Re-introduce XA2/XS2 as legacy modules in IQANdesign 6

in the plan for IQANdesign 6.03

Gustav,

Great news. How about adding XC4x support in IQAN 5? We have many machines in the field that use an MD3 in the cab. The cabs are removed for shipping so we developed a boxed solution to be able to operate the machine without the cab. This box, of course, uses an MD3. In the future, going to an MD4 and XC4x is likely. Adding the support in IQAN 5 for the XC4x would keep the compatibility in this instance. 

Thanks,

Chris

Sorry, we looked at that option and the MD3 is just too limited in terms of available memory. 

Ok, thank you.

Will you be bringing out a new MD3 with more memory soon? Many of our customers like the ability of soft keys on the MD3 and the MD4 is not a good option for them. We have been able to utilize soft keypads externally with MD4's but its much nicer to have them integrated into the unit. 

No, the MD3 will be entering phase-out, with MD4-5 as the recommended upgrade for new designs. 

I am aware of Parker distributors and 3rd parties that can provide MD4 / button integrated solutions as a package.  You can probably do some research and find some solutions out there.

Do you have a release date planned for 6.03?

No firm date yet, but the plan is to have a release before summer.

No 6.03 yet and summer is here.    I really need it to support XA2 as we are about to make some significant changes in one of our applications.    We need to know when in order to decide if we can wait for it, or go a different route.   

What's your best guess on when it will be released?

This is great news!    For this upgrade, I hope summer comes early this year!    Thank you for making it happen!

Any update on the release date on this?  Thank you

Any updates on the release date for 6.03?

Last i heard was late August / early September.  The virus has impacted the timeline.

I just spent 3 weeks modifying a program to incorporate an XC43 in 6.02. The program had 3 XA2's existing in it. I just did my first check project to see how I was doing when I saw the dreaded Error "Module not supported". Please tell me we are REALLY close to releasing 6.03. If not can I get a BETA version? I don't have 3 more weeks to re-write this in 5....

My best guess is that there will be another two weeks before we can release 6.03

Gustav,

Right at my deadline... Ok I will keep my hopes up your timing is correct, but I know it is your best guess. 

I just found out another fun one that puts me in a difficult position. This is more of an FYI to other users here, and a general complaint to a shortsighted engineering decision. 

You can not add an XC4 series module to a Design 5 project, so if you have a system with XA2's that you are updating with new modules, and you want to use an XC4 series expansion module, you can not. Since right now you cant add an XA2 to Design 6, and you cant add an XC4 series to 5, you are basically forced in using an XA2's. 

Of course, I am upgrading a system right now in which, per the direction of Parker, I used an XC4 module instead of an XA2 as they will be phased out. Spent the last few weeks on drawings, programming, and installing the upgrades. Opened my Design program which was done in 5, in 6. Started my programming by adding an XC4 module and spent a couple of weeks on the logic and screens. I got to a point where I did my first program check just to see that delightful error of module not supported. Looking at the timelines of the release I decided to re-do all of my work in 5. Luckily the first logical thing to do was add the XC4 module, which was not possible so I didn't waste a lot of time on it. 

I then got the BETA version of 6.03 in hopes that the final version comes out in time for my startup. Opened my project in it, and it has a million errors in it, which it did not in 6.02. Looking into the errors, it turns out that they just didn't show up in the project check. If I went to the locations of the 6.03 errors and selected what it showed me for an error, all of the errors were there they just didn't show up until I opened my logic. 

At this point, I am a deer in headlights. I basically have to start from scratch with replacing my XC4 module with 2 XA2's.... redo my schematics, uninstall and reinstall different panel components, rewire the entire panel, re-write the program. I come from a background of programming IFM, Allen Bradley, Siemens, GE, Sneider etc. I have always told my employees Parker might not be the most versatile package, but it's easy to use, easy to troubleshoot, and it is reliable for what we do. The rest of Terex uses IFM but I have made the fight, at least each once per quarter, as to why we at CBI pay more to use IQAN. When I tell them I am now going to be a month late on a project and why that is, it is going to be the ammunition they need to force me to switch. This is just me ranting, I know, I am sure others have run into these frustrations I am dealing with. 

Hopefully, someone can tell me a better solution to what I see is a dire situation I am in right now.  

Slight update from last long post turns out the Error's were fairly easily solved. I was using the number 1 in a bunch of Q-code, and I had a public integer bit named 1.... disregard some of my annoyances above.  

Thanks, good to hear that you have the beta now, and also found the reason for the Qcode invalid expression error. 

For the Qcode, a nice improvement in 6.03 is that from that version on, IQANdesign will find that type of issue right after the name or scope change. 

Version 6.03 with XA2/XS2 support is now available on check for updates. 

Also see forum topic for feature highlights. 

https://forum.iqan.se/communities/1/topics/2515-iqandesign-603-released