Reach Loader Guide
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Loading a Project
This is the Reach Loader. It allows you to load projects from your computer onto the Reach.
The Reach Loader will store all data entries and save them. This means that every time the Reach Loader is opened, the most recent values will automatically be loaded.
"File to Load" - The path to the file that you would like to load. It can be typed in or dynamically set using the "Choose File" button.
"Reach Read Passwords" - The two text boxes to the right of this label denote read password one and read password two. Passwords entered here can be used to log in to the Reach from Reach Nomad with only read permissions. Visibility settings for these passwords can be set from within the Reach Editor.
"Read / Write Passwords" - The two text boxes to the right of this label denote write password one and write password two. Passwords entered here can be used to log in to the Reach from Reach Nomad with both read and write permissions. Visibility settings for these passwords can be set from within the Reach Editor.
The Reach ROI Module must have at least one password.
"Reach Identifier" - This is the name the Reach device will display to the Reach Nomad application for connection. The name can be at maximum 10 characters. On iOS devices, this value is only updated on a connection. Therefore, if an iPad running Reach Nomad tries to connect to a Reach device that has just had its name changed, the name would be incorrect for a single connection. Afterwards, the name will be set properly. This is a limitation of iOS and not the Reach Nomad software.
"Device ID" - Enter the device id of the PLC that the Reach device will be connected to.
"Group ID" - Enter the group id of the PLC that the Reach device will be connected to. This entry is disabled for Modbus projects.
"User ID" - Enter the user id of the PLC that the Reach device will be connected to. This entry is disabled for Modbus projects.
"Password" - Enter the password of the PLC that the Reach device will be connected to. This entry is disabled for Modbus projects.
"Reach COM Port" - Select the COM Port of the Reach device that will be loaded. If the COM port you desire is not listed, simply press the "Refresh List" button to get an updated list of COM ports.
"Baud Rate" - Select the baud rate of the PLC that the Reach device will be connected to.
"Send to Reach" - When you are done setting values, press this button to send the project to the Reach device. First, the program will check and make sure all entries are valid. If they are not, the program will inform you which entries are invalid. Otherwise, the process will continue. A progress indicator will show the upload progress, and a popup will indicate success or failure. If the process fails, make sure that the proper COM port is selected and that the Reach device is on. If the process succeeds, the Reach device is ready for use.
On a successful upload, the software version of the Reach is listed in the lower right had corner. This is useful for understanding if your Reach device is up to date.
Updating a Reach Module
Always consult the README.txt file included with a ".reax" file before updating.
To update a Reach module, simply load a ".reax" file to the device using the Reach Loader application.
When selecting the ".reax" file using the "Open" window, make sure to select the ".reax" option from the dropdown menu in the lower right hand corner of the window.
After a ".reax" file is selected, most of the Reach Loader entries will be grayed out. Simply select the COM port of the Reach module you want to program, and then press the "Send to Reach" button. This will make the yellow LED on the Reach module flash rapidly. Once the flashing stops, the update will be complete. This process will remove any project that was loaded onto the Reach module, so you will need to upload a new Reach project to it before it can be used again.