In Today’s article I discuss why your FactoryTalk View Studio Site Edition Parameter Files may not work.

While I was recording lessons for my View Studio Site Edition course, “ViewSE Basics,” I ran into a new issue with Parameter Files.

I was demonstrating how your can use the same Graphic Displays with multiple different PLCs and Tag sets, when I found most of my Parameter Files were not working.

After reviewing the files, I found that the first line of each Parameter File had this extra line of text: @!=1

I was pretty sure I hadn’t added that extra line myself, and that it wasn’t needed, so I went ahead and removed it from all of my Parameter Files and re-saved them.

Then I ran the application again, and this time I found that all of my Parameter Files worked.

Unsure if this was just a v9 bug, I opened View Studio v10, v8 and v7, and in each of those I created a new Test application as well as a new Parameter File.

Surprisingly, I found the same erroneous first line of text was present in the Parameter Files I created in v10, v8, and v7.

So while removing the “@!=1” did solve the issue I ran into with v9, I still have no idea why Rockwell would add this first line of text to all new Parameter Files in so many different versions.

In my experience, it’s unlike Rockwell to ship multiple versions of a software product with what appears to be a feature breaking bug?

PS – If you have any experience or information about this, I’d love to hear from you! Just click on the “post a comment or question” link below to leave a comment.

UPDATE: A kind reader informed me that the !@=1 disables inline comments.

In my course I use a lot of inline comments, and with the !@=1 present ViewSE was interpreting them as part of the command string.

Not sure who needs to use the “!” symbol in their commands, but since I want to include inline comments for my students, I’ll continue to remove the !@=1 from my parameter files so they’ll work 🙂

To watch a video demonstration of the above, check out Episode 47 of The Automation Minute Season 4 below:


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You can also share your own thoughts and opinions on this subject by clicking on the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

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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.

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