Creating data blocks

Creating and managing blocks

Manual

V20

11/2024
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Manual, 11/2024 3
Table of content

1 Creating data blocks 6

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Creating data blocks
Requirement
1
The "Program blocks" folder in the project tree is open.

Procedure
To create a data block, follow these steps:

1. Double-click the "Add new block" command.

The "Add new block" dialog box opens.

2. Click the "Data block (DB)" button.

3. Select the type of the data block. You have the following options available to you:

To create a global data block, select the list entry "Global DB".

To create an ARRAY data block, select the "ARRAY DB" entry in the list.

To create an instance data block, select the function block to which you want to assign

the instance data block from the list. The list contains only the function blocks that were
previously created for the CPU.

To create a data block based on a PLC data type, select the PLC data type from the list.
The list contains only the PLC data types that were previously created for the CPU.

To create a data block based on a system data type, select the system data type from the
list. The list contains only those system data types that have already been inserted to

program blocks in the CPU.

4. Enter a name for the data block. The name can contain up to 125 characters when no

namespace has been defined for the data block.

5. Optional within software units: Enter a namespace for the new data block or use the

namespace preset of the software unit.

Note

Namespaces in software units

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 You can find information on namespaces, in particular on the naming
conventions according to IEC 61131-3, here:

Categorizing program elements in namespaces

6. Enter the properties of the new data block.

7. If you have selected an ARRAY DB as the data block type, enter the ARRAY data type and the
high limit for the ARRAY.

You can change the high limit for the ARRAY at any time in the property window of the
created block. The ARRAY data type cannot be changed subsequently.

8. If you have selected a block that contains monitoring as the "Type", assign a ProDiag
function block to the monitoring functions.

9. To enter additional properties of the new data block, click "Additional information".

An area with further text boxes is displayed.

10. Enter all the properties you require.

11. Activate the "Add new and open" check box if the block does not open as soon as it is
created.

12. Confirm your entry with "OK".

Result
The new data block is created. You can find the data block in the project tree in the "Program
blocks" folder.

Note
Retentivity of ARRAY data blocks
ARRAY data blocks and their components cannot be set retentively.

See also
Basic principles for programming of data blocks
Global data blocks (DB)
Instance data blocks
System data types
Using blocks from libraries

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