I'm assuming you're using the newer 1200/1500, not the older 300/400 in the statments below.
I have some very basic, some might say stupid, questions. I'm an AB programmer being forced to convert my program Siemens. I'm slowly coming up to speed, but it would be nice if somebody could point me to some easily searchable reference material.
Basic questions, but not dumb ones.
Honestly, the TIA help file is pretty good, at least as a comprehensive reference document. The official Step 7 manual is the exact same content, just formatted as a PDF, if you prefer that. The support site has lots of app examples and FAQs as well, in addition to a forum. Tech support is free, but if you ask too many "how do I" type questions instead of "problem/error" type questions, they might refer you to a local sales guy to talk about training options or local field support.
If you're looking for more of a getting started guide, there's a lot of stuff on youtube, both from Siemens and others.
If you are part of a big integrator/end user/OEM, you can probably ask your Siemens rep or distributor for a short crash course.
I'd suggest the following guide for a lot of best practices on how to program a Siemens PLC the way it wants to be used. It can be really frustrating if you try to use S7 like a Logix.
https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/ww/en/view/90885040
My questions are with the basic functionality of TIA:
1) I've been typing in tag names in random fashion. When I go to look for a
tag, I would like to sort my DB by tag name. Is that possible?
I had never tried until you asked, but I couldn't find a way to do it.
If you use the Find tool under Tasks on the right side, you can search up the tag name you want inside your DB. If you know where the tag is used in code, you can right click-> Go to -> Definition (Ctrl+Shift+D) to jump straight to it.
Generally, it is often recommended to group tags inside structures, especially if the DB starts getting large. Ideally, you can make UDTs and use them over and over, but you can create them on the fly with STRUCT.
2) when I'm creating a tag, is it possible to do that in the ladder? I.E. in
Logix5000, I right click on my tag and then select create new tag. Do I
actually have to go to the DB everytime I want to create a new tag?
It depends how you're organizing your tags. You can create tags locally in your block by typing the name then right click -> Define tag (or Ctrl+Shft+I). You can also create global tags that way, like IO tags. Every block can have TEMP tags, which lose their value at the end of the block call and have a local scope. Useful for intermediate steps in math, mid logic bits, etc. If you're using FBs, any tag you create as a STAT will be automatically created in the instance DB created when you call the block.
I'd recommend you take a look at FBs in general; it's like an AOI, but much friendlier and without most of the downsides. It's been baked into the system from the start (two generations ago), instead of being slapped on after the fact.
If you want to create tags in a global DB, then yes, you need to go to the DB to do it.
3) Can you type in a line of code in ladder? with Logix5000 I could type in:
XIC XIC XIO OTE, and it would pop up my line of ladder, is that possible
in TIA Portal?
You can use hotkeys, but it's different. There is a complete (and changable) list in the settings, but you can easily see them in the tool tips for different lad elements. As an example, Shift+F2 is a NO contact. If you want to use an instruction, then you add an "empty box", Shift+F5.
I've never been a pure keyboard coder. I also jump around between platforms and systems often enough that I never really get comfortable enough with any one IDE/languague/syntax to be able to just furiously type away at my code. I'm constantly copy/pasting or at least referring to reference guides.
