FTview SE - Host Computer linking while offline?

arpus4KM · Jan 10, 2022

So i'm not much of an SE person.

I've run into the issue more than a few times where to remake an SE HMI, i'll have to import the .SED file, make a new application, add the servers all over again and then need to connect it to everything to make the shortcut links.

What ways are there to link the appropriate device shortcuts and create a client file, while not being connected to the host computer in any way? (transferring the client file via thumb drive)

Clatchet · Jan 10, 2022

In the Communication Setup window you can right-click your Ethernet driver to add a new driver. In this case it would be whatever path is communicating with the PLC rack. You can then click the dropdown of your driver and then add a new driver to the backplane, assigning the slot and name of each device. As an example of how it would look:

EtherNet
|
> 192.168.1.1, 1756-L82E
|
> Backplane
|
> 0, 1756-L82E

After this you can apply the path to the device shortcut name. The client file should be able to be set up the same as you would normally, since the project itself handles the communications.

Clatchet · Jan 10, 2022

Reading your post again and I realized you might be asking for a method that doesn't require adding drivers.

I believe you can use the RSLinx Classic Backup Restore Utility to backup the .rsx file, then restore it to the computer you want to update. I have not used this method before but I believe it works.

arpus4KM · Jan 11, 2022

Maybe i should reword the question.

If I have an FTview SE Network station, and I need to create a client file with the proper network pathing that will work on a PC that only has the FTview client activated and installed.

is it necessary to have a full or grace period version of FTview SE on the computer you want to path to the controlled PLC

so far all notes and videos I've seen on this have a 200 step process to restore and move an application and hmi server, but they are all taking it from somewhere and using FTview SE to finalize the connections.

Operaghost · Jan 11, 2022

Ok that is much clearer...

As I understand it, you simply want to create a client file so your separate client PC can access and interact with your FT View application that is running on another machine.

We aren't trying to move the application and run it from a separate computer. And we aren't trying to edit the application from the client. We just want the client to be able to access the application.

The steps below are from version 12. Version 11 introduced a new wizard that walks us through this process. If you are using Version 10 or older, the steps are a little different, but the process is the same.

Open your network application in FT View Studio.
Go to the Tools menu across the top of the screen and select Launch SE Client
Select Create a FTVS Client configuration file
Enter a name for the client file and specify the destination. When you are done, you will copy this file to the client computer
Make sure the Network Distributed option is selected
In the Connect to the application field select the application to which the client will be connecting
Make sure the proper language is selected
In the Startup components select the HMI Server they should connect to. A network type application can have multiple servers. You might just have one though.
Select the initial display the client should see when they connect
If you are using Display parameters, client keys, or startup/shutdown macros select them
There are additional Advanced options you can select. The Help describes all of the options.
When you have it set the way you want click Save. You might also select Run to test that the client works correctly from your computer
When you are satisfied that it is working properly copy the client file to the client PC.
From the client PC double-click on the client configuration file to launch it.

Rockwell has a couple videos on YouTube that walk through this. This is a more recent video using the new wizard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh6zBWAHxsY

This is an older video that follows the previous process
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVetrQRrNs0

OG

arpus4KM · Jan 11, 2022

Operaghost said:
Ok that is much clearer...

As I understand it, you simply want to create a client file so your separate client PC can access and interact with your FT View application that is running on another machine.

We aren't trying to move the application and run it from a separate computer. And we aren't trying to edit the application from the client. We just want the client to be able to access the application.

The steps below are from version 12. Version 11 introduced a new wizard that walks us through this process. If you are using Version 10 or older, the steps are a little different, but the process is the same.

Open your network application in FT View Studio.

Go to the Tools menu across the top of the screen and select Launch SE Client

Select Create a FTVS Client configuration file

Enter a name for the client file and specify the destination. When you are done, you will copy this file to the client computer

Make sure the Network Distributed option is selected

In the Connect to the application field select the application to which the client will be connecting

Make sure the proper language is selected

In the Startup components select the HMI Server they should connect to. A network type application can have multiple servers. You might just have one though.

Select the initial display the client should see when they connect

If you are using Display parameters, client keys, or startup/shutdown macros select them

There are additional Advanced options you can select. The Help describes all of the options.

When you have it set the way you want click Save. You might also select Run to test that the client works correctly from your computer

When you are satisfied that it is working properly copy the client file to the client PC.

From the client PC double-click on the client configuration file to launch it.

Rockwell has a couple videos on YouTube that walk through this. This is a more recent video using the new wizard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh6zBWAHxsY

This is an older video that follows the previous process
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVetrQRrNs0

OG

I believe I'm still not fully explaining it fully, because I don't quite understand the capabilities of SE and how the different types are set up and work. I think it's back into the manuals for some intimate reading time.

trying to run a client on the other PC that didn't create it, only brings up an error stating that it cannot find the application, so I need to move or restore it on the other PC, not just move the client file?

Operaghost · Jan 11, 2022

Ok, third time is a charm hopefully...

The other computer must have Studio to open the application and be able to make any sort of changes. Client cannot open an application or do any sort of editing. The Client software is only for users to interact with a live FT View system.

If the remote computer does indeed have Studio then you use the FactoryTalk View SE Application Manager. This tool allows you to create a backup of your Network application. You then copy that backup file to the destination computer. On that computer you run the same tool to Restore Archive. This tool was added around version 10 or so. Older versions are much more complicated to back up and move.

To avoid version compatibility issues, I would make sure that all computers running Studio are using the same version of software.

OG

arpus4KM · Jan 11, 2022

Operaghost said:
Ok, third time is a charm hopefully...

The other computer must have Studio to open the application and be able to make any sort of changes. Client cannot open an application or do any sort of editing. The Client software is only for users to interact with a live FT View system.

If the remote computer does indeed have Studio then you use the FactoryTalk View SE Application Manager. This tool allows you to create a backup of your Network application. You then copy that backup file to the destination computer. On that computer you run the same tool to Restore Archive. This tool was added around version 10 or so. Older versions are much more complicated to back up and move.

To avoid version compatibility issues, I would make sure that all computers running Studio are using the same version of software.

OG

Thanks, After looking more myself, I believe I was confusing the Client software with station software, and was assuming that Client alone would be able to run a client with nothing else running on the PC.

in this instance, the computer did not have studio, the only activation present was a license for client. but it was not hooked up to any network.

I was unable to create the connections I needed to since the project was larger than 5 screens, and after importing the HMI into the project, I had to obtain a temporary license for studio so I could complete the connections on this computer.

realistically this could have been done as a local, since it's not connecting to any network, and its all contained on one PC by itself.

FTview SE - Host Computer linking while offline?

arpus4KM

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