Customizing Interlock Button Labels on PCS 7 APL Motor Faceplates

To change the interlock button labels on the PCS 7 Advanced Process Library (APL) Motor Faceplate (MotL) standard view from 'Protection' to 'Safety', 'Interlocks' to 'Process', and 'Permit' to 'Pre-Start', edit the faceplate screen @PG_MotL_Standard.pdl in WinCC Graphics Designer. The default button captions are static text properties. To customize them globally, open the PDL, select the respective navigation button (btnIntlock, btnProtect, btnPermit), and modify the 'Text' or 'Caption' property under Links. Alternatively, link the button's text property dynamically to the tag #OS_Text (.Intlock#OS_Text) to allow instance-specific button descriptions configured directly from CFC.

APL Faceplate Architecture: Static Captions vs Dynamic OS_Text Attributes

In the SIMATIC PCS 7 Advanced Process Library (APL), the motor block MotL (FB1850) provides three distinct interlock interfaces: Permit (activation enable), Intlock (interlock without protection), and Protect (interlock with protection). In the WinCC runtime faceplate standard view (@PG_MotL_Standard.pdl), each interlock displays a dedicated navigation button allowing operators to open the detailed interlock condition screens (@PG_Intlk02.pdl, @PG_Intlk04.pdl, @PG_Intlk08.pdl).

By default, these buttons display hard-coded static captions:

btnProtect: 'Protection' (Schutz)
btnIntlock: 'Interlock' (Verriegelung)
btnPermit: 'Permit' (Freigabe)

Entering text into the CFC block parameter attribute 'OS additional text' creates internal WinCC tags (such as .Intlock#OS_Text), but in standard MotL, the default faceplate PDL does not link this tag to the button text property (unlike in PIDConL). Modifying these labels requires graphic customization.

Global Modification via WinCC Graphics Designer (@PG_MotL_Standard.pdl)

If the plant requires all motor faceplates across the entire facility to display the customized terminology (Safety, Process, Pre-Start):

Open Faceplate in Graphics Designer:
- On the Engineering Station, open WinCC Explorer -> Graphics Designer.
- Open the file: @PG_MotL_Standard.pdl.
Modify Button Captions:
- Click the button object for Interlock (typically named btnIntlock).
- Open Object Properties -> Properties -> Font / Links.
- Locate the Text property (or Caption). Change the string from Interlock to Process.
- Select btnProtect and change text from Protection to Safety.
- Select btnPermit and change text from Permit to Pre-Start.
Multilingual Text Alignment: If running multiple runtime languages, switch the active language in Graphics Designer and enter the translated terms.
Save and Distribute: Save the PDL. When performing OS Project Editor runs, preserve the customized file following the APL Style Guide.

Dynamic Instance-Specific Customization via CFC #OS_Text Tags

If different motors require distinct button descriptions based on mechanical equipment types (e.g. some say 'Lube Oil Permissive', others say 'Pre-Start'):

CFC Engineering:
- In the CFC chart, double-click the MotL block.
- Open the structured input Intlock (or Protect, Permit).
- In the OS additional text field, enter the desired button label (e.g. Process).
- During OS compile, WinCC creates the tag <Chart>/<Block>.Intlock#OS_Text.
Connect Tag to Button in PDL:
- Open @PG_MotL_Standard.pdl in Graphics Designer.
- Select btnIntlock, open the Text property.
- Add a Dynamic Dialog or C-Script linking the property to tag .Intlock#OS_Text (similar to how PIDConL standard view is implemented).
- If the tag is empty, default back to 'Interlock'.

APL Faceplate Customization and Interlock Navigation Matrix

The following table compares global static customization against dynamic instance customization for APL faceplates:

Customization MethodImplementation LocationAffected FaceplatesTag / Property LinkageOS Project Editor Overwrite HazardGlobal Static Edit@PG_MotL_Standard.pdlAll MotL instances across plantStatic Text propertyYes (Must back up or use Styleguide folder)Dynamic #OS_Text Link@PG_MotL_Standard.pdl + CFCIndividual instances customizedLinked to .Intlock#OS_TextYes (Script logic must be preserved)Custom Faceplate VariantNew @PG_MotL_Custom.pdlSelected motor blocks onlyAssigned via block icon typeNo (Safe from OS Project Editor)WinCC Text Library EditWinCC Text DistributorAll faceplates referencing IDText ID string updateOverwritten if OS compile updates texts

[!NOTE]
Commercial Accuracy Notice: Customizing graphic faceplate PDL files and WinCC button captions is a standard human-machine > interface engineering procedure. Modifying graphic layouts or scripting dynamic button text consumes no additional Process > Objects or software licenses.

Verification

Verify that customized interlock button labels render accurately in runtime:

Faceplate Standard View Check: Open WinCC Runtime on an OS Client or simulation. Click a motor block icon to open the MotL faceplate. Confirm that the three buttons read Safety, Process, and Pre-Start.
Interlock Navigation Test: Click the Safety button. Verify that the interlock faceplate (@PG_Intlk08.pdl) opens smoothly with all active condition bypasses and logic status intact.
Language Switching Test: Switch the runtime interface language from English to German. Verify that the buttons display the appropriate translated terms without string truncation.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Observe these guidelines when modifying APL standard faceplates:

OS Project Editor Protection: Running the OS Project Editor with default settings will overwrite @PG_MotL_Standard.pdl with the factory original from \Program Files\Siemens\WinCC\Options\PDL\. Store your customized screen in the project GraCS folder and exclude it or maintain an uncompressed backup.
Button Width Constraints: The physical width of navigation buttons in @PG_MotL_Standard.pdl is fixed (typically 80 to 100 pixels). Ensure custom terminology fits within the button boundary without text clipping.
Adhere to APL Styleguide: Follow Siemens APL Styleguide guidelines (SIOS Entry ID 65601446) when creating custom faceplate variants to ensure consistent look-and-feel across all process graphics.

Engineer FAQ

Why didn't entering text in CFC 'OS additional text' change the button text?

In the standard MotL faceplate, the button text property is statically assigned. The .Intlock#OS_Text tag is created by the compiler, but @PG_MotL_Standard.pdl does not connect that tag to the button caption by default.

How do I prevent OS Project Editor from erasing my faceplate changes?

Follow the APL Styleguide: create a project-specific faceplate copy (e.g. @PG_MotL_Custom.pdl) or save your modified PDL directly in the WinCC project directory and maintain a backup before running OS Project Editor.

Can I make the button text different for each individual motor?

Yes. By modifying @PG_MotL_Standard.pdl to bind the button text to .Intlock#OS_Text, .Protect#OS_Text, and .Permit#OS_Text, you can define unique button names for each motor directly from the CFC block properties.

Where can I find an example of dynamic interlock button text in APL?

Open @PG_PIDConL_Standard.pdl in Graphics Designer. The interlock button on the PID controller faceplate is natively wired to read dynamic text from .Intlock#OS_Text.