IPDS Software

[Macgyver BR 0]

IPDS - I find information, and what is software. And what new software substitute Sometime know, software for programming PLC Allen Bradley.

[Omronix 0]

It is old programming software . I have used it for SLC 500 familiy. IPDS is main directory name. IPDS/ATTACH/SLC/ap.com... This was DOS based programming software. It is also working with WIN95 and WIN98. I newer try it with WindowXP. You can use new version of programming software. Please visit www.ab.com You can find new software on it

[Gerry 13]

If what you have is labelled "IPDS" then it is AB's first attempt at PC-based programming software. It was produced in the early 1980's and was for the PLC-2 family. It was, to be polite, an interesting product. The concept was to produce librairies of re-usable ladder code programmed symbolically that could be stitched together as required to produce a complete project. It would automatically assign I/O and download to the processor. That's where the fun began - there was little control over how the I/O was assigned; you needed a T3 terminal to monitor and edit; there was no way to upload back to the librairies. Then they had to change the name as "IPDS" was a trademark of another company (Intel, I think). They decided on "6200", but kept IPDS as the main directory name for the software. Since many third parties were able to do it better, AB gave up and badged ICOM's Ladder Logistics s/w for the PLC-2. While they were at it, they also badged Teledenken's PLC-3 package. This allowed them to put all their resources into developing s/w for the PLC-5, which was ultimately delayed in reaching the market for 2 years due to lack of any means to program it. Once useable versions of 6200-PLC5 had been produced, they developed 6200-PLC3 and assigned subsidiary Dynapro to develop 6200-PLC2. For whatever reason, Dynapro elected to use their proprietary operating system CRONOS for the task and consequently the s/w can't be used under Windows, unlike the PLC-3 and PLC-5 s/w. Besides that, it was never as easy to use as the ICOM s/w and didn't sell much. In the end, AB/Rockwell bought ICOM and if they still sell s/w for the PLC-2 family it would be the AI series, originally from ICOM.

[AB_Novice 0]

Hi, I am new here on this Forum and apologize for warming up this really old thread but I have question for for some of the AB veterans. I am about to work on an old PLC-2/30 and located the old ICOM software as per the picture below. I would like to know, does this software work with the 1784 KT interface card and the 1784 CP cable ? Many Thanks for your help. ab_3.bmp

[semilogical 0]

I haven't touched a PLC-2 series system since the 80's. I don't know if there is any software that is a little more modern to used, but I'd contact my Rockwell Software representative and ask. My run in with the ICOM software was less than ideal. The old AB 6200 series software was miles more user friendly. The windows based software is better than all issued in the past. As far as the communications I believe that it does work with the components you list above.