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Chris Elston

MrPLC Suggestions?

35 posts in this topic

What kinds of things would you members like to do on mrplc? If we added a photo gallery, would you upload pictures of your control panels or installation to share with everyone else? (keep in mind customer confidentially) Would you use a blog system? It would be yours to do as you wish. We host it for you. Would you want a mrplc.com e-mail address, we would only allow you to access it via a webinterface. Would you want an RFQ system where members could post up requests, then you could see those request and try to bid on them or something? Any other ideas? I am in position to suggest ideas and authorize to spend some money on the website. Something we have tried… We have an “Ads” section, but doesn’t seem like anyone uses it, so we will probably remove this, and maybe create a forum section just for BUY / SELL / classifies. Does anyone object to that idea? We also have a “reviews” section…I really thought more people would participate and share problems they have with things you buy. I know I run into this problem a lot. Buy something new and it’s broke out of the box. For example we bought a bunch of Banner Expert D10 amplifiers that fail a lot. Should we remove this module also? PS: We are just about ready to upgrade the forum board and downloads area, I think next week we will be ready....

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This is probably impossible but I'm still having problems with images of rungs. Is there anyway you could make it easier to post ladder rungs

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The RFQ system ... definitely would add a UNIQUE value to this site that I, personally, would benefit from. How about a topic cross reference that encompasses all PLC categories? I like the segregation of PLC types, since I'm an AB guy, but I have programmed computers since the TRS-80 Model 1, and am interested in learning other hardware too. Often, the subjects are common, and it's interesting to read about other implementations of the same solutions using other hardware. Maybe you could cross-link posts based on programming language and/or control type: ie. Structured Text Languagues Ladder Logic Function Block C++ Visual Basic PC Based HMI Motion Control DC Motor Control AC Motor Control Conveyors Pneumatics Hydraulics Temperature Flow Pressure Communication These could be checkboxes or radio buttons available to the person posting, or filtered from content (existing search engine?). I'm just pipe dreaming, so the details surely need refinement from other members. And actually, by manipulating search text, what I just described can already be done. Utilities: I've always wished for the cheat sheets like I used to use back in the Apple/Commodore/Atari Days. I used to get a magazine from school with a cool program written (literraly ... five to ten pages of text) for, say, an AppleII, and manually convert it to run on my Atari400, and my friends' Commodore64. I had a laminated memory map of each computer's Ram and pointers. We should be able to create a spreadsheet with every PLC instruction and it's properties listed in the leftmost column, that accurately provides this same type of compatibility. The top row will be manufacturers' part numbers and sorted by maker, then part number. Fill it in with accurate data, then, you could write a generic PLC simulator that could access the finished database and accurately reproduce tested code for ANY PLC part number with accurate data. How's that for a fantasy? I'll even donate an example I started once. I'll have to revive my old dead home PC (or TRANSPLANT C:\) to get it, so give me a few days! Okie PC Edited by OkiePC

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I would like to post picture's maybe get some constructful critisicm back of things that I or someone else would do different. Edited by Big Country

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Being a panel builder, I like the idea of a forum on control panels. There are many things that could be discussed there such as the hows and whys of panel building, sourcing different panel components, CSA UL and CE approvals and regulations, etc. A picture gallery would be quite interesting also. I like the idea of a RFQ system but am not sure if it would get much more use than your 'Ads' or 'Reviews' sections get now. It's worth a try though. I never did understand why blogs are useful! The only other suggestion would be to replace the 'play button' beside the General Topics - The Lounge section with a normally open contact that turns green when there are unread posts in that section. Thats the first thing I look for when I go to forums.mrplc.com.......

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Ok this is probably a stupid question but what is a BLOG OkiePC’s suggestion of the cross reference is nice but many people won’t even specify the model of Plc they are using so I doubt many would use the check boxes I like the new FAQs for the different Plcs. How about a general “faq” that could give information on things we look up every day. Volt/Amp/Wire size charts Number of conductors in conduit Links to things like Risk assessment (Big Country was just looking for it the other day, it is in most safety manuals and the need for understanding these is getting greater every day) Wire colors (there is a standard even though many use whatever they can grab off of the shelf the quickest) Just some thoughts. Could think of a lot more things that could be put there. Or maybe this could be put in ECSIs suggested panel building section. Wouldn't expect you to do all of this. The members could contribute information that they have to use frequently. I do like the idea of the panel building section even though I don't do a lot of panel building now. There is a lot of comparing of methods of programming, it would be nice to have a place to compare methods of building panels, circuit protection, installation methods, etc

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You must have kept a copy of "Mapping the Atari", "Mapping the Commodore 64", etc. handy. I know that was the reference book I used most often back in my Atari days. Maybe we should work on "Mapping the SLC 500", "Mapping the PLC-2", etc. I have a "cheat sheet" like that for SLC 100/150, 'cuz I can never remember which groups of addresses are for what, on the rare occasion I have to work on one. I guess it wouldn't be necessary for ControlLogix since you can make it all up as you go along, but for the older stuff that we encounter from time to time it would be handy!

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I've got some great "before and after" pictures from the place I currently work for. Some of the before pictures will SHOCK you. I know the first few times I opened a live panel here and had stuff fall out onto my feet, I was taken back in disbelief.. I repaired most of them and documented quite a bit of it. I keep on meaning to post them here but I haven't yet got around to it.

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Thanks Guys. Great info. ESCI, that is already fixed in the next upgrade to the forum board. I never thought about it until we fixed it last week on the new board.

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It's short for weblog. Aarons from PLCS.Net for example.

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And I have to agree with ESCI. As nice as the icon beside the general topics is, a definate color change instead on a change from light blue to dark blue would be nice

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Am I understanding correctly that a BLOG is a place to state your own ideas and opinions?

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Some people use it for that. Others use it as a diary. I also enjoy photo blogs. It's entirely free-form, so you decide the content. I do it to amuse myself.

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As a moderator I get a lot of emails because people hit the report button thinking it is required for any and all post. When you redo the forum, it would be nice if this was changed some way, so that the "report this post" function is clear to the new user's. Maybe add a popup that explains the exact function and a "are you sure" button. May not help, but it can't hurt. Ken

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So true. Driving me crazy

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We have lots of moderators, do you even think it's necessary to even have the button? Between all of us, I bet we rarely miss a post.

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I can live without it

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Same here.

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Many forums (read: phpbb!) give you the possibility to list where you are from to the left of the posts (under the avatar, together with the other user info). Haven't found that possibility here. It would be a nice thing to add as I suppose this is a very international forum, and the best answer might vary with the country of origin of the one who asks it. I also suppose it would be quite an easy feature to implement...

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How about a way to reduce your "rating" or whatever is meant by Guru next to my name? After reading this and the other forum for about a year now, I have "met" some real gurus, and I don't think that's an accurate representation of my level of expertise. I am Jack of All Trades, master of few, have a lot of unique (and sometimes wrong) perspectives, so guru is too strong a word for me. I'm just very nosy and vocal, (more posts ... higher ranking right?) ... Hmmm ... perhaps, give people with 100+ posts a list of descriptive callouts to choose from? (things like "Jack Of all Trades" for people like me, and official titles too i.e. "Electrical Engineer") I concur with the location suggestion. I find that very appealing. Having lived in Oklahoma all my 38 years, it's exciting for me to know the foreign location of someone I've engaged in conversation with! I don't see the report button that Ken described. Did that already get fixed? You guys are good!

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Chakorules works in mysterious ways...

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This is done, was always done in the new board, just hadn't gone Live with it until this weekend.

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Make sure you are logged in. Click on MY CONTROLS. Then edit your profile. Down at the bottom, select your country. Now you have the country flags in your name.

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This is has now been added, Control Panel forum. Also we have TONS of cheat sheets to share, this will come later, as well as a place to post your pictures of control panels and things. Changes: We are going to remove the ADS section and REVIEW section soon. Ads and forsale items can now be posted in the forums in the Forsale forum.

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