Using Siemens OPC Server 2006 (V6.4) with Step7 V5.3

Hi,
I just upgraded from Siemens Simatic NET PC 2005 (V6.3) to 2006 (V6.4)
I'm using Siemens Step7 5.3 and I'm not planning to upgrade to V5.4 any time soon.
My problem is that I don't have the OPC Server V6.4 in the Hardware Catalog in Step7 V5.3. (and I do have the OPC Server V6.3 2005)
Is there a way to add the OPC Server V6.4 to the hardware catalog of Step7 5.3 (and 5.2)?

I know that the NCM V6.4 that comes with the Siemens Simatic NET PC 2006 has the OPC Server V6.4 in the hardware catalog but if I add it to my project than I can no longer edit the hardware configuration from Step7 V5.3.

Thanks

Maybe you can just install a hw update from the internet. Have you tried ?

If that is not possible, then I am not 100% sure, but I do believe that you can just create a STEP7 project with Simatic Net 6.3.
Simatic Net is backwards compatible, and old projects should run fine.
Of course, this is no solution if you need some v6.4 specific features.

I don't have an Internet connection on the Step7 computer so I need an off-line solution.

If I add the OPC Server V6.4 with NCM V5.4 than I can no longer edit the hardware configuration of my project using Step7 V5.3.

Siemens allows to download "STEP 7 Hardware Support Packages (HSPs - Stand: 05/2008)" which is an off-line package for updating the hardware catalog of Step7 V5.2, V5.3 and V5.4 with the latest hardware modules.

http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/llisapi.dll?func=cslib.csinfo&lang=en&objid=23183356&caller=SR&caller=view

But this package doesn't contain new software components such as the OPC Server V6.4.



I'm looking for something like the STEP 7 Hardware Support Packages witch contains the "OPC Server V6.4" module.

Thanks

Simatic Net

hI!

Have you tried to make the configuration in STEP 7 with 6.3. I'm not sure but I think a newer version would be compatible.

No, I didn't try it.
I'll try it next week but I would still like to know if there is a solution.
Thanks

In my STEP7 hardware catalog's list of downloaded HW updates, there is not a single one for Simatic Net. So I think you cannot download from the internet.

Apart from that, I have previously made configurations with 6.2 that ran fine with 6.3.