Legacy Control View and DOS 5.0

JToman

Member
J
Join Date
Jan 2009
Location
USA
Posts
9
I have numerous systems using Allen Bradley Control View and DOS. Until recently I was still able to purchase DOS based machines from B&R Automation. Now I don't know of any company that still sells DOS based PC's. I thought about running DOS and Control View under VMWare, but there is no way to communicate via a KT card when you do that.
Does anyone have a solution for these legacy systems?
Thanks
 
I know you don't want to hear it, but it's really, really, really beyond time to upgrade...

Boxes that still use the KT card are becoming harder and harder to find. And when you do find them, they're likely repaired, so you don't know how long they're gonna last. Honestly, with that old hardware, you're literally one lightning strike from having your production go down for a LONG time.
 
I would upgrade as fast as you can. RSView32 has a tool to convert CV 4.0 systems. At least RSView32 would run on a modern XP system. I haven't used CV since the 90s.
 
The 1770-KF2 was the DH+/RS232 converter box.

While this has been out of production for 10+ years, there are still equivalent devices from DataLink/EquusTek being built and sold.

I'm pretty sure ControlView had a serial driver as well as a direct KT driver. That would let you run it in VMWare or DOSBOX effectively.
 
Ken,
I checked the VMWare Workstation 3.2 spec and it does support serial com port comms.
I also found this product:
http://www.factorycomm.com/cif50rioe.html
Apparently this KT card equivalent will communicate via serial com port data and resides in a PCI express bus. Do you think that this will work?
Thanks
 
Welll.... every PC can still be 'DOS based'. It's only an operating system, and even my newest build will fire up DOS (and from a USB memory stick at that). Of course, there aren't legacy slots for hardware. I'm tempted to think that even the lonely PCI slot would run too fast for older interface cards.

Really, it is time to bite the bullet, and start migrating to some newer software at your leisure, rather then when the problem goes critical.
 
The KT is an ISA card. ControlView has drivers specifically for this card. I would be very skeptical that those drivers will recognize this 3rd party hardware through an interface that didn't exist at the time.

I think you are solving the wrong problem by going this route. I would look into converting to a more modern software platform.

I was working on a job last year where a customer finally upgraded their Advisor PC (before ControlView) system much like you because they couldn't keep a 286 computer running any longer.

OG
 
Operaghost said:
The KT is an ISA card. ControlView has drivers specifically for this card. I would be very skeptical that those drivers will recognize this 3rd party hardware through an interface that didn't exist at the time.

I think you are solving the wrong problem by going this route. I would look into converting to a more modern software platform.

I was working on a job last year where a customer finally upgraded their Advisor PC (before ControlView) system much like you because they couldn't keep a 286 computer running any longer.

OG
Click to expand...

Advisor PC! I knew (as of a few years ago) people still using this on a AB T35 terminal! Advisor PC was obsolete in 1991! Wow! Yes, I think the best coure of action (unless it's an emergency to get the plant back up) is to plan on replacing CV. The converter in RSView32 does a good job on converting it. Do it now before it becomes an emergency.
 
rdrast,
I looked around and it seems that http://www.hpaa.com/moslo
might do the job to slow down the new PC. I think I will give it a shot with no VMWare and with the Factorycomm card. As I said before this card can reside in a PCI express slot and it uses serial DF1 driver as input but it then converts it to a DH+ on the output. I just need to verify that it will support 19200 Baud on the input side.

On the subject of AB conversion software to RSView I doubt very much it would work for me as I have created quite a few screens using C. I have one application that has like 100 screens, I am sure that there would be many issues during the conversion process.
 
I'm curious how it would convert too. I only came across one application that used the C-Toolkit, and it was for something very minor. I'm just saying your delaying the inevitable.
 
Oh yes that delaying tactic. It should work for me I only have 3 more years to go. I will let you young guys deal with the legacy of the baby-boom generation.:ROFLMAO:
 

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