communication issues after converting panelbuilder32 to MER (FACTORY TALK ME)

[radix]

Hello guys , im new at plc. i have a few questions hopefully someone can help me out. i extracted from an old panelview550 a pba file and converted to MER,now the issue i have is that im trying to send it to "new" panelview(panelview600 plus,2711P-K6M20A8) But when i go to communication set up im not able to create a new runtime (target)path, i get this at the bottom "shortcut path does not exist! may have been rename or remove. any ideas of what can i do ? pardon my ignorance please.
panelbuilder32 version 3.82
factorytalk view studio 6.0
panelview600 plus,2711P-K6M20A8

 

[Robb B]

Might need to configure the runtime communications from the project screen to point to the correct locations. Screenshots would be helpful.

 

[alan_505]

What was the old panel view part number so we can know how it communicated with the plc?

You will need to create a path in the communications tab using the runtime tab.

 

[George Graziano]

Are you trying to go from a Panelview 550, to a new style Panelview plus?
George

 

[James Mcquade]

if i remember correctly, 3.81 or 3.82 had a bug, might have been 3.83. the last release of panelbuilder 32 is 3.83.01. i had a problem with one of those releases and had to go to 3.83.01 to fix the issue. I'm sorry, its been a long time since i had that happen. as suggested, you will have to set up a communications path.
james

 

[radix]

the old panelview 550 is a2711-K5A2.
When i click on the Runtime tab it doesnt allow me to create a new path .i attached two screen shots
yes im trying to migrate from pv550 to pv600+

 

[Ken Roach]

Welcome to the PLCTalk forum community, and thanks for those photos/screenshots !

First, click and pull down the separators between the status frame at the bottom and the network views at the top. RSLinx Enterprise likes to show graphical views of the network architecture as you browse it.

PanelBuilder32 used "PLC names" in the communication configuration, where you would set up the PLC type, and the network address. Then the PanelView had a Tag Database, which correlated every PanelView tag with a PLC name and a PLC address.

FactoryTalk View and RSLinx Enterprise (aka FactoryTalk Linx) work simliarly, especially when you convert a PanelBuilder32 application. Linx has a defined Shortcut name, which is configured for a network path and addresses in both the Development and Runtime panes. 90% of the time you're using Ethernet with similar addressing, so you just click a button to copy the Development schema to the Runtime tab.

In your case it looks like the PLC name from PanelBuilder32 did not get automatically created as a Shortcut name. That might be because the modern FTView/FTLinx doesn't support Data Highway 485, or something might have gone wrong in the conversion.

Open up the HMI Tag Database in FactoryTalk View, and look at the Shortcut names for each tag. That's the Shortcut name you should create with the [Add] button in FTLinx Communications Configuration, then set up the networks and PLC nodes/addresses in the browse schema windows to the right.

 

[radix]

i followed what ken said and it populated the communication tree (amazing knowledge, ken), i pinged the pc with the pv+600 and now i have a yellow question mark when im ready to use the transfer utility , do i need a specific patch for communications or should i revise any settings on the hmi? My other option is to send the mer file to an sd card and load it to the pv+600 but that will be pickle to comunicate with the controler(SLC 5/04), One more time thanks in advance to all of you
attached two more screen shots

 

[Ken Roach]

Let's take a step back and figure out what your networks and connectivity are like. I may have given you some bad advice on DH485, as well.

The SLC-5/04 processor isn't changing, correct ? You are just replacing a PanelView Standard (2711-K5A2) with a PanelView Plus 6 (600).

The 27111-K5A2 was the classic DH-485 only terminal so you would need to have used an AIC+ isolator to convert to RS-232, to connect to the SLC-5/04.

Is that still in place ? Are there any other DH485 devices networked to that SLC-5/04 ?

The yellow question mark in the Transfer Utility suggests that your FactoryTalk View / FactoryTalk Linx software is older than your PanelView Plus 6, and doesn't recognize its firmware revision. Usually the workaround is to install an update or upgrade of FactoryTalk View, or use a USB or CF/SD card to transfer the *.MER application file.

Go ahead and describe your desired/planned physical and protocol connection between the PanelView Plus 6 (600) and the SLC-5/04.

Read the firmware revisions from the PV+6 configuration menus and/or the label on the back of the terminal, and post those.

And review your versions of FactoryTalk View Studio and RSLinx Enterprise/FactoryTalk Linx. Those should be in the Help->About menu in FactoryTalk View Studio.

 

[radix]

yes the only thing im changing is the panelview to the new pv+600 the AIC still there, there is nothing else networked on the SLC-5/04.
I would like to communicate my panelview + 600 to the SLC-5/04 using serial DH485.Or any other way you can suggest
I attached the version of the PV+600 and the factory talk.

 

[Ken Roach]

Thank you for those details !

Your copy of FactoryTalk View is about ten years old; the current revision is v13.

Your PanelView Plus is only about four years old; the sticker doesn't show the firmware revision, but the 2019 date sticker suggests it might have version 7 or 8 firmware.

The good news is that a newer PanelView Plus 6 terminal can very probably run a Runtime file that was created for an older firmware revision.

What I recommend doing is using your FactoryTalk View Studio to create a Runtime file (*.MER) for Version 6.0 or 6.10 firmware, whichever is the highest it will give you the option for.

Then transfer that *.MER to the PanelView terminal using a USB drive and the onboard file transfer menus.

You will probably have to make the appropriate folder structure on the USB drive. Use the smallest jump drive you can find and format it for FAT16.

From the RA Knowledgebase:

When external media is inserted into a PanelView Plus / Plus 6 / Plus 7 terminal, the FactoryTalk View Machine Edition environment running on your panel expects to find applications in a specific folder. The *.MER runtime files must therefore reside in directory path:

[Drive]:\Rockwell Software\RSViewME\Runtime

where: [Drive] is the drive letter designator for the external device, in a Windows computer. For example, E:

E:\Rockwell Software\RSViewME\Runtime

Attaching the device to the PanelView Plus terminal and going to Terminal Settings --> File Management --> Copy Files --> Copy Application will create the folder.

 

[radix]

Will do , ill let you know the results thanks for your time and enjoy your weekend!

 

[radix]

Good morning all. I was able to download the mer file into a sd card and loaded to the PV +600.Now im gonna try to make it talk to the processor ,I will post an update and pics as well.Thanks all and specially KEN