C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)
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Troubleshoot APF Engineering Tool and SCL Generation After Migration

Troubleshoot APF Engineering Tool and SCL Generation After Migration

After an APF migration, distinguish a disabled Generate FB control from errors compiling generated SCL; they are separate failure stages. For APF V2.1, Siemens documents that changing a generated FB number can make SCL compilation fail when the old symbolic name remains in the STEP 7 symbol table; its stated workaround is to delete the old symbol for that FB number and regenerate. The exact parameter-creation error here cannot be identified because its message and log are absent.

Table of Contents

Separate the Engineering and Compilation Symptoms

The reported project was migrated from APF 1.4 to APF 2.1 and used PCS 7 V9.0 SP3. Initially, parameter creation failed and Generate FB was disabled. After APF FBs and UDTs were copied, the tool enabled generation, but generated SCL produced multiple errors. A later reply proposed an FB-number/symbol-table mismatch; the project owner said creating a new OS and master data library with new FBs solved the issue. These are source-reported observations, not a confirmed universal diagnosis.

Check the FB Number and Symbol Table Mapping

The Siemens Advanced Process Functions V2.1 Update 1 Readme documents a specific case: changing an FB number of a previously compiled material class can make SCL compilation fail because the corresponding symbol in the PCS 7 symbol table cannot be created or changed. The stated workaround is to open the symbol editor and delete the old symbol for the affected FB number. Use this only when the error corresponds to that documented mismatch; confirm that the symbol belongs to the APF block before removing it.

Review the V1.4 Migration Prerequisites

The official APF Migration Guide for V1.4.x to V2.0 requires backing up the multiproject and OS project, updating APF library objects, comparing generated FB numbers between the master data library and Engineering Tool, and regenerating existing generated blocks. The V2.0 guide also requires updating affected block/data type numbers in both project blocks and the symbol table. That guide targets V2.0, not V2.1, so use it for migration concepts and apply only steps confirmed by documentation for the installed release. Do not assume its number tables transfer unchanged to APF V2.1.

Diagnose a Disabled Generate FB Button

  1. Record the APF version/update, PCS 7 version, complete parameter-creation error and Engineering Tool log before changing project data. The source reply identifies an APF_Engineering diagnostic log under the Siemens WinCC diagnose folder; confirm the installation path and log name on the engineering station.
  2. Check that APF blocks and UDTs in the master data library match the APF release used by the tool. Compare actual block and data type numbers instead of copying ranges blindly.
  3. Check APF-specific settings and library consistency against the installation/configuration guide for that exact version. The source mentions “Permit activation on ES” and running the APF Integrator, but does not establish either as the cause here.
  4. If the installation is APF V2.1 SP1 with PCS 7 V9.1/WinCC V7.5, review Siemens' documented restriction for “Project directory is only shared for write-protected access.” Siemens' V2.1 SP1 Readme says this option must be disabled for proper APF Engineering Tool operation. This is version-specific and does not directly explain the reported PCS 7 V9.0 SP3 case.
  5. Retry generation only after resolving the identified prerequisite and save the resulting log. An enabled button confirms that generation is allowed, not that the generated SCL will compile.

Diagnose SCL Errors After Generation

  1. Identify the first compiler error and the generated FB or identifier it names; later messages may be cascading errors.
  2. Compare each generated FB number in the APF Engineering Tool with the number and symbolic name in the project symbol table and master data library.
  3. If the mapping was changed and the old symbolic entry remains, use the V2.1 Update 1 Readme's specific workaround: remove the stale symbol for that FB in the symbol editor and regenerate. Confirm the block association before editing.
  4. If errors remain, stop short of generic compiler or symbol-table changes. Compare the complete error list with documentation for the installed APF version and inspect the generated source and Engineering Tool log. The source provides no compiler errors, so no other correction can be prescribed from this case.

About Rebuilding the OS and Master Data Library

The project owner reports that creating a new OS and master data library, then creating new FBs, resolved the migration problem. No steps, logs or independent confirmation are included. Treat rebuilding as a project-specific recovery outcome, not a standard migration procedure. Before considering it, preserve backups and assess dependencies on OS graphics, user functions, archives, batch integration, symbols and generated AS blocks. Validate reconstruction in a controlled project using applicable Siemens migration guidance.

Verification

After a correction, regenerate the affected FB and compile the generated SCL. Review all compiler output, confirm that the expected FB number and symbol resolve consistently, and check whether parameter creation now opens without the original error. Compile affected AS/OS components using migration instructions applicable to the installed APF version. Do not download changes to a running process-control system until they pass the site's review and test process.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

The source omits screenshots, the parameter error, Engineering Tool log, generated SCL errors and APF subversion/update. APF V2.1 Update 1 and V2.1 SP1 are distinct releases; the opened migration guide targets V2.0. The reported new-OS/library solution is not independently verified. Back up the PCS 7 multiproject, OS projects and any SIMATIC BATCH project before migration or symbol/block changes. Avoid broad deletion or replacement based only on the final error count.

Engineer FAQ

Why can Generate FB be disabled but later produce SCL errors? The button state concerns whether the Engineering Tool permits generation; SCL compilation occurs afterward. Passing one stage does not prove the next stage is valid.

What does Siemens document for an APF FB-number change? The APF V2.1 Update 1 Readme says an old symbol-table entry can block SCL compilation after an FB number change and directs users to delete the old symbol for that number in the symbol editor.

Does the APF V2.1 SP1 write-protected OS option apply to PCS 7 V9.0 SP3? The documented restriction associates that option with PCS 7 V9.1/WinCC V7.5. Do not attribute a V9.0 SP3 symptom to it without evidence that the option applies.

Can the APF V1.4.x-to-V2.0 migration guide be followed verbatim for V2.1? No. It is scoped to V2.0. Use the installed V2.1 documentation for applicable steps and number assignments.

Is creating a new OS and master data library the recommended fix? The source reports that this resolved one project, but it is not established as a general Siemens procedure. Review backups, dependencies and version-specific guidance first.

Technical References

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Related Tags

SIMATIC PCS 7, APF, migration, SCL, FB generation, symbol table

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