Topic: DMD0426
Create PLC Image File
The Create PLC Image File utility is used to create a backup image of the PLC contents on the BRX CPU. This utility performs the same function as the System Backup (BACKUP) instruction. This image file can be archived or transferred to a micro-SD Card with the intention of it being restored to a BRX PLC. Using a PLC image file on a micro-SD card this way allows a BRX CPU to be programmed without having to use Do-more Designer.
The PLC image file will minimally contains the Program section with all of the code-blocks, the complete System Configuration, and all of the user-supplied Documentation.
Checking Retentive Memory (Memory Block and Heap-Item data values) will add all of the memory blocks and heap items (except the system's retentive DST and ST memory) that are marked as retentive to the image file.
Enabling Only include Regions defined by the project's Memory Image Manager will only include retentive memory locations that are part of a Region by the Memory Image Manager.
Select Read Region content from the PLC (requires multiple PLC scans) to read the data values for the memory image Regions from the PLC and include those values in the image file.
Select Read Region content from the DISK to get the data values for the memory image Regions that are currently stored in the project on disk and include those values in the image file.
Checking User Password Configuration will add all of the configured passwords to the image file.
Checking IP Configuration (IP Address, Subnet Mask, Gateway Address) will add all of the TCP/IP configuration to the image file. If this image will be restored to the same BRX CPU where the image is created, or a replacement CPU, then including the TCP/IP configuration is a reasonable choice. If this image will be restored to an new, empty CPU, that CPU will require a unique IP configuration, so leaving this option unselected is most likely preferred.
The Restoration Security (MUST ALREADY exist in PLC in order to load Image.BIN) group has two selections that add security measures to the image file itself to make sure the image file is only restored to CPUs with the appropriate credentials. These options can help prevent unauthorized duplication of the intellectual property in these PLC systems.
NOTE: these security options are intended for use by OEMs that are creating an image to update an existing PLC; they are typically not used if the image will be restored to a new, empty PLC. The optional security values that follow must be present in the target PLC before the image file can be restored.
Require this Password to Restore this image to the PLC so that when this image file is restored to a CPU it will check the specified password against the PLC's Password Configuration to make sure it has sufficient privilege to write the contents of the image file to the CPU. The password can be any mix of printable characters up to a maximum of 8 characters. Writing the System Configuration, Program, and Documentation requires a user account with Write Project (WP) privilege. Writing the Retentive Memory requires a user account Write Data (WD) privilege.
Require this Product ID to match DST387 ($ProductID) in PLC in order to restore this image to the PLC : before this image file can be restored to a CPU, the specified Product ID will be checked to make sure that it matches the current value in the CPU in $ProductID (DST387). The default value is the current value in $ProductID (DST387), but this can be changed if needed, and that value will be used to create the image file.
After the image file is successfully created you will be prompted to save the file. The default file name is MyImage with the current date stamp appended and the .bin file extension.
After the image file is saved to disk you will be asked if you want to launch the Browse PLC File Systems utility that will let you copy the image file to the micro-SD card in the connected BRX PLC. If this image file will be used to automatically restore it's contents to a BRX PLC, the file must be named Image.Bin and be located in the root folder of the micro-SD card.
See Also:
Backup and Restore using micro-SD Card (BRX-only)
Create PLC Image File
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