C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)
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Resolving PCS 7 Error 1739:260 and 2772:106 - Technological Hierarchy Database Locks and Sybase Cleanup

Resolving PCS 7 Error 1739:260 and 2772:106 - Technological Hierarchy Database Locks and Sybase Cleanup

PCS 7 errors 1739:260 ('Hierarchy folder could not be read') and 2772:106 ('Internal error when creating Technological Hierarchy') occur when the embedded Technological Hierarchy (TH) database engine encounters locked files, orphaned processes, or database corruption. In SIMATIC PCS 7, the Plant Hierarchy is managed by an embedded Sybase SQL Anywhere server (dbengX.exe or dbsrvX.exe named Adaptive Server Anywhere Network Server). When SIMATIC Manager is terminated abnormally (e.g., via Windows Task Manager or power outage), the database server remains running in the background with exclusive file locks, or leaves orphaned transaction logs (00*.LOG). To resolve this, terminate all Adaptive Server Anywhere processes in Windows Task Manager, delete temporary 00*.LOG and *.ldb files from the project folder, and restart SIMATIC Manager.

Table of Contents

Technological Hierarchy (TH) Architecture and the Embedded Sybase Engine

In SIMATIC PCS 7, the Technological Hierarchy (TH) / Plant Hierarchy (PH) organizes the entire automation project according to physical plant structures (Plant > Unit > Equipment Module > Control Module) compliant with ISA-88 and ISA-95 standards. The Plant Hierarchy manages picture assignments, block icon generation, OS area names, and message routing.

Unlike standard Step 7 projects where folder structures are stored in simple file directories, PCS 7 Plant Hierarchy metadata is stored in a high-performance relational database engine: Sybase SQL Anywhere (formerly known as Adaptive Server Anywhere / ASA).

When an engineer opens SIMATIC Manager, the background process dbeng12.exe / dbsrv12.exe (Adaptive Server Anywhere Network Server) is launched automatically to mount the project database files (*.db and *.log).

Root Causes: Task Manager Terminations, Orphaned Locks, and 00*.LOG Files

The notorious errors 1739:260 ('Hierarchy folder could not be read') and 2772:106 ('Internal error when creating Technological Hierarchy') manifest under specific failure scenarios:

  1. Task Manager Killing of SIMATIC Manager: If an engineer terminates s7tgtopx.exe (SIMATIC Manager) using Windows Task Manager during an engineering freeze or long migration task, the parent process dies, but the child database process Adaptive Server Anywhere remains alive in the background. It holds permanent exclusive file handles on the project's database files.

  2. Orphaned Transaction Logs (00*.LOG): Sybase SQL Anywhere uses transaction logging to ensure ACID compliance. If the database was not shut down cleanly, temporary transaction log files (e.g., 00000001.LOG, 00*.LOG) remain in the project directory. When SIMATIC Manager reopens, it attempts to replay these logs; if a checksum mismatch occurs, reading the hierarchy folder fails with Error 1739:260.

  3. Version Migration Incompatibility: During project upgrades (such as migrating PCS 7 V7.1 to V9.0), if the Technological Hierarchy software package is missing mandatory hotfixes (e.g., TH Update 1) or if multiple users attempt multi-user engineering on an unshared folder, database locks collide.

Diagnosing Errors 1739:260 and 2772:106 in Upgrades and New Projects

The two error numbers correspond to distinct database operations:

  • Error 1739:260: Occurs when opening an existing project. The system attempts to read the hierarchy root node, but the SQL Anywhere engine returns a query timeout or read-lock violation. The Plant View tree displays empty folders or red cross icons.

  • Error 2772:106: Occurs when creating a new project or new hierarchy folder. The system attempts to execute a SQL INSERT to create a new hierarchy record, but the database catalog is locked in read-only mode by a zombie server instance.

Database Cleanup: Killing Adaptive Server Anywhere and Removing Stale Logs

Restoring database functionality does not require reinstalling PCS 7 or restoring old backups. The remedy consists of terminating the orphaned background database process and deleting stale transaction logs:

  • Process Termination: In Windows Task Manager (Details / Processes tab), locate and terminate Adaptive Server Anywhere Network Server or any running dbsrv*.exe / dbeng*.exe instances.

  • Purging 00*.LOG Files: In the Step 7 project directory (and subfolders such as wincproj or s7proj), search for files matching the pattern 00*.LOG and delete them. These are temporary transaction logs that can be safely discarded once the database is idle.

  • Removing Temporary Lock Files: Delete any *.ldb (Microsoft Access / Sybase lock files) present in the directory.

Comparative Diagnostic Matrix: Technological Hierarchy Database Faults

The following table compares common Technological Hierarchy errors, root causes, and rapid remedies in SIMATIC PCS 7:

Error CodeError MessageUnderlying Root CauseVerificationCorrective Action1739:260'Hierarchy folder could not be read'Orphaned Sybase process holding file lockCheck Task Manager for dbsrv*.exeKill Adaptive Server Anywhere; restart SIMATIC Manager2772:106'Internal error creating Technological Hierarchy'Stale 00*.LOG transaction log filesCheck project folder for 00*.LOGDelete 00*.LOG files; restart PC1739:256'Database could not be initialized'Corrupted project .db fileSybase database verification toolRun File > Reorganize... or restore backup257:5'Access to project database denied'Missing Windows user rights in SIMATIC HMICheck Windows User GroupsAdd user to SIMATIC HMI and AdministratorsTH Missing'Component Technological Hierarchy missing'Missing TH software installationCheck Installed Software in SIMATIC ManagerInstall TH package from PCS 7 setup media

Step-by-Step Recovery Procedure for Corrupted Hierarchy Folders

Follow this recovery procedure to resolve errors 1739:260 and 2772:106:

  1. Close SIMATIC Manager and All Editors:
    - Save any open CFC, SFC, or WinCC editors.
    - Close SIMATIC Manager cleanly. If it hangs, use Task Manager to terminate s7tgtopx.exe.

  2. Terminate Orphaned Database Processes:
    - Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Windows Task Manager.
    - Switch to the Details (or Processes) tab.
    - Scroll down to locate: Adaptive Server Anywhere Network Server (or dbeng*.exe / dbsrv*.exe).
    - Right-click and select End Task.
    - Verify that all instances are fully terminated.

  3. Search and Delete Temporary Transaction Logs:
    - Open Windows Explorer and navigate to your project folder (e.g., D:\Projects\MyPlant_Prj\).
    - In the search bar, type 00*.LOG.
    - Select and delete all discovered 00*.LOG files.
    - Also search for and delete any *.ldb lock files.

  4. Reopen SIMATIC Manager and Reorganize:
    - Launch SIMATIC Manager as Administrator.
    - Open the affected project. Confirm that the Plant Hierarchy tree opens without errors.
    - Select File > Reorganize... to repack and verify database consistency.

  5. Install TH Updates if Recurring During Upgrades:
    - If the error reoccurs on upgraded PCS 7 V7/V8 projects, install the latest Technological Hierarchy update (e.g., TH V7.1 SP1 Upd1 or TH V9.0 Upd) from Siemens Industry Online Support.

Verification

Verify Technological Hierarchy recovery through these checks:

  1. In SIMATIC Manager, switch to Plant View (View > Plant View).
  2. Expand all hierarchy folders down to the individual CFC charts. Confirm that folder icons display normally without yellow warning signs or red cross errors.
  3. Right-click a hierarchy folder and select Insert New Object > Hierarchy Folder. Confirm that a new folder is created cleanly without Error 2772:106.
  4. Open an assigned CFC chart, modify a block comment, and save. Confirm that changes save without database read/write errors.
  5. Close SIMATIC Manager and confirm that Adaptive Server Anywhere terminates cleanly in Task Manager within 10 seconds.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

  • Never Terminate with Task Manager During Compiles: Killing SIMATIC Manager or CFC while an AS-OS compile or project reorganization is in progress is the leading cause of database corruption. Allow operations to complete or timeout naturally.
  • Do Not Delete Primary *.db Files: Deleting temporary 00*.LOG files is safe, but never delete the primary .db database files (e.g., hdata.db), as doing so destroys the plant hierarchy permanently.
  • Antivirus Exclusions: Ensure that third-party antivirus software excludes the PCS 7 project directories from real-time file scanning. Antivirus locks on Sybase database files trigger identical 1739:260 read errors.

Engineer FAQ

Why does Task Manager termination cause Error 1739:260?

Terminating the front-end SIMATIC Manager leaves the back-end Sybase SQL database server running in an orphaned state with active file locks on project tables.

Is it safe to delete files named 00*.LOG?

Yes. Files matching 00*.LOG are temporary transaction log files generated by SQL Anywhere during active sessions. When the server is stopped, they can be safely deleted.

Why did reinstalling PCS 7 not fix the problem?

Reinstalling PCS 7 only replaces system binaries; it does not alter the project files where the locked or corrupted transaction logs reside.

What is the difference between Component View and Plant View in SIMATIC Manager?

Component View displays the hardware and software hierarchy (Station > CPU > Program > Blocks). Plant View displays the Technological Hierarchy modeled after the physical plant (Area > Unit > Equipment).

Can multi-user engineering cause this error?

Yes. If two engineers attempt to open and edit the same Plant Hierarchy folder across an unmanaged network share without multi-user engineering tokens, database lock collisions will occur.

Technical References

Related Articles

Related Tags

  • Technological Hierarchy
  • Error 1739:260
  • Error 2772:106
  • Sybase SQL Anywhere
  • Adaptive Server Anywhere
  • Plant Hierarchy
  • Database Lock
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