PLC Programming Version Control

PreLC · Mar 10, 2021

theColonel26 said:
I PMed you BTW.

Hmmm. Nothing in my inbox yet...

theColonel26 · Mar 10, 2021

Ok it seems you are someone else has the same another account called PeeLC and has the same AP avatar.....

Give me a minute

Edit: Check it now

keithlyding · Mar 3, 2022

PreLC said:
I've posted this in the Past, but I'll do this again from this thread. Been using this for a year now, works for collaboration as well as individuals:

Book A guide to GIT.
Here it is:
I have this quick start guide that I made to use a version control system we have control over ourselves.
Here it is:
Hello PLCs.net!

I have Git up and running within my team. Git is a way to chronologically save stuff over time, so you don’t lose work which hasn’t been saved as a new copy of the old program. A repository is supposed to be an easy to maneuver location where code (Ladder logic woot woot!) and artifacts (E.G: HMI files) are stored.

The following is a small tutorial on how to use git, as well as an advanced in depth way of working with Rockwell tools and Git at the same time. You can make a personal repo just for yourself, or a combined repo for yourself as well as your teammates in a shared location. Both add value to my workflow personally.
We have the following code storage structure in our team:
-> Remote directory on a shared drive
-> Local directory per team-member

Tools used: -
- Windows 7 Pro(Home should do too, I think)
- Git Extensions 3.00.00.4433 : GUI which simplifies GIT for users.
- Git 2.19.2.windows.1 : Latest git release I could find.
- Studio 5000 Logix Designer V16-28 : All the different PLC firmwares we use in our plant. Haven't tested on all of them, but seems to be working fine with any I use.
- Logix Designer Compare v7.00.00 : Latest compare tool I could get my hands on.

OK, so here is what I did on the config side:

1) Make sure you have GitExtensions and Git installed on your machine.
2) If you want the capability of comparing, make sure you have LogixCompare installed on your machine as well.
3) Make an empty directory in a local location(Somewhere on your computer), then right click in windows explorer, and click GitExt Create new repository> Personal Repo> Create.
4) Once you have this empty repository, right click in windows explorer, and then GitExt Open repository.
5) In GitExt, click repository on the top right> Edit .gitignore > Add default ignores.
6) Then paste the following in there:
#Ignore useless packages created by RSLogix.
*.bak*acd
*.acd.recovery
*.sem
*.wrk
This would stop the temporary files from being backed up, and will declutter your system.
7) Hit save.
8) Now go to Tools> Settings>Git>Config. Enter your username and email. Hit save.
9) At this point, start moving your PLC code into this repository. which is logically and wisely created, so it's easy to maneuver through the programs you have.
10) Once you have them in the repo, it the Commit button at the top, it’ll pull up a commit dialog.
11) Hit commit, and then there you have it, the first node of your first git branch is now created.
At this point, you can start using git as a simple chronological way. It’s widely used in the code development industry, so you can look up anything from tutorials to error questions directly on google. Stack Overflow is my favorite resource.
12) Now comes the interesting part about how to merge Rockwell with Git. Make sure you have Logix Compare installed.
13) Bring back the Config menu from the earlier step. Now:
• Here, you’ll find an option to fill in your username, email, etc.
• In MergeTool: Type in something like RSLogixMerge, which defines a new mergetool in Git.
• My path to mergetool was: C:/Program Files (x86)/Rockwell Software/Logix Designer Tools/Logix Designer Compare Tool/RSLCompare.exe
• The mergetool command was: "C:/Program Files (x86)/Rockwell Software/Logix Designer Tools/Logix Designer Compare Tool/RSLCompare.exe" -m "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" -PM FastestCompare
o This follows the syntax of the RSLogix command line switches.
• In Difftool type in something like RSLogixDiff, which defines a new difftool in git.
• My path to difftool was: C:/Program Files (x86)/Rockwell Software/Logix Designer Tools/Logix Designer Compare Tool/RSLCompare.exe
• My difftool command was: 'C:/Program Files (x86)/Rockwell Software/Logix Designer Tools/Logix Designer Compare Tool/RSLCompare.exe' "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" -PM FastestCompare
• Line endings: Not Set.
Hit apply, and you are set! Now, if you commit an ACD file, make a change, save it, and then commit another file.
You can use any youtube video to learn about how to use git-extensions further after that. But that should follow the standard process at that point.

Do you think this option would work with Microsoft OneDrive?

p8p8 · Mar 3, 2022

mk42 said:
You can try MDT Autosave, they are the other main vendor of industrial version control software. Similar to VersionDog, I've mostly heard of them in the context of plants, but I've seen an MDT sales guy popping into one of these discussions in the past saying "We can do OEM too, i swear". So, grain of salt.

I've tried out VesionDOg, it is OK.
MDT Autosave is better.
I worked for a big company, hundreds maybe thousands PLCs are monitored at real time. Changes are automatically save as latest version, backup would be made too. It does not mater where you login the PLC, the system knows. Changes will recorded with time, user name and location. PLC are password locked to prevent direct access.
Even if somebody access and PLC directly, the system will know the changes too.

keithlyding · Mar 3, 2022

p8p8 said:
I've tried out VesionDOg, it is OK.
MDT Autosave is better.
I worked for a big company, hundreds maybe thousands PLCs are monitored at real time. Changes are automatically save as latest version, backup would be made too. It does not mater where you login the PLC, the system knows. Changes will recorded with time, user name and location. PLC are password locked to prevent direct access.
Even if somebody access and PLC directly, the system will know the changes too.

I would like to try it. Can't find anything about pricing.

PreLC · Mar 3, 2022

keithlyding said:
Do you think this option would work with Microsoft OneDrive?

Yes, It would work with Keithlyding. Also, you can alternatively try microsoft azure as a git host too.

Regards,
-PreLC

theColonel26 · Mar 3, 2022

Use C o p i a . io, fraction of the price of MDT and Version Dog. Those are both $5k initially. C o p i a.io is $50/month. *****.io is all git based, with provided renderings, you can branch and merge, and they have more features coming.

C o p I a.io caught the old guys sleeping on John

PreLC · Mar 4, 2022

theColonel26 said:
Use C o p i a . io, fraction of the price of MDT and Version Dog. Those are both $5k initially. C o p i a.io is $50/month. *****.io is all git based, with provided renderings, you can branch and merge, and they have more features coming.

C o p I a.io caught the old guys sleeping on John

Yeah no don't do that. They offer no additional features through their UX maskware. Colonel likely has vested interest if he's bypassing site rules to propagate it.

Just use regular open source git with the difftool to get whatever you want native without installations from predatory, "Game changing" companies.The method In list is free, perpetually. And all the support you need is already on stack overflow.

Regards,
PreLC

dmroeder · Mar 4, 2022

PreLC said:
Colonel likely has vested interest if he's bypassing site rules to propagate it.

I have no vested interest, for what it's worth, respectfully, I am pretty confidant you are wrong here. I have spoken with Colonel and c-opia.

I played around, I liked their product. The advantage is that you work with the native ACD file, you don't have to mess with converting the ACD to XML or L5K. You make a logic change, commit. If that is "maskware", that is fine with me. Software is supposed to do things for you to save you time/trouble.

Colonel, I think if you didn't praise their product while simultaneously insulting everyone, you'd probably get farther

In other words, don't be a "D" when you don't have to.

theColonel26 · Mar 4, 2022

PreLC said:
Yeah no don't do that. They offer no additional features through their UX maskware. Colonel likely has vested interest if he's bypassing site rules to propagate it.

Just use regular open source git with the difftool to get whatever you want native without installations from predatory, "Game changing" companies.The method In list is free, perpetually. And all the support you need is already on stack overflow.

Regards,
PreLC

PreLC you know I do not... we have talked on linkedIn before you know who I am. You are being disingenuous.

I am not by passing any site rules.

Full disclosure I was one of the first beta testers for C O P I A and from time to time they do ask for my input on features and stuff, but there are also many other users that they consult too.

They actually do offer additional features already, and they have more features on their road map.

Using GIT and diffing with Rockwell's compare tool sucks, each diff has to be generated and it takes quite a while. I like being able to just quickly flip between different commits and see what has changed. Plus they have merge conflict resolution, you can't do that very easily at all using GIT and RA Compare.

Most of us don't have the time to waste configuring and maintaining our only GIT work flow. ***** just does it for you, and the time saved it more than made up for in the price. I like to spend my time programming, not fiddling with software all day.

This is like arguing you shouldn't pay for Windows because, because linux is free..... true, and I use linux for servers.... but I do not have enough time in the day to mess with it as a desktop OS it is too clunky and requires to much baby sitting.

I don't get payed to screw around with software all day. I get paid to write and maintain PLC programs for the machines we sell.

theColonel26 · Mar 4, 2022

dmroeder said:
Colonel, I think if you didn't praise their product while simultaneously insulting everyone, you'd probably get farther In other words, don't be a "D" when you don't have to.

I mean I can be a dick and insult people

. But I didn't think I insulted anyone here on this thread, if so I didn't mean to. The old guys I was referring to are MDT and VersionDog. (Both are own by the same company by the way)

I looked at both of them before c o p i a came along, and the amount of money they wanted was not an issue. It was the fact that they wanted a lot of money for providing very little value to me as an OEM. They are both gear 100% toward end users. They both wanted around $5000 for an entry level package, and they both charge you per file, and there is no branching or merging.

I also like to push Codesys, and hate on rockwell.... do people thing I own stock in Codesys too?

I have ADHD out the butt, so I can't stand doing tedious and repetitive tasks, if anything helps to avoid that, I jump on it. That is really and truly is my motivation.

dogleg43 · Mar 4, 2022

I worked as a control system design engineer for system integrators for over 33 years (am also a journeyman electrician) and describing my job to others was very difficult.

Sometimes I’d ask if they had ever seen the movie “China Syndrome” and say that I designed control panels similar to the ones shown in the movie.

Dayvieboy · Mar 5, 2022

I was told Version dog was subscription based & may cost $ 10,000 per month for our application, looking more into it soon.

Any recommendations for Ignition Version control that would also do Rockwell & Siemens?

I am working for an OEM & rev control is critical

FTAC is no fun to work with

theColonel26 · Mar 5, 2022

Dayvieboy said:
I was told Version dog was subscription based & may cost $ 10,000 per month for our application, looking more into it soon.

Any recommendations for Ignition Version control that would also do Rockwell & Siemens?

I am working for an OEM & rev control is critical

FTAC is no fun to work with

C o p i a can do Rockwell and Seimens. And they charge per user not per file or machine account. (Read only accounts are free and unlimited)

As far as Ignition, you can store your gateway backup in probably any version control solution, but I don't know of anything that will give you diffs. We use ignition a little so if you find something please post back.

PreLC · Mar 5, 2022

theColonel26 said:
PreLC you know I do not... we have talked on linkedIn before you know who I am. You are being disingenuous.

I am not by passing any site rules.

I don't get payed to screw around with software all day. I get paid to write and maintain PLC programs for the machines we sell.

Well, when I did talk to you irl, you did was propose ***** heavily. I didn't get an impression of no bias there. This is all just online, can't confirm or deny your vested interest, although I am free to infer and propagate my inference.

We don't get paid* to be online on forums either, especially for just sharing opinions, but here we both are

PLC Programming Version Control

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