I am using a 205 with a 250-1 cpu. I know there is a way to get information from a plc to excel but i dont know where to start. Can someone help me?

Check out the OPC server at AutomationDirect (PC-KEPPLC).

I am trying to not use the OPC server software that they have. I am looking to build my own script in Excel to take the data from the PLC.

Excel does not know how to "talk" to the PLC. What will you use for that function?

I found this thread on another website that discussed how to do it. This, although, is for an ab plc. I have a plc direct. I am sure that it differs somehow. I'm not too knowledgeable about plcs but i do know vb. Can this work for automation direct plc's?

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/archive/index...x.php/t-31.html

That thread refers to RSLinx which is a communication program for the Allen-Bradley system and is the necessary link. The OPC server I referred to in the earlier post is the equivalent item. Someway, somehow, you need to have a communication link between the PLC and the Excel software.

Just for kicks and giggles, you can download topic that was discussed here:
http://forums.mrplc.com/index.php?act=Downl...&CODE=02&id=134

That's my spreadsheet I was talking about in the topic. However like carlton has said, AD doesn't use RS Linx and I haven't done an excel to AD PLC yet myself.

i have open office calc (open offices spreadshhet) talking to a dl205 via dde using dsdde.

you will need dsdde to interprit the dde commands from windows to the plc, then its just a matter of setting the right syntax from the cell to extracting your value.

=DDE("dsdde";"Koyotopic";"x00") is the arguement for the cell in calc

excel will be simmilar, i recall it contains the pipe charactor somewhere, i think between the topic and the application.

cheers,