Migrating from RSView32 to
FactoryTalk View SE
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Migration topics
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Why migrate?
Comparison of RSView32 with FactoryTalk View SE
Doing the migration
ActiveX controls
VBA
Communications
Direct reference tags
Users and Security
Alarms
Moving to a 64-bit system
RSView32 extensions
Helpful links and FAQ
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Why migrate to FactoryTalk View SE?
 Do I have to migrate - is RSView32 going away?
 No! RSView32 will be supported as long as 32-bit operating systems are
available
 However, there are no plans for RSView32 to support 64-bit operating
systems
 If moving to 64-bit systems, you will need to either migrate to FactoryTalk
View SE or employ a solution such as virtualization
 Why would I want to move to FactoryTalk View SE?
 Continued support for the latest Microsoft operating systems
 Take advantage of data sharing and the latest technology including mobility,
virtualization, advanced integration of Rockwell Automation core Integrated
Architecture products and FactoryTalk Alarms and Events
 Integration with FactoryTalk Historian SE and ME, FactoryTalk AssetCentre,
FactoryTalk VantagePoint, FactoryTalk ViewPoint, etc.
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Benefits of migrating to
FactoryTalk View SE
 Application development tools
 Redundancy
 FactoryTalk Live Data and Direct
Referencing
 FactoryTalk Services Platform
 Audit trails and e-signature for
regulatory compliance
 FactoryTalk ViewPoint
 Client-side VBA (client-stored and
executed)
 Information product integration with
FactoryTalk VantagePoint,
Historian ME/SE
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Primary
Server
Secondary
Server
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RSView32 to FactoryTalk View SE Terms
 System components to remember when moving to FactoryTalk
View SE
 Development environment
RSView32 Works
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Single station runtime system
RSView32 Runtime
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FactoryTalk View Studio
FactoryTalk View SE Station
Distributed runtime system
RSView Active Display Server
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FactoryTalk View SE Server/Client
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About FactoryTalk View Studio
 FactoryTalk View Studio is the single development environment for both
FactoryTalk View SE and ME
 Is also the tool used to migrate RSView32 applications to FactoryTalk View SE
 Four types of applications can be created in FactoryTalk View Studio
 Network Distributed (SE) - multi-client, multi-server application with components
running on different machines
 Network Station (SE) – single-client application with all components running on one
machine, but with the ability to connect to system components on remote machines
 Local Station (SE) – single-client application with all components running on a single
machine
 FactoryTalk View Machine Edition (ME) – application that runs on either a
PanelView Plus terminal or on a PC running FactoryTalk View ME Station
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How to migrate an RSView32 application
to FactoryTalk View SE
1. Create a FactoryTalk View SE project
 Start FactoryTalk View Studio
 Select the type of application you want to create: Site Edition (network
distributed or network station) or Site Edition (local)
 Click on the New tab, give the new application a name and create it:
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How to migrate an RSView32 application
to FactoryTalk View SE
2. Add a new Area, and then create a new HMI Server in it
 Right-click on the application and
select Add New Server > HMI Server
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In the HMI Server Wizard, select
Import a project and click Next
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How to migrate an RSView32 application
to FactoryTalk View SE
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Click OK on this dialog
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Select RSView32 Project for Project type and browse to the
converted RSView32 project that you are importing
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How to migrate an RSView32 application
to FactoryTalk View SE
 Provide a name for the new HMI Server and select the computer that will
host the HMI server; click Finish to import the RSView32 application
 The RSView32 project is imported into FactoryTalk View SE
 You will see displays and the tag database in the project
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How to migrate an RSView32 application
to FactoryTalk View SE
 Finishing steps
 Create a data server to communicate with the controller
 Convert or configure alarms – HMI tag alarms can be converted to
FactoryTalk Alarms; controller-based alarms are available for use in
View SE through FactoryTalk Alarms and Events
 Configure startup components and create client files
 Convert graphics to use direct referencing
 Migrate functionality created with RSView32 VBA
 Create Users and configure Security
 Migrate RSView32 extension functionality
 Be aware of best practices in FactoryTalk View SE
 Knowledge Base AID 37110 has links to many best practice
documents, as well as patches and application notes
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What is migrated?
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Displays
Animations
Text
Tags
Alarms
Expressions
Libraries
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Images
Parameter Files
Recipes
Derived Tags
Events
Macros
Global Keys
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Utilities and tools available for migration
 Alarm Migration tool
 Used to convert HMI alarms to FactoryTalk Alarms
 Converts alarm tags to a format usable by the FT Alarms and Events
server
 Available in Knowledge Base AID 45583
 Tag Import and Export wizard
 Built into FactoryTalk View Studio
 Used to export HMI tag information to a .CSV file, which can then be:
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Imported into a FactoryTalk Alarms and Events server
Edited using Excel, then re-imported into an application
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Utilities and tools available for migration
 Legacy Tag Database Conversion utility
 Installed with FactoryTalk View v6.1 or 7.0
 Also available in Knowledge Base AID 450509
 Converts tag database from old (Watcom) format to new (SQL Server
Express) format that supports 64-bit systems
 Allows you to import RSView32 project into FactoryTalk View on 64-bit
machine
 HMI Tag to Direct Reference Converter Wizard
 Converts HMI tag database references in graphic objects to direct
controller references
 Available in Knowledge Base AID 31289
 Can be used with both View SE and View ME
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Migrating ActiveX controls
 Determine whether you use ActiveX controls in your RSView32 project,
and whether you still want to use them in FactoryTalk View SE
 Native View SE functionality may replace the ActiveX control
 ActiveX controls must be installed and registered on the FactoryTalk View
Studio machine before migration
 If this is done, the ActiveX control and its property values should be
retained during migration
 If this is not done, the ActiveX control and its configuration will be lost
 ActiveX control version is important – version installed on FactoryTalk
View Studio machine must be the same as used in RSView32 project
 Back up your RSView32 program to retain the ActiveX property settings
 ActiveX controls may not function in FactoryTalk View SE the same way
they did in RSView32 – make sure to evaluate each control individually
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Migrating ActiveX controls
 Specific ActiveX controls:
 TrendX – will migrate with property settings intact
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eSignature – is not migrated to FactoryTalk View SE eSignature –
must be manually recreated
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Native RSView32 trend control will not migrate, must be re-created as TrendX
Knowledge base AID 6948 has a comparison of the native trend control with
TrendX to help
Make note of native trend control property settings, configure TrendX
RecipePro – interfaces directly with the RSView32 object model, and
so will not migrate
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VBA execution in RSView32 vs.
FactoryTalk View SE
VBA execution model in RSView32
HMI Client
VBA execution model in
FactoryTalk View SE
HMI Client
VBA
HMI Client
HMI Client
VBA
HMI Server
HMI Server
VBA
HMI Tags
HMI Tags
VBA executes on server,
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functionality based on
VBA executes on clients,
HMI tag manipulation
functionality based on
with no exposure to
events from graphic
client graphical objects
objects
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Migrating VBA
 VBA is NOT migrated to FactoryTalk View SE
 Some VBA can be re-used - object model references cannot be used as-is
 The way VBA is implemented and the object model is very different in RSView32
vs. FactoryTalk View SE
 RSView32 VBA:
 VBA code in RSView32 runs on the server (server-side) – VBA code triggers
actions that run on the server
 Most RSView32 VBA is used to manipulate or access the tag database
 VBA is triggered with VBAExec command
 FactoryTalk View SE VBA:
 FactoryTalk View SE VBA runs on the client (client-side) and has a client-side
object model
 VBA code in FactoryTalk View SE runs independently on each client – the
same display on 2 clients can be in different states, depending on user action
 FactoryTalk View SE VBA is object-based, triggered by user actions on the
client
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Migrating VBA
 If you do want to re-use VBA code, can export code modules from
RSView32 and import into View SE project for copy/paste
 Remember to use descriptive object names on displays to make VBA code
more readable (e.g. btnTank1)
 To access tags in HMI tag database with VBA:
 RSView32 VBA uses the gTagDb object to access tags
 FactoryTalk View VBA requires a tag group to be created (and
destroyed) to access tags
 Knowledge Base AID 51770 includes sample project with VBA and a lab
manual – good example of migrating VBA code
 Many other tips and VBA code examples in the Knowledge Base
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Communications
 FactoryTalk View SE can use RSLinx Enterprise as its preferred data
server
 RSLinx Enterprise provides optimized communications with all
products in the Logix5000 controller family
 If using SLC-500 or PLC 5 controllers, use RSLinx Classic as data server
 Configure an OPC Data Server, can talk to RSLinx Classic or third
party OPC Data Servers
 Best practice is to separate each server (data or HMI) in its own Area
 Will isolate the servers from one another
 Optimizes data update time on displays
 See Knowledge Base AID 29663 for more information
 Separating Servers into separate Areas will require device tag rebrowsing to include Area and RSLinx Enterprise shortcut name in tag
address
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Communications
 If you want to import an RSView32 project into FactoryTalk View SE and
want comms to work without re-configuration of device tag addresses:
 Put HMI Server and Data Server in the same Area (not a
recommended practice)
 Create RSLinx Enterprise controller Shortcut with same name as
RSView32 Node
 Device tags will continue to work without address editing
 Make tag address editing easier by using the Tag Import and Export
Wizard and editing tag addresses in Microsoft Excel
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Direct Referencing
Direct reference tags in
FactoryTalk View SE
HMI tag database
HMI Client
HMI Client
HMI Clients use HMI
HMI Tag Database
Device Tags in the
HMI Tag Database
the HMI tag
HMI
HMI
Device
Memory
Tags
Tags
database for
communications
with a controller.
Both RSView32 and
FactoryTalk View SE
support HMI Device
Tags.
HMI
HMI
Device
Memory
Tags
Tags
HMI Clients can use
either HMI Device Tags or
go directly to the
controller with a Direct
Reference Tag.
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Direct Referencing
 FactoryTalk View SE provides device and memory HMI tags, just like
RSView32
 But it also provides direct referencing – allows objects on a display to make
a direct reference to a tag in a controller, without going through the tag
database
 Advantages to using direct referencing include:
 When tag edits are made in the controller, the edits do not need to be
duplicated in the HMI tag database – objects reference the controller
tags directly and bypass the HMI tag database
 Direct referencing provides access to complex tag data types in the
controller, such as arrays and structures
 After migrating an RSView32 project to FactoryTalk View SE, use the
Direct Reference Tag Converter utility to convert HMI device tag references
to direct controller references
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Users and Security
 RSView32 users are not migrated to FactoryTalk View SE
 Users (and user groups) must be manually created and configured
after migrating an RSView32 project to FactoryTalk View SE
 FactoryTalk View SE security uses FactoryTalk users
 FactoryTalk users and user groups can be either FactoryTalk
Directory-specific users or Windows-linked users, which use Windows
Active Directory user accounts
 FactoryTalk users and user groups are shared by all FactoryTalkbased products, so only need to be created once
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Users and Security
 Security in FactoryTalk View SE is based on the FactoryTalk Services
Platform
 Authenticates user identities
 Authorizes user requests for access to a resource
 FactoryTalk View SE uses run time A-P security codes, just as RSView32
did
 Displays migrated to FactoryTalk View SE from RSView32 retain their
A-P security code
 However, users must be created and re-assigned those security codes
in FactoryTalk View SE
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Alarming
 RSView32 supports only tag-based, or HMI alarms
 FactoryTalk View SE has support for FactoryTalk Alarms and Events,
which supports two types of alarms:
 Tag-based
 Device-based
 Tag-based alarming with FactoryTalk Alarms and Events offers the
equivalent of HMI tag alarm monitoring, but with an expanded feature set
 Tag-based alarming is supported for Logix5000 controllers, PLC-5,
and SLC-500 devices, or for third-party controllers
 Device-based alarms use built-in instructions that are programmed and
downloaded to a Logix5000 controller. The controller detects alarm
conditions and publishes alarm and event information to FactoryTalk
Alarms and Events, which can then be displayed by View SE
 Device-based alarms are available in RSLogix 5000 v16 or later
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FactoryTalk Alarms and Events
 FactoryTalk Alarms and Events can support information provided by two
different types of alarm sources:
• Pre-built alarm instructions that are
programmed in a Logix5000
project and then downloaded into a
Logix controller.
• The controller detects alarm
conditions and publishes event
information, which is routed
through the system for display and
logging.
• Software-based tag servers
monitor data tags for alarm
conditions and publish event
information for display and logging.
• Tag based alarm monitoring is
supported by Logix controllers,
PLC-5 controllers, SLC 500
controllers, or any third-party
device through OPC Data Access
(OPC-DA).
Device-Based
Alarms
Tag-Based
Alarms
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About Alarming in FactoryTalk View SE
 FactoryTalk Alarm and Events server must be added to a View SE project
 View SE best practice is to separate all servers into different Areas; create a
separate Area for the Alarm and Events server
 The Alarm Migration tool converts View Alarm tags imported with an RSView32
project into a format that can be used by FactoryTalk Alarms and Events
 Export Alarm tags from RSView32 project
 Convert Alarm tags to FT A&E format with Alarm Migration tool
 Import the converted Alarm tags into the FactoryTalk Alarms and Events
server
 RSView32 alarm summary control is not migrated to FactoryTalk View SE
 Manually convert the RSView32 alarm summary control to an alarm and
event summary control
 FactoryTalk Alarms are automatically displayed in the alarm and event
summary control
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Moving to a 64-bit system
 RSView32 does NOT support 64-bit operating systems
 This is because the RSView32 tag database format does not support
64-bit
 Starting with version 6.1 of FactoryTalk View (ME and SE), a new tag
database format based on SQL Server was created to support 64-bit
systems
 When moving from RSView32 to FactoryTalk View SE, evaluate whether
you will be moving to a 64-bit system
 If not going to 64-bit, simply import RSView32 into FactoryTalk View
SE
 Tag database is converted to new format when migrated to
FactoryTalk View SE v6.1 or later, no extra steps are required
 Resulting project can be used on 64-bit systems if needed
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Moving to a 64-bit system
 If you are moving to 64-bit, you need to convert the tag database in one of two ways
 If you have FactoryTalk View Studio v6.1 or 7.0 installed on a 32-bit machine:
 Perform migration of RSView32 on the 32-bit machine
 Tag database is converted automatically as part of migration
 Resulting View SE project can then be run on either 32-bit or 64-bit machines
 If you do not have FactoryTalk View Studio v6.1 or 7.0 installed on a 32-bit machine:
 On the 32-bit RSView32 machine, use the Legacy Tag Database migration utility to
export the tag database to a neutral format
 Copy the RSView32 project and the neutral format tag database files to the 64-bit
View Studio machine
 Run the Legacy Tag Database migration utility again, creating the tag database in
the new SQL format
 Import the RSView32 project into a FactoryTalk View SE project – the tag database
will be imported
 Legacy Tag Database utility is installed with FactoryTalk View Studio
 Can also be found in Knowledge Base AID 450509
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RSView32 Extensions
 In most cases, RSView32 extensions are not directly supported in
FactoryTalk View SE – but there are replacements
 RSView32 Messenger is replaced by Win-911 software from Specter
Instruments
 Download from the Specter Instruments website, or the Rockwell Automation
Software Downloads website
 RSView32 SPC functionality can be replaced by integration of a
FactoryTalk View SE project with FactoryTalk Historian SE and
FactoryTalk VantagePoint
 RSView32 WebServer has been replaced with FactoryTalk ViewPoint
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Helpful links
 RSView32 to FactoryTalk View SE Migration Guide –
Lit Library Doc ID: FTALK-QR004A-EN-P
 Covers details on what does and does not convert,
importing RSView32 app into FT View SE
 Knowledge Base articles
 27708 – RSView32 to View SE Conversion
Guidelines
 46786 – How to convert an RSView project to
FactoryTalk View SE Distributed
 51770 – Sample app showing VBA migration
 70818 – FactoryTalk Alarms and Events with
Win-911
 57990 – FactoryTalk ViewPoint tips and best
practices
 40891 – FactoryTalk View SE Server
Redundancy Guidelines
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Frequently asked questions
 Can you import individual screens (.GFX files) from RSView32 to
FactoryTalk View SE?
 Yes, individual RSView32 screens will import into a FactoryTalk View
SE project, as long as there are no unknown ActiveX controls.
 Other components such as data logs, parameter files, and macros can
also be added to a FactoryTalk View SE project.
 With display-based licensing, do small pop-up windows count as a display
toward the license?
 Yes, pop-up displays count toward the number of displays.
 Do I need to upgrade to the latest version of RSView32 before I migrate to
FactoryTalk View SE?
 No. Versions of RSView32 prior to v7.60 can be imported into an FT
View SE project.
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Frequently asked questions
 Can RSView32 and FactoryTalk View SE run on the same machine?
 Yes. They can be installed on the same machine, but cannot run at
the same time.
 Will offline tag browsing work with an SLC controller?
 No. For offline tag browsing, an offline tag file is a ControlLogix project
file (.ACD) that contains tag data.
 Can FactoryTalk View SE be used with NO security?
 Yes. By default, security is not enabled, and the application is
available to all users.
 What is the difference between parameter files in RSView32 vs.
FactoryTalk View SE?
 They work the same way in both RSView32 and FactoryTalk View
SE.
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Where do I get more technical
information?
 Rockwell Automation Knowledge Base
 AID 27708: RSView32 to FactoryTalk View SE Conversion Guidelines
 AID 46786: How to convert an RSView project to FactoryTalk View SE Distributed
 AID 37110: FactoryTalk View (RSViewSE) Tips and Best Practices TOC
 AID 30399: Best Practices: Recommendations for VBA
 AID 51770: Sample VBA: Exercise in migrating a View32 application with VBA to View
SE
 AID 32549: View SE Distributed System Design Considerations
 AID 29663: Best Practices: Guidelines for Structuring Areas
 AID 45583: Tool: Converting ViewSE HMI Alarms to FactoryTalk A&E Tag-based
Alarms
 Rockwell Automation Literature Library
 RSView32 to FactoryTalk View SE Project Migration (PDF)
 Technical Support
 http://www.rockwellautomation.com/support/
 North America: 1-440-646-3434
 Worldwide: select location
 Your local Rockwell sales office
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