# Manual/Automatic password behaviour change

**URL:** <https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/manual-automatic-password-behaviour-change/34099>\
**Category:** Report a Bug\
**Created:** [May 8, 2024, 8:24am UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/manual-automatic-password-behaviour-change/34099 "2024-05-08T08:24:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sam.verity-hilton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.universal-robots.com/sam.verity-hilton/32/6046_2.png) [@sam.verity-hilton](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/sam.verity-hilton)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 8:24am UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/manual-automatic-password-behaviour-change/34099/1 "2024-05-08T08:24:50Z")

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Steps to reproduce:

- Set a programming password in Polyscope
- Robot is in manual mode.
- Switch to automatic mode
- Robot will ask for password to switch to automatic mode,

Expected Behavior:  
Robot switches to automatic without need of a password, robots have always asked for a password to switch to manual to protect programs/installation files. As far as I’m aware this wasn’t an intended change, if it was It would be good to know why, and if so would be good to the reasons as to why.

Actual Behavior:  
Robot requests password to switch to automatic, as well as when switching to manual

Workaround Suggestion:  
None found that replicate original functionality

Robot Serial Number:  
Tested on 5.14 simulator and real robots

Affected Version(s):  
at least 5.14, not tested on older versions. 5.11 seems fine.

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**Author:** ![efn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@efn](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/efn)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 9:42am UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/manual-automatic-password-behaviour-change/34099/2 "2024-05-08T09:42:03Z")

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My guess is that it’s intentional. 🙂 It will prevent users from locking themselves out without knowing the password.

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**Author:** ![sam.verity-hilton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.universal-robots.com/sam.verity-hilton/32/6046_2.png) [@sam.verity-hilton](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/sam.verity-hilton)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 2:33pm UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/manual-automatic-password-behaviour-change/34099/3 "2024-05-08T14:33:31Z")

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There are things you can do to reset the mode password if its forgotten so this would seem odd to me, the only thing in the release notes mentions “Fixed minor issue when switching operational modes”. I can’t imagine only asking for the password when switching to manual has been bugged behaviour for as long as the functionality has existed

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**Author:** ![magnus.wallem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@magnus.wallem](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/magnus.wallem)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 11:21am UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/manual-automatic-password-behaviour-change/34099/4 "2024-05-10T11:21:16Z")

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It is intentional and frankly I like it.  
It makes the jump between manual and automatic harder especially when it comes to user safety. When using the 3PE pendant it also creates a barrier to avoid sudden full speed runthroughs of programs, giving the user, even myself as an integrator more intent when switching modes.

I do understand the frustration though. I’ve made a keyboard stand for myself that I use to make typing a bit quicker when I’m programming on the robot itself.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sam.verity-hilton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.universal-robots.com/sam.verity-hilton/32/6046_2.png) [@sam.verity-hilton](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/sam.verity-hilton)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 11:25am UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/manual-automatic-password-behaviour-change/34099/5 "2024-05-13T11:25:25Z")

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I agree it makes sense on a UR20, or any robot with the 3PE pendant, where the purpose of manual and automatic is different, with either having more of a involved impact on operation and safety. In which case - it would still be nice to be ablle to password p[rotect editing rights of programs, as this is a very common request of customers
