Application Example 04/2016

WinCC Data Transfer with

OPC DA Interface
WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge, WinCC

https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/ww/en/view/109483465
 Warranty and Liability

Warranty and Liability

Note The application examples are not binding and do not claim to be complete with regard to
configuration, equipment or any contingencies. The application examples do not represent
customer-specific solutions. They are only intended to provide support for typical
applications. You are responsible for the correct operation of the described products.
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any deviations between the recommendations provided in this application example and
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have priority.
We do not accept any liability for the information contained in this document.
Any claims against us – based on whatever legal reason – resulting from the use of
the examples, information, programs, engineering and performance data etc.,
described in this application example shall be excluded. Such an exclusion shall
not apply in the case of mandatory liability, e.g. under the German Product Liability
Act (“Produkthaftungsgesetz”), in case of intent, gross negligence, or injury of life,
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Any form of duplication or distribution of these application examples or excerpts
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 Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Warranty and Liability ................................................................................................. 2
1 Task ..................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 Overview............................................................................................... 4
1.2 Requirements for the automation task ................................................. 5
2 Solution............................................................................................................... 6
2.1 Overview............................................................................................... 6
Sample project ..................................................................................... 6
2.2 Description of the core functionality ..................................................... 7
2.3 Sequence of the core functionality ....................................................... 7
2.4 Hardware and software components ................................................... 8
3 Application example: Provider module OPC Data Access............................ 9
3.1 Overview............................................................................................... 9
3.2 SIMATIC WinCC V7.3 ........................................................................ 10
3.2.1 Preparing the project environment in SIMATIC WinCC V7.3............. 10
3.2.2 Function description of the WinCC application .................................. 12
3.2.3 Operating the WinCC application ....................................................... 13
3.3 IDB configuration system (CS) ........................................................... 14
3.3.1 Creating and configuring an IDB project ............................................ 15
3.3.2 Creating links ...................................................................................... 17
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3.3.3 Configuring the OPC Data Access interface as provider ................... 19

3.3.4 MS Excel files as consumer ............................................................... 20
3.3.5 Making link settings ............................................................................ 23
OPC Data Access transfer settings .................................................... 23
Connecting tags (MS Excel file) ......................................................... 25
3.4 Generating the IDB runtime configuration .......................................... 29
4 Error detection ................................................................................................. 31
5 Related Literature ............................................................................................ 33
6 History............................................................................................................... 33

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 1 Task
1.1 Overview

1 Task
1.1 Overview
Introduction
WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge V7.3 (IDB) is a WinCC option that, through an easy
and quick configuration, allows data transfer between different automation systems
via various standard interfaces, for example:
• OPC XML,
• WinCC OLE DB or
• Send/Receive.
To analyze and to save process values in Office formats,
WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge V7.3 also allows data transfer with other applications,
such as:
• CSV/TXT,
• Microsoft Excel or
• Microsoft Access.
To archive larger amounts of data, data bases (e.g. SQL Server, Oracle) can also
be integrated.
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The following figure shows a schematic overview over the various applications and
formats, which are supported by WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge V7.3.

Figure 1-1

The data interfaces shown in Figure 1-1 are integrated via software modules.
These modules are divided as follows:

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 1 Task
1.2 Requirements for the automation task

Provider module
The provider module establishes the connection to the data provider that provides
the data.

Consumer module
The consumer module connects to the data consumer into which the data is
written.

Note You can connect various providers and consumers with each other. The
following must be observed in this regard:

• Not all providers are available as consumers and vice versa.

• Provider(s) and consumer(s) are fixed components of a connection.

1.2 Requirements for the automation task

The application describes the required software and configuration to realize the
following requirement for the automation task:
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• Accessing online tag values from the WinCC data manager (reading and
writing) via the provider module “OPC Data Access“ and saving them
WinCC-externally.

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 2 Solution
2.1 Overview

2 Solution
2.1 Overview
This documentation guides you through the configuration of
WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge V7.3 by using a practical example:
With the help of the supplied WinCC sample project, the environment required to
establish the connections between provider and consumer modules in
WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge V7.3 is made available.

Sample project
The included WinCC project “WinCC_IDB_Application_4“ allows reading online tag
values (raw materials, quantity) from the WinCC data manager of SIMATIC WinCC
V7.3.
This example provides WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge V7.3 with the environment for
the data transfer of online tag values, which can then be transmitted to MS Excel
via the “OPC Data Access“ module.

The following Figure 2-1 schematically shows the sample project in WinCC
runtime:
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Figure 2-1

Topics not covered in this application

This documentation does not describe the creation of the supplied sample projects.

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 2 Solution
2.2 Description of the core functionality

Required knowledge

• SIMATIC WinCC V7.3

To execute the WinCC sample projects included in this application, no
further basic knowledge is required.

2.2 Description of the core functionality

The application example serves to familiarize yourself with the configuration screen
of IndustrialDataBridge V7.3. It illustrates how to create and configure each IDB
project of the supplied WinCC projects within WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge V7.3.
The application example covers the following subjects:
• Creating a new project and the required connection(s)
• Defining the provider and consumer types
• Configuring the provider properties
• Configuring the consumer properties
• Configuring the connection settings
• Establishing the connections of the corresponding provider and consumer
tags
• Generating the runtime configuration
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2.3 Sequence of the core functionality

With the help of the supplied WinCC sample project “WinCC_IDB_Application_4”,
Chapter 3 shows the necessary configuration steps in WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge
V7.3 to establish a connection between “OPC data access” as data source and
“MX Excel” as data target.

Figure 2-2 schematically shows the process sequence and the interfaces used in
WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge V7.3.

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 2 Solution
2.4 Hardware and software components

Figure 2-2
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2.4 Hardware and software components

The following components were used to create the application:

Software components
Table 2-1
Component Qty Article number
SIMATIC WinCC V7.3 1 6AV63.1-....7-3...
WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge 1 6AV6371-1DX07-3...
V7.3
Windows 7 SP1 64-Bit 1
Microsoft Excel 2013 1

Sample file and project

The following chart contains the sample project used in this documentation:
Table 2-2
Component Note
WinCC_IDB_Application_4.zip This zipped file contains the required
WinCC project for the application
example_No. 4

Downloading and unpacking

Download the as download available sample project and unzip the contained zip
archive.

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 3 Application example: Provider module OPC Data Access
3.1 Overview

3 Application example: Provider module

OPC Data Access
In this chapter, you will learn how, with the help of
• WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge V7.3 and
• SIMATIC WinCC V7.3,
online tag values from the WinCC data manager can be transferred to a MS Excel
file.

3.1 Overview
The application example shows how to execute the following steps in
WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge V7.3 with the supplied WinCC project
“WinCC_IDB_Application_4“:
• Creating a new IDB project
• Creating the corresponding links
• Configuring the corresponding provider/consumer connection configuration
• Setting the transfer mode.

Figure 3-1
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3.2 SIMATIC WinCC V7.3

3.2 SIMATIC WinCC V7.3

Objective of this application
The supplied WinCC project “WinCC_IDB_Application_4“ provides online tag
values via a simple application from the WinCC data manager. With the help of
WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge V7.3, these online tag values can later be transferred
to MC Excel to save them WinCC-externally and to evaluate them further.

Scope of functions/Topics not covered in this application

This chapter focuses on the function description, not on how to create the WinCC
application.

Required knowledge
No prior knowledge is needed to understand the function description of the WinCC
application.

3.2.1 Preparing the project environment in SIMATIC WinCC V7.3.

This chapter describes the necessary steps for the supplied WinCC project
“WinCC_IDB_Application_4.MCP“ to adjust the project environment in SIMATIC
WinCC V7.3, in order to avoid error messages while activating WinCC runtime.
Table 3-1
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No. Approach
1. Start the SIMATIC WinCC Explorer.
2. Open the WinCC project “WinCC_IDB_Application_4.MCP“ by clicking on
“File>Open” and then selecting the WinCC project.
3. In the WinCC Explorer window:
• In WinCC Explorer, click on the icon “Computer”. (1)
• In the workspace, right-click on the computer name with the type “server
computer”.(2)
• Then click on “Properties.”(3)

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No. Approach
4. In the “computer properties” window
• In the window “Computer properties>General”, click on “Accept local
computer name”. (1)
• Confirm your selection with “OK”. (2)
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• Restart SIMATIC WinCC.

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3.2 SIMATIC WinCC V7.3

3.2.2 Function description of the WinCC application

Figure 3-2 shows the WinCC application right after WinCC runtime has been
activated.

Note The entire user interface is in English.

Figure 3-2

2
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3
7

4
8

6 9
Table 3-2
No. Description
1. WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge Runtime
2. Existing IDB connection
3. Entry box of raw material name
4. Entry box of quantity
5. Update IDB trigger
6. Open MC Excel file (data target)
7. Display field of raw material to be transferred
8. Display field of quantity to be transferred
9. Confirmation of IDB trigger update

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3.2 SIMATIC WinCC V7.3

3.2.3 Operating the WinCC application

This section describes how to access online tag values in WinCC runtime in the
WinCC User Archive in write mode.

Table 3-3
No. Approach
1. Enter the desired name into the entry box “Raw Material”. (1)
2. Confirm your entry by clicking on “Enter”.
3. Enter the desired quantity in the entry box “Value”.(2)
4. Confirm your entry by clicking on “Enter”.
5. By clicking on the “Update” button (3), the IDB trigger stored in
WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge is activated or set to “One” to transfer the tags via
IDB (RT) into MS Excel or to update them.
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3.3 IDB configuration system (CS)

3.3 IDB configuration system (CS)

This chapter shows all necessary steps in the IDB configuration system (CS) to
create and configure an IDB project in order to successfully establish a connection
between data source and data target.
Figure 3-3

IDB configuration system (CS)

IDB project

link(s)

Provider interface Consumer interface

OPC
OPC DA > Excel MS Excel
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Data Access

Link settings

Generate RT configuration

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3.3 IDB configuration system (CS)

3.3.1 Creating and configuring an IDB project

Opening the IDB configuration system (CS)

Open the IDB configuration system (CS) as described in the following chart:
Table 3-4
No. Approach
1. In the navigation area of the WinCC Explorer, right-click on “IndustrialDataBridge”.
(1)
2. Select the command “Configuration” (2) to open the IDB configuration system.
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Creating a new project

Create a new project as described in the following chart:
Table 3-5
No. Approach
1. In the menu bar, click on “Project > New project”
2. In the window “Create new project”, enter a project name, e.g.
“WinCC_OPCDA_Application“ (1) and a storage path for the new IDB project.(2)
3. Click the “Create” button (3).
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The created project appears on the list in the navigation area. Next, you have to
create a link.

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3.3.2 Creating links

To create a link between provider and consumer, perform the following steps:

Note A link is created with “OPC Data Access” as provider and the “Excel” interface as
consumer.

Table 3-6
No. Approach
1. Right-click on the project name node “WinCC_OPCDA_Application“ in the tree
structure and select “Add new link”. (1)
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2. Creating a “OPC DA > Excel“ link

• In the displayed dialog box “Add new link”, enter a clear name for the link
to be created, e.g.: “OPC DA > Excel“. (1)
• In the provider box, select “OPC Data Access” as provider. (2)
• In the consumer box, select “Excel” as data target. (3)
• Then click on OK.(4)
1
2
3

Note:
When assigning the name, it is useful for a better display to designate the link with
the name of the desired provider and its corresponding consumer. “Provider >
Consumer“
3. The created link appears in the project tree below the project name.

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No. Approach

Next, you need to configure the provider interface (OPC Data Access).
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3.3.3 Configuring the OPC Data Access interface as provider

To set up the OPC Data Access interface, perform the following steps:

Note Make sure that WinCC runtime is activated.

Table 3-7
No. Approach
1. In the project tree, double-click on the provider node “Provider(OPCDA)“ within
the created link.
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2. In the project area in the “OPC Data Access Provider Configuration” window,
click on the [...] button and select “OPCServer.WinCC“. Then click on the check
icon “√“.

After the selection of the OPC server, the computer name is automatically
displayed in the text box “Computer name”.

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3.3.4 MS Excel files as consumer

Storage location structure

For an easier assignment, it is recommended to create a structured storage
location. This has the advantage that with several links, the reports to be created
can be held apart in terms of the consumer type.
To set up the MS Excel interface, perform the following steps:
Table 3-8
No. Approach
1. In the project tree, double-click on the consumer node “Consumer(Excel)”
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2. In the configuration area in the tab “Excel save options” in the area “Excel
configuration”, click on the [...] button and select the corresponding folder for the
Excel reports to be created.

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No. Approach
In the browser window “Save as” in the text box “file name”, enter the name of
the “OPCDA” Excel file to be created (1). Then click on the “Save” button.(2)
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3. The text box “file name” in the “Excel configuration” area is filled automatically.

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No. Approach
4. In the “Advance Options” tab

• In the “sheet names” area, select the option box “Set sheet name as” (1)
and enter the name “OPCDA” into the “Sheet 1” entry box.(2)
• In the “Sheets per workbook” area, select option box “1” for one
workbook. (3)
• In the area “Auto save option”, activate the option box “Save after a
certain time” and enter the desired save period, e.g. “1 minute”. (4)
• In the area “Suffix of filename”, select the option box “Date/Time”. (5)

4
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3.3.5 Making link settings

In the project tree, double-click on the node “Settings” to open the “Settings”
window in the workspace. The “Settings” window contains three tabs:
• “Transfer options”,
• “Connection mapping” and
• “Connections”.
Figure 3-4
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OPC Data Access transfer settings

In the “Transfer options” tab, proceed as follows for the OPC DA provider transfer
settings:

Note Make sure that WinCC runtime is activated.

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Table 3-9
No. Approach
1. In the “OPC Data Access transfer settings” window
• In the area “Group settings for the provider”, select the option box “Send
values using trigger”.

2. In the area “Trigger settings”, click on the [...] button to select the trigger.
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3. In the left area, open the project tree: “OPCServer.WinCC/@LOCALMACHINE::/

Internal tags/.(1)
In the right area, select the tag “PostTriggerTag”(2).
Confirm your selection by clicking on the check icon “(√)”.(3)

4. In the “Trigger settings” area

Enter the number “1” into the entry box “Trigger value”.(2) (1)
Enter the number “0” into the entry box “Confirmation value”. (2)

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No. Approach

Note
With these entries, the IDB will transfer the desired tag values only when the
“trigger value” is set to “One”. After a successful transfer into the Excel sheet,
IDB resets the “trigger value” back to “Zero” for confirmation.

Connecting tags (MS Excel file)

In the “Settings” window, click on the tab “Connection mapping” and proceed as
follows:

Note The “Connection mapping” tab contains the following areas:

• OPC Data Access Provider

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• Excel Consumer

• Connection mapping settings

• Default name options

• Connections

In this application example, for the preparation and creation of a MS Excel file, the
following column names from the “OPC Data Access Provider“ area are
considered:
• RawMaterial: contains the tag value.
• Value: contains the tag value.

Preparing the Excel file:

To transfer tags from the “OPC Data Access Provider“ into an “Excel file”, the
desired column names from the “OPC Data Access Provider” area have to be
displayed in the “Excel Consumer” area as follows:

Note Make sure that WinCC runtime is activated.

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Table 3-10
Tag name (OPC Data Access Provider) Column name (Excel consumer)
RawMaterial Material
Value Value
The image shows how the finished Excel file looks after the preparation:
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This happens as follows:

Assigning the column name:
Table 3-11
No. Approach
1. In the “OPC Data Access Provider” area
• In the left area of “OPC tag browser”, select the subfolder “Internal
tags”(1)
• In the right area, select the tag name “RawMaterial”(2).
• After the selection, the tag name is displayed in the display box “tag”.(3)
• The data type “OLE/Binary Automation string (VT_BSTR)“ is automatically
calculated after the selection of the tag name.(4)

3 4
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2. In the “Connection mapping settings” area

In the “Connection name” field, the selected tag name “RawMaterial” from the
“OPC Data Access Provider” area is displayed.(1)
Note:
If the selected tag name cannot be displayed in the field “Connection name”,
deactivate and activate the option box “Enable default name”.(2)

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No. Approach
3. In the “Excel consumer” area
In the text box “Column name”, enter the column name “Material” to be
assigned.(1)
Then, in the option box “data type”, select the corresponding data type
“OLE/Binary Automation string (VT_BSTR)“. (2)

4. In the “Default name options” area

If the column names in the corresponding provider or consumer areas are named
differently, it is recommended to select the option “Name equal to provider and
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consumer”.

5. Now, the connection name in the “Connection mapping settings” area has
changed to “RawMaterial->Material“.(1)
Click on the symbol “ “ to establish the connection between the two selected
column names of both areas (provider & consumer).(2)

6. Repeat steps 1 - 5 for the remaining column:

• Value -> Value

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3.4 Generating the IDB runtime configuration

No. Approach
7. In the “Connections” area
In this area, all created connections are displayed.

3.4 Generating the IDB runtime configuration

To generate the runtime configuration file, proceed as follows:
Table 3-12
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No. Approach
1. In the IDB menu bar, click on the “Save” button.(1)
2. Then click on “Generate runtime configuration”.(2)
3. Save the “WinCC OLEDB_Projekt.xml“ IDB configuration file in the
corresponding folder.
4. In the IDB menu bar, click on the “Runtime configuration” button.(3)

5. In the “runtime configuration” window:

• Activate the option box “Connect automatically and activate connection(s)”
• In the “start option” area:
• In the text box “Open existing configuration file”, click on the [...] button
• Activate the option box “Activate track automatically”
• In the box “Waiting time before connection (seconds)” select 5 seconds as
delay time. This serves to activate/deactivate the corresponding links.
• Then click on "OK".

Generating the IDB runtime configuration is now complete.

Result
When you start WinCC runtime again, the already generated IDB configuration file
“WinCC_OPCDA_Application.xml” will automatically be loaded into the
IndustrialDataBridge(RT).

Start the IndustrialDataBridge(RT) and proceed as follows:

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3.4 Generating the IDB runtime configuration

• Enter some data, as described in chapter 3.2.3 “Operating the WinCC

application“.
• Then, in the function tab of the IndustrialDataBridge (RT), click on “Stop”
and after that on “Disconnect”.
• In the target folder, you can find the transmitted values in the
corresponding consumer file.

MS Excel
The following figure is a result example of the data transfer into the MS access file:

Figure 3-5
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SIMATIC WinCC V7.3 & IDB V7.3

Entry-ID: 109483465, V1.0, 04/2016 30
 4 Error detection

4 Error detection
In this chapter, frequently occurring errors in the respective application examples
are listed:

Table 4-1
No. Behavior Possible cause(s)
1. Error message during It is possible, that your computer has not
activation of SIMATIC been configured as server computer.
WinCC runtime.
2. The OPC tag browser does To display OPC DA servers, the service
not display any OPC DA opcenum.exe must be running on the server
server. However, OPC computer.
servers are installed on the Select “Start” > “Execute” to check, whether
computer. this service is running. Enter “services.msc”
and press enter. If “opecnum” has not been
started, switch to automatic mode and start
the service.
If the OPC servers cannot be displayed on
the remote computer, make sure that the step
 Siemens AG 2016 All rights reserved

mentioned above is performed on the remote

computer.
3. The items on an OPC DA Check, whether the OPC server is running. If
server cannot be displayed. it is not running, start the OPC server.
4. Although, the connectivity It is possible that the service “Microsoft
pack has been installed, Message Queue (MSQM) Server Core“ is not
you cannot call up data. activated. Please refer to the
WinCC/Connectivity Pack V7.3 manual under
“Installing Microsoft Message Queuing“ on
how to activate this service.

5. IDB runtime reports an It is possible that administration rights are

error during start-up. missing. To fix this, please proceed as
follows:

Right-click on the start menu entry

“Programs”>”Siemens
Automation”>”IndustrialDataBridge”>”Execute
as administrator”. In the appearing context
menu, click on the entry “IndustrialDataBridge
RT“.
It is possible that the IDB runtime service has
not been started yet. To fix this, please
proceed as follows:

Right-click on start menu entry “Computer”.

Then click on “Manage”. In the “Computer
management” window, double-click on

SIMATIC WinCC V7.3 & IDB V7.3

Entry-ID: 109483465, V1.0, 04/2016 31
 4 Error detection

No. Behavior Possible cause(s)

“Services and applications”>”Services”.
Right-click on “IndustrialDataBridge
Runtime“>“Properties“. In the “Startup type”
area, select the option “Automatic” from the
dropdown list, then click on the “start” button.

6. The value output of MS In comparison to the “Excel file” data type,

Excel is lower compared to the consumer type CSV/TXT file features a
a CSV/TXT file significantly higher access speed.
 Siemens AG 2016 All rights reserved

SIMATIC WinCC V7.3 & IDB V7.3

Entry-ID: 109483465, V1.0, 04/2016 32
 5 Related Literature

5 Related Literature
Table 5-1
Topic Title
\1\ Siemens Industry Online http://support.industry.siemens.com
Support
\2\ Download page of the entry https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/ww/en/vi
ew/109483465

\3\ System Manual https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/ww/de/view/10

2768149/68357937035
WinCC/Connectivity Pack V7.3

\4\ System manual https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/ww/de/view/73

WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge 968374/54432553995
V7.2
\5\ SIMATIC HMI WinCC V7.2 https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/ww/de/view/73
WinCC/IndustrialDataBridge 968329/48054187787
Getting Started
\6\ Data transfer from WinCC https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/ww/de/view/10
Runtime Professional with the 9476988
help of IndustrialDataBridge
\7\ Communication between https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/ww/de/view/10
SIMATIC WinCC 4117374
 Siemens AG 2016 All rights reserved

IndustrialDataBridge and
SIMATIC S7
\8\ Information about https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/de/de/view/95
SIMATIC/IndustrialDataBridge 157030
V7.3

6 History
Table 6-1
Version Date Modifications
V1.0 04/2016 First version

SIMATIC WinCC V7.3 & IDB V7.3

Entry-ID: 109483465, V1.0, 04/2016 33