Preserving Manually Copied Block Icons During Plant Hierarchy Updates in PCS 7

In SIMATIC PCS 7 WinCC, to prevent manually copied and positioned block icons from being deleted or overwritten when executing 'Create/update block icons' (Bausteinsymbole erzeugen/aktualisieren) in SIMATIC Manager, remove the leading at-sign ('@') from the icon's 'type' property in WinCC Graphics Designer. For example, change 'type: @OpDi01/3' to 'type: OpDi01/3'. This informs the plant hierarchy generation wizard that the icon is a customized static instance, preserving its exact screen position while still allowing dynamic tag linking.

Executive Summary

In SIMATIC PCS 7 Operator Stations, automated graphic generation is a primary engineering convenience: executing 'Create/update block icons' in SIMATIC Manager Plant View automatically populates WinCC process pictures with standardized block icons derived from CFC charts. However, during real-world screen design, graphic designers frequently copy existing block icons directly within WinCC Graphics Designer (for example, duplicating a valve symbol, configuring custom display properties, and aligning it precisely within a complex piping diagram).

When the engineering team subsequently runs 'Create/update block icons' following chart modifications or AS-OS compilations, an unwelcome surprise occurs: the wizard deletes the manually copied block icons or repositions them to coordinates (0,0), wiping out hours of graphical layout work. This occurs because the wizard identifies any block icon bearing an @ prefix in its type attribute as an auto-managed object. This guide explains the internal matching mechanics of the icon generation wizard and outlines the simple attribute adjustment required to preserve custom icons permanently.

Architecture and Fundamental Mechanics

The PCS 7 block icon generation engine parses WinCC graphic objects using specific property conventions:

Role of the 'type' Property:
- Every block icon in WinCC Graphics Designer contains a property named type under the System property group (e.g., @MotL/1, @VlvL/2, @OpDi01/3).
- The prefix @ serves as a system flag indicating that the graphic object was instantiated by the automated generation wizard and is bound to automated lifecycle rules.
Wizard Reconciliation Logic During 'Create/Update Block Icons':
- When 'Create/update block icons' executes, the wizard scans the local plant hierarchy and CFC charts for blocks with 'Create block icon' enabled.
- It then opens each associated .pdl file and enumerates all graphic objects where the type attribute starts with @.
- If the wizard encounters a block icon with a leading @ that does not match an active CFC block in that exact hierarchy path (or represents a duplicated instance of the same block), the wizard considers it orphaned or redundant and deletes it from the picture!
Stripping the Leading At-Sign (@):
- When an engineer removes the leading at-sign (changing @OpDi01/3 to OpDi01/3), the wizard's parser categorizes the object as a 'User-Customized Block Icon'.
- The wizard will NOT delete the object.
- It will NOT move the object to coordinates (0,0).
- Furthermore, if the icon's tag and tagname properties match a valid CFC block instance, the wizard continues to update its dynamic tag interconnections and server prefixes normally.

Step-by-Step Implementation Procedure

Follow these steps to configure manually copied block icons so they are preserved during wizard runs:

Duplicate and Position the Block Icon in WinCC:
- Open the target process picture (.pdl) in WinCC Graphics Designer.
- Copy and paste an existing block icon (e.g., Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V).
- Position the copied icon at its intended location on the process graphic.
Open Object Properties and Navigate to System Attributes:
- Right-click the newly pasted block icon and select 'Configuration Dialog' or 'Properties'.
- In the Object Properties window, expand the 'System' property group.
Modify the 'type' Property String:
- Locate the property named type (e.g., currently displaying @OpDi01/3 or @VlvL/1).
- Double-click the static value.
- Remove ONLY the leading at-sign (@):
- Change @OpDi01/3 -> OpDi01/3
- Change @VlvL/1 -> VlvL/1
- Press Enter to commit the change.
Update Technological Tag Interconnections:
- In the same 'System' property group, update the tag and tagname attributes to reference the target CFC block instance (e.g., Plant/Unit1/Valve102).
- Update the Servername attribute if referencing a specific server package.
Save and Re-Run Wizard in SIMATIC Manager:
- Save the process picture in Graphics Designer.
- Switch to SIMATIC Manager Plant View.
- Select the plant hierarchy folder, right-click, and select 'Plant Hierarchy > Create/update block icons...'.
- Execute the wizard.
- Reopen the process picture in Graphics Designer: confirm that the copied icon remains at its exact location without deletion.

Verification

In WinCC Graphics Designer, confirm that the copied icon retains its X and Y coordinates.
In SIMATIC Manager Plant View, run 'Options > Plant Hierarchy > Create/update block icons...' across the entire multiproject.
Re-inspect the picture: verify that the manually copied icon was NOT deleted and was NOT moved to (0,0).
Activate WinCC Runtime: click the icon and confirm that it communicates live data with the controller and opens the appropriate faceplate.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Ensure that the remaining text in the type attribute (e.g., OpDi01/3) matches a valid template definition in @PCS7Typicals*.pdl; this ensures faceplate scripts can identify the block family. Do not rename the property itself, only the string value. Engineering station licenses and Plant Hierarchy options should be verified through an authorized Siemens distributor or the Siemens Industry Mall.

Engineer FAQ

Why does PCS 7 delete manually copied block icons?

Because icons copied from templates retain the leading @ in their type attribute, which the generation wizard treats as an auto-managed object subject to deletion if redundant.