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Rockwell RSLinx, paths and rebuilding the Harmony files

Rebrowsing paths forces RSLinx to refresh its knowledge of the network and rebuild Harmony files automatically.

Overview

RSLinx Classic maintains files to store cached information about discovered devices and communication paths (typically referred to as Harmony files). Over time, these files may become corrupted, outdated, or contain stale references—especially in environments where network configurations, PLC hardware, or communication drivers frequently change.

Rebrowsing the RSLinx paths forces RSLinx to refresh its knowledge of the network and rebuild these Harmony files automatically. This process is a quick, safe, and effective way to resolve many communication and discovery issues without fully clearing RSLinx configuration.

RSLinx and DeviceLink

Copia's DeviceLink performs backup and compare functionality to track changes in the PLC, versus what is in Copia Source Control.  For Rockwell processors, DeviceLink will call the Rockwell software to perform backups, and as a result this may use RSLinx for device connectivity.  

If the Harmony files are stale, have been corrupted or outdated, then the communications to the devices may fail, causing DeviceLink to fail to backup the device.

Solution

If you notice that your Rockwell devices that use RSLinx for connectivity are experiencing failure, it may be time to rebrowse the RSLinx paths to rebuild the files with the latest network data.  This should result in a more successful DeviceLink Job run.  To do this, follow the steps below:

  1. (optional) Many sources recommend to delete the Harmony files prior to proceeding.  This is optional, and we recommend trying this without deleting, and then if still issues, delete and retry.
  2. Open RSLinx Classic.
  3. From the menu, select Communications > RSWho.
  4. In the RSWho window, locate the communication driver you'd like to refresh (e.g., EtherNet/IP Driver, USB, DF1, etc.).
  5. Collapse the driver by clicking the minus (-) icon.
  6. Wait a few seconds, allowing RSLinx to pause communication.
  7. Expand the driver again using the plus (+) icon.
  8. Continue to expand the tree until you reach each of the devices configured on that Driver (to the processor)
  9. RSLinx will rediscover the devices and regenerate updated Harmony information.

Once everything is working, it is recommended to make a backup of your harmony files (even store them in a Copia Repo) so that if there is future corruption, you can restore them.