PanelView Plus

Hey guys, I used to know the answer to this, but I can't remember. I did search, but couldn't find it easily.

1) At what point did AB add the ability to create the .APA from the .MER? I think it's V5.0, but I'm not sure.

2) Does just the major revision (4, 5, 6) have to match on a .MER file in order for it to be able to run on a PV?

Reason I ask #2 is...I just came from work. I got called back in b/c a PVP went out. (It was actually running, but the screen was not responding in some spots, like an operator hit it or something). So, we pulled the .MER file out of it and saved on the PC. This PVP (the bad one) was running V5.1 firmware. The only replacement PV we had was running V5.0. I thought I was going to have to flash the new screen up to V5.1, but I tried downloading the .MER anyways and it worked fine. A V5.1 MER file in a V5.0 PVP. I didn't think that was possible, but I just saw it with my own 2 eyes. What's the deal?

Any ideas guys? I know someone has seen this before...

shoelesscraig said:

Hey guys, I used to know the answer to this, but I can't remember. I did search, but couldn't find it easily.

1) At what point did AB add the ability to create the .APA from the .MER? I think it's V5.0, but I'm not sure.

Click to expand...

Never. This seems to be a running thread of the day. Geospark just replied to another similar post in great detail. "Great" as in a lot of detail, and "great" as in very well done. Look at post #4 in particular

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=90205

shoelesscraig said:

2) Does just the major revision (4, 5, 6) have to match on a .MER file in order for it to be able to run on a PV?

Click to expand...

The PanelView must be the same revision or newer than the .MER. A version 5.1 MER can run on a firmware version 6 PanelView. I suspect the MER in your failed PanelView was probably running a 5.0 or older MER file.

As for converting a MER to an MED file, I believe version 5.1 added that capability for Windows 32-bit systems and version 6.1 added it for 64-bit systems.

OG

Ok, so you're saying that even if the original PV was 5.1, it COULD have been running a 5.0 runtime file without me knowing it?

And on a side note, how far back can this work? Could I run a 4.x runtime file on a 5.x PV? Or a 6.x PV? Just curious...

Thanks!

I'm not sure if it goes back to the original revisions. I believe version 4 implemented an operating system change so that might be a line in the sand. But yes, you should be able to run a v4 MER in a V6 terminal. Obviously you would be limited to the features and capabilities of the revision of the MER file.

OG

This thread http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=34802 explains how to convert the .MER to a .APA but it's not a direct conversion it requires a little work.

There used to be a KB document also but I think Rockwell took it down recently.

Thanks guys! I know how to do the conversion...I just couldn't remember at which point it was an option. Thanks again!

I think it started in 5.0