Experiencing an unusual issue with Panelview Plus 7s and thumb drive USBs used to store daily trend screen shots. After power cycling the HMI, the print screen feature fails to recognize the USB, defaulting to saving images on the local Panelview hard drive. Despite attempting different HMIs, firmwares, and USB sticks with varying FAT formats, the problem persists. This recurring issue with losing the print screen path upon power cycling seems to be an OS or ME software flaw. It appears that the HMI fails to detect the USB until manually redirected. This issue has been encountered across firmware versions 10-14. Any insights on resolving this issue would be greatly appreciated.
As a next step, the desktop's "Print2PDF" tool is experiencing issues with retaining the file path to the USB stick.
I find it interesting that I use Print2PDF to save files on my local storage volume in the "\My Documents" folder, which I later transfer over FTP. With PV+, you have access to internal storage memory ("\My Documents"), a removable SD card ("\Storage Card2"), and one or more USB storage devices ("\USB Storage"). Have you ever removed a USB device while the terminal is powered on? If so, does Print2PDF still work in those circumstances? If an ActiveX attempts to access a removable device that is not connected, the OS creates an "\External Storage2" folder on the internal storage instead of causing an error. Do you know if screenshots are saved in this folder or in "\My Documents"? According to a knowledgebase document I found (https://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/1074719), if this situation occurs, the OS may get stuck in that state and require you to reset the file paths and pointers.
Have you considered running a script on startup that reassigns the save path for your print screens directly to the USB? It seems like the issue is a pathing problem rather than a detection issue since you mentioned it works once manually redirected. I understand it’s a workaround, not a direct solution, but automating the reassignment might save you the hassle for now. Hopefully, the folks handling the operating system or ME software can resolve these issues in future updates.
While I haven't had this specific issue with Panelview Plus 7s, I've encountered similar problems with other devices not recognizing USBs after a reboot. What's worked for me is creating a simple script to automatically reset the USB path upon booting. Since your problem seems to be persistent across several conditions, it's likely that the HMI software isn't reliably establishing a connection with the USB on startup. While it might not be ideal, a script could serve as a temporary workaround until the software glitch is resolved. Additionally, it might be worth reaching out to the software vendor about this issue, because it might be a firmware bug they are not yet aware of.
I've encountered a similar issue with Panelview Plus 7s before and it does seem like a persistent glitch. Have you tried connecting the HMI with a PC to troubleshoot? Doing this can help to determine whether the issue lies with the HMI's USB port or the operating system. Furthermore, you might try to partition the USB to resemble the local hard drive structure. The HMI could be looking for a specific file location to store these images. And lastly, have you considered contacting Rockwell Automation's support? They might have insights since this issue spans multiple firmware versions.
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Answer: Answer: The issue of the HMI failing to detect the USB drive for saving images after power cycling could be related to an OS or ME software flaw, as mentioned in the discussion thread.
Answer: Answer: Despite various attempts, if the Panelview Plus 7 continues to default to saving images on the local hard drive instead of the USB drive, it suggests a potential flaw in the HMI's software system.
Answer: Answer: One suggested solution could involve troubleshooting the firmware versions 10-14 to identify any specific version-related issues that might be causing the problem. Additionally, seeking assistance from Rockwell Automation or the HMI manufacturer could provide insights on resolving this issue.
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