Setting up KEPServer Enterprise Communications on PanelView Plus

Question 

• What are the basic steps for setting up KEPServer communications from FactoryTalk® View Studio ME? 
• What are the basic steps for setting up KEPServer communications from FactoryTalk View ME Station? 
• How do I install a Kepware driver on my PanelView Plus Terminal? 

Environment 

• PanelView Plus 
• PanelView Plus 6 
• PanelView Plus 7 

Answer 

Note: PanelView Plus terminals running kepware drivers will not communicate with OPC servers running on a PC. It communicates directly with the 3rd party devices using Kepware drivers. If connection to an OPC server running on a PC is required, use FactoryTalk View ME Station running on a computer. 

Setting up the KEPServer Enterprise on a PanelView Plus terminal

1. Depending on the firmware version on you PanelView plus terminal, you will need to perform one of the following: 
   1. For a PanelView Plus 6 terminal running version 6.10.17 or greater or a PanelView Plus 7, there is a Windows CE Control Panel applet called Server Config that will allow you to enable a driver. 
      1. Follow these steps to enable it: 
      2. Exit to the Windows CE desktop – See 249734 – PanelView Plus 6 and PanelView Plus 7: Enabling Desktop Access 
      3. Go to Start  –> Settings –> Control Panel 
      4. Open Server Config 
      5. Select the Kepware Server tab, on the right side of that window: 
      6. From the drivers list, check one or more Kepware drivers to be enabled. 
      7. Close this window by clicking OK, for your changes to be saved. 
      8. You will be prompted for Services to be restarted, click Yes. 
      9. Reboot the terminal after the services restart. 
   2. If you are using a PanelView Plus terminal, or a PanelView Plus 6 terminal that is 6.10.09 or lower, then you must flash firmware to load the KEPServer driver(s) you require. The actual driver selection would be part of the firmware update process. Refer to 30964 – Upgrading Firmware on a PanelView Plus Terminal. 
2. Load KEPServer Enterprise software on the PC that has FactoryTalk View ME Studio installed. Refer to 33968 – KEPServer Enterprise version compatibility with PanelView Plus  Note: Make sure the version of KEPServer Enterprise is compatible with your PanelView Plus firmware. 
3. Open KEPServer Enterprise software and create a communication channel. Refer to 29248 – Using the Kepware OPC Server 
4. Under communication channel, create a Kepware device. 
5. Create tags in KEPServer. 
6. Verify communication to device with Tools–>OPC quick client. 
7. Save the default.pfe file to default directory (KEPServer v4.5 and lower). Note: For KEPServer v5.3 or higher, refer to 494480 – KEPServer Enterprise v5.3 does not use default.pfe
8. In FactoryTalk View Studio, right-click on project name in the explorer tree and select Add New Server -> OPC Data Server… 
9. Type in a name and browse to the KEPServer Enterprise server version you require then select OK and then Apply Note: In some installs there will be more than one KEPServer version listed. Select the version for your PanelView Plus. Refer back to 33968 – KEPServer Enterprise version compatibility with PanelView Plus 
10. Once your application design is complete, create and download the MER file to PanelView Plus. 

Running the application on an ME Station Runtime PC. 

1. Install FactoryTalk View ME Station. 
2. Install the same version of KEPServer that is installed on the FactoryTalk View Studio development PC. 
3. Copy the .pfe file from the development PC to the runtime PC. 
4. Open the .pfe file in KEPServer. KEPServer runs as a service so the GUI does not need to remain open. 
5. Launch FactoryTalk View ME Station, load and run the application.