Internal data point types

Internal data points are an essential part of WinCC OA. By sending internal data points basic system actions are triggered. Such actions are the loading of modules, panels and panel layers in User interface Manager (UIM), the switching between the multi and single user modes, the setting of transaction logging and the change of file sets in the Data Manager. Also the user management of WinCC OA, the triggering of general and single queries and the restriction of smoothing in drivers take place via internal data points.

This chapter is intended for advanced WinCC OA users who search for detailed information. The data point types and elements are described in a table or if a data point type is described in another chapter concerning panels, there are links that take you to these pages.

Furthermore, the internal data points of data point types are named.

Internal data points may never be changed. The internal data points are configured via the configuration panels of user interfaces and some data point types are therefore not described in detail here.

Data point type Description
_AcStructure Archiving/Compression. The parameters of set compressions of AC types are saved in an internal data point of type _AcStructure
_AlertClass Alert classes. There is a separate internal data point type to communicate easier with the alert classes, which are addressed via a data point variable. WinCC OA provides five alert classes by default. These alert classes are configured as _alert_class configs in the internal data point types.
_AlertSaveRestore Data backup in WinCC OA. The names of the target directories are kept for management of stored data, the name of the source directory when importing , the limits of the time interval during which the data is contained in the directory, status bits for improvement of the import process and other similar things- all this information is saved in internal data points. _AlerSaveRestore contains the settings for the alarm history.
_ArchivControl Data backup in WinCC OA. Contains the settings for the alarm history. (Archive control panel)
_ArchivDir Data backup in WinCC OA
_Archive Data backup in WinCC OA
_ArchiveManager Data backup in WinCC OA. Contains only one element with the list of data point identities (dyn_dpid).
_AsciiConfig ASCII Manager panel. In order to save different configurations, data points of type _AsciiConfig are created. The name of the configuration, which can be set in the panel, does ,however, not correspond to the data point name. This is assigned automatically.
_AsciiManager ASCII Manager. The file name of the ASCII file is the only element of the data point.
_ChildPanel Data point type for opening a childpanel (see ChildPanelOn() etc.)
_Config Central settings. This data point type contains general configurations and saves settings that are made centrally , for example, settings for Cluttering/Decluttering (Data point _Config) from the system management panel.
_Connections This data point type contains the connections of the Dist manager (for _DistConnection and _DistConnections2 data points see Distributed systems) as well as the connections in redundancy cases (for data point _Connections and _Connections2 see Redundancy)
_CtrlDebug CTRL Debugger. CTRL debug commands and their return information between the CTRL debugger and the manager to be debugged are exchanged via this data point type.
_DataBgManager Data backup in WinCC OA. The data background manager supports the Data Manager in case of non time critical operations. There are two data points.
_DataManager Data backup in WinCC OA. For configuration of the data manager, of the data backup etc.
_DataSaveRestore Data backup in WinCC OA. The stored data of the value history, which is available for WinCC OA, can be subject to cyclic handling per data point element. You can for example define that the data of an element is exported at specific intervals. This way system resources are released without loosing data for later analyses.
_DataSet Data backup in WinCC OA. The stored data of the value history, which is available for WinCC OA, is saved in chronological sorted data sets. This is made clear by the directory names which are assigned automatically. In order to administer data sets you can register when the last change of a data set took place, whether data sets are swapped out or deleted etc.
_DiskSpaceCheck Online Backup. There is data point of type _DiskSpaceCheck for each hard disk that should be included in the check. The associated DP _ArchiveDisk or _ArchivDisk_2 is created as standard. The configuration takes place via the panels for monitoring the hard disk.
_Dist Distributed systems. The internal data point _DistConnections (or _DistConnections_2 at redundancy) of type _Dist contains the state of all distribution manager connections to foreign systems. There are two elements update (bool) and updateTimes (dyn_uint).
_DistIdExchange Distributed systems. Contains the data point elements _DistIdExchange.send (dyn_time)and _DistIdExchange.rcv (dyn_time) which save the time of balancing when changes were sent or received. These data point elements are initialized with 1.1.1970 when starting the system.
_DpeMonitor DPE monitor panel. Contains the chosen data points as dyn_string in two data point elements and the name of the configuration.
_DpGroups Data point groups Contains the created data point groups (by default 7)
_DriverCommon ComDR.. Internal data point type of the general driver.
_DynamicDatapoints Mass configuration. This data point type contains a data point for each DPT, which contain a master data point, in the system. The configured PowerConfigs and the dynamic attributes are saved in the elements of these internal data points.
_Event Licensing. The data point type contains three elements. Via this elements the licenses of WinCC OA are checked.
_Iec IEC driver . The user has to create a data point of type _Iec for each connection between the driver and the control
_IecConnections IEC driver. Connections can be assigned via this data point type.
_IS_ArchivGroup Information server contains the configurations of the used archive groups. The DP name is composed automatically of the "IS_ArchiveGroup_" text and of a consecutive number
_IS_Control Information server serves for activating and deactivating of archive groups (see function IS_ControlExitWorkFunction in IS.ctc) as well as for stopping and restarting of the IS archive groups (see function IS_ControlWorkFunction in IS.ctc)
_IS_Database DBLogger contains the configurations of the used DBs. The DP name is identical to the DB name. If an ODBC-DB is used, the DB name is the DSN name. If the DB is a MS Access database, the file name is used as DP name WITHOUT the extension"mdb".
_IS_Table DBLogger contains the configurations of the used tables. The DP name is composed automatically: DB name + "_" + table name (defined during the configuration)
_IS_TableType Information Server contains the configurations of the used user-defined tables. The DP name is composed of IS + "_" + table type name for the user-defined tables.
_Layers The layers sheet. The command for showing and hiding of panel levels can be executed interactive via menu or tool bars or via sending a data point.
_Managers Authorizations. The workstation authorizations are set via this data point type.
_MediaConfig Data backup in WinCC OA. The data point type _MediaConfig saves the different configurations which were created in the ArchivControl panel with the Configurations button (see Archive control panel).
_MemoryCheck Online Backup. The configuration of the virtual memory monitoring takes place via an internal data point. The type of the data point is _MemoryCheck. There is one data point _MemoryCheck and one data point _MemoryCheck_2 by default.
_Module This data point is composed of only two elements ManNum and ModuleName.
_ModuleOn There is a separate data point type for opening a module. Each UIM registers a data point of this type at the Event Manager when starting.
_OPCGroup OPC driver. An internal data point of type _OPCGroup has to exist for each group that should be used in the OPC server. This data point has to be created before the group is created in the server. This means before the first data point with an address that is included in this group, is configured (see OPC group panel).
_OPCServer OPC driver. The properties of a server are set via the server data point and the status information of the server is provided. The values are displayed in the OPC server panel (see OPC server panel).
_Panel panel.ctl The opening and closing of panels via another panel takes always place by sending a data point. There is a difference between opening a root panel and opening a child panel. There are specific data point types for opening and closing of panels. The elements of these data point types contain all data that is needed for opening and closing of panels.
_PanelTopologie Panel topology/Group alerts: Contains the configuration of the created panel topology.
_Printer Print panels. In order to send panel printouts via different printers, the information of the printers available in the network has to be transferred to the control system. The printer data is saved in own data points.
_PrintPanel Print panels. Panels that are opened via another panels can also be printed. This means that the panels can be printed with all opened child panels. The command for printing is executed via a panel by sending a data point.
_PTPanelOn Panel topology/Group alerts: This data point type contains the current settings of the direct selection in the panel topology. (See Configuration of the direct selection). The settings consist of a data point _PTPanelOn and of its element fileName, of the panels and of the information if the assigned button is active.
_Rcp Recipes. There are two internal data point types available for recipes. New recipe types are created as data points of type _Rct. New recipes are created as data points of type _Rcp.
_Rct Recipes. There are two internal data point types available for recipes. New recipe types are created as data points of type _Rct. New recipes are created as data points of type _Rcp.
_RDBArchive This data point type contains the settings for archiving using the relational database. See also RDB archiving.
_RDBArchiveControl This data point type contains the error number of the last error and the name of the data point element which has triggered this error. See also RDB archiving.
_RDBArchiveGroups This data point type holds the settings of the archive groups See also Setting archive group parameters.
_RDBUserDefinedTemplates This data point type holds the settings to the user-defined templates. See also User defined archive groups.
_ReduManager Redundancy. Contains the data points _ReduManager and _ReduManager2 with the status of connections.
_RK512 RK512 driver. The driver notifies the WinCC OA system of its status via an internal data point of type _RK512 and allows the system to change the settings of the driver at runtime.
_RootPanel panel.ctl In order to open and close panels all elements of the concerned internal data point within a dpSet() command have to be assigned. For root panel these data points are _RootPanelOrigOn (Opening in original size) and _RootPanelOn (opening in size of the existing panel)
_SilentPrint User interface. Consists of the element unsigned SilentPrint only. The status of the current or last print job can be found in the internal data point _SilentPrint of type _SilentPrint.
_Simulator Simulator driver. You can create simulator data points with the aid of the internal data point type _Simulator. WinCC OA already contains three predefined data points _Simulator_1, _Simulator_2 and _Simulator_3. The name of the simulation file can be defined on the FileName..original leaf.
_SSI_Alive SSI driver . The data points have to be named _SSI_Alive_<num>. <num> indicates the driver number. The alive monitoring between KE/ET and driver is realized via pulse commands.
_SSI_DaDf SSI driver . The assignment between data formats and data types is defined in the data point _SSI_DaDf_Table. The data point has 32 leaves of type unsigned for the different data types. Not allocated data types have the initialization value -1.
_SSI_ImpulseType SSI driver . The switch time can be defined in two ways. A switch time within the system, which is used for all commands, will be sufficient for most of the commands. If other switch times should be configured for single commands, these can be configured in the data point _SSI_Impulse_Times (the data point contains a dynamic field of bit patterns which allow the definition of desired switch times)the easiest way is to define the time in the pulse time panel of the peripheral address panel.
_SSI_SysAll SSI driver . It might be necessary to send a message to all system components (target component number 255). For this case there is an internal data point (and it has the type _SSI_SysAll) which is assigned to the component 255 and which has data point leaves for the outgoing messages. Each driver supports two data points of this type. The first is called _SSI_ALL_<KE/ET region number>_<KE/ETcomponent number> and is assigned to the driver that is connected with the specified KE/ET. The second is called _SSI_ALL_255_255 and is used by all SSI drivers in the system.
_SSI_SysMgm SSI driver. Incoming messages are intercepted by the driver because of the data format (0 for system and 100 for sorting messages)and are represented on the leaves of a component specific internal data point (of type _SSI_SysMsg) of WinCC OA. Such data point has to be created for each component in the system. The name of the data point is composed of the region number and of the component number
_Statistics_Connections WinCC OA messages . The data point type _Statistics_Connections is composed of counters (leaves). The leaves contain the amount of the messages that were sent in the last interval (SndTotal) and the amount of messages that were received (RcvTotal) as well as the total number of messages. By default, data points are intended for messages between event 0 and 4 CTRL manager, 4 user interfaces, 4 drivers, 1 dist manager, 1 data manager, 1 redu manager and 2 events (0, 128). For further driver or UIs additional DPs have to be created.
_Statistics_DataConfig WinCC OA messages. The event manager, the data manager and all drivers write the number of configs which they administer into a data point of type _Statistics_<Man>Configs , for example, _Statistics_Configs_Event_0. If a config or a DP is created, the change is saved in the data point first when the interval of the leaf SecsToRefresh has expired. This data point contains only the _archive config.
_Statistics_DriverConfigs WinCC OA messages. The event manager, the data manager and all drivers write the number of configs which they administer into a data point of type _Statistics_<Man>Configs , for example, _Statistics_Configs_Event_0. If a config or a DP is created, the change is saved in the data point first when the interval of the leaf SecsToRefresh has expired. This data point contains the elements _address, _cmd_conv, _msg_conv, _smooth. These elements are relevant for the driver.
_Stat_event_0 The data point element saves the total performance (the amount of all Event Manager connections) per message.
_Statistics_EventConfigs WinCC OA messages. The event manager, the data manager and all drivers write the number of configs which they administer into a data point of type _Statistics_<Man>Configs , for example, _Statistics_Configs_Event_0. If a config or a DP is created, the change is saved in the data point first when the interval of the leaf SecsToRefresh has expired. Furthermore, the number of DPs and DPTs is stored here.
_Statistics_Msg WinCC OA messages. The data point type _Statistics_Msg contains the possible message categories.
_Statistics_Refresh WinCC OA messages. The data point type _Statistics_Refresh contains the data point _Statistik_Connections_Refresh with the element SecondsToRefresh.
_SumAlertGeneral Panel topology/Group alerts. Contains the configurations of the priority ranges as well as the fixed parameters of the future group alerts.
_SumAlertPanel Panel topology/Group alerts. Contains the configurations of the priority ranges as well as the fixed parameters of the future group alerts. A data point with all priority ranges is created for each panel in the topology. The naming of the DP looks like following "Panelname" + _1
_System Authorizations. Actions like creating, changing and deleting of data point types, data points, alias and manipulations of the authorization config are defined via the data point element (_System.Auth)
_TimedFunc You can start user-defined CTRL functions, time-dependent and configured via a data point with timedFunc(). Start time, interval and the remaining configuration take place via data points of the internal data point type "_TimedFunc".
_Ui Module VISION. An internal data point type for the user interface. Contains information of the panels, layers etc. Each manager corresponds to this kind of data point.
_Users Authorizations. Users can have a name, an identification number, a password and an authorization code in WinCC OA.
_ValueArchive History DB The archive parameters are administered as elements of the archive data point (_ValueArchiv). There are pure parameters and actions. Only the archive is notified of the parameters. Actions trigger procedures in the archive process. These are then reported via other DPEs of the archive data point. This chapter describes the "simple" archive parameters.
_ValueArchivMedia History DB . This data point type contains the settings for the data transfer at archive change and release of archives.
_VarTrend Variable trend. This data point type contains the settings that are specified when configuring a variable trend. The appropriate data points are _VarTrend0000 and _VarTrend9999. Further data points are created for each trend configuration.
_VarTrendOpen Variable trend. This data point type contains user interface, panel name and configuration that should be opened. The appropriate data point is _VarTrend0pen.