FT View noob: Which Edition do I install?

[theColonel26]

I need to be able to open a customer's FT View project and make any changes if necessary.

Which one do I need???

I don't want to have to install everything including the kitchen sink if I don't need to.

 

[plvlce]

Depends on what your customer's project is (ME vs SE). You're gonna want 'Studio', but it might be either Studio for Machine Edition (for an ME project) or Studio Enterprise (for an SE project).

I only deal with ME, for which the 'Studio for...' is the development software, 'Machine Edition Station' would be for running the project on your computer, and the 'Transfer Utility' is for transferring to/from an HMI

 

[KuulKuum]

FactoryTalk View Studio version 11 has a standalone ME tool "FactoryTalk View ME Version Reader" that you could install that will tell you what version of application for files ME runtime *.mer or ME application archive *.apa

Also check this thread: http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=90986

 

[theColonel26]

Depends on what your customer's project is (ME vs SE). You're gonna want 'Studio', but it might be either Studio for Machine Edition (for an ME project) or Studio Enterprise (for an SE project).

I only deal with ME, for which the 'Studio for...' is the development software, 'Machine Edition Station' would be for running the project on your computer, and the 'Transfer Utility' is for transferring to/from an HMI

I think it is probably Enterprise so I will take a chance.

I do not have a copy of their project file. Can I pull that from their server? Their controls guys are less than helpful to say the least. They are fans of 1 sentence email replies that don't address any of my questions....

FactoryTalk View Studio version 11 has a standalone ME tool "FactoryTalk View ME Version Reader" that you could install that will tell you what version of application for files ME runtime *.mer or ME application archive *.apa

Also check this thread: http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=90986

AWWW Yeah dmroader is awesome.

 

[plvlce]

FactoryTalk View Studio version 11 has a standalone ME tool "FactoryTalk View ME Version Reader" that you could install that will tell you what version of application for files ME runtime *.mer or ME application archive *.apa

Also check this thread: http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=90986

Recent versions of the FactoryTalk View ME Application Manager (which comes packaged with Studio for ME) render this tool largely obsolete; you can now see what the version is before restoring. (Only took Rockwell how many years?)

 

[plvlce]

I think it is probably Enterprise so I will take a chance.

A little research suggests that Studio Enterprise can handle ME projects as well as SE, so you should be safe with that.

I do not have a copy of their project file. Can I pull that from their server?

For SE I have no idea.

For ME you'd like either a backup file (.apa) or a runtime file (.mer), the latter of which can be pulled from a running HMI via the transfer utility if you have access to it.

AWWW Yeah dmroader is awesome.

You won't hear me disagreeing...

 

[KuulKuum]

Recent versions of the FactoryTalk View ME Application Manager (which comes packaged with Studio for ME) render this tool largely obsolete; you can now see what the version is before restoring. (Only took Rockwell how many years?)

Your right, but the reason I posted that it can be installed as a standalone tool is that in my case I can use it on my clients PC or company host (not having to launch VM to check ME versions) without have to install FTV Studio to be able to check versions quickly.

 

[plvlce]

Your right, but the reason I posted that it can be installed as a standalone tool is that in my case I can use it on my clients PC or company host (not having to launch VM to check ME versions) without have to install FTV Studio to be able to check versions quickly.

Fair enough

 

[KuulKuum]

RA has 2 tools for restore/backup SE application... the old tool is called "HMI Server Backup and Restore" it can be a pain to work with. The new tool is called "Distributed Application Manager" a much easier interface to use. I am not sure which version of SE switched to using the new DAM tool.

 

[theColonel26]

OK it seem that "Distributed Application Manager" is now "FactoryTalk View SE Application Manager".

However I don't find the remote server on the application list.

Does this tool have to run on the server or can it run from a remote machine?

 

[Operaghost]

It can run on any machine. But your computer must be part of the FactoryTalk Network Directory (FTD) to see the application. You would have to join their FTD to run this tool from your PC. It is generally easier to do that from their machines instead of yours.

The Distributed Application Manager was an improvement over the original HMI Server Backup and Restore Tool. It allowed backup and restore of an entire SE "Network" type application, not just the HMI portion like the old tool. But it could not help with local applications. You still used the old Application Manager for those. Now with the new tool, it handles all application types with the one tool. Only took them what 15 years or so to get a functioning backup tool.

OG