How can you make changes to the project on the configuration computer while the existing

process values continue to be acquired and archived on the customer computer?

Instructions:
This entry describes the application case of how measuring points are added to a WinCC project on a
running system. However the configuration is not to be made on the running system (customer
computer), but on another computer (e.g. configuration computer at the engineering consultants').
During configuration, the process data already configured continues to be acquired and archived on the
WinCC computer at the customer's. Once the configuration has been completed and tested on a
separate computer, the WinCC project is to be transferred from the configuration computer to the
WinCC computer at the customer's.
Important requirement:
The Runtime data acquired in the meantime must not be lost!

No. Procedure
1

Perform data backup on the customer computer

Do a data backup of the complete WinCC project of the system running on the customer computer.
You can proceed as follows to perform a complete backup of the WinCC project:

Close WinCC Runtime.

Note:
Please note that unless a redundant WinCC computer is available, you will not be able to
perform any operation and monitoring functions during this time.
Close the WinCC Explorer.
Archive the WinCC project directory using an appropriate archiving tool. You can use
"WinZip" or "WinRar", for example. The advantage of these two tools is that they create a
compressed archive file of your project. You can name this archive file accordingly and store
it on a removable medium (e.g. CD/DVD or USB removable medium) or on network drives.
Notes:
If errors occur during archiving, restart your computer. Make sure that WinCC is not started
automatically when the computer restarts. Now it should be possible to perform data
backup without any error messages.
Restart WinCC Runtime.

Once you have done the data backup, no more configuring should be performed on the customer
computer, because any changes in the configuration will be overwritten when the configuration
data is loaded from the configuration computer.
2

Unpack the data backup of the customer computer

Unpack the data backup of the WinCC project of the customer computer on your configuration
computer.

Configure on the configuration computer

Make sure that the configuration computer has the same WinCC version as the customer
computer.
Change the configured name of the computer in the WinCC project to the local computer
name.
Configure and test the new measuring points.
Notes:

You can create new tags, pictures, messages and archives and/or change existing ones.
However, make sure that you never delete existing archive tags to create them anew
possibly with different parameters. When you create new tags, archives or messages, the
system gives them an internally unique number (ID). These IDs change when the tags,
archives or messages are created anew. If the ID of an archive tag changes, or the ID no
longer exists, because the archive has been deleted, then the old data of that archive tag
can no longer be displayed.

You can also test newly created measuring points without a real controller by using the "S7PLCSIM" software. The "S7-PLCSIM" software permits you to control/monitor the external
WinCC tags. The requirement is that the software products STEP 7, S7-PLCSIM and WinCC

are installed together on the configuration computer. Up to and including S7-PLCSIM

V5.3.x, you can use only the MPI channel unit for simulating external WinCC
tags. From S7-PLCSIM V5.4 onwards, you can also use
the PROFIBUS and Ethernetchannel units for simulation. You cannot use the Named
Connections channel unit for simulating with S7-PLCSIM.
You can move the external tags to be tested to the MPI channel if the customer computer
uses a channel unit other than MPI. After the test you must move the tags moved to the MPI
channel back again to the original channel.
4

Perform data backup on the configuration computer

Do a data backup on the configuration computer of the complete WinCC project. Proceed here as
described in Step 1.
Note:
To save storage space and archiving time you can reset the Runtime database of the WinCC Tag
Logging and Alarm Logging on the configuration computer before archiving. The Runtime data of
the configuration computer will later be replaced by the Runtime data of the customer computer.
Notes on deleting the Runtime data are available in Entry ID 17853608.

Perform data backup again on the customer computer

Do another backup of the complete WinCC project of the system running on the customer
computer. For this proceed as described in Step 1. Do not start WinCC after data backup.
Rename the WinCC project path in order to later move the relevant Runtime data from this
path to the updated project path.
Notes:

The repeated data backup saves the actual status of the Runtime data. The last backup
might have been made some time ago.

If you have made changes to the configuration since the last backup of the project on the
customer computer, then this data backup saves these changes.

Unpack the data backup of the configuration computer

Unpack the data backup of the WinCC project of the configuration computer on the customer
computer.

Move the Runtime database from the renamed project path to the
current project path
In the current project directory you delete the following files and
directories:
ArchiveManager
<Project>RT.mdf
<Project>RT.ldf
<Project>Tlg.mdf
<Project>Tlg.ldf
<Project>Alg.mdf
<Project>Alg.ldf

The relevant files/directories are marked in the following figure. The

name of the WinCC project is "faq2"

Fig. 01
Copy the following files and directories from the renamed WinCC
project path into the current project path:

ArchivManager
<Project>RT.mdf
<Project>RT.ldf

Do not copy the following files, because if not available, they are regenerated
automatically the next time the Runtime starts:

<Project>Tlg.mdf
<Project>Tlg.ldf
<Project>Alg.mdf
<Project>Alg.ldf
If one of the backup paths (destination paths) configured is located in the
WinCC project path, you must also replace this path with the identically

named path of the renamed WinCC project path.

Note:
The backup configuration is performed in the Tag Logging and Alarm Logging
editors. For this you select the pop-menu for the archives listed in the "Archive
Configuration" entry. Select the "Properties" entry. The Archive Configuration
dialog opens. Switch to the "Backup Configuration" tab. Check the paths
(Destination path) for the backup configuration.

Fig. 02

Fig. 03
8

Change the WinCC project on the customer computer

Change the configured name of the computer in the WinCC project to the local computer
name if necessary.

Check the settings in the "Redundancy" editor.

Start Runtime
Start the WinCC Runtime on the customer computer. Test the functionality.