I'm using TIA Portal V18

So I did everything correctly right?

I have another question:

if I use my compay library in a project, and I notice that there's an error in a FB, can I update the library from that project or I have to correct the "Integrato/Developer" project first?

As for now I'm the only one using the library in my company, I'm testing it on various project, so I didn't want to open the "Integrator/Developer" project every time I find an error.

Stefan Arcularius

Hi Simon,

Technically, there is no difference between global libraries and corporate libraries. Corporate libraries are global libraries. They are imported by the corporate settings.

Each type instance in your project is linked to the type in your project library. This is because if it were linked to a global library, the link would be lost if the project is opened without the global library open.  Therefore, all types in the global library are imported into the project library for use in the project.

Some functionality to be informed about a changed type in a global library would be helpful, but is not included in TIA Portal.

Kind regards
Stefan

 Hi,

yes I'm now the User/Developer/Integrator of this library, so it's just a testing environment.

Our company didn't rely much on library feature in the past, but now we're dealing with a series of projects that require same type of FBs and FCs. 

I'm trying to standardize some common elements across all the projects.

I think the solution to replace the library during the night can be the best. The only problem is how to notify the users about the new version released on the server, because some users are working from VPN remote site. 

The best would have been a "New version of the block FBxxx is present in global library Libxx. Would you like to upgrade the current project?" type of alert to notify the users about new versions.

I've followed this guide

https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/de/en/view/109739199

and this article

https://support.industry.siemens.com/cs/mdm/109773506?c=124509337867&lc=en-IT

But I don't have access to every user PC to change the XML configuration. I would like to do that automatically by notifying the users.

I think this lack of functionality is the only flaw in the library ecosystem of tia portal

Stefan Arcularius

Hi Simon,

First of all, you did everything right.

I assume that you are not yet using the library with a large number of users, so you are simultaneously playing the roles of "Developer", "Integrator", and "User" as described in the "Guideline on Library Handling in TIA Portal".

There are several reasons for using the corporate library. First, you may not want to have all versions ever released within that library. It should only contain the tested and released version.

Another important reason, which you will only notice when more users are working with the library, is that a library can only be shared by multiple users if no one opens the library with write access. So if other users are already working with your library on a shared drive, you cannot make the library writable to make your changes.

However, it can always be difficult to share a new version of the corporate library because you cannot replace the existing one with a new one until all users have closed the library. You can change the corporate settings so that a different library fill is used the next time the user starts TIA Portal. You can try to run a script that replaces the library during the night, when it is likely that all users have shut down their computers, or you can use a local copy on the user's computer that is replaced during the login process.

Starting with TIA Project-Server V1.1 - which ships with TIA Portal V18 - this process becomes easier because the project servers also support libraries.

Kind regards
Stefan

Hi Simon,

one option I have used in the past:

Store the library and the corporate setting file on a central share.
If you modify the library place a new version on the share and modify the corporate settings file on the NAS accordingly.

Now write a script, which need to be run on every client pc, e.g. as scheduled task.
This script shall copy the corporate setting file from the network share to the local file path.
If the corporate setting file is modified TIA Portal user will get a notification that a corporate library was removed and a new version has been added.

With TIA Portal V18 we now started to store the global libraries on the TIA Project-Server. If there is a new revision on the server every user can see it within TIA Portal. 
Only drawback a multiuser user license is required as of now for every user, which is in our case not a showstopper we use mutliuser already for common development and versioning of projects in use.

Regards
Matthias

 Hello,

we started to use Project-Server as well, and we're storing our libraries on it. The problem is, when some user is out of office, there's no way to re-open the library local session.

How do you work with it? Can you explain further?

Thank you

Matthias.Co

Hi Simon,

one option I have used in the past:

Store the library and the corporate setting file on a central share.
If you modify the library place a new version on the share and modify the corporate settings file on the NAS accordingly.

Now write a script, which need to be run on every client pc, e.g. as scheduled task.
This script shall copy the corporate setting file from the network share to the local file path.
If the corporate setting file is modified TIA Portal user will get a notification that a corporate library was removed and a new version has been added.

With TIA Portal V18 we now started to store the global libraries on the TIA Project-Server. If there is a new revision on the server every user can see it within TIA Portal. 
Only drawback a multiuser user license is required as of now for every user, which is in our case not a showstopper we use mutliuser already for common development and versioning of projects in use.

Regards
Matthias