queenslandpommie

Thank you pturmel, I can see that S:/15 is set so I have written it to zero.  I'll see how it goes.  Before changing it I actually got online to it really quickly - Murphy's law.  Time will tell.  I'll be honest, I have considered a bad cable but it is such difficult cable run through several difficult to navigate ceiling spaces that pulling in a new one is the last thing I want to try.  Thanks again.

We have an SLC 5/05 on our automation network, one of several SLC 5/05 processors on site.  It functions perfectly well and no ethernet messaging issues or SCADA drop outs.  The difficulty I am experiencing with it is when I am required to fault diagnose it takes a very long time to get online to it with our laptop running RSLogix500.  It sometimes takes as long as 10 minutes.  It makes no difference whether I use the Ethernet devices or the EtherNet/IP Driver in RSLinx, it nearly always takes an age which is frustrating in a breakdown situation.  I don't ever experience these long wait times connecting to any other of the SLC 5/05 controllers or any other controllers for that matter.  Once I am connected to the problematic controller I don't experience any issues, it's just the initial time getting online.  I try to leave the laptop permanently connected to it to avoid the long wait time to connect.  When I open RSLogix500, select Comms, Who Active Go Online, Ethernet devices driver, I can see that the problematic 5/05 has Active as its Status whereas the other 5/05 processors have Remote Run as their status.  Please can anyone advise as to any possible program parameters, RSLinx settings or hardware faults I should be looking for?  I have considered it could be a network problem but I'm unsure about this given how the processor performs well in every other regard. Neil

OK, I eventually remembered my old college instructor's best bit of advice he gave me - RTFM - Read The Flipping Manual.  Which along with PLCMentor.com's advice got me to where I wanted to be.  The FactoryTalk View Machine Edition User's Guide is an excellent manual.   I set up two tags, one called Source(referencing the value from the 1100) and another called Destination(referencing the value in the 1500) and then created a macro named Macro1.  in the Macro1 pop up I put Destination in the Tag column and Source in the Expression column.  Then in Global Connections/Macro tab I wrote Source <> Destination ( Source NEQ Destination).  I tested by running runtime on the laptop and then wrote values to the Source address in the 1100 and it promptly arrived in the Destination address in the 1500. Voila!   I know it's not ideal using a PanelView to transfer values, but as it's not process critical and just for data monitoring, it will do until we upgrade the 1500 and I can use a MSG. Thanks, Neil

Thanks for your replies. In answer to Kaiser_Will, I haven't investigated the firmware version, however it is a known limitation with Net-ENIs that they only allow 4(I believe) connections before connection issues occur.  We have other Net-ENIs where we get lock outs on them.  It hasn't been a problem on the 1500 for a while now, but I suspect it will if I add another connection by use of a message.  In the New Year we are upgrading the 1500 to a 1400 that has Ethernet built in so no need for the Net-ENI then. In answer to PLCMentor.com, The PV sits our on the Ethernet and is used to control the 1500 and so usually has no issue connecting to it, so as it can freely communicate with the 1100 it isn't a problem.  In my opinion it isn't an issue with compatibility with of the Net_ENI and the 1500, it's more to do with other devices communicating with it.  In my experience with our 1500 we sometimes find that we can't get online to it with our laptop using RSLogix500 unless we go down and do a power cycle on the Net_ENI to reset it and allow access. The idea of a managed switch is interesting but as we are upgrading to a 1400 soon it's probably not worth the extra expense, time and effort for me to set it up, particularly as I don't have experience with managed switches.  I think I will try to set up a macro on the PV as you suggested for now, and then later when we upgrade to a 1400 I'll set up a MSG instruction in the 1100 to send the product number across to the 1500.   Thanks again, Neil

I have a situation where 2 PLCs are connected to our Automation Ethernet network and want to use a PanelView to copy one value from one PLC to another without the need for Operator input. The scenario is we have a Micrologix 1500 connected to the network via a Net ENi and a Micrologix 1100 connected directly to the same network.  We have issues with the Net ENi occasionally locking up because of too many connections due to the Net ENi connection number limitation.  I have this wild idea that the PanelView, used to connect and control to the 1500 (via Ethernet and the Net ENi) could read the integer value in the 1100 and then transfer it to the 1500.  I believe macros can be run on PanelViews but not sure if this a feature that could help me.  I've thought about messaging but currently no messages are sent to the 1500 so creating one is likely to be another connection that may cause the Net ENi to lock up. The 1100 has a product code that represents the product that is being controlled by both PLCs and it is required to be sent to the 1500.  As I said I would like it to be an automatic transfer that would be triggered once only on a change of product initiated in the 1100.  I have considered as a last resort to have a PanelView button that becomes visible only on a change of product and also covers the start button for the 1500 machine to prevent it being started.  My idea is that pressing the GOTO Display button would jump to a product code entry display where the new product code from the 1100 is displayed and also entered to be written to the 1500.  Entering the new value would then cause the PV to jump back to the display with the then uncovered Start button.  I favour this less because it introduces operator error. The PanelView currently reliably communicates with both PLCs Please, if anyone can help me with this I would appreciate any advice. Thanks, Neil    

We have a Micrologix 1500 that has two expansion I/O cards attached to the base unit and then an extension cable running from an adapter fitted to the card in slot 2 to a further 6 I/O cards in another part of the same control cabinet.  We wish to swap the Micrologix 1500 to a Micrologix 1400 which means all the expansion I/O cards will need to be replaced.  I'm having trouble identifying a similar extension cable for the 1762 family of Micrologix expansion I/O.  Does anyone know if one even exists and if so what the part number is?  I fear there isn't an extension cable for this family of expansion I/O.  I have scoured the internet on two separate occasions and have come up with nothing.  I've tried asking our Allen Bradley supplier but they aren't the most dynamic and helpful. I'd be grateful if anyone could point me in the right direction, if it exists.    

Thanks again for the info. I opted to change the objects to be invisible if the expression is true (which took a bit of figuring out) and I also set the refresh rate to the fastest time of 0.05 seconds. I should have tried one at a time to see which was the successful one, but was keen to just eradicate the problem. I will increase the refresh rate to 500 msec as advised by Arlen particularly as we have some issues with slow SCADA update times. Also the Controllers are SLC 5/05. I do not have any displays set to On Top. The objects do not appear as they did, maybe just a hint of the outline of the object, but only for a fraction of a second. Before there was time to read the attached text on the objects. We have a PanelView connected to an SLC500 we use only for testing and training so I may try to set that up with an invisilbe object and set the refresh to the slowest and see if it will operate.

Thanks for the replies, I really appreciate it. The refresh rate when I checked it is set to 0.05 seconds. After posting my original questions, I came across the info in the User Manual about making the expression to be invisible when true rather than visible. Haven't fully tested it, but have rewritten the expressions for invisibility and done some testing by running on the laptop rather than the actual PanelView. I have a few conditions so have to use some If Else Then expressions. I'm new to writing expressions, so need to make sure that I get them right. I find sometimes my expressions pass the syntax check but don't always work as I expect. Not really sure what the Display Type of 'On Top' means but will also give that a go. Does that mean once it is opened the first time, it remains active in the background until you reopen it?

FactoryTalk View Studio - Machine Edition Version 7.00.00(CPR 9 SR 6) PanelView Plus600 I have created a few small PanelView projects and often use the Animation feature to make certain objects visible or invisible. I notice that often when a new display is opened in Runtime, that for a brief moment the object is sometimes visible before disappearing when the conditions are such that the object should be invisible. I have two questions regarding this. 1. If the object is a Pushbutton, during the brief moment that it is visible (when it should be invisible), would pressing it during that brief moment of visibility cause the Pushbutton tag to be written to? 2. Are there any settings (either in FactoryTalk or the PanelView Plus configuration inbuilt Utility) that can allow a display to refresh before deciding to make objects visible or maybe to delay displaying objects that have visibility clauses attached to them? Whilst the brief appearance of objects that should be invisible is irritating and makes the finished project look unprofessional, what is of more concern is that incorrect operation of a PLC program or PanelView Display navigation could occur. I understand that careful PLC programming should avert machinery disasters but would appreciate any advice about this issue, Thanks Neil