Newbie questions about Panelview Plus and Logix5000

[trummjo 0]

So I've had enough experience with the logix5000 platform to be dangerous, but I'm not a pro yet... And I'm having trouble interfacing a logix5000 controller through my enbt card to the Panelview Plus 500... I've created a program for the panelview plus, and for the controller and downloaded them both, but I'm not quite sure how to get them to talk to each other. I've been trying to dig around for some answers in the forums but havn't come up with anything thus far. Can anyone help me either find some tutorials/info on the forums, or point me to some AB guides on this subject? Second part of my problems is that I'm trying to interface the controller with a Festo block for pneumatic control (through enet). I can communicate with the block, and I can go in and physically change the bits and get them to move, but I'm not able to write the bits from the program with ladder logic. Whats the best way to write bool bits in ladder logic? It seems like a pretty simple process, and I've had success with similar projects before, but this is kinda tricky. I can provide source code if this will help.

[Shiner 2]

First you need to make sure that the addressing scheme you are using is correct and that the panelview and PLC are on the same network. The masks need to be the same. In the left hand column rslinx enterprise tab you need to configure the comms of the panelview. You need to set up the path to the processor, and do not forget to copy that config to the runtime. Make sure your PC does not have the same ip as your hardware. Boot the screen and during startup push the lit square in the bottom left corner. Go into the settings and manually configure the IP address and mask.

[dmargineau 6]

The FTVS application running on your PVP terminal is using the RSLinx Enterprise data server in order to communicate with the master CPU. There are two required steps when defining the comms. path of any FTVS application. The first one is the establishing of the Design (Local) path which is the Upload/Download path between the FTVS development software running PC and the physical terminal as seen from the PC's vantage point. This path is also used for the Test Application utility which enables the user to test the application while in the development stages.. The second path, esential for the functionality of the HMI running application, is the establishing of the comms path between the Runtime FTVS application (.mer) running on the HMI terminal and the CPU handling the terminal's tags as seen from the HMI's vantage point. This path ends AT THE CPU PROCESSOR. Since you have already successfully downloaded the .mer file to the HMI terminal and /or tested the application on yor PC, the Local Path is properly configured. You will have now to establish the Runtime(Target) path. Wthin your FTVS development application Project Tree, double click the RSLinx Enterprise/Comms Setup folder. Within the left pane of the configuration window pick the shortcut assigned to the application at hand and then, on the top of the right pane of the window pick the Runtime(Target) tab. Right Click the existing RSLinx Enterprise Ethernet network and then choose "Add Device". You will have to add all the pieces of hardware present between the HMI terminal and the PAC controller thus establishing the Runtime path of the CPU/HMI communications. Again, think of yourself as the HMI terminal and "look for the CPU" using the given network topology; this path should end at the PAC. Choose lower right corner APPLY radio button to finalize the path definition. When done, re-create the Runtime Application (matching the terminal's firmware revision) and download it to the terminal using the "Run application at startup/Replace Communications" option". When the terminal running FTVS application starts up, it will use the path configured within the FTVS project Runtime (Target) comms path in order to synchronize with the tag controlling processor. Your second question could be generalized to any Logix networked device. When the communications between any CLX system and a system networked device are established via a "connection", the system will automatically "map" the device's defined Input/Output data table within the Controller Tags data base. For example, if you have networked a (16 bit IN + 8 bit OUT) device named "Festo" to an 1756-ENBT bridged Ethernet/IP network, within the Logix 5000 Online project file, within the Controller tags folder you will find a tag named "Festo". Expanding the tag, you will find the Festo.Data tag containing the Festo.Data:I (16 bit Input) tag and the Festo.Data:O (8 bit Output). This is the image of the Festo I/O block from the Logix Controller's perspective. It is up to you to Read/Write to the corresponding tags either directly (using the Controller Tags defined mnemonics), or, by creating user defined Alias tags for the hardware defined ones and then logic relate them to your project. Edited 12 Dec 2011 by dmargineau

[trummjo 0]

So I went into FTVS and tried to get into RSLinx Enterprise, as you said, (It worked on my personal license, but it couldn't talk to the server and wouldnt let me manage settings) but on the school's computers (I'm a lab assistant at UW Platteville) the same icon only shows a question mark... I log in, let it get a license from the school server, then unplug from the school network and plug into the local network and change the IP of the computer to the local IP format. Then I get the yellow question mark of death. I also tried checking out a license from the server to the computer for a 24 hr window, but its still a no go. The computer god's here on campus have bad feelings about sharing network communications between their network and our lab/machine network... (apparently someone will hack in, and take control of our machines and the world will end, something like that.) So I can't stay on the same network as what the computers are on without disconnecting and changing the IP's. Any ideas, or am I grossly wrong about this?

[trummjo 0]

I've also found out that we don't have RSLinx enterprise installed... Just RSLinx Classic. Would this cause issues? dmargineau, Thanks for all the help... Do you have any directions for setting up the design path? I downloaded my program via a CF card, and 'tested' the program within the computer... thanks again!

[dmargineau 6]

RSLinx Enterprise is part of the FTVS installation package as a pre-requisite option, which needs to be installed in your case. It doesn't require an individual license, however, the development software FactoryTalk View Studio in both ME (Machine Edition) and/or SE (Site Edition) "flavors" will require one. RSLinx Classic is a Legacy Class data server. It will "work" within a tag based system, however, it will not operate as an integral part of the FactoryTalk Services, the platform used by the Logix/PVP systems. What revision FTVS are you using and what OS is the PC running within? Edited 13 Dec 2011 by dmargineau

[trummjo 0]

I'm using XP Pro with 5.10.00 (CPR 9 SR 2) FTVS

[dmargineau 6]

[trummjo 0]

I'm using XP Pro with 5.10.00 (CPR 9 SR 2) FTVS You should be okay with this PC setup, however, when you are saying that you do not have RSLinx Enterprise installed, what makes you think that you do not have it?. Have you verified within My Computer/Add-Remove Programs that RSLinx Enterprise is not present when populated? If you do not have it installed, you should be able to find the executable on the FTVS installation media or available for download at: http://support.rockwellautomation.com/webupdates/product_list.asp You will not be able to implement any FTVS application without using RSLinx Enterprise. I didn't have Linx Enterprise installed... That was a nightmare, but its finally there now. I tried to do what the tutorial said to do (knowlege base 45614) and go into tag browser and 'point' the tags to the tags on the controller, but when i right click on the shortcut that I created, it doesn't list any tags, as it should. I also get the error 'Failed to get names from the OPC server. Result = 80004001' in the main window at the bottom... Does anyone have any ideas about that?

[dmargineau 6]

First you will have to ensure connectivity with the controller handling the HMI application's tags. The best way to do it is to actually go online with the RSLogix 5000 application file. When done, open up the RSLinx Enterprise tag browser, right click the shortcut and then choose Refresh All Folders. If the RSLinx Enterprise Design (Local) comms path is properly configured, upon the Refresh, you should be able to see an expandable folder named "Online". This folder contains the Tag Database of the controller handling the Logix project, ready to be used within your FTVS application. If you cannot establish communications with the CPU due to your location, within the FTVS project tree, RSLinx Enterprise/Comms Setup you could point the HMI application to the location of the Offline file of your Logix 5000 project. This way, after the previously described "Refresh All Folders" action implementation, you will be able to explore the "Offline" Logix 5000 Tag Database folder and reference the available tags within your FTVS application. Edited 14 Dec 2011 by dmargineau

[Ken Roach 194]

Something you have to be careful about is how similar FactoryTalk View thinks the RSLinx Enterprise (FactoryTalk Live Data) and RSLinx Classic (OPC) connections are. If you have an RSLinx Enterprise Shortcut and an RSLinx Classic OPC Topic that have the same name, FactoryTalk View gets confused about which one to use. This can be used to your advantage if you need to be sneaky and substitute RSLinx Classic on the Development computer for a daughtercard that only the Runtime terminal physically has (like DH+). But it's most commonly an error caused by casually using the controller program name as the Shortcut name. Sometimes it's complicated by the RSLinx Classic habit of automatically creating OPC Topics with the controller name. So be sure that RSLinx Classic doesn't have an OPC Topic with the same name as your RSLinx Enterprise Shortcut, then remove RSLinx Classic as a data server from your project. Reboot, refresh, and cross your fingers.