Resolving WinCC Internal Error DYNAMIC_DUMMY_HATCH on Compile

Problem Statement

The Internal error (detail: error get the Tag Table – object type: DYNAMIC_DUMMY_HATCH) is raised by the WinCC compilation pipeline when the HMI project cannot reconcile a placeholder graphic object inside a tag table cross-reference. The error text is generated by the runtime generator before any panel picture is rendered, and it blocks the entire build – no panels, no screens, no recipe views, and no generated tag list are produced. The error is not caused by user code; it is a project-tree integrity fault in the WinCC engineering database.

Typical observable behaviour:

• Compile/Consistency Check aborts immediately after the "Generating Tag Tables" step.
• The output window shows: Internal error (detail: error get the Tag Table - object type: DYNAMIC_DUMMY_HATCH) with no file or line number.
• Opening the affected tag table in the editor shows a blank or empty entries grid; reopening the project triggers the same fault.
• Re-importing tags from STEP 7 / TIA Portal succeeds, but the next compile reproduces the error.

Affected Software and Versions

Root Cause Analysis

The fault is triggered when the WinCC compiler iterates the project's tag table collection and attempts to resolve a graphic reference whose UUID is missing from the internal object store. Three root causes dominate:

1. IM folder inconsistency (TIA Portal V13 – V20): The IM subfolder under the project root caches compiled HMI image objects. If the cache desynchronises – for example after a forced close, an antivirus quarantine of .im* files, or a partial git/svn merge – the generator cannot dereference the DYNAMIC_DUMMY_HATCH handle. Siemens Support Entry 109778745 documents this failure mode and prescribes IM folder deletion as the canonical workaround.
2. WinCC flexible 2007 graphic library corruption: The 2007 build uses a non-transactional *.lck file lock around graphic objects. If WinCC flexible crashes while a hatch pattern is being written, the placeholder survives in the project but the linked graphic record is wiped, producing the DYNAMIC_DUMMY_HATCH orphan.
3. STEP 7 ↔ WinCC flexible synchronisation race: Because WinCC flexible 2007 performs a full re-synchronisation against STEP 7 before each compile, a stale STEP 7 tag export (especially with renamed or deleted DBs) can cause the synchroniser to create new tag tables whose graphic object references point to unallocated slots in the WinCC database. The user's own observation that "it always does a synchronization with my STEP 7 project before it compiles" is a strong indicator of this path.

Diagnostic Procedure

Run the following checks before applying any destructive action. They are non-destructive and reversible.

1. Capture the build log verbosity. In WinCC flexible 2007, open Options > Settings > Compile Output and set the log level to Maximum. Re-run the compile and save the full *.log file. In TIA Portal, use Project > Compile > Software (rebuild all) with the diagnostic view pinned.
2. Locate the affected tag table. The log entry preceding the error contains the tag table name. Open the table in the editor and look for entries with empty Update, Length, or Acquisition cycle columns – these are the orphaned references.
3. Check the lock file set. Close WinCC completely, then list the project folder. A dangling *.lck with no associated *.hmi process indicates a previous crash:

dir /S /A:H "%ProgramFiles%\Siemens\Automation\WinCC flexible 2007\Projects\<ProjectName>\*.lck"
attrib -h -s <project>\grllib\*.lck

4. Validate the IM folder (TIA Portal). Confirm the <Project>\IM\Hmi subfolder has both .im and .hmi_cache files. A missing or zero-byte file is the smoking gun. Compare its modification time against the last successful build.
5. Look up the S7DOS error code if the message is paired with one. Many real-world reports combine the DYNAMIC_DUMMY_HATCH message with an S7DOS code such as EC_TIMERR (11) or EC_S7LERR (12). The full code table is published in the TIA Portal online help at S7DOS error codes (Basic Panels, Panels, Comfort Panels, RT Advanced, RT Professional).

Resolution – WinCC flexible 2007

Apply the steps in this exact order. Each step is non-destructive unless explicitly noted.

1. Clear temporary files. Open WinCC flexible, choose Options > Settings > Delete Temporary Files. Confirm. The action removes the Temp and Temp_DB subfolders used by the compiler.
2. Re-bind the project location. Close the project, rename the project folder, then reopen WinCC flexible and select the renamed folder via Open > Project. This forces the engine to rebuild its local object index.
3. Remove the orphan tag table. In the project tree, right-click the suspect tag table (identified in the diagnostic step), choose Export to CSV as a backup, then Delete. Re-import the CSV. Re-run the compile.
4. Install Hotfix 2 for WinCC flexible 2007 SP3 / 2008 SP2. Hotfix 2 (Siemens order number 6AV6 661-7AK01-0AE0) addresses graphic object reference resolution and is referenced by Siemens support as a primary fix for this class of internal error. The installer is in-place and does not require a re-licence.
5. Disable STEP 7 auto-synchronisation as a verification test. In Options > Settings > STEP 7 Integration, untick Synchronise with STEP 7 on every compile. Compile. If the error disappears, the synchroniser is the source and you must reconcile the STEP 7 tag export with the WinCC tag table before re-enabling auto-sync.

Resolution – TIA Portal (V13 – V20)

The TIA Portal variant of the error is referenced in Siemens Support Entry 109778745. The official procedure is:

1. Close TIA Portal completely. Confirm via Task Manager that no S7TGTOPX.exe or Siemens.Automation.Portal.exe process remains.
2. Open the project folder in Windows Explorer. The path is normally %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Automation\<ProjectName>\.
3. Locate the IM subfolder (it may be hidden: enable View > Hidden items in Explorer).
4. Delete the IM folder. TIA Portal regenerates it on the next compile.
5. Reopen the project. The first compile will be slower because the IM cache is rebuilt; subsequent compiles return to normal speed.

This procedure is equally effective for the Instance () cannot get all slides and DYNAMIC_DUMMY_HATCH variants because both stem from the same cache layer.

S7DOS Internal Error Code Reference

When the WinCC runtime loads the compiled project onto a Panel, RT Advanced, RT Professional, or Unified Panel, the loading framework reports failures using S7DOS constants. The most common codes you will see together with the DYNAMIC_DUMMY_HATCH error are:

The complete list is in the TIA Portal help under Troubleshooting > Internal error codes and constants for the relevant panel family.

Error Messages During Project Loading (RT Unified)

After a successful compile, the project load step on WinCC RT Unified and Unified Comfort Panels can still fail. The documented reasons from TIA Portal V20 documentation – Error messages during loading of projects (RT Unified) are:

• Incorrect download settings in the device configuration (wrong target IP, wrong panel image).
• Incorrect HMI device type in the project – the project was built for a Unified Comfort Panel 15" but the target is a 19" variant.
• The HMI device is not connected to the configuration PC (cable, VLAN, or PROFINET name resolution issue).
• Firewall on the panel side (default port 443 / 102) blocks the TIA Portal download.
• Secure communication (TLS 1.3) is configured on the panel but the certificate in TIA Portal is expired or revoked.

Verification

1. Compile success: Re-run Project > Compile > Software (rebuild all) or WinCC flexible Project > Compiler > Generate. The output must reach Build complete, 0 errors, 0 warnings.
2. Tag table integrity: Open each tag table and confirm all rows show valid PLC tag, Update, and Length values. Empty rows must not exist.
3. Runtime smoke test: Transfer the compiled project to a test panel or to PLCSIM (S7-PLCSIM V16+ supports HMI tag simulation). Start the project, change a tag from a script or faceplate, and confirm the value updates within one acquisition cycle (default 1 s, configurable down to 100 ms).
4. Log signature absence: Search the generated *.log for the literal string DYNAMIC_DUMMY_HATCH. A clean log contains zero matches.

Preventive Maintenance

• Add the project root to the antivirus exclusion list, including the hidden IM folder and all *.lck, *.crc, and *.im files. Real-time scanning during a WinCC compile is the most common trigger of the DYNAMIC_DUMMY_HATCH orphan.
• Use a transactional source-control system (git, svn) but never commit the IM folder or the Temp / Temp_DB directories. Add them to .gitignore.
• Schedule a quarterly "clean rebuild": rename the project folder, reopen, compile from scratch, archive the rebuilt copy. This forces the IM cache to refresh and catches silent corruption before it is discovered during a production outage.
• Keep WinCC flexible 2007 SP3 patched with Hotfix 2 (or upgrade to WinCC flexible 2008 SP5 – the last release of the WinCC flexible line, after which migration to TIA Portal V16 or later is required).
• For TIA Portal projects, install the latest TIA Portal Updater and the matching HMI HSP (Hardware Support Package) before commissioning a new panel generation.

Quick-Reference Troubleshooting Matrix

FAQ