RSLogix 5000 version compatability

Ok, another hair-brained question...

With Logix 5000, how does the version number thing work. Obviously there are some versions newer than others, but as far as reading/writing programs goes? I have a few machines that were created 2-3 years ago and have Logix 5000 programs in them. If my company goes through with ordering the newest version of Logix 5000 in the next few weeks, am I going to be able to modify these older processors with the new version of the software? I've heard that the Logix 5000 platform depends a lot on the version number. We have a lot of machines, some 2-3 years old and some brand new that use Compact/Control Logix, so I just wanna be sure.

With the maintenance contract you can download old versions.

The Logix5K development major version number must match the processor firmware major version number. You cannot open older versions with a newer development.

Starting with version 10 you can have multiple development versions resident concurrently. For example, I have all versions from 12 - 17 loaded on my machine. Logix5K will open the correct development version automatically based on the version of the processor or file you are opening.

It's been a while since I installed off of disk but the Logix5K install disks used to contain all versions from the current back to V10 and you could install them all if you so chose.

Keith

Agreed- install all the available rev's in your Logix5k CD's and you will be fine.

The version of which you speak is really the CPU's firmware revision. As was posted above me, when you install Logix5k onto your machine, you can install any of the Firmware rev's from 10 to 17 (18 is due out later this year?) on your computer. This makes the Logix5k software capable of *writing* to a CPU flashed with the firmware number in question. IIRC, you can open/view any program with logix5k, its just that you can't always make changes w/o updating the firmware first.

example - if you only install version 17 onto your computer, and connect to a CPU that was programmed with rev 16, it'll download and let you save it locally, but you wont be able to make changes or re-upload the program to the CPU.
I think that if you try to upload the program it will prompt you to update the firmware before uploading the program. Most people dont like to change firmware revisions if the program runs fine, so we take care not to open a program without its rev. installed in logix 5k.

So you just wanna install every firmware rev that *might* be in your plant, and call it a day. as it says, they are free and should be on your logix5k install disks (I seem to remember a column of checkboxes during the software installation)
2 or 3 year old machines should be around revisions 14 or 16, so dont worry about revisions below 10. The machine builder/integrator/documentation should be able to tell you...or you can just go online and look at the properties of the CPU.

All things considered, its *probably* safe to change firmware revisions to an existing program and re-upload. I wouldnt want to take the chance. All NIB (new in box) Logix CPU's are shipped flashed to firmware rev 1, so you will probably have to update firmware at some point...

Corrections welcome - everyone with an AB product learns something new every day =)

-John

Here come the corrections...

NO, you cannot go online with a Contrologix processor with a different major revison number. Your RSLogix5000 software and the processor firmware must match at the major rev level to suceed.

You can't even open an offline copy of the file without converting it.

Basically, kamenges had it right.

Ok, so basically if I install all versions available (10+) then I will be able to write and program anything I have in my plant since all of our stuff is like 2 or 3 years old or newer (assuming 2 or 3 years means newer than version 10). Did I get this right?

shoelesscraig said:

Ok, so basically if I install all versions available (10+) then I will be able to write and program anything I have in my plant since all of our stuff is like 2 or 3 years old or newer (assuming 2 or 3 years means newer than version 10). Did I get this right?

Click to expand...

That is correct. Then when you have time (downtime) you can flash the processors up to the latest firmware and modify your offline logix5000 program to match the firmware you just updated in the processor. Then you can enjoy all the new capabilities of Rockwell's latest and greatest!

V17 does have some nice features. PowerFlex Drive parameter storage (only heard about so far, haven't tried). Search is way better in later versions as well.

the "just-load-it-all" game plan that's been recommended is a good one ...

but ...

just a word of warning ... it would be a good idea to check your computer's hard disk to make sure you've got enough room for all of those versions ... many "shop floor" laptops don't have the storage capacity that you're talking about ... in reality, you just might have to take an "existing" inventory and then pick and choose what versions you load ... (or upgrade the hard disk first, of course) ...

and before you decide to "make everything match" you need to check to make sure that all of your "older" processors can be flashed upwards to match the newer ones ... example: the old L1 processors can only go as high as version 13 ... etc. ...

Thanks guys...I'm always learning something here...