Introduction

Control Expert manages four types of files for storing user applications and projects. Each type of file can be used according to specific requirements.

File types can be identified by their extension:

  • *.STU: File

  • *.STA: Archived Application File

  • *.XEF: Application Exchange File

  • *.ZEF: Full Application Exchange File

STU File

This file type is used for daily working tasks. This format is used by default when opening or saving a user project.

The following table presents the STU file advantages and drawbacks:

Advantages

Drawbacks

  • The project can be saved at any stage (consistent or inconsistent) through the default command.

  • Not convenient when transferring project due to the very large size of the file.

  • Project saving and opening is fast as the entire internal database is present in the file.

  • Not compatible when updating Control Expert from one version to another.

  • Automatic creation of BAK files¹

  

¹ Each time a STU file is saved, a backup copy is also created, with the same name as the STU file, and the extension BAK files. By changing the file extension from BAK to STU, it is possible to revert to the state the project was, the last time it was saved. BAK files are stored in the same folder as the project STU file.

STA File

This file type is used for archiving projects and can be created only after the project has been generated. This file type allows forward compatibility between the different versions of Control Expert.

There are 2 ways to create an STA file:

  • STA file can be created manually by accessing the File > Save Archive menu in the Control Expert main window.

  • STA file is created automatically every time the project is saved as a STU file if it is in Built state.

    NOTE: The STA file created automatically is saved into the same directory and with the same file name as the STU project file, except that a “.Auto” suffix is appended to the file name. If an existing automatic STA file already exists, it is overwritten without any confirmation.
    NOTE: If the project is in Built state, saving a STU file through a Control Expert Server creates a STA file as well.

The following table presents the STA file advantages and drawbacks:

Advantages

Drawbacks

  • Fast project saving.

  • Can be created only after the project has been generated.

  • Projects can be shared vie e-mail or low size memory supports.

  • Opening of the project is long, as the project file is rebuilt before operation.

  • Capability to connect in Equal Online Mode to the PLC after opening the project on a new version of Control Expert. For additional information, see Connection/Disconnection.

  

  • Allow online modifications with the PLC without any prior download into the PLC.

  • Generated STA file is compatible with all Control Expert versions.

    NOTE: In order to load a STA file created with another version of Control Expert, all the features used in the application have to be supported by the current version.

Create Archived Application File (*.STA)

The following table describes the procedure for generating *.STA files:

Step

Action

1

Launch the current Control Expert software:

Start > Programs > EcoStruxure Control Expert > Control Expert.

2

Open the project (*.STU file):

  1. File > Open .

  2. Select the project (*.STU file).

  3. Click Open.

3

File > Save Archive, see note below.

4

Choose a location for the file to be saved. Do not save files in the default Schneider Electric directory:

C:\Program Files\Schneider Electric\Control Expert

Files saved in this directory may be deleted during Control Expert installation.

5

Click Save .

6

Remember the location where the *.STA file is stored on the terminal as it is needed when recovering the project.
NOTE: The Save Archive function is only available if:

  • The project has been generated.

  • In Tools > Project Settings, in the Upload Information section if Include is selected, at least one of the two check boxes underneath must be checked.

Restoring Archived Application File (*.STA)

This restoration consists of importing the *.STA files previously created and stored. The *.STA files are used when the PLC cannot be stopped. To restore *.STA files follow the procedure below for each project:

Step

Action

1

Launch Control Expert:

Start > Programs > EcoStruxure Control Expert > Control Expert.

2

Open the *.STA file from File > Open menu.

The file type selected must be Archived Application File (STA).

3

Click Open .

4

Save the project as an *.STU file.

XEF File

This file type is used for exporting projects in an XML source format and can be created at any stage of a project.

The following table presents the XEF file advantages and drawbacks:

Advantages

Drawbacks

  • The XML source format ensures project compatibility with any version of Control Expert.

  • Medium size.

  • Opening of the project takes time while the project is imported before operation.

  • Generation of the project is mandatory to re-assemble the project binary code.

  • Operating with the PLC requires to rebuild all the project and perform a download in the processor.

  • Connecting to the PLC in Equal Online mode with an XEF file is not possible. For additional information, see Connection/Disconnection.

ZEF File

This file type is used for exporting projects with global DTMs configuration and can be created at any stage of a project. For details on project export/import, refer to chapter Import / Export.

The following table presents the ZEF file advantages and drawbacks:

Advantages

Drawbacks

  • The ZEF format ensures project compatibility with any version of Control Expert.

  • Medium size.

  • Opening of the project takes time while the project is imported before operation.

  • Generation of the project is mandatory to re-assemble the project binary code.

  • Operating with the PLC requires to rebuild all the project and perform a download in the processor.

  • Connecting to the PLC in Equal Online mode with a ZEF file is not possible. For additional information, see Connection/Disconnection.

Create Application Exchange File (*.ZEF or *.XEF)

The following table describes the procedure for generating *.ZEF or *.XEF files:

Step

Action

1

Launch the current Control Expert software:

Start > Programs > EcoStruxure Control Expert > Control Expert.

2

Open the project (*.STU file):

  1. File > Open .

  2. Select the project (*.STU file).

  3. Click Open.

3

File > Export Project.

4

Choose a location for the file to be saved. Do not save files in the default Schneider Electric directory:

C:\Program Files\Schneider Electric\Control Expert

Files saved in this directory may be deleted during Control Expert installation.

5

Click Export and select the export file format (*.ZEF or *.XEF).

6

Remember the location where the *.ZEF or *.XEF file is stored on the workstation as it is needed when recovering the project.

Restoring Application Exchange File (*.ZEF or *.XEF)

This restoration consists of importing the *.ZEF or *.XEF files previously created and stored. Importing from a ZEF or XEF format involves the re-generation of the project. To restore *.ZEF or *.XEF files follow the procedure below for each project:

Step

Action

1

Launch Control Expert:

Start > Programs > EcoStruxure Control Expert > Control Expert.

2

Open the *.ZEF or *.XEF file from File > Open menu.

The file type selected must be Full Application Exchange File (*.ZEF) or Application Exchange File (*.XEF).

3

Click Open .

4

Save the project as an *.STU file.

Compatibility Information

The STU files are not compatible across Control Expert versions. In order to use a project with different Control Expert versions, users must either store, the:

  • Archived Application Files (STA):

    With the STA file, it is possible to reuse the current built project with the new Control Expert version installed on the computer.

  • Application Exchange Files (ZEF):

    The ZEF file must be used if the project has been built.

  • Application Exchange Files (XEF):

    The XEF file must be used if the project has been built.

Comparative File Types

The following table gives a summary of the 4 file types:

File Types

STU

STA

XEF

ZEF

Binary applications

Yes

Yes

No

No

Source applications

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Internal database

Yes

No

No

No

Comparative file size

10, see (1)

0.03, see (1)

3

3

Comparative time to save

10

1.6

6

6

Comparative time to open

1

10

10

10

Connection to the PLC in Equal Online mode

Possible

Possible

Not possible, see (2)

Not possible, see (2)

File backup

Possible

Possible, see (3)

Possible

Possible

(1): Compressed files.

(2): The project needs to be first uploaded into the PLC.

(3): The project can be saved only if it has been generated.

NOTE: The values in the table represent a ratio between file types, where the STU value is the reference.