Hi All,

On MarkV with HMI

I can’t seem to remember what is actually being done in IOCONFIG when you click List Parms. I have looked through manuals and my training notes. I seem to recall, and from using search on here that List Screen saves it to a text file and save and exit creates the .AP1 file. Mostly just bothering me out of curiosity, as I am just use to clicking the buttons.

Thanks

HamsterKing

 

HamsterKing,

You are correct. When you click on 'List Parms' the I/O Configurator creates an ASCII text file called IOCFG.PRM which lists all of the I/O Configuration Constants in ASCII text form. The unique thing about this file is that it can be edited and used to run the I/O Configurator in what's called "batch mode" to create new .AP1 files. (.AP1 files are only used with GE Mark V HMIs (running MS-Windows and CIMPLICITY); .DAT files are created by the I/O Configurator of <I> operator interfaces).

The .AP1 and .DAT I/O Configurator files created when you click on 'Save & Exit' are Intel hex format files that can be downloaded to the Mark V cores (processors) using the EEPROM Downloader.

The benefit in creating a .PRM file after you make changes in the I/O Configurator is that it can be used to examine the values of all of the I/O Configuration Constants without needing the I/O Configurator, and in a pinch, if the I/O Configurator downloadable files get corrupted they can be used to quickly create new downloadable files using the batch mode of the I/O Configurator.

The 'List Screens' option creates an ASCII text file that is basically copies of the various screens and values in the I/O Configurator that's easy to read (the format is not readable by the I/O Configurator).

Hope this helps!

 

Thank you very CSA. That explains it well. A bit curious about ‘IOConfigurator BATCH mode but not something I will likely get into.

Thanks again

Hamsterking

 

Batch mode is just a way the developers envisioned to be able to quickly change/modify or configure I/O Configuration without having to use enter values one at a time, 'Verify Screen' and 'Save & Exit' for large changes, or even for small changes. It was not intended to be used for regular maintenance; more for possible configurations after large-scale changes to EEPROM programming, or for PROM updates, or for possible emergency recovery.