Unity DIF V14

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(Applicable to Control Expert)

1. Software Description

Unity DIF is an comparison software that compares two UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert project files and represents the differences graphically with the similar look and feel of UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert.

This enables the user to understand the project differences easily.

Unity DIF can compare and provide differences for the following sections of UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert project files:

· PLC Configuration (Hardware and Network)

· Derived Data Types

· Derived FB Types

· Variables and FB Instance

· Motion

· Communication

· Programs

· Animation Table

· Operator Screen

· DTM Catalogue

Unity DIF software can compare .sta, .stu, .zef, and .xef project files of UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert

2. System Requirements

Unity DIF can be installed on different Windows platforms using the same setup package. The setup will detect the platform and the specific installation requirements automatically.

The following Windows platforms are supported:

System with Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32/64 bit) / Windows 8 Pro (32/64 bit) / Windows 10 Pro (32/64 bit) / Windows Server 2008 R2 64 bit

System: Pentium Processor 2.4 GHz or higher, recommended 3.0 GHz
RAM memory: 4 GB minimum; recommended: 8 GB
Hard disk: minimum available free space 8 GB, recommended 20 GB
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher

Note: On Windows 7 64 bit System, installation of Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) is mandatory to use Unity DIF with UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert

System with Microsoft Windows Server 2016

System: Recommended version: Windows Server 2016, standard version
Processor recommended: 3.20GHz
RAM memory recommended: 16 GB

Hard disk: minimum available free space 8 GB, recommended 20 GB
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher

3. Installation Preparations

· Executing the single setup file will extract the appropriate set of files onto the local hard disk; it will then start the installation automatically.

· Before starting the installation, perform the following checks and preparations:

· Close all running instances of Unity DIF and UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert before starting the installation.

· Administrator access right is required to install the software. For usage User access right is sufficient.

· Uninstall the older version manually before installing the new version; Repair could not fix all the errors.

· Manually uninstall the currently installed version before installing the older version

· UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert needs to be installed to compare STU and STA project files

4. Compatibility

4.1 UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert project files compatibility rules

Unity DIF V14 is compatible from UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert V14.0 and above

Control Expert version installed | Base File | Compared Files
STU n-1 | STU n | STA n-1 | STA n | XEF n-1 | XEF n | ZEF n-1 | ZEF n
Vn-1 | STU n-1 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes(*) | Yes | Yes(*) | Yes | Yes(*)
Vn | STU n | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
Vn-1 | STA n-1 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes(*) | Yes | Yes(*) | Yes | Yes(*)
Vn | STA n | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
Vn-1 | XEF n-1 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes(*) | Yes | Yes(*) | Yes | Yes(*)
Vn | XEF n | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
Vn-1 | ZEF n-1 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes(*) | Yes | Yes(*) | Yes | Yes(*)
Vn | ZEF n | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
Note: · (*): No UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert Vn features are used in the project · Application of level Vn: Application developed using UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert Vn · UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert Vn: UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert that supports applications of level <= n Example: If the installed version of UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert is 14.1, then n = 14.1 and the last version is 14.0 (n-1 = 14.0)

5. UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert Interaction

o Unity DIF can be launch directly from UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert ‘Tools’ menu
Tool -> Projects Comparison

o A selected Program section can be opened on UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert from Unity DIF Application Browser

6. Unity Dif Application & Section Password Decryption Service

o End User Can Unprotect Password Protected UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert Application while Comparison

o This service is only available if Project version is V14.0 (UnityPro or EcoStruxure Control Expert) or above or its updated to V14.0 or above

o Above functionality is also added as API support

7. Unity Dif Support for Contorl Expert V14 XLS M580 safety PLC based Project Browser

o Unity DIFF V8.1 SP1 is developed with adaptation of new Browser structure of V14 XLS while Project is created with M580 safety PLC

8. Known Issues

7.1 Description: File comparison may result into ‘Fatal error’ due to insufficient privileges (administrator) on Win 7 or Win 8 or Win 10 when UAC is disabled.

Details: The defect is observed when a standard user is running Unity DIF. A standard user process has no means of elevating the privilege level to administrator when UAC is disabled. Unity DIF process requires elevated privileges to run.

So it can run,

1) Only when an administrator is logged on

OR

2) A standard user (with UAC turned on) authorizing the program with administrator credentials (Run as administrator)

7.2 Description: The comparison of same project files after downloading and uploading from device or simulator without any user changes results in some irrelevant differences.

Details: The process of downloading and uploading from Simulator (or) Device will generates some irrelevant differences in terms of section order change (or) whitespaces (or) special characters being introduced on the project file. Unity DIF as such detects these differences and displays them as Added / Deleted.

7.3 Description: Server Samples provided along with the application must be 'Run as Administrator' on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10.

Details: Unity DIF needs elevated privilege levels to run on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. When a server sample is started normally, it’s just a standard user process and Unity DIF will inherit the privilege level of this process to run causing it to fail.

7.4 Description: Repair function issue on Windows 8 and Windows 10

Details: Unity DIF repair function will fail on Windows 8 & Windows 10 operating system, reinstall to resolve the issues.

7.5 Description: Schneider Electric License Manager Installation issue

Details: If a message box appears during Schneider Electric License Manager installation with a demand to find the original setup, click NO to continue the installation.

7.6 Description: Unity DIF license activation issue

Details: If a Trial period reminder message box appears to activate although the software is already activated, click NO to continue.