Technical data

Testing with the Variable Table
20.3 Editing and Saving Variable Tables
Programming with STEP 7
Manual, 05/2010, A5E02789666-01 443
20.3 Editing and Saving Variable Tables
20.3.1 Creating and Opening a Variable Table
Before you can monitor or modify variables, you must create a variable table (VAT) and enter the
required variables. To create a variable table, you can choose from one of the following methods:
In the SIMATIC Manager:
• Select the "Blocks" folder and the menu command Insert > S7 Block > Variable Table. In the
dialog box, you can give the table a name ("Symbolic Name" text box). You can open the
variable table by double-clicking the object.
• Select a connection or, in the online view, an S7 or M7 program from the list of accessible
nodes. You create an unnamed variable table using the menu command PLC >
Monitor/Modify Variables.
In "Monitor/Modify Variables":
• You can use the menu command Table > New to create a new variable table which is not yet
assigned to any S7 or M7 program. You can open existing tables with Table > Open.
• You can use the corresponding symbols in the toolbar to create or open variable tables.
Once you have created a variable table, you can save it, print it out, and use it again and again for
monitoring and modifying.