Siemens S7-1200 Programming Manualline page 19

2 S7-1200/1500 Innovations
2.8 New data types for S7-1200/1500
Figure 2-12: VARIANT data type as input parameter for the TSEND_C instruction
Advantages
Integrated type test
Symbolic addressing for optimized blocks
Recommendation
Use the VARIANT data type instead of the ANY pointer. Due to the integrated
type test, errors are detected early on and due to the symbolic addressing the
program code can be easily interpreted.
As another alternative you can use the indexed ARRAYs for the ANY pointer
(see chapter 3.6.2 ARRAY data type and indirect field accesses).
Note You will find further information in the following entry:
How can memory areas be copied in STEP 7 (TIA Portal)?
http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/view/en/59886704
How do you program the "VARIANT" data type for indirect addressing for the S7-
1200 in STEP 7 (TIA Portal) V11?
http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/view/en/42603286
Programming Guideline for S7-1200/1500
V1.2, Entry ID: 81318674
VARIANT
In this case includes the check of the
structure TCON_IP_v4
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