How to Resolve Greyed Out Compile OS Scope and Missing Tags on Engineering Stations in PCS 7

In SIMATIC PCS 7, the Compile OS Wizard disables the compilation scope checkboxes ('Entire OS', 'Changes only', or 'Tags and messages') when the selected Engineering Station (ES) OS component has no Plant Hierarchy (PH) folders assigned to it. In distributed architectures, hierarchy folders containing CFCs and SFCs are mapped to specific OS Servers via 'AS-OS Assignment'. If an ES is configured without direct hierarchy assignments, the wizard detects zero technological blocks to compile, resulting in disabled scope options and zero generated WinCC tags. Assigning the relevant hierarchy folders to the ES or configuring a Reference OS resolves the issue.

Root Cause Analysis for Disabled Compile OS Scope

When launching the 'Compile OS' wizard from SIMATIC Manager for an OS component located on an Engineering Station (ES), engineers frequently find that the compilation scope options (such as 'Entire OS' or 'Changes only', and the checkboxes for 'Tags and messages' or 'SFC visualization') are greyed out and unselectable. Furthermore, if the compilation is allowed to execute, the process completes in seconds with zero WinCC tags and zero alarm messages generated in the WinCC project tag management.

This behavior occurs because the PCS 7 OS compiler is hierarchy-driven. The compiler does not blindly scan all S7 programs in the multiproject; instead, it parses the Plant View (Technological Hierarchy) to determine which CFC charts, SFCs, and process picture assignments belong to which Operator Station.

In a standard PCS 7 client-server architecture:
1. OS Server Assignment: All plant hierarchy folders are assigned to the primary OS Server (e.g., L1SVR11).
2. ES Role: The Engineering Station is typically configured as an engineering platform and runtime client, or as an ES/OS Single Station.
3. Missing Mapping: If the user creates a separate OS project under the ES in the Component View but leaves the Plant Hierarchy folders assigned solely to the server, the OS compiler evaluates the ES OS component as having zero assigned technological objects. Consequently, all data extraction options are disabled.

Plant Hierarchy AS-OS Assignment Architecture

Understanding how SIMATIC Manager maps automation objects to WinCC target projects is essential for configuring multi-station environments.

The AS-OS Assignment Mechanism

Every folder within the Plant Hierarchy contains an 'Object Properties' attribute named 'AS-OS Assignment'. This dialog defines two relationships:
* Assigned AS: Specifies which Automation Station (CPU) executes the CFC and SFC charts stored within this hierarchy branch.
* Assigned OS: Specifies which WinCC project compiles the block icons, alarm messages, archive tags, and variable tags originating from the charts within this branch.

If a folder's 'Assigned OS' points to the OS Server, all child objects compile exclusively into that server's WinCC database. The ES OS project receives none of these objects unless explicitly reassigned, assigned at higher folder levels with inheritance, or configured as a Reference OS.

Step-by-Step Resolution Procedure

To resolve disabled compilation options and generate WinCC tags for local testing or runtime execution on the ES, execute the following procedure:

Step 1: Verify the Target Engineering Role

Determine whether the ES is intended to run as an independent ES/OS Single Station, an OS Client, or a local OS Simulation:
* If testing via WinCC OS Simulation, open SIMATIC Manager, select the OS Server object, and use Options -> OS Simulation. This avoids compiling a separate OS project on the ES.
* If configuring the ES as an ES/OS Single Station that operates stand-alone, reassign the hierarchy folders as described in Step 2.
* If configuring a mirror station, convert the ES OS into a WinCC Application (ref) pointing to the base OS.

Step 2: Configure Plant Hierarchy AS-OS Assignment

In SIMATIC Manager, switch to the Plant View (View -> Plant View).
Right-click the root plant folder (or individual sub-unit folders) and select Object Properties.
Navigate to the AS-OS Assignment tab.
In the Assigned OS dropdown menu, select the target ES OS station instead of the remote server.
Check the option 'Pass on assignment to lower-level objects' and click OK.
Confirm the recursive update prompt to re-link all subordinate charts and pictures.

Step 3: Verify Technological Chart Block Attributes

Ensure that blocks within the assigned CFC charts have their WinCC attributes enabled:
* Open a representative CFC chart.
* Double-click an APL block (e.g., MotL, VlvL, or MonAnL) and verify that 'OCM possible' (Operator Control and Monitoring) is checked in Object Properties.
* Ensure relevant block pins have the attribute S7_m_c := 'true'.

Step 4: Execute OS Compilation

In SIMATIC Manager Component View or Plant View, right-click the ES OS object and select Compile.
In the OS Compilation Wizard:
* Select the assigned S7 programs and network connections (Named Connection via PC Station).
* Verify that the scope options ('Tags and messages', 'SFC Visualization', 'Picture Tree') are now fully enabled and active.
* Select Entire OS for the initial run with With memory reset if cleaning previous artifacts.
Click Compile and allow the wizard to populate the local WinCC Tag Management.

Compilation Scope Comparison and Configuration Matrix

The following table outlines the behavior of the Compile OS Wizard across various station roles and hierarchy assignment configurations:

Station Architecture TypePlant Hierarchy AssignmentCompile OS Scope StatusGenerated WinCC TagsOperational IntentOS Server (WinCC App)Assigned to OS ServerFully Active (Entire / Delta)Full Tag and Alarm SetPrimary runtime server feeding distributed clientsES Unassigned (WinCC App)Assigned to Remote ServerDisabled / Greyed OutZero Tags GeneratedMisconfigured ES OS attempting local compilationES Single Station (WinCC App)Assigned to ES OSFully Active (Entire / Delta)Full Tag and Alarm SetStandalone engineering and visualization stationReference OS (WinCC App Ref)Inherited from Base OSCompiled via Base OSInherited from Base OSSecondary identical operator station sharing busOS Client (WinCC Client)N/A (Server Data Package)Server Data Import OnlyDerived from Server PackageMulti-client visualization without local AS tags

Ensure that project station types in HW Config match their intended roles before compilation.

Verification

To verify that the Compile OS Wizard is operating correctly and tags have been populated:
1. In SIMATIC Manager, right-click the ES OS object and select Open Object to launch WinCC Explorer.
2. In WinCC Explorer, navigate to Tag Management -> SIMATIC S7 Protocol Suite -> Named Connections.
3. Verify that the AS connection name appears with a green status symbol when Runtime is active.
4. Expand the connection and confirm that raw data tags, process values, and structure tags (e.g., @MotL, @VlvL) are populated.
5. Open Alarm Logging and confirm that message numbers associated with ALARM_8P blocks are registered with valid message texts.
6. Open Picture Tree Manager and verify that the container hierarchy mirrors the Plant View structure.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Reassigning hierarchy folders from an OS Server to an ES OS removes those folders from the server's compilation scope unless a multi-OS configuration is intentionally designed.
In multi-server environments, a single hierarchy folder cannot be compiled simultaneously to two independent base WinCC Application stations without utilizing Reference OS configurations.
Never run WinCC Runtime simultaneously on an ES and an OS Server with identical network node configurations, as duplicate connection instances cause Named Connection communication resets.
Always compile S7 charts before running the OS compiler; uncompiled CFC structural changes will not appear in WinCC Tag Management.

Engineer FAQ

Why is 'Changes only' greyed out even when 'Entire OS' is enabled?

The 'Changes only' option is disabled if the OS has never been compiled completely, if the previous compilation failed, or if major structural changes occurred in HW Config that require a full initial compile.

Can an Engineering Station compile tags without being an OS Single Station?

No. WinCC tags are only generated in projects containing a WinCC Application or WinCC Application (ref). An OS Client project does not compile AS tags; it loads precompiled server data packages (.pck).

Does OS Simulation require hierarchy reassignment?

No. OS Simulation directly loads the OS Server project files in a temporary runtime environment on the ES without needing hierarchy folder reassignment.

Technical References

Related Tags

PCS7_Compile_OS
Plant_Hierarchy
AS_OS_Assignment
WinCC_Tag_Management
Engineering_Station

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How to Resolve Greyed Out Compile OS Scope and Missing Tags on Engineering Stations in PCS 7