PanelView Plus 400

Hello, I have a Panelview plus 400 that I have having trouble getting the program from. I install the USB device however, I have no way to start any sort of an upload. When I try to get to system info it won't allow it. I don't know if this thing is password protected or not. I try to logon however, this is a used unit, purchased some time ago and no one knows username or password. How am I able to tell if I can't go to the systems page to acquire E-net address because of logon? I have tried connecting via E-net to the laptop and DF-1, and am getting no where fast. I posted on this not to long ago and I am still wrestling with this thing, just to get the project that's loaded into it.
Thank you.

How are you trying to go to system info? From a button on the running application? That could require a password if it's programmed into the application.

Have you tried restarting to get into the configuration menu?

2. On touch screen terminals, press the white box. On keypad terminals, press the F1 key. The terminal enters Configuration Mode.

Reading the manual, the USB appears to be only for a USB mouse or keyboard.
Can you ping the panelview? Do you know the IP address? Is the Ethernet connection through a switch?

The serial appears to be configurable to DF-1 or DH485 so you would need to utilize one of those protocols to connect as well as using the required interface to connect. I am unsure about those exactly.

danatomega said:

Reading the manual, the USB appears to be only for a USB mouse or keyboard.
Can you ping the panelview? Do you know the IP address? Is the Ethernet connection through a switch?

The serial appears to be configurable to DF-1 or DH485 so you would need to utilize one of those protocols to connect as well as using the required interface to connect. I am unsure about those exactly.

Click to expand...

After a few colorful words I finally was able to open my .mer files, and there were 4 of them. I am having trouble getting them to open in FTView-Studio though. I tried to post the file here on the forum but it says "invalid file".

You have to zip files to post them here. Forum rule.

The .mer file is the runtime file, and you can only "open" it on a HMI. To open it using FTView, you have to use the application manager to restore the runtime file back into your FTView Studio database.

I'm assuming you just want to be able to get to the configuration screen or write a new project into the unit? Here's how I'd do it:

- Find the IP address. There are a few ways to do this: you could try using wireshark if you're familiar with that, or else all PVP's have at least one method of getting into the configuration screen, where it will show you the address in the bottom left corner. The most common method is in post 2 above; try that and if that doesn't get you in, post back and we can suggest more
- Once you have the IP, set your laptop's IP to a similar one (i.e. if your HMI is 192.168.1.10, set your PC to 192.168.1.11) and plug your laptop into the HMI, either directly or via a switch
- From there, you can use the ME transfer utility to upload any runtime files in the HMI (if you want to). Or if you don't need them you can delete them directly on the HMI by going to Terminal Settings>File Management
- Once you have your new runtime file you want to put onto the HMI, use the ME transfer utility to download it to the PVP.
- With the HMI still in configuration mode, load (but don't run) the application
- Go to terminal settings>startup options and set the PVP to run the application automatically at startup (if you desire)

ASF said:

I'm assuming you just want to be able to get to the configuration screen or write a new project into the unit? Here's how I'd do it:

Click to expand...

No Sir, I am trying to upload a project already running in the PVP400. I am not familiar with the s-ware so I need to do some studying today. Part of it is I just wanted to have a copy of what is in the HMI. Part 2 is, the area manager wants some changes made to the GUI. It is one of those projects that gets dropped in my lap and told to get completed like yesterday.

I went online yesterday using Ethernet connection. That alone was quite an adventure. The only way I was able to upload anything was going through FTView-Studio. I uploaded the .mer 's because it was all I saw. I uploaded them one at a time. I am now searching for some sort of training for the application software.

As ASF stated, the .mer file is a Machine Edition Runtime file and you need to use the Rockwell Application Manager (available from the FTView menu - Tools / Application Manager) and Restore the file (xyz.MER) which will then be openable by FTView.

If you have four .mer files, I think the only way to determine which one is being used on the PanelView is to actually get to the configuration menu (via process in post #2) and find the setting for which .mer is run on startup.