The first consideration would be the prominent type of units in your plant. The second would be the major type on new units which will be installed. Third would be that the Panelview Standard units are becoming obsolete, but many are still in use. Factorytalk may be the most useful for future needs. You can learn Panelbuilder fairly well just from manuals.
If I learn Panelbuilder is it similiar enough as far as the tag and object linking platform to figure out factory talk? Are they all the same except more or less bells and whistles?
While learning Panelbuilder then learning Factirytalk (both from manuals only) was the order I followed I would think that learning Factorytalk from classes would give you a broader education. After that understanding the simpler platform of the Panelview Standard displays using Panelbuilder would be easier.
You appear to have the very general concepts of defining a communication link then defining tags to specific registers using that link then creating objects which display or modify that information. Everything else is platform specifics.
If I learn Panelbuilder is it similiar enough as far as the tag and object linking platform to figure out factory talk? Are they all the same except more or less bells and whistles?
I agree with Bernie. You can learn Panelbuilder by poking around in existing applications and if you have specific questions, come back here with them No need in spending time and money on class.
FTView Studio is drastically different and worthy of at least a two day seminar to get you rolling if you want to develop from scratch. If you learn FTView first, then PB32 will be a breeze (and a relief!). FTView is beautiful and powerful and along with that is a little bit slow and (last I checked) still has a fair share of quirks you may have to deal with.