Bisku

I am happy to hear that because I'd like to downgrade all PLCs at this moment until Unitronics comes up with a more stable firmware. Maybe I will try a downgrade on another PLC. Right now I am still waiting for a reply from Unitronics to my support ticket. But many thanks for sharing your experiences.

I'd love to do that. But have you been successfull in downgrading a newer PLC that came with the PCOM-safe firmware? I did try it once and ended up being stuck in Factory Boot mode with Flash ID Error. So, right now I cannot recommend to downgroad a PLC with one of the newer OS versiones.

I totally agree here. But Unitronics forces me to install the newest VisiLogic-software for any new PLC and they neither tell you about the consequences nor to they offer the old versions on their website. So, everyone has a good chance to run into this problem now. Honestly, if we would have that many Unitronics PLC out in the field, we would most certainly change the products just because of the new firmware issues. And that's a shame because otherwise the Samba is working great for us.

I ran into the same problem here. The newer PLCs we received forced us to install the newer VisiLogic-Software because they came with the new "secure" os. But with that new VisiLogic software it is impossible to do changes on older PLCs without updating them ... and then I ran into the same problem (using a Samba 43). You are no longer able to start the PLC and you are stuck with the PCOM Req. Error. Manual start of the PLC using the Info Mode is impossible. What solved the problem for me: First you have to make sure the ladder code will set a PCOM passwort on startup as documented by Unitronics. Unfortunately this will not be of any help during an update because VisiLogic will install the new ladder code only AFTER the firmware update has been made. But when the firmware update is done it will ensure that the ladder code cannot be updated or started. I think someone didn't think this through... However, there is a workaround - at least for the samba models: I disassembled the Ethernet I/O-Module from my PLC. Now I was able to start the PLC (and you can update the ladder code using the standard COM:-I/O if necessary as this point as well). It seems like the firmware detects whether there is a ethernet-module available or not. Once the ladder code was started, my code was able to set the PCOM password. I reassembled the Ethernet I/O-module and now it the PLC starts just fine. But I don't want to hide the fact that I still have a problem: The VisiLogic software doesn't ask for the PCOM password, probably because the PLC is already known and it has been saved somewhere that no password is required. The PLC is currently starting up again, but I still can't access it from my PC via VisiLogic. It works from other PCs, though. 😕 Overall, the new firmware update is more than frustrating.

Thank you very much, Saragni. The issue has been resolved, and my program now compiles without any error messages. Many thanks for the excellent support!

Unfortunately it raises a new error message, but I am not sure why. I am referencing both the new communication driver and the latest unitronics.remoteoperator.dll in my project. The warning regaring AnyCPU and x86 mismatch are gone, so the new dlls are all anyCPU now. Thanks for that. But I do get the same old BC30652 error message, now regarding the new remoteoperator.dll: Error BC30652: Reference required to assembly 'Unitronics.ComDriver, Version=1.0.0.91, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' containing the type 'PLC'. Add one to your project. However, the unitronics.ComDriver is included as reference and when I check it's properties within Visual Studio, then it does itentify as version 1.0.0.91.

Thank you so much, Saragani. Works like charm. I feel a bit uncomfortable asking and I hope I'm not doing too much work... But if you could also compile the RemoteOperator.dll as anyCPU, then my collection would be complete. 😉

Hi Saragani, first of all many thanks for your support. Unfortunately, I get some errors during compilation now: Error BC30652: Reference required to assembly 'Unitronics.ComDriver, Version=1.0.0.67, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=878e3ff5e143a403' containing the type 'PLC'. I think I know the reason: Im am also using the unitronics.datatables.dll. Before I updated the ComDriver I could use the PLC existing connection by using a line like 'Dim Datenbanken = New Unitronics.DataTables.DataTables(SPS, DataTablesReadOptions.StructureAndValues)' where the variable "SPS" was initiated with ComDriver priviously. This way I could always go back and forth between reading memory values and datatable-entries without have to close the connection and reconnect every time. Is there some workaround so I can still use my old code or do I really have to disconnect and reconnect every time I switch from reading/writing memory values to access database-retries?

On this forum's frontpage there is a text with a link to a pdf-file called "Cybersecurity Measures for Vision and Samba Controllers ". For detailed instructions on upgrading and implementing the recommended security measures, please Click Here or contact directly to our technical support team. Within that PDF-file there is another link heading to an updated documentation for the .net-driver: unitronics_communication_driver_for_dot_net.pdf (unitronicsplc.com) I tried to implement the caching of password like described in chap. 6. But that command isn't included in my current .net-drivers. I then downloaded the .net-drivers from the unitronics homepage at https://www.unitronicsplc.com/software-visilogic-for-programmable-controllers/ -> programming tools for developers -> .NET-driver. But I can only get the "old" .net-driver from 2015 from that webpage. Where can I obtain the current .net-drivers the new documentation is relating to?

Thanks Saragani, that really did the job. The reply message is was looking for is either "R" (for running), "S" (for stopped) or "?" (for boot mode). I never noticed any other return value. Why do I need this? I have put in place some security features, e.g. blocking USB-access while programm is active and user hasn't presented a valid access code to the PLC. A backdoor is accessing the PLC while in boot mode (putting a finger on Screen during startup), because during boot mode the usb-port isn't block. So I use the return code to identify if the ladder code is running ("R"), if it is stoped ("S") and I just need to run the PLC or if the user is accessing the PLC via boot mode ("?"). If the return value is "?" of it is "S" and stays "S" even after sending a plc.run-comand then I know someone is using my programm via boot mode and hasn't done the "offical" login with a password.

Thanks Saragani, that was a step forward allthough the handling is quite different to the pld PLC.Write_DB -function. However, for me there is one issue left: At some point I need to find out if the PLC is running or if it has been stopped. I have found the comands plc.run and plc.stop to invoke the behavior but I haven't found an equivalent to the PLC.PLC_GetStatus(x)-command the ActiveX.dll was offering. Any ideas on this?

Quite some time ago I wrote a programm to access a Samba PLC using the ActiveX dll. I want to migrate to the .net-driver which seems to work fine - but there's one issue. I cannot find an equivalent form the .write_db within in the .NET-driver. The command I need to substitute is a single line in the code: "PLC.Write_DB(26637, 1, 2, 1, DBValues)"... Any help is highly appreciated.

Mmh,I already tried that. The most recent version I can find on Unitronics' website is VisiLogic 9.9.0 Build 0, which offers OS 4.12 (38) only. And I also already tried the search for online updates as you mentioned. But as of today Live Update fails. It says there are no updates available. Maybe you can support us by posting the .uos-file here?

Same here when opening a project file (almost every time and on multiple PCs).

We have approx. 90 service technicans who belong to completly different and independend companies, which shell do updated to PLC used in our product . So far, my best solution was to write a programm which identities the com-port the plc is plugged-in (we use Samba plcs and you can identify the port via the usb-driver unitronic uses). Thus I can raises a pop-up-window to give some instruction how to set up unidownloader - but nothing more. Quite frustrating, that I can identify the correct port but I cannot handle over the data to the unidownloader software.