Sysmac Studio Improvement Request

[The Fat Controller 0]

I wish there was some way to generate ladder logic in excel. It seems to me the only way to generate / duplicate ladder logic is copy/paste then search/replace. Very slow.

Example is I have 50 instrument function blocks with different scaling inputs to program.

In RSLogix5000, I create one, copy and past in excel, then generate all 50 with substitutions in excel, then paste all 50 direct into the ladder program.

In CX-One, I create one then export the xml, then duplicate the XML code in excel then import back in with all 50 instruments.

I cannot believe the only way is manual or do structured text, which I do not want for my function blocks. Talk about going backward. Somebody please tell me some function I do not know about to do this.

-----------------------

PS: I worked out how to do it. Omron should provide a better method like in CX-One where the XML can be exported with all the tag information.

The project files reside in a sub folder of "C:\OMRON\Data\Solution", and this contains files with "*.XML" extension.

There is a file with ".OEM" extension, which is like an xml index. Search for a ladder file name, and next to is there is an "id=###" where ### is the XML file name.

The XML file has one line per rung. I created a rung with #TAG# fields, then saved. Copied this rung to excel, and use substitutions to duplicated in excel and paste back into the XML file.

Just create all the associated tags first, and link all externals, and close Sysmac studio file before changing the files.

Edited 13 Sep 2022 by The Fat Controller
Worked it out

[Sergei Troizky 26]

PLC program:
- If cross-reference is done on indirectly-indexed variable, its directly-indexed instances are found, but not vice versa,
- Local/global selection should exist when a new variable is created automatically during online edit.
- Allow deleting unused variable while online.

 

[Crossbow 278]

3 hours ago, Sergei Troizky said:

PLC program:
- If cross-reference is done on indirectly-indexed variable, its directly-indexed instances are found, but not vice versa,
- Local/global selection should exist when a new variable is created automatically during online edit.
- Allow deleting unused variable while online.

 

Global variables cannot be added or deleted during an online edit, that's why there is no choice like offline.  Online edit is of program, a separate online edit can be done in the Global Variables list to add new variables, but they cannot be deleted during online edit.  Synchronize is the only way to rewrite the entire variable list and adjust memory it uses.

[pfort 20]

Global variables can not be edited or deleted while Online Edit but can be created (Ctrl+E while in the Global Variable Table).

[Sergei Troizky 26]

These are improvement requests, exactly as the topic name says.
Exactly because I am perfectly aware this is not possible now.

Edited 28 Feb 2022 by Sergei Troizky

[SKA AB 6]

Some suggestions

1) Keep simulator running even if i go "offline", works in TIA portal and Simatic Manager (For example change HW settings etc)
2) Should be able to copy/paste a whole panel between projects (Also works in TIA/Simatic)
3) Better exposed VB-code, such as SetItems for a combo/dropdown list
4) Change panel code to something more modern and function, VBA is not even supported by MS since many, many years ago
5) Change all default colors from black background and ditch the so called "fancy" UI gradients and colors on everything on default.
 

[photovoltaic 101]

3 hours ago, SKA AB said:

2) Should be able to copy/paste a whole panel between projects (Also works in TIA/Simatic)

What do you mean by a panel? You can copy and paste almost anything between projects

[Crossbow 278]

7 hours ago, photovoltaic said:

What do you mean by a panel? You can copy and paste almost anything between projects

He means the NA Series HMI.  You can export it to a file and import it back into another project, but cannot copy and paste.

[SKA AB 6]

15 hours ago, photovoltaic said:

What do you mean by a panel? You can copy and paste almost anything between projects

 

8 hours ago, Crossbow said:

He means the NA Series HMI.  You can export it to a file and import it back into another project, but cannot copy and paste.

This.

In TIA portal you can more freely copy paste between projects, like whole plcs, hmi's

[SKA AB 6]

Got another irritating "feature" by sysmac. STOP CLOSING THE TABS I HAVE OPENED, THEY ARE OPEN BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO BE OPEN!

Sigh, auto closing tabs because i switch between hmi or plc or something, this is one of the dumbest features in sysmac.

[Crossbow 278]

On 3/7/2022 at 2:38 AM, SKA AB said:

Got another irritating "feature" by sysmac. STOP CLOSING THE TABS I HAVE OPENED, THEY ARE OPEN BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO BE OPEN!

Sigh, auto closing tabs because i switch between hmi or plc or something, this is one of the dumbest features in sysmac.

Hasn't closed all tabs when switching devices in a couple years... what version are you using?  I have noticed some tabs, like HMI Variable Mapping, do still close when changing devices, but all tabs do not automatically close like they used to.

[ahbest 4]

If you have tabs open for both a CPU and an HMI in one project and an online edit or download is done for one of them, alle tabs for the other device close. Found no fix for that yet.

[Crossbow 278]

21 hours ago, ahbest said:

If you have tabs open for both a CPU and an HMI in one project and an online edit or download is done for one of them, alle tabs for the other device close. Found no fix for that yet.

Haven't seen that behavior... but then I haven't done many online edits recently either.

[SKA AB 6]

On 09/03/2022 at 4:19 PM, Crossbow said:

Hasn't closed all tabs when switching devices in a couple years... what version are you using?  I have noticed some tabs, like HMI Variable Mapping, do still close when changing devices, but all tabs do not automatically close like they used to.

V1.47.

EDIT: ALso, if you have tabs open from both plc and hmi, and then launch the simulation for one or the other and not plc+hmi, then it also closes the other device tabs, like run plc sim only, closes all hmi tabs opened.

 

EDIT 2: Also, running the simulation seems to break my computers scrolling and middle mouse clicking, only a reboot fixes this, until next simulation run

Edited 11 Mar 2022 by SKA AB

[SKA AB 6]

1) i REALLY  hate when sysmac closes tabs I have opened because i WANT them opened, this is the most dumbest "feature" in sysmac in all eternity.

2) I wish that sysmac counted the extra NX-PF0630 as a power source and not being as dumb it is today, see image.

We use like 13-14W of "10W" the first power source gives, but the extra NX-PF0630 does not say it has an extra 10W power source into the system, and you get these dumb errors under the last modules seen in the image.

[SKA AB 6]

Another bad coding in sysmac.

I cannot SAVE the project if i have one protected block in the safety (OC_ResetSignal) when its under version control.

So if you want to put the project on bitbucket, you cannot have safety blocks more or less.
And having to remove the block to be able to SAVE the project, is killing the safety, and changing the hash sum each time this block 
is needed to be added or removed all the time.

[IO_Rack 165]

4 hours ago, SKA AB said:

I wish that sysmac counted the extra NX-PF0630 as a power source and not being as dumb it is today, see image.

The Additional I/O Power Supply Unit will not supply the NX Bus with power. In fact it will consume. You'll need to put an NX-PD1000 in it's place.

[Crossbow 278]

11 hours ago, SKA AB said:

1) i REALLY  hate when sysmac closes tabs I have opened because i WANT them opened, this is the most dumbest "feature" in sysmac in all eternity.

2) I wish that sysmac counted the extra NX-PF0630 as a power source and not being as dumb it is today, see image.

We use like 13-14W of "10W" the first power source gives, but the extra NX-PF0630 does not say it has an extra 10W power source into the system, and you get these dumb errors under the last modules seen in the image.

Check the error message at the exclamation point.  I highly doubt you running out of I/O power (PF0630) because the software cannot calculate how much you plan to use.  I bet you are low on control power (PD1000) used to power up the modules themselves.  2 different power supplies, 2 different modules.  I know for a fact that Sysmac Studio takes into account the DC bus power supply.  

[Crossbow 278]

7 hours ago, SKA AB said:

Another bad coding in sysmac.

I cannot SAVE the project if i have one protected block in the safety (OC_ResetSignal) when its under version control.

So if you want to put the project on bitbucket, you cannot have safety blocks more or less.
And having to remove the block to be able to SAVE the project, is killing the safety, and changing the hash sum each time this block 
is needed to be added or removed all the time.

Sounds like a bug, did you contact Omron and ask about it?  I have saved countless safety projects, but I do not use the version control feature.

[SKA AB 6]

Sysmac + Structs + HMI = Hardest way to do anything.

I have this struct (or several), trying to address bools in the struct is a mess in sysmac and on the hmi side.

First you add the struct to global variables and hopes it will accept it.
Second you add the variable to the button for example. Correctly with . between each word in the struct, this makes sysmac create a variable named exactly this and then complains about it in global variables.
Then you have to go back to the button and change the variable from _ to . and double check it didnt add double of the struct words you just used, then you need to go back to the global variable table and remove the newly created variable with dots again, then the button might accept this to the correct struct and where it should go.

Edited 30 Mar 2022 by SKA AB

[scotty134 1]

7 hours ago, SKA AB said:

Sysmac + Structs + HMI = Hardest way to do anything.

I have this struct (or several), trying to address bools in the struct is a mess in sysmac and on the hmi side.

First you add the struct to global variables and hopes it will accept it.
Second you add the variable to the button for example. Correctly with . between each word in the struct, this makes sysmac create a variable named exactly this and then complains about it in global variables.
Then you have to go back to the button and change the variable from _ to . and double check it didnt add double of the struct words you just used, then you need to go back to the global variable table and remove the newly created variable with dots again, then the button might accept this to the correct struct and where it should go.

Never had this type of problem. I'm a guy who likes to use strucs in advanced mode all the time. I always transfer my important strucs into global, then map to HMI and communicate to child objects using "." delimeter and everything works fine. It's not super fast on parsing variables, it's true. 

Can you make a screencapture on how you do these steps? Will be interesting to see it.

[IO_Rack 165]

On 3/30/2022 at 7:53 AM, SKA AB said:

First you add the struct to global variables and hopes it will accept it.
Second you add the variable to the button for example. Correctly with . between each word in the struct, this makes sysmac create a variable named exactly this and then complains about it in global variables.

You should post this as a question in the forum. This doesn't appear to be an improvement request, but more of an anomaly or incorrect procedure. I agree that Omron could improve their variable handling a bit but using the correct procedures usually solves issues.

[photovoltaic 101]

On 3/6/2022 at 1:38 AM, SKA AB said:

Got another irritating "feature" by sysmac. STOP CLOSING THE TABS I HAVE OPENED, THEY ARE OPEN BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO BE OPEN!

Sigh, auto closing tabs because i switch between hmi or plc or something, this is one of the dumbest features in sysmac.

Update your Sysmac, this has been greatly improved

[kckku 8]

2 hours ago, photovoltaic said:

Update your Sysmac, this has been greatly improved

Is this a fix with the latest update? Version 1.49?

[photovoltaic 101]

33 minutes ago, kckku said:

Is this a fix with the latest update? Version 1.49?

Correct.