Posted 26 Jan 2020 My project is to read an RFID tag (ascii) with a Micrologix 1400, send the string to a PC using Ethernet/IP, lookup and compare in an Excel spreadsheet, and send back data (probably an integer) for the plc to use to control direction. I have to scan and compare an RFID tag to a list of 1400 possible part numbers, at different locations (more than 1 plc). I want the several PLCs to go to a single PC to make it easy to update when changes occur (on a weekly basis). Has anyone done anything like this? I'm assuming there will have to be some kind of vb or c+ application involved. Thanks, CK Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 27 Jan 2020 (edited) I have written some applications in VB.net, not exactly like yours, but data logging into an access database. VB is not hard to learn, there are plenty of tutorials and help over the internet (I've learn this way) to learn whatever you need exactly. I would not use excel as a database, as is risky (anyone can read/modify it) but a simple database like access can help a lot on this, and much easier to use when you learn the basics. To communicate VB with AB PLCs I have used Advanced HMI. It's a free semi-open source project as you download a VB project with a big quantity of already developed visual controls and use it to start writing your program from there. You can connect to several PLCs (there is actually no limit) by Ethernet, serial, modbus, OPC, etc. and read variables from them, it has several drivers to use. Like object oriented languages, it has "events" so you can monitor your string in the PLC whenever it changes and start a procedure after that. https://www.advancedhmi.com/ Edit: Forgot to tell AHMI it's based on VB, but you can use also C#. Edited 27 Jan 2020 by noeascencio Share this post Link to post Share on other sites