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https://github.com/feelautom/tia-connect-vscode

VS Code extension for Siemens TIA Portal edit SCL/STL, compile, export/import, version control, AI assistant, and CI/CD pipelines via the T-IA Connect REST API
https://github.com/feelautom/tia-connect-vscode

iec-61131-3 iec-61131-4 industrial-automation mcp mcp-client mcp-server plc-programming s7-1500 scl siemens stl tia-portal tia-portal-openness tia-portal-scada-plc-automation-factory-io-opc-ua tia-portal-unified tia-portal-v20 tia-portal-v21 vscode-extension

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VS Code extension for Siemens TIA Portal edit SCL/STL, compile, export/import, version control, AI assistant, and CI/CD pipelines via the T-IA Connect REST API

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README 

          
# T-IA Connect for VS Code



Explore, edit, and compile Siemens TIA Portal projects directly from VS Code, Cursor, or Windsurf.



This extension connects to a running [T-IA Connect](https://t-ia-connect.com) server and provides a full development workflow for PLC programming: without leaving your editor.



[![Version](https://img.shields.io/github/v/tag/feelautom/tia-connect-vscode?label=version&sort=semver)](https://github.com/feelautom/tia-connect-vscode/releases)

[![VS Code](https://img.shields.io/badge/VS_Code-1.85+-007ACC?logo=visual-studio-code&logoColor=white)](https://code.visualstudio.com/)

[![License: Elastic-2.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-Elastic--2.0-blue)](https://github.com/feelautom/tia-connect-vscode/blob/main/LICENSE)

[![Platform](https://img.shields.io/badge/platform-Windows-0078D6?logo=windows&logoColor=white)](https://github.com/feelautom/tia-connect-vscode)

[![TIA Portal](https://img.shields.io/badge/TIA_Portal-V17--V21-orange)](https://www.siemens.com/tia-portal)

[![Tests](https://img.shields.io/badge/tests-185_passing-brightgreen)](https://github.com/feelautom/tia-connect-vscode)

[![i18n](https://img.shields.io/badge/i18n-EN_%7C_FR-lightgrey)](https://github.com/feelautom/tia-connect-vscode)

[![Author](https://img.shields.io/badge/author-FEELAUTOM-00B4D8)](https://feelautom.com)



![T-IA Connect Demo](docs/screenshots/demo.gif)



> **[View all screenshots](https://feelautom.github.io/tia-connect-vscode/screenshots.html)**: 28 screenshots showing the complete workflow.



---



## Quick Start



1. **Install the extension** from the VS Code Marketplace

2. Click the **T-IA Connect** icon in the Activity Bar (left sidebar)

3. **Sign in** with your T-IA Connect account (or create one for free)

4. If T-IA Connect is not installed, follow the download link in the sidebar

5. Click **Launch Headless** or **Launch with GUI** to start the server

6. Open a TIA Portal project: you're ready to code!



> The API key is configured automatically when the server runs on your machine. No manual setup needed.



---



## Features



### Project Explorer



Browse your TIA Portal project structure directly in VS Code.



- **Device tree**: PLCs, HMIs, and their contents: blocks, tag tables, UDTs, watch tables

- **Block folders**: hierarchical view matching your TIA Portal structure

- **Block icons**: color-coded by type: OB (blue), FB (green), FC (orange), DB (purple)

- **Status indicators**: block language and consistency state at a glance

- **Project Dashboard**: overview panel with device stats, block counts, tag summaries, and UDT counts



![Project Explorer](docs/screenshots/14-project-tree.png)



### SCL / STL Editing



Double-click any SCL or STL block to open it with full language support. Edit, save (**Ctrl+S**), and it's reimported into TIA Portal automatically.



- **Syntax highlighting**: TextMate grammars for SCL and STL

- **Autocompletion**: keywords, types, variables, and built-in functions

- **Signature Help**: parameter hints for 30+ SCL functions

- **Hover documentation**: type info, function docs, system block documentation (TON, CTU, R_TRIG...)

- **Go-to-Definition**: Ctrl+click on local variables or block names (cross-file via API)

- **Rename Symbol** (F2): rename a variable across the entire file

- **Diagnostics**: compilation errors mapped to precise source lines (regex + symbol search)

- **Document Outline**: hierarchical view of blocks, sections, and variables

- **15 SCL snippets**: FB, FC, OB, DB, IF, FOR, CASE, TON, R_TRIG...

- **Compilation errors** displayed directly in the editor (red/yellow squiggles at the correct line)

- **Background preloading**: blocks are cached after project load for near-instant opening



#### Save behavior



- **Ctrl+S** (manual save) triggers reimport into TIA Portal + optional auto-compile

- **VS Code auto-save** is ignored: no accidental reimports

- **Safety timer** saves to disk every 5/10/15 minutes without reimporting (configurable)



![SCL Editor](docs/screenshots/16-scl-editor.png)



### LAD / FBD / GRAPH Viewer



Non-editable blocks open in a graphical webview with SVG rendering.



- **Contacts and coils**: NO, NC, positive/negative edge, Set/Reset

- **Function blocks**: 40+ instruction types (TON, TOF, TP, CTU, CTD, CTUD, MOVE, ADD, SUB, MUL, DIV, CMP...) rendered with tinted header, EN/ENO row, and named input/output pins

- **Connected values**: current values (PT, PV, CV, IN1, OUT...) displayed inside each block

- **Parallel branches**: vertical merge connectors and wire routing

- **Interface table**: variable types shown alongside the network

- Read-only: no accidental modifications



![LAD Viewer](docs/screenshots/15-lad-viewer.png)



### Create Blocks



Right-click any device in the Project Explorer and select **Create Block**.



- Block types: **FB**, **FC**, **OB**, **DB**

- Languages: **SCL**, **STL**, **LAD**, **FBD**, **GRAPH**

- SCL/STL blocks include a ready-to-use code template

- The project tree refreshes automatically



### Compile



Compile a single block or an entire device from the context menu or the Command Palette.



- Progress notification with error/warning count

- Detailed messages in the Output channel

- Compilation errors appear as diagnostics at the correct line in the editor

- Keyboard shortcut: **Ctrl+Shift+B**



### Export / Import



Full bidirectional export and import for all project data.



#### Tags

- Export tag tables as **CSV**, **XLSX**, or **XML**

- Import from **CSV** or **XLSX**



#### UDTs (User-Defined Types)

- Export/import as **XML**



#### Watch Tables

- Export/import watch and force tables



#### HMI

- Export/import individual **HMI screens**

- Bulk export: **screens + tags + connections** in one command



#### Hardware Configuration

- Export/import hardware config (**AML** format)



#### Export All

- One-click export of **tags + UDTs + watch tables** for a device



### Source Control (VCS)



Version your TIA Portal project with Git-based source control, directly in the sidebar.



1. **Export Preview** (eye icon): export the project and detect changes since the last commit

2. **Review**: click any changed file to open a read-only side-by-side diff

3. **Commit** (checkmark icon): save the current state with a message



Additional features:

- Push / Pull to remote repositories

- Branch operations: create, switch, delete, merge

- Commit log with diff viewer

- Auto-export every minute (changes appear automatically)

- Auto-refresh status every 30 seconds

- **Smart Comparison**: normalized XML diff (strips IDs, timestamps, whitespace) to detect real changes

- **Dependency Sort**: topological ordering (Kahn's algorithm) for correct import order

- **Orphan Cleanup**: detect blocks deleted in TIA Portal but still in source control

- License check (lock icon if VCS is not included in your edition)



### AI Integration



Three complementary AI features for PLC development:



#### @tia Chat Participant (GitHub Copilot Chat)



Type `@tia` in GitHub Copilot Chat to interact with your TIA Portal project using natural language.



- **30 Language Model Tools**: project overview, block management, compilation, tags, UDTs, cross-references, PLCSim, VCS, pipelines, hardware

- **Agentic loop**: the AI can chain multiple tool calls (up to 10 rounds) to complete complex tasks

- **License check**: verifies AI license before consuming tokens



#### T-IA Connect Copilot (Sidebar)



Dedicated AI assistant in the secondary sidebar, independent of GitHub Copilot.



- Connected to the T-IA Connect server's multi-provider LLM (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Mistral, Ollama)

- Chat history, clickable block links, auto-refresh after AI actions

- Connection-aware: shows sign-in or offline state when not connected

- Localized in French



![Copilot Summary](docs/screenshots/25-copilot-summary.png)



#### MCP Server (100+ Tools)



The T-IA Connect server exposes a **Model Context Protocol** server with 100+ tools. The extension auto-generates `.vscode/mcp.json` so GitHub Copilot Chat can use all MCP tools automatically.



Compatible with: **Claude Desktop**, **Claude Code**, **Cursor**, **Windsurf**, and any MCP client.



### PLC Tests



Run PLC tests against PLCSim Advanced from the sidebar.



- Automatic license and PLCSim availability checks

- Run individual tests or the entire suite

- Detailed results: pass/fail badges, step cards, assertions table with expected vs actual values

- Duration and timestamps



### Cross-References



View cross-references for any block type (SCL, STL, LAD, FBD, GRAPH).



- Source and target references with type badges

- Read/Write access indicators

- Dedicated webview panel alongside the editor



### Pipelines (CI/CD)



Define and run CI/CD pipelines for your TIA Portal projects.



- List, run, and monitor pipelines

- Create from built-in templates

- Execution history with step-level details



### Workspace Scaffolding



Initialize a TIA-ready workspace with one command:



- `.gitignore` with TIA Portal patterns (*.ap*, *.zap*, .tia-temp/)

- `.github/copilot-instructions.md` for GitHub Copilot context

- `CLAUDE.md` for Claude Code context



---



## Authentication



The extension uses two independent layers:



| Layer | Purpose | How it works |

|-------|---------|--------------|

| **T-IA Connect Account** | Identifies you, checks your license | Sign in via browser: token stored securely in your OS keyring |

| **Server API Key** | Authenticates REST calls to the local server | Auto-configured from the local server (no manual copy-paste) |



On first launch:

1. Click **Sign In** in the sidebar → your browser opens the login page

2. After login, the extension picks up your session automatically

3. The API key is retrieved from the local server in the background



> Your credentials are stored in the OS credential manager (Windows Credential Manager / macOS Keychain / Linux Secret Service). They are never stored in plain text.



---



## Opening Projects



Use **T-IA Connect: Switch Project** (`Ctrl+Shift+P`) to open a project.



- **Recent projects**: your project history, sorted by last access

- **Browse...**: file dialog to pick any `.ap17` to `.ap21` file

- **Archives**: `.zap17` to `.zap21` files are supported (prompts for extraction folder)

- Default browse location: `Documents/Automation`



---



## Server Management



The extension can launch and stop the T-IA Connect server for you.



| Action | Description |

|--------|-------------|

| **Launch Headless** | Runs silently in the background (no window) |

| **Launch with GUI** | Opens the full desktop application |

| **Stop Server** | Shuts down the server (from the Disconnect menu) |



The server is automatically detected if installed in the default location. You can configure a custom path in settings.



If the server starts on a non-default port (conflict in the 9000–9100 range), the extension reads the instance registry (`%APPDATA%\FeelAutomCorp\T-IA-Connect\instances.json`) and automatically offers to update the server URL: no manual reconfiguration needed.



---



## Extension Settings



| Setting | Default | Description |

|---------|---------|-------------|

| `tiaConnect.serverUrl` | `http://localhost:9000` | T-IA Connect server URL |

| `tiaConnect.apiKey` | *(auto-configured)* | API key (auto-fetched from local server) |

| `tiaConnect.autoReimportOnSave` | `true` | Reimport blocks on Ctrl+S |

| `tiaConnect.autoCompileOnReimport` | `false` | Compile after reimport |

| `tiaConnect.autoSaveInterval` | `5` | Safety auto-save (minutes, 0 = disabled) |

| `tiaConnect.excludeFromReimport` | `[]` | Block names to skip during auto-reimport |

| `tiaConnect.executablePath` | *(auto-detected)* | Path to the T-IA Connect executable |

| `tiaConnect.autoConfigureMcp` | `true` | Auto-generate MCP config for GitHub Copilot |



---



## Commands



All commands are available via **Ctrl+Shift+P**:



### Project

| Command | Description |

|---------|-------------|

| Sign In | Sign in with your T-IA Connect account |

| Create Account | Create a new account |

| Sign Out | Sign out |

| Connect to Server | Connect and authenticate |

| Disconnect from Server | Disconnect or stop the server |

| Launch Server (Headless) | Start server in background |

| Launch Server (GUI) | Start server with desktop UI |

| Switch Project | Open a different project |

| Refresh Project Tree | Reload project structure |

| Open Settings | Open extension settings |



### Blocks

| Command | Description |

|---------|-------------|

| Create Block | Create a new FB/FC/OB/DB |

| Compile Device | Compile all software on a device |

| Compile Block | Compile a single block |

| Export Block to File | Export as SimaticML XML |

| Import SCL/STL File | Import an external source file |

| Show Cross-References | View block references |



### Export / Import

| Command | Description |

|---------|-------------|

| Export All | Export tags + UDTs + watch tables for a device |

| Export HMI Screen | Export a single HMI screen |

| Export All HMI | Export screens, tags, and connections |

| Import HMI Files | Import HMI screens/tags/connections |

| Export Hardware Config | Export hardware configuration (AML) |

| Import Hardware Config | Import hardware configuration |

| Initialize Workspace | Generate .gitignore, copilot-instructions, CLAUDE.md |



### Source Control

| Command | Description |

|---------|-------------|

| Initialize VCS | Initialize source control repository |

| Export Preview | Detect changes without committing |

| Commit Changes | Export and commit |

| Push / Pull | Sync with remote |

| Branch Operations | Create, switch, delete, merge |

| Show Commit Log | View history with diffs |

| Detect Orphans | Find blocks deleted from TIA but still in VCS |



### Pipelines & Tests

| Command | Description |

|---------|-------------|

| List / Run / History | Manage CI/CD pipelines |

| Create from Template | Create pipeline from template |

| Run All PLC Tests | Run the full test suite |

| Run Test | Run a single test |



---



## Requirements



- **T-IA Connect server** v2.1.620+: [t-ia-connect.com](https://t-ia-connect.com)

- **TIA Portal** V17-V21 installed on the same machine as the server

- Network access to the server (default: `http://localhost:9000`)



## How It Works



```

VS Code Extension           T-IA Connect Server          TIA Portal

  TypeScript/REST  ──HTTP──>  C# / .NET 4.8  ──Openness──>  V17-V21

             <──SignalR──  (real-time push notifications)

```



The extension is a **lightweight REST + SignalR client**. All TIA Portal operations (Openness API calls, compilation, simulation) happen server-side. This means:



- **No TIA Portal dependency** in VS Code

- **Multi-project**: switch between projects without restarting

- **Multi-client**: VS Code, Cursor, and scripts can connect simultaneously

- **Remote-capable**: the server can run on a different machine or VM



## Compatibility



| Editor | Supported |

|--------|-----------|

| VS Code 1.85+ | Yes |

| Cursor | Yes |

| Windsurf | Yes |



## Localisation



The extension is fully translated in **French**. It displays in French when VS Code is configured with `"locale": "fr"`. English is the default.



---



## Documentation



- [Architecture](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md): Code structure, components, data flow

- [Roadmap](docs/ROADMAP.md): Development status by phase

- [Changelog](changelog.md): Version history



## License



[Elastic License 2.0](LICENSE): [FEELAUTOM](https://feelautom.com)



This software is source-available. You may use, copy, distribute, and modify it, subject to the limitations in the license. You may **not** provide it as a hosted/managed service, and you may **not** circumvent the license key functionality.



The T-IA Connect server requires a separate license: free trial available at [t-ia-connect.com](https://t-ia-connect.com).