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Can you share your PLC code? It sounds like the variable is being overwritten somewhere. That said, I haven't used those functions before, so it could be something else.

Like @photovoltaic said, a bit more information is needed to give specific assistance, but I am going to assume you are doing something like a batch weighing scenario, where you have multiple different weights sent from the scales during the course of a run, and you want to add all these together. I have attached a function block that I wrote for a project some years ago that does this. Basically, it takes the weight from the batch weigher or scales, and adds it to another variable when the trigger is True. In my case, I used the dump signal from the batch weigher. There is also a reset bit, to reset the output weight to 0 when needed. It does have a timer in it (comments explain why), and to be honest if I had to do it again I would do it a bit differently so it didn't need a timer, but for what I needed at the time it worked fine. The function block does have comments in it, so you should be able to have a look at it and get an idea of how it works. It might not be exactly what you need, but might give you the idea to set something up for your own program. Function Block.smc2

I had a project where the operators needed to input minutes and hours for a process. I used integers so they could set the values on the PLC, and then used the MULTIME function to multiply those integers by 1hr, 1min, 1sec etc as applicable. The output of those functions were then used for the relevant timers. A structured datatype and a custom function or function block does make this process a bit more streamlined.

When using Bit Lamps in the NA series HMI, it would be nice if we could have the entire lamp a solid colour, instead of the top right corner fading to white. It isn't a game changer, but just seems a bit odd that a solid colour lamp fades to white in that corner. Image attached. It is a lot more noticeable the larger the lamp is. And the lamps in my current project are of a reasonable size to allow the label text to fit inside them. After spending some time trying to find the setting to disable this, I emailed my Omron technical rep, who advised that after looking into it, they found it was a " built-in visual property of the lamp that cannot be changed unfortunately ". That said, they did send me a workaround using a Toggle Button as a bit lamp instead (with a dummy bit for the actual button variable), just in case.  

Based on your response, you have far more experience with this then I do. I don't have any ideas that would help to be honest. That said, if you do find a way to make it work, please let us know. If they can be programmed over EtherCAT that would be something I would be interested in.

When you say 'programming a Danfoss drive', do you mean controlling it (ie with the control word) or do you mean actually programming it (ie changing drive parameters)? My understanding of Danfoss VSD's (at least the ones I have used) is that they can be programmed (ie. change parameters) over EIP, but cannot be programmed over EtherCAT. That said, I have never programmed them over EIP, as I only have the basic version of MCT10, and my setups have always been EtherCAT, so it was USB based programming for me.

  Out of curiosity, if you just change it to a regular bool (not a structure member), does it do the same thing? (ie. using a test bool you manually turn on and off)

Is it definitely the same instance of that function block? I changed the clamp input to a test bool (so I could turn it on and off easily), and it showed up inside the block fine.

I just tried this on my laptop (Windows 11, Sysmac 1.48), it simulates fine. That said, Sysmac does request admin privileges (UAC dialog box) when I open Sysmac Studio, it does it on both my machines and I have always granted it.

I haven't tried to simulate it, my laptop is windows 11, but I don't have it at work. I can probably give it a crack after work and see how it goes. In the meantime, is 'randomware' a typo? Wondering if it is supposed to be ransomware, in which case it is possibly an anti-virus/windows defender issue........can't be certain, just throwing ideas out there.

If I a customer has an IT department and they want me to have remote access to their PLC (which they always do after I tell them that if I don't, they will be up for a heap of travel and accommodation costs every time there is an issue I need to look at) then I tell them how I would set up the remote access, which invariably the IT department never likes. At this point, I tell them that I am happy to work in with them (ie. install any programs etc that I need for remote access), but they need to work out how I can access the relevant IP addresses remotely, basically putting the responsibility back on them to sort out the VPN. And if the client asks me about the remote access, I just refer them to their own IT department. So far  it has worked for me    The down side is everyone invariably uses a different program for VPN access........so just need to keep it documented so I remember what program is for who.

Unless I have misunderstood, you can set contacts and coils can be set to Diff Up or Diff Down for one shot's.

Ok. I think I know what you are trying to do. Just want to make sure I have understood correctly. There are 2 conveyor lines that send product from silo's to hoppers. Each hopper has a gate on each line to put product into that hopper. When the minimum level switch of a hopper is activated, the one of the conveyor systems needs to prioritise that hopper. If you have 2 hoppers with minimum level switches active, one conveyor system feeds each hopper. If more than 2 hoppers have minimum level switches active, the system needs to prioritise the minimum level switches that were triggered first. Is that what you are trying to do? If none of the minimum level switches are active, do the conveyors still run to keep product feeding into the hoppers?

You will need to give a lot more detail regarding what you are trying to achieve. I can think of several ways to make 5 silos feed 4 hoppers using 8 conveyors (or 4 hoppers feed 5 silos, depending on which way the product goes), but it depends on the setup you have and what the end result needs to be. Do you need all 4 hoppers to be emptying into silos at the same time? Is it just one at a time? Are their any gates or similar that can be installed on the conveyors to re-route product from one conveyor to the next, or can the product only exit a conveyor from the end of the conveyor? Are the conveyors only able to run in one direction or can they run in both? Is the conveyor system already in place or is it being designed from scratch? Does the contractor installing the conveyors have any limitations on what they can do? What are the end user requirements? As you can see, a lot more information is required. That said, 8 conveyors, 5 silos and 4 hoppers isn't a lot of IO, so if you can provide some sort of idea on what you are trying to achieve, I am sure that someone will be able to give you some ideas to get you started.

This won't remove the entries from the list, but in the appearance settings of the Alarm Viewer, you can set the colour for each type (ie. Raised, Unkacknowledged, Acknowledged, Cleared etc). If you set the colour for the ones you don't want to be the same as the background colour, then you would only have coloured indicators beside the alarms you want to see. Might make it easier to review the list. I don't know if there is a way to limit what alarms are shown though.