File Naming Conventions in ControlLogix

Hello Gentlemen, I have recently started a new job at a manufacturer here in the Midwest and we are in the process of cleaning up the controller program files on the server, our initial plan was to implement version control by naming the files v1.00.00 and starting from there, but as you already know, ControlLogix won’t allow a period in the filename, so I was wondering, how are you guys naming files when you have to keep track of multiple versions? We were thinking that rather than re-inventing the wheel, we would ask around and get some other ideas.
Thank you
Jim

We usually use the machine followed by underscore and a three digit number for revisions. "_000, _001, _002". We only increment the number following changes to the hardware or wiring or other major changes. Small changes to the logic or data are usually just noted in the revision notes (which is something that RSLogix5000 lacks), and if necessary, recovered from the BAK files that RSLogix generates.

One way

I agree with Okie. You can replace the periods with the underscores to follow your current architecture. You can also make a tag in the RSLogix5000 named "revision notes". This can be an array of DINTS that can be used for keeping track of revisions.

Thats one way I have done it. No standard, everyone has a different method as I am sure you will find out.

gscure said:

. . . You can also make a tag in the RSLogix5000 named "revision notes".

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That is a good idea. Then the tag description can be a paragraph description of the revision.

gscure said:

You can also make a tag in the RSLogix5000 named "revision notes". This can be an array of DINTS that can be used for keeping track of revisions.

Click to expand...

I do the same thing. There is a controller scope string tag called Revision_Info.

We use the project name, then underscore, then the date as DDMMMYY.

logixjock,
It seems everyone does it differently, so take some of the ideas you see here that you like & discard the ones you don't.

I always use the underscore "_" instead of periods.
I use 3 letters for the plant area (Bottle Line #1) = BL1
3 letters for the machine name (Palletizer = PAL)
then the 6 numbers for the date of the edit (DD_MM_YY)
So, if I see file name "BL1_PAL_06_09_10" I know what machine it is for, and when it was last saved.

I have read where some people add letters onto the front of this scheme for the plant designation if an enterprise owns more than one plant and corporate wants to centralize the files on a corporate server somewhere for safe keeping.
Example: "STL_BL1_PAL_06_09_10" Would be the file for the bottle line palletizer in the St. Louis plant. You can see that the file name is starting to get a little long here.

Having a useful (similar to filename) "processor name" aids in identifying the PLC while browsing in RSLinx if there are more that 10 units on the network. The "Processor name" is what is displayed in the RSLinx RSWho window. We originally started out with a haphazard naming scheme but out grew it a few years ago.

Good luck with the new job!

BD

Instead of DD_MM_YY we use YYYY-MM-DD.
This always makes multiple files sort in order chronologically.

Project_2009-07-10
Project_2010-06-09

instead of

Project_06-09-2010
Project_07-10-2009

We use underscores to separate fields, hyphens within fields.

In the event there are multiple copies from the same day:
Project_2010-06-09_001
Project_2010-06-09_002

All, thanks for the suggestions, we settled on _REV001 for version control. Also the suggestion of using a string tag for revision notes in ControlLogix is a great idea. We are using that as well. Now I just have to figgure out ABB robots, I came from the car business and Fanuc is all I have ever seen untill now

Paul B said:

Instead of DD_MM_YY we use YYYY-MM-DD.
This always makes multiple files sort in order chronologically.

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I like that also!

But i put the daytime at the end like this: Project_2010_06_09_T_18_15

Frank

Maybe a little simplistic, but we are an OEM and I use the serial number of the machine as the file name and let the computer show the last saved date. That way I always know what machine it's for and the machine can have only one current program.

I even do this in logix 5 and 500 to simplify things. I make a word B20:0 or what ever and then i call it document bit 0-15 and use that to attach descriptions like rung titles and comments because i want it to stay with that logic. If you use rung number and someone does an online edit and adds some rungs not paying attention then your rung comments are all out of whack. This way you just use a branch under the last output on the rung and place a ote ( document ) and link the page title and rung comment to that address.

I do file rev kinda like okie pc. I do MACHINE NAME_001_001_MM_DD_YY

The first 001 is for hardware rev and only changes with hardware or wiring changes and the second is for logic changes. Prints are the Same as far as the hardware rev.

Anyone remember being limited to 8 character DOS (and CP/M!) filenames?

At the system integrator where I started, we used the five digit work order number followed by the program number, such as 94283PG3.

An auto parts plant where I did some work put a brass tag on each machine with a 6-digit number. That also became the program name, for example BT123456.

A pharmaceutical company where we provide support installed GE Proficy Manager, which maintains a revision history of each PLC program without changing the file name. Most of the file names match the equipment tag number, such as RO-0000 for a reverse osmosis skid. The revision comments are kept in the comments at the start of the main program block. For one GE 90-70 system, 17 years of revision notes now take seven comment rungs, each of which fills the screen.