Created Date: November 03,2008

Created by: franji1

Do you ever connect to the PLC via DSLaunch or via File->New Project->Online? Since documentation is never saved to the PLC, this is a dangerous way to lose any documentation.

Do you store your projects on a server? We 've had issues where the server or network goes down every once in a while, and if you tend to keep projects open over night, then the server crashes or the network connections get lost, the project on the server gets corrupted.

Do you tend to use projects over and over again across different PLCs with different programs, always having to choose "PLC " vs. "Disk "? This can cause you to lose comments if you ever pick PLC with a program that does not match the offline project.

Created Date: November 03,2008

Created by: Tubecut

I usually open DSLaunch, then Direct Soft Programming which displays a window for "New Project " which I just click on CANCEL. Then I click on

file->Open Project -> folder -> project.

Usually this opens and there is no problem.

I will usually save the project using file->Save Project and then write to both

to disk as well as PLC.

I think that is the correct way to save your work as you go along(?).

Is there a difference in opening DSLaunch and then DirectSoft Programming (?).

I just tried it by opening DirectSoft5 Programming which takes me to the 'New Project ' window and looks like I am at the same start/opening location, select the project as I mentioned at the top of this post.

I would think that the program should be consistent in operation and work the same way each time. So, I am at loss here on how to guarantee that I don't get the scrambled rung comments the next time.

Is there some procedure that will reliably allow comment recovery the next time the comments are messed up(?).

No server used here.

franji1 quote:

"Do you tend to use projects over and over again across different PLCs with different programs, always having to choose "PLC " vs. "Disk "? This can cause you to lose comments if you ever pick PLC with a program that does not match the offline project. "

NO, sticking with the same PLC on this project (DL05).

I usually choose "Disk " if there is a difference. However, my understanding is that if you make any changes to the PLC and changes are not saved, then you should use the "PLC " option(?).

If I use a entirely different program/project on a PLC that was used on another project, then I open as mentioned above and when going online I use the "Disk " option. This is after the message indicating a difference.

Sometimes I also do a memory clear operation.

Thanks and I look forward to a correction in the way I should be using the programming software.

Created Date: November 03,2008

Created by: franji1

You 're doing everything the proper way, which is good, but now we need to figure out if this is a bug or ? ? ? :-\

I didn't clarify in enough detail about "connecting from DSLaunch ". You can definitely double click on the project file in DSLaunch. I should have said "launch DirectSOFT via the communications link on DSLaunch, versus the project link "

Also, if the LCD and LDA files are still corrupt, look at the .TXT file in the backup set. It includes the mnemonic text for the program, element documentation, AND rung documentation.

You could just try copying THAT file, modifying it to remove all the mnemonics and element documentation, then do a File->Import->Rung Comments.

Created Date: November 03,2008

Created by: franji1

Tubecut,

Is this something you notice immediately when you open a project? i.e. do you normally have Comments turned ON and the first few rungs always have a comment, so when you open the project, you immediately see the project is corrupt?

Are the comments missing? and/or are they garbled (lots of strange or missing characters)? and/or are they tied to the wrong rungs?

Does the ladder comments "become " corrupted as you used DirectSOFT, that is, as you edit the program or edit rung comments, they become corrupted

OR

or the ladder comments "are " corrupted, that is, the project was fine the last time you closed it or saved it, but then the next time you opened it, they 're corrupted?

Created Date: November 04,2008

Created by: Tubecut

franji1, I see it when I first open a previously closed project. The comments are just misaligned, the comments are not text garbled. An example is that the first rung comment is down toward the last few rungs.

No, things don't get corrupted as I am using DirectSoft.

The comments are ok when closing the project.

I had a copy of the project saved as a zip file. After extracting that copy was not corrupted.

I will make sure I observe the rung comments just prior to closing a project.

I am convinced that it must be something in the way I close a project, but just can't visualize what that could be. I will start making darn sure the comments are properly aligned as I save/close a project.

I would think there is a way to keep the file synched together.

Created Date: November 04,2008

Created by: a agnone

Tubecut I feel your pain. I have experienced this will all versions of DS. What I do when I am doing the rung comments is save and completely close the program. I believe I was told long ago the necessary files are not saved until the DS program is closed. So just by saving the project is not enough. Since I have been completely closing the program when doing a lot of rung comments, I have not had any problems.

Created Date: November 04,2008

Created by: Tubecut

I believe I was told long ago the necessary files are not saved until the DS program is closed. So just by saving the project is not enough.

I also use the 'Write to Disk ' tool bar icon when it is not grayed out. But, I always use the file-> save project to both the Disk as well as the PLC.

I guess I can start closing/opening the project as I progress with the project.

It just seems that saving the project should handle the data and files are saved. Perhaps something idiot proof for folks like me:o

Created Date: November 03,2008

Created by: Tubecut

I am using a DL05, DirectSoft 5.3

After loading the current project I see that once again all of my rung comments are strung out all over the place.

I just left a voice mail for Host Engineering about this but would like to hear from anyone else who has suffered this mess. I know it has been experienced by others.

I must be doing something wrong here but I have not done anything different that I can think of. This time I have a project that is 109 rungs in size and almost every rung had comments. To have to go and re-enter this again is extremely expensive time wise.

Surely there must be something that I can do to prevent this from happening.

I am not having any problems with any other software I am using, so I have to consider that this is a problem in using DirectSoft.

Hopefully someone point me the right direction, I really don't need to keep losing development time here. This is a man hour killer!

I keep saving the project to Disk and PLC as I progress. If I need to do something differently I would greatly appreciate how to correct the problem.

Thanks.