Explore, edit, and compile Siemens TIA Portal projects directly from VS Code, Cursor, or Windsurf.
This extension connects to a running T-IA Connect server and provides a full development workflow for PLC programming: without leaving your editor.
View all screenshots: 28 screenshots showing the complete workflow.
- Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace
- Click the T-IA Connect icon in the Activity Bar (left sidebar)
- Sign in with your T-IA Connect account (or create one for free)
- If T-IA Connect is not installed, follow the download link in the sidebar
- Click Launch Headless or Launch with GUI to start the server
- 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.
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
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
- 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)
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
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 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
Full bidirectional export and import for all project data.
- Export tag tables as CSV, XLSX, or XML
- Import from CSV or XLSX
- Export/import as XML
- Export/import watch and force tables
- Export/import individual HMI screens
- Bulk export: screens + tags + connections in one command
- Export/import hardware config (AML format)
- One-click export of tags + UDTs + watch tables for a device
Version your TIA Portal project with Git-based source control, directly in the sidebar.
- Export Preview (eye icon): export the project and detect changes since the last commit
- Review: click any changed file to open a read-only side-by-side diff
- 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)
Three complementary AI features for PLC development:
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
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
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.
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
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
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
Initialize a TIA-ready workspace with one command:
.gitignorewith TIA Portal patterns (.ap, .zap, .tia-temp/).github/copilot-instructions.mdfor GitHub Copilot contextCLAUDE.mdfor Claude Code context
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:
- Click Sign In in the sidebar → your browser opens the login page
- After login, the extension picks up your session automatically
- 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.
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
.ap17to.ap21file - Archives:
.zap17to.zap21files are supported (prompts for extraction folder) - Default browse location:
Documents/Automation
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.
| 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 |
All commands are available via Ctrl+Shift+P:
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
- T-IA Connect server v2.1.620+: 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)
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
| Editor | Supported |
|---|---|
| VS Code 1.85+ | Yes |
| Cursor | Yes |
| Windsurf | Yes |
The extension is fully translated in French. It displays in French when VS Code is configured with "locale": "fr". English is the default.
- Architecture: Code structure, components, data flow
- Roadmap: Development status by phase
- Changelog: Version history
Elastic License 2.0: FEELAUTOM
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.