Modicon software on Win ME

J

Joseph Luft, FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc.

Paul,

If you are using DOS based versions (Modsoft, GraySoft, ProWorx Plus etc), probably not.

Modicon's Concept, Taylor's ProWorx NXT, and the old FasTrak PLC Workshop for Modicon are 16 bit Windows products which were designed initially for Windows V3.1. These products are not designed to take advantage of 32 bit Windows capabilities (speed and functionality). Our customers have reported occasional problems with each of these products.

We (FasTrak) have tested extensively and had no problems with Windows ME, 2000, or XP with our PLC WorkShop for Modicon - 32 Bit Windows product.

If you would like specific information on any of these, you can contact me privately at 1-414-358-8088. A demo can be downloaded at www.fast-soft.com.

Thanks. Joe

Joseph Luft
FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc.
6659 W Mill Road
Milwaukee WI 53218
[email protected]
 
B
What software? Modsoft, probably not. Proworx NxT, probably yes. Concept YES. Modbus Plus drivers? Get the right drivers and yes.

When you ask a question, try to be more specific.

Brian Cervi
Schneider Electric
Calgary AB Canada

 
Well I think the first question to ask is:

WHAT SOFTWARE PACKAGE?

I've got most of Modicon's software on my computer, and have tested it under Win2k, Win98, Win31, and WinME. Which software package? Modsoft obviously not, since it's a DOS package. But Proworx NxT, Concept, OFS, PL7, XBT-L1000, FactoryCast should all work fine.

CK
 
You realize of course that PL7 Micro is up to version 4.1, and you've got really old software to start with. That package is older than Windows 95, so I'm not suprised that it wont work on ME. The other issue is it doesn't have a 32-bit Windows mode driver for the Unitelway protocol. That's in the newer versions, and I think you might be able to download it from
http://public.modicon.com if you go into Products, Networking, Unitelway or Products, Control Software, PL7. You should really upgrade to the latest PL7, it's not an expensive software package.

CK
 
I think the first question should be:
Why ME ?
Why run a consumer OS in an industrial environment ?
NT (or 2K) costs a little more - but IMHO NT is for work, and ME (or 9x) is for play.

Dan Hazel
 
M

Michael Griffin

I don't know much about Windows ME, but Windows 95 or 98 have fewer software compatability problems than Windows NT. There are quite a few pieces of hardware around for which the programming or configuration software either won't run at all, or will run but won't communicate when the operating system is Windows NT.
The companies which wrote the software have no intention of coming out with new versions of their software every time Microsoft comes out with a new version of Windows. They may have newer software, but it often only supports their newer products. One rather large vendor's solution to this problem is "don't use Windows NT".

In most cases, this control hardware is going to be around for years to come, so people have to find ways of dealing with it. Dedicating a
special computer for this use is a poor solution, and dual-boot is only marginally better.

I would also like to say that regardless of the theoretical advantages of Windows NT, in practice I don't see any significant difference
in reliability between the two. Both are subject to mysterious crashes under normal office use, but both can be reasonably reliable when running a single program in a dedicated application. Neither can really be considered "highly
reliable".

We have various test systems, some of which use Windows NT and some which use Windows 95 (and 98). If anything, the Windows 95 systems have been more trouble free than the Windows NT systems.



**********************
Michael Griffin
London, Ont. Canada
**********************
 
L
Both Concept 2.5 and ProWORX Nxt work fine in the environment in question and Modsoft will run in a DOS window in any of the environments providing the drivers were set up for DOS.
 
C

cristoballe1

I use PLl7-Micro V3.4 and the unitelway driver don't work on WinME. I got a new Unitelway driver
on the IRAI website and it works.
 
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