Problems with archiving an application (Factory Talk Studio ME ver 5.0)

Hey everyone, hoping that someone out there can help me out.

I am trying to create an archive file with the application manager. Every time I try I get the same message:

Application Manager
Unable to create the archive document 'C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\...\Archives\<filename>.APA'.
Please check that the application is not open elsewhere.
[OK]

This is even after a fresh reboot, so I know that it is definitely not open anywhere. I have also tried different applications but I always get the same message.

Perhaps a process is running but I can't find it for the life of me.

Thanks in advance!

Most of my experience with RSView/FTView issues resulted in an uninstall/reinstall. My guess is that there is some crazy way of dealing with each issue, but they are probably not worth the time. I have spent a lot of time with tech support moving/deleting/modifying XML files.

Just a tip, with 5.0, you no longer have to archive apps as long as you allow the .MER to be restored (apps are setup that way by default). The .MER contains the full application.

Thanks, I had no idea they added that feature...I will just go that route.

I did try to uninstall/reinstall FTView but to no avail, perhaps I should do the same with Factorytalk and see if that works.

Darcy R said:

Application Manager
Unable to create the archive document 'C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\...\Archives\<filename>.APA'.
Please check that the application is not open elsewhere.

Click to expand...

Do you have the application open when you are trying to create the archive? If so close FT View and then run Application Manager from the start menu.

Crikey, for some reason the simple stuff often slips my mind.

The application was not open anywhere that I could see, I tried stopping Rockwell-related processes also and that does nothing.

If you are able to restore from a runtime file is there any point in using archive files anymore?

Darcy R said:

The application was not open anywhere that I could see, I tried stopping Rockwell-related processes also and that does nothing.

If you are able to restore from a runtime file is there any point in using archive files anymore?

Click to expand...

Archive files would be needed if you wanted to backup earlier versions such as 4.0

Has anyone actually been able to restore a runtime file??????

louielew said:

Has anyone actually been able to restore a runtime file??????

Click to expand...

Yes.

I have never been able to restore a runtime file.... always gives an error saying Unable to decompile the MachineAlarms.mal file

I don't have trouble restoring them.

I have had the same problem since I upgraded to FactoryTalk SE. I'm a huge fan of Rockwell but firmly believe that SE is their worst product to date.

What i do to get round this problem when archiving is create a new project and then import the finished app into the new project and archive it. Stupid but it works for me.

Other annoyances I experience on a regular basis:

Importing HMI tags from CSV always causes problems. Get errors like "exceeeded the max amount of user definded tags (5000)" Rockwell advise to delete RDMData subfolder and .cac.ctl cache files. Works fine when importing CSV's but do you want to do this everytime you need to add a new tag?

Client sometimes locks with wireframe screen.

Refuses to commiunicate with Emulator V16 about 25% of the time.

Tagsvr crashes a lot when deleting tags. Requires a complete reboot when this occurs.

Memory string tags dont update. Requires a delete of the cache files and a relaunce of SE. Sometimes I cant delete this files because it says the app is still open when its not!!! As a result of this a reboot is required.

VBA code sometimes wont fire on a docked screen.

Please note this are issues I am still experiencing that Rockwell have not been able to help me with. SE is patched and validated to Dec 2008.

I have the problem with ME and SE. Doing a reboot has always worked for me though.

Try to stop the HMI Server with the SE Service Manager. If you only close the Studio, the HMI server continues running.

Also check that RSLinx Enterprise is installed.

Just thought I would update this thread. I was just about to uninstall and reinstall everything but decided to do it after the weekend. On the following Monday I tried one more time to create an archive and all of a sudden it started working!

The only thing I can think of is that something was running in the background that I could not see. The battery to the laptop had died over the weekend so perhaps that's all that needed to be done.

Oh, and I was able to restore .mer files without issue.