Upload and edit...?

How can I get a project back out of a unit? A frequent question asked by HMI users. The reason they ask is to change a project (some text or graphic, possibly the addition of a value or alarm indicator). Sometimes projects aren't finished until they have run a while.

Getting projects out of the 8000 series HMI's is accomplished through the Project Manager utility or by USB stick. Most users are familiar with the Project Manager and bring their laptops out to the machine and upload the project. The project comes in as a file that ends in "XOB". Using the Tools Menu/Decompile command, the project can be restored to an editable state.

But, you can also upload with a USB memory stick. This is much less cumbersome than dragging a laptop out to the machine. Just plug the stick into the unit and wait for the USB dialog to pop up. Select Upload from the dialog and enter the HMI's password. Select the USB device from the subsequent pop-up and touch OK. The project is uploaded to the USB stick into a folder called "mt8000". The decompile of the project from the folder is not an intuitive process. The trick is to simply rename the folder "mt8000.xob". Now the Tools Menu/Decompile command can find it on the USB stick (once you get back to the computer running EB8000).
For information on uploading projects with a USB stick see the FAQ on my website.