This document provides an overview of archiving in the PCS 7 system. It discusses how to configure alarm logging to archive messages and alarms. Process values can be archived by configuring tag logging. There are two archive types for tags - fast and slow logging. Trends and alarm lists can be displayed in WinCC by configuring the appropriate controls. The document also covers preparing the OS for archiving, defining the archive size and location, and transferring alarm and tag configuration from SIMATIC Manager to the Operator Station.

1. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 12 - 1
Content 12
12 Archiving System ....................................................................................................3
12.1 Learning targets..................................................................................................................... 3
12.2 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 3
12.3 Archive configuration ............................................................................................................. 6
12.3.1 Preparing the OS for archiving .............................................................................................. 6
12.3.2 Alarm logging (of messages and alarms).............................................................................. 7
12.3.3 Tag logging (of process values)........................................................................................... 10
12.4 Configuration of WinCC Controls......................................................................................... 13
12.4.1 Display of process value trends by the Online Trend Control ............................................. 13
12.4.2 Display of customized alarm lists in the process picture ..................................................... 20
12.5 Task and Checkpoint........................................................................................................... 24

2. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
12 - 2 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS

3. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 12 - 3
12 Archiving System
12.1 Learning targets
The participant will learn about
• The mechanism of logging alarms
and process values
The participant will be able to
• Configure the alarm and tag logging
• Customize the presentation of
events, alarms and the history of
process values
12.2 Introduction
AS block
values
messages
OS Tag management
and Alarm system
Archiving procedures
Segments
Archives Backup
Tag Slow Tag Fast Messages
Tag Msg

4. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
12 - 4 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
In PCS 7 there are two different types of archives:
Message archive System archive
• Storing alarms and messages
• Use the “Alarm Logging" editor for configuration
• The time stamp on archived messages is
always in standard UTC format
(Coordinated Universal Time).
• Storing archive tags
• Use the “Tag Logging" editor for configuration
• PCS 7 creates this archive automatically the
first time you compile the OS with the "Archive
tags" option.
• A distinction is made between 2 archive types:
“Tag Logging Fast” archive type „Tag Logging Slow” archive type
• Acquisition cycles less than or equal to one
minute.
• The default value of one minute can be
changed manually via the archive configuration
of the "Tag Logging Fast" archive type.
• The Tag Logging Slow archive type is used when
the acquisition cycle is longer than one minute.
"Archiving" and "Long-term archiving"
By default, archiving is performed locally on the OS servers.
The local archives of OS servers are configured as recirculation archives: When the
archive has reached capacity limits, the oldest values are deleted to release space for
saving new values. This corresponds with "FIFO" (First-in first-out) principle.
If the external archive server is not available for a certain period of time, the OS server
will attempt to export at a later point in time. As long as the data is still in the
recirculation archive, this remains possible without loss of data.
The archive values associated with TagLogging Fast and
also with TagLogging Slow (as of PCS 7 V7.0) are saved
in the database in a compressed state, although this does
not impair the quality of the values.
Compression and
circular logging

5. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 12 - 5
Long-term archiving
Short-term archiving
More economical version for the
lower performance range
High-performance version for
modernization and expansion of
plants with CAS
Perspective
high-performance version
The following products are offered for OS long-term archiving:
• StoragePlus:
More economical version for the lower performance range; for archiving about 1 600
values/s from as many as four single stations, servers or pairs of servers
• Central Archive Server (CAS), can be configured as single or redundant version:
High-performance version for modernization and expansion of plants with CAS; for
archiving about 10 000 values/s from up to 11 servers or pairs of servers
• Process Historian
Perspective high-performance version
 Please refer to our SITRAIN course PCS 7 OS Engineering (ST-PCS7OSE) for more
information about the design and configuration of long-term archiving in PCS 7.

6. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
12 - 6 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
12.3 Archive configuration
12.3.1 Preparing the OS for archiving
When using the external archive server, the following property must be configured on
each operator station from which values are to be archived:
Archive configuration
The system always offers two criteria for specifying the archive size of a single segment
and the overall size of the circular log:
• Definition of a time period
• Physical size in bytes
If one of these two criteria is exceeded, this will lead to a switch to the next segment in
the case of a single segment, or to the overwriting of the first segment of the entire
circular log.
Archive configuration includes settings in following tools:
• Definition of size and storing location (Logging Editors in WinCC Explorer)
• Selection of values (tags) and messages to be archived (SIMATIC Manager)
 For more details see
[104] PCS 7 V8.0 Operator Station - Configuration Manual - 12_2011, 11.1 and
[121] PCS 7 Compendium part a - Configuration Guidelines - 03_2009, 7.4.2

7. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 12 - 7
12.3.2 Alarm logging (of messages and alarms)
Data transferred from SIMATIC Manager
Enter any necessary special message texts in SIMATIC Manager in the block properties
of a block instance in a CFC/SFC chart. You have also made the AS-OS assignment in
the plant view of SIMATIC Manager.
Mass data engineering in the process object view supports also editing messages.
Cells with white
background can be
edited directly
Displays the message texts of the signaling blocks
belonging to the process tags and CFC/SFC charts
displayed in the "General" tab
 For more details see
[103] PCS 7 V8.0 Engineering System - 12_2011, 8.12.10.8 and
[104] PCS 7 V8.0 Operator Station - Configuration Manual - 12_2011, 10.3.1

8. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
12 - 8 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
Alarm Logging Editor
The messages with the corresponding message texts are automatically
applied in the "Alarm Logging" editor of the WinCC Explorer during the
compiling of the OS.
Archive size
Archive size definition consists in 2 inputs
• The maximum size of the overall archive (over all segments)
• The size of a single segment
Segment: The individual are initially grouped to
form small units, namely the segments.
Overall archive: formed by all the single segments
 See [104] PCS 7 V8.0 Operator Station - Configuration Manual - 12_2011, 11.3 for
more details.

9. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 12 - 9
Storage location
Short-term archive files (System archive) are always stored so that they are local to the
computer in the associated WinCC project.
To ensure complete documentation of archive data without any gap, you have to
configure backups for your archive data:

10. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
12 - 10 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
12.3.3 Tag logging (of process values)
Data transferred from SIMATIC Manager
Definition of archiving type for archive-relevant process values:
• "Archiving" and "Long-term archiving", specify whether the process value should also
be saved for the long term if a Central Archive Server (CAS) or Process Historian /
Information Server is used.
• In the process object view:
Select the
archive type
• In CFC:
2 ways in CFC
I/O properties
Block properties
 Please note that in the process object view you only have access to tags intended for
representation in the Process object view.

11. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 12 - 11
Preparing the OS for archiving
Activate the “Create/update archive tags” checkbox in OS properties to create a system
archive during the OS compilation containing all archive tags.
Required for creation
of a system archive
during OS compilation
Only relevant if CAS
or PH is available in
the Multiproject
Only relevant if
PH is available in
the Multiproject
• System archive in the Tag Logging Editor:

12. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
12 - 12 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
Archive configuration
Configuration of archive size and storage location has to be done similar to the steps of
Alarm logging configuration in the “Tag logging” editor.
In contrast to archive type “TagLogging Slow”, the configuration of “TagLogging Fast”
consists in an additional tab “Archive contents”.
Calculation of the memory requirements of all segments for a specified time period
requires knowing, how many archive values are saved per second on average.
 As a rule, no more than 200 single segments (for the TagLogging Fast/Slow and
AlarmLogging archive databases) may be generated in total.
 See [121] PCS 7 Compendium part a - Configuration Guidelines - 03_2009, 7.4.2 for
more details.

13. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 12 - 13
12.4 Configuration of WinCC Controls
12.4.1 Display of process value trends by the Online Trend Control
In order to process data in graphic form, WinCC uses Online TrendControl to offer the
option of displaying the data as a trend. The trend display can be configured as you
wish. It offers the option to display within one trend control multiple trend windows, to
which interdependent or independent axes can be assigned.
The trends can display currently incoming values and archived values.
1 32
4
5 7
6 8
9
11
10
You define by the Trend Control
configuration (tab „Toolbar“), which
buttons will be available in Runtime.
This figure shows only a presetting.
1) Online parameterization of the display 7) Start/Stop the update of the display
2) Navigation in the data records 8) Ruler
3) Define a zoom area 9) Define statistics area
4) Move trend area 10) Calculate Statistics
5) Move axes area 11) Connection status
6) Original view
 See [104] PCS 7 V8.0 Operator Station - Configuration Manual - 12_2011, 11.13 for
more details.
As of PCS 7 V7.1, the functionality of the WinCC OnlineTrendControl has been
expanded and the design has been changed.
The design of the WinCC OnlineTrendControl shown in the process picture is
dependent on the template that was chosen when the trend group was created.
• prior V7.1 (classic WinCC Online Trend): @TRG_Default.pdl
• from V7.1: @TRG_Standard.pdl
Both versions of the WinCC OnlineTrendControl can be used in PCS 7 as of version
7.1.

14. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
12 - 14 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
Access to the trend system in process mode
Standard case
Creating or loading
trend groups in
process mode
You open preconfigured trend groups using buttons in process
pictures. You can analyze the trends and also manipulate the
trend fields using specified functions.
You open a "Trends Online" dialog box on the working range.
Load/configure
trend groups
General procedure for configuration of the WinCC Online Trend Control
You configure the Online Trend Control in the Graphics Designer. Because the
elements time axis / value axis, trend, trend window the following general procedure is
recommended:
Create new trend window
Create new time axis / value axis
and assign them to trend window
Create new trend
Assign trend to trend window
and assign axes

15. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 12 - 15
Creating a new Online Trend Control
After you placed the object,
the "WinCC OnlineTrendControl Properties” dialog box opens.
One Trend window is already created as default.
Specify for each trend
window, how much of
the trend control will be
taken up by it.
Create more trend
windows (if needed)
and rename them.
Proportional area: 2
Proportional area: 1
Example:
Trend Control area
If you create more than one trend windows in a Trend Control, then the property
„Proportional area“ allows to specify for each trend window how much of the trend
control will be taken up by it. It is a relational factor.
Example:
Trend window 1: Proportional area = 2
Trend window 2: Proportional area = 1
Result: The trend window 2 takes up twice as much space as the first trend window.

16. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
12 - 16 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
Each trend window needs for display of trends at minimum one time and one value axis.
Assign here the
trend window
Label visible
in Runtime
Trend windows contain the trends which are created separately in the tab „Trends“.
List of available
trends
Assign the
trend window
Assign the
trend window
Select the tag to
be connected
Graphical design
specifications

17. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 12 - 17
The trend specification consists especially in the configuration of the data connection.
You can choose between online tags and archive tags:
• 1 - Archive tags: This allows you to visualize tags written to the archive you created in
the "Tag Logging" editor.
• 2 - Online process tags: These are used to directly visualize measured values of the
process. This measured value is displayed to the operator as long as the Online
Trend Control is displayed in the process control. The measured value that is
displayed is not saved in the archive.
Tags from the archive and tags from the process can be displayed in a single Online
Trend Control.
Automatic value range
e.g. limits which have already
been defined in the block
instance in the CFC chart)
 See [104] PCS 7 V8.0 Operator Station - Configuration Manual - 12_2011, 11.13.5 for
more details about automatic transfer of properties for the value axis.

18. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
12 - 18 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
Data export
Values displayed in a Trend Control can be exported into a .csv file.
Enable the
Export button
for the process mode
Enable here more
operating options for
the data export
 If you export only a selection of the available data you have to select the range via
the rulers of the statistic function.
Online configuration of the OnlineTrendControl
You can change the configuration of the WinCC OnlineTrendControl during the process
mode. Already in the offline configuration was specified, how to proceed with online
configuration changes in case of a picture change or after closing the OS Runtime.
Enable the following Toolbar button functions for the online configuration of the Trend
Control:
• Toolbar button function "Configuration dialog"
• Toolbar button function "Select data connection"
• Toolbar button function "Select trends"
• Toolbar button function "Select time range"
 Enable the Help button of the Trend Control to provide support for online
operation/configuration in Runtime.

19. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 12 - 19
Connection to the Ruler Control
Evaluated data and statistics are shown in a table in a ruler window, statistics window or
a statistics area window. These windows are configured in the WinCC RulerControl.
Moveable
ruler
Online
Trend
Control
Online
Ruler
Control
i: measured
g: interpolated
Data
source
Data source object
(Trend Control)

20. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
12 - 20 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
12.4.2 Display of customized alarm lists in the process picture
You can configure a customized alarm window in a process picture using the
WinCC Alarm Control available from PCS 7 V7.1.
• View messages without having to toggle to the message list in process mode.
• Choose what types of messages are displayed.
• Specify the information to be provided in the individual message blocks.
• Specify the exact contents of the message line.
2 6 8 10
51 3
4
7 9 11 12 13
14
You define by the Alarm Control configuration (tab „Toolbar“), which buttons will be available in
Runtime. This figure shows only a presetting.
15
1) Online parameterization of the display 9) Lock dialog
2) Message list 10) Data export
3) Short-term archive list 11) Autoscroll
4) Long-term archive list 12) Page navigation
5) Lock list 13) Time base dialog
6) Hit list 14) Copy rows
7) Emergency acknowledgement 15) Data connection status
8) Selection dialog
How to insert an WinCC Alarm Control
After you placed the object,
the "WinCC AlarmControl Properties” dialog box opens.
One Alarm window is already created with default setttings.
 See [104] PCS 7 V8.0 Operator Station - Configuration Manual - 12_2011, 9.3 for
more details.

21. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 12 - 21
Properties of the Alarm Control
• General Layout of the alarm window:
Selection of
the desired
alarm list
Layout of the
alarm window
• Layout of the alarm list:
Select message
blocks for the list
Layout of the
message blocks
The message blocks are created during the OS compilation.

22. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
12 - 22 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
• Layout of tool bar and status bar:
 See WinCC Information System for more details.
> Working with WinCC > Setting up a Message System > Display of Messages during
Runtime
Message Selection
The options available in the alarm control for the selection of messages are “Fixed
selection” and “Selections”. Both selection modes can be combined.
Always used
in runtime
Userdefined
Result:

23. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS 12 - 23
• Fixed selection
The fixed selection is permanently configured directly in the control, and is always
used in runtime. In addition to the fixed selection, various user-defined selections can
be configured.
• User-defined message selection
They can be enabled and disabled during runtime in the “Selections” dialog. The
selection criteria are saved for reuse: That is user defined message selections are
common WinCC project wide.
The selection dialogs created are not user specific but can be selected and
modified by all users.
The configured user-defined selections are only used in runtime if that selection is
enabled. It is possible to enable multiple user-defined selections simultaneously in
order to achieve a more precise, graduated selection.
The selection criteria created can also be made available on other clients by
configuring the standard server for SSM on one client.
It has to be considered that selection criteria which have been created on the
Engineering Station and which are transferred via a complete download to the OS
Station, will replace the existing criteria on the OS Station.
Data export
The system normally exports the data which are selected for display in the control. In
addition, the scope of data export can be defined in the “Export Data” dialog. The
options available are to export “All” or the “Selection”.
Copy selected
rows to clipboard
Enable the
Export
button
The “Copy rows” button allows to copy one or more selected rows of messages from the
control to the clipboard and then to paste them e.g. to an Excel table. The “Copy rows”
button can be enabled and disabled for selection in the “Toolbar” tab of the Control
Properties dialog.

24. PCS 7 System Course
SIMATIC PCS 7 – Archiving System
12 - 24 Training Documentation, V1.00, ST-PCS7SYS
Configuration options to change the behavior
• Changes of the acknowledgement behavior when the auto scroll function is disabled
The new version includes a change of the acknowledgement behavior when the auto
scroll function within the alarm control is disabled.
− Prior to V7.1: A group acknowledgement acknowledged all visible messages.
− From V7.1 on: A group acknowledgement acknowledges the selected
messages.
• Flashing message: When a message is shown flashing, the text displayed can still be
read.
• Behavior on double-click: The attribute “Action on double-click” in the “General” tab
defines the response to a double-click. The following options are available:
− None
− Loop in Alarm
− Open comments dialog
− Open Info Text dialog
− Column dependent
• Show message colors: The attribute “Show message colors” in the “General” tab of
the Properties dialog allows enabling (default setting in PCS 7) or disabling the
display of the message colors. When it is disabled, the message text is shown in
black font on white background.
12.5 Task and Checkpoint
Task: Archiving of the material tank levels
Goal
A Trend of the material tanks, to be accessed by a button in the Reactors picture
Checkpoint
What do you think …
• What is a usual storage-duration
for events, alarm and tags on an
OS server?