SIMATIC PCS 7 System Course

Contents 19
19 Syntax rules ............................................................................................................. 3
19.1 Special characters ................................................................................................................. 3
19.1.1 General background information ........................................................................................... 3
19.1.2 PC(s) ...................................................................................................................................... 4
19.1.3 ES .......................................................................................................................................... 4
19.1.4 OS .......................................................................................................................................... 5
19.2 Maximum name length .......................................................................................................... 6
19.2.1 ES – CFC ............................................................................................................................... 6
19.2.2 ES – SFC ............................................................................................................................... 6
19.2.3 ES – Blocks............................................................................................................................ 6
19.2.4 ES – General naming in the project ....................................................................................... 7
19.2.5 OS – Alarm Logging .............................................................................................................. 7
19.2.6 OS – Pictures and tags .......................................................................................................... 7
19.3 Name rules in the plant hierarchy .......................................................................................... 8

SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax rules

Course folder, V9.0.0, ST-PCS7SYS 19 - 1
SIMATIC PCS 7 System Course

SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax rules

19 - 2 Course folder, V9.0.0, ST-PCS7SYS
 SIMATIC PCS 7 System Course

19 Syntax rules
19.1 Special characters
This section provides information on which special characters should not be used in
PCS 7 projects.

19.1.1 General background information

The PCS 7 OS uses WinCC as subordinate software. Data structures in the computer,
ES and OS system components are interrelated, however. For this reason, the naming
within these structures must comply with different standards than the typical WinCC
standard. The differences pertain, in particular, to the use of special characters.
Each of the three system components (PC, ES and OS) has its own naming
requirements that must be followed. The following tables list the special characters and
letters that are not permitted to be used. The underscore (_) is allowed in names. You
can use ASCII character sets for the WinCC portion in the OS (but no character sets
that are specific to the national language). Avoid the use of special characters in object
names if the object names are used in script languages.
The following tables also show the letters and special characters that cannot be used in
WinCC components, WinCC identifiers and specific names.
Also note that Microsoft Excel texts or strings with special characters may be interpreted
as formulas. For this reason, you should not include such special characters in the
naming scheme (e.g. "=", "+", "-") for groupings, tags, texts, etc.

SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax rules

Course folder, V9.0.0, ST-PCS7SYS 19 - 3
SIMATIC PCS 7 System Course

19.1.2 PC(s)

Component Do not use these characters Comments

Computer name [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-] Only upper case is relevant. The
[_] [+] [=] [/] [\] [*] [#] [%] [&] [§] [°] first character must be a letter.
[[]] [{}] [<] [>] [space]
DNS Hostname [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-]
[_] [+] [=] [/] [\] [*] [#] [%] [&] [§] [°]
[[]] [{}] [<] [>] [space]
Path information: [:] [?] ["] [/] [*] [<] [>]
Directory name
Communication / OPC: [.] [:] [?] ["] ['] [\] [*] [%] [space]
Used names
Web client: [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-]
Used names [+] [=] [/] [\] [*] [#] [%] [&] [§] [°] [[]]
[{}] [<] [>] [space]

19.1.3 ES

Component Do not use these characters Comments

Hierarchy folder [.] ["] [/] [\] [%]
Global symbols 0x00 and [‘] [.] [“] [%] [\] [*] [?] [:] If special characters are used,
[space] the symbol must be inside
Double underscore quotation marks.
Local symbols Letters, numbers, [_] are
permitted.
Tags Space and [‘], [.], [%] [-] [/] [*] [+]
CFC charts
Chart name with OS Space and [‘], [.], [%] [-] [/] [*] [+]
Chart name without OS [.] [%] [\] [“]
Chart comment The complete ANSI code is
permitted.
Runtime group [.] [%] [\] [“]
Task [.] [%] [\] [“]
Block type Originates from Step 7.
Parameter name Originates from Step 7. First
character must not be a
number.
Parameter comment The complete ANSI code is
permitted.
Name of block instance [.] [%] [\] [“]
Comment of block The complete ANSI code is
instance permitted.
Global variable [“]
S7 program Space and [‘], [.], [%] [-] [/] [*] [+]
Name of WinCC project [.] [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [+] [=] [/] [\]
[@] [*] [%] [[]] [{}] [<] [>] [space]
AS-OS connection (NetPro) [.] [:] [?] ["] ['] [\][*] [%] [space] Relevant for OS compilation
Tags [‘] [.] [%] [\] [*] [?] [:] [space] Will be converted to [$].
However, [$] is not permitted.
SFC chart / SFC type [/] [\] [.] [“] [%]

SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax rules

19 - 4 Course folder, V9.0.0, ST-PCS7SYS
 SIMATIC PCS 7 System Course

19.1.4 OS

Component Do not use these characters Comments

WinCC project: [.] [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [+] [=] [/] [\] Case-dependent
Name of WinCC project [@] [*] [[]] [{}] [<] [>] [space]
Tags: [:] [?] ["] ['] [\] [*] [$] [%] [space] Not case-dependent.
Tag names "@" is reserved for system
tags. The dot is used as a
separator for structure tags.
Tags: [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-] [+]
Names of process tags in Tag [=] [/] [\] [*] [%] [&] [§] [°] [[]] [{}] [<]
Logging [>] [space]
Tags: [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-] [+]
Names of archive tags in Tag [=] [/] [\] [*] [#] [%] [&] [§] [°] [[]] [{}]
Logging [<] [>] [space]
Tags: [?] ['] [\] [space] Not case-dependent.
Names of tag groups
Structure types: [.] [:] [?] ['] [\] [@] [*] [%] [space]
Names of structure types,
structure elements and structure
instances
Graphics Designer: [:] [?] ["] [/] [\] [*] [<] [>]
Picture names (PDL files)
Graphics Designer: Avoid the use of special characters The name must not exceed
Object names in pictures if the object name will be needed 180 characters.
in scripts. For more information, If you use special characters,
see VBS documentation, section the maximum character count
Debugger, Action and Procedure is additionally limited.
Names in the Debugger.
Graphics Designer: [;] Restrictions for assigned and
Text list object types referenced texts
Graphics Designer: [%]
Names in Dynamic Wizard
Alarm Logging: ['] [Enter] [Line feed]
Names of message blocks,
message classes, message
types, message texts
Tag Logging: [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-] [+]
Archive name [=] [/] [\] [*] [#] [%] [&] [§] [°] [[]] [{}]
[<] [>] [space]
Tag Logging / Trend Control: A single "&" is not displayed, a
Time axis and value axis labels double "&" is displayed as a
single "&".
Report Designer: [:] [?] ["] [/] [\] [*] [<] [>]
Names in the page layout and
line layout
User Administrator: ['] [\] Not case-dependent.
User name
User Administrator: ['] [\] Case-dependent.
Password
User Administrator: ['] [\]
User rights
User Archive: [,] [;] [:] [!] [?] ["] ['] [^] [´] [`] [~] [-] [+] First character must be a letter.
Names for archives, fields, [=] [/] [\] [*] [#] [%] [&] [§] [°] [[]] [{}]
views, rows [<] [>] [space]
Server Data: [,] [/] [\]
Name of package National special signs, e.g. é

SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax rules

Course folder, V9.0.0, ST-PCS7SYS 19 - 5
SIMATIC PCS 7 System Course

19.2 Maximum name length

This section describes the maximum permissible length of names in various areas of the
ES and OS.

19.2.1 ES – CFC
Names of CFC charts are limited to a length of 22 characters. Additional characters will
be truncated. The name of any object placed on a CFC, such as a block, must not
exceed 16 characters.

Component Maximum length Comments

Chart 22 Chart names in the plant view
Chart comment 7 or 14 out of 255 Depending on the size:
only 7 or 14 out of 255 characters
are displayed.
In the CFC properties in the plant
view.
S7_string_0-1 16 In the block properties in the CFC
S7_string_2-25 8 In the block properties in the CFC
Textual interconnections 512 Between blocks in the CFC
Runtime groups 22 Various blocks can be grouped in
runtime groups.
Parameter comment 80 In the block settings in the CFC
Name of block instance 16 In the block settings in the CFC,
in the pictures
Comment of block instance 80 In the block settings in the CFC,
in the pictures

19.2.2 ES – SFC

Component Maximum length Comments

SFC chart 22
SFC type 16
Name of sequencer 16
Comment of sequencer 80
Criterion 24
Instance name 8-24
Setpoint 16
Timer 16
Block I/Os 10

19.2.3 ES – Blocks

Component Maximum length Comments

Title 8
Author 8
Family 8
Version 4 0.0 to 15.15
Block comment 16

SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax rules

19 - 6 Course folder, V9.0.0, ST-PCS7SYS
 SIMATIC PCS 7 System Course

19.2.4 ES – General naming in the project

Component Maximum length Comments

Name of library 8 Name will be truncated after
8 characters.
Project name 8 Name will be truncated after
8 characters.
Symbols 24
Symbol comments 80 For export as *.SEQ, comment
will be truncated after the first
40 characters.
Tags 128 Caution for OS:
for certain reasons, the tag name
is shorter than 128 characters.
Hierarchy folder 1 to 12 Depending on the settings for
hierarchy 1-24, this cannot be
displayed in the OS, however.

19.2.5 OS – Alarm Logging

You configure the messages in the OS with the help of the Alarm Logging editor. With
this editor you configure the length of the alarm texts among other things. The following
table indicates the maximum permissible length of character strings.

Component Maximum length Comments

User blocks 32 out of 255 Time-correct alarms.
User blocks for bit-triggered 1-255 The length can be individually
procedure limited for each column.

19.2.6 OS – Pictures and tags

The maximum name length for pictures and tags of the OS must already be taken into
consideration at the beginning of the project. The table below provides additional
supporting information.

Component Maximum length Comments

Picture name 24 out of 255 Picture name will be truncated
after the first 24 characters.
Object name 128
Container name in Picture Tree 255 Minus the character count for the
server prefix.
Computer name 21
Archive tag 52
OPC text tag 160

SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax rules

Course folder, V9.0.0, ST-PCS7SYS 19 - 7
SIMATIC PCS 7 System Course

19.3 Name rules in the plant hierarchy

Expansion of basic structure

You use the PCS 7 wizard to create a maximum of 8 hierarchy levels without additional
embedding of hierarchy folders. You can expand this basic structure during the course
of configuration by adding hierarchy folders and/or technological objects.
When doing this, remember the following rules for naming folders/objects in the plant
hierarchy.

Name rules for folders/objects

 The following special characters must not be used in the name of a hierarchy folder:
[.][%][/][\]["]

 Note:
The characters [ ' ] [ . ] [ % ] [ \ ] [ * ] [ ? ] [ : ] [ space ] within a name are converted to
the substitute character $ when you compile the OS.
The ES separator [ \ ] is converted to [ / ].
For example, if you assign the name "TICA:1” to a CFC chart ("TICA$1" then appears
in the OS) and the name "TICA*1" to another CFC chart ("TICA$1" also then appears
in the OS), you receive an error message when compiling the second chart because
this name is already present.

 The maximum character length of a tag name is 128 characters. However, bear in
mind that many of the editors in the OS are unable to display all 128 characters.
You should therefore limit the length of your HID.
 Bear in mind that some national-related letters take up the space of up to two
characters; this reduces the available name length.
 Bear in mind that the transferred text length is dependent on the maximum
permissible text length in the target text block of the OS (Tag Logging, e.g. with event
50 characters, origin 32 characters). When the OS is compiled, texts with a maximum
of 255 characters are transferred. Remedy: Increase the maximum character count in
the user text fields or select a shorter HID.
 The alarm texts of the transferred messages contain the hierarchy path, the chart
name and the block name (if you have elected to include the hierarchy path in the
HID).

SIMATIC PCS 7 – Syntax rules

19 - 8 Course folder, V9.0.0, ST-PCS7SYS