WinCC 'Error While Opening Picture' in Graphics Designer: PCS7 V6 SP2 Field Troubleshooting

The Siemens WinCC Graphics Designer is the canonical editor for process screens (*.PDL pictures) on SIMATIC PCS 7 plants. A recurring field fault presents the dialog "Error while opening picture", after which the Graphics Designer window launches empty while the target picture fails to load. The symptom is most frequently reported after a network reconfiguration (IP address or subnet mask change) on the engineering station or operator station, and it also appears when an engineer attempts to open a .PDL directly from Windows Explorer instead of from inside a running project. This reference documents the confirmed root causes observed on PCS 7 V6 SP2, the full remediation procedure (including the registry and SQL Server cleanup sequence), and the verification checklist that confirms a clean repair.

1. Problem Description and Observable Symptoms

The reported failure mode follows a deterministic sequence:

1. The user initiates a picture-open action (Explorer double-click on a .PDL, or selecting File > Open from a non-project context).
2. WinCC displays the dialog "Error while opening picture" (German: Fehler beim Öffnen des Bildes).
3. The Graphics Designer process (PDLRT.exe or GraCS.exe depending on build) launches, but the requested picture does not load.
4. Subsequent picture opens performed from within the Graphics Designer, with the WinCC project already activated or open in the editor, succeed normally.
5. The CCAgent service is reported by the operator as correctly configured, yet the issue persists.

The fingerprint of this fault is therefore: failure is context-dependent. The same picture that fails to open from Explorer opens cleanly when invoked from inside the project tree or the Graphics Designer File > Open dialog after the project has been loaded. That behavior is the single most diagnostic data point in the entire troubleshooting flow.

2. Affected Environment and Software Stack

The same fault class has been observed on later WinCC V7.x and V8.x installations when the project database linkage is broken or when the Graphics Designer is launched outside of WinCC Explorer. Treat the version-specific data points above as a starting point, not an exhaustive range.

3. Root Cause Analysis

Two distinct root causes produce the "Error while opening picture" symptom on PCS 7 V6 SP2. They can occur independently or compound each other after a network change.

3.1 Primary Cause – Project Context Required for PDL Open

WinCC picture files (*.PDL) are not self-contained documents. They contain:

• References to project-specific tag names (e.g., AS1::Motor_Speed)
• Connections to the project's GraCS directory structure and to the master database project file
• References to library objects, color palettes, and font lists defined at project level
• Embedded C-script and VBS action bindings that resolve against project variables

When a .PDL is double-clicked in Windows Explorer, the file association launches Graphics Designer outside the context of any active WinCC project. The editor has no project root, no database connection, no tag namespace, and therefore cannot resolve the picture's metadata. The dialog "Error while opening picture" is raised before the editor can offer any fallback behavior.

3.2 Secondary Cause – Registry/Database Inconsistency After Network Change

Changing the IP address or subnet mask of the WinCC station invalidates several internal references that WinCC caches at install time and during first project activation:

• SQL Server instance binding – WinCC V6 stores the SQL Server instance name (often the local machine name) in the registry. If the machine name does not change but the IP does, the SQL listener usually still resolves, but if the binding used the IP literal anywhere, the connection breaks.
• CCAgent registration – CCAgent registers the station against the central archive server / OS server using its network identity. A subnet change that fragments routing can cause CCAgent to time out, which in turn blocks project activation and picture loading.
• WinCC project path resolution – Some project entries cache host identities in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Siemens\WinCC.
• Microsoft DTC and COM security – DCOMCNFG entries for the WinCC DCOM applications use machine identity tokens. A network identity change without re-registering the WinCC DCOM apps can block the SQL connection handshake that WinCC performs when loading a picture.

When the IP change is made on a station that already had this inconsistency, the picture-open failure appears as the first user-visible symptom.

4. Pre-Fix Diagnostics

Before executing the reinstall path, perform the following non-destructive checks to confirm the root cause:

1. Reproduce in correct context: Open WinCC Explorer, load the project, then open Graphics Designer and use File > Open to load the same .PDL. If it loads, the primary cause is confirmed and no reinstall is required.
2. Inspect WinCC project state: In WinCC Explorer, right-click the project and select Properties. Confirm that the project status is Activated or that the editor allows loading. A project that fails to activate cannot serve pictures.
3. Verify SQL connectivity: Launch the SQL Server Enterprise Manager (WinCC V6) or Management Studio and confirm the WinCC project database is online. Run SELECT @@SERVERNAME against the WinCC instance to confirm the SQL listener resolves to the current machine identity.
4. Inspect CCAgent logs: Open the CCAgent diagnostic window and verify it reports a green status against the OS server. A yellow or red state indicates the licensing / connection chain is broken.
5. Check DCOM configuration: Run dcomcnfg and confirm the WinCC DCOM applications (WinCC Explorer, Graphics Runtime, CCAgent) have access permissions set to Everyone or to the appropriate WinCC user group as documented in the WinCC installation manual.
6. Verify network binding order: Open Network Connections > Advanced > Advanced Settings and confirm the WinCC-facing NIC is at the top of the binding order. After IP changes, Windows occasionally reorders NICs and the SQL listener binds to the wrong interface.

If steps 1–6 all pass and the failure still occurs only from Explorer, the problem is purely the open-context issue and no reinstall is necessary. If steps 2–6 reveal SQL, DCOM, or CCAgent failures, proceed to the reinstall path.

5. Solution Path A – Correct Picture Opening Procedure (No Reinstall)

Use this path when diagnostics confirm the picture loads correctly from inside the running project.

5.1 Standard Open Procedure

1. Launch WinCC Explorer from the SIMATIC WinCC program group.
2. Select the target project and either activate it (runtime) or open it in the editor.
3. Right-click the project and choose Graphics Designer, or open Graphics Designer from the toolbar once the project is loaded.
4. Use File > Open (Ctrl+O) and navigate to the desired .PDL. Pictures can be located either in the active project's GraCS folder or in imported library folders.
5. Edit, save, and exit via File > Close. Do not close Graphics Designer before closing WinCC Explorer to avoid orphaned locks on the .PDL file.

5.2 Train Operators and Engineers

The single most common recurrence of this fault is a user double-clicking a .PDL from a network share or local folder. Communicate the constraint in shift handovers and add a desktop shortcut to WinCC Explorer rather than to individual pictures. If a .PDL shortcut is required, set its target to:

"C:\Program Files\Siemens\WinCC\bin\WinCCExplorer.exe" /project:<ProjectName>

and instruct the user to navigate to the picture from inside the project rather than launching the picture directly.

6. Solution Path B – Complete WinCC Reinstall (Nuclear Option)

Use this path when diagnostics confirm a corrupted registry, broken SQL linkage, or persistent DCOM/CCAgent failure that does not clear after a reboot and SQL service restart. The procedure below is the exact sequence reported to clear the fault in the field.

6.1 Removal Sequence

1. Uninstall WinCC and SQL Server via Settings > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs. Remove every WinCC component listed (WinCC, WinCC/Connectivity Pack, WinCC/Options, WinCC/Dat@Monitor, etc.) and the bundled Microsoft SQL Server 2000 instance.
2. Delete the registry branch HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Siemens\WinCC. Open regedit, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, expand SOFTWARE, expand Siemens, right-click WinCC, and select Delete. Confirm the deletion.
3. Delete the per-user registry branch HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Siemens\WinCC. This branch stores user-specific configuration such as last-opened projects, Graphics Designer window layouts, and color palette customizations.
4. Delete the WinCC program folder at C:\Program Files\Siemens\WinCC. Use Windows Explorer with Show hidden files enabled to ensure all subfolders (including GraCS, Library, WinCCProject) are removed. If the SQL data files (typically C:\SQL7 or C:\MSSQL) were not removed by Add/Remove Programs, remove them now as well, after backing up any archive .mdf and .ldf files you wish to preserve.
5. Reboot the station to flush locked DLLs, DCOM registrations, and SQL services.

6.2 Reinstallation Sequence

1. Install Microsoft SQL Server 2000 (or the version appropriate to your WinCC build) first, applying all required service packs.
2. Install WinCC V6.0 SP2 from the PCS 7 installation media. Follow the installation order specified in the SIMATIC PCS 7 V6 Installation Manual.
3. Restore or recreate the WinCC project. If you backed up the project .mcp file and GraCS folder, restore them to the original paths to preserve picture references.
4. Reconfigure CCAgent with the correct station identity and OS server address.
5. Activate the project and verify picture loading using the verification checklist in Section 10.

7. Registry Cleanup – Detailed Reference

The two registry branches to delete contain the following categories of data. Knowing what is in each branch helps you decide whether a targeted delete (preserving unrelated settings) is acceptable.

Before deleting, export each branch to a .reg file for rollback. Example export command from regedit: right-click the branch, choose Export, save to a date-stamped .reg file on a non-system drive.

8. SQL Server and CCAgent Considerations

8.1 SQL Server Binding After IP Change

WinCC V6 uses SQL Server 2000 as its project and archive database. After an IP change:

1. Open the SQL Server Client Network Utility and confirm the server alias still points to the correct host. If the alias uses an IP literal, update it to the new IP or switch to a hostname (preferred for resilience).
2. Restart the MSSQLSERVER and SQLSERVERAGENT services in the correct order: agent first, then the database engine.
3. From a command prompt, run osql -E -S <servername> to verify a trusted connection. If this fails, the picture-open error will persist even after a WinCC reinstall because the database will not be reachable.

8.2 CCAgent Reconfiguration

CCAgent (Central Control Agent) manages the connection between the OS server and the engineering/operator stations. After a network identity change:

1. Stop CCAgent via the SIMATIC Manager or the Windows service console.
2. Edit the CCAgent configuration file (typically C:\Program Files\Siemens\WinCC\bin\CCAgent.ini) and update the Server= entry to the OS server's current hostname or IP.
3. Restart CCAgent and confirm a green status indicator in the CCAgent dialog.
4. If CCAgent remains yellow or red, re-register the WinCC DCOM applications by running the batch file C:\Program Files\Siemens\WinCC\bin\ReRegisterDCOM.bat (path may vary by version).

9. IP Address Change – Engineering Best Practice

The original report cited the IP address change as the trigger. While the immediate symptom is the picture-open error, IP changes on a PCS 7 station can cascade into multiple failure modes. Follow this checklist whenever a station's IP or subnet mask must be changed:

1. Deactivate the WinCC project on the affected station before any network change. A running runtime will drop connections to the AS and may corrupt archive segments.
2. Stop CCAgent and all WinCC services via the Windows service console.
3. Change the IP/subnet mask and verify with ipconfig /all that the new values are active on the correct NIC.
4. Reboot to allow SQL Server and DCOM to rebind to the new identity.
5. Verify SQL connectivity as described in Section 8.1.
6. Re-register WinCC DCOM applications using the ReRegisterDCOM.bat or by running WinCCInst.exe /regserver from the WinCC bin directory.
7. Activate CCAgent and WinCC runtime in that order, then verify picture loading.
8. Document the change in the plant network register. PCS 7 networks are typically managed by a Network Address Allocation (NAA) policy that must be updated to reflect the new IP.

10. Verification Checklist

After executing either solution path, confirm the repair with the following checks. Each must pass before declaring the fault cleared.

Document each result in the station maintenance log. If any check fails, repeat the diagnostic flow from Section 4 before attempting additional remediation.

11. Preventive Best Practices

• Always open pictures from inside the project context. Train every engineer, operator, and commissioning technician on this rule. The single biggest reduction in this fault class comes from removing the Explorer double-click path.
• Use hostnames, not IP literals, in all WinCC configuration. Hostnames survive IP changes; IP literals do not. The WinCC OS server address, SQL alias, and CCAgent target should all use DNS-resolvable hostnames.
• Maintain a backup image of every PCS 7 station. Use a managed image such as Symantec Ghost, Acronis, or the built-in Windows backup to capture a baseline after each major WinCC version upgrade or project rollout.
• Document the change process. Keep a network change log with station ID, old IP, new IP, date, technician, and verification results.
• Schedule periodic DCOM and SQL health checks. A monthly script that verifies osql -E connectivity and DCOM registrations prevents the slow degradation that leads to picture-open failures.
• Centralize WinCC libraries and project files. Use a project file server with DFS or a versioned backup rather than local copies. This reduces the temptation to open a .PDL from a network share in Explorer.

12. Frequently Asked Questions