How do I upgrade a GE OPC Server from one version to another?

Description

This topic describes how to upgrade a GE OPC Server from one version to another.

Resolution

You can upgrade a GE OPC Server from one version to another using the steps provided below:

  1. Prepare for the upgrade
  2. Perform the upgrade
  3. Import your saved configuration file
  4. Import your iFIX Process Database

To prepare for the upgrade:

  1. Create a directory on your hard disk and copy:
    • Your process database file (databasename.PDB).
    • Your OPC Server configuration file (filename.drv, where drv is the driver’s three-letter acronym).
  2. Typically, the process database resides in your Database path. The OPC Server configuration file resides in the default file name path defined in the Power Tool
  3. Save the existing driver configuration file as a Text (*.csv) file. To do this:
    1. From the File menu in the Power Tool, choose Save As.
    2. From the Save File as Type list, select Text Files (*.CSV).

The Power Tool saves the .CSV file in the default file name path.

  1. Export the process database as follows:
    1. Start Database Manager.
    2. In the Database Manager:
      • In Ribbon view, on the Home tab, in the Process Database group, click Export.

- Or -

      • In Classic view, from the Database menu, choose Export.

If you are using FIX32, the exported database resides in a *.GDB file in the \PDB directory. If you are using iFIX, you can export the database to a .CSV file. Regardless of the format, the exported file resides in the \PDB directory.

  1. Rename the existing filename.drv and default.drv files residing in the default file name path to filename.OLD and DEFAULT.OLD, where drv is the driver’s three-letter acronym.

After you have completed the preparation steps, upgrade the server as follows.

To upgrade the OPC Server:

  1. Create a temporary directory on your hard drive, (e.g., C:\upgrade).
  2. Extract your driver files to the temporary directory. You can install these files from the scratch directory or copied to a diskette, at your discretion:
    • If the file is a *.EXE file, copy it to the temporary directory, and double-click it to de-compress.
    • If this file is a *.ZIP file, run Winzip and extract the files to the directory.
    • If you have individual driver files, copy them to this directory.
  3. Uninstall the existing OPC Server:
    1. Go to Control Panel and double-click Add/Remove Programs.
    2. Locate and select the OPC Server you want to uninstall.
    3. Click the Add/Remove button to uninstall it.

- or -

  1. From the Windows Control Panel, access Add or Remove Programs.
  2. Locate  the OPC Server you want to uninstall.
  3. Right-click the OPC Server and choose Uninstall/Change.
  4. When the uninstall process completes, install the new version of the OPC Server from the temporary directory you created:
    1. Double-click the Setup.exe icon.
    2. Click Next until prompted for the location of FIX or Dynamics on your computer.
    3. Verify that the location of Fix or Dynamics is correct and click Next. Otherwise, enter the correct location.
    4. Select Server as the Node Type.
    5. Enter the FIX node name of this computer as specified in the System Configuration Utility (SCU).
    6. Enter the name of the folder in the Windows Start menu that you want the OPC Server to be placed in. By default, the OPC Server and its help file are placed in the FIX or Dynamics folder.
    7. Click Finish to install the OPC Server.

After upgrading the driver, import your saved configuration file as follows.

To import your saved configuration file:

  1. Start the new version of the Power Tool.
  2. Enter the default configuration file name and verify the default path:
    1. Click the Setup button on the Run-time toolbar. The Setup dialog box appears.
    2. Select the Default Path tab.
    3. Enter the configuration file’s default name.
    4. Confirm the default path is correct. If it is not, change it.
  3. From the File menu, choose Open.
  4. From the List File of Type list, select Text Files (*.CSV). The previously saved *.CSV file should appear in the file list.
  5. Double-click the CSV file to read your old configuration back into the Power Tool.
  6. From the File menu, choose Save As.
  7. Enter filename.drv as the file name, where drv is the driver’s three-letter acronym.
  8. Close the Power Tool and start FIX or iFIX.

After you import the OPC Server configuration, it is recommended that you import your process database as follows.

To import your process database:

  1. Save and reload the driver configuration.
  2. Start Database Manager and choose Reload from the Database menu.
  3. Select the local node and double-click the database file.
  4. From the Database menu, choose Import.
  5. Select the *.GDB or *.CSV file that you saved before the upgrade. After the import is complete, a window appears and tells you if there were any import errors. If there were they will be described in a file named IMPORT.ERR. This file resides in the \PDB directory.
  6. From the Database menu, choose Save As.
  7. Save the database with the name specified in the SCU.
  8. From the Database menu, choose Reload.
  9. Select the local node and double-click the database you just saved.

See Also