STL Source Files

Why writing STL Source Files ?

Do you mean why does S7 create STL source files everytime you save a block, or do you mean why would a user write some STL as a source file ? or do you mean something else ? Please clarify.

Hello Combo;

If ypu mean What advantages are there to use STL sources, here is Siemens' response (from the Programming with Step 7, v. 5.4, manual):



Hope this helps,
Daniel Chartier

i have that manual, but don't really understand what the advantages are for me

There are different ways to use them:

1. A setting can enable a source of any block where changes are made. Good for seeing what blocks have been modified when commissioning.

2. A method to save individual blocks to text files, as they can be exported. Space saving as you don't need the baggage of a whole S7 project.

3. By exporting into text, more clear and comprehensive comparisons can be carried out by third party software (beyond compare 2 for example).

4. By creating sources and exporting to text, you can auto-generate complete programs. Where I currently work, they auto-generate the complete project, including the hardware config.


There must be more that people can think of....

Hello Combo;

It happens that I want to send a program to someone as an attachment; sometimes I only need to send one or a few blocks. Then I create a source file in a project, include the blocks I need to send in that source, and send the .awl file to my correspondant. He then can open it as a text file or he can compile it to look at the original version in Step 7.

Sometimes I also use source files when I need to develop repetative logic. I create and test the first logic in any language in Step 7, then I create a source; I open this source in Notepad, copy and paste the original logic a number of times, change the register addresses as needed in the same environment, and compile it back to Step 7. I find this often faster than doing it in LAD or FDB, for example.

Others here have developped a great facility in programming directly in STL. If they wish, they can program directly in Notepad, then compile this text file in Step 7 as a source, and iclude it in their program very easily (great for midnight Eureka! epiphanies).

Hope this helps,
Daniel Chartier

very helpfull information thanks!

Hi,
Another use for me is to change initial value of data block.
In siemens S7 datablock, initial value is set for the first time we save, and we can't change value then. But we can generate STL source, change initial value in STL source, then compile back and you'll get initial value changed.

Rgds,

Anton