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Windows Setup (1): Host Or VM Preparation

This page prepares a Windows engineering workstation for PCS development. Choose one of the two supported setup paths.

Approach 1: Pre-Configured VM

Use this approach when the engineer receives the PCS Windows 11 VMware Workstation VM.

Already installed in the VM:

Tool State
TIA Portal V20 Installed
TIA Portal Openness V20 Installed
Git for Windows Installed
VS Code Installed

The VM is intentionally not user-specific. Each engineer still performs the personal setup:

  1. Configure Git name and email.
  2. Authenticate with GitHub.
  3. Accept the repository invitation from Tom Westerling.
  4. Clone the repository.
  5. Run the PCS tool bootstrap in Windows Setup (2).

Continue with Git and Repository Setup.

Approach 2: Native Host Installation

Use this approach when the engineer installs everything directly on the host computer.

Manual prerequisites:

Tool Purpose
TIA Portal V20 PLC engineering environment
TIA Portal Openness V20 Automation API used by PCS deployment
Siemens license Required for the target PLC family
Git for Windows Repository access
VS Code Editing environment

After the manual tools are installed, continue with Git and Repository Setup.