Troubleshoot a CEMAT WinCC Alarm List That Is Inactive or Ignores Area Filters

An inactive WinCC alarm-list template and a nonworking area filter cannot be diagnosed from the symptom alone: the WinCC/CEMAT version, alarm-control configuration, message assignments, Picture Tree areas and user rights all affect the result. In WinCC/Options for Process Control V7.5, Siemens documents area filtering against configured Picture Tree area names and message-area assignment. Use those settings as version-specific checks, but confirm the installed CEMAT/WinCC release before applying them.

Identify the affected component

Record the PCS 7/CEMAT release, WinCC version and service updates, the exact alarm-control object used by the template, whether the runtime is a client or OS server, and the text displayed in place of the control. The original description does not identify these items or provide a resolution, so “non active” cannot be tied to a specific cause.

How area filtering is represented

For WinCC/Options for Process Control V7.5, the System Manual describes area selection through area names associated with the Picture Tree and alarm messages. Siemens notes that area names used for filtering must correspond to the Picture Tree configuration; available areas depend on configured or imported Picture Tree content. Message assignment and the operator's authorized areas also matter to what can be displayed.

Troubleshooting procedure

Open the version-matched WinCC project and identify the alarm-control object actually instantiated by the template. Confirm it is an alarm/message control supported by that runtime and that the required configuration is included in the deployed project.
Inspect the Picture Tree configuration on the relevant OS project. Confirm that the intended CEMAT plant-area names exist in the project and match the areas used by the filter. Check for spelling or hierarchy mismatches.
Inspect representative alarm messages and confirm they are assigned to the intended area. An area selector cannot show messages that lack the matching assignment.
Check the runtime user's area authorization and the client/server package or project state, where applicable to the installed version. An access restriction can affect visible messages independently of the filter selection.
Compare the template's control properties and filter selection with a known-working object from the same installed CEMAT/WinCC version. Change one configuration item at a time, then regenerate/deploy the project using the documented workflow for that exact release.
Reopen Runtime and verify both that the control is active and that messages from two deliberately different configured areas are separated as expected.

Interpret the “non active” display

The reported wording alone does not establish whether the control is disabled, unavailable in the runtime, missing from the deployed project, or showing a CEMAT-specific placeholder. Capture the control identity, runtime version, project diagnostics and relevant properties before changing the template. Do not assume area mapping fixes a control that is not instantiated or activated.

Verification

Test with messages whose area assignment is known and whose status makes them eligible for the selected list. Confirm the selected area, displayed messages and operator rights together. Check a second area to distinguish a functioning area filter from a list that simply contains no eligible messages. Repeat the check on the actual runtime client and configuration that exhibits the issue.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

The ticket supplies no software versions, screenshots, object properties or final resolution. The Siemens V7.5 process-control manual is a documented baseline, not proof that its controls or property names apply to an unspecified CEMAT installation. Do not modify a production OS project or deploy alarm filtering changes without project backup, review and site change control.

Engineer FAQ

Can an area filter work if alarm messages have no matching area? No useful area-based selection can be confirmed without matching message and configured area data; inspect the applicable version's message and Picture Tree configuration.

Does the manual identify the cause of the inactive placeholder? No. The symptom text is insufficient to identify the object/runtime cause.

Do user rights affect alarm visibility? Siemens documentation for the process-control option includes area-oriented access/configuration considerations; verify the actual user authorization in the installed release.

Can a V7.5 procedure be applied directly to any CEMAT version? No. First identify the installed WinCC and CEMAT releases and use their matching documentation.

What is a meaningful functional test? In the target runtime, check known eligible messages assigned to separate configured areas under the intended operator account.

Technical References

Siemens, WinCC/Options for Process Control V7.5 System Manual, area filtering and Picture Tree configuration: https://cache.industry.siemens.com/dl/files/757/109760757/att_962240/v1/WinCC_ProcessControl_en-US_en-US.pdf