PCS7 Software Upgrade (v6.1 to v8.2)

 Hello G_R_E_Y,

G_R_E_Y

...

 And yes,  the Win7 Ult drivers for that particular IPC is what we have to be seaching (well if you could give us info on this it will be much appreciated!). 

Sorry, I don't know a definitely source for drivers for old PCs. It just was my first concern when I read that you want to re-use old PCs from 6.1. I think it is round about 10 years ago when 6.1 was the current version of PCS7. I think it could be difficult, because I guess they where never sold with Win7. But if you found a source, please share it here. In between you could tell us the type of that old PCs wich will be re-used.

G_R_E_Y

You said on the thread I linked above that if I am to upgrade from v6.1 to v8.2, I can skip the block update on the first step, v6.1 > v7.1 (does this mean I can follow the "withoututilization of new function on this first upgrade?), and do it on the final step, v7.1 to v8.2 (so I will follow the "withutilization of new function here?), is this accurate?

I assume at the end you would like to have a project with new functions and with APL. So you need to find out what are the new functions between V6.1 and V8.2. As Siemens only provides upgrade tutorials from version to version I would read at least the upgrade tutorials for the main versions '...with utilization of new functions'. In e.g. I would read at least:

• Software update with utilization of new functions (PCS 7 V6.x or higher to V7.1)
• Software update with utilization of new functions (from V7.1 SP3 to V8.0)
• Software update with utilization of new functions V8.2
  

While reading I would notice wich new functions I would like to have later in my project. For upgrade, in the first step, I would go only for the necessary update procedures from the '...without utilization of new functions'-tutorials. You could leave out the block-updates if you want to go to the APL-Library at the end because this prevents you from installing old libraries. But you can't make the project running before manually replacement of standard-blocks by APL-blocks in that case. 

You should think about a strategy now:

• Option 1: Make all work at once and save some work (like some update of block-types and hence installation of old libraries)
  

     or

• Option 2: Make the project run-able on the latest version in a first step and care about new functions like APL etc. in a second step.
  

Anyhow, when you want to have a real PCS7-project with new functions you have to do manually replacement of old standard-drivers by APL-drivers, manually replacement of technological-blocks (like for motors, valves, PID-controller etc.) from standard to APL. Also manually replacement like old trend-ocx by new trend-ocx in the OS-poject. Be aware that if you replace the technological-blocks you also need to place the new block-icons in all process-pictures again. Also it is advisable to notice all instance-specific parameters of techn.-blocks like P-, I-, D- values at a PID-block, feedback-monitoring times of valves etc. You need to parameterize the new blocks with the values of the old blocks. Also consider texts wich may be edited instance-specific on parameters of the old blocks like 'text_0', 'text_1', 'shortcut' etc.

You can't mix driver-blocks from old standard library with APL-drivers in a CPU. This will cause a conflict with a corresponding message when compiling CFC. As far I know you could mix techn.-blocks (PID, Valve etc) from standard- and APL-library. But in that case you also need to install the old library on the ES, and the OS-part also on all OS (because of the block icons and the faceplates). Honestly said, I would not mix them...

Regarding CEMAT I can't give you any recommendations since I have never been working with this library.

I will try to answer more of your questions later....

G_R_E_Y

One different I also seen between software upgrade "with" and "without" utilization of new function, both on v6 to v7.1 and v7.1 to v8.2, is that the "with" new function say we "install" PCS7, while the "without new function say only "update" PCS7. Is there really a difference between the 2?

Also, say we want upgrade "without" utilization of new function from v7.1 to v8.2, how on earth will we "update" when the PC platform here is already different, hence PCS7 is either already gone (from OS reformat) or already preinstalled (if new rack PC used). 

At the end in both cases you will have the version you installed... The only diffrence wich comes to my mind is that with an update the installation procedure is looking wich options are installed additionally and hence theese options are updated, too (e.g. PDM, PLCSIM, on OS maybe PH Ready etc.). When you 'install' you need to think about yourself wich options you need...

You are right... I can only update if I have an installed base of PCS7...If I have to change the operating system,  I guess there is no base wich can be updated...

G_R_E_Y

Also, what does "only AS block of same PCS version may be loaded on an AS" exactly mean? Because on the existing working PCS7 v6.1 project AS blocks, I'm seeing "version (header) ranging from v6 to down to even v1!

Only those CEMAT (author) are actually v6 (there are even v5). 

 I will come back to that question tomorrow...Today I'm to tired

 Hello G_R_E_Y

G_R_E_Y

Hello sir Mark,

You are right, the 2 IPC547C that we plan to reuse are both preinstalled for PCS7 v6 OS server, hence they both have Windows Server 2003 platform. What do you mean by what type? Usually where can these kind of drivers for IPC reformatting (either platform downgrade or upgrade) be found? 

Ok, IPC547C is the type. Sorry I didn't understand from your previous post. But now it's clear. Like I said, I also don't know where to get the drivers. I would ask Siemens Customer Support if there are drivers for Win7 or Win Server 2010 available. Maybe you could also find them on the internet on pages like this: Link

G_R_E_Y

Ahm, why do I need to read "with new function" for the 1st step (v6 > v7) if I will be actually going for the "without new function"? Also why I need to study V7.1 SP3 to V8.0, can't V7.1 be upgraded directly to V8.2? I though it will only be 2 steps sotware upgrade?

.

I would read them only (not performing them) to find out what are all the new functions between V6.1 and V8.2. If you read only the document '...with utilization of new functions V8.2' you know what are new functions in compare to 8.1. From where do you want to know all the previous new functions (in 7.0, 7.1, 8.0)?

G_R_E_Y

mark1507

You could leave out the block-updatesifyou want to go to the APL-Library at the end because this prevents you from installing old libraries. But you can't make the project running before manually replacement of standard-blocks by APL-blocks in that case.

I can't quite understand the first sentence, what's the relevance of old libraries to block update and APL-library? Isn't the very purpose of updating block to use the current version libraries and replace the old ones on the program.

Of course the block-update updates the used blocks to newer versions... If you want to make your program run-able by following a document '...without utilization of new functions' you need to make the mentioned block-updates.

If you don't want to make the project run-able in between, you don't need to make the update of the block-updates in between. In the last step, of course, you will update the remaining old blocks by a block-update. In e.g. you have standard-driver-blocks in your project, but on a freshly new installed ES you don't have the standard libraries anymore after installation. You need to install at first the standard-library manually from the folder 'Additional Products' from the setup-DVD. If you want to replace the standard-driver-blocks by APL-drivers later anyway, why should you update them in between? The same for techn.-blocks...

In gerneral you could copy all blocks from all libraries you find in your freshly new PCS7 installation to your project library at the end (after replacement of all blocks to be replaced). Only the blocks still used are really updated then. Of course you should not forget to use the function 'Clean up' in CFC before perfoming the update of the blocks. At least I would copy the blocks from the libraries 'PCS7 AP Library V82, PCS7 Basis Library V82 and the CEMAT Library to your project library and perform the update.

G_R_E_Y

Do you mean:

Option 1: Skip any block update (e.g., copy-update PCS7 Library, Basis, & CEMAT to v7) by just following "without new function" on first step (v6 > v7), and do it all, together with manual-replace-update APL blocks, on the final step (v7>v8) or;

Option 2: Do the copy block update already during the first v6>v7 upgrade step (following "with new function"?), but leave the APL manual-replace update on the final step (v7>v8) (does this mean I also will follow "with new function")?

If so, then option 1 sounds better, so that all block update (copy-libraries and manual APL block update) and "new functions" will be done at the same time on the final step, if it can actually be skipped on the first step.

Option 1: correct

Option 2: nearly correct. If you want to make the project run in V8.2 with standard blocks (without manually exchange of any standard-blocks by APL-blocks) you follow documents 'without new function'.

For those people who are afraid that at the end somthing is not running like expected, I would recommend to take Otion 2 at first step. Later on they could start thinking about new functions like APL...