Copying a station

Station installation usually involves copying an existing station from the Workbench user home to a target controller platform. The procedure uses the Station Transfer Wizard.

1. Open a secure platform connection to the target controller, the one on which you wish to install the station.
2. Expand the Platform container in the Nav tree and double-click the System Copier.
   
   
   

   The copier works in either direction.

3. If the station is located elsewhere, click the folder icon () for a Change Directory window, and point the Station Copier there. The Station Copier uses this location the next time you access it.
4. Click to select a station on one side (to copy to the other side) and click the Copy button that points to the other side of the view.
   When you click a station, the station is selected (highlighted) and the appropriate Copy button by direction becomes available. This clarifies the source and target locations.

   Clicking in right side for a copy from the daemon User Home to the Workbench User Home makes a local copy of a station, saved to your Workbench computer. This is described as a backup.

   Note: As of Niagara 4.15, the Station Transfer Wizard prompts you to select whether to use the system passphrase or enter the desired custom passphrase.

   The Station Copier displays “Loading module information” and, if all needed modules are available, launches the Station Transfer Wizard.

   If any module needed by the station has a dependency that requires the controller (platform) to be commissioned (commissioning upgrades core software or the operating system), the station installation stops immediately, displays a message, and provides the option to start the Commissioning Wizard instead. The need to commission a controller arises if you are installing a brand new controller or upgrading a controller from an old version to new version and forgot to run the Commissioning Wizard.

   When you click Copy, the Station Transfer Wizard attempts to validate the BOG file’s passphrase with the target host system’s passphrase. If they are the same, the process continues without prompting for a passphrase. If they are different, the wizard prompts for the file passphrase.

   
   
   

   If a BOG file is protected with an unknown passphrase, you can use the Workbench toolbar icon to unlock (force-remove) the passphrase, making the file unprotected, or “force-change” the passphrase to enter a new value. When you choose either of these options, any sensitive data in the file are cleared.

   CAUTION: Be aware that unlocking (force-remove) and changing (force-change) the passphrase on a BOG file results in the loss of sensitive data in the file.
5. Follow the wizard prompts clicking Next or Back as necessary.
   When copying from Workbench to a remote platform, not all types of files can be transferred. For example, the copier does not allow alarm and history data to be transferred. This is true even if you choose the option to Copy every file in the station directory and its subdirectories. And, if you choose the option to Copy files from selected directories, it does not allow you to select any alarm or history folder or subfolder. To include such data, perform a backup/restore operation instead, that is back up the station to a *.dist file making sure to edit the default backup settings to not exclude (include) alarms and history data.
   If the station is running, the wizard informs that it will stop and restart the station.
6. Review all the changes you selected and click Finish.
   The wizard displays installation progress in the Transferring station window.
7. To complete the operation, click Close.
   The Station Copier prompts you to open the Application Director now.
8. To view the station log, click Yes.