Resolving Block Message Free Text Transfer Failures During OS Compilation in SIMATIC PCS 7 v8.2

In SIMATIC PCS 7 v8.2, an identified defect in the AS-OS Engineering compilation engine causes user-defined Free Text fields (Free Text 1 through Free Text 5) configured on AS block message instances (such as ALARM_8P, MonAnL, and MotL) to fail to compile and transfer into WinCC Explorer Alarm Logging. Even after performing a full OS compilation, the message free text columns in WinCC remain blank. To permanently resolve this issue, engineers must apply the official Siemens hotfix update 'AS-OS Engineering V8.2 Update 2' or install 'AS-OS Engineering V8.2 SP1' (which incorporates Update 1 and Update 2), followed by performing a full OS compilation.

Symptom and Root Cause in AS-OS Engineering V8.2

In SIMATIC PCS 7, alarm messages originating from automation blocks (such as ALARM_8P in APL or custom technological blocks) carry configurable message attributes. Among these attributes are Free Text 1 through Free Text 5 (also referred to as User Text Blocks), which engineers utilize to provide operators with critical diagnostic context, such as standard operating procedure (SOP) references, physical tag locations, cause codes, and corrective actions.

Following the initial release of SIMATIC PCS 7 v8.2 (base release), engineers encountered a systemic defect during OS compilation:
- Message texts configured in the CFC chart block properties (or mass-configured via the Process Object View Messages tab) were saved correctly in the AS engineering database.
- However, when running the Compile OS wizard (even with the option Entire OS > With memory reset selected), the compilation parser failed to map the string pointers for Free Texts 1–5 into the WinCC Alarm Logging SQL database.
- As a consequence, the WinCC Alarm Control table in runtime displayed blank fields for all custom user text columns, stripping operators of necessary troubleshooting instructions.

Role of Message Free Texts in PCS 7 Alarm Architecture

In the PCS 7 alarm engineering workflow, message parameters are structured into standard and user-defined fields:

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                        CFC / PROCESS OBJECT VIEW                         |
|  Block: MonAnL (FB1845) -> Message: High-High Alarm (SIG 1)              |
|  - Event Text: "Temperature Critical High"                               |
|  - Free Text 1: "Check Cooling Water Valve V-102"                        |
|  - Free Text 2: "SOP Reference: SOP-ENG-402"                             |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                     |
                                     | [ AS-OS Engineering Compilation Engine ]
                                     v
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                       WINCC OS ALARM LOGGING                             |
|  Message No: 10425                                                       |
|  - Event: "Temperature Critical High"                                    |
|  - User Text Block 1: "Check Cooling Water Valve V-102"                  |
|  - User Text Block 2: "SOP Reference: SOP-ENG-402"                       |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+

When the compilation pipeline functions correctly, the AS-OS Engineering tool extracts these attributes from the CFC database and inserts them into the WinCC AlarmLogging.mdf database, linking them dynamically to the WinCC Alarm Control display columns.

Compatibility and Patch Matrix: AS-OS Engineering V8.2

Siemens recognized this parsing defect and issued official cumulative software patches. The table below outlines the status of AS-OS Engineering releases for PCS 7 v8.2:

Software ReleaseBuild NumberFree Text 1-5 StatusStatus in Siemens KompatoolRecommendationAS-OS Engineering V8.2 (Base)V8.2.0.0Defective (Free texts fail to transfer)Released (Obsolete)Do Not Use / Upgrade immediatelyAS-OS Engineering V8.2 Upd1V8.2.0.1UnresolvedReleasedUpgrade to Upd2 or SP1AS-OS Engineering V8.2 Upd2V8.2.0.2Fixed (Free texts transfer correctly)ReleasedMinimum acceptable patch levelAS-OS Engineering V8.2 SP1V8.2.1.0Fixed (Includes Upd1, Upd2 + stability fixes)Current Recommended StandardRecommended for All V8.2 Systems

Step-by-Step Resolution Procedure

Follow these steps to remediate the free text compilation failure on your Engineering Station:

Step 1: Check Current Installed Version

On the Engineering Station, open Windows Control Panel.
Open Installed Software (or in SIMATIC Manager, select Help > About... > Installed Software).
Search for AS-OS Engineering.
If the version indicates V8.2 or V8.2 Upd1, the defect is active.

Step 2: Download and Install Software Update

Navigate to the Siemens Industry Online Support (SIOS) portal (Entry ID: 109745415).
Download the installation package for AS-OS Engineering V8.2 SP1 (or AS-OS Engineering V8.2 Upd2).
Close all SIMATIC software instances (SIMATIC Manager, CFC Editor, WinCC Explorer).
Run Setup.exe with administrative privileges.
Follow the on-screen installer prompts and restart the Engineering Station when prompted.

Step 3: Execute Full OS Compilation

Launch SIMATIC Manager and open the multiproject.
In the tree view, select the OS object under the PC station.
Right-click the OS and select Compile.
In the OS Compilation wizard:
- Select the target AS stations and OS servers.
- Choose Entire OS (do not select Changes only).
- Check the box With memory reset to ensure clean table generation.
Click Compile and allow the process to finish without interruption.

Verification

To confirm that the software patch resolved the issue:
1. Verify in WinCC Explorer: Open the WinCC project; navigate to Alarm Logging and inspect the target message. Confirm that the User Text Blocks (Free Text 1 to 5) are fully populated with strings configured in CFC.
2. Verify in WinCC Runtime: Activate WinCC Runtime and trigger the simulated alarm condition. Confirm that the WinCC Alarm Control table renders the Free Text strings in the operator table columns.
3. Process Object View Consistency: Verify that changes made to Free Texts in Process Object View transfer reliably upon performing Compile OS > Changes only.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Engineering teams must observe the following constraints:
- Applying AS-OS Engineering updates requires restarting engineering services; perform updates during scheduled maintenance windows.
- The initial compilation following the update MUST be an Entire OS compilation with memory reset to force rebuilding the alarm database dictionary; subsequent compilations can use 'Changes only'.
- Do not insert non-printable control characters or unescaped delimiter symbols in Free Text strings to prevent XML parsing faults during compilation.

Engineer FAQ

Will installing AS-OS Engineering V8.2 SP1 require an AS controller STOP?

No. AS-OS Engineering is strictly an engineering tool executing on the Engineering Station and OS servers. It compiles data structures into WinCC. No firmware download or controller STOP is required.

Can I compile 'Changes only' after installing the update?

For the initial compilation after applying the patch, Siemens strongly recommends performing an 'Entire OS' compilation to force the compiler to rebuild the WinCC alarm dictionary tables. Subsequent compilations can use 'Changes only'.

Where can I download AS-OS Engineering V8.2 SP1?

AS-OS Engineering V8.2 SP1 is available for free download to registered users on Siemens Industry Online Support (SIOS) under Entry ID 109745415.

Technical References

Related Tags

AS-OS Engineering
Alarm Logging
Free Text
PCS 7 V8.2
OS Compilation

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Resolving Block Message Free Text Transfer Failures During OS Compilation in SIMATIC PCS 7 v8.2