Ours is a GE Fr6 Mk5 HMI controller. Mk5 HMI tool box is not protected with password. I would like to protect it from unauthorised use from other section of the people. I would like only the authorised people from Instrument Dept to handle the tool box facilities. Now once the "Start" button is right clicked the "explorer" view opens and HMI tool box can be viewed and any folder/files could be executed.

Please let me know, how to get this into "password" protection?

What is the procedure to take snap shots of any screen in Mk5 and Mk6?

 

Hi,
When did you update MK5 HMI?

In general during upgratation GE will provide 3 type users

1. Operation - only view and trend modification
2. Maintenance - to handle all tools
3. Administrator -to add / remove program

If it's not done, tools can be removed by editing the display.

Screenshot can be saved by pressing "print screen" button and it'll saved in documents and settings (the above will vary plant to plant based on configuration).

good luck
G.Rajesh

 

The GE manual for GE Mark V HMIs is GEH-6126. You may find the information you are looking for there.

Unfortunately, GE's password protection schemes for most of MSWindows-based HMIs they provided is pretty poor, and documented even more poorly.

Later versions of HMIs seem to be a little better, but we don't know what version of MSWindows and TCI and CIMPLICITY is in use at the site.

As for printing screens, that's entirely a function of MSWindows. Whatever works for the version of MSWindows installed on the HMI will work for all applications on the HMI. Pressing 'Print Screen' will usually send a copy of the full screen to the printer defined to be the Default Printer under Control Panel | Printers and Faxes.

You can also use the MSWindows Alt+Print Screen and Ctrl+Print Screen key combinations to copy screens/active windows to the MSWindows Clipboard, and then paste them to Notepad or Wordpad or some other text editor capable of handling the capture.

 

Locking cimplicity HMI

i hope you have cimplicity as your HMI and the "toolbox" you are referring to is the cimplicity "workbench". i do not know how the role privileges are configured in your HMI and on what level your HMI running in the control room. but you can do the following.

Open the running project list, in the left hand tab you will see "security tab" there you will find the different operating modes of the HMI. most probably there will be three, Admin , maintenance and operator. you can specify the role chara there itself. I do not know what exactly your requirement is but once you reach here you can intuitively configure. the cimplicity manual gives a good description of the security features you can have a look there also for more clarification.

the round about way is to delete the cimplicity entry from the desktop and lock the disk access. it is a simple procedure , but be sure to know where the cimiplicity workbench and other utilities are located in the disk (mostly in E:\master) before you do this.

write back if you have any more questions.

 

Dear Mr.Rajesh,

Thank you for the reply to my post. Could you pls guide me how to edit the tool box display in order to implement the password to protect the use of tool menus from misuse by others. Thanx again....

 

ProcessValue,

The title of this thread indicates this is for a GE Mark V HMI, not for a Mark VI or Mark VIe HMI which most of your experience seems to be related to.

There is a "folder" that appears in the Start | Programs list sometimes called 'Toolbox' of some GE Mark V HMIs. It includes mostly the TCI applications (Logic Forcing, Prevote Data Display, Control Constant Adjust Display, User Defined (Demand) Display, etc.). The author is trying to find a way to block access to these applications.

Again, GE's implementation of password protection/application access for GE Mark V HMIs is poor, and even more poorly documented.

I would suggest the originator read the Speedtronic HMI Manual for any tidbits of information, and then use MSWindows methods of removing applications/folders from individual MSWindows User profiles.

I have seen people use MSWindows file access protections to try to limit access to applications, but that has proven to be more trouble than it's worth.

 

oops, that's my bad . but people confuse me with HMI and toolbox respectively. to me HMI is the cimplicity software suite, toolbox (TCI, TCIMB, control system Toolbox, SDB etc ..) is the controller configuration suite.

but when i hear HMI and toolbox in the same line i kinda get confused. usually what the person wants to know is about the graphics and i kinda tuned to that i guess.

but i have seen recently few mark v's with cimplicity and that was my area of thinking. any way the windows drive lock option is a simple one. the only problem is there are many ways to do it, usergroup control policy, specialist software etc. Personnel at site do not document what change they make and usually after a few months of problem free running they forget the password or procedure to unlock the folder, and this is the main reason for goofups and i do not think there is anything inherently wrong with the procedure itself.