Uploading Factory Talk ME Runtime File From and Old HMI To A Replacement

martyqotsafan · Apr 22, 2015

Hi, I am required to upload an application from a Panelview 700 HMI which the client is worried will fail or break quite soon, and download the same application into a replacement HMI of the same model. Currently have uploaded the .mer application however when I transfer it to the replacement HMI of the same make and model, I get a blank grey screen with no sign of any screens etc. Is there a known issue with this type of procedure or is the HMI required to be connected to the PLC in order for the application to work/show screens etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

rdrast · Apr 22, 2015

Can you at least get the application manager up?
You need to tell the terminal to actually run a .MER file, it doesn't by default, and can even have multiple HMI applications installed on it.

martyqotsafan · Apr 22, 2015

Hi,
Unfortunately I have been unable to load it via the application manager. I have tried to do a restore it via the "Restore Runtime application" function and I get the error "This runtime application was saved in an older format that does not support the conversion to a development application." Thankfully I do not have to make any changes, but I would like to get it working on the new HMI before I land on site.
Oh I wasn't aware of that, thank you, and how would I go about doing so? Thank you very much for your reply.

jethridge · Apr 22, 2015

Typically, you touch one of the corners of the screen as it boots up and it will bring up the terminal menus. You can choose which applications to run, if they run automatically, if a cursor is present, etc. I don't remember which corner, but I think it was the top left or top right for the PV Plus 700's.

martyqotsafan · Apr 22, 2015

jethridge said:
Typically, you touch one of the corners of the screen as it boots up and it will bring up the terminal menus. You can choose which applications to run, if they run automatically, if a cursor is present, etc. I don't remember which corner, but I think it was the top left or top right for the PV Plus 700's.

Yes I can choose the application I wish to run and it runs the desired application however unfortunately when the application is running I just get a blank gray screen with the white button in the bottom right hand side. Perhaps it is not possible to transfer these older applications to and from HMIs with a newer version of the ME Utility Transfer? I wonder if using a USB to transfer the application would work? Thank you very much for your reply and the help!

jethridge · Apr 22, 2015

Go into the terminal settings and find 'close alarm display when newest alarm acknowledged', and select No. See what that does and let me know.

martyqotsafan · Apr 22, 2015

jethridge said:
Go into the terminal settings and find 'close alarm display when newest alarm acknowledged', and select No. See what that does and let me know.

Nothing changed I'm afraid. Upon selecting no, I loaded the application and it simply went back to the blank gray screen. I also power cycled the HMI and it automatically started the runtime which again returned the gray screen.

jethridge · Apr 22, 2015

Geez... Do you still have the old HMI you're replacing? If possible, try erasing the application on it, then reloading it and seeing if it functions on that HMI. If so, I'd say the new HMI is a bad unit.

You could try a USB transfer, but if the transfer utility sent it without issues, I don't know why the USB would make a difference. Do you have a Rockwell rep you can call? I've got nothing else for you. If you do figure out what's wrong, please post the solution in here. I'm curious why an HMI application would work on one unit and not another of the same model number, given that both are functioning properly.

EDIT: I'd say the new HMI is a bad unit given the terminal settings, power supplied and model number are all the same as the HMI being replaced

martyqotsafan · Apr 22, 2015

jethridge said:
Geez... Do you still have the old HMI you're replacing? If possible, try erasing the application on it, then reloading it and seeing if it functions on that HMI. If so, I'd say the new HMI is a bad unit.

You could try a USB transfer, but if the transfer utility sent it without issues, I don't know why the USB would make a difference. Do you have a Rockwell rep you can call? I've got nothing else for you. If you do figure out what's wrong, please post the solution in here. I'm curious why an HMI application would work on one unit and not another of the same model number, given that both are functioning properly.

EDIT: I'd say the new HMI is a bad unit given the terminal settings, power supplied and model number are all the same as the HMI being replaced

I know, frustrating! The old HMI is currently on site and in use. The clients are terrified to let us work on or do anything that may affect the process so we've only had a couple of minutes to upload the runtime application from it. Unfortunately we didn't create the PLC code or the SCADA for the project so we're only working with what we can upload from the HMI. Yes I think I may have to call him at some stage, anyway thank you very much for your help and I'll be sure to post the solution (hopefully!) once we get it working. Thanks again.

dmargineau · Apr 22, 2015

The backup .mer was created for an HMI terminal with a firmware revision older than 5.0.
The replacement terminal probably carries a different firmware revision, most likely a newer one.
On the replacement terminal, find out the current firmware level.
Runtime applications for firmware revision older than 5.0 cannot be directly restored into a development application.
If you have a valid RA TechConnect contract refer to

https://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8913

for a partial "recovery" of a pre-5.0 .mer.
Once Restored into a development application, you can then create a new .mer at the level of the replacement terminal.

Although I would not recommend it, you might be able to downgrade the replacement terminal's firmware to the level of the replaced one, thus enabling the functionality of the current .mer.
Follow up Chapter 8 of :

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/um/2711p-um001_-en-p.pdf

for the FUW (Firmware Upgrade Wizard) deployment.

arlenjacobs · Apr 22, 2015

Can you take a picture of the gray screen and post it here?
Without seeing the screen, it's tough to say what the problem is so I'll give a few guesses.

New PanelView terminals can run old MER files all the way back to 3.2. No need to change the firmware on your new terminal.
PanelView Compatibility

Maybe, the project needs communications to get past the startup screen. Some projects change screens based on the controller (remote display number). No comms = no screen changes; that might be a reason for seeing the startup grey screen.

Some effort, but I would turn on all diagnostic messages and log them to a computer. When you startup the PanelView you can check the computer event log to see what happened.
Page 75 of the PanelView Plus user manual
2711P user manual

martyqotsafan · Apr 23, 2015

Hi a screen capture of the runtime application as it is running should be attached. We connected it up to a PLC in the office and downloaded the program to it to see if it would work with the correct code and it still did not work. One of the guys is going to site tomorrow to try and get it working so I'll post the solution on here once we get it. Thanks for all the replies and help guys.

danatomega · Apr 23, 2015

As Arlen mentioned, the screens may be driven totally from the PLC, in which case you should monitor the screen number from the running system's PLC and see what it's doing.

arlenjacobs · Apr 23, 2015

ha! at first I thought the image in the post wasn't working (all gray).

With version 8, this is what it looks like when no startup screen is selected.

Looks like a different gray colour, so I bet your project is actually running.

Try looking at the diagnostics log. You can either setup the PanelView to log to a remote PC over Ethernet (which must have FTView Studio installed).

Or just try running the MER on the PC with ME Station. Then go check the Windows Event Viewer logs. You'll need to turn on all the diagnostic messages ahead of time; inside FT Studio or FT Admin console go to the Diagnostics Setup.

martyqotsafan · Apr 30, 2015

Hi,
You were indeed correct, upon connecting the HMI to the PLC and power cycling it, the application worked a charm. It was another guy I work with who was on site so I don'y know the exact details in terms of how the PLC code was operating the displays in the HMI. Thanks for all the help, it was very much appreciated!

Uploading Factory Talk ME Runtime File From and Old HMI To A Replacement

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