C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)
6C
6 Cielo Ciencia y Tecnología
·Publicada en C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)

Resolving No License Exists for This Application Errors on PCS 7 OS Clients During Trend Display

Resolving No License Exists for This Application Errors on PCS 7 OS Clients During Trend Display

The runtime warning 'No license exists for this application' when viewing online trends on a SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Client occurs when the client attempts to access local Tag Logging archives instead of querying the designated OS Server archive. This occurs if OS Server Data (*.pck) is missing, obsolete, or if the OS Client was not fully downloaded from the Engineering Station (ES). To resolve this, generate server data on the OS Server in SIMATIC Manager, assign OS server packages to the OS Client project, download the OS Client, and ensure a valid SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Software Client runtime license is active in Automation License Manager.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

In a distributed SIMATIC PCS 7 V8.0 multi-station architecture, OS Clients provide operator visualization by referencing process tags, alarm logs, and trend archives hosted on central OS Servers. A frequent failure mode during commissioning or maintenance occurs when an operator opens an online trend picture or faceplate trend tab: WinCC halts the operation and displays the modal warning dialog: 'No license exists for this application'. Because OS Clients do not host local Tag Logging archive licenses, any internal routine that mistakenly directs an archive query toward the client's local WinCC instance triggers Automation License Manager (ALM) license checking for Tag Logging Archive RT. Resolving this requires regenerating server packages, establishing correct package assignments, and executing a clean OS Client download.

Architecture and Fundamental Mechanics

Understanding this license violation requires analyzing the client-server data flow and licensing topology in PCS 7.

1. Tag Logging Licensing Topology

In PCS 7, process data archiving is centralized on OS Servers. The OS Server holds the SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Software Server license alongside Tag Logging Archive licenses (e.g., 1500 archive tags, 5000 archive tags). Conversely, an OS Client operates under a SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Software Client runtime license. The OS Client possesses zero local archive capacity and zero local Tag Logging RT licenses. When an operator requests an online trend, the client must route the query across the terminal bus to the OS Server using Server Data packages (*.pck).

2. Failure Mechanism of Corrupted or Missing Server Data

When server packages are missing, out of date, or improperly assigned on the OS Client:
- The WinCC Online Trend Control (CCAxOnlineTrend.ocx or APL trend control) cannot resolve the server prefix for the requested archive tags.
- Failing to locate the server package, WinCC assumes the archive tag resides locally on the client station.
- WinCC invokes the local Tag Logging runtime engine (CCAlgRtServer.exe / CCTlgRtServer.exe).
- The local Automation License Manager checks for a local Tag Logging runtime license on the OS Client.
- Finding no archive license installed on the client machine, ALM immediately raises the warning: 'No license exists for this application'.

Step-by-Step Implementation Procedure

The following systematic procedure eliminates the error by properly aligning server data and client runtime configurations:

Step 1: Verify Client License Status in ALM

  1. On the affected OS Client PC, launch Automation License Manager (ALM) as Administrator.
  2. Verify that a valid license exists: SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Software Client V8.0 (or matching version).
  3. Right-click the license and select Check License Key to confirm integrity.

Step 2: Regenerate Server Data on OS Server(s)

  1. Open SIMATIC Manager on the Engineering Station (ES).
  2. Navigate to the OS Server project (and OS Server Redundant Partner, if applicable).
  3. Right-click the OS Server object -> select Server Data -> Generate.
  4. Ensure that the generation completes successfully without errors.

Step 3: Assign Server Packages to the OS Client

  1. In SIMATIC Manager, navigate to the OS Client project.
  2. Right-click the OS Client object and select Open Object to launch WinCC Explorer.
  3. In WinCC Explorer, right-click Server Data in the left navigation tree and select Assign....
  4. Ensure the checkmark is selected for all relevant OS Server packages (<Project>_<OSServer>.pck).
  5. If a package appears obsolete or corrupted, select it, click Update, or delete and re-assign it.

Step 4: Download Target OS Client Station

  1. Close WinCC Explorer on the OS Client and ES.
  2. In SIMATIC Manager, right-click the OS Client station -> PLC -> Download.
  3. Select Entire project (Full download) to overwrite corrupted local cache files.
  4. Start WinCC Runtime on the OS Client.

Verification

Confirm that online trend functionality is fully restored:

  1. Trend Activation Test:
    - Open WinCC Runtime on the OS Client.
    - Open any analog faceplate (e.g., PIDConL or MotVarL) and navigate to the Trend tab.
    - Confirm that curves populate immediately with historical and real-time data without license warning popups.

  2. License Diagnostic Inspection:
    - On the OS Client, open C:\Program Files (x86)\Siemens\WinCC\Diagnose\License_Info.log.
    - Confirm that no license check failures for 'WinCC Tag Logging' or 'Archive RT' appear during trend initialization.

  3. Server Data Verification:
    - In WinCC Explorer on the client, open 'Server Data' and verify that the package date matches the latest OS compile timestamp.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Operational limitations and precautions:

  1. Do Not Install Server Licenses on Clients: Attempting to bypass this issue by installing a WinCC Server or Archive license on an OS Client violates architectural design rules and wastes costly licenses.
  2. Redundant Server Data: When redundant OS servers exist, ensure both packages are generated and that the OS Client project references the redundant server pair.
  3. Terminal Bus Latency: High latency or packet drop on the terminal bus can cause server package resolution timeouts, leading to intermittent fallback errors.
  4. Commercial Disclaimer: License quantities, options, and MLFBs must be validated against the official Siemens Industry Mall or an authorized Siemens distributor before procurement.

Engineer FAQ

Does an OS Client require its own Tag Logging archive license?

No. OS Clients read historical trend data from the central OS Server using Server Data packages. All archiving is licensed centrally on the OS Server.

Why did 'reloading OS clients' solve the user's issue in the forum?

Reloading (downloading) the OS client project from the ES rewrites the local WinCC project and copies fresh, synchronized server data packages, restoring the correct server route for archive queries.

Can this error happen if the OS Server is in runtime but the network connection is lost?

Yes. If the OS Client loses communication with the OS Server across the terminal bus, trend queries may fail to locate the remote archive and trigger local license verification faults.

What is the difference between a WinCC RC and WinCC RT Client license?

A WinCC RT Client license allows runtime operation on an OS Client station. A WinCC RC (Remote Client) license allows both runtime and remote project configuration.

Where can I see which exact license triggered the missing license popup?

Check the text file License_Info.log located in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Siemens\WinCC\Diagnose\ directory on the client computer.

Technical References

Related Articles

Related Tags

  • OS Client
  • Tag Logging
  • License Error
  • Server Data
  • WinCC Trend
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