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

Using Wildcard Search and Column Filtering in the PCS 7 Technological List Editor

Using Wildcard Search and Column Filtering in the PCS 7 Technological List Editor

In the SIMATIC PCS 7 Technological List Editor and Process Object View (CFC V9.0 SP5 / PCS 7 V9.0 / V9.1), column filtering uses an implicit open-ended wildcard search where typing a prefix (such as 'YS_VA') automatically matches all entries starting with that string. To filter for objects by trailing numbers or suffixes (e.g., finding all instances ending in 'XXX' regardless of prefix), place an explicit asterisk () at the beginning of the search string ('XXX'). Enclosing the search term with asterisks on both ends ('XXX') or using dollar signs ($) is unsupported by the internal parser and returns zero results.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

In large SIMATIC PCS 7 engineering projects, automation engineers routinely manage thousands of Control Module (CM) instances, technological blocks, and signal interconnections. The Technological List Editor (Technologischer Listeneditor) and Process Object View (POV) provide tabular spreadsheet-like environments for bulk editing, parameterization, and signal verification across the entire plant hierarchy.

To locate specific technological objects efficiently, engineers rely on column filters. While filtering for a known prefix—such as entering YS_VA in the 'Name' column to find YS_VA101, YS_VA102—works seamlessly, engineers frequently struggle when attempting to search for substrings, middle tags, or trailing numbers (for instance, finding all devices associated with loop number 105 across various prefix types). Attempts to use conventional search syntax such as *105*, ?105?, or $105$ fail completely, returning an empty table. This behavior is governed by the specialized parsing rules of the Step 7 / CFC filtering engine. This guide explains the exact wildcard syntax and filtering conventions required to query technological objects effectively.

Architecture and Fundamental Mechanics

The filtering subsystem in the Technological List Editor and Process Object View operates through an optimized SQL-like string evaluation algorithm:

  1. Implicit Open-Ended Right Wildcard:
    - When an engineer types a string into a filter cell (e.g., YS_VA), the filtering parser automatically evaluates the query as LIKE 'YS_VA%'.
    - Any technological object whose name begins with YS_VA is matched and displayed.
    - Adding a trailing asterisk (e.g., YS_VA*) is redundant and, depending on the CFC version, can be treated as a literal character rather than a wildcard.

  2. The Single Leading Asterisk Rule (*XXX):
    - To search for a suffix or substring located after arbitrary leading characters, the parser requires a single leading asterisk (*):
    Query: *XXX -> Evaluated as LIKE '%XXX%'.
    - This instructs the search engine to match any object containing XXX preceded by any combination of characters.

  3. The Double-Asterisk and Special Character Trap (XXX):
    - In many non-Siemens search engines, substring searches require enclosing the term in asterisks (*term*).
    - In the Technological List Editor (specifically in CFC V9.0 SP5 Upd5 and adjacent releases), the parser treats an internal second asterisk as an invalid delimiter or literal search character.
    - Similarly, shell-style dollar signs ($), regex tokens (.*), and SQL percent signs (%) are not recognized as wildcards and cause the filter to return zero results.
    - Using the exact syntax *<SearchTerm> is the only supported method for arbitrary prefix matching.

Step-by-Step Implementation Procedure

Follow these steps to apply column filters in the Technological List Editor and Process Object View:

  1. Open the Technological List Editor / Process Object View:
    - In SIMATIC Manager, select the plant hierarchy root folder.
    - Select 'View > Process Object View' (or press Ctrl + Alt + P).
    - Switch to the 'Control Modules' or 'Technological Objects' tab.

  2. Enable Column Filter Row:
    - If the filter row is not visible at the top of the table columns, right-click any column header and select 'Filter Row' (or ensure filter row display is enabled in Table Options).

  3. Apply Prefix Filtering (Begins With):
    - Click the filter cell for the 'Name' or 'Comment' column.
    - Type the desired prefix without wildcards (e.g., YS_VA).
    - Press Enter. The list instantly filters to show all instances beginning with YS_VA (e.g., YS_VA101, YS_VA205).

  4. Apply Suffix and Substring Filtering (Contains / Ends With):
    - Click the filter cell.
    - Clear any previous text.
    - Type an asterisk followed immediately by the search string (do NOT add a space or trailing asterisk):
    *105
    - Press Enter. The list filters to show all technological objects containing 105 (e.g., FIC_105, TIC_105, YS_VA105).

  5. Combine Multi-Column Filters:
    - Filters can be combined across multiple columns to refine searches (e.g., enter *105 in the 'Name' column and Motor in the 'Type' column).
    - To clear filters, select the filter cell, press Backspace to empty it, and press Enter (or right-click > 'Clear Filter').

Verification

  1. In the Technological List Editor, type *105 into the Name filter cell: verify that all instances containing 105 are listed in the table.
  2. Verify that instances with different prefixes (e.g., PUMP_105, VALVE_105) are correctly included.
  3. Make a bulk parameter change on the filtered subset (e.g., update alarm limit comments) and click 'Save': verify that changes commit cleanly to the database.
  4. Clear the filter: verify that the full list of technological objects is restored.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Wildcard filtering is case-insensitive for standard ASCII characters, but may be sensitive to regional accent characters. Avoid using complex regex patterns or special symbols (?, $, %, #) as wildcards, as they are interpreted as literal text strings. Software engineering tools and licensing options should be verified through an authorized Siemens distributor or the Siemens Industry Mall.

Engineer FAQ

How do I filter for objects containing a specific number in the Technological List Editor?

Place a single asterisk at the beginning of the number (e.g., *105).

Why did searching with XXX return zero results?

Because the parser does not support trailing asterisks; it treats trailing characters as open-ended by default, and a second asterisk is parsed as a literal character.

Can I filter by technological block type as well as name?

Yes. Filters can be applied simultaneously across multiple columns such as 'Name', 'Type', 'Hierarchy Folder', and 'Comment'.

Does the filter distinguish between uppercase and lowercase letters?

No, standard column filtering in the Technological List Editor is case-insensitive.

How do I clear an active column filter?

Delete the text in the filter cell and press Enter, or right-click the table header and select 'Clear All Filters'.

Technical References

Related Articles

Related Tags

  • Technological List Editor
  • Process Object View
  • Wildcard Filtering
  • Column Filters
  • CFC V9.0 SP5
  • PCS 7 V9.1
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