Pull PanelView program FROM HMI to USB Stick?

Howdy,

I've been searching around for an answer to this, and found many, many instructions on how to go the other way...

Anyway, I wan't to pull a copy of the currently installed HMI program (.mer file) from an Allen Bradley PanelView Plus onto a USB flash drive. Is this possible, or can you only download .mer files TO the HMI unit, and not copy them off?

It seems like they would make this easy to do, but I can't find a tutorial or even a yes/no answer anywhere!!

Not sure if you are talking about going directly from Panelview to USB or using a computer but i believe you can do both:

In panelview configuration you can copy application and i "believe" if you have a usb or SD card installed, you could copy to that device.

If using a computer, you can connect to the panelview, open the transfer utility and select the upload tab. From there you should be able to save to your USB connected to your computer.

I don't have a PV in front of me, but what is the catalog number of the PV? There are a ton of different ones.

In general, you just have to reverse the syntax of the script commands so that the source is first and the destination is second.

For a PV+ before v6, for example:

cd\storage card\Rockwell Software\RSView Machine Edition\Runtime\

copy RuntimeFileName.mer \"USB Storage"\RuntimeFileName.mer

Click to expand...

If you are just looking to do this via the Configuration Mode menu directly on a PanelView Plus terminal...

RSView Machine Edition/FactoryTalk View Machine Edition v4.0 and higher supports two way transferring of application Runtime files, through the Configuration Mode menu, using a USB storage device.

MER files must reside in the following directory path on the root of a USB flash drive:

Pre PanelView Plus 6:

\Rockwell Software\RSView Machine Edition\Runtime

On PanelView Plus 6, or higher, the path is:

\Rockwell Software\RsViewME\Runtime

(It's strange they keep hanging onto the RSView reference?)

If the USB flash drive is successfully recognized by the terminal then you should see External Storage 1 or 2 available on the Copy Applications screen (depending on which port is used).

To copy an application file from Internal Storage to USB flash drive:

1. Insert USB flash drive into the PanelView Plus terminal.
2. Select Terminal Settings --> File Management --> Copy Files --> Copy Applications.
3. Select the Source as Internal and select the application file to transfer.
4. Select the Destination --> External Storage 1 or 2 for USB should be available --> Copy
5. When the application file is copied, select Cancel and exit out of File Management.

PanelView Plus CE and PanelView Component terminals also support the transferring of Runtime application files using USB media.

Ken Roach said:

In general, you just have to reverse the syntax of the script commands so that the source is first and the destination is second.

For a PV+ before v6, for example:

cd\storage card\Rockwell Software\RSView Machine Edition\Runtime\

copy RuntimeFileName.mer \"USB Storage"\RuntimeFileName.mer

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

In case you don't know, Ken is referring to the method of using a batch file (autorun.bat) that you create and place on the root of your USB flash drive. When you insert it the batch file executes automatically without prompt. It is normally used to automate the transfer of a new or replacement Runtime file from USB to Internal Storage. I have used it before in the normal fashion, but I have never attempted to reverse the transfer syntax, as you suggest Ken, so that was an interesting revelation.

Regards,
George