PICS Pro 4.2 Demo Version Release Notes
----------------------------------------

The PICS Pro demo is a modified version of the actual PICS Pro simulation software.  Using the PICS Pro demo software you can develop and run a simulation as you would with the unmodified version of PICS Pro, but with the following restrictions:
- you can only simulate for 10 minutes and with up to 50 I/O points
- simulations cannot be saved
- all forced values will be cleared when the simulation goes online
- the copy, cut, and drag-copy commands are unavailable for rungs in ladder worksheets and devices in device worksheets
- exporting of device wiring and templates is disabled

For customers that do not currently have PICS Pro installed on their system:
Install the demo version as you would any other application.  Remove any PICS key attached to the parallel port.  You must uninstall the demo version before attempting to install a release version of PICS Pro in the future.

For customers that currently have PICS Pro installed on their system:
The demo version interferes with any existing PICS Pro installation on the system.  Preferably, install the demo version on a system that does not currently have PICS Pro installed.  If you proceed to install the demo version on a system that already has a release version of PICS Pro installed on it, you will lose any saved application settings associated with PICS Pro.  Additionally, you must first uninstall the release version before proceeding to install the demo version, and remove your PICS key from the parallel port.  You will then need to uninstall the demo version before attempting to reinstall a release version in the future.

To install, do the following:

- Run the setup.exe file


System Requirements
-------------------
To use PICS Pro, you require a PC with:

- Windows NT 4 (service pack 6), Windows 2000, or Windows XP
 
- Intel Pentium III-600 or equivalent processor minimum recommended
  (Intel Pentium II-266 minimum supported)

- 128 MB of RAM (192 MB for Windows XP) minimum recommended; more memory improves performance

- 30 to 40 MB of available hard disk space, depending on installation

- CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive

- 17"/19" 1280 x 1024 or higher-resolution monitor minimum recommended
  (XVGA 1024 x 768 minimum supported)

- Mouse or compatible pointing device

- Parallel or USB port for installing the software protection key
  (Note: USB key is only supported under Windows 2000 and XP)


Installing PICS Pro 
-------------------
You require administrator privileges to install PICS Pro.

On some Windows 2000/XP systems, if you do not have administrator privileges during installation,
an attempt to install the software will result in a message informing you that UninstallShield
is in use, and the installation will terminate.

Service Pack 6 for Windows NT4
------------------------------
Service Pack 6 for Windows NT4 is required.  The service pack can be found in the
NT4 Service Pack folder on the installation CD, or downloaded from Microsoft's website
(www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/downloads).  If you have previously installed any 128-bit
components, please install the 128-bit version of the service pack.

For PICS 3 Users, What's New
----------------------------
- User interface has a new look: customizable environment, dockable windows,
  context menus, drag and drop operations supported throughout, tabbed views, etc.

- Palette window displays library device templates when working on a device worksheet and
  changes to display Ladder Diagram (LD) instructions when working on an LD worksheet or template
  logic.  No more importing of device templates into your project.

- Expressions can be used as inputs to instructions or devices, providing a much easier method
  of doing arithmetic in ladder logic.
  For example, in a MOV instruction in LD the input can be an expression such as
  (Var1 + Var2 * 16 / 3)  where Var1 and Var2 are variables.

- Variables: 
  - the length of the variable name is unlimited and the variable name is case insensitive.
  - a variable can have a data type of Boolean, Integer (32-bit), Float (64-bit), or String.
  - a variable can be an array.
  - you can reference individual bits of integer variables.
  - integer variables can be displayed in decimal, hexadecimal, octal or binary format.
  - for some I/O Drivers you can address an I/O point by address instead of a variable name.

- Watch window for displaying the current value of variables or expressions.

- Contents window displays all simulation elements in an expandable/collapsible tree view

- New ladder diagram worksheet instructions

- New Active-X devices for device worksheets - button, light, annunciator, slider, etc.

- Complete cross referencing of variables, with double-click navigation to reference

- Event log now includes message priority and takes you to source of event

- New Scan Once command enables you to scan the logic once before returning to online mode -
  a useful debugging tool.

- No more downloading to solver - changes are immediate and validated on-the-fly.

- Enhanced help system

Please review the information contained in the "What's New in PICS Pro.txt" file located in
Start\Programs\PICS Pro\What's New in PICS Pro, or the "What's New in PICS Pro" Topic in
Start\Programs\PICS Pro\Help Files\PICS Pro Help, for additional details.

Upgrading from PICS 3 to PICS Pro
-----------------------------------
You can load PICS 3 project files (.prj) directly into PICS Pro.

You can import PICS 3 templates into PICS Pro.

You can import device wiring from a PICS 3 wiring file (.wir) into PICS Pro. You can also
export device wiring from a PICS 3 project to the clipboard and then import from the clipboard
into PICS Pro.

I/O variables exported from PICS 3 can be imported into PICS Pro. Do not delete the header
records from the exported file.

Global variables exported from PICS 3 can be imported into PICS Pro.

Compatibility Issues
--------------------
PICS Pro will not work with the SST DH/DHP OPC Server version 1.6 and older, when using a SLC PLC.

RSLinx:
PICS Pro does not appear to be compatible with the following versions of RSLinx:
2.20.02 Build 126 (i.e. service pack 2) through 2.20.02 Build 126.9
2.30.01, prior to version 2.30.01 Build 48.3 (apply Hotfix 2.30.48.03 to correct)
2.31.00

Canary Labs Trend Link/Historian version 5.0 through 5.2.2 cannot be used to process and display
real-time log data from PICS Pro due to a problem with the Canary Labs flat file interface.

Known Problems
--------------
The user will be unable to save a simulation or copy/paste an OLE object, if a simulation (including
the clipboard contents) contains approximately 1200 or more embedded OLE objects (such as a bitmap).
