Open Mitsubishi PLC projects without GX Works
A machine comes with its MELSEC program on a USB stick, the laptop with GX Works2 is gone, or a supplier sends a project and nobody at hand has a GX Works or GX Developer licence. Upload the project and get a printout that reads like the one from GX Works: every program with its step numbers, contacts, coils and instruction boxes, statements and notes, and the device comment under each device, then structured text, structured ladder, FBD and SFC, the labels, the device comments and a cross reference. The same content comes as a searchable HTML viewer that works offline, as instruction lists and as tables.
What to upload
| Software | Files | PLC series seen in testing |
|---|---|---|
| GX Works2, simple and structured projects | .gxw (single file format) | MELSEC-F (FX1S, FX1N, FX2N, FX3S, FX3G, FX3U), MELSEC-Q (Q00U to Q26UDV, Q25PH), MELSEC-L (L02) |
| GX Works3 | .gx3 | MELSEC iQ-F (FX5U, FX5UC, FX5UJ, FX5S), MELSEC iQ-R (R00 to R120) |
| GX Developer | the project folder (Gppw.gpj with its Resource folder) as a .zip, or one program file .wpg | FX0(S), FX1S, FX1N, FX2N(C), FX3U(C) |
| Instruction list export | .csv saved by GX Works2 or GX Developer | any |
A .zip holding a .gxw or .gx3 file works as well; the project inside is found by itself.
What you get
- Printout (PDF) with a contents page and bookmarks: the project summary and parameters, every program in the order of the program setting, then function blocks, functions and library POUs, then labels, structures, device comments, device points and a cross reference. A4 or Letter.
- Viewer (HTML): one file with the project tree on the left, the drawn programs on the right, filters on every table and a search over devices, labels, comments and code. It needs no internet connection.
- Instruction lists of GX Works2 and GX Developer ladder programs: step, instruction and devices as text, and one CSV per program in the layout GX Works2 exports and reads back.
- Structured text sources of ST programs and function blocks with their label declarations.
- Tables: device comments, labels and the cross reference as CSV, and one Excel workbook with sheets for programs, device comments, labels, the instruction list (for GX Works3 the elements of each ladder block), used devices, the cross reference and the program setting.
The result page shows a summary, the list of programs and the first program drawn, so you can check the file before downloading anything.
How programs are drawn
Ladder programs are drawn from their instruction list, the way GX Works shows them: series and parallel branches, MPS, MRD and MPP branches, comparisons as contacts, application instructions as boxes at the right rail, and wide blocks wrapped with numbered continuation marks. GX Works3 ladder blocks are drawn from the grid stored in the project, including inline structured text and FB calls. Structured ladder and FBD sheets are drawn from the positions the editor saved. SFC blocks become a chart with steps, transitions, selective and parallel branches and jumps, followed by the ladder of every step action and transition condition.
Device comments are printed under the devices. For GX Developer projects you can choose the aliases instead, or leave the texts out for a shorter printout. Comments in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Cyrillic and western European languages are recognised by themselves.
Comparing two versions
Upload the older project as the MELSEC project and the newer one under "Second version to compare". The report (PDF, HTML and Excel) lists added, removed and changed programs, ladder blocks (each changed block drawn before and after), lines of structured text, device comments, labels, structures, parameters and the program setting. The two files can be of different kinds, for example a zipped GX Developer project and a single program file saved from it.
What is not shown
GX Works3 projects saved with security settings are stored encrypted; the tool says so instead of guessing. A GX Works3 POU that was changed but never converted keeps its name only in the parts written at conversion; such POUs are listed as POU 1, POU 2 and so on with their language and code. A file that is cut off or damaged gives a message saying so.
Privacy
Files are processed on our server only to produce your downloads, and the results are deleted automatically after 30 minutes. Program names, labels and comments never go into our statistics.