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This document covers the INGEAR AB OPC Server for Siemens Panels in the examples, but can
also be applied to the INGEAR GE and Modbus OPC Servers for Siemens Panels. The file
locations are different for those servers and those differences are noted in this document. The
INGEAR OPC Servers for Siemens panels only work on MP270 and MP370 panels, regardless
of screen size.
Note: The server is not licensed on the desktop but only on the panel. We automatically create
Icons for licensing on the MP panels as part of the transfer process to the panel. Licensing is
covered in detail in the driver help file under the topic “Licensing the OPC Server on the
Siemens Panel”. You don’t have to have a license in order to test the OPC server connection or
do configuration. This paper does not cover licensing.
You can find the latest installer for the INGEAR AB OPC Server for Siemens Panels at
www.paneldrivers.com/siemens. After installing it, the desktop OPC Server to use for
driver configuration will be found under the Windows Start Menu as shown here. It is important
you install the OPC Server version for Siemens Panels as that installer installs the driver CE
runtime binaries and advises WinCC flexible of the presence of the drivers. The INGEAR AB
OPC 3.0 Desktop version can also be used on the desktop for driver configuration as long as the
Panel version has already been installed.
When the Server opens it will open the sample project installed with the server. The location of
that file depends on the particular InGear OPC Server you have installed. For the Allen Bradley
OPC Server, the file is at the following location on your computer:
C:\Software Toolbox\Common
For GE and Modbus OPC Server, the file location is at the following location on your computer:
This project can be modified to meet the needs of the particular project or a new project can be
opened. At a minimum the driver and device need to be configured. Tag configuration in the
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©Copyright Software Toolbox Inc., 2005, All Rights Reserved
148A East Charles Street, Matthews, NC 28105 USA Web: www.softawretoolbox.com
How to Connect Siemens WinCC flexible to INGEAR OPC Servers for use
on Siemens Panels
server is recommended, but dynamic tags can be added from WinCC flexible once the device is
fully configured in the OPC Server.
Configure the server with tags first and save this file with the name, “abwince.tdb” to the path
specified above if you are using the AB OPC Server. Save the file as “mbwince.tdb” if you are
using the Modbus Server and as “gewince.tdb” if you are using the GE Server, to the indicated
path above for those servers. It is critical the correct file name is used. You can save off back-
up versions of the sample file to other locations, if desired. Management of multiple
configuration files is covered in detail in the driver help file.
Before starting configuration in WinCC flexible or ProTool make sure the devices in the OPC
Server have the “Simulate I/O” box check as shown above. If this isn’t done it will take a very
long time to configure the project. It is also critical that the devices are taken off Simulate I/O, by
un-checking this box before downloading the project to the Panel. This is particularly important
when using Array tags. When they open a project, Siemens HMIs ask the OPC Server to verify
the tag with the PLC on each tag configuration. If you configure the project on the desktop OPC
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©Copyright Software Toolbox Inc., 2005, All Rights Reserved
148A East Charles Street, Matthews, NC 28105 USA Web: www.softawretoolbox.com
How to Connect Siemens WinCC flexible to INGEAR OPC Servers for use
on Siemens Panels
Server while it is not connected to the PLC and open the HMI project, we have to wait for
timeouts as the HMI wants us to verify each tag exists in the PLC before moving on.
When you open WinCC flexible for the Desktop Icon you will see this screen.
This example will use, “Open the most recently edited project,” to make this simple. If you are
creating a new project, make sure you choose the correct panel type and an OPC Connection.
Once the project opens you will see this tree on the
left. The project must be a MP270, MP370 or
desktop project to be able to make an OPC
Connection.
Example: Mydevice.MyArray@F8:0|VT_R4,20
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©Copyright Software Toolbox Inc., 2005, All Rights Reserved
148A East Charles Street, Matthews, NC 28105 USA Web: www.softawretoolbox.com
How to Connect Siemens WinCC flexible to INGEAR OPC Servers for use
on Siemens Panels
The client specifies the Dynamic Tag in its OPC Item Address field in WinCC flexible
Syntax: <device>.<subgroup>.<name>@<address>|DATA_TYPE,<length>
<device>. This is the name of the Device to receive the dynamic tag. The
device must exist in the OPC Server Project Workspace
<subgroup>. (optional) – A device subgroup may be specified as part of the
dynamic tag. The device subgroup must exist in the OPC Server
Project Workspace
<name> This is the name of the tag the client will dynamically create. If the
name already exists in the OPC Server Workspace, the existing tag
is used, otherwise a new tag is created.
@<address> This is the data source of the tag. If the Device is a ControlLogix,
this is the atomic name of the tag. If the Device is a PLC / SLC /
Micrologix, this is the data table file address
|DATA_TYPE This is the data type of the tag. Valid types are VT_I1, VT_UI1,
VT_I2, VT_UI2, VT_I4, VT_UI4, VT_R4, VT_BSTR
Once you select OPC as the Interface in the Connection Tab, you browse for the ProgID for the
OPC Server. Choose “CimQuestIn.IGOPCAB” as the OPC server name on the Parameters tab
as shown for the AB server.
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©Copyright Software Toolbox Inc., 2005, All Rights Reserved
148A East Charles Street, Matthews, NC 28105 USA Web: www.softawretoolbox.com
How to Connect Siemens WinCC flexible to INGEAR OPC Servers for use
on Siemens Panels
Remote Computer name is not used with our servers. This completes configuration of the
Connection.
Our example project has a group of tags for all supported data types. Below are a few of these
tags.
You can copy any one in the list and paste it at the bottom to create new tag.
When a new tag name is entered the Symbol column is shown as <Undefined> as well as the
Address section. If the tag is copied only the Symbol Column is left <Undefined>.
Click on the Dropdown next to <Undefined> (Symbol Column) to browse for a tag in the OPC
Server. If this takes a long time make sure the server is open and devices are in I/O simulate
mode 3as discussed above.
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©Copyright Software Toolbox Inc., 2005, All Rights Reserved
148A East Charles Street, Matthews, NC 28105 USA Web: www.softawretoolbox.com
How to Connect Siemens WinCC flexible to INGEAR OPC Servers for use
on Siemens Panels
The screen above will pop-up showing your configuration in the OPC Server.
Browse the Address Space for a particular tag.
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©Copyright Software Toolbox Inc., 2005, All Rights Reserved
148A East Charles Street, Matthews, NC 28105 USA Web: www.softawretoolbox.com
How to Connect Siemens WinCC flexible to INGEAR OPC Servers for use
on Siemens Panels
When the link is correctly made the path is shown as below in the Address column. This is all
that is required if you reading a non-array tag.
When configuring an Array Tag, the next step is to choose which element in the array tag in the
OPC Server is connected to this particular tag in WinCC flexible. The 6th element is selected
here. Arrays in the PLC begin with zero, so this corresponds to MyArray[5].
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©Copyright Software Toolbox Inc., 2005, All Rights Reserved
148A East Charles Street, Matthews, NC 28105 USA Web: www.softawretoolbox.com
How to Connect Siemens WinCC flexible to INGEAR OPC Servers for use
on Siemens Panels
Each object that is created has properties associated with it that can be seen in a pop-up from the
bottom of the screen if you double click or right click and choose properties.
Under General you choose the Mode (Input, Input/Output or Output). The process items include
the Tag and Cycle. The Tag is from the list of Tags created in step 4. The Cycles is the update
or polling rate. The choices provided for Cycle are not a function of the OPC server but of your
WinCC flexible configuration. If you need a different polling rate that is not listed, consult your
WinCC flexible documentation on how to setup other Cycle rates.
The Format section is how the data will appear on the screen. It is critical that this is set
correctly for the data type your reading. Data will not appear if the actual data is larger than the
format configuration. Consult your WinCC flexible documentation for information on specifying
display formats.
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©Copyright Software Toolbox Inc., 2005, All Rights Reserved
148A East Charles Street, Matthews, NC 28105 USA Web: www.softawretoolbox.com
How to Connect Siemens WinCC flexible to INGEAR OPC Servers for use
on Siemens Panels
Before you can transfer the OPC Server you have to configure an Ethernet connection to the
Panel as seen below. Once all these settings are correct click Apply.
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©Copyright Software Toolbox Inc., 2005, All Rights Reserved
148A East Charles Street, Matthews, NC 28105 USA Web: www.softawretoolbox.com
How to Connect Siemens WinCC flexible to INGEAR OPC Servers for use
on Siemens Panels
Don’t click Transfer until your ready to Transfer the WinCC flexible project to the panel. This
dialog will close after you click any of the buttons. Before you hit Transfer on this dialog you
need to click on the Transfer button on the Panel or the download to the panel will fail.
Now go to the Project menu again and go to Transfer Options to transfer the OPC Server to the
Panel.
The ProSave Dialog will now open and show the available items to download to the Panel based
on the directory path selected. For the AB OPC Server, this path should be:
C:\Software Toolbox\
For both Modbus and GE OPC Servers, this path should be:
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©Copyright Software Toolbox Inc., 2005, All Rights Reserved
148A East Charles Street, Matthews, NC 28105 USA Web: www.softawretoolbox.com
How to Connect Siemens WinCC flexible to INGEAR OPC Servers for use
on Siemens Panels
The item, AB OPC Server Config File Update, is only for updating the configuration file. For
this to be successful the WinCC project can’t be running on the panel and the OPC Test
applications must all be shut down. If you cycle power on the panel after downloading the
configuration it will insure that the OPC Server project is used by the server. It is critical that the
OPC project you create on the desktop for download is saved under the correct name and saved
to the correct path. This is shown in Step 1 of this paper.
Once the transfer is complete you can test the configuration and connection to devices using the
Sample Client Icon that is installed on the Panel. Instructions on using the Sample Client are
included in the INGEAR OPC Server help file version installed by the Siemens Panel version
installer.
There is also an Icon for the license utility installed for licensing the product. Licensing of the
driver on the panel is also covered in the INGEAR OPC Server help file version installed by the
Siemens Panel version installer.
If you can’t transfer to the panel make sure you can Ping the IP address of the Panel from the PC.
There is also a Ping utility on the panel under the Windows directory of the panel you can use to
Ping the PLC and the PC from the panel.
• Try transferring the whole OPC server onto the Panel again.
• Verify the configuration with the Sample Client through browsing.
• Verify that the correct version is being used. Note: For the AB OPC Server the
abwince.dll needs to be at least version 2.52.0.18 to work with WinCC flexible 2005.
You can always find out what the latest version of the AB OPC Server is by checking
www.paneldrivers.com/siemens.
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©Copyright Software Toolbox Inc., 2005, All Rights Reserved
148A East Charles Street, Matthews, NC 28105 USA Web: www.softawretoolbox.com