pandersen

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About pandersen

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  1. So far it seems that this isn't possible, which really blows my mind. I just want to assign a static string to a string tag, the same way you would assign a number to a numeric tag: String := "Teststring"; Apparently this isn't valid syntax, so I can't do it. An incredibly horrible workaround would be to assign the ASCII values to each element of the DATA array and then manually set the string length, but that is really a last resort. Does anyone know any possible way to use a string literal in ControlLogix without jumping through major hoops?
  2. OT: Safest way to travel?

    Putting the religious discussion aside, it depends on how you compare deaths to traveling. Do you care about deaths vs. distance traveled, deaths vs. number of complete trips, or deaths vs. time spent in travel? Personally I think deaths vs. time spent is the best comparison, because planes travel several hundred km/h, so deaths/km will be very low. Planes also make vastly fewer numbers of trips due to the large distance they cover in one trip and having less planes in the world than trains, buses, cars, etc. The majority of accidents happen on takeoff and landing, so while you are in the air you can rest easy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_safety#Statistics
  3. Contronet and Devicenet Tools

    RSNetWorx for ControlNet and/or DeviceNet with the Diagnostics add-on is probably all you will ever need (for AB systems). Of course experience helps a lot as well, since errors are not always as they seem.
  4. Mega Disaster!

    RSLogix 5000 V17 is supported on SP3, it is RSLinx that is not (not sure why there is a discrepancy... RSLinx is critical to the usefulness of RSLogix) http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/cgi...p?p_faqid=52120. I wonder how many years it will be until Windows 7 is supported? As for the McAfee problem, are you able to fully boot into safe mode, or does it get 'stuck' like you mentioned when all the system files being loaded are flying past the screen? I would recommend uninstalling SP3 in any case if it is possible.
  5. Analog input module question

    I don't have experience with Micrologix analog signals, but in ControlLogix, CompactLogix and FlexIO modules that I have used there are status bits that will indicate out of range faults for each channel. You would monitor these bits and ignore the reported signal if they are high. Does something similar exist in the Micrologix?
  6. Seconding Bryanr. Program scoped tags are viewable by any OPC server. They show up as if in a folder named after the program.
  7. I would also suggest the Bit Field Distribute instruction rather than masked moves or bit shifts for turning the inputs into numbers (as long as you have RSLogix 5000, of course. I am not sure it exists in 500) BTD(Local:1:I.Data,0,ThumbWheel1Value,0,4) BTD(Local:1:I.Data,4,ThumbWheel2Value,0,4) BTD(Local:1:I.Data,8,ThumbWheel3Value,0,4) BTD(Local:1:I.Data,12,ThumbWheel4Value,0,4)
  8. Therefore you have to make the screen 'Replace' type and assign it a number. Use a Back button to return to the previous screen. You cannot call an on-top type screen based on conditions in RSView ME, so you have to use a replace type screen instead.
  9. PLCs in the home?

    Can you give some specifics on what you control? If I ever build a house I will want to do some automation from the ground up. It is always fun to see what other people have done.
  10. FactoryTalk View Studio

    You should be able to recover most but not all of the application. - Create a new, empty project. - Set all the options under the System tree to match the old project as best as you can remember - Right click on Displays, choose Export and Import. - Navigate to the .gfx files that are on the slave drive. They should be (if you are running Windows XP) in <slave drive>\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\RSView Enterprise\ME\HMI projects\<project name>\Gfx - Import them all - Right click on Alarms, choose Export and Import. The alarms file is stored under the M_Alarms folder - Rinse and repeat for Global Objects, Information Messages, Macros, Data Log Models, and Recipes. Only difference is you choose Add Component into Application instead of Import and Export. I believe you have to re-create any HMI tags and communication configuration from scratch.
  11. OT, how to convert MOV files to WMV files

    I think your best bet would be to convert it to an MPEG2 format. Same format as DVD video. Any media player will be able to play it without additional codecs. Here is a guide using free tools: http://it-from-inside.blogspot.com/2008/11...-mov-video.html
  12. Panelview Plus Alarms

    The trigger type 'Bit' is meant to be used with bit arrays. Try setting the trigger type to 'Value'. On the Messages tab, make sure your message is tied to that specific trigger and that it's trigger value is 1.
  13. PLCs in the home?

    I'm curious if many people have found a project at home that used some sort of PLC. Myself, I needed a way to top off my fish tanks while I was away on long term installs or other trips. I went to eBay and got a cheapo Micrologix 1000, a few float switches and a pump and put it all together. While I was at it, I used the Micrologix to control the lights instead of the garden timer I had. Add in some basic data collection, and it is complete. Sure, I could have done it without a PLC quite easily, but wheres the fun in that? To take it further, I am working on a .NET program that will talk to the Micrologix over serial (using code from Archie's great app available here.)and post on Twitter when the tank is low, when it is filling, and so on so I can keep track of it from afar. Overkill, maybe, but it is fun!
  14. RSView as OPC Server?

    Which company did you get the control from? I'll need something similar for a future project but for .NET.
  15. I agree with Peter when he says that the PLC is just a piece of stuff unless someone knows how to make it go. Honestly putting any PLC into service in a factory in the US is more of a concern to me than where the PLC came from. It only takes one PLC to make a thousand or million pieces of product that is what popquiz calls wealth generating. Plus, you can't outsource controls engineering as well as you can traditional PC programming :)