [°] [[]]
[{}] [<] [>] [space]
Only capitalization is relevantly
First indication must be a letter.
DNS Hostname [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-]
[+] [=] [/] [] [*] [#] [%] [&] [§] [°] [[]]
[{}] [<] [>] [space]
path:
Name of folders
[:] [?] ["] [/] [*] [<] [>]
Communication / OPC:
used names
[.] [:] [?] ["] ['] [] [*] [%] [space]
Web Client:
used names
[,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-]
[+] [=] [/] [] [*] [#] [%] [&] [§] [°] [[]]
[{}] [<] [>] [space]
18.1.3 ES
Component Do not use these characters Remarks
Hierarchy folder [.] ["] [/] [] [%]
Global Symbols 0x00 and
[‘] [.] [“] [%] [] [*] [?] [:] [Space]
Double underscore
When using special characters
the symbol must stand in
quotation marks.
Local Symbols letters, numbers, [_] are allowed
Variables Space and [‘], [.], [%] [-] [/] [*] [+]
CFC-charts
Chartname with OS Space and [‘], [.], [%] [-] [/] [*] [+]
Chartname without OS [.] [%] [] [“]
Chart comment whole ANSI code is allowed
Run time groups [.] [%] [] [“]
Task [.] [%] [] [“]
Blocktypes Made by Step 7
Parameter name Made by Step 7
First character can't be a
number
Parameter comment whole ANSI code is allowed
Name of the
blockinstance
[.] [%] [] [“]
Comment of the
blockinstance
whole ANSI code is allowed
Global Variable [“]
S7-Program Space and [‘], [.], [%] [-] [/] [*] [+]
Names of WinCC-Projects [.] [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [+] [=] [/] []
[@] [*] [%] [[]] [{}] [<] [>] [Space]
AS-OS -Interconnections
(Netpro)
[.] [:] [?] ["] ['] [][*] [%] [Space] Relevant for OS-Compile
Variables [‘] [.] [%] [] [*] [?] [:] [Space] Will be changed into [$]
But [$] is not allowed???
SFC-chart / SFC-Type [/] [] [.] [“] [%]

5. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax Rules
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 18 - 5
18.1.4 OS
Component Do not use these characters Remarks
WinCC-Project:
Names of WinCC projects
[.] [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [+] [=] [/] []
[@] [*] [[]] [{}] [<] [>] [Space]
Case sensitive
Variables:
Variable names
[:] [?] ["] ['] [] [*] [$] [%] [Space] Not case sensitive
"@" is reserved for System
variables
The point is used as separator
for structure variables
Variables:
Names of process tags in Tag
Logging
[,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-] [+]
[=] [/] [] [*] [%] [&] [§] [°] [[]] [{}] [<]
[>] [Space]
Variables:
Names of archive variables in
Tag Logging
[,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-] [+]
[=] [/] [] [*] [#] [%] [&] [§] [°] [[]] [{}]
[<] [>] [Space]
Variables:
Names of variable groups
[?] ['] [] [Space] Not case sensitive
Structure types:
Names of structure types,
structure elements, structure
instances
[.] [:] [?] ['] [] [@] [*] [%] [Space]
Graphics Designer:
Names of pictures (PDL-files)
[:] [?] ["] [/] [] [*] [<] [>]
Graphics Designer:
Names of objects in pictures
Avoid using special characters if
the object name is used in scripts.
For more detailed information,
refer to the documentation on VBS
in the section Testing with the
Debugger > Action and Procedure
Names in the Debugger.
The name can be no longer
than 180 characters.
If you use special characters,
the maximum number of
characters is further restricted.
Graphics Designer:
Object type text list
[;] Restriction with assigned and
referenced texts
Graphics Designer:
Names in Dynamic Wizard
[%]
Alarm Logging:
Names of message blocks,
message class, type of
message, message texts
['] [enter] [linefeed]
Tag Logging:
Archive name
[,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-] [+]
[=] [/] [] [*] [#] [%] [&] [§] [°] [[]] [{}]
[<] [>] [Space]
Tag Logging / Trend control:
Label of timeline and value line
single "&"-will not be displayed
double "&"-will be displayed as
single.
Report Designer:
Names in page layout und line
layout
[:] [?] ["] [/] [] [*] [<] [>]
User Administrator:
User names
['] [] Not case sensitive
User Administrator:
Password
['] [] Case sensitive
User Administrator:
User rights
['] []
User Archives:
Names for archives, fields,
views, rows
[,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-] [+]
[=] [/] [] [*] [#] [%] [&] [§] [°] [[]] [{}]
[<] [>] [Space]
First character must be a letter
Server Data:
Names of Packages
[,] [/] []
National special signs, e.g. é

6. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax Rules
18 - 6 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
18.2 Maximum Length for Names
This section describes the allowable maximum length for naming used in various areas
of the ES and OS.
18.2.1 ES – CFC
CFC Chart naming is restricted to a length of 22 characters. Anything longer will be
truncated. Any object placed on the chart, such as a block, has a maximum character
length of 16 for naming.
Component Maximum length Remarks
Chart 22 Name of charts in plant view
Chart comment 7 resp. 14 out of 255 Depends on the size: from the
255, only 7 or 14 are displayed.
In the CFC properties in the
plant view
S7_String_0-1 16 In the block properties in CFC
S7_String_2-25 8 In the block properties in CFC
Textual interconnection 512 Between blocks in CFC
Runtime group 22 The several blocks can be
grouped in runtime groups
Parameter comment 80 In the block settings in the CFC
chart
Name of the block instance 16 In the block settings in the CFC
chart.
Picture.
Comment of the block instance 80 In the block settings in the CFC
chart.
Picture.
18.2.2 ES – SFC
Component Maximum length Remarks
SFC chart 22
SFC type 16
Sequencer name 16
Sequencer comment 80
Criteria 24
Instance name 8-24
Setpoint 16
Timer 16
Block contacts 10
18.2.3 ES – Blocks
Component Maximum length Remarks
Header 8
Author 8
Family 8
Version 4 0.0 up to 15.15
Block comment 16

7. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax Rules
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 18 - 7
18.2.4 ES - General Naming in Project
Component Maximum length Remarks
Library names 8 Longer than 8 character will be
cut off
Project names 8 Longer than 8 character will be
cut off
Symbols 24
Symbol comment 80 Via export as *.SEQ it will be cut
off after 40 characters
Variables 128 Attention for the OS: the
Variable name is shorter then
128 signs for some reason
Hierarchy folder 1 up to 12 Depending on the settings of the
Hierarchy 1 -24 but this can’t be
displayed on the OS
18.2.5 OS – Alarm Logging
In the OS, you will configure messages using the alarm logging editor. Using the editor,
you configure the length of texts for messaging. The following table provides the
maximum character lengths allowed.
Component Maximum length Remarks
User blocks 32 out of 255 Time correct alarms
User blocks for bit reporting
procedure
1-255 The length can be limited
individually for the individual
colums
18.2.6 OS – Pictures and Variables
The OS Pictures and Variable naming lengths must also be considered at project start.
The following table provides the maximum lengths guidance.
Component Maximum length Remarks
Picture name 24 out of 255 After 24 characters the name is
cut off
Object name 128
Container name in the picture
tree
255 Minus the number of characters
for the server prefix
Computer name 21
Archive variable 52
OPC text variable 160

8. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax Rules
18 - 8 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
18.3 Rules for Naming in the PH
Extending the Basic Structure
Use the PCS 7 wizard to create a maximum of 8 hierarchy levels without additional
nesting of hierarchy folders. You can further extend this basic structure during
configuration by adding further hierarchy folders and/or technological objects.
When doing this, remember the following rules for naming folders/objects in the plant
hierarchy.
Rules for Naming Folders/Objects
• The following special characters may not be used in the name of a hierarchy folder: [
. ] [ % ] [ / ] [ ] [ " ]
 Note
The characters [ ' ] [ . ] [ % ] [ ] [ * ] [ ? ] [ : ] [spaces] within a name are converted to
the substitute character $ when you compile the OS.
The ES separator [ ] is converted to the [ / ] character.
If, for example, you assign the name "TICA:1" for a CFC chart (this becomes
"TICA$1" on the OS) and the name "TICA*1" for another CFC chart, (also becomes
"TICA$1"), you will receive an error message when you transfer the second chart
because the chart name already exists.
• The maximum length of a tag name is 128 characters. Remember, however, that
many of the editing windows on the OS can not display 128 characters in their
entirety. You should therefore restrict the length of the HID.
• Remember that special characters associated with certain national languages take
up two characters, thus reducing the maximum name length accordingly.
• Remember that the length of the texts transferred depends on the maximum text
length of a target block in the OS (Tag Logging, for example, event 50 characters;
origin 32 characters). When compiling the "OS" texts up to a maximum length of 255
characters are transferred.
Remedy:
Increase the maximum character length of the user text field or select a shorter HID.
• The message texts of the transfer messages are made up of the hierarchy path, chart
name, and the block name (if you decided to include the names in the HID).