Create uploads automatically

[PLCDeveloper 0]

Hello, my new boss wants me to upload all of our PLCs twice a week. This is really a annoying task. Open the GX-Developer (8.37P), enter the communication parameters, upload the whole project and save it to a secure location on our server. As you can imagine it takes a lot of time until I have finished this task. I am now looking for a way to create these uploads automatically. Do you know of any commandline parameters for the GX-Developer or a third party or Mitsubishi tool to automate this task? So far I found out that the GX-Developer seems to have a COM-interface. Because it is possible to save the following code: Dim GXDevObj Set GXDevObj = CreateObject("Gppw.Application") as a visual basic script file (*.vbs). After executing the script file I see a new process "Gppw.exe" in the task manager. Is there a documentation for this interface available? Thanks in advance!

[tragically1969 0]

My first question would have to be.....Why ?? Does the code change that often that you need 2 backups per week ? Are you logging data to the PLC that needs to be archived ?, if this is the case there is more reliable and automonous ways of doing it.

[PLCDeveloper 0]

For my boss it does not matter how often the code changes. He just wants to be able to bring the PLC back online after a crash as soon as possible. Maybe I should be glad that he only wants 2 backups and not 5 a week...

[tragically1969 0]

Well your boss hasnt got a clue what he is talking about, what difference does it make if the PLC program is a day old or a week old or a month old if it hasnt changed in that time ? Time to sit down with the boss and try and talk some sense into him i think as otherwise he is sending you on a wild goose chase !!

[PLCDeveloper 0]

Well, he just told me that I am free to upload only those PLCs that are different to the last backup... Maybe I ask him to extend my job description to "PLC upload manager" Back to the topic -> Any chances to automate the backup process?

[tragically1969 0]

No, sorry, not that i know of, i suspect you would have to write some very custom code, you will find this difficult as i would suspect the API\program documentation for GX Developer has never and never will be released for general consumption. I seem to remember that a similar question was asked a while back, perhaps try a search on this site to see what you can find. Oh by the way its not off topic to still suggest that your boss is wasting your time, my question is still valid, why do something that does not need doing ? Good luck !

[panic mode 246]

after reading this, i decided to post small code sample that shows how to control another application using VB.NET: http://forums.mrplc.com/index.php?autocom=downloads&showfile=816 but it is also important to mention that there are ready programs to automate repetitive tasks (AutoIT or RoboTask for example). those are probably your best bet... good luck

[Walter Anderson 0]

Hello PLCDeveloper, I have not worked with Mitsubishi's (all AB), so this may not be relevant... but... here's what we do for the same reasons (want to have current backup available for recovery immediately--though super-rare that we've needed one): When we update the PLC we always save a copy of the program file to the server, appended with the current date--result is a folder of files that look something like this: BatchPLC_20080820a BatchPLC_20080822a BatchPLC_20080822b BatchPLC_20080831a BatchPLC_20080901a DryerPLC_20080801a DryerPLC_20080827a If you save the program anywhere other than the PLC when programming on Mitsubishi's, this would work well; just give everyone else Read-Only permissions (so they don't delete files or something) and save your work in a folder on the server where it is available for download back to the PLC if needed. When needed, anyone who knows how to download can easily pick out the latest date and download it. In our case we have multiple programmers and sometimes have beta versions in development (updates in progress not yet deployed to PLC), so we've appended additional info to files as needed, such as: DryerPLC_20080801a_Beta (Beta file, available for editing) DryerPLC_20080827a_Beta_OUT-WAnderson (Beta file, currently signed out by WAnderson) I hope this helps!

[PLCDeveloper 0]

This working process is only possible if everybody sticks to it everytime. What happens if somebody forgets to save the copy on the server or two developers work on the same project and overwrite the changes made by the other? Edited 2 Sep 2008 by PLCDeveloper

[Crossbow 297]

The program loader is a good option for backup and restore, but you would need one for each PLC. There is not an internal method to automate backup of Mitsubishi PLCs through the Mitsubishi PLC software. You would need a utility like Robotask or something like that to make it automated by teaching it the keystrokes one time. However, you should not have to mess with Transfer Setup each time. Open the old project, all transfer setup is stored in the project. And GX automatically defaults to the last PLC and transfer setup when creating new projects. And I agree... backing up every PLC twice a week proves this supervisor has no clue what a PLC is or how it operates. Once programmed, the program will not be lost unless the battery goes dead, and there are memory card options to protect even that. Does this guy back up his entire PLC to the network every night?

[Gambit 330]

Probably not a solution for you at the moment but.. The new GOT's have an option to upload the PLC program at specified times.

[Walter Anderson 0]

Agreed, the process must be followed by everyone all the time for it to work. In our case, we work on files on server, so it is no special pain to save them there; we already are. The "OUT-Whoever" tag on the end of the file name is used to keep two people from doing simultaneous work and one guy over-writing the other's changes. If the file says, "OUT-Whoever", we have to contact Whoever to find out when file will be available for editing again--or what portion they are working on so we can merge changes back in later. It sounds like this may not be the ideal solution for you. I hope one of the other suggestions does the trick.

[Kiwi Nate 0]

There is nothing I can offer to assist, but I used to work for a guy who was clueless like your boss. He came off the tools as a fitter and slipped into Plant Engineer. The company made a bad choice on this particular promortion. I remember bailing him out many times on in house projects. Can I have your boss's e mail address? I'd like to send him something. Ha ha. Na jokes, just my 2 cents... Nice to reflect.