How to get comments from PLC program- GX Works 2

Is there a way to merge comment from two PLC programs in to one for GX Works 2?

I read from a PLC and got the code back with no comments, I then made my changes and saved the file.

My original file did have all the comments on but I'm always weary about overwriting a PLC program hence me doing what I mentioned above.

Any help but be appreciated.

Thanks

I'm guessing that you have the original version - with comments on a computer.
And the PLC itself has a 'different' program - original program plus changes.

I do not know if the two can be merged - I would suspect not as the programs
are no longer the same.

I assume you have documented all the changes.

What I would do, is make a copy of the original program (with comments) and store
it elsewhere. (Even burn it to a CD.) Ensure that this is labeled as the original.

Add a 'suffix' to the original -something like "myPLCprogram_orig.xxx" so that you can
readily identify the file as the original. Make a 'working copy' of it and change the name
to something like "myPLCprogram_5_feb_2019.xxx". Make all the updates and changes
to this program - adding more comments explaining what was going on. Now you have
a 'current version' with a date code on it.

Download the running program from the PLC and save it with date and some descriptive
thingie so that you know what and when and why - this is your 'what I did didn't work'
get-out-of-jail program.

Then download the updated version from the current commented program and test that
it works as advertised.

If changes are needed in the future, make a copy of the commented version, change the
date code, make changes, copy PLC program then download the new version.

Poet.

I believe you can export and import the comments file.
I don't have gx works 2 to hand but I've done it before

If you look under 'Tool' in top toolbar there is a selection called 'merge data' I think thats what you are looking for, though I've not used it personally.


Steve

You can export comment data as a csv then edit it manually in Excel or LibreOffice Calc, or your text editor of choice, before reimporting.

First of all, did you create a new project or use the one that is commented ?.
I'm assuming here the original was in ladder, if it is not & done in FBD as a works project then unless the symbolic information has been downloaded to the PLC it cannot be done.
The suggestions are make a copy of the original file on disk use that to upload the code from the PLC & it should be ok, however, if the file does not match the code in the PLC the comments would be shifted.
You could try the merge or copy & paste.
EDIT: there is also a problem if the original file was done in GXDeveloper, the way the comments work when a GXDEV program is imported to GXWorks there are two types of comment files & symbol files but these can be synchronised.

nehpets said:

If you look under 'Tool' in top toolbar there is a selection called 'merge data' I think thats what you are looking for, though I've not used it personally.


Steve

Click to expand...

This. I do it all the time as we rarely store comments in the PLC. Comment sharing w/ GX Dev and GXWorks 2 works this way. GXW3 requires import/export.

GXWorks2 is not limited, it is an upgraded version of the original GXIEC Developer, GXWorks2 has GXDeveloper integrated as well as used as a separate IDE. GXWorks2 or 3 (for the later FX5 etc.) has FBD as well as ladder & ST.
There is a simple way to export comments & symbols just open the relevant editor, copy then open new instance of GXWorks & paste them in, there is also a way of merging the above but never tried it. There is also another function, providing the original programmer (Using structured project), downloaded the symbol table to the PLC you can upload the program & it will re-constitute it, if not it will come back in ladder without comments.