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Integrating existing S7 multiprojects through the client archive

The description is based on an example project. The example project contains two S7 projects and a library. The S7 multiproject has the name S7 multiproject. The names for the two S7 projects are S7 project 1 and S7 project 2. The library is called S7 library.

To integrate an existing S7 multiproject, proceed as follows

  1. Open the S7 multiproject that you want to integrate in the SIMATIC Manager. Check whether the S7 multiproject contains the desired content. If everything is OK, continue.

  2. Archive the S7 multiproject to be integrated into the client archive using the SIMATIC Manager.
    Individual steps:

    1. In the SIMATIC Manager, select File/Archive.... The Archiving dialog is displayed.
    2. In the Archiving dialog, select the Multiprojects tab.

    3. On the Multiprojects tab, select the S7 multiproject to be archived and click OK.

      Figure: SIMATIC Manager, Archive dialog, multiprojects tab

      Info

      You can also use the Browse... button to search for an S7 multiproject if required.

      The Archiving - Select an archive dialog is displayed.

    4. In the Archiving - Select an archive dialog, make the following entries:

      1. Under Save, select the vdClientArchive directory as the storage location for the archive.

        Info

        The archive must be saved in the client archive. The level in the client archive is not relevant here.

      2. Enter a name for the archive under File name.

      3. Select a File type (file type depends on the archiving program used).

        Figure: SIMATIC Manager, Dialog Archive - Select an archive

    5. Click Save. The Archive - Options dialog is displayed.

    6. If the settings in the Archive - Options dialog are not already inactive, deactivate them if possible.

      Info

      You can find more information on these options in the SIMATIC Manager documentation.

    7. Click OK. The S7 multiproject is archived in the client archive.

  3. Retrieve the S7 multiproject from the client archive via the SIMATIC Manager. Individual steps:

    1. In the SIMATIC Manager, select File/Retrieve.... The Select an archive dialog is displayed.
    2. In the Retrieve - Select an archive dialog, select the archive with the S7 multiproject to be integrated from the vdClientArchive directory and click on the Open button. The Select target directory dialog is displayed.

    3. In the Select destination directory dialog, select the vdClientArchive directory or one of its subdirectories as the storage location for the data to be retrieved and click OK.

      Figure: Windows Explorer, select target directory

      If you want to integrate the S7 multiproject at a specific location, select the storage location in the client archive accordingly.

      Info

      The storage structure in the UserClient must be analogous to the storage structure in the client archive. A message with the path to the storage location of the retrieved data is displayed (message can be deactivated if required).

    4. In the message, click OK. Another message is displayed stating that the S7 multiproject has been retrieved and can be opened.

    5. In the message, click Yes if you want to open the S7 multiproject. Click No if you do not want to open the S7 multiproject.

  4. Create a directory for the S7 multiproject to be integrated in the UserClient.

    Info

    For technical reasons, this directory cannot have the same name as the retrieved S7 multiproject directory in the client archive. However, the path must be retained. For example, if the retrieved S7-multiproject directory is located at the top level of the client archive, the corresponding directory for the S7 multiproject in octoplant must also be created at the top level.

    Individual steps:

    1. Navigate in the Project tree to the location where the new directory for is to be created.

      Info

      The filing structure in the UserClient must be analogous to the filing structure in the client archive.

    2. Right-click and select New directory from the context menu.

    3. Enter a name for the new directory - name of the directory for the example: S7 Multiproject octoplant - and press ENTER. The directory is created.

  5. Create the components of the S7 multiproject in the directory that was created for the S7 multiproject to be integrated in the UserClient.
    For each of the retrieved S7 multiproject subdirectories in the client archive, a corresponding component must be created in the S7 multiproject directory of the UserClient.
    For the example project, create the following components in the S7 Multiproject octoplant directory:

    • S7 Multiproject octoplant based on the component type Simatic S7 Multiproject
    • S7 Library octoplant based on the component type Simatic S7 Library
    • S7 Project 1 octoplant based on the component type Simatic S7

    • S7 Project 2 octoplant based on the component type Simatic S7

      Figure: Project tree, example S7 multiproject

    For details on creating a component, see: Creating new components

    Info

    When creating a component, a component type must always be selected. The component type should always correspond to the project type. For example, if an S7 project is to be stored in a component, the component must be assigned the corresponding component type Simatic S7. If an S7 project contains a WinCC project, the component type Simatic S7 & WinCC must be assigned to the component. If an S7 project contains a WinCC flexible project, the component type Simatic S7 & WinCC flexible must be assigned to the component.

  6. Cut the contents of the retrieved S7 multiproject subdirectories in the client archive one after the other and paste them into the corresponding components.

    Warning

    The contents must be cut and must not be copied. Copying the content would lead to errors.

  7. Repeat the process for all subdirectories.
    In the case of the example project:

    • Cut the contents of the S7 Multiproject subdirectory in the client archive and paste the cut contents into the S7 Multiproject octoplant component.
    • Cut the contents of the S7 library subdirectory in the client archive and paste the cut contents into the S7 library octoplant component.
    • In the client archive, cut the contents of the S7 Project 1 subdirectory and paste the cut contents into the S7 Project 1 octoplant component.
    • In the client archive, cut the contents of the S7 Project 2 subdirectory and paste the cut contents into the S7 Project 2 octoplant component.

    Delete the empty subdirectories in the client archive and at the same time copy the names of the deleted subdirectories for the components.
    Individual steps:

    1. Select one of the empty subdirectories in the client archive and save the name of the selected subdirectory (for example by copying the directory name to the clipboard).
    2. Delete the selected subdirectory.
    3. Switch to the UserClient.
    4. In the Project tree, select the component corresponding to the deleted subdirectory and change the name of the component to the name of the deleted subdirectory (for example, by pasting the copied name of the deleted subdirectory from the clipboard). In the case of the example project, make the following name changes:
      • The S7 multiproject octoplant component is renamed S7 multiproject.
      • The S7 library octoplant component is renamed S7 library.
      • The S7 library octoplant component is renamed S7 library.
      • The S7 project 1 octoplant component is renamed S7 project 1.

      • The S7 project 2 octoplant component is renamed S7 project 2.

        Figure: Project tree, example S7 multiproject, changed names

  8. Repeat the process for all empty S7 multiproject subdirectories in the client archive.
    Delete the empty S7 multiproject directory in the client archive and at the same time adopt the name of the deleted S7 multiproject directory for the corresponding directory in the UserClient.

    Individual steps:

    1. Select the empty S7 multiproject directory in the client archive and save the name of the S7 multiproject directory (e.g. by copying the directory name to the clipboard).
    2. Delete the selected S7 multiproject directory.
    3. Switch to the UserClient.
    4. In the Project tree, select the directory corresponding to the deleted S7 multiproject directory and change the name of the directory to the name of the S7 multiproject directory deleted in the client archive at (for example, by pasting the copied name of the deleted S7 multiproject directory from the clipboard). In the case of the example project, make the following name change:
      • The S7 multiproject octoplant directory is renamed S7 multiproject.

  9. Open the S7 multiproject via the UserClient.

    Info

    Opening the project in the SIMATIC Manager via octoplant after the initial transfer of the project data to octoplant is necessary for technical reasons.

    Individual steps:

    1. In the Project tree, select the component in which the S7 multiproject is stored; in the example this is the S7 multiproject component.
    2. Right-click on the selected component, in the example case on the S7 multiproject component, and select Open with editor from the context menu. Alternatively: Press F4 The S7 multiproject is opened in the SIMATIC Manager. The S7 projects and libraries of the S7 multiproject are displayed.

  10. Close the SIMATIC Manager. If you have made changes to the project, save your data before closing it.

  11. Go back to the S7 multiproject directory in the UserClient, version the project data and check it in.

    Individual steps:

    1. In the Project tree, navigate to the directory in which the S7 multiproject is stored. In the example case, this is the S7 multiproject directory.
    2. Right-click on the S7 multiproject directory and select Create new version from the context menu. All project data in the directory is versioned.
    3. Right-click on the S7 multiproject directory and select Check-In in the context menu. The Check-In dialog opens.
    4. Check whether the correct components are selected and make any necessary changes. If everything is correct, click on the Check-In and close button. The project data is checked in, i.e. it has been copied to the server and can be checked out and edited by other users.

The S7 multiproject is integrated in octoplant and can be managed there.