Downloading without changing data files

Is there anyway of downloading a program to a SLC5/05, without changing the values of the data on the data files.

I have tried to use the static protection, but is still puts the values to 0 when downloading...

No but there are workarounds.

You can go online with one instance of RSLogix, and drag and drop the data files into another instance of RSLogix in order to get a snapshot of the data. You will have to do this for entire files in order for it to work.

Then download the new file. This won't capture changes that might occur to the data between the time you copy it and the time you download so it is not perfect, but better than nothing.

Another workaround would be to set up a DDE topic and use an external application like Microsoft Excel to capture the data before the download, perform the download, and then use Excel to send the captured data to the SLC.

This workaround requires more trouble to set up, but has the advantage of being more flexible allowing you to pick and choose specific elements within any file(s) to capture. It can also be much faster, depending on the locations of these captured elements and your VBA coding skills.

If you want to download a program because of code modifications, then do the code changes online. It is not as tedious as one might think. You can do copy-paste from the offline to the online project of entire rungs.
When you accept the edits, it happens instantanously, on the fly so to speak.
It is one of the advantages of AB PLCs.

edit: And, you can test and un-test on the fly. If you download a complete program, you have no way to un-goofup in a hurry.

I have had success with just copying and pasting the ladder code.

Go online with your program. Open a seperate edited version of the program. Then copy and paste the affected subroutine or main routine on top of the existing code. Be sure to remove the original code when you have finished pasteing.

This method is a little cumbersome but does not changed the data tables.

Thanks guys,

As I was guessing, there is no "simple" way of doing it, but the copy/paste online edit seems the better way of doing it.