PLC upload or download?

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lquadros

Member
Hi,
We have a little confusion about the way the above terms are used. My associate worker says that download is from PLC to PC because he relates it to the internet to PC. But I am saying that the opposite is true because most PLC software mentions it this way. What do you think?
Thanks in advance for your replies.
 

steve66

Senior Member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
Engineer
Re: PLC upload or download?

When I programmed PLC's, we always called transfering the program to the PLC downloading.

Maybe downloading is from a larger computer to a smaller less powerful one. So you would download from the internet (a giant network of servers) to your computer. You would also download from your PC to a PLC which is usually smaller and less powerful than PC's.

Or maybe you download a program to where it is used, and upload to store or edit a program.

Steve
 

steve66

Senior Member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
Engineer
Re: PLC upload or download?

According to the online dictionary "infoplease", download is from a larger to a smaller computer or to a perhiperal device. Upload is from a smaller to a larger computer.

So you are right, and your associate is wrong.

Steve
 

jim dungar

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Wisconsin
Occupation
PE (Retired) - Power Systems
Re: PLC upload or download?

There is no standard convention. I have over 5 different PLC programs on my computer right now some say download, some say upload, but most now say Transfer.

My experience has been:
ELECTRONIC people often say download TO a PC, while ELECTRICAL people usually say download FROM a PC.
 

rbalex

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Mission Viejo, CA
Occupation
Professional Electrical Engineer
Re: PLC upload or download?

Can you beleive IEEE actually has an "official" definition:"

IEEE Std 610.5-1990. IEEE Standard Glossary of Data Management Terminology.
download (A) To transfer some collection of data from a computer memory to another storage location. (B) To transfer
some collection of data from the memory of one computer to the memory of a second computer that is relatively smaller
than the first; for example, to transfer data from a mainframe computer to a microcomputer. (C) 610.5-1990

upload (A) To transfer some collection of data from some storage location to a computer memory. (B) To transfer some
collection of data from the memory of a small computer to the memory of a relatively larger computer; for example, to transfer data from a microcomputer to a mainframe computer.
(C) 610.5-1990
 

wireman

Inactive, Email Never Verified
Re: PLC upload or download?

The real question is why do programmers continue to use these confusing terms? Bigger computer in what respect.......physically, memory, power?

Many programs use terms such as "Load PLC" and "Save PLC" (or similar for for VFD drives, message displays, etc.) to make it clear which way the program is being transferred.
 

steve66

Senior Member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
Engineer
Re: PLC upload or download?

"Load PLC" or "Save PLC"??? Now that's confusing.

Download and Upload seem quite obvious to me. They are well defined as stated above, and it is usually obvious which computer is larger. Any company that would call downloading from a PLC to a PC probably refers to voltage as current. And they probably call a loose wire a "short".

Maybe the companies that refer to downloading to a PC are trying to imply that their PLC is better and faster than the PC's.

Sorry for the rant, but some software companies really drive me crazy. Please don't even mention that soft-Micro company.

Steve
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Re: PLC upload or download?

In my opinion you download from and upload to the computer that actually uses the program information to do work. In the case of the PLC, the PLC processor does the work, so you upload the program instructions to it and download from it.
Don
 

jryan

Member
Re: PLC upload or download?

I worked with the ALSTOM MT-80

Computer to PLC is a download

Anyone know what a frig is?
 

bphgravity

Senior Member
Location
Florida
Re: PLC upload or download?

Originally posted by jryan:
Anyone know what a frig is?
a frig, also refered to as fridge, is the informal description of an apparatus for reducing and maintaining the temperature of a chamber below the temperature of the external environment properly, called a refrigerator. :p
 

jryan

Member
Re: PLC upload or download?

"frig" is the British term for a software jumper, or at least that is what I learned to call them when being trained by Brits....
 

sceepe

Senior Member
Re: PLC upload or download?

Frig is a curse word used when your kids are around in lieu of a similar more colorful word. Example,"I am gonna kill this frigging computer"

Another popular substitution, is mother fletcher. Particularly good when you hammer your thumb while helping little johnnie build a bird house. :) :D ;)
 
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