S5 Item Syntax

The S5 item syntax is set up as shown below:

<Area><Data type><Start address>[.Array size][Suffix]

If the data type is BOOL, the bit number is required:

<Area><Data type><Start address><.Bitnr.>[.Array size]

If the data type is STRING, the string length is required:

<Area><Data type><Start address><.String length>[.Array size][Suffix]

Legend: <> mandatory [ ] optional

<Area>

	Syntax	Orientation1	Access rights	Notes
Data block	DBx	WORD	Read / write	With blocks, the specification of a block number x is required (x = 1 to 65535). After the block number no dot is required.
Extended data block	DXx	WORD	Read / write
Flag	M oder F	BYTE	Read / write
Timer	T	WORD	Read
Counter	Z oder C	WORD	Read
Input	E oder I	BYTE	Read
Output	A oder O oder Q	BYTE	Read / write
Periphery	P	BYTE	Read / write
Extended Periphery	OB	BYTE	Read / write
System area		WORD	Read
Absolute memory cells	AS	WORD	Read

1BYTE-oriented means that a byte is addressed for each physical address.

WORD-oriented means that a word (16 bits) is addressed for each physical address.

<Data type> for Data blocks and extended Data blocks

Type VT_Type	Syntax	Sample	with Array	useful Suffixes
BIT VT_BOOL	D	DB5D4.12	---	---
BYTE VT_UI1	DB	DB5DB3	DB5DB3.5	KF, BCD
LEFT BYTE VT_UI1	DL	DB5DL4	DB5DL4.2	---
RIGHT BYTE VT_UI1	DR	DB5DR2	DB5DR2.5	---
WORD VT_UI2	DW	DB5DW4	DB5DW4.5	KF, BCD, KT, S5T, TR, SWAP
DOUBLE WORD VT_UI4	DD	DB5DD3	DB5DD3.2	KF, BCD, KG, T, TOD, SWAP
QUAD WORD VT_UI8	DQ	DB5DQ3	DB5DQ3.2	KF, BCD, SWAP
STRING VT_BSTR	S	DB5S2.3	DB5S2.80.3	KA 1
S7-STRING VT_BSTR	SS	DB5SS2.3	DB5SS2.80.3	---
S5-STRING VT_BSTR	SF	DB5SF2.3	DB5SF2.80.3	---

<Data type> for all other areaes

Syntax

M or F

I/O

P / OB

C / T / RS / AS

with Array

useful

Suffixes

BIT

VT_BOOL

M4.3

F4.3

E4.3

I4.3

A4.3

Q4.3

---

BYTE

VT_UI1

MB4

FB4

EB4

IB4

AB5

QB5

PB4

OB4

---

MB4.3

FB4.4

EB4.4

IB4.5

AB5.2

QB5.5

PB4.2

OB4.3

BCD

WORD

VT_UI2

MW4

FW4

EW4

IW4

AW5

QW5

PW2

OW2

RS4

BS4

AS5

MW4.2

FW4.4

EW4.5

IW4.2

AW5.5

QW5.2

PW2.10

OW2.3

C5.5

T5.3

RS4.2

BS4.7

AS5.2

BCD

S5T

SWAP

DOUBLE WORD

VT_UI4

MD4

FD4

ED4

ID4

AD5

QD5

PD5

OD5

---

MD4.4

FD4.2

ED4.6

ID4.2

AD5.6

QD5.2

PD5.4

OD5.9

BCD

TOD

SWAP

QUAD WORD

VT_UI8

MQ4

FQ4

EQ4

IQ4

AQ5

QQ5

PQ5

OQ5

---

MQ4.4

FQ4.2

EQ4.6

IQ4.2

AQ5.6

QQ5.2

PQ5.4

OQ5.9

BCD

SWAP

STRING

VT_BSTR

MS4.80

FS4.80

---

MSS4.80.3

FSS4.80.3

KA 1

S7-STRING

VT_BSTR

MSS4.80

FSS4.80

---

MSS4.80.3

FSS4.80.3

---

S5-STRING

VT_BSTR

MSF4.80

FSF4.80

---

MSF4.80.3

FSF4.80.3

---

1 KA Suffix is not possible with string arrays

Notes on counters and timers

Counters and timers are always addressed by words. For this reason, the specification of a data type is not required!

The start address directly follows the “T” or “C/Z” area. Timers can only be read! Counters can be read and written.

Timer values are indicated in seconds (e.g., T = 0.7 => T = 0.7 s = 700 ms).

Counters are represented in decimals (0 to 999).

<Start address>

The start address specifies the addresses starting at which can be read or written.

Example: DB5.DW6: Double word 6 of the data block 5 is the start address.

Example: MB17: Flag byte 17 is the start address.

If the start address is a certain bit, the bit number must also be specified.

<.Bit number>

The bit number must always be specified when the data type is BOOL.

Example: I4.3: bit 3 of input byte 4 – an input bit is addressed here.

Example: FX12.1: Bit 1 of flag byte 12 – a flag bit is addressed here.

Note:

Writing to bits of a S5 PLC is not permitted. Please read the byte/word, set the bit and write the byte/word back.

[.Array size]

An array (i.e., field, row, data area) is a series of equal elements. An array combines several units of one data type into a field. If, for example, several words are read out from a data block, this is called an array of words. To create an array, the length of the array is added to the standard syntax separated by a dot.

Example: DB10DW2.5.

For more information on arrays, see also Arrays.

[Suffix]

A value can be represented in another format with the aid of a suffix.

For more information on suffixes, see also Suffixes.