Wonderware Multiple Instances?

Hello,

I have a fairly small Intouch 10.1 system set up in a server/client relationship; the application server feeds two HMIs, each with two monitors. We require four independent HMI screens up to monitor our process (power plant). All machines are running Windows 7 Pro.

The original developer set the system up with two PCs running the four monitors. He duplicated each and every graphic, one with one set of coordinates (left) and the other with another set of coordinates (right).

What this means is that every time we want to make a graphics change, we have to duplicate it more or less exactly on the duplicate graphic so it can be shown in any position on the four monitors. As you can imagine, this is a pain.

I must be missing something in my Intouch education, but I don;t see an easier way around this -- not without adding two new PCs, anyway. I played around with virtual machines some today, and that seems nearly as cumbersome.

Any way to get two or more instances of Windowviewer running on one machine? Or some other solution? Or should I just add two more PCs?

Thanks!

Interesting setup you've got going on! I'm not InTouch expert, really just started using it on a regular basis during the past year and a half, but from what you describe I can't think of an easier solution. Maybe some complex scripting to dynamically change screen locations pending you can determine which screen the command came from...but that's a far out thought from this inexperienced InTouch developer.

If it were me, I'd go the virtualization route...pending the power of your existing PCs. You can run multiple instances of VMWare Player, so two instances per computer and you would be set. Granted, Windows 7 Pro grants you the use of a single XP Mode virtual instance, but still would require a second OS license for the second virtual machine. Unless you run one InTouch instance on the Windows 7 Host, and the second on the XP virtual, but that seems sloppy.

Don't forget that you would still require additional InTouch runtime licenses for the additional two instances (virtual or physical machines).

I am personally sold on Virtual Machines, and I push the concept to my customers as well. With a virtual machine you can replace any computer that breaks down in very little time as long has you have it backed up somewhere. Less than 30 min to replace if you need to. Whereas a new pc and installing all software and config...could be a half of a day or longer to get back up and running.

I'd be interested to here more thoughts about this.

I've done it with scripting. Any object that pops up anything has an action script that passes the window name to be displayed along with the $ObjHor and $ObjVer of the where the object was touched and then calls a quick function. The quick function is just some If Thens that determine if object was touched here display window/object here, if touched there show window/object there.

Clear as mud?

I haven't actually tried using multiple monitor support yet, but did read a technote on the WW knowledge-base about it. I'm not sure if this helps at all (not really sure what your screens look like and how screen 1 and 2 are related), but have a look - Technote Attached.

Look at the new version of InTouch. There is such a feature for you that would allow this.

So, what I've decided after weighing the options (thanks to all of you) is that the original system architect's solution of duplicating screens so they show on the correct monitor really isn't that awful -- I just needed a more efficient procedure for introducing graphics changes consistently. Within the confines of the Intouch system (and our reticence to add hardware), it's not a bad solution.

Thanks again...

We target all our Wonderware loading off a server. You could make one of your PCs a server, and load from there. I've done the multiloading myself, with a small system it's not bad.

I also had an installation with a rarely used PC. I made that the main wonderware PC, and used the other one as a "View" pc. You can download over the network with that, too. I like the server approach better.

Hello....
Can u please provide me the Link to download full version SCADA Software "Wonderware Intouch" to work on Window 7.....

Intouch is not free software - you need to contact your nearest Wonderware agent and purchase a licence. Should be a distributor listing on their website.

micky said:

I've done it with scripting. Any object that pops up anything has an action script that passes the window name to be displayed along with the $ObjHor and $ObjVer of the where the object was touched and then calls a quick function. The quick function is just some If Thens that determine if object was touched here display window/object here, if touched there show window/object there.

Clear as mud?

Click to expand...

Will you share more details?

we have the same setup.
2 pc's 4 - 48" monitors
each pc has 2 virtual machines that startup when the main pc starts.
each virtual machine has the same copy of wonderware, so make the modifications on one version and copy to the others.
each virtual machine has a wonderware license.
james

i forgot to add, you can only run 1 instance of Wonderware per pc.
james