C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)
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Resolving Simulation Errors When Downloading WinCC OS to S7-PLCSIM in PCS 7

Resolving Simulation Errors When Downloading WinCC OS to S7-PLCSIM in PCS 7

In SIMATIC PCS 7, attempting to 'download' an OS station to S7-PLCSIM from SIMATIC Manager fails with errors like 'No path to the runtime OS has been selected' because S7-PLCSIM is designed exclusively to emulate controller hardware (S7-400 / CPU 410-5H), not PC stations or WinCC operator stations. An OS Station is a Windows PC running WinCC and cannot be downloaded into PLCSIM. To simulate the entire DCS on a single Engineering Station: 1) Download the CFC charts to S7-PLCSIM and put PLCSIM into RUN mode; 2) In WinCC Explorer, configure the communication channel by setting the unit under SIMATIC S7 Protocol Suite (TCP/IP or Named Connections) to 'PLCSIM.TCPIP.1'; and 3) Activate WinCC Runtime directly on the ES using the Activate button in WinCC Explorer.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Engineers and technicians learning SIMATIC PCS 7 or developing process graphics in a simulation environment frequently attempt to test their complete plant graphics by selecting the WinCC OS PC Station in SIMATIC Manager and executing a target download to S7-PLCSIM. This command invariably halts with error dialogs indicating that no path to the target OS is selected or that the target path is invalid. In PCS 7 DCS architecture, the controller program and supervisory SCADA layer operate on distinct simulation paradigms. This guide demystifies the boundary between PLC simulation and HMI runtime simulation, providing the exact configuration steps to connect local WinCC Runtime to an S7-PLCSIM virtual controller.

Architecture and Fundamental Mechanics

Simulation Architecture: Controller vs. Operator Station

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                        SIMATIC PCS 7 Multiproject                       |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
          |                                                   |
          | AS Download                                       | OS Download
          v                                                   v
+-----------------------+                           +---------------------+
| S7-PLCSIM V5.4        |                           | Remote OS Server PC |
| (Emulates CPU 410-5H) |                           | (Physical Hardware) |
|                       |                           |                     |
| - Executes CFC Charts |                           | - Receives WinCC    |
| - Solves PID Loops    |                           |   Database via UNC  |
| - Holds Virtual Memory|                           |   Network Share     |
+-----------------------+                           +---------------------+
          ^                                                   |
          |                                                   | [INCORRECT!]
          | S7 Communication Suite (PLCSIM.TCPIP.1)          | Cannot download
          |                                                   | OS to PLCSIM!
+-------------------------------------------------------------+           |
|                        Local WinCC Runtime                              |
|             (Executed Locally on Engineering Station)                   |
|                                                                         |
|   - WinCC Explorer: Press 'Activate' (Runtime Starts Locally)           |
|   - Reads/Writes Virtual I/O via SIMATIC S7 Protocol Suite              |
|   - Animates Faceplates, Alarms, and Process Graphics                   |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

The Fundamental Conceptual Misunderstanding

  1. S7-PLCSIM Scope: S7-PLCSIM simulates the instruction set, accumulator, memory bits, DBs, and communication interfaces of an S7-300, S7-400, or CPU 410-5H controller. It has no Windows runtime host, graphics subsystem, or SQL database engine.
  2. The 'Download OS' Command: In SIMATIC Manager, right-clicking an OS station and selecting PLC > Download is engineered strictly to copy compiled WinCC project files across a physical local area network to a remote target PC station via Windows file sharing (UNC paths). It cannot target PLCSIM.
  3. Local Activation Mechanism: To simulate the OS, WinCC Runtime must be activated locally on the ES, where its communication channel driver redirects S7 protocol packets internally to the PLCSIM virtual memory bus.

Step-by-Step Implementation Procedure

Step 1: Start S7-PLCSIM and Download Controller Logic

  1. In SIMATIC Manager, click the Simulation On/Off icon in the toolbar (or open S7-PLCSIM from Start).
  2. In PLCSIM, ensure the communication interface is set to PLCSIM(TCP/IP) or PLCSIM(ISO) in the dropdown.
  3. Switch PLCSIM to STOP mode.
  4. In SIMATIC Manager, select the AS project Chart folder, click PLC > Download, and select Scope: Entire program.
  5. Once the download completes, switch S7-PLCSIM to RUN (or RUN-P) mode.

Step 2: Open the OS Project Locally in WinCC Explorer

  1. In SIMATIC Manager, switch to Component View.
  2. Expand the PC Station containing your WinCC OS.
  3. Right-click the OS object (OS(1)) and select Open Object.
  4. WinCC Explorer will launch, opening the integrated OS project locally on the ES.

Step 3: Configure WinCC Communication Channel for PLCSIM

  1. In the WinCC Explorer navigation tree, expand Tag Management.
  2. Locate the communication channel: SIMATIC S7 Protocol Suite.
  3. Depending on your configured connection type:
    - If using Industrial Ethernet / TCP/IP: Right-click TCP/IP and select System Parameters.
    - In the Unit tab, set the logical device name to PLCSIM.TCPIP.1.
    - If using Named Connections: Verify that the Station Configuration Editor or Softnet interface maps the connection to the active simulation interface.
  4. Click OK to save the channel parameters.

Step 4: Verify PG/PC Interface Assignment

  1. Open Windows Control Panel and double-click Set PG/PC Interface.
  2. In the Access Point of the Application dropdown, select S7ONLINE (STEP 7).
  3. Ensure the interface parameter assignment is set to PLCSIM.TCPIP.1 (or PLCSIM(MPI) depending on configuration).
  4. Click OK.

Step 5: Activate WinCC Runtime Locally

  1. In WinCC Explorer, click the Activate button (the green traffic light icon in the toolbar).
  2. WinCC Runtime will initialize, load process screens, and establish communication with S7-PLCSIM.
  3. Process values, faceplates, and alarms will animate dynamically against the virtual controller logic.

Verification

  1. Channel Diagnosis Test: In Windows Start, launch Siemens Automation > WinCC > Tools > Channel Diagnosis (WinCC Channel Diagnosis). Verify that the connection to the AS shows a green checkmark with status Connection OK.
  2. Graphic Animation Test: Open a process picture containing block icons (e.g., MotL or VlvL). Confirm that the block icon displays active status colors rather than disconnected gray or slashed lines.
  3. Bidirectional Control Test: Open a motor faceplate, switch to Manual mode, and issue a Start command. Verify that the corresponding digital output toggles in S7-PLCSIM's variable view.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

  1. Named Connection Routing: If using Named Connections (CP_H1_1), PLCSIM V5.4 requires that the connection name matches exactly and that NetPro compilation has been downloaded to the virtual PC station or that TCP/IP fallback is configured.
  2. Performance Throttling: Running complex OS projects with hundreds of dynamic graphics simultaneously with S7-PLCSIM on a single laptop can cause high CPU utilization and slow graphic refresh times.

Engineer FAQ

Can I download an OS project to PLCSIM?

No. PLCSIM simulates only PLC hardware; the OS project must be opened and activated locally within WinCC Explorer.

Why did SIMATIC Manager report 'No path to runtime OS selected'?

Because the 'Download OS' function is attempting to copy project files over the network to a remote PC station share, which does not apply to PLCSIM.

How does WinCC communicate with PLCSIM?

WinCC connects to PLCSIM via the virtual driver logical device name 'PLCSIM.TCPIP.1' inside the SIMATIC S7 Protocol Suite.

Do I need to compile the OS before simulating?

Yes. You must perform an AS-OS compilation in SIMATIC Manager so that WinCC has all tags, messages, and connections generated.

What mode should PLCSIM be in during simulation?

PLCSIM must be switched to RUN or RUN-P mode to execute logic and service WinCC communication requests.

Can I simulate redundant OS servers on one PC?

Simulating true OS redundancy requires two separate virtual machines; a single ES can only run one local WinCC Runtime instance at a time.

Why are my WinCC faceplates showing gray disconnected icons?

The communication channel is misconfigured or pointing to a physical CP rather than PLCSIM.TCPIP.1 in Tag Management.

Does S7-PLCSIM support S7-410H redundant controllers?

PLCSIM V5.4 simulates a single CPU 410; it does not simulate dual-chassis redundant synchronization lockstep.

Where is Channel Diagnosis located?

In WinCC Explorer under Tools > Channel Diagnosis, or via WinCCChannelDiagnosis.exe in the WinCC bin folder.

Can I simulate WinCC without an ES license?

WinCC requires a valid engineering or single-station runtime license; without it, WinCC operates in Demo Mode for 2 hours.

Technical References

Related Articles

Related Tags

  • S7-PLCSIM
  • WinCC Runtime
  • Simulation
  • Target OS Path
  • PLCSIM.TCPIP
  • Tag Management
  • PCS 7 Engineering
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