Technical data

Creating Data Blocks
11.4 Editing and Saving Data Blocks
Programming with STEP 7
270 Manual, 05/2010, A5E02789666-01
11.4 Editing and Saving Data Blocks
11.4.1 Entering the Data Structure of Shared Data Blocks
If you open a data block which is not assigned to a user-defined data type or function block, you
can define its structure in the declaration view of the data block. With data blocks which are not
shared, the declaration view cannot be changed.
1. Open a shared data block, meaning a block which is not associated with a UDT or FB.
2. Display the declaration view of the data block if this view is not set already.
3. Define the structure by filling out the table displayed in accordance with the information below.
With data blocks which are not shared, the declaration view cannot be modified.
Column Explanation
Address Displays the address which STEP 7 automatically assigns for the variable when you finish
entering a declaration.
Name Enter the symbolic name you have to assign to each variable here.
Type Enter the data type you want to assign to the variable (BOOL, INT, WORD, ARRAY, etc.). The
variables can have elementary data types, complex data types, or user-defined data types.
Initial Value Here you can enter the initial value if you do not want the software to use the default value for
the data type entered. All values must be compatible with the data type.
When you save a block for the first time, the initial value is used as the actual value if you have
not explicitly defined actual values for the variables.
Comment Entering an optional comment in this field helps to document the variable. The comment can
have up to 79 characters.