TIA VCI Viewer

By JB Automation GmbH
jb-automation.de · contact@jbautomation.de

TIA VCI Viewer is a VS Code extension for Siemens TIA Portal projects exported with the Version Control Interface (VCI) and versioned with Git (or GitHub / GitLab).

Turn unreadable VCI export files into structured tables and ladder diagrams: PLC data types (UDT), data blocks (DB), function blocks, tag tables, and SCL — with semantic diff, merge help, and rename propagation across the workspace.

Search terms: TIA Portal · Siemens VCI · Version Control Interface · Git diff · PLC · SIMATIC · LAD · SCL · UDT · DB · .udt · .db · .s7dcl

What you get

• Structured preview — members, start values, comments, and interfaces like in TIA Portal, expandable on demand
• UDT / DB / FB — supports XML, SCL, and SIMATIC SD (.s7dcl, .udt, .db, .s7res)
• Resolved data types — click a UDT name to jump to its definition in the project
• LAD / FBD — networks as ladder diagrams (contacts, coils, FB calls)
• Git-friendly diff — compare with the last committed version, highlighted in the preview
• Merge conflicts — visual merge on blocks and members, not raw XML lines
• Rename member — rename a UDT/DB member and update references before re-import into TIA Portal

Installation

1. Open VS Code → Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
2. Search TIA VCI Viewer, TIA Portal VCI, Siemens VCI, or Git PLC → publisher jb-automation → Install
   Direct link: Visual Studio Marketplace
3. Open your TIA VCI workspace in VS Code (folder with Program blocks / Programmbausteine, PLC data types / PLC-Datentypen, etc.)

The extension activates when a TIA Portal VCI export is detected.

Recommended export formats in TIA Portal

In TIA Portal → Version Control Interface → Export formats (default for new VCI workspaces):

After export from TIA Portal, open the folder in VS Code — files open in TIA Preview by default.

Quick guide

View a file

• Double-click in Explorer → TIA Preview
• ▶ → expand UDT members, nested structs, array elements
• Blue data type link → open the UDT source file
• Raw file — toolbar or TIA: Open Raw XML/SCL

Review Git changes

• Show changes vs HEAD in the toolbar
• Green = added · Red = removed · Yellow = modified

TIA Explorer

• TIA VCI in the activity bar — all blocks and types in one tree

Merge conflicts (XML)

• Merge in the editor title bar → pick Ours or Theirs per entry, then save

Rename a member

• Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) → TIA: Rename UDT/DB Member
• Review references, apply, then import back into TIA Portal

Folder names (German / English)

Auto-detected in most projects. If not: VS Code Settings → TIA VCI → folder preset de or en.

Notes

• Preview is read-only — edit and compile in TIA Portal
• Review every diff and merge before git commit or VCI re-import
• Test on a backup or non-production project first

Disclaimer

Use at your own risk. JB Automation GmbH accepts no liability for production downtime, faulty exports, broken symbol links, or failed VCI imports. No warranty.

Trademarks

Independent tool — not affiliated with Siemens AG. Siemens, TIA Portal, SIMATIC, and Version Control Interface are trademarks of Siemens AG.

License & contact

Apache License 2.0 · Security: contact@jbautomation.de