Both differences have the same reason: A bugfix that came with OES 4.8.3. There is no point in trying to get back to the original code that was downloaded to the PLC. Your new code is better!
Before the bugfix, every FB was added the rStationData VAR_INPUT (as in Q2). These references were only initialized for the Unit instance and sequence FBs though, so accessing them inside the Extension or add-on FBs would always have caused runtime errors.
The bugfix removed these reference VAR_INPUTs from all FBs except Unit, Extension and sequences. In OnApplyParameters, the code line (Q1) was added so the reference of the Extension instance is initialized and can be used.
So, @MarvinW 's answer is technically correct, but I would not recommend doing that!
... View more