ChrisKozanecki

What PLC are you using? What are you sending the ascii to? Need more info.

it would be nice to be able to open 2 cx-programmers, and copy /paste from1 into another. the way it is now, if i have 2 machines that are similar, but different enough that they need different programs, if i have to make a new change to both i have to write the changes twice instead of being able to copy from one and pasted into the other.

Glad to hear that you got it working with the server-lite, although I still think you might be misunderstanding what I was saying because when I say Com component, I am not refering to anything even remotely related to CX-Server. I am talking about System.IO.Ports.SerialPort.

I believe you misunderstood me. I meant you could use the com component in VS2005 that allows control of the PC serial ports. you could then send data through that to the PLC RS-232 port and have code similar to what is in the attachment that follows. RXD.bmp A similar method would allow you to send. You should be able to find these instructions and how to use them in the CQ1M programming manual.

First Question: VS2003 or VS2005? I wouldn't recommend using activeX if you can manage. What level of communication are you needing? You can use the basic TXD and RXD commands if you are doing dimple communications (I have used this method with upto 15 commands each way) with 2005 you could just use the Com component they have. Now another method is to use Hostlink or FINS... I am working ona FINS component for C# but it isn't ready yet unfortunately or I would post it here. You might try uninstalling CX-Server and re-installing it. It sounds like its not properly installed.

Glad to know I could help

Thanks Jay I will look at it monday when I get to work

Personally, if there is already a plan to upgrade the PLCs to CJ series, I would just use the fact that they are wearing out as the platform to jump to the CJs now. I think you and your customer will be much happier. That would also save the step of replacing them now then replacing again later.

I would be interested in seeing how a funtioning version works because I am interested in some ideas for how to Error Handle this program I am writing. UDP sure isn't very friendly in that aspect. I ordered an ETN21 Today though so hopefully I will be able to try out the TCP side of things next week.

No, I was not even aware of the NSJ... I will head over to omron's website and check into it. Edit: I went to check it out, and the NSJ would meet some of our needs, as we could replace the PLC and one NS screen with the NSJ, but unfortunately we would still need to have a PC attached. Hopefully the DyaloX will be the next step up with all the features of the NSJ and the added bonus on integrating a PC.

Yeah, I gett a different error, but it means roughly the same thing. Mine has to do with ActiveX. ActiveX is a very bad way to program in my experience unless you only distribute your program with a known installer that can properly register the ActiveX. I imagine that both of our errors are caused by the fact that there is something that program is looking for, and unless we have the registry key and/or put this in the same file directory as it was compiled in the program wont work for us. Edit: I just looked at your error further, and your error gives me some clue. He used an ActiveX component for Winsock. WindowsXP comes with winsock2, so I imagine part of the problem could be caused by this being compiled on an older version of windows, maybe?

Is multiway supposed to be an exe? I cant seem to run it.

Ok, so now I understand. If I want to talk to the ETN unit, I do 11, but if I want to read/write to the PLC memory I do 00. Thank you Jay

Excelent! I cant wait to find out about the upgrade from previous versions of CX-One. When is this software going to be released in america?

I will try this and see what I get. I assume that this will cause me to talk directly to the ETN card, so I am interested to see what changes in regards to the communication.

I am not sure of one that uses 3 bits as identifiers, but there is a way to do that based on a combination of 2 bits which grants you 4 picture styles. The way you do it is with the PushButton. At the bottom of the shape list you can do selects shape based on combination of display addresses. You then just use your Bitmaps as the shapes. You can just turn off the ability to use the switch as a button and nobody will be the wiser. I do this often when I need a 3 or 4 state indicator. Another option is to use frames, and write some PLC code to sort your three bits so that it writes into a memory location for changing the frame. This would be my solution I think because it shouldn't be too hard depending on how you do your bits. Example: CB = W0.00 Isolator = W0.01 Switch = W0.02 By making them sequential like this, you will automatically create numbered combinations in word W0 that the NS screen can use. IF: CB off, ISO off, SW off = 0 CB on, ISO off, SW off = 1 CB off, ISO on, SW off = 2 CB on, ISO on, SW off = 3 CB off, ISO off, SW on = 4 CB on, ISO off, SW on = 5 CB off, ISO on, SW on = 6 CB on, ISO on, SW on = 7 This will automatically switch the frame and if you dont use tabs in the frames it will seem like its one picture changing.

So does this thing function as the NS screen and the PC? If so I can see a huge use for it in our factory where every machine we make has a PLC, 2-3 NS Screens, and a PC. Depending on the interfaceability with the omron PLCs (meaning it needs to be more capable than what a normal PC can do) this could really be cost effective to replace 1 of the 2-3 NS screens with.

I have never heard of this software... what is it?

Does omron still give PMCR training? I have tried signing up a couple times at the schaumberg office and they seem to have issues filling the classes so they always tell me they dont have one planned.

Well,strangely enough, I dont get any response if I dont use 00. I am not sure why cause if I am understanding what you are saying, if my ETN is unit 1, I should be doing 01. On another note, I am almost done with a C# program that works similar to the above program. I have to flesh it out more before I would release it, but as soon as I do I will be sure to post it here. One thing I wanted to ask though, is it possible to do FINS though TCP? I seem to have a reasonable amount of control with UDP, but I would much prefer to be communicating with the PLC through TCP/IP due to the additional error hendling that it provides (such as giving you a reason why your message didn't get to the destination). I still have so much to read from all the manuals that sleepy posted for me, but I am still trucking along! I noticed that there are some function blocks for using TCP, but they always seem to error out for me so I am not sure I understand them.

I continued playing with the application, and adjusting settings and such. I finally got it to work!! The important thing I think I was missing is that when you enter in the Unit number, its not talking about the unit number of the ETN... you need to put 00 so that it talks to the CPU.

Thanks for your help PDL. I am completely lost and have been tasked with learning how to talk to PLCs with ethernet instead of serial for our future programs.

I dont think I need a routing table... I am setting the computer to 192.168.1.2 and the PLC to 192.168.1.1 I then connect to each other through a 5-port switch. I am getting something back using the program that Jay posted, but it doesn't make sense to what I expect, and if I click over and over, the data seems to change randomly. Also, I played with various settings in the program for the net/node/unit and either I get jibberish, or I get nothing. Thank you for the link to that manual! it was exactly what I was hoping for, and it answered a lot of questions. One thing that I am wondering as I look at the manual though, it talks about the ETN21... should I try to invest in one of those instead of the ETN11?? Are my problems maybe caused by the fact I am trying to use an ETN11? When I use CX-P, for a connection type I can connect through ethernet, but when I try to use the ethernet(FINS/TCP) setting, it says that the port is not valid... maybe this is part of my problem?? Using the above linked program, when I send: 80000201010101030000010182000000000F I get this response from the PLC: C0000201030001010100010185020001000F00017202 Can someone verify that either the string I am sending is correct for reading from the first 16 digits of DM section of memory, or can someone try the above program and tell me what settings they had that worked? I am getting more confused the more I play with this since I haven't seen a successful communication yet.

I seem to be having an issue with the app that you posted. A Command of 010182000000000F (actual data sent was 800002010900010300000101820000000001) should be reading 16 bytes from DM0000 correct? From what I can tell looking at the source it should then take that information it receives and using ASCII convert it to text. This command isn't working for me at all, and I dont know how to tell if the others work. Can somone guide me to a place where I can see all the FINS commands available? Also can someone guide me to getting some sort of test to see if this is actually working? Right now I am trying to talk to a CJ1G-CPU44H through an ETN11. There is nothing in the ladder logic only some stuff in the DM section of the memory. This will be my first time trying to send FINS commands, so please bear with my ignorance.

I got an E-mail that I suspect is not safe. Should I forward it somewhere so that you can tell me if its really from MrPLC.com? It is talking about new features and how I need to download an exe to view it. the exe is NOT on mrplc though.