How to read Visual Basic HMI program?

[Archie]

No, no such DLL files. Some of the DLL files included names like "Ingear" and "DeployLX."

Unfortunately then it was not written using AdvancedHMI, so I will not be able to get you what you need.

I'm afraid your only option is to get the source code from the person who had written it.

 

[OkiePC]

I believe InGear is a communications package so it might be a clue.

EDIT: http://www.ingeardrivers.com/

I like what you said earlier.

Get your boss to get you in touch with the software vendor.

You are stuck without them. Tell the boss that. It is not your problem at this point. It is not your fault. Boss may scowl and grumble, but do it sooner rather than later. You may have been asked to do something that is beyond your ability, and again, that is not your fault. Often times, the boss knows he has to pay some vendor big bucks for support so he will throw a person he is already paying at the problem and hope to get lucky.

This is what I call jumping over a dollar to save a dime. In many cases the dime was a mirage. how many man hours did you waste? I am not saying YOU wasted them, it is almost always okay to spend a certain amount of time trying on your own, and it is often impossible to tell when you have hit that "certain amount".

Calling for help was one of the toughest lessons for me to learn. I used to hate doing it, and it used to make me uncomfortable. Now, it feels like knocking the badminton over the net and going off to do something useful while the responsible party is held to the fire. It is painless once you get used to it, and much more productive. Being more productive is a good thing.

 

[diat150]

this thread is a good example of why you should use a commercially available software package.

 

[GeoffC]

this thread is a good example of why you should use a commercially available software package.

I don't entirely agree with this statement, his main problem is he doesn't have or know how to locate the source files. If he had the source files and it has been developed using .net then there are numerous packages (Visual Studio express version, SharpDevelop) that can be used to further develop the project (both free). There are also considerably more developers fluent in .net then any of the proprietary scada/hmi packages.
If the thread was about someone having a 'commercial' scada system and only having the runtime files or not having the development environment or the skills to use that development system would you have posted 'A good example why you should use .net for scada development.
Don't get me wrong both approaches have have there uses and benefits

 

[Archie]

this thread is a good example of why you should use a commercially available software package.

Since Visual Studio and Ingear are both commercially available software packages, I am going to assume "commercially available software package" refers to the common canned HMI development software.

I am going to agree with GeoffC on this. The problem addressed in this thread is about not being able to get to the PLC addresses used by the HMI. Most of the canned HMI packages have some means of preventing the end user from getting to the source. If the machine builder uses Product A and decides to protect their HMI from the end user getting to the source, does this mean that is a good example of why you should not use Product A?

So it's not as much of a software problem that prevents the end user from getting the information, but more so of a supplier problem of how they chose to distribute the run time.

I'm by no means a supporter of those that lock out or password protect software on industrial equipment, but just pointing out that we should not be quick to point the blame in the wrong direction.

 

[Valley Ind]

From what I read in the original post, unsaint32, is looking for a way to identify what PLC Tags correspond to what HMI objects (push buttons, numeric displays, etc.).

Now since he doesn't have access to the source code for the HMI screens and can't find the Tag names that way, I would think that if he looks at the HMI screen and say it has a push button that says "START PUMP 1" and he has a Tag in the PLC which says "PB_HMI_START_PUMP_1" then he has found his Tag and its name.

Although this may not work 100% you should be able to identify some of the Tags. The closer the Tag name is to its intended usage the more he will be able to identify.

 

[rootboy]

this thread is a good example of why you should use a commercially available software package.

Huh, and here I was thinking that this thread is a good example of why you would want to use open source. Silly me...

After all, the 2.1G of file space that WinCC is taking up (just in HMI files, mind you. This doesn't include the WinCC software) gives me a warm feeling of extra value that I wouldn't get from just any program.

And when a contractor makes a change to my HMI and then leaves the plant (which has happened), means that the extra work that I'll have to do to figure out what he changed and then re-create it will make me look like I am really working hard to my boss.

So I should be thankful. Uhh, right?