When I was learning Niagara at rev 3.5 and 3.6, the Orthodoxy was that your ALWAYS connect to a JACE with a matching workbench rev. If you did not, and you dropped code onto your JACE, it was dead and not recoverable. That was what I was told but I have not had a spare expendable JACE handy to test that out.
I was working on a site at 4.6 when a coworker thought the JACE I was using would be a good one to practicing how to commission a JACE and he upgraded it to 4.7 and did not tell me, then put it back on my desk. After coding in it for another day I noticed the JACE was telling me 4.7, not 4.6. So it did not instantly kill the JACE, but it seemed wonky to me so I chastised my coworker, clean disted my JACE and started over to be safe.
Basically, unless something changed I do not know about, do not connect to a JACE with a mis matched workbench.
Go to your tech support channel and have them dig up older workbench revs. They should have them lying around.

 

I do it all the time on AX. I use 3.8.4xx on most jaces I come across. Its lazyness really, but I dont send any modules down by using something which isnt already there. If thats required then use correct version.
I can say it does give odd problems with adding users or viewing those already in there. And some of the functionality of the later version logic blocks comes across odd. But if I drop a new greater than block for instance on a wiresheet I assume its using the revision block from the old module in the jace.
If I were doing a lot of mods then I would fire up the same revision though.

 

Thanks
I've always been told to never do it, of course had some accidental mismatches before but one of those times half the modules corrupted themselves and i had to recommission the JENE
That was using 3.8.401 connecting to a box with 3.8.311 on it.


So if I can get 4.3 and pull the modules from the JACE as long as I'm not trying to use modules I'm not licensed for it should be OK to go in and poke around? Shouldn't need to track down the full blown Distech workbench and software as long as mine is "open license" (Lynxspring).

 

I always matched the first 2 portions, 3.8.43 was good with 3.8.111 for example. The extent of my personal approval on whatever you do has this as a prerequisite... of course my approval does not mean much in most circles.... hehe.

So if I can get 4.3 and pull the modules from the JACE as long as I'm not trying to use modules I'm not licensed for it should be OK to go in and poke around? Shouldn't need to track down the full blown Distech workbench and software as long as mine is "open license" (Lynxspring).

I work with Distech usually, on Honeywell, JCI, SIEMENS and other brands of JACEs. As long as I have my revs match I poke freely and just try not to be surprised if something I try to do barks at me and will not work. I never break anything, I just might pull JCI modules, then see a nifty new menu item in the right click menu to open the controller in CCT and it does not work as that is not licensed on my Distech workbench.

 

Lynxspring will send you a download link if you ask for the older version, support with them is pretty good. Send them an email at; support@lynxspring.com. After a while they do pull it off of the support site though.

 

Connect a far deal with mismatched WB versions, always newer connecting to older. Seems it never fails the version I need pukes on a license and don't want to deal with the hassle unless I know I need to make some changes.

For the most part, some things might not work right but in general it not a huge deal. If you try and add a module to a station, that's certainly something that can break things. Getting in and taking a peek, not usually an issue.

Gets tiring to carry 20 different brands and versions of WB licensed and updated. Getting better it seems since upgrading to 3.8 is nearly required to talk to N4 super and the upgrade costs are trivial in AX vs N4.