PS: in the meantime I learned that XML_INCLUDE apparently still works as before in ARNC0, see here. That is, one can still have a CNC data object “mcipvar” with content like
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<CONFIG>
<VARIABLES>
<PV Alias="$MYVAR" Synch="path_synch" Type="LREAL" >myprg:myvar</PV>
</VARIABLES>
</CONFIG>
And from there one can (probably, haven’t tested) XML_INCLUDE other such files.