I'm "mouse man" and feel good enough with VisiLogic.
Too slow and I do not want to get RSI - good for factory fiddlers not system integrators like me who write software very quickly - lots of experience.
But also I'm a person, who programs with head, and not with fingers. I'm thinking few moments "How I can make it in most clever way" when I have a new topic.
I do all my planning when I design the job (drawing stage) and set the PLC up to make my life easy when programming. Once again, the design is the most important part in my view - get the design wrong and you are dead.
By the time it comes to programming I already know what I have to do.
The first step is to set up my sections in the software - eg: Shutdown alarms, Critical Alarms, Non Critical Alarms, Alarm Handling, Communications, Calculations, BMS Interface, Control Programme etcetera.
I then type in all my symbols and start writing software.
With all the above consideration and preparation I can write software very quickly - it just flows. There is then some examination and revision after the initial software is written - usually a day or two later (sleep on it first).
It is the same when I am commissioning - I just zip in and out of sections and commission parts of the software at a time - never all together.
When you get used to working that way it becomes intuative and if you have done your preparation properly it is really very easy. You have to know your programme well and work through it methodically.
I am quite often working with up to 20 PLCs, all networked with lots of global I/O, and have all programs open at once, moving between each program constantly to make sure everything works as intended.
If your 'head is up to it', it is not that difficult.
Automated power stations are interest6ing, particularly if the power station is 'live' and you can shut it down with a simple finger slip. Been there too.
I would only use the painful software for very simple jobs. It will suit my purpose for this job as once done will be repeated with minor adjustments for each application. I would never use it for most of my work as it would take too long to get the job done.
I work for myself and the quicker I get the job programmed and commissioned the quicker I am on to the next job and the more money I make. If I allow, say, 4 weeks for programming and commissioning and I complete the job in 2 weeks I make a lot more money. If that scenario happens regularly, the amount of money I have to buy good red wine is accumulative.
I very rarely have a call back to a job where I have not done something correctly or have made a mistake due to my diligence when writing and commissioning software. Cannot think of an occasion in the last 4-5 years to be honest - proper, thought out and documented commissioning is absolutely essential.
My original enquiry was regarding the reliability or the hardware and I was also interested to find out if there have been any bugs found in the firmware. Service is also of prime concern. I did look at the software and knew I would dislike it straight away - that opinion has not changed at all - dislike it more than ever.