Omron Cx-one upload / download

[James Mcquade]

Hi all,

i have multiple Omron units at the plant and some have analog, rtd, thermocouple, ethernet cards, maybe other specialty cards, i'm just now getting a plan together to backup all the files and hmi programs.

when you upload from the plc with the analog and other specialty cards and transfer the program to the pc and select the following in the picture, does the information programmed into the specialty cards (analog, rtd...) get uploaded into the pc as well?

I am about to start on a project where the machine is in production and i need to do a complete backup first and i need all the parameters in the cards. the last thing i need to do is crash the line when i download the new program back into the plc.

thanks in advance,
james

 

[BobB]

Mostly yes. If there is an SCU card it is possible there may have been a Protocol Macro file downloaded to it and this would not be uploaded. You need to do that with CX-Protocol. I normally go to the I/O table and upload and verify each card separately.

 

[James Mcquade]

BobB,

please tell me how you would do that.
thanks so much,
james

 

[BobB]

Double click on I/O table and the cards will pop up. Double click on each card for details. Snips attached.

 

[James Mcquade]

BobB,

i was typing my reply when i saw your response, thanks, i forgot the cpu ip address.

i went online and clicked on the i/o table.
i then clicked on each card and then did a save parameters and it saved the file in my location folder. when i download the file, i need to load the parameters to each card if i have a problem. Is this the correct procedure? this is a critical line and we cannot afford any downtime.
thank you for your help,
james

 

[BobB]

You should not have to download the setup stuff for the cards - already in the PLC - so is the I/O table. Just download the program - the I/O setup will not change. That being said it is always best to have a back up of all the I/O stuff in case you need to download to a new card.
Few other issues for you apart from if there has been a Protocol Macro downloaded to the SCU card - if the PLCs are networked there may be auto transfer between PLCs set up.
If stand alone no issues.
I use network auto transfer all the time between PLCs as it is seamless.
Most so far is 15 PLCs setup up on EIP.
Sorry but I have been working with these for so long it is just all automatic in my brain these days - Emerson (GE) the same.

 

[BobB]

CX-Programmer is fabulous for mine. You can program in all your short cut keys as you want them.
I do very little maintenance work - all new these days - and can punch a program out pretty quick.
You can just highlight a section of symbols - do a Cnrtl C and dump straight in Excel - no exporting or importing a file. Just have to set up the I/O number column to number with 2 decimal places.

Same thing the other way.
When doing alarm routines you can even have auto I/O number increment on copy and paste - very good software.

 

[chelton]

With Omron data table values are not saved during a upload either. So if Registers have been modified on the online program they will not be uploaded by default.

If you have Devicenet/Ethernet/IP modules you will also have to upload their configuration and possibly routing tables cannot remember if they are stored as part of the upload.

FWIW When you make a program change you can just download the program or a partial transfer without affecting the I/O configuration etc.

 

[James Mcquade]

BobB,

i do apologize for these questions, what is the SCU card?
how would i find the Protocol Macro if there were one?

also, how do you know if there is a memory card (eprom) in the cpu?
if there is, how would you download the new program?
things have changed so much since i worked with Omron.
thanks to everyone for their help.
james

 

[parky]

Not used CX IDE but experience on many other platforms I suggest the following.
If you do not have original documented copies then definitely upload everything if possible.
If you do I suggest you do not overwrite the original but make a copy, verify the copy with the PLC then upload it to the copy.
If there are differences in documented copy with the PLC, take & upload do a compare & then manually go though the code side by side & modify your documented copy as any extra segments may cause the comments to go out of line (had to do this on Siemens although it is pretty easy but long winded).
Once you have a synced documented copy upload the data register values preferably with the system in run but the machine or plant in a idle state.
Often you can insert some form of documentation in any segments that have been inserted etc.
If you only have an un-commented copy then spend sometime documenting as much as possible i.e. I/O lists from drawings & sometimes code segments that you can decipher. I know it's like teaching your grandmother to suck eggs as I'm sure you are well versed in plc's but just a reminder.

 

[lostcontrol]

How substantial are the changes you need to make.?
If you are only adding a analog or 2 & maybe some interlocks from these then you could do it all without taking the PLC offline ( ie. online edit )

That might be a safer option for you .


Otherwise, as chelton says just don’t download the settings it special IO settings

SCU is a special control Unit, typically temperature or serial module
If you post your IO table (I think you might of already.?), we can tell you what your risk is ..

 

[James Mcquade]

parky,

that is rule #1. learned that the hard way.

lostcontrol,
my spu units are analog, rtd's at this point. still learning the lines and processes. i did an upload of the parameters as suggested.

as of today, i am not certain about the changes. the project is still in discussion. i have tried to make changes with my office unit, sometimes it works, sometimes not. still playing with the software.

I do apologize for asking questions that are basic to many on the site, the omron software is new to me. i always had to use the hand held programmers.
james

 

[parky]

James that's what we are here for, at some point most of us need help, In the past when on-site I wished I knew this site existed, would have made life a little easier. It can be daunting first time on an un-familiar platform especially when you have to do something on a live system.

 

[BobB]

James SCU is serial communications unit - serial card. Chelton is correct - data memory areas have to be uploaded separately but may not be required.
networking is a whole different ball game - is the PLC networked? If stand alone you will not have to go down that path.

I think your best bet would be to let us know what is in the rack and then we can advise better.
And we are all here to help - people here have helped me out of the poo in the past thankfully.

 

[James Mcquade]

Here is the plc config that i am working with. i do not know what is in the other machines at this point.
thanks again,
james