Migrate / Convert – How to get the MicroLogix to Micro800 Conversion Tool

By

Shawn Tierney

-

July 17, 2015

Article Updated February 2018:

In today’s article I’ll walk you through how to get Rockwell’s “MicroLogix Library Converter” MicroLogix 1000 to Micro800 conversion tool.

NOTE: For a step by step procedure on how to use this tool, see our article HERE.

Step 1) Navigate your web browser to http://www.ab.com:

Step 2) Now select ” Compatibility and Downloads”:

Step 3) Now search on “Connected Components Workbench,” and then select it from the results:

Step 4) Now select “Downloads”:

Step 5) Next select the download icon:

Step 6) In the popup window, select “MicroLogix to Micro800 Conversion Tool”

Step 7) If not already logged in with a free account, go ahead and do so:

Step 8) Now on the bottom right of the next page select “Accept”

Step 9) In this example we’ll select “Direct Download”:

Step 10) And click on the link to download the file:

Old Procedure showcasing Rockwell’s old website (for posterity only)

Step 1) Navigate your web browser to http://www.ab.com:

Step 2) On the left under quick links select “Product Compatibility and Download Center”

Step 3) Now select “Find Downloads”

Step 4) In the product search field type “CCW”

Step 5) Now select “Connected Components Workbench,” and then select version “8.00.00”

Step 6) Then on the bottom right select “Downloads”

Step 7) Next, select the picture of a red arrow and gray box:

Step 8) In the popup window, scroll down until you see, “MicroLogix to Micro800 Conversion Tool”

Step 9) Now on the bottom left of the next page select “Accept”

Step 10) Finally, select either “Managed Download,” or “Direct Download” to download the installation file:

Step A) Once you’ve downloaded the file, “SetupCCWMicroLogixConversionV3.00.exe,” You’ll need to run it to unzip the installation files:

Step B) Then double click on the setup file:

Step C) And walk through the installation wizard:

Step D) Now that the conversion tool is installed, you should find inside CCW under the “Tools” menu:

I hope the above article detailing how to get the MicroLogix to Micro800 Conversion Tool was helpful.
For a step by step procedure on how to use this tool, see our article HERE.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

Migrate / Convert – Rockwell releases MicroLogix 1000 to Micro800 Conversion Tool

By

Shawn Tierney

-

July 15, 2015

Earlier this week (in this article) we covered the “MicroLogix 1000 to Micro800 Migration Guide” which Rockwell released shortly after announcing the 1000 and 1500 had been re-classified as “End of life.”

At the same time, Rockwell also released a “MicroLogix 1000 to Micro800 Converter Tool” for use with Connected Components Workbench (CCW) version 8.0, and in today’s article we’ll take an introductory look at this new utility.

The “MicroLogix 1000 to Micro800 Converter Tool” is currently available for download from Rockwell’s product compatibility and download center webpage, and once installed is available inside of CCW under the “Tools” menu.

To take advantage of this new tool, users need to first save their MicroLogix 1000 projects as an .SLC file which they can then import into CCW.

At first glance the tool seems to work seamlessly, but upon closer inspection it becomes obvious that maintaining compatibility does require additional code which that the tool automatically adds to imported programs.

This additional code, represented by User-Defined Function Block (UDFB) programs, is used to replicate the functions of MicroLogix instructions which differ from their Micro800 counterparts.

One example is the MicroLogix’s TON instruction. When a program containing this instruction is imported into CCW, an “RA_TON_MicroLogix” UDFB is automatically created to mimic the MicroLogix TON’s operation inside of the Micro800.

So while the imported Micro800 ladder program does look like it’s RSLogix counterpart, it is only accomplished with the additional code found in these automatically generated UDFB’s.
Another item of note is how MicroLogix ladder program files are imported.

As would be expected, the MicroLogix project’s main ladder file, file 2, is converted to the main program in the Micro800.

And the three interrupt program files, files 3-5 (HSC, STI, and Userfault,) are also converted to the equivalent Micro800 interrupt programs in the CCW project.

However, all sub-routine program files, files 6-15, are converted to UDFB’s which are then called in place of previously used subroutines.

For more information about converting MicroLogix programs to Micro800s, check out Rockwell’s “MicroLogix to Micro800 Migration Guide” available from the link below:

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/rm/2080-rm002_-en-e.pdf

I hope you’ve found this article about Rockwell’s new “MicroLogix to Micro800 conversion tool” helpful.

If this is a subject of interest to you, note that in the coming days I’ll be posting additional articles on this topic.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

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MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

Migrate / Convert – Rockwell Releases MicroLogix 1000 to Micro800 Migration Guide

By

Shawn Tierney

-

July 13, 2015

On June 29th in this article I wrote about Rockwell’s recent announcement that the product life cycle designation for the MicroLogix 1000 and 1500 family had been changed to “end of life.”

I followed up that article with another on July 1st here discussing possible MicroLogix 1000 migration options.

Well last week one of our readers (thanks Pascal!) commented that Rockwell had also released a MicroLogix 1000 to Micro 800 conversion guide available free to the public using the below link:

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/rm/2080-rm002_-en-e.pdf

This new manual appears to include everything you’ll need to know to migrate you application from a MicroLogix 1000 to either a Micro820 or Micro830.

It starts in Chapter 1 by listing all of the dimensions for the MicroLogix 1000, Micro820 and Micro830.

It then provides a handy “feature and specifications” comparison table, part of which can be seen below:
Chapter 2 covers the selection of a Micro800 to replace a MicroLogix 1000, with helpful tables like the one below for the Micro820:
Chapter 3 walks the user through migrating a sample program from RSLogix 500/Micro to CCW (aka Connected Components Workbench) version 8, using the Pick and Place Machine sample program found in the MicroLogix 1000 documentation as the project being converted.

The final chapter, Chapter 4, covers the functional differences between relay ladder instructions in RSLogix 500/Micro and CCW.

If you get a chance to use this document to aid in converting a program I’d like to here what you think!

To share your thoughts just fill-in and submit the “post a comment or question” link below.

Note: This coming Wednesday I plan to cover the release of a free CCW import utility which is suppose to aid in the converting of MicroLogix 1000 programs to a Micro800, so if you have any questions about how that works please also feel free to leave those below as well.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

Flashback Friday – RSView32 Security Popup Demo 2

By

Shawn Tierney

-

July 10, 2015

Welcome to The Automation Blog’s

“Flashback Friday!”

Today I’m highlighting my twelve year old RSView32 Security Popup Demo 2 Project.

Back in 2003 I was hearing from a lot of clients who felt RSView32 was lacking when it came to notifications, especially when a user was trying to do something he didn’t have permissions for.

You see, RSView32 relied heavily on the narrow activity bar on the bottom of the screen to inform users of what was going on, and this included notices indicating a user was trying to do something they didn’t have permissions for.

But not only was the activity bar small and out of the way, in most runtime systems the designer would turn it completely off.

So to help one client who wanted to make it extremely obvious to the operator when he didn’t have the permissions to take an action, I created this RSView32 demo which uses VBA to monitor for messages about insufficient privileges, and when one occurs it displays a popup alerting the user.
You can use the link below to see the original post from 2003, as well as to download the demo file.

RSView32 Security Popup Demo 2

And if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to share them with us by using the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

MicroLogix 1500 Migration Options

By

Shawn Tierney

-

July 3, 2015

With the recent announcement from Rockwell Automation that the MicroLogix 1500’s status has been changed to “End of Life,” many are asking, “What’s the best Micro to migrate too?”

Since the 1500 has some unique features, in order to suggest a replacement we need to which are being used, as well as how many expansion I/O modules are needed.

UPDATE: Rockwell has released a new document detailing MicroLogix 1500 migration options, and a link to that manual is below:

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/ap/1769-ap001_-en-p.pdf

Most compatible option, good when only a few expansion modules are needed.

If you’re looking to replace the MicroLogix 1500 with a micro that can re-use the existing program, requires little to no retraining, and you’re not using more than a few expansion I/O modules, my choice would be the MicroLogix 1400.

This is because the MicroLogix 1400 is programmed just like the MicroLogix 1500, using the very same programming software which easily converts 1500 programs to the 1400.
The MicroLogix 1400 also has the same programming ports as the MicroLogix 1500, including an 8-Pin Mini Din port as well as a 9 pin D-shell port.

The 1400 also has the added benefit of a built-in display with features similar to the 1500’s DAT module. And it also has a built-in Ethernet port and supports online editing.

However, unlike the MicroLogix 1500 which has a 24 or 28 point base and supports 16 Compact I/O expansion modules, the MicroLogix 1400 has a 32 point base and only supports up to seven of the less dense 1762 expansion I/O modules.

So while the 1400 is a worthly replacement for 1500 application with only a few expansion modules, for those systems making full use of the 1500’s expansion capabilities the 1400 is not a viable option.

Option for systems with a large number of expansion I/O modules.

If your MicroLogix 1500 system is using many or all of the supported 16 Compact I/O expansion modules, you may find your best option is to migrate to the CompactLogix L3xER processors.
This L3xER option allows you to continue to use the same Compact I/O as the 1500, and the number of total I/O will determine which of the three L3xER processors you use.

However, the CompactLogix L3xER processors don’t come with any built-in base I/O like the 1500. This means in addition to the expansion I/O modules you already use with the 1500, you’ll also need expansion I/O to replace the 1500’s base I/O.

The CompactLogix line of processors also don’t use the same software as the MicroLogix line, however the software does support importing the ladder logic from the 1500’s program with the majority of the ladder instructions functionally identical.

Being able to import your MicroLogix program saves substantial amounts of time over re-entering your code, however the old I/O addresses will need to be mapped to the new I/O tags, and you’ll likely have to make some other minor tweaks.

It should also be noted that the CompactLogix L3xER family does not come with a serial port, but instead has a USB port for programming as well as a built-in two port Ethernet switch.

Note: Rockwell has been recommending the CompactLogix L1xER and L2xER as additional migration options for MicroLogix 1500 users, however neither option supports many local expansion I/O modules.

So in order to use an L1xER or L2xER to replace a MicroLogix 1500 with several expansion modules, you’d need additional I/O located on an Ethernet/IP network.

In Summary

If you can fit your I/O requirements into the MicroLogix 1400 and 1762 expansion I/O, that’s going to be the best solution as you can continue to use the same programming software, the same program (after changing the processor type,) and you’ll also have the same serial communication ports as the MicroLogix 1500.

However, if your current MicroLogix 1500 system uses more I/O than the MicroLogix 1400 supports, by migrating to the CompactLogix L3xER family you’ll be able to continue to use Compact I/O, and you’ll also be able to import your MicroLogix 1500 code.

That said, the CompactLogix L3xER models have no built-in I/O, so you’ll be required to add additional modules to replicate the base I/O found in the 1500.

And finally, the CompactLogix has no serial ports, and does require you use a different programming package (RSLogix 5000 v20 or Studio 5000) which you may have to purchase if you don’t already have it.

I hope the above article exploring migration options from the MicroLogix 1500 was helpful.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to share them by using the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

Migrate / Convert – MicroLogix 1000 Migration Options

By

Shawn Tierney

-

July 1, 2015

With the recent announcement from Rockwell Automation that the MicroLogix 1000’s status has been changed to “End of Life,” many users are asking, “What’s the best Micro to migrate too?”

Since there are many Micros to choose from, to answer this question we need to know what is more important to the user: program compatibility or product cost?

Most Compatible Option

If you’re looking to replace the MicroLogix 1000 with a PLC that can use the same program and requires little to no retraining, then the obvious choice is the MicroLogix 1200.

For starters, the MicroLogix 1200 is programmed just like the MicroLogix 1000 using the same programming software, RSLogix Micro (or RSLogix 500.)

That software also supports converting existing MicroLogix 1000 programs to the MicroLogix 1200 by simply changing the program’s processor type.

The MicroLogix 1200 has the same programming port as the MicroLogix 1000 as well, the round 8-Pin Mini Din port.

Note: The opening to the MicroLogix 1200’s programming port is smaller than the 1000’s, so in your have an old series A or B programming cable you may need to buy a new one. For information about a low cost programming cable we’ve tested in-house, see our review article here.

While the MicroLogix 1000 comes in 10, 16 and 32 I/O points sizes, the MicroLogix 1200 comes in either 24 and 40 point sizes.

But unlike the MicroLogix 1000, the MicroLogix 1200 supports up to six 1762 expansion I/O modules.

That, and the fact that the 1200 has more memory and supports Floating Point and Long Integer data types, makes the MicroLogix 1200 a worthy replacement to the venerable MicroLogix 1000.

Lowest Cost Option

If you’re in a situation where cost of each Micro purchased is the most important factor, and re-entering your existing MicroLogix 1000 program into a new editor is a task you’re willing to do in order to save money on the hardware, then the Micro830 option is well worth exploring.

While the Micro830 doesn’t use the same software as the MicroLogix 1000, the software it does use, Connected Component Workbench (aka CCW) is free.

And in addition to Ladder Logic support, CCW and the Micro830 also support the Function Block Diagram and Structured Text languages, as well as long integer and real data types.
However, there is no conversion tool available today from RSLogix to CCW, so converting your 1000 code to the 830 will be a manual process.

And while the Micro830 does also have an 8-Pin Mini Din port for serial communications, you actually program it using an off-the-shelf USB cable, the same style used to connect a PC to a printer (A to B.)

The Micro830 comes in four I/O sizes: 10, 16, 24, and 48 point models. Each model also supports anywhere from two to five plugin expansion I/O modules.

In Summary

If your biggest concern is using the same code, the same software, and not having to retrain your staff, the MicroLogix 1200 is a very good choice to replace your MicroLogix 1000s.

However, if your main concern is the cost of the hardware, and you’re not averse to learning new programming software or re-entering your code, then the cost saving of the Micro830 definitely makes it an option worth exploring.

I hope the above article regarding MicroLogix 1000 migration options was helpful.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to leave them here by using the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

MicroLogix 1000 and 1500 End of Life Date Announced

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 29, 2015

Rockwell Automation has officially listed the “end of life” date for the MicroLogix 1000 and 1500.

According to their website, they will cease production of the two oldest MicroLogix models on June 30th, 2017.

We first came across this news while reviewing the publically available session materials from Rockwell’s TechED 2015 event.

However, Rockwell’s official product life cycle webpage was not updated to reflect this information until just last week.

The MicroLogix 1000

The MicroLogix 1000 was the first MicroLogix released, debuting all the way back in 1994.

This small and inexpensive controller opened the door for using RSLogix 500 based programs on smaller applications than previously were not cost effective with the SLC-500.

To learn more about the MicroLogix 1000, follow the link below to our in-depth article:

https://theautomationblog.com/the-allen-bradley-micrologix-1000/

The MicroLogix 1500

Released five years after the MicroLogix 1000, the MicroLogix 1500 included several enhancements.

While still a Micro, the 1500 had a removable processor module that could be used in one of three available I/O bases.

The 1500 also supported a plug-in data access module which allowed the changing of data table values without the need of a computer running RSLogix.

But the biggest difference between the MicroLogix 1000 and 1500 was that the 1500 supported expansion I/O.

In fact, the MicroLogix 1500 was designed to accept a total of 16 Compact I/O modules, although to reach anywhere near that number of modules an additional power supply and cable was needed.

This feature alone made the MicroLogix 1500 much more competitive than the SLC-500, and to this day Rockwell has no other Micro which supports that much total I/O.

To learn more about the MicroLogix 1500, follow the link below to our in-depth article:

https://theautomationblog.com/the-allen-bradley-micrologix-1500/

I hope the above information pertaining to the end of life announcement of the MicroLogix 1000 and 1500 was helpful.

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to share them with us below using the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

View Studio – Using a Popup Display More Than Once (Q&A)

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 26, 2015

In today’s edition of “Insight’s Inbox” we answer a reader’s question on how to display the same FactoryTalk View ME popup graphic display multiple times.

Reader Question:

I’m using FactoryTalk View Machine Edition and cannot open the same popup graphic display multiple times?

Insight’s Answer:

In my testing of FactoryTalk View 8.0, the only time I could not get the same popup to display twice was if I passed either the same Parameter File or Parameter List I used with the first instance to the second instance.

However, as long as I passed different parameter files or lists to each popup, I didn’t have an issue displaying the same popup more than once.

One additional step I took to insure my popup graphic display didn’t open over the top of a previous instance was to enabled the “Display Position” option on the “General” tab of the Goto button.

So for each Goto button that displayed my popup with a different parameter file or list, I used a different “Left Position” in pixels.

NOTE: You can get a copy of the sample program HERE.

This allowed each instance of my popup to display at a different location on the screen.

I hope you’ve found today’s Insight’s Inbox about “displaying a FTViewME popup multiple times” helpful.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please feel free to share them with us by submitting the “post a comment or question” link below.

Update: If you have your own question you’d like to ask, please post it as a comment on a related post here at TheAutomationBlog.com

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

ControlLogix – Should Controllers Come With Ethernet On-board?

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 24, 2015

In Monday’s article here we discussed what appeared to be the premature outing of a new ControlLogix 1756-L85E processor with built-in 1GB Ethernet port.

That news brought up the question, do ControlLogix users want processors with built-in Ethernet?

At first glace, the obvious answer would be a resounding “YES!”

But, could there be any downsides to having your Ethernet port built-in?

With that question in mind, today we look at three things that may determine if having an integrated Ethernet port is right for you.

1) Cost

Typically, having items integrated is less expensive then buying them separate.

However, we don’t actually know yet if the cost of the L85E is less than an L75 and an EN2T combined.

Will the L85E have more features and functions that the L75, thereby making the processor more expensive?

Or, is the L85E the same as the L75 but with an embedded Ethernet port similar in features to the EN2T, and thereby less expensive?

2) Performance

The current batch of 1756 Ethernet modules are pretty beefy cards, sporting sizable heat sinks and are seemingly much heavier than older models.

With that said, is it really possible that Rockwell could squeeze all the same performance of today’s newer 1756 Ethernet modules, as well as 1GB Ethernet support, into the same slot as a next generation processor?

Or perhaps, in order to get both processor and Ethernet card into one slot was something left out?

3) Commonality

Today, many ControlLogix systems utilize multiple Ethernet communication modules, and system designers typically use the same Ethernet module throughout the system to insure commonality of features and function.

However, in future systems if one of the Ethernet ports is built-in to the processor will this mean sacrificing commonality of capabilities between all Ethernet communications ports?

So, what do you think? Should ControlLogix processors come with Ethernet ports, and are any of the above concerns valid?

Let us know what you think by sharing your thoughts in the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

ControlLogix – New 1756-L85E With 1GB Ethernet Port Leaked

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 22, 2015

Last week, as I was looking through the public documents available from Rockwell Automation’s TechED, I came across something very unexpected.

UPDATE: The 1756-L85E is now officially announced – find out more details HERE.

On slide four of the “SY15 – Application Code Manager” presentation, there was a 1756-L85E controller listed in the sample project.

However, today there is only a 1756-L65 and 1756-L75 available, and neither of those models have the trailing “E” in their part numbers.

I guessed that this indicated Rockwell was nearing the release of it’s next generation of ControlLogix processors, the 5580 line.

And based on the part numbering scheme used for the CompactLogix processors, I assumed the trailing “E” indicated this processor would have a built-in Ethernet port as well.

Curious to see if I could corroborate my hunches, I navigated my browser over to Rockwell Automation’s website.

Not finding any new announcements or literature related to the L85E, I turned to searching the Rockwell website.

This resulted in two hits, both links to the “declaration of conformity” documents listed below:

Reading these documents it became very clear that not only was the 1756-L85E listed alongside the L6 and L7 processors, but it was also described as having a built-in 1gb Ethernet port as well:

Note: The above appears to indicate a 64mb L76 is also on the way…

If you know anything more about the new 1756-L8xE line of processors I’d love to hear from you!

If your information is not covered by a confidentially or non-disclosure agreement, please feel free to click on the “post a comment or question” link below to share what you know.

You can also contact me in a more discrete manner using the “contact” link in the top menu of this page.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

Everything you need to know to get started programming Allen-Bradley PLCs

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 19, 2015

So you, or someone you know, wants to learn how to use Allen-Bradley programmable controllers?

Well you’re in luck! In today’s article I’ll cover everything you need to know to get started.

1) What is the best A-B PLC to start learning with?

The most important factor in choosing which A-B PLC you’re going to learn on is, how much of what you learn is going to be relevant to the other A-B programmable controllers?

For instance, while the Micro800 line is one of the newest in Rockwell’s portfolio, and is definitely the least expensive, it’s also the least like any of the other A-B PLCs.

For this reason alone, if you want to learn how to use Allen-Bradley’s other PLCs, the Micro800 is not the best choice.

The MicroLogix 1000 on the other hand programs with software nearly identical to what is used with the SLC-500 and PLC-5 families.

In fact, the MicroLogix line is so similar to the SLC-500 that you can program all MicroLogix PLC’s with the SLC-500 programming software.

And when you’re ready to move into the world of ComapctLogix and ControlLogix, you’ll be happy to know that most of the Ladder Logix instructions are identical to the ones used in the MicroLogix, something which definitely can’t be said about the Micro800.

To find out more about why the MicroLogix 1000 is my recommendation for beginners, check out my previous article, Beginner’s PLC, or The Automation Podcast on the same topic, Beginner’s PLC Podcast.

2) Keeping it affordable…

Price is an important factor, as most people learning PLCs are doing so on a limited budget.

And while the MicroLogix 1000 isn’t the least expensive micro on the market, the smaller models do start at only $150.

Aside from an affordable price, the MicroLogix 1000 also has two other big advantages:

First, the programming software can be downloaded absolutely free! This means you can begin learning now without even spending a penny.

For information on how and where you can get a free copy of the RSLogix software, check out my previous article on the subject, How to get free MicroLogix 1000 Programming Software

Second, even if you don’t have the money to buy a physical MicroLogix 1000 right now, you can still practice running your programs with Rockwell’s free A-B PLC emulator, RSEmulate 500.

This means without even spending a dime you can be programming and running your very own Allen-Bradley PLC programs all for free!

If you’d like to know how and where to get a free cop of the emulation software, check out my previous article, How to get a free copy of RSEmulate 500.

And if you’d like to know more about learning to use programmable controllers, check out my previous article on the subject, Getting Started with Programmable Controllers, which includes additional information on low cost programming cables, push buttons, and pilot lights for use in your very own PLC projects.

3) The basics, step-by-step

So you now know which A-B PLC is both inexpensive and still program like most other Allen-Bradley programmable controllers.

You also now know that this PLC, the MicroLogix 1000, has free programming and emulation software available right from Rockwell Automation.

But what you might not know is yours truly has recorded a four hour training video that will show you everything you need to get started.

That’s right, in 2014 I successfully completed a Kickstarter campaign to create an affordable step-by-step video guide on how to get started programming A-B PLC’s.

Now my video course wasn’t filmed in Hollywood, and there’s no famous actors or expensive special effects.

It’s just me, and my twenty five years of experience helping people learn to program PLCs.

If you’d like to learn more about my video course, or order a copy for yourself (or a friend,) you can find all the details at PLC Basics.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

How to get TechED 2015 Presentations and Lab Manuals

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 17, 2015

If you missed Rockwell Automation’s TechED this year like I did, you’ll be happy to know Rockwell has made the majority of the presentations and lab manuals available online.

In today’s article, I’ll walk you through the steps to download them.

1) Start by visiting http://www.RSTechED.com, which will redirect you to the official Rockwell Automation TechED home page:

2) From this page select “mobile app:”

3) Now select “mobile app” again;

4) PC users select the first choice in the list, “Visitor Portal:”

5) Thankfully Rockwell enabled a “Guest” login, so unless you actually attended the show click on “Guest:”

6) Now select “Schedule” on the left, and you’ll see the available sessions on the right. When you find one you’re interested in, select it:

7) You’ll now see a summary of the session you selected, with one or two download icons. Select the download you’re interested in:

8) From the pop-up, click on the download icon at the top right of the window, and then when prompted by your browser save the file:

And that’s all there is to accessing this year’s Rockwell Automaiton TechED presentations and labs.

I hope you’ve found today’s article about accessing this year’s TechED labs and presentations helpful.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please feel free to leave them with us by submitting the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

ControlLogix, CompactLogix – Application Code Manager, as seen at TechED 2015

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 15, 2015

Studio-5000-Logix-Designer-Application-Code-Manager-Plugin-Fi

At this year’s Rockwell Automation TechED, a new library management tool for Studio 5000 Logix designer was debuted.

Named the “Studio 5000 Logix Designer Application Code Manager,” or ACM for short, it was the subject of a presentation session (SY04,) a demonstration session (SY10,) as well as a hands-on lab session (SY15.)

From the presentations now available to the public, we’ve learned that this new utility is targeted to released in mid to late 2015, alongside Studio 5000 v27.

Designed to be the only library management tool a Studio 5000 user would need, it’s said to be flexible enough to work with Process, Batch, Safety, Motion and Discrete applications.

One goal of the ACM tool is to efficiency and accuracy generate Studio 5000 Logix Designer code from library objects, allowing for faster application development, as well as simplifying the reuse of existing code.

Initially the tool will work with Logix Designer, but it’s planned for future versions to support FactoryTalk® View, Alarm and Events, and Historian.

If you would like to see the complete TechEd presentation on this new tool, or view the hands on lab, open the TechED app using the below link, select “Guest,” and then search the schedule for “SY15.”

http://visitors.genie-connect.com/roktechedsandiego2015/

I hope you’ve found the above information about the soon-to-be released Logix Application Code Manager helpful.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please feel free to leave them with us by using the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

PanelView 5500, as seen at TechED 2015

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 12, 2015

This year some very lucky attendees of Rockwell’s TechEd had the opportunity to test drive Rockwell’s next generation of HMI’s, the PanelView 5500.

It’s been literally years since the last hand-on sessions were offered for the PanelView 5000, and with limited seating available only those who signed-up very early had the opportunity to register for the session.

Before attendees jumped into the hands-on they were shown a brief slide show, and in today’s article we’ll summarize that presentation’s key points:

The PanelView 5500 Hardware

Releasing in the second half of this year, the PanelView 5500 is an all medal premium HMI desgined initially for use with ControlLogix and CompactLogix processors.

Rockwell plans on releasing the PV5500 in the six different sizes listed below:

7″ Screen, 640×480 Resolution
9″W Screen, 800×480 Resolution
10″ Screen, 800×600 Resolution
12″W Screen, 1280×800 Resolution
15″ Screen, 1024×768 Resolution
19″ Screen, 1280×1024 Resolution

Two of the above models have “wide-screen” aspect ratios, and the 19″ model will be the largest PanelView Rockwell has ever offered.

All of the models are said to have smaller bezel and depth dimensions compared to Rockwell’s other HMI’s, and they all also include an integrated two port DLR enabled switch.

The PanelView 5500 Configuration Software

Releasing alongside version 27 of Studio 5000, the PanelView 5500 will program exclusively with the View Designer software included in v27.

New customers, as well as existing customers in support, will receive the View Designer configuration software automatically with v27, with only “Service Edition” owners required to purchase an upgrade to access to it.

Some of the top View Designer features Rockwell touted include:

– Support for Logix base alarms
– Support for extended properties of tags.
– Binding of object properties to tag values
– Inclusion of hundreds of pre-made screens, pop-ups, and smart objects.

The PanelView 5500 Release 1 Limitations

As with most initial revs, the first release of the PanelView 5500 will have some limitations.

These include being limited to connecting to a single v27 Logix controller, as well as only supporting 50 screens per project (not including built-in canned screens.)

Hopefully Rockwell will quickly expand on the above limitations as HMI users don’t typically buy premium HMI’s for single PLC systems.

I hope you’ve found the above information about the PanelView 5500 helpful.

If you would like to view the entire PanelView 5500 presentation from TechED 2015, you will find it embedded below under my signature.

And as always, if you have a comment, question, or suggestion please don’t hesitate to leave it with us by filling in the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

VZ16 – PanelView™ 5500 and Studio 5000 View Designer™ Demonstration from Rockwell Automation

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

Integrated Architecture – TechED15: What’s New with Integrated Architecture as seen at TechED 2015

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 10, 2015

Whats-New-in-Integrated-Architecture-TechED-2015

My all time favorite sessions at Rockwell Automation’s TechED are the “What’s New” sessions.

This year these sessions didn’t disappoint, with several new products revealed in “What’s New in Integrated Architecture.”

Below I share my “top five” picks from this session, and I’ll also include the complete presentation at the bottom of this page.

CompactLogix Hardware

First up, Rockwell announces a new member of the CompactLogix 5370 family of processors, the 1769-L19ER:

I haven’t run into anyone who’s maxed out an L18 yet, but apparently this has been happening since the only difference between the L18 and L19 is the later has more memory.

The presentation didn’t mention when the L19 is coming out, or what version of Studio 5000 will be needed to use it, but if I had to guess I would say it will release in the 6-9 month time range and require v28.

Compact GuardLogix

Next we have the 5370 version of the Compact GuardLogix.

This is one product I know many are waiting for, as it’s expected to greatly reduce the cost of implementing a GaurdLogix system.

There’s also no target release date listed for this product either, but I would guess it’s probably early to mid 2016.

Studio 5000, version 27 and 28

It seems like just yesterday when version 24 was released, followed shortly there after by the stealth release of version 26.

Now according to this slide, Studio 5000 v27 and v28 will also be released in 2015:

It looks like v27 is focused on support for the PanelView 5000, while v28 is focused on supporting new hardware (assuming that’s the two new CompactLogix products above.)

ControlLogix Redundancy

Below we see updated v20.0xx redundancy firmware planned for this summer, as well as v24.5 firmware scheduled to arrive next year:

Human Machine Interface Hardware

My final new product pick is the PanelView 5000:

This new operator interface will program from inside Studio 5000 v27 using the new View Designer component.

From what I’ve heard, the first release of this new HMI will be quite limited, so you’d be advised to do your research prior to using the first release of this new PanelView.

Want to see what else Rockwell showcased in “What’s New in Integrated Architecture?” If you do, I’ve embedded the entire presentation below my signature.

And as always, if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, you can leave them with us by filling out the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

Update 05/15/23: Unfortunately the presentation is no longer available

CL01 – What’s New in Integrated Architecture? from Rockwell Automation

Didn’t attend TechED 2015? Find out what you missed…

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 8, 2015

Last week Rockwell held it’s annual week-long training event, Rockwell Automation TechED, in beautiful downtown San Diego, California.

Regretfully, for the first time in a very long time I wasn’t able to attend the event.

But now that its is over I’m trying to find out what I missed, and in today’s article I share the best “TechED Session Videos” I could find:

First up, the TechED 2015 keynote speech by Frank Kulaszewicz, entitled:

“Smart Manufacturing: The Future is Now.“

Next, lets take a look at a session featuring some of Rockwell’s top engineering talent:

“Studio 5000 Designing Smart Machines for The Connected Enterprise“

Finally, there’s Kyle Reissner and a few of his colleagues in:

“Trends in Mobility – The World is not Flat”

I hope you enjoyed this look at session videos from Rockwell Automation’s TechED 2015.

Check back in with us this Wednesday when we take a look at the new Logix and View products announced at the event.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

Migrate / Convert – RSView32 to ViewSE: Rockwell’s Migration Videos

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 5, 2015

All this week we’ve been talking about RSView32 to FactoryTalk View SE migration, and today we’re spotlighting Rockwell’s own videos on the subject.

Preparing for Migration

First up is this seven part series on preparing for, and considerations of, migrating RSView32 to View SE.

You can watch this video series below, and you can use the icon on the right of the video itself to jump to one of these seven chapters:

Chapter 1: Introduction and Comparison of RSView32 with FactoryTalk View SE
Chapter 2: ActiveX Controls
Chapter 3: Visual Basic for Applications
Chapter 4: Communications and Device Tags
Chapter 5: RSView32 Extensions
Chapter 6: Users and Security
Chapter 7: Migrating RSView32 projects for use on a 64-bit system

Executing Migration

Next up is this seven part series on executing the migration of RSView32 to View SE.

You can watch this video series below, and you can use the icon on the right of the video itself to jump to one of these seven chapters:

Chapter 1: Demo project overview
Chapter 2: Preparing Tag Database
Chapter 3: Creating FT View SE Project
Chapter 4: Importing RSView32 Project
Chapter 5: Creating Server / Configuring Comms
Chapter 6: Using Alarms in FT View SE
Chapter 7: Running the FT View SE project

Validating Migration

Lastly is this four part series on validating your migration of RSView32 to View SE.

You can watch this video series below, and you can use the icon on the right of the video itself to jump to one of these four chapters:

Chapter 1: Editing the FT View SE Tag Database
Chapter 2: Using Direct Reference Tags
Chapter 3: Understanding VBA Execution
Chapter 4: Moving VBA to the FT View SE project

I hope you found the above videos helpful. To visit Rockwell’s homepage for these videos please use the below link:

http://campaign.rockwellautomation.com/HMI-Migration-Made-Easy

And if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please feel free to leave them with us by filling in the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

Migrate / Convert – RSView32 to ViewSE: Five Things You Need To Know

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 3, 2015

Over the years I’ve been asked a lot about how to migrate old RSView32 systems to FactoryTalk View SE, and in today’s article I’ll list my five top tips.

Five Things You Need To Know About Migrating RSView32 To FactoryTalk View

1) FactoryTalk View Site Edition and RSView32 are licensed differently

As discussed in Monday’s article, RSView32 and FT View SE licensing differs greatly.

To migrate an RSView32 system, you’ll need a copy of FactoryView Studio Enterprise as well as a Station (runtime) license, or one Server and (at least) one Client license.

FactoryTalk View SE is also sold by Graphic Display count, not tag count. This change was made because View SE can directly reference PLC tags and device registers, which eliminates the need to create a tag database.

For more information on how RSView32 and View SE licenses differ, follow the below link to our article on the subject:

https://theautomationblog.com/how-rsview32-and-factorytalk-view-licensing-differs/

2) Rockwell offers a “Step Forward” discount – no support contract required

If you’ll no longer need your RSView32 license after migrating, ask your local Rockwell representative to quote you the “Step Forward” price from the RSView32 you have to the View SE you would like to replace it with.

This discount, which does not require your old RSView32 license to be in support, is usually substantial and well worth your time to investigate.

3) FactoryTalk View Studio Enterprise Edition can directly import RSView32 projects.

At RSTechED 2013 I was shocked to learn some Rockwell representatives were not aware that View Studio could import RSView32 projects.

Ok, I’ve have been using RSView and RSView Studio since both their betas, so I may have a slight advantage.

But still, View Studio has been out for over ten years, so I would expect anyone who actually uses FactoryTalk View SE would know it can import old RSView32 projects (as well as View ME projects.)

4) SPC, Messenger and Recipe Pro Extensions do not import

FactoryTalk View does do a lot of things we always wished RSView32 would, but unfortunately it doesn’t do everything RSView32 did.

Case in point: The RSView32 Extensions SPC, Messenger, and Recipe Pro.

These free add-on extensions for RSView32 have no counterparts in View SE, so if you use any of those heavily you’ll want to do additional research before attempting to migrate.

5) VBA needs to be re-written

The final item on my list is VBA.

I’ve always directed my clients to use VBA sparingly, only when the equivalent feature or function was not already included in FactoryTalk View itself.

That said, most all RSView32 VBA code can be modified to work in ViewSE, however two things must be kept in mind:

First, View SE’s VBA is client based, running in the client window from the graphic displays.

This is quite different from RSView32’s VBA which was server based, much like Events and Derived Tags.

Second, View SE has a very different “Object Model” than RSView32.

This means the code for accessing Tags and other components needs to be changed, and in ViewSE it can often be simpler read a value from a display’s object than access a tag directly.

I hope the above five tips about migrating RSView32 to View SE was helpful. If you would like more information about migrating RSView32, check out Rockwell’s own manual on the subject below:

RSView32 to FactoryTalk View SE Migration Guide

And if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to share them with us by submitting the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

Migrate / Convert – RSView32 to ViewSE: How FactoryTalk View Site Edition Licensing Differs

By

Shawn Tierney

-

June 1, 2015

I talk to a lot of people these days who are looking to migrate their old RSView32 systems, usually running on Windows XP, to FactoryTalk View Site Edition running on Windows 7 or 8.

The first question I usually ask is if the client understands how the two packages are licensed, and in today’s article I’ll explain how each is.

How RSView32 is licensed:

Tag Counts

RSView32 licenses come in several different tag count sizes.

From smallest to largest, they are 75, 150, 300, 1,500, 5,000, 32,000, and 100,000 tags.

Now any tag which references a device address or register is counted toward the license limit.

However, internal memory tags do not count towards the license tag count limit.

Runtime vs. Works

RSView32 Runtime licenses are pretty standard when compared to other SCADA software.

They enabled the running (but not editing) of the RSView32 projects that contain up to the licensed limit of device tags.

RSView32 Works licenses on the other hand are a little different.

A “Works” license is a single license that enables either development or runtime of a project with up to the number of device tags the license allows.

When explaining the “Works” license, I always stress “single license” since I’ve often found clients would misunderstand that it’s just one license which could enable either the Runtime or Works, but not both at the same time or on separate PCs.

Driver Needed

RSView32 could be purchased without a PLC or OPC driver, however I never met anyone who didn’t need one.

With that in mind, I always asked clients which vendor’s PLC they were going to connect to in order to insure they were quoted an RSView32 bundle with either RSLinx or KepServer (it was cheaper to buy the bundle up front.)

For more information about RSView32 packages see the below website:

http://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwellsoftware/products/rsview32.page?#ordering-information

How FactoryTalk View SE is licensed:

Runtimes

Unlike RSView32, FactoryTalk View SE Runtime licenses (called Station licenses) are sold by Graphic Display count, not tag count.

This change was made because View SE can directly reference device tags or registers, completely eliminating the need for HMI tags.

So while each Station (runtime) license theoretically has an unlimited tag count, every graphic display (aka picture, page, screen) used in the project, whether it’s a small popup or faceplate or a large multi-monitor graphic, counts towards the license limit.

View SE Station (runtime) licenses are available in 15, 25, 100, 250, and unlimited graphic display counts.

Server and Client licenses

If you have the need for a client / server system, View SE is also has these licenses available.

The View SE Server license runs a distributed View SE project, and is available in 25, 100, 250, and unlimited graphic display count licenses.

However, the View SE server license does not include a client license, so if your View SE server is not a “headless” server, but instead will also be used as a client station, you’ll then also need a client license for that system.

With that in mind, it should also be noted a View SE Server system is typically useless without at least one Client license.

The View SE client licenses come in two types: Read only (no tag changes allowed) and Full Control.

Each ViewSE client license can connect to any View SE server in the same FactoryTalk Directory no matter what size it is, and multiple ViewSE client windows can be opened on the same PC with a single license.

Development Software

Unlike most every other SCADA package on the market, the FactoryTalk View Site Edition development software (View Studio Enterprise) only comes in one unlimited edition.

This means when you purchase FactoryTalk View Studio Enterprise you can develop projects for unlimited tags and graphic displays.

However, View Studio Enterprise does not include a Runtime or Server license.

Instead, it allows you to test either type of project for up to two hours at a time.

Rockwell Drivers Included

Today, all FactoryTalk View SE runtime, server, and development licenses include compatible copies of RSLinx Classic and RSLinx Enterprise.

The copy of RSLinx Classic included will activate for use with View SE when installed on the same PC as the View SE Station, Server, or Studio license.

The copy of RSLinx Enterpise included not only works on that View SE licensed PC, but also works on any PC that is part of the View SE system’s FactoryTalk Directory.

For more information about FactoryTalk View SE packages see the below website:

http://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwellsoftware/products/factorytalk-view-se.page?#ordering-information

I hope you’ve found the above article detailing the differences between RSView32 and FT View SE licensing helpful.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please feel free to share them with us by using the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Author
Recent Posts

Shawn Tierney

I'm a lifelong Technology Enthusiast who began programing in the early 80's on the Apple II and VIC-20 personal computers. After earning a degree in Electronics, I worked as a Certified Controls and Information Automation Specialist for 25 years before leaving to become a full time Industrial Automation instructor and mentor at TheAutomationSchool, as well as publishing industry interviews, news, and product how-to’s at TheAutomationBlog.com. If you're interested in my training, mentoring, or becoming a sponsor, please schedule a teams meeting with me via https://calendly.com/shawntierney/business-meeting

Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

First Look: Siemens S7-1200 G2 – Unbox, Wire, Program (S2E13) - April 17, 2025
MaintainX: Prevent Unplanned Downtime (P236) - April 9, 2025
First Time Using Ignition: Tags and Views (P235) - March 24, 2025

Article Updated February 2018:

In today’s article I’ll walk you through how to get Rockwell’s “MicroLogix Library Converter” MicroLogix 1000 to Micro800 conversion tool.

NOTE: For a step by step procedure on how to use this tool, see our article HERE.

Step 1) Navigate your web browser to http://www.ab.com:

Step 2) Now select ” Compatibility and Downloads”:

Step 3) Now search on “Connected Components Workbench,” and then select it from the results:

Step 4) Now select “Downloads”:

Step 5) Next select the download icon:

Step 6) In the popup window, select “MicroLogix to Micro800 Conversion Tool”

Step 7) If not already logged in with a free account, go ahead and do so:

Step 8) Now on the bottom right of the next page select “Accept”

Step 9) In this example we’ll select “Direct Download”:

Step 10) And click on the link to download the file:

Old Procedure showcasing Rockwell’s old website (for posterity only)

Step 1) Navigate your web browser to http://www.ab.com:

Step 2) On the left under quick links select “Product Compatibility and Download Center”

Step 3) Now select “Find Downloads”

Step 4) In the product search field type “CCW”

Step 5) Now select “Connected Components Workbench,” and then select version “8.00.00”

Step 6) Then on the bottom right select “Downloads”

Step 7) Next, select the picture of a red arrow and gray box:

Step 8) In the popup window, scroll down until you see, “MicroLogix to Micro800 Conversion Tool”

Step 9) Now on the bottom left of the next page select “Accept”

Step 10) Finally, select either “Managed Download,” or “Direct Download” to download the installation file:

Step A) Once you’ve downloaded the file, “SetupCCWMicroLogixConversionV3.00.exe,” You’ll need to run it to unzip the installation files:

Step B) Then double click on the setup file:

Step C) And walk through the installation wizard:

Step D) Now that the conversion tool is installed, you should find inside CCW under the “Tools” menu:

Earlier this week (in this article) we covered the “MicroLogix 1000 to Micro800 Migration Guide” which Rockwell released shortly after announcing the 1000 and 1500 had been re-classified as “End of life.”

At the same time, Rockwell also released a “MicroLogix 1000 to Micro800 Converter Tool” for use with Connected Components Workbench (CCW) version 8.0, and in today’s article we’ll take an introductory look at this new utility.

Welcome to The Automation Blog’s

“Flashback Friday!”

Today I’m highlighting my twelve year old RSView32 Security Popup Demo 2 Project.

Today we’re debuting a new series of weekly articles called, “The Automation Blog’s Question of the Week.”

In the first article of the series we’re asking you, our readers, what other automation websites you visit on a regular basis?

So please take a moment and let us know by selecting one or more of the websites listed below, or add your own selection to the poll by using the “other” selection:

Which Industrial Automation Vendors Do You Use or Prefer The Most? (Choose up to 3; add missing vendors in "other" choice)

You can now vote in any of our previous polls here:

Thanks for taking part in our first “Question of the Week” article and poll!

If you have additional comments please feel free to share them with us by using the “post a comment or question” link below.

With the recent announcement from Rockwell Automation that the MicroLogix 1500’s status has been changed to “End of Life,” many are asking, “What’s the best Micro to migrate too?”

Since the 1500 has some unique features, in order to suggest a replacement we need to which are being used, as well as how many expansion I/O modules are needed.

UPDATE: Rockwell has released a new document detailing MicroLogix 1500 migration options, and a link to that manual is below:

Most compatible option, good when only a few expansion modules are needed.

Option for systems with a large number of expansion I/O modules.

With the recent announcement from Rockwell Automation that the MicroLogix 1000’s status has been changed to “End of Life,” many users are asking, “What’s the best Micro to migrate too?”

Since there are many Micros to choose from, to answer this question we need to know what is more important to the user: program compatibility or product cost?

Most Compatible Option

Lowest Cost Option

In Summary

Rockwell Automation has officially listed the “end of life” date for the MicroLogix 1000 and 1500.

According to their website, they will cease production of the two oldest MicroLogix models on June 30th, 2017.

We first came across this news while reviewing the publically available session materials from Rockwell’s TechED 2015 event.

However, Rockwell’s official product life cycle webpage was not updated to reflect this information until just last week.

The MicroLogix 1000

The MicroLogix 1500

In today’s edition of “Insight’s Inbox” we answer a reader’s question on how to display the same FactoryTalk View ME popup graphic display multiple times.

Reader Question:

In Monday’s article here we discussed what appeared to be the premature outing of a new ControlLogix 1756-L85E processor with built-in 1GB Ethernet port.

That news brought up the question, do ControlLogix users want processors with built-in Ethernet?

At first glace, the obvious answer would be a resounding “YES!”

But, could there be any downsides to having your Ethernet port built-in?

With that question in mind, today we look at three things that may determine if having an integrated Ethernet port is right for you.

1) Cost

2) Performance

3) Commonality

So you, or someone you know, wants to learn how to use Allen-Bradley programmable controllers?

Well you’re in luck! In today’s article I’ll cover everything you need to know to get started.

1) What is the best A-B PLC to start learning with?

2) Keeping it affordable…

3) The basics, step-by-step

If you missed Rockwell Automation’s TechED this year like I did, you’ll be happy to know Rockwell has made the majority of the presentations and lab manuals available online.

In today’s article, I’ll walk you through the steps to download them.

1) Start by visiting http://www.RSTechED.com, which will redirect you to the official Rockwell Automation TechED home page:

2) From this page select “mobile app:”

3) Now select “mobile app” again;

4) PC users select the first choice in the list, “Visitor Portal:”

5) Thankfully Rockwell enabled a “Guest” login, so unless you actually attended the show click on “Guest:”

6) Now select “Schedule” on the left, and you’ll see the available sessions on the right. When you find one you’re interested in, select it:

7) You’ll now see a summary of the session you selected, with one or two download icons. Select the download you’re interested in: