RANT: AB RSview Studio ME xyz

[Greg Dake]

I'm having some issues with the software, local support was no help. I have an email into RS, hopefully they have a solution...Digging through the technotes tonight, it looks like I may have another piece of RS that isn't playing nice with RSView Studio. Also, RSView Studio doesn't uninsall without manually deleting a bunch of registry keys...I'm going to try and install it on a box that contains NO other RS and see if that helps.

I don't want to get my mind around all this enterprise level software just to build a few screens, I don't have the luxury of time at this point! It's like going and becoming a chef, just to learn to make sugar cookies!

Greg

 

[jdbrandt]

I don't have the luxury of time at this point! It's like going and becoming a chef, just to learn to make sugar cookies!


Gosh, somebody who thinks like me.

 

[automatic]

As someone said before, a lot of the issues with current versions of RSView are related to its dependency and use of a lot of MS Windows services. With Ethernet and IT on the plant floor, customers want to do everything like they do on their Windows Desktop - drag and drop, cut and paste, and do all kinds of data communication.
FactoryTalk services will eliminate a lot of Rockwell's dependency on Microsoft services and I hope will iron out a lot of the bugs in SE and other MS dependent software. Yes, you have a lot more manuals and tech notes to read, because you have a lot more options and technologies ("OPC/OLE/Enterprise/Topic/ME/SE/PVP/CE") to use now.

 

[jimbo3123]

I've had my fair share of problems with ME lately.
I just came off of a project using RSView SE with much success, but I'm starting to get fed-up with the whole thing.

I started using ME on a new VersaView (over RIO) and it has been such a headache.

Here are the major problems I've had so far:
1)RSLinx Enterprise has NO PCMK driver
2)The RIO implementation in RSView Enterprise is a nightmare, causing you to have to create two entire sets of tags (one under RIO config, and one under the normal RSView tag database)
3)The trends under ME only support 8 pens, and as far as I can tell there is no windowing like there is in SE.
4)There are no global objects
5)I mannaged to make RSView Studio hang on me whenever I go to configure comms (I canged the serial port drivers in RSLinx Gateway earlier today, but it isn't even running now)
6)I'm an integrator, with full tech-support access, and apart from the RSView specific group (who do an outstanding job), the support is pretty week.

The list goes on and on...

For the product that's supposed to be the cutting-edge, I'm sorely dissapointed.

 

[BITS N BYTES]

Rock[un]well

Yep , they make a good PLC. Their programmimg software IS THE BEST.
But if you want a real screaming speed at reasonable cost without the BS and sales hype go for Omron.
Panelview is for the birds.

This is what sucks about AB!!

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/retro.html

 

[automatic]

I've had my fair share of problems with ME lately.
I just came off of a project using RSView SE with much success, but I'm starting to get fed-up with the whole thing.

I started using ME on a new VersaView (over RIO) and it has been such a headache.

Here are the major problems I've had so far:
1)RSLinx Enterprise has NO PCMK driver
2)The RIO implementation in RSView Enterprise is a nightmare, causing you to have to create two entire sets of tags (one under RIO config, and one under the normal RSView tag database)
3)The trends under ME only support 8 pens, and as far as I can tell there is no windowing like there is in SE.
4)There are no global objects
5)I mannaged to make RSView Studio hang on me whenever I go to configure comms (I canged the serial port drivers in RSLinx Gateway earlier today, but it isn't even running now)
6)I'm an integrator, with full tech-support access, and apart from the RSView specific group (who do an outstanding job), the support is pretty week.

The list goes on and on...

For the product that's supposed to be the cutting-edge, I'm sorely dissapointed.

What is your application? If you have a lot of trends, RIO, data collection, global objects and old drivers etc. etc., may be you chose the wrong Software for your application.

 

[TConnolly]

You won't get any argument from me on this one. RSView SE/ME is frustratingly full of holes. Rockwell Software needs to listen to all the griping and complaining going on about it and get it fixed. Fast. (yea, like that will happen)

 

[Gerry]

Probable trouble approaching

The scary thing is that I have this unit in the field, operating a 24/7 process, and, now the end user needs to access the thing from a different computer, and the project files are all native to my laptop.

This highlights a number of my dislikes of this product.

• If it was a standard PanelView, the user could upload the existing application and edit to his heart's content. This is not possible with PV+. Jeff has to get the development files to the user. The proper method is to archive the project using the 'Application Manager' that comes with RSView Studio to create a single .apa file. The user then takes the .apa file and reverses the process on his PC. Hopefully, he has the same version of RSV Studio as Jeff.
• From the date of the original post, Jeff probably was using version 3.0 or 3.1 of RSV Studio. If his user deferred acquisition of RSV Studio for 6 months or so, he will most likely have version 3.2. He may or may not be able to work with the archive. If he can use the archive, but has a newer version of Studio, he will have to update firmware in the PV+ before making changes.
• If either party bought another PV+ some time after the original, it will be at a different rev requiring different software.
• If the original breaks down and a new replacement is installed, then you could be up a creek.
• If Jeff does several PV+ projects over the course of several years, each one could be a different version, all requiring a unique version of Studio. But one PC can only have one version installed. And since there is so much junk placed in the registry and a lot of version compatibility issues with other RS software, it is no trivial task to uninstall/reinstall.

The PanelView + is a nice piece of hardware - unfortunately, it runs on Windows CE and has to be programmed with RSView Studio.

As I stated in a similar thread a few weeks ago, my recommendation is standard PanelView or RSView32. PV+ might seem like a nice intermediate step between the two, but to me it just ain't worth the hassles.

 

[Sleepy Wombat]

Posted by Gerry
If, by some strange chance you want to use your PC for something other than programming Rockwell products (hard to imagine, eh), and you want to reduce the load on the CPU, run the following commands in a batch file:
net stop "RSLinx"
net stop "RSLinx Enterprise"
net stop "Rockwell Tag Server"
net stop "Rockwell HMI Diagnostics"
net stop "Rockwell HMI Activity Logger"
net stop "Rockwell Directory Server"
net stop "Rockwell Event Multiplexer"
net stop "Rockwell Directory Multiplexer"
net stop "Rockwell Event Server"
net stop "Rockwell Application Services"

Thanks for the tip mate....i'll make that short cut right now on my desk top....Most other manufactures software fires up when required, not all the time from startup...

 

[PhilipW]

Gerry... we have had this discussion before. Your whole grizzle about the PV+ is completely negated by one simple thing that you choose not to mention: Flash Upgrade.

1. Exactly the same issue exists with many modern PLC's. You need to flash the hardware to match the version of the software. Works for the PLC's, works fine for the PV+ as well.

2. Until Ver 10 CLX had exactly the same limitation as RSView Studio does now, ie only one Version at a time could be installed. A nuisance yes, but not the end of the world. All we did to get around it was flash the hardware to match the software. There was no reason not to. Downloading the latest PV+ firmware is found here Firmware Updates

3. At Ver 3.2 CPR6, RSView Studio has been performing flawlessly for me. All I have done is make sure that everything I installed was also at CPR6. Just like they tell you to.


Sleepy:

"Thanks for the tip mate....i'll make that short cut right now on my desk top....Most other manufactures software fires up when required, not all the time from startup..."

Not true. I've got all the RS software you can think of installed on my laptop right now. I've just booted it up and run the above batch file. Only one of them (HMI Diagnostics) was running. So I go to Services and change it's config to "Manual". Now NONE of them are running from startup.

What does happen is that once you open RSView Studio, the services it invokes are not automatically stopped when you close Studio. This is pretty much how all Services run. If you want to change their default behaviour just go into the Windows Services Manager and change them from Automatic to Manual and they will only start when you want them to.

Which is not to say that the batch file isn't handy if you want to free up resources after running Studio.

 

[jimbo3123]

What is your application? If you have a lot of trends, RIO, data collection, global objects and old drivers etc. etc., may be you chose the wrong Software for your application.

My application is a relativly simple piece of process equimpent (sorry for the vagueness, but its necessary). I'd like to have a dozen or so trended variables.

Global objects aren't necessary, but they are convient when you have one or two common objects amongst screens.

RIO and VersaView were specified by the customer, so I really can't do anything about it.

This may not be the best application of the new hardware/software from AB, but it should certainly work.

 

[PhilipW]

1)RSLinx Enterprise has NO PCMK driver

RSLinx Enterprise is less than 18 months old and they are still adding drivers for it.

2)The RIO implementation in RSView Enterprise is a nightmare, causing you to have to create two entire sets of tags (one under RIO config, and one under the normal RSView tag database)

Your client should have been advised that RIO is really not a smart way to connect ANY HMI. The old PV Std was not much fun either.

3)The trends under ME only support 8 pens, and as far as I can tell there is no windowing like there is in SE.

ME is not meant to be a full blown SCADA. Most small HMI's in the same class are pretty similar.

4)There are no global objects

Coming at Ver 4.0.

5)I mannaged to make RSView Studio hang on me whenever I go to configure comms (I canged the serial port drivers in RSLinx Gateway earlier today, but it isn't even running now)

Try and always use the Ethernet driver, the serial driver is going to be way slow for downloads anyhow.

 

[Rick Densing]

Your client should have been advised that RIO is really not a smart way to connect ANY HMI. The old PV Std was not much fun either.

Hear, Hear. I am now doing a project where we are dumping a RIO quickpanel and changing to an ethernet PB+. (This is just part of it). Talk about night and day for ease of use.

 

[gbarenbaum]

I am now use the PV+, and my point of view, is the software is bad. They use a old concept and is very close system (not programmable). The alarm system is bad, no have event list. The software have a lot of bugs and generate much headache.

Sorry for my english.
Gustavo

 

[OkiePC]

OPINION ONLY

A/B makes great PLCs. All their other stuff is less than mediocre. The first HMI I learned to program was CH PanelMates. Mastered the software in half a day. When I had to use PanelBuilder to make a simple modification, I spent two days and still had issues. RSView32 has been easy to work with, but we have had a few quirks that cannot be explained. A/B photoeyes, pushbuttons, AC drives, and everything else (except their PLCs) is junk.

I don't even want to get started with my opinions about Rockwell Software.