Technical data

Editing Projects with Different Versions of STEP 7
7.4 Appending SIMATIC PC Configurations of Previous Versions
Programming with STEP 7
188 Manual, 05/2010, A5E02789666-01
7.4 Appending SIMATIC PC Configurations of Previous Versions
PC Configurations of STEP 7 V5.1 Projects (up to SP 1)
As of STEP 7 V5.1, Service Pack 2 you can download communications to the PC station in the
same way as to an S7-300 or S7-400 station (without having to take the roundabout via
configuration file). Nevertheless, a configuration file is always generated during a storing or
compiling operation in order to enable the transmission of the configuration to the target PC station
using this method.
This bears the consequence that "older" PC stations cannot interpret some of the information
included in the newly generated configuration files. STEP 7 automatically adapts itself to this
circumstance:
• If you create a new SIMATIC PC station configuration with STEP 7 as of V5.1, Service Pack 2,
STEP 7 assumes that the target PC station was configured with the help of SIMATIC NET CD
as of 7/2001, that is, under the presumption that S7RTM (Runtime Manager) is installed. The
configuration files are generated in such a way that they can be interpreted by a "new" PC
station.
• If you append a SIMATIC PC station configuration of a previous version (for example, the PC
station was configured with STEP 7 V5.1, Service Pack 1),. STEP 7 does not presume that the
target PC station was configured with the help of SIMATIC NET CD as of 7/2001. Those
configuration files are then generated in such a way that they can be interpreted by an "old" PC
station.
If this default behavior does not match your requirements, you can modify it as described below:
Setting in the Context Menu "Configuring Hardware ":
• Open the PC station hardware configuration
• Right-click on the station window (white area)
• Select the context-sensitive menu "Station Properties"
• Check or clear the "Compatibility" checkbox.
Setting in the Context Menu "Configuring Networks"
• Open the network configuration
• Highlight the PC station
• Select the menu command Edit > Object properties
• In the dialog, select the "Configuration" tab
• Check or clear the "Compatibility" checkbox.