Joe E.

MrPLC Member
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Everything posted by Joe E.

  1. Legacy product

    Hmmm....when I log in and use my serial number and product key, it lets me download it fine. ProposalWorks, though, says "This item requires business justification to be released. Please use newer catalog items...". Some of the newer versions are subscription based, but there is a perpetual option that's more expensive. The price is rising, which is what they do when they want to stop supporting something. The version we have that has that warning is 9324-RL0300ENE while the newer catalog for a perpetual license is 9324M-RSL500T40. Sigh...you should reach out to your local distributor to find out what the differences are between the different editions and what you need to get. Since you're talking about an upgrade anyway, I would probably second @pturmel's advice to reach out to a local integrator who can connect to your system and evaluate what's there. Your AB distributor can point you to someone if you don't already have one you use.
  2. What platform do you use for development? Did you write your own drivers for connecting to the PLCs or use someone else's?
  3. I'm interested in this as well, for a different purpose. I want the shaded portion of a circle to change based on tag values. My goal is to visually show the programmable cam switch settings that can be adjusted at runtime. I've been working with AB PV+, Red Lion Crimson 3/3.1, and Automation Direct C-More. Ironically, the C-More has a gauge type control that comes the closest, as long as my starting point is fixed at one of the 90° cardinal points. If i could rotate the object at runtime to a random value, that would work perfectly for what I want to do, but....alas.... This is basically what I want to do:  
  4. I second @TimWilborne's material and also suggest Ron Beaufort: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGzS56y9k4eYr1uS3jPPxGunBTtPcS3Ez He's since retired, but that playlist is another good place to start. Also, AB's online help is actually not bad (in RSLogix5,500,5000 and Logix Designer, at least). It's not perfectly perfect, but it's better than the others I've tried. Highlight the instruction and hit "F1" to go right to the help for it.
  5. Have you tried to connect to the C400 with a web browser? While connected to its network port and with your PC on the same subnet, just type the C400's IP address into your browser's address bar.
  6. I remember the earliest PVCs being programmed via web browser only, not CCW. As I recall, we were at CCW version 2 or something. It was really early on and they were pushing the PV Component pretty hard so we ordered a couple as a trial and ended up never using them in a machine. The main deal breaker for us was that you couldn't make an offline backup of the program with the web browser, but they were "talking about it". I wonder if they now support connecting over Ethernet with a web browser and saving an offline file that can be imported into CCW.... By the way, my memory may be faulty on that. It was over 10 years ago and I don't have notes on our findings any more.
  7. You have to identify the IP address, but CCW should be able to upload, edit, and download the program in the C400. edit: *should*...as long as the machine builder didn't lock it down somehow. And, honestly, I've never used a C400 with CCW, so I am making an assumption that it can upload the file from the HMI.
  8. Go to their website. Click "Downloads" Click "Downloads by Product" In the "search..." window, type "Connected Components Workbench" and hit "Enter" In the results list, select the first entry, (not Dev Ed or Trend). A popup will appear where you choose your version. They tend to release new versions pretty regularly, so I'm still at v12. As of today, the latest is v21.01. I don't know if there's a reason to choose an older version. Click the version you want and it'll show up in the window to the right. Click the "DOWNLOADS" button. Check the box "Show Files" and an Available Downloads box will pop up. Select the file and click the download cart button, then "Download Now". After accepting the license, it will download a stub file with a long random string. Save that file and then run it. Their download manager will open and start downloading the file. At this point, all you do is wait and hope your internet connection is strong...
  9. The ML1400 uses RSLogix 500. There are a number of versions. "Micro" will work. I'm not sure if Starter or Developer is what you need. Either way, it's licensed software that you'll need to buy through your local Rockwell distributor. The PanelView Component C400 can be programmed in Connected Components Workbench, which is free software. At least the earlier PV Component models could also be programmed via web interface by connecting to their network and typing their IP address into your browser. Both support Ethernet, so you just need a network cable.
  10. PanelView 550

    What OS are you using? The PIC will only work on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and earlier. SP3 and newer broke the serial port driver. You also need a native, built-in COM port. No virtual COM ports (USB, etc.).
  11. It's been a while since I worked with a DH+ HMI (or even PanelBuilder 32 for that matter...), but if you can see it in RSLinx, you should be able to download to it. And if you have access to the DH+ network, you should be able to see it in RSLinx. You said you have the round port AB cable...is that the 1784-U2DHP module? It's a USB to DH+ converter. If so, it can plug into the round Mini-DIN DH+ port on the SLC 5/04 (as pturmel said, the 5/03 has DH485 with an RJ45 connector, only the 5/04 had DH+) without disrupting the DH+ network at all, as long as  you don't introduce an address conflict. On the 5/04, the round mini-DIN and the 3-pin phoenix-style connector are just different hardware connections to the same DH+ port. If you have a cable that has the mini-DIN on one end and a 9-pin d-sub connector on the other, that won't work. What you have is almost certainly a serial cable designed to talk to MicroLogix PLCs. If you don't have a 1784-U2DHP,  you'll need some other hardware to get to the DH+ network. If you happen to have the right ControlLogix hardware laying around collecting dust, you can assemble a chassis, power supply, Ethernet module, and a 1756-DHRIO module. That will definitely work as a pass-through for RSLinx to see the DH+ devices. Or, you can use a ProSoft gateway. If I didn't have any of that on hand already, I would probably try one of these before either of those: https://www.plccable.com/allen-bradley-1784-u2dhp-alternative-usb-to-data-highway-plus-dh-anc-120e/ (No specific endorsement for that, but everything else I've bought from them has worked beautifully). Incidentally, that note on page 202 of the manual refers to reaching an RS232/DH485 HMI via passing through the DH+ port on a SLC 5/04. In other words, you connect your PC to the DH+ network and pass through the SLC to get to the RS232/DH485 HMI. If you look at page 189, it says you can use the DH+ port to (among other things) transfer applications over the DH+ link from a computer with a DH+ connection. It doesn't say anything about getting to the HMI's DH+ connection via the RS232 port of the SLC, but it might work. It's worth a try, at least, if you have access to the 5/04's RS232 port.
  12. Software advice MELSEC

    I can't help you with your question, but you'll probably get more attention in the Mitsubishi sub-forum.
  13. MSG Read or Write?

    I agree. Make it a lot bigger than you need. You can edit code online but you can't add/remove LAD files or add/resize data files without a download.
  14. The user manual says it's a no load or short circuit condition. Or, if it's a /B module, a field power loss. I think it's really weird to flash red on a no load condition...especially for unused output points. That seems strange to me...
  15. MSG Read or Write?

    In general, I prefer to use MSG Read instructions. That way the destination registers show up being written in the program cross-reference. I think I remember seeing somewhere that reads take slightly lower resources as well, but I could be mis-remembering that. I wouldn't think that the data traffic would be too much, but it all depends on how much data is flowing back and forth and how often the MSG instructions are executing. I like having things simple and easy to understand, and I think having a read MSG straight from the source PLC is simpler. There's also less to go wrong, like if PLC C is shut down for some reason PLC B would lose the data from PLC A. About the only time I deviated from using read instructions is when I went between a PLC5 and a CompactLogix. I found the routing and MSG path to be far easier to manage in the Logix 5000 PLC than in the PLC5, especially since it was hopping from DH+ to Ethernet via a ControlLogix backplane. In that case, I made sure to scrupulously document it and put info in the destination register's description as to its source. I know, that violates "simple and easy to understand", but I didn't have a lot of options at the time. We had about zero budget and the PLC 5 didn't have Ethernet. We had the ControlLogix hardware sitting around so it was cheap to install.
  16. I pulled up an OLD project from a PLC5. The Tag/Expression I used was: {::[PLC540B]N19:3}/10, with the curly braces. That was directly in the object properties connections tab, not in the tag database. I would try putting the address directly in the object on the display to see if it works.
  17. S7 300

    Back when I was supporting the S7-300s, there was a signal module for the S7-300 that added an Ethernet port. There were actually 2 models: the cheaper one worked only for getting online with your PC while the more expensive one supported adding I/O. I would suggest the more expensive one that supports I/O because we found that adding a ProSoft gateway module later would work with the better one but not the cheaper one. Another option is this: https://www.ibhsoftec.com/IBH-Link-S7-PP-Eng It attaches to the MPI port and provides an Ethernet connection. As i recall, they were a bit of a pain to get working at first, but worked great once properly configured. They were only for getting online with a PC (no I/O control) and added a driver to your PG/PC interface, which is where the pain came in. If you're looking for remote access to the PLC via another PLC or SCADA system, I think you'll need the in-chassis signal module. Another option is to upgrade the CPU to a 2PN/DP model that has an on board Profinet port. I believe that all of these options are going to involve the aftermarket, though. I'm pretty sure the S7-300 platform is obsolete, but I could be wrong. I've been away from that world for a bit over 3 years now. I have a procedure somewhere that I came up with when doing that upgrade. It was a little clunky but it worked.
  18. SCL05/04 Connection

      When I started at my last location, that's what they did! They had spare parts laying around so they put together a chassis, power supply, ENBT, and DHRIO on a cart with a UPS for the desktop PC. They also had a data switch to select between the 9-pin RS232, 25-pin RS232, PLC-2 cable, and SLC 150 cable. It was an impressive setup, with 2 carts set up that way. With the UPS batteries never lasting, and the leased PCs having to go back to IT, we got laptops and the -U2DHP adapters. When the U2DHPs started failing, we got the ProSoft modules. At my current location, we don't have any 5/04s (that I've found so far...) and no DH+ at all, so it hasn't been an issue.
  19. SCL05/04 Connection

    On the SLC 5/04, the 3-pin Phoenix connector and the round mini-DIN are both the DH+ channel. That means you'll need a DH+ adapter for your PC. The AB 1784-U2DHP adapter is very expensive and very fragile. And not repairable. I've seen them last a while or fail quickly. They just stop working. They'll power up, LEDs turn on, but RSLinx doesn't see any DH+ devices behind it. The failure is sudden and complete (it doesn't get flaky and then quit, it just works one day and doesn't the next). I've used a Prosoft EtherNet/IP to DH+ gateway module very successfully. Biggest downside (besides cost) is that it needs an external power supply. If I need to do it again, I'll probably try this: https://www.plccable.com/allen-bradley-1784-u2dhp-alternative-usb-to-data-highway-plus-dh-anc-120e/  
  20. Ditto what Bob said and also verify your driver settings. The red "X" means RSLinx can't see it. The yellow question mark means RSLinx doesn't recognize it. Devices it's never connected to will always show both until the first time it connects, then it'll show the red "X" on top of the device's icon. Also...this seems weird....try a different network cable. I've seen almost that exact thing happen where I could ping but not connect. Jumped through all the hoops that could be jumped through and finally, after a couple of hours, swapped the cable and it just started working.
  21. I finally got back to my desk where I have access to a spare CompactLogix. In V19, I created a new project. When you go to Communications -> Who Active, browse to the PLC and highlight it, and click "Go Online", what happens?
  22. That's really weird....when you browse to it in RS Who from within RSLogix, does it show up?
  23. I'm not 100% sure, but the "Set Path" may only be available while online. Try going to "Communications" -> "Who Active", and then browse to the PLC.
  24. It's been a few years since I did much with ControlLogix (we're mostly CompactLogix and SLC500 here) and I don't have a test rig to confirm, but I'm 99% sure you can plug in the -EN2T, add it to the IO tree, and set up MSG instructions without disrupting operations.
  25. The -EN2T is an Ethernet module and would be completely independent of the ControlNet system. ControlLogix (1756-*) supports "RIUP", Removal and Insertion Under Power, so you can pop the -EN2T into the chassis and add it to the IO configuration without stopping the PLC. What are you planning to do with the module? If it's just for PC, SCADA, or HMI access, it doesn't need to be in the IO tree at all.