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TIA Portal V11 database

Created by: crazyCow at: 10/31/2012 6:03 PM (10 Replies)

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10/31/2012 6:03 PM	Rate (0)
crazyCow Gold Member Joined: 12/4/2009 Last visit: 3/19/2025 Posts: 453 Rating: (137)	Experts, during S7 (Simatic Manager) and WinCC (classic) era we could use dBase (visualFoxPro) and SQL tools to access databases of our projects. Deep insight to database and files/folders structure of our projects doubtless contributes to our knowledge of the system in overall. Since I am relatively new to TIA portal matter in general, I do apologize in advance if my question is newbie-alike. Anyhow, I have noticed that, following my installation of Step7 Proffessional and WinCC Comfort/Advanced, there is no installation of SQL manager. If one wants to connect to S7 or WinCC database in TIA portal installation, which tools should be used? Many thanks.
	Last edited by: crazyCow at: 4/30/2016 7:31:33 PM If this post actually helped, you may consider using the Rate button above.
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10/31/2012 6:29 PM	Rate (0)
0_Einstein Diamond Expert Joined: 7/7/2010 Last visit: 3/21/2025 Posts: 15745 Rating: (2490)	TIA Portal is what I use. The .ap## and .al## files are xml encoded per xmlns:http://www.siemens.com/2007/07/Automation/CommonServices/DataInfoValueData according to an old version of a project I had around. The pedata.plf is most likely sqlite.
	science guy
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This contribution was helpful to 1 thankful Users crazyCow

10/31/2012 8:15 PM	Rate (0)
crazyCow Gold Member Joined: 12/4/2009 Last visit: 3/19/2025 Posts: 453 Rating: (137)	huggy_d1 TIA Portal is what I use. The .ap## and .al## files are xml encoded per xmlns:http://www.siemens.com/2007/07/Automation/CommonServices/DataInfoValueData The pedata.plf is most likely sqlite. huggy_d1, I also managed to open .ap11 file, which is XML-alike encoded file containing basic project info. Something similar (but definitely not the same) to .mcp in WinCC. It seems like all project data (SW+HMI) is being held in single *.plf file, but I don't think it's pure SQLite... Regards.
	If this post actually helped, you may consider using the Rate button above.
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10/31/2012 8:59 PM	Rate (0)
0_Einstein Diamond Expert Joined: 7/7/2010 Last visit: 3/21/2025 Posts: 15745 Rating: (2490)	Once you do find the answer, please share. As far as I know, the only file required by the portal is the al## or ap## file. It should be able to load up the portal with just that file. I do not recall testing my theory, but it might make sense.
	science guy
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11/1/2012 11:09 AM	Rate (0)
crazyCow Gold Member Joined: 12/4/2009 Last visit: 3/19/2025 Posts: 453 Rating: (137)	Not being an expert on databases matter, it seems to me that there is no "attached" SQL or any other database when talking about TIA projects. To be more precise, my PC installation includes Step7 V5.5 SP2, WinCC Flexible 2008 SP3, Step7 proffessional V11 SP2 and WinCC Comfort/Advanced V11 SP2. When I open TIA project, and start SW and HMI simulation, I am able to stop all SQL services and still run a problem-free simulation. As to my knowledge it merly means that all local SQL instances are related WinCC Flex only. But, on the other hand, TIA portal installation procedure tolerates existence of WinCC Flex, but absence of WinCC is mandatory for successfull installation. It is, most probably, related to databases versions or compatibility. Since TIA portal projects growth is always related to PEData.plf file growth, it is obvious that, as you said, most of the project data is held in that file. Seems to me that database engine is somehow "nested" inside that file. There is an exe file in Siemens Automation bin folder which allows user to export .plf to .xml, but output file is encrypted and in that form quite useless. If anybody finds out some more on this please share. Regards.
	Last edited by: kjurlina at: 11/1/2012 11:09 AM Last edited by: crazyCow at: 2/15/2016 8:15:01 PM Last edited by: crazyCow at: 2/15/2016 8:19:35 PM If this post actually helped, you may consider using the Rate button above.
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7/31/2013 3:00 PM	Rate (0)
jR08 Posts: 18 Rating: (0)	Does anyone have more updates related to this matter?
jR08 Posts: 18 Rating: (0)
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8/2/2013 3:20 PM	Rate (0)
Nuurd Posts: 6 Rating: (0)	To the best of my knowledge, the apXX and alXX files do not contain project data themselves. The plf files seem to contain the project data, though I don't think they're intended to be user inspected/edited.
Nuurd Posts: 6 Rating: (0)
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8/4/2013 7:42 PM	Rate (0)
crazyCow Gold Member Joined: 12/4/2009 Last visit: 3/19/2025 Posts: 453 Rating: (137)	Core project files and databases are not ment to be edited by user, neither in TIA portal, neither in Simatic Manager / Wincc(flex) product line. The actual question is what kind of database is TIA portal based on, and how we can access it's instanc. Regards.
	Last edited by: crazyCow at: 2/15/2016 8:16:31 PM Last edited by: crazyCow at: 2/15/2016 8:16:54 PM Last edited by: crazyCow at: 2/15/2016 8:18:16 PM If this post actually helped, you may consider using the Rate button above.
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10/2/2013 10:44 PM	Rate (0)
geenid Posts: 2 Rating: (0)	I've read somewhere that there is a utility in the TIA portal bin directory called FS2XML. You can use it to convert a PLF file to XML. Unfortunately the resulting XML is encrypted. AES, using 128-bits symmetric key. After you manage to decrypt it, you will also find that you need to inflate it with a zlib library. It can be done. Then you still don't know what the structure of the PLF file is. But at least you know what to expect in it!
geenid Posts: 2 Rating: (0)
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This contribution was helpful to 1 thankful Users crazyCow

6/8/2016 6:22 PM	Rate (0)
crq83 Posts: 1 Rating: (0)	Has anybody had any more luck with this situation?
crq83 Posts: 1 Rating: (0)
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