Version Information
Release Notes, Update information, Certifications and Frequently Asked Questions.
Concepts
Your first step into modern and powerful process visualization.
Deployment
Topics you need to know before using WinCC OA.
Security
Go beyond the norm in cybersecurity.
Engineering
Powerful tools for easy or complex engineering tasks.
Data Management
Classify, structure and archive your data.
Business Logic / Control
Endless possibilities in data processing for your projects.
- Introduction to CTRL
  An introduction to the product's own programming language Control(CTRL).
- Control Classes
  The overview of classes available in Control.
- Types of Control Functions
  An overview of the types of functions distinguished within Control.
- Control graphics
- CONTROL Functions
  - Functions A
  - Functions B
  - Functions C
  - Functions D
  - Functions E
  - Functions F
  - Functions G
  - Functions H
  - Functions I
  - Functions J
  - Functions K
  - Functions L
  - Functions M
  - Functions N
  - Functions O
  - Functions P
  - Functions Q
  - Functions R
  - Functions S
    - saveBookmarks()
      SaveBookmarks() saves all bookmarks of an ewo in the given context.
    - scanTimeUTC()
      Determines the local time from a UTC time string.
    - scriptEditor()
      Starts the Script Editor and writes the entered script to a variable.
    - scriptInfo()
      Returns information for the given source code.
    - seAddCompletionItem()
      Allows to add new auto-complete suggestions for the script editor.
    - second()
      Returns the seconds part (0 ... 59) of a time t.
    - secureRandom()
      Calculates a sequence of secure integer pseudo random numbers.
    - securityEvent()
      Function to generate a Security Event.
    - seGetCompletionItem()
      The function returns a list of all user-defined completion items.
    - seGetCursorPos()
      Returns the current cursor position in the script editor.
    - seGetLine()
      Returns the code text from a specific line number in the script editor.
    - seGetScriptFileName()
      Returns the name of the file in which the script is located.
    - seGetSelectedText()
      Fetches the text selected in the script editor.
    - seGetSelectedTextPos()
      Returns the selected text coordinates in the script editor.
    - seInsertLine()
      Inserts a new line with the corresponding line number and a specific text into the script editor.
    - seLoadCoverageReport()
      The function loads a coverage report (an xml file).
    - semAcquire()
      The function semAcquire() tries to acquire n resources guarded by the semaphore.
    - semAvailable()
      The function semAvailable() returns the number of available resources in the given semaphore.
    - semRelease()
      The function semRelease() increases the number of the available resources in the given semaphore.
    - sendKeyClick()
      The function sends a key press and key release to the current input focus.
    - sendMail()
      The sendMail() function sends encrypted e-mails using an SMTP server.
    - sendMouseEvent()
      The function sends a mouse event to a target window.
    - sendSMS()
      The sendSMS() function sends an SMS message to a user-defined phone number. The message can be 128 characters long. The function also handles possible errors. Note that if you want to use the control function, the runtime script sms.ctl has to run in the console.
    - sendWheelEvent()
      The function sends a mouse-wheel event to a target window.
    - seRemoveLine()
      Removes a specific code line in the script editor.
    - seSetCursorPos()
      Sets the cursor on a specific position in the script editor.
    - seSetLine()
      Inserts a text in a specific line in the script editor. If a text already exists in this line, it will be replaced.
    - seSetLines()
      Inserts multiple lines of text in the selected lines in the script editor. The text already in the lines will be replaced.
    - setACount ()
      Sets an alarm number in an alarm time variable.
    - colorSetActiveScheme ()
      A color scheme is a collection of colorDB files located in a subdirectory of proj_path/colorDB, for example, proj_path/colorDB/DayScheme/colors. Hence, the name of the schema is "DayScheme" - the name of the directory. The function colorSetActiveScheme sets the active color scheme.
    - setActiveIconTheme()
      This functions sets an icon theme.
    - setAIdentifier()
      Sets the name of a data point in a time of an alert.
    - setApplicationProperty()
      Allows to edit application properties.
    - setBit()
      Sets a bit within a bit32/bit64 variable.
    - setClipboardText()
      Copies a specific text to the clipboard as plain text.
    - setClutteringLimits()
      This function is used for defining the zoom factor to show/hide layers (cluttering/decluttering) in individual panels.
    - setCursorPosition()
      Sets the cursor position to a specific coordinate.
    - setDbgFlag()
      The function allows to set debug flags inside of a CTRL script.
    - setDollarParams()
      This CTRL function is used to set the dollar parameters of the graphics reference. Only in the panel for reference configuration in the GEDI!
    - setenv()
      Sets the value of an environment variable.
    - setFileModificationTime()
      This function sets/changes the last modification date and time of a file.
    - setFilePermissions()
      Sets the permissions for a file.
    - setGroupNamePVSS() - deprecated
      Use the function UserManagementBaseType::UserAdmin/Classes/UserManagementBaseType/Methods/setFullName.html instead!
    - setInputFocus()
      Sets the input focus.
    - setLangString()
      Sets an entry of a langString to a string.
    - setMultiValue()
      Sets any number of graphics attributes of any number of graphics elements.
    - setPanelSize()
      Sets a child panel or a module (panel as a module) to a defined size.
    - setPattern()
      Sets a bit32/bit64 variable to a binary pattern.
    - setPeriod()
      Sets t to a particular number of seconds and milliseconds.
    - setReportFlags()
      Triggers the report output with the specified debug flags.
    - setQueryRDBDirect()
      Allows to change the queryRDBdirect settings to change between querying directly from the RDB or querying via the data manager during runtime.
    - setRcvLevel()
      The function sets the receive debug level for messages.
    - setScaleStyle()
      Sets the scale style of the module for zooming.
    - setScript()
      Sets a control script to a graphical attribute.
    - setScriptLangId()
      Sets the current language of the script to the specified value.
    - setScriptUserId()
      Sets the current user ID of the script to the specified value.
    - setSndLevel()
      The function sets the send debug level for messages.
    - setThrowErrorAsException()
      Allows to change the behavior for error handling within the current thread.
    - setTime()
      Sets a time to the value specified in the argument.
    - setTrace()
      Changes the trace level of the current thread.
    - setTrendByName ()
      Set a trend configuration to a view by using its trend name.
    - setTrendByObject()
      Set a trend configuration to view by using a VarTrendTrendSettings object.
    - setUserEnabledPVSS()
      Enables the user.
    - setUserId()
      Sets the current user ID to the specified value.
    - setUserNamePVSS() - deprecated
      Use the function UserManagementBaseType::UserAdmin/Classes/UserManagementBaseType/Methods/setFullName.html instead!
    - setUserNameSSO()
      Sets the name of a WinCC OA user for SSO.
    - setUserOsIdPVSS() - deprecated
      Sets the OS ID for the user with the given WinCC OA user ID.
    - setValue()
      The function setValue() sets any number of graphics attributes of a graphics object.
    - setVariable()
      The function allows to set the value of the stated variable.
    - setWindowIcon()
      Sets the header of a module.
    - setWindowTitle()
      Sets the header of a module.
    - setZoomRange()
      Sets the minimum and maximum value that can be used while zooming.
    - shapeExists()
      The function returns whether a graphics element exists in the panel.
    - showProgressBar()
      The function updates the status bar of a process.
    - showToolTip()
      The function shows a user-defined tooltip at the current mouse position. By default, the tooltip is shown until the mouse is moved.
    - sin()
      Calculates the sine.
    - sinh()
      Calculates the hyperbolic sine.
    - sizeof()
      Returns the length of a string, a dyn or a mapping variable.
    - snmpcrypt_encryptAccessParameter()
      The function allows to encrypt SNMP access parameters with the defined password of the corresponding driver ID.
    - snmpcrypt_setAccessPassPhrase()
      The function allows to set a password for the encryption of SNMP access parameters.
    - snmpMIBBrowserGetAdditionalInfos()
      Returns the additional information for the specified OIDs of a MIB file.
    - snmpMIBBrowserGetHierarchyNames()
      Returns subordinated OIDs and item names of a passed start OID.
    - sprintf()
      Formats a string.
    - sprintfPL()
      Formats a string. Like sprintf(), but change to the current WinCC OA language before converting.
    - sprintfUL()
      The function formats a string like sprintf()but changes to the current user language before formatting.
    - sqrt()
      Calculates the square root.
    - srand()
      Defines the initial value for the function rand().
    - sscanf()
      Reads data from "s" and stores the data according to the "format" parameter into the additional arguments.
    - sscanfPL()
      Imports a string in formatted form. Like sscanf(), but changes to the current WinCC OA language before converting.
    - sscanfUL()
      The function imports a string in formatted form. The function works like the function sscanf() but changes to the current user language before reading the string.
    - startAnimation()
      The function startAnimation() starts an animation group.
    - startAnimationWait()
      The function startAnimationWait() starts an animation group but unlike the function startAnimation() waits for the animation to finish.
    - startPanelRefConstruct()
      Starts the construction of the panel reference in the current panel in the GEDI.
    - startScript()
      The startScript function starts a script, which is independent from the script from where it was started.
    - startSound()
      Plays a WAV file.
    - startSymbol()
      Starts a panel reference in a panel after creating a reference via createSymbol(). The function is identical to the function addSymbol() but does not execute the initialize script.
    - startThread()
      Starts a function in a new thread.
    - stayOnTop()
      The function places the specified module above all non-topmost windows. The window of the module maintains its topmost position even when it is deactivated.
    - std_help()
      The function displays any page of the Online Help, an arbitrary HTML page in the browser or an arbitrary text/pdf file on the computer resp. on a computer in the network.
    - std_miniHelp()
      Calls a panel with the corresponding help.
    - "stop"
      Stops the playback.
    - stopAnimation()
      This function stops an animation.
    - stopScript()
      Stops a function by the stated ID.
    - stopSound()
      Stops the playback of a WAV file.
    - stopThread()
      Stops a thread.
    - strchange()
      Changes the content of a string at a specific index for a defined count of digits with a replacing string.
    - strexpand()
      Returns a formatted string.
    - strformat()
      Returns a formatted string.
    - stringEditor()
      You can use the function stringEditor() to edit string variables in, for example, text fields. This means string variables that are not saved in a file.
    - strjoin()
      This function is used to combine elements of a dyn_string to one string.
    - strlen()
      Returns the length of a string in Bytes.
    - strltrim()
      Removes certain characters from a string, beginning from left.
    - strpos()
      Returns the position of a string within another.
    - strreplace()
      Replaces parts of a string with another string.
    - strrtrim()
      Cuts certain characters out of a string, starting from the right.
    - strsplit()
      Splits strings using delimiters.
    - strtok()
      Searches a string for the first occurrence of any of a set of bytes.
    - strtolower()
      Changes a string to lowercase.
    - strtoupper()
      Changes a string to uppercase.
    - strwalk()
      The function allows to move through a string and returns the corresponding character of a specific position.
    - substr()
      Cuts a string or a character of a certain length (in Bytes) out of another string.
    - switchCtrlConnectionsToReplica()
      Switches Ctrl in split mode.
    - switchCtrlConnectionToReplica()
      Switches the CTRL with a specific number over.
    - switchLang()
      Function for switching the language at runtime in a user interface.
    - SwitchLayer()
      Switches the visibility of two layers.
    - SwitchLayerPanel()
      Switches the visibility of two layers in a specific panel.
    - SwitchLayerPanelInModule()
      Switches the visibility of two layers in a specific panel and module.
    - switchUiConnectionsToReplica()
      Switches the UI in the split mode.
    - switchUiConnectionToReplica()
      Switches a UI with a specific number in the split mode.
    - sysConnect()
      The function allows to connect to specific system events.
    - sysConnectUserData()
      The function allows to connect to specific system events.
    - sysDisconnect()
      The function allows to disconnect from a specific system events previously connect using sysConnect().
    - sysDisconnectUserData()
      The function allows to disconnect from a specific system events previously connect using sysConnectUserData().
    - system()
      Runs a system shell command.
    - systemDetached()
      The function runs a system shell command in the background.
  - Functions T
  - Functions U
  - Functions V
  - Functions W
  - Functions X
  - Functions Y
  - Functions Z
- CtrlExtension
  The CtrlExtension allows the addition of custom C++ code.
- CTRL Debugger
  You can use the CTRL debugger to debug the Control programming language. The debugger can be used via its own panel, which also enables the monitoring and setting of variable values during the execution of a script.
- SQL in CONTROL
  The database functions enable you to quickly carry out value queries on data points and elements.
- WinCC OA JavaScript Manager for Node.js
  The WinCC OA JavaScript Manager for Node.js is a manager that allows for the integration of the TypeScript/JavaScript runtime environment Node.js® into WinCC OA.
- API Manager
  The WinCC OA API (Application Programming Interface) offers a number of functions adding special Managers to this process control system.
Data Visualization
User interfaces, Trends and Reports for every purpose and device.
Southbound Interfaces
The process connection to the actual machines/sensors.
Northbound Interfaces
Your portal to the cloud or supervising systems.
Web Connectivity / Network Interfaces
Data exchange, APIs and web technologies
User Management
All about authorization, authentication and login-customization.
Availability
How to get your system uptime to the maximum.
Reporting
Create state of the art project reports without limits.
Addons
Useful tools and enhancements for special demands.
Reference Tables
Detailed and extensive content for special project adaptation.
Videos & Tutorials
Explore the capabilities of WinCC OA with our carefully selected collection of video tutorials and guides.
Documentation
Basic information about terms and functions within the documentation.
Support & Services
An experienced team of support agents, consultants and trainers are ready to facilitate active partnerships with our customers, so they can profit from our comprehensive service.
Disclaimer
A brief clarification of liability exclusions or legal notices.

strlen()

Returns the length of a string in Bytes.

Synopsis

int strlen(string s);

Parameters


Parameter	Description
s	String to be examined

Return value

The length of a string in Bytes.

Errors

missing/incorrect argument

Details

Example

main()
{
  DebugN(strlen("ABC")); // Length 3
}

Assignment

String Functions

Availability

CTRL