Configuring WinCC Project Migrator Options During Legacy PCS 7 V5.x to V6.x Upgrades

During the software update and migration of legacy SIMATIC PCS 7 V5.x projects to PCS 7 V6.x, the WinCC Project Migrator tool converts the underlying project database architecture from the obsolete Sybase Anywhere engine (used in WinCC V5) to Microsoft SQL Server 2000 (used in WinCC V6). To successfully migrate without errors, if the user only requires engineering graphics, scripts, and tag configurations, they must select ONLY 'Pictures and Libraries' and 'Configuration data'. If historical trend and alarm runtime data must be retained, the user must select 'RT data' and 'dBase archive(s)' (which extracts legacy trend archives stored in the project's 'PDE' folder into new SQL Server archive segments). Selecting 'RT data' without the matching archive sources or selecting options without sufficient disk space causes migration abortion.

The Sybase-to-SQL Server Architectural Shift in PCS 7

The transition from SIMATIC PCS 7 V5.x (WinCC V5.1) to PCS 7 V6.x (WinCC V6.0 / V6.2) represents one of the most substantial architectural milestones in the history of SIMATIC automation. Prior to V6.0, WinCC stored all engineering configuration data and process alarms in a Sybase SQL Anywhere relational database, while high-speed process trends were stored in proprietary flat files inside the PDE (Process Data Exchange) directory using dBase III formats.

Starting in PCS 7 V6.0, Siemens migrated the entire DCS data architecture to Microsoft SQL Server. Because the physical database files, schema tables, and data types are fundamentally incompatible, projects cannot simply be opened; they must be processed through the WinCC Project Migrator.

WinCC Project Migrator Configuration Options Explained

When launching the WinCC Project Migrator on the PCS 7 V6.x engineering station, the user is presented with several selective migration checkboxes:

Configuration Data: Converts tag management tables, graphic connections, communication drivers, alarm definitions, and project settings into Microsoft SQL Server master database tables (<ProjectName>.mdf). This option is mandatory.
Pictures and Libraries: Recompiles all WinCC graphic screens (.pdl) and project C/VBS scripts to conform to the new graphics engine.
RT Data (Runtime Data): Establishes the new SQL Server database segments for Alarm Logging and Tag Logging. If this option is unselected, the migrated project starts with completely blank historical archives.
dBase Archive(s): Instructs the migrator to parse the old PDE subfolder, read the legacy dBase trend files, and import historical process values into the new Microsoft SQL Server TagLoggingFast and TagLoggingSlow segments.
Swapped-Out Data (Storage): Imports long-term historical archives that had been previously backed up or swapped out to tape or optical media using the legacy WinCC Storage option.

Handling Legacy PDE Trend Archives and dBase Files

In PCS 7 V5.x, whenever Tag Logging was active, continuous circular archives recorded data directly into the <ProjectPath>\PDE\ directory as .dbf files. When performing migration:

If Historical Data is NOT Required: Deselect RT Data, dBase archive(s), and Swapped-out data. This dramatically accelerates the migration process, avoids conversion errors from corrupted legacy logs, and produces a lean, clean SQL Server database.
If Historical Trends ARE Required: You MUST check both RT Data and dBase archive(s) simultaneously. Checking 'RT Data' alone without specifying the dBase source causes the migrator to search for nonexistent SQL segments, terminating with database conversion errors.
Disk Space Requirement: The migration process temporarily creates raw uncompressed SQL tables. Ensure the host hard drive has at least 3x the total size of the original PDE directory available.

Step-by-Step Execution of the Migration Workflow

Follow this rigorous procedure to migrate legacy V5 projects:

Archive and Backup: Create an uncompressed zip backup of the entire PCS 7 V5.x project directory.
Clean Project: Delete any temporary files (*.tmp, .lck) and ensure no background Sybase processes are running.
Launch Migrator: On the PCS 7 V6 station, start WinCC Project Migrator from the Start menu.
Select Source and Destination: Browse to the legacy <Project>.mcp file. Specify a fresh target directory on an NTFS partition.
Set Options: Check 'Pictures and Libraries' and 'Configuration data'. If historical data is required, check 'RT data' and 'dBase archive(s)'.
Execute Migration: Click 'Start'. Monitor the migration log window. Once completed, inspect migration.log for any unmigrated C-actions or graphic dynamic dialogs.

Comparison of Migration Options and Target Database Formats

The following table compares the migration options and their direct impact on the resulting PCS 7 V6.x WinCC database:

Migration SelectionDatabase Tables GeneratedHistorical Data PreservedMigration DurationError VulnerabilityConfig + Pictures OnlyCore SQL Schema (.mdf/.ldf)None (Archives start fresh)Very Fast (< 15 mins)Extremely LowConfig + RT Data OnlyCore SQL Schema + Empty RT SegmentsNone (Fails if dBase selected incorrectly)ModerateHigh (Segment mismatch)Config + RT Data + dBaseCore SQL Schema + Populated SQL Archives100% of V5 PDE trends converted to SQLSlow (Hours for large DBs)Moderate (Corrupt DBF files)Config + RT Data + StorageCore SQL Schema + Swapped SQL ArchivesFull historical and offline tape archivesVery SlowHigh (Missing swap files)

Verification

Verify the migrated PCS 7 V6.x project:
1. Open the migrated project in WinCC Explorer; confirm that the project status opens without Sybase connection errors.
2. Open Graphics Designer; open a complex plant mimic display and confirm that all ActiveX controls, dynamic dialogs, and C-scripts compile cleanly.
3. If RT data was migrated, open WinCC Runtime, open a Trend view, and configure an archive tag; verify that historical curves extending prior to the migration date display correctly.
4. Verify in SIMATIC Manager that the AS-OS connection paths remain valid and that a delta OS compilation executes with zero errors.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Never perform project migration over a network share; copy the entire project folder to the local high-speed drive of the Engineering Station before running the migrator. Legacy Sybase database files (.db) are highly sensitive to sudden shutdowns; ensure the source project was closed cleanly in WinCC V5 before migration. Note that migrating from V5.x directly to V8.x or V9.0 in a single hop is impossible; projects must migrate sequentially: V5.x -> V6.x -> V7.x -> V8.x/V9.0.

Engineer FAQ

Can I migrate directly from PCS 7 V5.2 to PCS 7 V9.0?

No. Due to multiple intermediate database and graphics engine transformations (Sybase in V5 -> SQL 2000 in V6 -> SQL 2005 in V7 -> SQL 2014 in V8 -> SQL 2016 in V9), migrations must proceed in intermediate steps: V5.2 -> V6.1 SP4 -> V7.1 SP4 -> V8.2 / V9.0.

Why did the migration fail when I selected 'RT Data'?

Selecting 'RT Data' requires the migrator to import runtime archives. If your trends were stored in the legacy dBase PDE folder and you did not check 'dBase archive(s)', the migrator encounters an unexpected archive source format and aborts.

What happened to the 'Storage' option in modern WinCC versions?

The legacy WinCC 'Storage' tool was replaced by the integrated WinCC Archive Connector and long-term archiving in SIMATIC Process Historian (or Central Archive Server CAS in earlier versions).