RSLogix5000 v20.04 tries to open LogixDesigner?

[anthr_plcnewbie]

Whenever I doube-click a RSLogix 5000 v20.04 .acd file, I see an process popup called Logixdesigner.exe in the task manager but it never opens up. Probably because the LogixDesigner system requirements are not met by the PC I am running it on.

I am wondering why it is even doing that and not just open the version of RSLogix5000?

 

[cjd1965]

Because LogixDesigner is the programming environment for Logix now

 

[wknoxfarms]

RSLogix was replace or renamed, however you want to look at it, by Logix Designer. Also Studio View was replaced by Factory Talk View Studio. Just and FYI

 

[anthr_plcnewbie]

I am afraid I don't get it. I thought LogixDesigner was for versions 21.00+ and anything below that was still RSLogix5000.
I have two VMs, one VM my 20.04 .acd file opens up in RSLogix5000, whereas in the second VM the same .acd file tries to open in LogixDesigner but fails (probable because the spec of VM/computer). Is there a way to force it to open in RSLogix5000?

 

[dmroeder]

RSLogix was renamed to Studio 5000 (LogixDesigner) for V21 and newer. A V20.xx program should still launch RSLogix 5000

anthr_plcnewbie, what versions of RSLogix/Studio5000 do you have installed on your machine? You must have RSLogix 5000 V20.04 installed on your machine in order to open your V20.04 program. You can't simply install the latest and have it open previous revisions.

 

[Operaghost]

Yeah, I can see where you might be confused by some of the comments. You are right. Version 20 and older is RSLogix 5000 and version 21 and newer is Studio 5000 Logix Designer. Normally when you open a file Windows associated a specific application with the extension for that file. So on a computer, the .ACD file is associated either with LogixDesigner or RSLogix.

But, what should happen is that when LogixDesigner inspects the file and sees it is version 20, it should automatically switch to RSLogix 5000. It sounds like that is somehow not working. But you should still have the executable to launch RSLogix 5000 manually.

If you are running Windows 7, then click the Start button and in the "Search programs and files" field type RSLogix and you should see the Start menu filter to show you the RSLogix 5000 application. Click to launch directly into RSLogix 5000. If only it was that easy to open LogixDesigner. You can also open the .ACD file using notepad and view the header information to verify the file version. Just to be sure.

OG

edit: What dmroeder says is spot on. Installing LogixDesigner does not automatically get you RSLogix 5000.

 

[anthr_plcnewbie]

Thanks guys,
That is what is so weird. I am not in front of my VM currently but I do have RSLogix 5000 v20.04 installed (installed it last week) along with the lower versions. For LogixDesigner, I have v21.03 and v24.
When I do the process manually, as in fire up RSLogix 5000 then try to go Open Project and look for the v20.04 .acd file, my VM hangs up a little, then in the task manager a process called 'LogixDesigner.exe' fires up and with RSLogix5000 throwing an error with message - 'Operation returned because the timeout period expired'.
Operaghost, you are probably right that LogixDesigner 'inspects' the file and let RSLogix handle the rest, however, it seems it is breaking at this step. I will probably uninstall LogixDesigner and try to open the file again as the next step.
It's weird and can't seem to find anything in other help forums.

 

[anthr_plcnewbie]

UPDATE: I uninstalled LogixDesigner v21.03 and v24 and now tried it and it opens up just fine. I still don't really know why v20.04 tried to open LogixDesigner first before RSLogix5000. Seems fixed now.

 

[dmroeder]

Just a WAG, but I wonder if it were related to 21.03

V20.03 was this enhanced security release of V20 that had this horrible compatibility issue. It caused all kinds of headaches for people that thought 20.03 was just the latest. They came out with 20.04 to deal with this compatibility problem.

They did the same with V21, they released a minor revision that was not friendly with any other V21 release. I believe it was 21.03 (though I've also heard that it was V21.00.03).

So my WAG is that the LogixDesigner launcher mistook your V20.04 file as one of the 'enhanced security' versions and wanted to open it.

I guess try installing V24 without installing V21.03 and see if everything is OK. IF 21.03 is in fact the 'enhanced security' release, then install an earlier minor revision of 21 to see if the same issue happens.

I can tell you that it is possible to run all these versions together, I am doing it now without issue, though I'm not running any of these funny minor revisions.

 

[Operaghost]

So 21.00.03 is OK. That is what I run. It is definitely 21.03 that is the enhanced security version.

I agree. Try installing those higher versions now. I'm wondering if a repair would have solved it.

Be sure you really need 21.03 before you install it.

OG

 

[anthr_plcnewbie]

I think dmroeder might be onto something because like I had said before I am running two VMs, and only one of them was giving me the issue. The first VM has v20.04, v21.00 and v24.00 installed and all was ok. The second VM has v20.04, and had v21.03 and v24.00 (I uninstalled the LogixDesigner versions to get it to work). The only difference between the two VMs was v21.03 which was causing me so much grief. Thankfully, the client I am at doesn't have anything that is above v20 yet.

 

[dmroeder]

As Operaghost was getting at, don't use 21.03 simply because it's the latest. Here's some reading:

http://theautomationblog.com/what-you-need-to-know-before-upgrading-to-rslogix-5000-version-20-03/

Although it talks about 20.03, the same applies to V21. No other versions have this issue.