Machine Edition 4.0 / VersaMax CPU101 Comm

ThanatosCV66

Member
Join Date
Sep 2003
Location
Milwaukee, WI
Posts
4
Trouble, stuck using 30 day trial licenese while bringing a newly installed VersaMax CPU101 (retro-fit) online. Can connect, modify, and achieve EVERYTHING I need to do via RS-232, until I reboot the laptop. Once I do that, no more talky to the PLC. The laptop will Trans, but PLC won't acknowledge.

Contacted GE support on this item, they were baffled (although I am not too sure they understood I was on a 30 day trial until my license arrives at my site). Really troubled by this, FOUND that you CAN re-establish comm by pulling the power supply briefly and faulting the PLC.

FYI, serial comm test software won't see the port after rebooting either. Have used USB to serial on XP-Pro, serial port on a Win2k, and serial port on Win98 (wouldn't comm at all).

Any thoughts?
 
Why are you rebooting your laptop? Are you talking about going home for the night and then coming back the next day and the thing won't connect?
 
That and if/when the laptop goes into hibernate. It has even happened after having been online with the cpu for an hour or so, then going offline, I get denied trying to come back online.
 
Well can't say I have ever heard of this one. I've only use ME a little bit and only to experiment with. I have two suggestions for you.

One is to check that your communication settings aren't somehow getting changed when the laptop is reboot or brought out of hibernation.

The second is to post the problem on GE's message board if you haven't already. There a lot of guys on there that use ME. If you have never been there here is the link.
 
Thanks Glaverty. I have checked settings each time, as well as used GE's SerialCommTest software (which checks EVERY setting possible) and it ran in loops (indicates non-comm). Ran through everything imaginable with GE Support, and they are baffled as well.

Gave GE Support a copy of project and list of conditions I have run into, they couldn't repeat the situation, although they used 4.0 SP1 Authorized, and I am using 4.0 SP1 30-day trial.

I believe the key is the 30-day trial situation.

Will post this as you suggest, hopefully they can come up with a solution.
 
The 30-day trial is a new one to me. Is it something new with that version? I have version 3.0 on a CD and I can install it with a 4-day trial without having to use any authorization code. It communicates fine with the PLC (although I suspect it messed up communications when using VersaPro). When the four day period runs out, I have to uninstall CME then reinstall it to be able to communicate with unregistered targets.
 
Steve,

You bring up a good point. Don't you register your license on the internet or over the phone? You put in your site code, something like AF02-G344 or something and it spits out another number which license the product. Are you waiting for a site license so you can run a whole bunch of copies of ME?
 
Oddly, I received a letter with my software. The letter reads that this is a 30 day trial ("Due to time constraints, this serial number is being issued to facilitate an emergency 'machine shutdown' situation. The actual software package will arrive at a later date.").

I was told by my supplier that the actual serial number will arrive with the actual software package (Cimplicity Machine Edition, PLCLogic Developer Standard Edition).

The site code was produced and I called the 1-800-647-4196 and was given my 32 character activation and was reminded it was only a 30 day trial activation.

I have NO doubts that the this 30 day trial software is the source of all my troubles, and that it is writing something into the PLC to tell it to ignore comm attempts (due to what we HAVE to do to get comm back).
 

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