TIA Deployment¶

The repository is the edit location for PLC source code. TIA Portal remains the integration environment for hardware configuration, compile diagnostics, online work, and final download.

Source-driven, not destructive

Deployment creates or updates blocks and PLC data types from repository sources. It does not delete TIA objects that are not represented in the repository.

Source Model¶

All deployable PLC sources live below tia/exports and are grouped by responsibility:

tia/exports/
  00_SYSTEM/
  01_PLATFORM/
  02_INTERFACES/
  03_CORE/
  04_POWER_MANAGEMENT/
  05_PROPULSION/
  06_ALARMS/
  07_HMI/
  08_SIMULATION/
  09_DIAGNOSTICS/
  10_VALIDATION/
  99_LEGACY/

Source file	TIA target
`.scl`	Program blocks, for FB/FC/OB sources
`.db`	Program blocks, for data block sources
`.udt`	PLC data types

Folder names are mirrored

Folder names below tia/exports are created as TIA groups. For example, tia/exports/06_ALARMS/FB_AlarmRouting.scl is generated into the 06_ALARMS group.

Existing demonstration blocks are kept in 99_LEGACY until they are refactored into the numbered architecture.

Normal Workflow¶

Edit source in VS Code
  -> run pcs deploy ...
  -> Openness imports external sources
  -> TIA generates blocks/types
  -> optional compile
  -> project is saved

Fast IterationSubsystemFull Deploy

Deploy a small number of blocks without compiling:

pcs deploy plcs=PLC_1 blocks=FB_AlarmRouting,FB_AlarmDelay no-compile

Deploy a complete subsystem:

pcs deploy plcs=PLC_1 folder=06_ALARMS

Deploy everything to all configured PLCs and compile:

pcs deploy

Deployment GUI¶

The repository also contains a lightweight Windows GUI for colleagues who prefer a visual deployment cockpit over terminal commands.

.\tools\tia-deployment-gui\build.ps1
.\tools\tia-deployment-gui\bin\tia-deployment-gui.exe

Same backend as the terminal

The GUI calls the pcs CLI internally. Project defaults, PLC targets, source selection, dry-run command behavior, compile behavior, and TIA version handling therefore stay aligned with terminal deployments.

Use the sync tool for daily source synchronization

For the unified Repo <-> TIA workflow with TIA snapshots, three-way decisions, diffs, and safe apply actions, use tools/pcs-tia-sync-tool/bin/pcs-tia-sync-tool.exe. The deployment GUI remains the broader deployment cockpit.

Source RepositoryDeployment SelectionValidationPresets

The GUI can load pcs.config.json from the selected source repository. Loading the repo fills project defaults, reports the project name, TIA project path, exports root, configured PLCs, and author, and provides quick access to the config file and exports folder.

The GUI can deploy all sources or selected block files from the configured tia/exports root.

Use Validate before first deployment on a new workstation. It checks the repository root, pcs.ps1, project path, exports root, configured PLCs, and source count.

Presets cover common workflows such as full deployment, alarm changes, platform blocks, PLC_1 only, and quick no-compile imports.

Useful buttons

Dry Run resolves the planned deployment without changing TIA. Load reads pcs.config.json from the selected source repository and updates the deployment defaults. Scan PLCs queries the selected TIA project through Openness. Open Config and Open Exports jump directly to the relevant local paths. The Documentation tab contains the documentation controls, including local docs serving/opening.

Use dry-run when unsure

A dry-run resolves project path, PLC targets, and source files without opening TIA.

pcs deploy plcs=PLC_1 folder=06_ALARMS dry-run no-compile

Deploy Behavior¶

During deployment, the tooling:

attaches to the running TIA Portal process if the requested project is already open,
otherwise opens the project,
imports selected external source files,
generates blocks and PLC data types,
optionally compiles the PLC software target,
prints compiler results to the terminal,
saves the TIA project.

Compile behavior

By default, pcs deploy compiles after generation. Use no-compile during quick iteration when you only want to import/generate source changes.

pcs deploy plcs=PLC_1 blocks=FB_AlarmRouting no-compile

Version Handling¶

The wrapper infers the Openness API from the project extension:

Project extension	Openness API
`.ap19`	Portal V19
`.ap20`	Portal V20

Override the version only when needed:

pcs deploy tia-version=V19

When to rebuild the CLI

Use pcs build after changing tools/tia-openness, after pulling tool changes, or when switching the CLI to another TIA Openness version.

Multi-PLC Deployment¶

Default PLC targets are configured in pcs.config.json:

{
  "plcs": [
    "PLC_1",
    "PLC_2"
  ]
}

Deploy to all configured PLCs:

pcs deploy

Deploy to selected PLCs:

pcs deploy plcs=PLC_1
pcs deploy plcs=PLC_1,PLC_2

Keep PLC-specific behavior explicit

Prefer configuration DBs, hardware configuration, or parameters for PLC-specific differences. Avoid branching the source tree unless the logic truly differs.

Safety Notes¶

Generated does not mean downloaded

Deployment imports/generates and optionally compiles inside the TIA project. It does not download to the physical PLC.

Repository is not a delete authority

Removing a file from tia/exports does not automatically delete the corresponding object from TIA. Deletions should be explicit and reviewed.

Use focused deploys

During development, prefer blocks=... or folder=... over full deployment. Full deployment is best before integration checks or handover.

Troubleshooting¶

Block was not found

Use pcs list blocks to confirm the source name and location.

Wrong PLC target

Use pcs list plcs configured to see configured targets, or pcs list plcs to query the TIA project through Openness.

First Openness run

TIA may show a trust prompt for the generated CLI executable. Open TIA Portal yourself before deploying if you need to approve prompts interactively.

Workflow Diagram¶

TIA Openness Deployment Workflow

PlantUML source: deployment-workflow.puml