FactoryTalk SE over Display Limit

So...I started making some modifications to an SE project and thought I would just copy the entire display and make the changes then point everything at the new display. I did not take note of how many displays there currently were in the project. SE did not complain a bit until after I saved and tried to reopen the project. Now I get "HMI server refused to load project..." error as there are now more displays than the product is licensed for.

My question is, how to remove the new display since View Studio will not open the project anymore?

Three ideas...

Create a new project and import the old project files (use "add components").

Risky(license): Move your license file and restart your PC/FTView into the 7 day trial, fix the project then replace your license file. Not sure what the display limit will be there but might be worth a try.

Or call/email Rockwell and make them fix the project and patch FTView Studio. There is no way you should be able to create/copy/duplicate/import more screens than are licensed.

If your runtime license is visible to the FTAM software, it will limit you when editing. I had a similar issue when I imported a RSView32 project I thought had only about 7 displays plus one or two pop-ups.

I ordered FT Studio and a runtime license for 25 displays. After finagling the import process and getting it all set up and imported, I discovered the same issue you had. I could not even look at it. So, I contacted our automation support specialist and he suggested "hiding" the runtime license file. Since both the studio license and the runtime license were in the same text file, I made a copy first and just stuck it in the "My Documents" folder, then edited original license txt file (in the FTAM license search path) removing the portion related to the runtime license.

Afterward I was able to open, backup and edit the application. I could even run the application. I believe that the studio license includes runtime capability with some time limitations, but don't hold me to that. The original project, it turned out, actually had 37 display pages but most of them were left overs or otherwise abandoned. I did not want to buy RSView32 Works just to perform the import, and did not know enough about RSView32 to be able to properly count them in the original project format.

Once I had the new stuff added and everything whittled down to the required 23 displays, with FTView shut down, I deleted my edited license file and moved the original one back to the license folder in the FTAM path and all works as it should.

Rockwelled again

Ok after 3 hrs on the phone with techconnect, I now have 2 of 6 working clients with no idea why the other 4 are not working. 1st order of business tomorrow will be to contact Rockwell and try again. I will also try to write out what happened with this since I got "That should not be possible" from the Rockwell tech several times.

Don't you have a backup of the project that is before you made these changes? Go back to that now that you know

Why would you copy a display make changes then point everything to the new display? Sound like a lot of work for nothing. Why not just make your changes to the existing display?

In case you have to change your license to have more displays I will throw this out there. The license is not additive meaning if you have a 25 display license you can add another 25 and have 50. You would just have to buy another license for 50 and use the 25 on another project because last I checked there was no upgrade SKU either.

I was able to open, backup and edit the application. I could even run the application. I believe that the studio license includes runtime capability with some time limitations, but don't hold me to that. The original project, it turned out, actually had 37 display pages but most of them were left overs or otherwise abandoned. I did not want to buy RSView32 Works just to perform the import, and did not know enough about RSView32 to be able to properly count them in the original project format.

I should have listened to arlenjacobs and OkiePC yesterday and it would have been a much easier time. Right off the bat the Rockwell tech helped me into breaking what I did have. We spent most of that time attempting to get Studio working again. The tech was obviously grasping for straws and I should have stopped there.

The easy fix from a very nice UK Rockwell Tech: Cut and paste license file out of directory and reboot. Open Studio in grace mode which according to him has a 1000 screen limit. Fix the issue in studio, cut and paste the license file back into directory, and reboot.

The reason I did not use the backup and had a hard time: The vendor took an existing project and modified it for use in this application. They did not do any cleanup and there were more than 500 screens in the backup which were still in the \GFX folder but not actually in the working project until I attempted to restore at which point they were put back in the project it seems. This is a point I will remember for a long time as it caused me quite a bit of heart ache.
After the mess I ended up with yesterday I did have to delete the old HMI server and import a backup. However, I had to go through and remove all the displays that were not being used.

To PBuchanan: Thanks for the note on licensing. On the display copy: Any time I am making large changes to a display in SE that I will either not be able to finish and test in one sitting or that may interfere with production, I generally copy the display I am going to modify so that I can change a few pointers to that screen and I can switch back to the old screen very easily on the fly. I'm not sure if this is a waste or not but is just something I picked up and started doing. Once I'm sure it's tested and working the way I intend I will delete the old screen.

Thanks everyone, for your help.

I ordered FT Studio and a runtime license for 25 displays. After finagling the import process and getting it all set up and imported, I discovered the same issue you had. I could not even look at it.

Sera que alguem pode me ajudar de como eu posso resolver esta situacao? Se tem algum lugar que eu va e delete algumas telas para entrar no limite de 250 telas novamente?

The HMI project contains more displays than the server is licensed for (Display limit=250)