It is possible to convert a .mer file to a .apa file, but it isn't straigh forwa rd.

One must pull the .mer file off the Panelview Plus and then run it on their PC. Once run ont he PC it creates a directory with several files. From these fil es you can place them in RSView ME directory where applications are stored (over the top of an existing one) and the application will load in RSView ME for you to back it up to a .apa file. You will lose certain pieces of information like t he alarm lists and global connections. It takes a little playing around with, bu t you can look through the alarm file and get a good idea of what the alarms wer e. The last time I had to do this type of conversion on a rather simple 20 scree n HMI took me about 4 hours to rebuild. Answer Details: When the development project files have been lost, some of the project informati on can be recovered from the MER (Machine Edition Runtime) file itself. However, the following cannot be recovered: Parameter files Alarm Setup Datalog files Macro files Under some circumstances, the Tag Database cannot be recovered either (described below under Tag Database recovery ) Activation Requirements: In order to complete the recovery process, RSView Studio and RSView ME Station m ust have an activation (for applications over 5 displays). The RSView ME Station license is needed in order to run the application (Win32 licenses come with dif ferent display limits; maximum is 75). If the proper RSView ME Station license cannot be acquired, an alternative is to open the application on the VersaViewCE terminal (no activation required or dis play limit). Once the application is opened on the VVCE, use Windows Explorer to copy the temporary files to a CF Card. A Microsoft ActiveSync connection could also be used to transfer the files to a desktop PC. Recovering RSViewME 3.x application files: In order to recover the application files, it is assumed that you will be using a Win2K or WinXP machine that is already configured as a development station (ie . RSView Studio 3.x is installed). (1) Run the program RSView ME Station under Start Menu>Programs>Rockwell Softwar e>RSView Enterprise. (2) Open the application MER file that you wish to recover from, but do not run the application. (3) Start RSView Studio ME, and begin to create a new application. Type in a new name and click the Import button. (4) Select the MED file type to be imported. (5) Now you need to locate the temporary files created for your running applicat ion. They should be located in the C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Setti ngs\Temp\~MER.00 directory. NOTE: username will be the user that is currently logged into the computer. Also, MER.00 may be named as ~MER.01 , etc. (6) Once the ~MER.00 folder has been located, select the MED file to be imported a nd follow the remaing prompts. (7) After the import has completed and the application is finished loading into RSView Studio, close RSView Studio and RSView ME Station. At this point, the Parameter, Alarm Setup, Datalog, and Macro files are not usea

ble and will need to be removed (see

Removing unrecoverable files below).

NOTE: While attempting to import the project an error may occur: "Failed to impo rt project, unable to rename file". In order to workround this issue: - Create a new project with the same name as the .med file of the ~mer.00 folder - Right-click on the "Displays" in the Applications Explorer (of this new projec t) and choose "Add component into application...". Add all the gfx files from th e "Gfx" folder in the C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temp\~MER .00 directory. - copy the rest of the folders from this directory to the new project directory: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\RSView Enterprise\ME\HMI projects\ ProjectName . Removing unrecoverable files While most of the application can be recovered from the MER file, the following files cannot be recovered: Parameter files Alarm Setup Datalog files Macro files Although the files will be listed within the application, they are not recogniza ble by RSView Studio and must be removed. (1) Open Windows Explorer and locate the MachineAlarms.mal file in the recovered p roject folder M_Alarms (Ex. C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\RSView En terprise\ME\HMI Projects\MED_ProjectName\M_Alarms\MachineAlarms.mal ) (2) Delete the MachineAlarms.mal file. (3) Start RSView Studio and open the recovered application. (5) Locate and delete all of the following files from the Application Explorer w indow: All Parameter Files All Datalog files All Macro files Recovering RSViewME 2.x and earlier project files: In order to recover the project files, it is assumed that you will be using a Wi n2K or WinXP machine that is already configured as a development station (ie. RS View Studio 2.x is installed). If the Tag Database is to be recovered, the same computer that opened the original MED (Machine Edition Development) file will be required (see below under Tag Database recovery ). (1) Locate the program MERuntime.exe in the Rockwell Software\RSViewME directory (d efault is C:\Program Files\Rockwell Software\RSViewME ). (2) Run the MERuntime.exe program and open the project MER file that you wish to recover from. (3) Press the Run button. Once the project is running, leave it running. (4) Now you need to locate the temporary files created for your running project . They should be located in the C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings \Temp\~MER.00 directory. NOTE: username will be the user that is currently logged into the computer. Also, ~ MER.00 may be named as ~MER.01 , etc. (5) Once the ~MER.00 folder has been located, open it and copy all of the folders and files into a new directory (Ex. C:\Temp\MED_ProjectName ) (6) You should now have a directory (Ex. C:\Temp\MED_ProjectName ) that contains the: MED file for your project project folders Accounts , ActivityLog , Startup , and Tag .

(7) Once the files have been copied over to the new directory, you can now cl ose the running project. At this point, there is no current Tag Database for the newly recovered project. Also, the Parameter, Alarm Setup, Datalog, and Macro files are not useable and will need to be removed (see Removing unrecoverable files in a section above). Recovering the Tag Database for an RSViewME 2.x project: The recovered project files so far do not include a Tag Database with them. It i s necessary to add a Tag Database back into the project before you can open the project in RSView Studio. It is only possible to recover the original Tag Database if you are using the sa me Windows2000 workstation that opened the original MED file. The Tag Database c annot be recovered from the MER file itself. However, an ODBC data source should exist on the machine that previously opened the MED project. The Tag Database c an be recovered using this data source. If you are not using the same Windows2000 workstation that opened the original M ED file, then skip part A and proceed to part B . Part A (1) Open up Administrative Tools from Start Menu\Settings\Control Panel . (2) Open up Data Sources (ODBC) . (3) Under the User DSN tab, look at the list of names for the User Data Sources. Verify that the name of your recovered MED file is listed under the Name heading ( Ex. MED_ProjectName ). - If it is there, you should be able to recover the Tag Database for your projec t. Proceed on to step 4. - If it is not there, the Tag Database cannot be recovered. Proceed on to part B . (4) Open up the Database Import & Export Wizard for RSView Studio. It should be l ocated in the Programs directory of the Start Menu under Rockwell Software\RSView Studio Tools\ Database Import & Export Wizard . (5) Export the Tag database of the recovered MED to a CSV file. (6) Open the newly created CSV file in Microsoft Excel and verify that the Tag Database is listed there correctly. (7) Go back to Data Sources (ODBC) . (8) Under the User DSN tab, look at the list of names for the User Data Sources. Locate and select the name of your recovered MED file under the Name heading (Ex. M ED_ProjectName ). Press the Properties button. (9) In the Data Source Name text box, append _bak to the name (Ex. MED_ProjectName _bak ). Press OK and then OK again. Part B (10) Start up RSView Studio and create a blank project with the exact same name as the MED file you are currently recovering. You will need to do this in a sep arate directory than the recovered project (Ex. C:\Projects\MED_ProjectName ). (11) After the project has been created, close the project and shutdown RSView Studio. (12) In Windows Explorer, locate the recovered project files folder (Ex. C:\Temp \MED_ProjectName ) and copy all of the files in it. (13) Paste the copied files into the project folder of step (10) (Ex. C:\Project s\MED_ProjectName ). (14) You will be asked if you wish to overwrite files. Click yes to all. (15) Start up RSView Studio and open the recovered MED file from your new proje ct folder. (Ex. C:\Projects\MED_ProjectName\MED_ProjectName.med ) NOTE: If you performed Part A successfully, then proceed on to step 17. If you d

id not perform Part A, then proceed to

Removing unrecoverable files .

(16) Open up the Database Import & Export Wizard for RSView Studio and import the CSV Tag Database from step (5) into your recovered project (Ex. C:\Projects\MED_ ProjectName\ MED_ProjectName-Tags.CSV ) (17) Verify that the Tag Database is correct by looking at the Tag Database Edi tor in RSView Studio. Additional Information If you had Macro, Parameter, or Datalog files added to your project, you will en counter error messages when you run it. This is because there are references to files that no longer exist. You will need to create these files again and re-ass ign them (ex. Re-assign the startup macro for a Display). Also, objects with tag assignments may not work as they are right now. You may n eed to open the display, delete the tag assignment and then reassign the tag. Sa ve the display. In most cases, you need only do this for one object per screen. Catalog Number: DocFullNum: A8901 Revision:1.0;1.5;2.0;2.10.00;3.0;3.1;3.2 Fixed in Revision: N/A Package: Studio Modual: Project Details