Factory Talk 64bit Question

Senario: Uploaded a V6.0 .MER from a customer PanelView. Doesn't have 32 bit windows.

Is there any way to not have 32 bit windows and upload from an old panelview??

You should be able to upload an MER file from a terminal under any OS, but you cannot restore a v6.0 or earlier MER back to MED, etc., under a 64-bit OS. Of course, that's "if" the application was created with "Convert to Development" set to "Allow"?

If so, you must restore the MER using "Application Manager" under a 32-bit OS. Why?

v6.0, or earlier, applications use the older WATCOM tag database. Since FTVStudio v6.10, the WATCOM tag database was replaced by an MSSQL Server. If FTVS is installed under a 32-bit OS, then both the WATCOM and MSSQL tag databases are installed to allow for pre and post v6.0 application support.

However, if FTVS is installed under a 64-bit OS, the WATCOM tag database is not supported, it's only supported under a 32-bit OS, and so only the MSSQL tag database is installed. Backward support is not available for legacy WATCOM applications. For this reason, any applications created with the older WATCOM tag database, cannot be restored under a 64-bit OS, as the WATCOM tag database is not present.

To restore a WATCOM based application and work on it under a 64-bit OS, you must first restore it under a 32-bit OS where FTVS is installed. You use the "Legacy Tag Database Conversion Tool" under a 32-bit OS to extract the WATCOM tag database. You then go to the 64-bit OS and run the same "Legacy Tag Database Conversion Tool" to create the new tag database within the MSSQL Server by using the extracted WATCOM tag database. This then allows the converted tag database, and its application, to be opened for editing under the 64-bit OS.

Oh the joys of it all!

Regards,
George

As dense as the thicket of that conversion has been, your summary was refreshingly concise and informative.

Thanks !

The way I do it (and in fact had to do it just yesterday) is to just restore the .mer on the 32 bit OS and then open the project in a newer* version of FTView Studio. When you open it, it will tell you it needs upgrading, click OK and let it do it's thing, then just back up the application (or create a new .mer file). The newly backed up application or .mer file can now be opened on the 64 bit OS.

*it works for me on v7, but I think it also works on v6. Not 100% sure.