RsView DF1 comm issues PV+

[Wulfgar 5]

Hello this is the first time I've used a RsLogix5000 PLC the CompactLogix L31 also first time using RsView and PV+. I've been fighting with communications all day between trying to connect to the HMI laptop through a USB to Serial bridge and PLC. I was communicating at first between the PV+ and PLC but after adding a goto config button and reconnecting the tag database nothing works now. First of all the tag database is a pain to get connected since it doesn't import but instead links through the RsLinx Enterprise. I got it reconnected and after a couple hours of fighting comm issues and rebooting I got the program downloaded to the HMI. But then I kept getting tag not activated errors, and the PLC is not showing any activity on the comm port. The HMI doesn't show anything for a shortcut to the PLC under application settings, not sure how to correct this? So I redid the local and target setup on the laptop and reconnected to the PLC but then I couldn't download to the HMI. After several attempts and reboots now I get a DF1 Autoconfig fail therefore it cannot start error but I can still find the plc if I connect to it but not the HMI. Also the HMI display has a bunch of snow or static which AB is sending a replacement for. Just wondering if this is a common issue with AB new PV+ HMI or RsView software being buggy. It doesn't seem like a very stable platform. Any experience with these PV+? Should I just avoid them until AB can get there products stable, seems like a beta product at this point? Should I be using the PV classic instead on CompactLogix? Is the USB serial port a bad idea to try to communicate with AB? I was hoping RsLinx Enterprise would be an improvement over RsLinx but it seems to be worse. Is there an easy way to shutdown one to switch to the other without rebooting since they tie up the com port since I need RsLinx standard for RsLogix 5000? It seems like AB/Rockwell is trying to model them selfs after Microsoft, blotted software bugs and all. Any feedback would be appreciated, sorry if this seems too negative but I'm used to Omron PLCs where communications is much simpler. Thanks, Wulfgar

[Ken Roach 194]

Try to solve one problem at a time. For your first time with any A-B products, you've managed to choose some that can stump the beginner with A-B comms. First, read the RSView Studio Help about "Side by Side" implementation of RSLinx Enterprise and RSLinx Classic. That might help you understand how to use both drivers with just one physical resource, i.e. the serial port. Second, the USB/RS232 converter may be trouble. Although I am familiar with using the one I have (Keyspan USA19), I can't tell you what subtle problems you might be introducing with the one you have. What might be going on with your Local/Target copying of the driver schema is that the USB/RS232 converter is very likely COM3 or higher, whereas the serial port on the PanelView Plus is always COM1. If you are using COM3 on the "Local" driver and use the COPY button, the Target driver will also try to use COM3. You can go into the Target schema and change the driver configuration manually in RSLinx Enterprise, or on the PanelView in config mode. Third, don't load your application onto the PanelView Plus via the serial port. Get a CompactFlash card and reader, or use the Ethernet download and leave the serial port only for the communication between the PV+ and the CompactLogix. Do you think that "snow" or "static" might indicate some other major problem in the PanelView, that the comms failures might be another symptom of ? Last, don't use anything except RSView Studio 3.20. The early versions were awful, just like you describe, but I seldom have any trouble with version 3.20.

[Wulfgar 5]

Ken, Thanks for the feedback, it's not my first time with AB, I've used micrologix and SLCs a few times in the past but always struggled with RsLinx. I'll look for the Side by Side in the help file. You are correct for the local/target settings, the USB is com4. I did change to com1 in the PV+ after downloading which worked the first time I set it up but somehow got lost on subsequent downloads. I'm using the DF1 on the HMI to download, I'll see if I can get a compact flash card since I don't have Ethernet on the PV+. It has a USB port but AB says it is not for downloading which I would think would be a straightforward way to transfer the programs. As far as the snow, I'll see if the replacement HMI is any better, due in today from UPS. I'm using RsView Studio 3.2043. I'll continue trying to resolve this today. Thanks, Wulfgar

[Wulfgar 5]

Ken, Thanks, the compact flash works great no fighting communications with RsLinx Enterprise. The replacement HMI had the same problem; apparently AB is using some cheap displays in the PV+ 600 monochrome. They are aware that customers are not going to accept it so AB offered the PV+ 600 color for the same price until they fix their quality issues with the monochrome. Wulfgar