Viewstation CE IIx

[ThomasMcKean]

Hi guys... I was given a Viewstation CE IIx not long ago. It took me no time at all to see why it was given to me, I can't get any software to load on this thing! Is there a way to get windows ce software onto this beastie? All my attempts at activesync have failed, and when I try to open an appropriate .cab file with wceload.exe, still it says it is not a valid application even though it IS. (I notice the registry is empty when it comes to wceload but there IS a regedit program in ROM.) I am not with a company or a factory, I am just a guy what happens to have one of these, currently gathering dust in his home office. I notice it has an ethernet port and IE explorer on it, so I can surf, but there MUST be a way to get software onto this? Can anyone tell me how I might go about doing this? Thomas www.thomasamckean.com

[Chris Elston]

Ok wait a second...I am lost. You need to load Windows CE? But yet you said it has IE and you can surf? Does it load up with Windows CE now? If not, how is IE loaded on this and you are able to surf without Window CE running or loaded?

[ThomasMcKean]

Allow me to Clarify. :) Yes, this DOES have Windows CE running on it. 3.0 I believe. The problem I am having is that I am not able to load applications into the computer. For instance, no word processor, no PIM, no games, no utilities, no NOTHING. I have tried every which way from Sunday and I do not see how to do it. Like I say, Activesync won't work because there is no activesync installed. But it DOES have some kind of PC link? Could I maybe have to use the ethernet or usb to link to the computer? So far I have tried both serial and infra red. There is an option in the software to SEND infra red, but not to RECEIVE infra red. I have also tried putting .CAB files onto a CF card but the WCELOAD.EXE refuses to operate properly. It is like whoever put this together was very VERY careful not to allow any other software on it. This is kinda sad because all it has in the way of applications is internet explorer and an fxview program. How do I add some software to this thing to make it useful? Thomas www.thomasamckean.com

[Steve Bailey]

Let me say up front that my knowledge of CE is very limited. The Viewstation is designed to be an operator interface to a machine or process. It can run applications developed with GE's Proficy Machine Edition View software. Your observation that "whoever put this together was very VERY careful not to allow any other software on it" is right on the money. I think you will have to get your hands on another implementation of CE and install it in place of GE Fanuc's CE that's currently on the Viewstation. The CE equivalent of reformatting your hard drive.

[ThomasMcKean]

This leads to problems. We would need the drivers for the touchscreen and the USB and such. Are they built into CE or do I have to somehow extract them? Wherefore can I get a copy that will run with it and how can I get it onto a chip that is compatible? There has has to be an easier way to get stuff onto this machine. I just wish I knew what it was. Thomas www.thomasamckean.com

[Chris Elston]

The answer is no. This device was sold with one purpose. With a special operating system "hack" just for this device. It was made only to load and display either a Cimplity or Proficy Machine Edition software HMI (Human Machine Interface) programs that would either talk to a GE PLC or VeraMax IP etc...etc.. It was not designed to be a stand alone industrial PC. Therefore, not able to install any applications. The Windows CE on this device is loaded on a Compact Flash card. This was GE's idea of giving us "instant boot up" with the OS, rather than using a hard drive. I've used these devices before and the way it was reloaded was with a compact flash card and a "firmware" update for re-loading of the OS that was designed to run on this device. If you want a touch screen computer, check out. Touch Window You'll be miles ahead rather than trying to use a device that wasn't designed to work the way you want it to. Just because it has Windows CE, doesn't mean it behaves the same way. I am sure like everyone else, where there is a will there is a way, just like those people that buy TIVO's and hack into them by changing the hard drives out etc... Buying a device then altering it to do some other function it wasn't designed to do.

[ThomasMcKean]

I got that impression when the WCELOAD.EXE didn't work. But it leaves me with a few questions...? If it doesn't work, then why is it there? There must be some way to get it going? Why is the file there, but no registry for it? Also, what was the purpose of REPLLOG.EXE? I run this and the Viewstation wants to connect to the desktop at 19,200 baud. But I have not been able to get it to connect? It is curious to me that they'd be in ROM if there was no purpose for them... Yeah I could get another touch screen, but what would be the fun in that? :) This was a gift, a freebie, and I would love to get it going. Windows CE will do everything I have in mind for this, if I could find a way...? Thomas www.thomasamckean.com

[Steve Bailey]

I don't think it's necessarily trying to communicate with your desktop, just that it's trying to communicate serially. I expect it's really trying to connect to a PLC, most likely a GE Fanuc using the SNP protocol. Does an HMI application get launched when you power it up?

[ThomasMcKean]

Yes there is an HMI program that came with it, and an fxview runtime module or whatever. But none of that helps me, I am not at a factory and I do not have the program to write any hmi applications. :( I hear it is very costly to get, too. Maybe if I tell you specifically what I am looking to do? Well, when the guy first gave it to me, he told me that the CMD.EXE would run DOS programs. I was of course excited about this but I soon found it wasn't true. Now there ARE DOS emulators for CE but I haven't tried them... This unit is neatly mounted onto a nice stand. I was thinking about maybe putting it on the desk downstairs. (I been looking for something to do with that desk since I moved into this place not long ago.) I was thinking I could run an ethernet cable to it and have web access, which I can still do because it does have IE on it, and I was also thinking, since the desk is in the living room, that would be a good place for a PIM of sorts. You know, appointments, to do, calendar, address book, things like that. The instant on feature would be very handy for this, and the screen size would be, too. Building a an on/off switch into the stand would be very easy. If you check my site, you will see I am a writer by trade. I did ponder putting a word processor on this, but decided against it because getting the CF card in and out is a bit too cumbersome. Though playing with the Viewstation did inspire me to get a NEC MobilePro 780 from eBay and I am exploring that as a WP right now. So far I am happy with it and I use it to write at the library. Anyway, that is what I am looking to do. :) But I can't do it because the WCELOAD.EXE has somehow been disabled. :( SO the unit will not accept any outside software. WHat I want to do is load a PIM on it so I can use it as such and be done with it. Thomas www.thomasamckean.com

[Steve Bailey]

While you may eventually find a way to get it do what you want it to, I think you should treat it as a puzzle to be solved in your spare time. If you need the tools you mentioned, you'll be better off getting them through more conventional channels, especially if you assign any value to your time. Remember, the Viewstation was designed to prevent you from doing what you're trying to do. While GE Fanuc wanted to give customers the ability to make information about their process available over the internet, they don't want to let the third shift control room operator spend the playing solitaire or overwriting archived production data with jpg files from spankmebigboy.com.

[ThomasMcKean]

Yes I definitely see this as a spare time issue. And as such, I am not sure how much time I want to devote to it. But at the same time, I *do* want to give it the old college try.... Thomas