Syswin 3.4 Tutorial: Install and Program Omron CPM Series PLCs

Overview

Syswin 3.4 is Omron's legacy 32-bit Windows programming software for the CPM1, CPM1A, CPM2A, CPM2C, and SRM1 compact PLC families. Released as the successor to SYSMAC Support Software (SSS) and LSS, Syswin 3.4 introduced a graphical ladder editor, online monitoring, I/O comment export, and integrated Host Link and peripheral-port communication. Although Omron has since superseded Syswin with CX-Programmer (now part of the CX-One / Sysmac Studio suite), Syswin 3.4 remains the only IDE that fully supports the original CPM1 and early CPM2A firmware revisions, making it a required tool for engineers maintaining installed-base equipment that was commissioned in the 1998-2005 window.

This tutorial covers obtaining a legitimate copy, installing the software on modern Windows hosts, activating the license, building a project, and performing the first program download to a target PLC. For full instruction-set reference, I/O comment syntax, and advanced peripheral-port troubleshooting, refer to the Syswin V3.4 Operation Manual (Omron publication W353-E1-2) hosted on the official Omron eData site.

Supported Hardware

Syswin 3.4 supports the following Omron controllers. The CPU type is selected at project creation and determines the available I/O area, instruction set, and DM/HR capacity.

CPU unit suffixes -A indicate AC power supply with relay outputs, -D indicate DC power supply with transistor outputs. The -V1 suffix on the original CPM1 indicates the 20-I/O point revision with the expanded instruction set (timers 0-255, subroutines, interrupt inputs).

System Requirements

Syswin 3.4 was originally certified for Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0, 2000, and XP. On later Windows versions, the program must be run in compatibility mode and the serial port bridged through a USB adapter.

The original Syswin 3.4 distribution was delivered on CD-ROM (Omron catalog number WS02-SYSC1-EV3.4) or on 3.5" diskettes (WS02-SYSC1-DV3.4). The CD contains SETUP.EXE, the Operation Manual in PDF (W353-E1-2), the SYSMAC Support Tool DLLs, and three license diskettes labeled SYSWIN-DISK1 through SYSWIN-DISK3.

Obtaining Syswin 3.4

Unlike modern Omron software, Syswin 3.4 is not available as a free download from the official Omron Industrial Automation website. The licensed version must be purchased through an Omron authorized distributor; the standard catalog number is WS02-SYSC1-EV3.4 for the CD edition. A license key dongle is no longer required. License activation is performed by a one-time authorization code tied to a customer ID and a host machine fingerprint.

License exception for CPM1: Syswin 3.4 ships with a separate, license-free executable called SYSMAC-CPT (also referred to as "CPT 1.0") that is used to program the CPM1 family without a paid Syswin license. The CPT tool is the simplest option for users who only need to read, edit, or write CPM1 programs and do not require the full Syswin 3.4 IDE.

For engineers maintaining a single CPM1 or CPM2 unit, the following approach minimizes total cost of ownership:

1. Obtain the Syswin 3.4 CD from an authorized Omron distributor or used-equipment reseller. Verify the hologram seal on the CD case is intact before installation.
2. If the system contains only CPM1 PLCs, install the bundled CPT software and skip the Syswin license activation entirely.
3. For mixed CPM1, CPM2A, and CPM2C installations, install Syswin 3.4, activate the license by phone or fax, and use Syswin for all controllers.

Installation and License Activation

The Syswin 3.4 installer is a 16-bit Windows program. On modern 64-bit Windows hosts, the installer must be executed in Windows XP SP3 compatibility mode.

1. Insert the Syswin 3.4 CD or mount the disk image (.iso) and copy the contents to a writable folder, for example C:\Omron\Syswin34.
2. Right-click SETUP.EXE and select Properties > Compatibility. Set the compatibility mode to Windows XP SP3 and check Run as administrator.
3. Click Apply, then double-click SETUP.EXE. The installer prompts for the installation directory; the default is C:\Program Files (x86)\Omron\Syswin.
4. When prompted for License Disk 1, insert the license diskette or mount the .img file. The installer copies LICENSE.DAT to C:\Syswin\License. Without this file, Syswin runs in Demo mode and refuses to download programs to the PLC.
5. After installation, install the USB-to-serial driver (FTDI 2.12.28 or later) and verify the virtual COM port appears in Device Manager. Note the assigned COM number for use in Syswin.

License activation is performed once per workstation. Open Start > Programs > Omron > Syswin > License Manager. The dialog displays the local machine fingerprint (a 12-character hex string) and the customer ID entered at installation. Call the regional Omron licensing desk (Americas: +1-847-443-8800, Europe: +49-2103-960-0, Asia-Pacific: +65-6282-5566) and provide the fingerprint. Omron returns a 20-character authorization code. Enter the code into the License Manager and click Activate. The dialog confirms the license has been written to disk and Syswin exits demo mode on next launch.

Creating a New Project

Launch Syswin 3.4 from Start > Programs > Omron > Syswin 3.4. On first launch, the program displays the Project Wizard. To create a project manually:

1. Click File > New Project. The New Project dialog appears.
2. Set PLC Type to the target controller (for example, CPM2A-40CDR-A). Syswin enforces the instruction set and memory map for the selected model.
3. Set Network to Host Link for serial communication, or Peripheral for the 4-pin peripheral port.
4. Set Comment Memory to 256 words to allocate DM 6144 through DM 6399 for ladder rung comments and I/O names. The remaining 1,792 words (DM 0000 to DM 6143) remain available for user data.
5. Click OK. Syswin displays an empty ladder workspace with the Power Flow rail on the left, the bus bar on the right, and an END instruction already placed on rung 0.

Save the project to a known path with File > Save As (default extension .swp). Syswin 3.4 does not auto-save; back up the .swp file before and after each download.

Communication Setup

Syswin communicates with the target PLC over either the peripheral port (4-pin mini-DIN on all CPM1, CPM1A, CPM2A, CPM2C, and SRM1 units) or the RS-232C port (DB-9 on CPM2A, CPM2C, and SRM1 only). Host Link is the default protocol.

Default Host Link Parameters

For the peripheral port, the PLC is fixed at node 00 and 9,600 bps; these are not user-configurable. The RS-232C port on the CPM2A supports baud rates up to 19,200 bps when paired with a CQM1-CIF02 cable.

Required Cable

Connect the PC to the peripheral port using a CQM1-CIF02 cable (DB-9 female on PC side, 4-pin mini-DIN on PLC side). For the RS-232C port, a straight-through DB-9 male-to-female serial cable is required. The pinout is:

On USB-to-serial adapters using the FTDI FT232 driver, the operating system assigns a virtual COM port; the COM number (for example, COM3) must be selected in Syswin's Online > Communications Setup dialog.

Communication Topology

DIP Switch Configuration (CPM2A / CPM2C)

The 4-position DIP switch on the front of the CPM2A and CPM2C determines the communication mode for the RS-232C port:

For Syswin 3.4 downloads via the RS-232C port, set SW1=OFF, SW2=OFF (Host Link), SW3=OFF (Slave), SW4=OFF. For peripheral-port downloads, set SW1=ON, SW2=OFF, SW3=OFF, SW4=ON. Power cycle the PLC after changing any DIP switch position.

Ladder Programming Reference

Syswin 3.4 uses a graphical ladder editor with drag-and-drop instructions. The most commonly used instructions for CPM1 and CPM2A programs are summarized below.

Address Notation

Bit-level addresses use the format AREA WORD.BIT. For example, input bit 5 of word 000 is IR 000.05 and output bit 2 of word 100 is IR 100.02. Word-level addressing (for timers, counters, and DM) uses AREA WORD only, for example DM 0000.

The full memory map for a CPM2A-40CDR is:

Program Transfer and Online Operation

Once the project compiles cleanly (no red markers on the ladder), the program can be transferred to the PLC.

1. Place the PLC in PROGRAM mode using the mode switch on the front of the unit. The PWR LED remains green, the RUN LED turns off, and the COMM LED may blink.
2. In Syswin, click PLC > Online > Connect. The status bar shows Online - COM3 - 9600 - 7E2 on success. If the status shows Timeout, double-check the COM port assignment, cable wiring, and DIP switch settings.
3. Click PLC > Transfer > To PLC (or press Ctrl+T). The dialog shows the program size in words, the target PLC model, and the current PLC mode. Confirm the transfer.
4. Syswin uploads the program in 256-word blocks via Host Link; total transfer time is approximately 8 seconds for a fully populated 4,096-word project at 9,600 baud.
5. When the transfer completes, Syswin prompts to place the PLC in RUN or MONITOR mode. Select RUN to start execution or MONITOR to keep the editor online for live debugging.

To read an existing program from the PLC, use PLC > Transfer > From PLC. Syswin uploads the user program, all DM values, and the PLC setup area. The upload overwrites the open project without prompting; save the current project first.

In MONITOR mode, Syswin highlights active power flow in green and shows the current value of timers, counters, and DM words directly on the ladder. Click View > Watch Window to open a configurable list of addresses. Right-click an address to set the display format (binary, BCD, signed decimal, unsigned decimal, hex, or floating point). To force-set or force-reset a bit, right-click the contact or coil and select Force ON or Force OFF; the forced state is shown in red and is cleared on power cycle. To edit a running program online, double-click an instruction, change the operand or set value, press Enter, and Syswin writes the change directly to the PLC. The change is temporary; download the full program with PLC > Transfer > To PLC to make it permanent.

Troubleshooting Matrix

Migration to Modern Tools

For new installations, Omron recommends CX-Programmer 9.x (part of the CX-One suite) for CPM1, CPM2A, and CPM2C programming. CX-Programmer 9.6x supports direct import of Syswin 3.4 .swp files via File > Import > From Syswin; comments and I/O names are preserved. After import, the project can be recompiled and downloaded to a CP1E-L replacement controller with minimal ladder edits, since the memory addresses and instruction mnemonics remain identical for the supported subset.

For systems migrating to NJ or NX-series controllers, the program must be rewritten in structured text (ST) or ladder (LD) within Sysmac Studio 1.x. Direct .swp import is not supported; only the documentation (PDF printouts, I/O lists) can be carried over. The CPT tool cannot export to CX-Programmer format, so CPM1 programs uploaded via CPT must first be re-saved as a Syswin 3.4 project before import.

Frequently Asked Questions