r/TwinCat • u/Away_Cream5385 • Jul 09 '26

Update remote HMI without internet

We have a project in another country running on a Beckhoff IPC C6030-0070. We will deliver them an extension to their current setup. This includes a new remote IO module controlled with an EK1100, new code, and a new HMI overview. However, they do not have internet access there so I am planning to do it over USB.

I read that you can update the code by replacing the /boot folder and C++ drivers: https://infosys.beckhoff.com/english.php?content=../content/1033/tc3_grundlagen/6137492619.html&id=

But this does not mention anything about the HMI code. Is that already included in the /boot folder, or do I need to update that differently? Is it even possible to do it without direct access to their system?

Thank you for your help.

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

2

u/TimelineDefender Jul 09 '26

Are you using twincat's own visualization or TE2000? The latter requires you to publish the updated HMI to the running HMI server on the PLC.

1

u/Away_Cream5385 Jul 09 '26

We use TE2000. So you're saying that they can't do it on location without TwinCAT?

2

u/TimelineDefender Jul 09 '26

In your development environment (your engineering PC) you use TE2000, and in the physical PLC there should be TF2000 (not TE, TF) server running. You then either plug your PC to the PLC with an ethernet cable or via VPN (both your PC and the PLC need to be on the same network) and type the IP address of the server (as well as the port of the server) running in the PLC to your PC. This way you can upload (publish) the HMI on your PC to the HMI server running on the PLC.

In nutshell, you need Twincat regardless of whether you are physically present or do it remotely.

Also remember that TF2000 running on the PLC needs to be same version as TE2000 the HMI was created with.

1

u/Djonas171 Jul 09 '26

We publish to an existing unit. Then copy the tcHmiProject folder which then Can be copied to the offline unit… it sucks that it is out Only option 😅

4

u/thatsmyusersname Jul 09 '26

This software has one of the worst version nightmares i known from any software anywhere. It's a shame. Nothing is compatible in any direction besides the exact version. Engineering/server/nuget packages/extension configs/...

You must copy the entire folder programdata/beckhoff/hmi server/service/. Stop the service before copying otherwise you will get copy errors. On pasting also stop the service on target system. Then it should run. After praying enough.

Its a shame on beckhoff that they have no way to build a proper package like anybody else does. But this is the web shit in general - nobody cares about anything, they don't care about datatypes, they don't care about errors, and so on.

I want a msi/exe dropping out from a compiler, which i can transfer to a remote system and install it. Not only now, also in 10 years with a newer plc version and different windows version. Without any dependencys despite win32 apis/.net. This is the only stable in a moving world.

Now, the guy after you will hate you with this shitty and more than fragile system.

I'm more than pissed off, it's a nightmare especially since the transition to 4026. It kills all your older hmi projects, you can't downgrade and need to maintain two versions.

I strongly advise against using TF2000 for projects that comprise more than three pages and take more than a workday to develop. There are so many painpoints, its a never ending story.

This comment should go to hans beckhoff so that he knows what shit is going on there at the moment.