Fixing Clipped or Truncated Faceplate Popups in PCS 7 WinCC Runtime

APL faceplate popup windows appear truncated, clipped, or missing bottom buttons in WinCC Runtime when Windows Display DPI scaling is enabled (e.g., 125% or 150%) or when screen resolution mismatches corrupt Standard Screen Management (SSM) coordinate calculations. In SIMATIC PCS 7, faceplate picture windows are dimensioned dynamically by system C-scripts based on standard pixel coordinates. Setting Windows display scaling strictly to 100%, aligning the OS Project Editor layout with the physical monitor resolution, and executing a complete OS Project Editor run restores full-view faceplate rendering.

Architecture of APL Picture Window Management

In SIMATIC PCS 7 Advanced Process Library (APL), faceplates do not open as standalone Windows operating system dialogs. Instead, they are rendered inside dynamic Picture Windows managed by WinCC Graphics Runtime and Standard Screen Management (SSM):
* When an operator clicks a motor (MotL), valve (VlvL), or controller (PIDConL) block icon, an internal C-action calls SSMOpenTopFieldPicture and APL_PictureWindowManagement.fct.
* The script calculates the required pixel bounding box by reading predefined geometric constants (e.g., header height #define APL_HEADER, standard tab width, and button bar heights).
* The script dynamically loads the master faceplate frame (@PG_*.pdl) and embeds the specific view picture (e.g., PG_MotL_Standard.pdl) within the window container.

If the underlying graphical coordinate system is distorted, the outer picture window frame clips the inner PDL content, hiding operator buttons, alarm suppression tabs, or setpoint input fields.

Root Causes of Truncated Faceplates: DPI Scaling vs. Resolution Mismatches

Detailed diagnostic analysis reveals three primary causes for clipped faceplates:

Windows Display DPI Scaling (The Primary Cause): On modern high-resolution displays (such as 2K, 4K, or high-density Full HD monitors), Windows defaults to 125%, 150%, or 175% desktop scaling. WinCC Graphics Runtime is an un-virtualized, pixel-deterministic industrial application. When Windows scales fonts and GDI boundaries, the internal WinCC controls scale unevenly while script-calculated window bounding boxes remain fixed in raw pixel dimensions, clipping the bottom and right edges of the faceplate.
OS Project Editor Resolution Discrepancy: The OS Project Editor layout was configured for an older resolution (e.g., 1280x1024 or 1680x1050), while the physical monitor and runtime operate at 1920x1080 (or multi-monitor widescreen configurations).
Corrupted System Template Screens (@PG_*.pdl): Incomplete project migrations or manual edits made directly to system @ screens can alter internal object anchor points or border styles.

Step-by-Step Recovery and Geometry Normalization Procedure

Follow this structured recovery workflow to normalize faceplate sizing:

Disable Windows Desktop DPI Scaling:
* Right-click the Windows Desktop and select Display settings.
* Under Scale and layout, set "Change the size of text, apps, and other items" strictly to 100%.
* Ensure this setting is applied to all connected monitors in multi-screen operator consoles.
* Log off Windows and log back in to force GDI font handles to re-initialize at standard 96 DPI.
Align Resolution in OS Project Editor:
* Open the target OS project in WinCC Explorer.
* Double-click OS Project Editor.
* In the Layout tab, select the exact physical resolution matching your operator displays (e.g., SIMATIC Standard 1920*1080).
* Navigate to the Basic Data tab. Select Complete configuration (no changes possible).
* Click OK to regenerate all @ system picture templates and script functions cleanly.
Configure High-DPI Compatibility Overrides (Optional Fallback):
* If IT policies enforce desktop scaling, right-click the WinCC Runtime executable shortcut (C:\Program Files (x86)\Siemens\WinCC\bin\CCProjectMgr.exe).
* Select Properties -> Compatibility tab -> Change high DPI settings.
* Check Override high DPI scaling behavior and set "Scaling performed by:" to Application.
Recompile OS:
* In SIMATIC Manager, perform an OS compile to ensure tag connections and faceplate type structures are fully updated.

Verification

Launch WinCC Runtime.
Click on various block icons (MotL, VlvL, PIDConL, MonAnL) across process screens.
Verify that:
The faceplate opens completely displaying the top title bar, central status area, and bottom operator control buttons without truncation.
Clicking tabs (Standard, Alarm, Parameter, Trend, Memo) smoothly shifts views without scrollbars or border clipping.
Maximizing or moving the faceplate maintains crisp vector typography and aligned button borders.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Running OS Project Editor with "Complete configuration" overwrites all customized system files starting with @ in the GraCS directory. Back up custom screens before executing.
Do not manually modify #define pixel constants inside system C-scripts (APL_PictureWindowManagement.fct); direct script edits are unsupported and will be overwritten during software updates.
Multi-monitor systems must utilize monitors with identical physical resolutions and aspect ratios to prevent window displacement.

Engineer FAQ

Can I resize APL faceplates freely like normal Windows dialogs?
No. Standard APL faceplates have fixed aspect ratios and pixel dimensions to guarantee ergonomic consistency and prevent operator distraction in mission-critical control rooms.
Why did the faceplate look normal in Graphics Designer but clip in Runtime?
In Graphics Designer, you are viewing the raw .pdl file without the parent picture window wrapper. Runtime embeds the PDL inside a dynamically sized picture window governed by C-scripts.
Does WinCC support 4K resolution displays?
Modern PCS 7 releases support 4K displays; however, Windows scaling must remain at 100%, or widescreen 4K layout templates must be selected in the OS Project Editor.

Technical References

SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Process Control System; Graphic Objects and Faceplates Manual.
SIMATIC WinCC V7/V8 Graphics Designer and Display Configuration Guide.
Siemens Industry Online Support Entry ID 109801081: Optimizing Screen Resolution and DPI Scaling for WinCC Runtime.

Related Tags

PCS 7, WinCC, Faceplates, APL, Screen Resolution, DPI Scaling, OS Project Editor, Graphics Designer

Fixing Clipped or Truncated Faceplate Popups in PCS 7 WinCC Runtime