I am trying to read the fault parameter from a 160 drive that is on DeviceNet talking to a PLC5 so I can display which fault has occurred on the PanelView. The only way I can see to do this is to use explicit messaging. Is there another way? If not will the set-up I have come up with work?

I have attached a RSLogix5 file with my programming in it. I can't try this right now because the processor that I need to put it in doesn't have enough memory and they are going to have to change it out but I may have to use this when they do.

I basically used the example program in the manual for the 160 Device Net module (160-DN2) and modified it to read different nodes as they fault. The setup file for the messaging is to be moved to the block transfer word when a fault occurs. the different setups are stored in N84. The Block Transfer word is N83.

The nodes are 11, 12, 13.
The parameter I want to read is 7
the rest of the info in N84 are the remaining things needed to format the explicit messages.

I have never tried this before so I hope someone can help me out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

If you configure the 160 to use input assembly 105 (parameter 108), then you can select any four parameters from the drive to make up the input (entered in 109-112).
On a system I once did, I selected:
9 - drive status
1 - output frequency
3 - output current
7 - current fault

So, explicit messages are unnecessary.