Technical data

Introducing the Product and Installing the Software
1.2 The STEP 7 Standard Package
Programming with STEP 7
32 Manual, 05/2010, A5E02789666-01
Hardware Configuration
You use this tool to configure and assign parameters to the hardware of an automation project. The
following functions are available:
• To configure the programmable controller you select racks from an electronic catalog and
arrange the selected modules in the required slots in the racks.
• Configuring the distributed I/O is identical to the configuration of the central I/O.
• In the course of assigning parameters to the CPU you can set properties such as startup
behavior and scan cycle time monitoring guided by menus. Multicomputing is supported. The
data entered are stored in system data blocks.
• In the course of assigning parameters to the modules, all the parameters you can set are set
using dialog boxes. There are no settings to be made using DIP switches. The assignment of
parameters to the modules is done automatically during startup of the CPU. This means, for
example, that a module can be exchanged without assigning new parameters.
• Assigning parameters to function modules (FMs) and communications processors (CPs) is also
done within the Hardware Configuration tool in exactly the same way as for the other modules.
Module-specific dialog boxes and rules exist for every FM and CP (included in the scope of the
FM/CP function package). The system prevents incorrect entries by only offering valid options
in the dialog boxes.
NetPro (Network Configuration)
Using NetPro time-driven cyclic data transfer via the MPI is possible where you:
• Select the communication nodes
• Enter the data source and data target in a table; all blocks (SDBs) to be downloaded are
generated automatically and completely downloaded to all CPUs automatically
Event-driven data transfer is also possible where you:
• Set the communication connections
• Select the communication or function blocks from the integrated block library
• Assign parameters to the selected communication or function blocks in your chosen
programming language