Old MER prior to ver 5

Hello
I have an older panelview plus and as I was backing up programs throughout the plant, I ran across this situation:

"This runtime application file was saved in an older format that does not support conversion to a development application"

I looked at the help file in FTVME and this is the only information I could find:

"Tips:
This operation cannot be applied to run-time files created with versions of FactoryTalk View Machine Edition prior to 5.00." Pertaining to restoring a runtime application using the Application Manager tool.

I would like to know what options I have if annd when this older Panelview + fails?

Thanks

Load the .MER into the replacement unit. You can use Ethernet, USB or a CompactFlash card. That is the purpose of the .MER file.

OG

Operaghost said:

Load the .MER into the replacement unit. You can use Ethernet, USB or a CompactFlash card. That is the purpose of the .MER file.

OG

Click to expand...

This also means you cannot do anymore updates with this MER file. There are posts on this forum to work with old MER files, but it is not 100% reliable.

Thanks for the info!

so... If I ever need to edit this mer, Or I should say med, I will need an old version of FTV, or is that out of the question also?

Worst case scenario, I would have to create a new project. Ill try to find the other posts about this issue.

Thanks Again for your help!

The MER file will not run if the new PvP is of a different version to the MER file.

A ver 4 MER file will not run on a PvP ver 5
A ver 5 MER file will not run on a PvP ver 4

Alan

You can create a new project from the older *.mer file using the method detailed in the attached file. I have done this before a few years ago on 4 screens and it worked. The only things that weren't fully restored were the alarms and security login details. The alarms were't fully restored but I was able to recover them by opening a file called Alarms.mal (I think that was the name) in Notepad. This file contained a lot of garbled text when displayed in Notepad but each alarm message was there with full text and in the correct order and so I just copied and pasted them one by one into my new alarm settings.

Just a follow up:
> Beethoven.... I was able to use your instructions and get to the point where I can open the med file, however it has fatal errors that will not allow the application to be saved as a mer file.
The good side is that all the graphics are there with thier tag "connections".
Long story short, I now have enough information to re create this project in a later version of FTVSME when needed in the future.

Thanks to all for your help and insight!

alan_505 said:

The MER file will not run if the new PvP is of a different version to the MER file.

Click to expand...

Unless it is a PVP6. From Tech Note 116376, "all .MER runtime files back to V 3.20 will run on a PanelView Plus V6 directly. However, if you have utilised ActiveX controls in your application then you will need to create the runtime project on FactoryTalk View Studio V6 in order to recompile to Windows OS Embedded CE 6.0 from 4.1"

Just FYI.

James

Thanks James for that info, I learned another new thing today.

Alan