Gary.Johnson

The communication problem I've been fighting has spread. The affected ports are 100% inop. What I've seen leads me to believe the problem has to do with the USB adapters and the way Windoze assigns serial port numbers. Based on this, I'm confident that CX-One is not at fault. I guess that means this thread has run it's course. If I ever find a way to untangle the com port numbers I'll post it here (and several other places as well). Thanks again to everyone who offered advice. If not for you I'd still be scratching my head and cursing CX-P.

When I try to use one of the scrambled up ports the only response I get is the "Failed to connect to the PLC" dialog. No usable info there. If the adapters stopped working completely I would suspect them but every one of them works with everything but CX-Programmer. I'm working with Michael at present. He's referred this to Japan as they are the only ones who know what really goes on in the guts of CX-One. In the mean time I'm going to re-run all the experiments I did last month to see if I missed anything. I'll let you know if any breakthroughs occur.

The graphics adapter is IBM. No NVIDIA hardware.

Modem disabled. CX-One uninstalled. Every key in registry with "Omron" or "CX-" deleted. Registry entries dealing with USB/Serial adapters deleted. CXSRemover run successfully. FGW remover reports FGW not installed. Installed CX-Programmer. There is no option for installing CX-P without CX-Server (check box checked and greyed out). Removing CX-Server afterward causes CX-P error (can't find CX-Server). Sounds like CX-P needs CX-S to communicate. Reinstalled CX-Server. No improvement. Dynex USB adapter works. CIF31, Keyspan , and built-it RS232 don't. Omron tech support is stumped and so am I. You guys are my last hope.

I just did a little searching around and I can't find any reference to an Omron ASi master. Is this a hole in their lineup or do I need to work on my search skills?

I have a bunch of CQM1/Hs, ~40 CJ1Ms, and 3 CS1H-Hs. The CJs and CSs won't talk to my CS1W-CIF31. I have been using a built in RS-232 port in an old laptop for them. My luck ran out today. The RS-232 port gave up the ghost. I'm hoping to find a workaround while I wait for a new/repaired laptop. Here's the story so far: I have always been able to connect to any CQM/CJ/CS using COM1 (hardware RS-232). I have always been able to connect to any CQM1 with a CIF31 on COM4. I have never been able to connect to any CJ/CS with the CIF31. It acts like it is connecting (cycling through BAUD rates) then reports no joy. I tried uninstalling CX-Server. CX-Programmer wouldn't start. I re-installed CX-Server and CX-P locked up. I un/re-installed CX-One (complete). That brought me back to square one. I stumped Omron tech support with this one. The closest I got to a usable answer was "it works here". I was thinking about getting a cardbus adapter but if CX-One has trouble talking to Omron hardware the chances of it working with a third party device are pretty slim. Any ideas?

I'm back on the air. WOO HOO ! The Keyspan mapped to COM5 talks to everything in the plant. The problem with the CIF31s has something to do with COM port assignments. Here's what led me to that conclusion: I installed the Keyspan adapter, Windoze mapped it to COM4. One of my CIF31s is also mapped to COM4. The other maps to COM3. I ran a conventional (non Omron) RS232 cable from the Keyspan to the RS232C port on a CQM1H/51. I ran a CS1W-CN226 from the laptop's RS232 port, mapped to COM1, to the peripheral port on the same CQM1H/51. I tried, unsuccessfully, to connect via COM1 (the laptop serial port and peripheral cable) so I set CX-Programmer to connect through COM4 (the Keyspan). When I tried to connect CX-P reported I was trying to attach to a CPU11. On the second attempt it connected but I wasn't able to do any online edits. I attribute the misidentification and other problems to the generic cable. Activity on the 'COMM' and Keyspan LEDs leads me to believe it did so through the RS232C port. The 'PERPH' LED showed no activity, not even a flicker. Here's where it gets weird: I disconnected the CN226 from the peripheral port and the connection dropped! I plugged the CN226 back in and was able to re-connect. I had to have both cables connected even though the PERPH LED was showing no activity. I replaced the Keyspan with one of the CIF31s and set CX-P to use its COM port (3). I replaced the Keyspan with the other CIF31 and set CX-P to use its COM port (4). I tried plugging the generic serial cable into the laptop serial port and the CN226 into the Keyspan. I tried changing COM assignments for the laptop serial port and the two CIF31s. None of this yielded a connection. I changed the Keyspan adapter's COM assignment from 4 to 5 and was able to connect via the peripheral port on the CQM1H. I was also able to connect to a CJ1M and a CS1H-H. I believe Windoze has its COM port assignments scrambled but I'll worry about that later. I'm back in business and that's good enough for now. To all that helped me through this, my sincere gratitude. I hope to return the favor some day. V/R, Gary

I've registered it twice, once for the original install, then again for a re-install. I tried to register a third time (second re-install) but the web site says the password I've been using for months is wrong. When I try to have them send me the password they think is the right one the web page pukes. My Omron Karma isn't very good lately. UPDATE: Tried to log in at http://oeiweb.omron.com/Software/SoftReg/e...tware-login.asp HTTP 500 This going to be a long day. UPDATE 2: Got the Keyspan adapter. It isn't working either. Guess it's a software problem. Hope Omron gets their support site straightened out soon. UPDATE 3: Ignore update 2. Got the adapter working. I'm presently connected to a dusty old CQM1 using a CQM1-CIF02. I'm off to try the CN226. Wish me luck!

I'm using the number on the install CD case sans punctuation.

There's a CompUSA near me with the USA-19HS in stock. I'll be paying them a visit tomorrow morning. I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm completely off the air now. I'm leaning more toward a software issue because the latest degradation happened after I re-started the PC and logged onto the corporate server. We have one of those IT groups that likes to push user configs from servers rather than keep them on the individual machines. My fear is that all the work I put in late last night was overwritten when I connected to mother brain. I'll check that out in the morning. In the mean time, I'm tired of beating my head against a wall trying to get the CIF31s working. I would like to try something else. If for no other reason than to eliminate the CIF31 as a possible cause. Can someone suggest a cardbus or USB serial adapter that is known to work with CX-One?

Here's my setup: Dell C640 / Intel 2GHz P4 / 512MB RAM / Intel 82801 USB controller / WinXP SP2. CX-One 1.12 / CX-Programmer 6.1.1.5 / CX-Server 2.4.2.1 USB adapter: Omron CS1W-CIF31 RS232 cable: Omron CS1W-CN226 All connections made through peripheral ports. I tried the comm port on the CS1s using a proven serial cable without success. The CQM1s use 19200 E,7,2 or default settings on peripheral and default on comm ports. The CJ1/CS1s use default settings on all ports. CIF31 driver is the one that came with the cable. I have two CIF31s and six CN226s. I've tried several combinations with no change. CQM1s talk. CJ1/CS1s don't. Prior to the untimely demise of my serial port I was able to connect to any CQM1/CJ1/CS1 using the CN226 on COM1. Everything I've tried indicates the CIF31 is the weak link. The fact that others use it successfully makes me want to fix it but I would also be happy with an alternative. The Bluetooth adapter BobB has sounds like a great solution. I'm going to try that ASA the current crisis is passed. In the mean time, I have machines down, I'm ready to try anything you guys can suggest.

Thanks gtsuport. 16 words is still more than I need but it's better than 32. I'm going to try the BCNT route. That looks promising.

I get around the SET/RESET warnings by using KEEP instructions. It forces you to place the set and reset conditions on the same rung but it eliminates the compiler warnings. Now for my humble requests... 1- STOP CHANGING COM PORT ASSIGNMENTS! I use the Omron USB adapter set to COM4. All of my projects are set to use COM4. If I open a project on a machine that does not have a COM4, CX-P automatically changes the port assignment. No warning, no confirmation dialog. If I close the project without saving, no problema. If I make offline edits and save them I have to change the port assignment back to COM4 in order to connect/download. This is extraordinarily annoying and potentially dangerous. 2- Make BCMP work like BSET or give me a new compare block that does. I need to check ten contiguous registers and set a bit if they all match a certain value. I can set the value of those ten registers using BSET but I can't confirm the change without building a cascaded structure of CMPs. 3- How about letting me edit symbol comments while online from the symbol table (ALT-G). Right now changing symbol comments while online requires finding a ladder element with the target address, starting an online edit, editing the comment, and cancelling the edit. Very time consuming. I can think of more but they are too minor to list here. Thanks to everyone who contributes to this list. CX-P will be much better if Omron acts on it.

Of the two, the EE has the best chance of becoming a fully functional controls programmer. That said, I'm of the opinion that few schools are set up to train CEs. Even those who graduate with 'Controls Engineer' on their sheepskin have a long way to go. A good CE is an outstanding technician first, then an engineer. So much of what a CE does overlaps with traditional skilled trades that you can come at it from either direction. Line up ten top flight CEs. Half of them will have undergrad degress or no degree at all. The other half will have degrees in everything from EE to divinity. The best CEs are the ones who take it upon themselves to figure out the game and do the coursework/apprenticeship necessary to get good at it.

This may be oversimplifying but why not check the fuse rating on the main disconnect and add a 50% cushion?

kcor, I think you have the parameters reversed. The low limit goes in the middle and the high limit goes at the bottom of the ZCP block.