MAC 90 and MTA-G1 Pass Through Programming?

[Matt S 0]

As the title suggests, using MEDOC (I'm assuming), and a MAC-PROG/9-CAB connected to the HMI, is enabling pass through programming to a connected A1S CPU possible? I don't have any older version of MEDOC, only GX-Developer, so I can't replicate the problem remotely. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Crossbow 295]

Dont think MEDOC ever supported transparent mode, but not sure. Well before my time with Mitsubishi equipment...

[Colin Carpenter 10]

Dos Medoc and the later 32 bit version works fine with transparent programming to the older PLCs, but I can only confirm that it works with the Beijer HMIs ... have never heard of or seen an MTA-G1 unfortunately. I seem to remember that when using an A1S with an old MAC40 you had to change the comms parameters to talk to the CPU, but every Beijer terminal after that, it just works as long as the HMI is configured for it in the set up software. The cable used was 9 pin serial to 9 pin serial, configured 2-2, 3-3 and 5-5 ... it was that simple. Edited 4 Nov 2008 by Colin Carpenter

[Crossbow 295]

MTA-G1 is an old Beijer terminal, about same vintage as the MAC terminals. But as I said, not sure MEDOC ever supported transparent mode. Can't believe people still want to use DOS programming software after all these years...

[Colin Carpenter 10]

I don't think it's a case of Medoc supporting transparent mode. From Medoc's point of view, it will send serial data to the PC's designated com port and will expect to see data coming back that fits with what it's expecting to see. The Mitsubishi programming lead contains an RS232/RS422 converter which enables comms to be established with the RS422 CPU port. In transparent mode, the Mac terminal does the same thing,.... it has an RS232 port connected to the PC and an RS422 port connected to the CPU port, so it's effectively emulating a programming lead. The clever part is that it can do it while still running as a terminal, meaning that operators can carry on using it while you monitor / do online changes etc. For almost every job now I use IEC Developer, but still have a lot of old PLCs running Dos Medoc software. I love IEC, but still prefer Dos Medoc to GX Developer. I've heard that the later versions of GX Developer are much better than the early version that I tried, so I'm probably out of touch on that one, but I can't imagine using GX in preference to IEC, so I stick with the tried and trusted Dos Medoc on the old stuff. There's something very comforting about Dos software that just works .... and I just love the screen colours .... and the nostalgia Edited 5 Nov 2008 by Colin Carpenter

[Crossbow 295]

With the newer stuff like GOT1000, there is a check box for transparent mode in GX Developer. Remember, GX is expecting a response from a PLC. The check box tells it that the response will come from the HMI, not the PLC. I don't recall seeing a check box for E-terminal transparent mode, so it might be different.