Apparatus and method for processing containers having querying processing devices

An apparatus for processing containers, comprising a first processing device, which processes the containers in a first predetermined manner, a second processing device, which processes the containers in a second predetermined manner, and a transport device, which transports the containers from the first processing device to the second processing device, wherein the two processing devices are each controlled by control devices, and the control devices control the processing devices using parameters which are characteristic for the containers and/or the processing of the containers, wherein the apparatus has a main control device, which outputs predetermination parameters to at least one sequence control device which serves for controlling at least one processing device, and the apparatus is suitable and intended for checking whether all parameters required by the processing device controlled by this sequence control device can at least be derived from the predetermination parameters, wherein required parameters which cannot be derived from the predetermination parameters are requested and the requested parameters are output to all processing devices, wherein at least one sequence control device requests the required parameters from a main control device and the sequence control device and/or the main control device determines the required parameters which cannot be derived from the predetermination parameters, itself from the predetermination parameters, on the basis of data or parameters earlier used and/or already stored.