Visilogic Freezes up

[CatUnitronics]

Hello,

Have a V570 that I was programming at my desk which has 2 monitors and a laptop connected to a docking station. When I go to the field with the laptop, I can only view online and modification of values are not sent to the V570 in which seems to freeze up the software. Also when I view a HMI screen, the software locks up. I have to do things at my desk and then go to the field to download and test.

This is getting to be problematic.

 

Any suggestions?

[AlexUT]

Hi

In Windows 10 use "Win"+ "Laft/Right Arrov" to move window or pop-up back to Laptop monitor.

B.R.

 

[CatUnitronics]

40 minutes ago, AlexUT said:

Hi

In Windows 10 use "Win"+ "Laft/Right Arrov" to move window or pop-up back to Laptop monitor.

B.R.

 

Not sure I follow the pop-up back to laptop monitor

[CatUnitronics]

I am using a laptop out in the field and freezes up when going to HMI screen or any editing what so ever

[Flex727]

Did you install the VisiLogic software "As Administrator"?

[CatUnitronics]

5 minutes ago, Flex727 said:

Did you install the VisiLogic software "As Administrator"?

Yes, installed as admin

[Flex727]

1 minute ago, CatUnitronics said:

Yes, installed as admin

Meaning right-click on the install file and select "Run as administrator"?

[CatUnitronics]

8 minutes ago, Flex727 said:

Meaning right-click on the install file and select "Run as administrator"?

Yes, right click on install file and selected Run As Administrator

[Flex727]

Then you're probably best off uninstalling and reinstalling VisiLogic.

VisiLogic Reinstall Instructions:
  -Backup all projects.
  -Uninstall VisiLogic with the Uninstaller Wizard.
  -Delete the folder “Unitronics VisiLogic_C” from C:\Program Files (x86)\Unitronics
  -Delete the folder “Unitronics” from C:\Program Files\Common Files
  -Reboot the PC.
  -Install VisiLogic again.

Make sure you run the Visilogic install program as Administrator (this means right-click on the file and select "Run as administrator").

There is also a registry cleaner recommended elsewhere on this forum that others have found helpful.

[CatUnitronics]

Flex727,

 

Thank you for your help.

[Flex727]

Also, be sure you are running the VisiLogic program executable "As Administrator". You can force a shortcut to always do this by right-clicking on the shortcut, selecting Properties, then go to the Compatibility tab and check the box.

Unitronics used to recommend that UAC be turned all the way down before installing. Not sure if they still do but I always do that.

[Ausman]

4 hours ago, CatUnitronics said:

Not sure I follow the pop-up back to laptop monitor

CatU, Alex's reply was based on your explanation of your computer which implied that you use a laptop as a desktop, via a docking station that links it to two monitors, which works ok. When you disconnect and go to the field with the same laptop (now disconnected from the dock) your problems start. 

Is this not the way it works?

Also, given your answers to Flex, is the net connection the same one under both scenarios?  ie Always Wifi, or lan on the dock and wifi when roaming around?  This could be the issue, wifi not right.

cheers, Aus

[CatUnitronics]

13 hours ago, Ausman said:

CatU, Alex's reply was based on your explanation of your computer which implied that you use a laptop as a desktop, via a docking station that links it to two monitors, which works ok. When you disconnect and go to the field with the same laptop (now disconnected from the dock) your problems start. 

Is this not the way it works?

Also, given your answers to Flex, is the net connection the same one under both scenarios?  ie Always Wifi, or lan on the dock and wifi when roaming around?  This could be the issue, wifi not right.

cheers, Aus

Aus,

You are correct with the way it works. 

When at the desk, it is using the net connection on the docking station.

Out in the field, it uses wifi as I am not plugged in anywhere to a network connection. 

We have a few V570 on the floor that the ethernet port is connected to a wifi and if a little out of range, an error occurs. That is a different story.

I did not think about the possibility of the issue being with the wifi as I am directly plugged in to the PLC. I will try using the ethernet connection next time I am on the floor and then try editing.

Thanks

[Joe Tauser]

I have a docking station for my Dell D830.  When the laptop is docked the video characteristics of the system are different from when it is undocked.  As it is locking up especially when you view the graphics editor I'd lean toward a Windows graphics driver problem.

First - has this ever worked on the laptop by itself?  Did a Windows update start the problem?  

What kind of laptop do you have?

Do you have another laptop you can try this on? 

Joe T.

[CatUnitronics]

18 hours ago, Joe Tauser said:

I have a docking station for my Dell D830.  When the laptop is docked the video characteristics of the system are different from when it is undocked.  As it is locking up especially when you view the graphics editor I'd lean toward a Windows graphics driver problem.

First - has this ever worked on the laptop by itself?  Did a Windows update start the problem?  

What kind of laptop do you have?

Do you have another laptop you can try this on? 

Joe T.

Joe T.

Thank you and this sounds like it may be the issue. When docked using the LAN connection and has 2 monitors with one monitor being the laptop. When undocked, the laptop is in the field and wifi connection. If you go to a HMI screen, that is when things start to lock up. 

As for worked before on the laptop by itself, I would assume it has. However, I came on board and had issues with the installation of Visilogic. Once ran as admin and the controls engineer put me in for permissions, it worked correctly docked. I went to work on a stand using the laptop, I inadvertently looked at a HMI and things locked up. 

The IT here sends out Windows updates periodically and things seem not to work right again. I am thinking there has been an update, but this has been going on before the update.

I do not have another laptop to try this on?

Thank you in advance

 

[Joe Tauser]

My personal field setup is my ancient (+10 years old) Dell D830 running Win 7 with updates turned off.  I use this particular unit because it still has a serial port and I have a lot of installed Unitronics base that still only has RS232 ports, and the direct connection with a real interrupt just works better.  

A modern laptop works well, too, but turning the updates off is still a key to long term usability with no surprises.  I've used a program recommended by Ausman called Winaero that allows you to turn Win 10 updates off.  The only problem with this is other Win 10  apps somehow call home and after a while stop working.  Like Paint 3D and Solitaire.

Too often our PLC support forum becomes a computer support forum as in your case.  Win 10 has made this way, way worse.  I don't know if you can talk your IT department into helping you solve your problem.  Are the machines the Untronics PLCs installed in actually important and revenue generating, or do they just go "BING!"?  Is it important that you be able to work on them?

Yes, there is dripping sarcasm in that last comment.

Joe T.

[CatUnitronics]

53 minutes ago, Joe Tauser said:

My personal field setup is my ancient (+10 years old) Dell D830 running Win 7 with updates turned off.  I use this particular unit because it still has a serial port and I have a lot of installed Unitronics base that still only has RS232 ports, and the direct connection with a real interrupt just works better.  

A modern laptop works well, too, but turning the updates off is still a key to long term usability with no surprises.  I've used a program recommended by Ausman called Winaero that allows you to turn Win 10 updates off.  The only problem with this is other Win 10  apps somehow call home and after a while stop working.  Like Paint 3D and Solitaire.

Too often our PLC support forum becomes a computer support forum as in your case.  Win 10 has made this way, way worse.  I don't know if you can talk your IT department into helping you solve your problem.  Are the machines the Untronics PLCs installed in actually important and revenue generating, or do they just go "BING!"?  Is it important that you be able to work on them?

Yes, there is dripping sarcasm in that last comment.

Joe T.

Joe T.

Thanks for your help and yes IT makes things difficult with all their updates. It is nice to be able to work on them as at times they have issues and often ask for changes. For now, I just make changes at my desk with the HMI and then download when I get to the field. On a different test stand I just stay away from bringing up the HMI. I did get the dripping sarcasm and you are right.

[Ausman]

To add to Joe's comments, there are numerous references on the forum where users have different older laptops that have been retained to enable work on a variety of older devices that don't play well with "modern" (sometimes less than 5 years difference!) stuff.

As Joe says, the trick is to do a puter that does the job correctly and have that as your standalone system that doesn't update, isn't net vulnerable etc.  Any transferring of files is done via removable media, and I rely on the A/V of my main systems to take care of that side of things.

A side note, as an experiment I recently totally disabled W10 telemetry on my main system.  It still works fine, but sometimes has a little lag on a fresh opening of a program for that boot time.  I don't use paint 3D or solitaire so don't know about that side of things.  I only allow updating when actually  needed.

cheers, Aus

[CatUnitronics]

13 hours ago, Ausman said:

To add to Joe's comments, there are numerous references on the forum where users have different older laptops that have been retained to enable work on a variety of older devices that don't play well with "modern" (sometimes less than 5 years difference!) stuff.

As Joe says, the trick is to do a puter that does the job correctly and have that as your standalone system that doesn't update, isn't net vulnerable etc.  Any transferring of files is done via removable media, and I rely on the A/V of my main systems to take care of that side of things.

A side note, as an experiment I recently totally disabled W10 telemetry on my main system.  It still works fine, but sometimes has a little lag on a fresh opening of a program for that boot time.  I don't use paint 3D or solitaire so don't know about that side of things.  I only allow updating when actually  needed.

cheers, Aus

Aus,

 

Thank you!!