C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)
6C
6 Cielo Ciencia y Tecnología
·Publicada en C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)

Configuring Automatic Tooltip Texts on CEMAT Block Icons in PCS 7 V9.1

Configuring Automatic Tooltip Texts on CEMAT Block Icons in PCS 7 V9.1

In SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.1 running CEMAT Standard (000), automatic tooltip text generation for block icons (such as C_DRV_1D, C_MEASUR, C_VALVE) during the 'Create/Update Block Icons' compile is controlled by the ToolTipText attribute defined in the template picture @PCS7Typicals_Cemat.pdl. If generated block icons display blank tooltips in WinCC Runtime, the template block icon's ToolTipText property lacks dynamic tag binding or the CFC block comment was not flagged for OS transfer. To resolve this: 1) Open @PCS7Typicals_Cemat.pdl in Graphics Designer; 2) In the block icon's Object Properties > Miscellaneous, set ToolTipText to link to the block's comment attribute (.#comment); 3) Save the template picture; and 4) In SIMATIC Manager, re-run Plant Hierarchy > Create/Update Block Icons.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

In cement and heavy building material manufacturing automated with Siemens CEMAT Standard (000) on SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.1, process control graphics contain hundreds of drive, damper, and measurement icons. When plant operators hover their mouse over equipment on process overview screens, system design mandates that a dynamic tooltip pop up displaying equipment designations, technological functions, or motor ratings (e.g., 'Raw Mill Feed Belt 1 - 75 kW'). Following an automated block icon generation compile, engineers often discover that tooltip texts are completely empty across all CEMAT icons. This technical reference clarifies how PCS 7 block icon compilation populates tooltip metadata from template PDLs and provides the step-by-step procedure to enforce automatic tooltip generation.

Architecture and Fundamental Mechanics

Tooltip Generation Pipeline during Block Icon Compilation

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                        SIMATIC Manager CFC Engineering                  |
|                                                                         |
|   Block: C_DRV_1D (Name: 'M101_BELT')                                   |
|   - Block Comment: 'Raw Mill Main Feed Conveyor'                        |
|   - S7_m_c := 'true' (OCM enabled)                                      |
+-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------+
                                    |
                                    v AS-OS Compilation
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|             WinCC Template Picture: @PCS7Typicals_Cemat.pdl             |
|                                                                         |
|   Template Block Icon for C_DRV_1D:                                     |
|   - Attribute: 'ToolTipText'                                            |
|                                                                         |
|   CONFIGURATION RULES:                                                  |
|   - If ToolTipText = '' (Blank)       ==> Generated Icon has NO TOOLTIP |
|   - If ToolTipText = '.#comment'      ==> Evaluates CFC Block Comment   |
|   - If ToolTipText = '@tag'           ==> Evaluates Plant Identifier    |
+-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------+
                                    |
                                    v Plant Hierarchy: Create/Update Icons
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                        WinCC Process Picture (Runtime)                  |
|                                                                         |
|   [Operator hovers mouse over C_DRV_1D motor symbol]                    |
|   -> Dynamic Tooltip Appears: 'Raw Mill Main Feed Conveyor'             |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Why Tooltips are Blank in CEMAT V9.1

  1. Template Icon Defaults: In CEMAT Standard 000 for PCS 7 V9.1, certain typical block icons in @PCS7Typicals_Cemat.pdl are delivered with static or unlinked ToolTipText properties to minimize compile time overhead.
  2. Hierarchy Comment Propagation: The PCS 7 block icon wizard inspects the CFC block attribute S7_comment. If the block comment in CFC is blank or contains unescaped special characters, the wizard inserts an empty string.
  3. Cemat Tooltip Scripts: CEMAT utilizes dedicated C-actions in its faceplate library. If the WinCC Global Script headers were not regenerated after installing the CEMAT update, tooltip evaluation callbacks fail silently.

Step-by-Step Implementation Procedure

Step 1: Verify CFC Block Comments in SIMATIC Manager

  1. In SIMATIC Manager, open the CFC chart containing the CEMAT drive or measurement blocks.
  2. Double-click the block header (C_DRV_1D or C_MEASUR) to open Object Properties.
  3. Inspect the field Comment (e.g., Clinker Cooler Exhaust Fan).
  4. Ensure meaningful descriptive text is populated, as this text serves as the primary data source for automatic tooltips.

Step 2: Configure ToolTipText in @PCS7Typicals_Cemat.pdl

  1. On the Engineering Station, open the WinCC OS project in WinCC Explorer.
  2. Open Graphics Designer.
  3. Open the CEMAT template picture: @PCS7Typicals_Cemat.pdl (or the project-specific variant @PCS7Typicals_Cemat000.pdl).
  4. Locate the template block icons for C_DRV_1D, C_MEASUR, and C_VALVE.
  5. Right-click the block icon and select Properties.
  6. In the left property tree, select Miscellaneous (or Sonstiges).
  7. Locate the attribute ToolTipText:
    - Set the value to: .#comment (to dynamically display the CFC block comment).
    - Alternatively, set to: .Tag (to display the equipment tag name).
    - Or set to: .#comment\r\nTag: .Tag (to display both comment and tag on separate lines).
  8. Repeat this property setting for all required CEMAT block icon types in the template picture.
  9. Save and close @PCS7Typicals_Cemat.pdl.

Step 3: Execute Automatic Block Icon Generation

  1. Return to SIMATIC Manager.
  2. In the Plant Hierarchy, select the top-level plant folder.
  3. In the menu bar, select Options > Plant Hierarchy > Create/Update Block Icons....
  4. Select the target process pictures where icons reside.
  5. Click OK. The wizard will parse @PCS7Typicals_Cemat.pdl, instantiate updated block icons across all plant pictures, and bind the configured ToolTipText property to the live block comments.

Step 4: Regenerate WinCC Headers and Verify Runtime

  1. In WinCC Explorer, open Global Script > C-Editor.
  2. Click Options > Regenerate Header.
  3. Close the C-Editor.
  4. If WinCC Runtime is active, reload the process picture or restart runtime.

Verification

  1. Graphics Designer Property Check: Open any process picture in Graphics Designer. Select a generated C_DRV_1D block icon, check Properties > Miscellaneous > ToolTipText, and confirm that it contains the dynamic block comment.
  2. Runtime Hover Test: Launch WinCC Runtime. Hover the mouse cursor over the motor icon. Verify that the tooltip box appears immediately within 500 ms displaying the correct equipment description.
  3. Language Switch Test: If the plant utilizes multilingual text libraries (e.g., English and German), switch the WinCC runtime language and confirm that the tooltip dynamically updates to the corresponding translated block comment.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

  1. Manual Override Overwrite: Running 'Create/Update Block Icons' will overwrite any manual graphical alterations made directly to individual block icons in process pictures unless the icon's Create/update block icon property is set to FALSE.
  2. Character Length Limits: WinCC tooltips support up to 255 characters; excessively long block comments will be truncated on the HMI display.

Engineer FAQ

Why are tooltips empty on newly generated CEMAT block icons?

The template block icon in @PCS7Typicals_Cemat.pdl has an empty or unconfigured ToolTipText property.

Where is the CEMAT template picture stored?

In the project directory under GraCS\@PCS7Typicals_Cemat.pdl.

What string binds the tooltip to the CFC block comment?

Setting ToolTipText to .#comment binds it directly to the block comment in the CFC chart.

Can I show both tag name and description in the tooltip?

Yes, configure ToolTipText in the template as .#comment\r\nTag: .Tag.

Does regenerating block icons delete process interconnections?

No, the wizard updates only the graphical shell and dynamic property bindings; process interconnections remain intact.

What happens if a block has no comment in CFC?

The tooltip will evaluate to an empty string and will not display on mouse hover.

How do I update block icons across the entire project?

In SIMATIC Manager, select the top-level Plant Hierarchy folder and choose Options > Plant Hierarchy > Create/Update Block Icons.

Does changing tooltips require compiling the AS controller?

No. Tooltip generation is strictly an AS-OS and WinCC engineering task; no PLC download is required.

Can I configure tooltips for standard APL blocks the same way?

Yes, standard APL uses @PCS7Typicals_APL.pdl using the identical .#comment syntax.

Where can I adjust the tooltip popup delay time?

Tooltip display delay is governed by Windows system mouse hover settings or WinCC runtime preferences.

Technical References

Related Articles

Related Tags

  • CEMAT V9.1
  • ToolTipText
  • Block Icons
  • Plant Hierarchy
  • C_DRV_1D
  • @PCS7Typicals_Cemat
  • WinCC Graphics
20 respuestas