I have to ditto all of these comments. Besides the bootless CP issue, one
very big issue should be CSA. This is a single point of failure that can
reek havoc if gets corrupted. It needs to be addressed. If you do not
want to have to reboot a CP for an upgrade, then you definitely do not want
to have initialize your CP and reload a SAVEALL to fix a problem.
Also, since I know that many of the comments on this email list make to the
eyes of some key Foxboro associates, maybe we should have some more
discussion on FoxView/FoxDraw. They want to know our comments. What does
everyone dislike or like about FoxView/FoxDraw? For those of you have
extensively used both the legacy (DisplayBuilder,Display Configurator,
DisplayMgr) and the new (FoxView, FoxDraw) graphic builder and display
software, what are your comments about the Pros & Cons of FoxView/FoxDraw?
How does the software compare to other vendor's software?
Some of the comments that I have concerning FoxView/FoxDraw are:
PROS:
1. Some folks like the side menu of FoxView.
2. The combined display builder and configuator functions of FoxDraw are
great.
3. It is easier to edit text in FoxDraw than in the Display Builder.
CONS:
1. I hate that FoxView graphic files are so large and that FoxView takes a
lot more memory and bogs down the system. Especially on Unix.
2. I seemed much easier to use markers in the Display Builder than it is
in FoxDraw. I wish FoxDraw had some capability for character graphic
symbols like the Display Builder Markers.
3. I hate that FoxDraw symbols and graphic libraries utilize a lot of
linked graphic parts. This makes it very hard to change something, or to
grab a piece of an object for use elsewhere.
4. If a FoxView graphic is linked to another directory, the link is
destroyed when FoxDraw is subsequently used to edit and save the graphic.
We traditionally always kept out graphic files in /usr/disp and then linked
some of them to /usr/menus, FoxDraw breaks the file links on Unix.
5. FoxDraw is not as functional on Unix as it is in NT. For instance,
right click menus do not work under Unix.
6. The NT version of FoxView needs to have a standard "Command Prompt"
pick under the Software Maint menu. We know how to add it, but it was not
easy to figure out. It took TAC & development a while to figure it out.
Joe Markham
<jmarkham@ema To: 'Foxboro DCS Mail List'
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
-inc.com> AT AT i-net@CCM
i-net cc: (bcc: Neil Martin/US/PC/HUNTSMAN)
Subject: RE: Back on the Soap Box
07/26/00
12:28 PM
I have to agree with your assesment of FoxView/FoxDraw. I have found it to
be buggy as well. Each little upgrade has broken as much as it has fixed.
Also, why do I have to ASK for each version. Why can't Foxboro just send it
out when it becomes available. Same with any patches relevant to my system.
Foxboro knows what I have installed. Why not send me a patch before I have
trouble?
Hmmm. What else would I like?
I would like to see the configuration utilities (the ICC especially) join
the 21st century. Specifically:
I would like everything to be able to have comments.
I would like to be able to insert a step in a calc block.
I would like to have the equivalent of subroutines so that I only have to
change something (maybe a calculation in a calc block)once to have it take
effect globally.
I would like a revision history system, which includes the ability to undo
changes.
I would like high and low limits and engineering units to propogate through
downstream blocks blocks.
One other thing. Please update the version of Solaris that you are using
from 2.5. It's so old that I have trouble with third-party software.
Thanks for the forum to toss my $0.02 in....
-Joe Markham
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of John Miller
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2000 11:29 AM
To: 'Foxboro DCS Mail List'
Subject: RE: Back on the Soap Box
There are a few of things I need to bring up:
First, besides Bo, has anyone had success with doing an upgrade to 6.2 and
not having to reboot the CP's. Bo says that he has seen it work, yet I
have had sources in Foxboro recommend against doing it. Does anyone know
why we would be told this?
Second, in addition Bo's desire to see bootless CP upgrades (with economics
dictating longer intervals between shutdowns, we could use that feature,
too), I'd like to see FoxView/FoxDraw brought beyond what I still feel is
beta test reliability and features. Two years ago, we were promised that
the next version of the package would have dynamic trending - where is it?
I'd also like to know if FoxView is still being developed or is it being
abandoned in favor of a Wonderware based product? I know this isn't as
critical as Bo's issue, but it's important for planning and upgrades.
Finally, there are two and half working days left until the User's
Conference. Has anyone given any thought to how those of us who feel that
bootless CP upgrades are a critical issue can organize and vote to see that
it gets the attention it deserves? Are there any other specific items that
we can bring up - additional function blocks, time delayed alarming, better
documentation of existing control blocks, integerated expert system
functions, fuzzy ? Granted, not everyone will have the same issues, but I
think the group should be able to form a consensus to support each other's
issues.
John
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