0
Answered

Replacement master modules sending to customer

Kevin 5 years ago in IQANdesign updated by Gustav Widén (System support) 5 years ago 5

If a customer has a system with 2 master modules and 1 expansion (XC10) and we dispatch new master modules to them, do i need to worry about compatibility with the XC10 firmware? We are likely to dispatch the master modules with 3.19 firmware when the existing system was operating on 3.17, if they install the new master modules will they work ok?

Answered

In a multi-master system, you need to make sure the master modules have the exact same version of the project checksum. 

Sounds as if you plan on shipping both together, then it will work even if your customer doesn't have IQANrun. 

The firmware version of the XC10  won't be a problem, all versions are compatible. 

Whats the way of checking and matching the checksum? I was under the impression the checksum gets changed every time you save the file?

The machine does not have remote access therefore we can only dispatch a new programmed module ready for plugin. I would have used a clone file in order to supply one module with the correct master checksum, but we dont have this which is why we are considering dispatching both master modules so i can program them and match them before they reach the machine. This was to ensure compatibility. 

Yes, every time you update the file in any way in IQANdesign, the checksum changes.


You can see the project checksum in Project Statistics in IQANdesign:

To see the project checksum without opening the file, the application must be prepared for it. You can add a system information channel that reads out the Project checksum. This could for example be shown as system info text:

When we download a program to a machine, it always saves the file (the date changes in windows explorer). Does this update the checksum too even though we have not actually changed anything in the software? 

If you use IQANdesign for sending, and have the option "Save before send" ticked (default), then the project checksum will be changed. 

My recommendation is to use IQANrun for sending project files in serial production, and only use sending via IQANdesign during development. 

A really good way of keeping a record of what was delivered for each individual machine is to make a small production script, with a few operations: send project, set machine ID and get clone. 

That is a very quick way of getting a folder with a clone for each machine you deliver.