New Rockwell Knowledgebase

[The Plc Kid]

I agree about the search functions.Rockwell did at some point add google search features to the primary site which helps very much.

Now rockwell just add a few more google search appliances to your server racks for the knowledge base and forums and be done with it.

 

[JHutch2000]

Ok, fair enough. I'll add "compare Google results to KB results" to my testing routine.

To be honest, up to this point, when I use Advanced Search to narrow results, I *do* tend to get losts of results, but the stuff I'm looking for is in the top 1-5 answers. I consider that a successful search.

When I search for something and it doesn't come up in the top 5, I consider that a failed search and usually look into what I can do to change the technote. If if an extremely broad/common topic, I might push the results out to 10 before I consider it a failure.

The problem, as I'm sure anyone can appreciate, is finding time to do extensive testing in this area. I'm going to try to set aside a chunk of time every week for this type of testing.

JHutch

 

[The Plc Kid]

jhutch2000

Another thing that would help a lot in my opinion is to have the technote in a downloadable form such as pdf.In addition to that many of the tech notes have file attachments with them so if the pdf and the file attachment could be available together in a zip format it would be good so that we could download the zip that contains the technote and file attachments and archive them for future use on products that we frequently use or that I have many of in my plant.

From my experience ran technotes have a tendency to disappear after a while especially on some of the older hardware which makes it hard on us boys out here in the field.

As some of the other have posted ra needs a web page for each product with links to all relevant documents about that particular product firmware,manuals,recall,anomolies,list price,specs,etc.

It really does not make sense the way it is now having to go to 10 different places or sites to get the relevant information that is needed. Some information aggregation would be most helpful.

Catalogs should be informative and have full specs and be in color if possible. Catalogs should be in pdf format and not just sections of a catalog sections as pdf as well as the entire catalog as one big pdf if you have the resources to download it. It would be great to have all the catalogs on my laptop in pdf form when in the field with no hard copy and no internet access. It happens.

All catalogs should be in one location.

This will be a good way to archive old catalogs to support old products as for me I have paper copies from the 1980's and they save me all the time and give me info that I can not find any where else.

The software downloads site http://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwellsoftware/downloads/

Is horrible as far as search also. Again integrate Google for a better refined search.

Forums pages need to have a save as pdf function and the size formatting needs work as posed earlier navigate to a site formatted for mobile devices when connected to a mobile device.

And last but not least bring back firmware downloads we need to be able to download all firmware for all products and not have to make a tech support call. Paneview standards,slc,plc and other products are not available on the website only the latest versions and mostly for contrologix and compact logix.

Thanks

 

[John M]

Since you can't download as PDF I get around it by printing to a PDF printer. There are lots of free ones out there - I use CuteWriter but there are many more.

 

[JHutch2000]

I don't have any direct control of anything other than the forums and Knowledge Base, so I can't promise anything there (though I can pass it along, which I will).

However, as to the PDF requests. I don't think I can easily get PDF support built in, but I do have another option that may be something you'll like.

Our Marketing folks put out a "Technical Reference DVD" (I believe they were doing it once a year, but are trying to ramp up to once a quarter). It has a snapshot of the Knowledge Base and Literature Library on one DVD, as I understand it. I wasn't involved in creating it, so I can't speak directly for it's ease of use, but having that around might be exactly what you're looking for. If you are interested in one (it would require having a support contract), go over to the Knowledge Base and use the Submit a Question feature to ask for one. It'll come in to me over there and I'll have all your contact information and I can get that directly to the Marketing folks.

JHutch

 

[The Plc Kid]

jhutch

I do have those and it used to be bi-yearly but quarterly would be better.

Direct download of an .iso file of the dvd would be nice also and not have to wait on snail mail.

The info is good but the installer need some work more so on the network installer i hope that gets fixed.

Rockwell has a lot of information that would be of benefits to its customers that is no longer published or hard to find.

Being able to get download of tech sessions and labs from older automation fairs and rs tech ed would be good but as it stands you can only get this years stuff. I have them all but some people don't the older documents are still handy for field support but someone who does not already have it has a hard time getting it if at all.

 

[TConnolly]

Direct download of an .iso file of the dvd would be nice also and not have to wait on snail mail.

You deserve a for that suggestion. I nominate this for the best idea of the day.

Mount the ISO and you don't even need to make a DVD.

 

[The Plc Kid]

xactly alaric

I use daemon tools on my laptop and keep.iso files of all my installer cd's,catalog cd's/dvd's.

I have a 250 gig hard drive for my os on my laptop and a 750 gig secondard hard drive will all my iso files and virtual machines on it.

I hate taking a case of cd/dvd when i travel.No more.

 

[The Plc Kid]

Thanks for the nom.

 

[The Plc Kid]

The rockwell software updates can be downloaded but you don't get everthing that comes on the cd such as the multiple programs you need for factory talk view se.

It would be a better option to be able to download an iso of the exact image that they are shipping on physical media orders.

 

[TConnolly]

The rockwell software updates can be downloaded but you don't get everthing that comes on the cd such as the multiple programs you need for factory talk view se.

It would be a better option to be able to download an iso of the exact image that they are shipping on physical media orders.

Another good idea worthy of another . Keep it up and you'll be inebriated before the day is over.

 

[The Plc Kid]

All the demo versions of software should be availabe in one location under downloads/demos.