skyfox

How to view variable values during simulation?

15 posts in this topic

SYSMAC.png.adb007e083a07a3b54f5d683c2515

How do I view values of %D1000 & %D1001 in Sysmac Studio when NX1P2 simulator is running?

 

Also, how does one make a Variable in PLC read/write from the HMI? I see options for "PUBLISH ONLY", INPUT, & OUTPUT. 

 

Thanks.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Viewing the values of a variable can be done in the "watch" tab or page. View-Watch Tab Page. Once you are there, you can type the name of the variable into the name field, and it will show you the value. It updates in real-time, so you can go to another part of your program, and still be able to see its value. If it is a value from physical I/O, you can also set a value for it.

I have never had to use memory addressing, but I would assume that the value of the %D1000 address is the same as the variable assigned to it, and can therefore be view using the watch tab.

I can't comment on the HMI side of things, as I only have experience with the NA series, and I assume you are using an NB series based on your other posts and because there is memory addressing in the variable table.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You monitor by tag name only, not address. Adding EQ_PRS to the watch tab will show you the whole variable. Looking at each 16 bit group of a REAL value would yield nonsensical values.

 

For variables going to and from the HMI you generally don't need to modify the Network Publish column unless your HMI uses Ethernet/IP. If you can tell us the HMI we can better answer this one.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, photovoltaic said:

You monitor by tag name only, not address. Adding EQ_PRS to the watch tab will show you the whole variable. Looking at each 16 bit group of a REAL value would yield nonsensical values.

 

For variables going to and from the HMI you generally don't need to modify the Network Publish column unless your HMI uses Ethernet/IP. If you can tell us the HMI we can better answer this one.

I am working with NB series HMI (7"). Are you saying there is no way to look at values contained within D0, D1, etc., within Sysmac NX1P2 programming software when on-line? Every other PLC that I have worked with AB, AD, Mitsubishi etc. had this capability. What if D1 and D2 were part of an array and I needed to see the values contained within them? No way to do that?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
29 minutes ago, skyfox said:

I am working with NB series HMI (7"). Are you saying there is no way to look at values contained within D0, D1, etc., within Sysmac NX1P2 programming software when on-line? Every other PLC that I have worked with AB, AD, Mitsubishi etc. had this capability. What if D1 and D2 were part of an array and I needed to see the values contained within them? No way to do that?

The NB will handle the reading and writing with the PLC automatically. No modification to the Network column is needed. If the address is used in the screen the value will be updated.

I'm not sure why you would want to look at D0 and D1 when looking at EQ_PRS in the watch tab page will show you the full value which combines D0 and D1. If for some reason you wanted to look at D0 and D1 individually as half a REAL each you could make 2 16-Bit variables and assign D0 and D1 to them. Their contents will be identical to that of a half-real in an address based platform. Using address associations in the AT column is just an association. You're still using a tag based platform and have full monitoring ability of every tag.

Capture.JPG

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

As for the array part - if D0 and D1 were part of an array you would either add the array element (by array tag and index) to the watch window or monitor the entire array with view -> Watch Tab Page (table)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
39 minutes ago, photovoltaic said:

The NB will handle the reading and writing with the PLC automatically. No modification to the Network column is needed. If the address is used in the screen the value will be updated.

I'm not sure why you would want to look at D0 and D1 when looking at EQ_PRS in the watch tab page will show you the full value which combines D0 and D1. If for some reason you wanted to look at D0 and D1 individually as half a REAL each you could make 2 16-Bit variables and assign D0 and D1 to them. Their contents will be identical to that of a half-real in an address based platform. Using address associations in the AT column is just an association. You're still using a tag based platform and have full monitoring ability of every tag.

Capture.JPG

Thanks for the explanation. Much appreciated.

Cheers.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

People need to understand NB is a very basic entry level HMI, and it was not designed for use with Sysmac.  It was designed for CP Series.  It does not have the level of capabilities of the NS or NA.  Using this low end HMI with the high end PLC is going to result in extra work, like this assigning of addresses to the variables.  You are literally faking the PLC into communicating like the CP/CJ Series.

The proper HMI for the Sysmac family is the NA Series.  NS Series is older, but also can read variables from Sysmac Studio.  I get it that they cost more, but IMHO the cost saves all of the extra programming crap you have to do to make an NB work in this scenario...

1 person likes this

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
7 hours ago, Crossbow said:

People need to understand NB is a very basic entry level HMI, and it was not designed for use with Sysmac.  It was designed for CP Series.  It does not have the level of capabilities of the NS or NA.  Using this low end HMI with the high end PLC is going to result in extra work, like this assigning of addresses to the variables.  You are literally faking the PLC into communicating like the CP/CJ Series.

The proper HMI for the Sysmac family is the NA Series.  NS Series is older, but also can read variables from Sysmac Studio.  I get it that they cost more, but IMHO the cost saves all of the extra programming crap you have to do to make an NB work in this scenario...

Hi Crossbow,

Thanks for that insight. I did not choose this combination. A customer did. So I have to work with what I got. I am not trying to get NB to do any heavy work. NXIP2 will only exchange about 30 variables with NB. Mostly setpoints and then display the results of several tests. Spending thousands extra for an NA terminal for this basic level functionality is not justifiable. I can see if it was a more involved HMI going the NA route. My request was how to see what data was in a given NX1P2 variable in Sysmac. In the AllenBradley Logix world, this functionality is natively implemented for every TAG data type that is in use (Tag database). You can drill down to the bit level and see what the value is. If that is what one needed.

Cheers!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 hours ago, skyfox said:

Hi Crossbow,

Thanks for that insight. I did not choose this combination. A customer did. So I have to work with what I got. I am not trying to get NB to do any heavy work. NXIP2 will only exchange about 30 variables with NB. Mostly setpoints and then display the results of several tests. Spending thousands extra for an NA terminal for this basic level functionality is not justifiable. I can see if it was a more involved HMI going the NA route. My request was how to see what data was in a given NX1P2 variable in Sysmac. In the AllenBradley Logix world, this functionality is natively implemented for every TAG data type that is in use (Tag database). You can drill down to the bit level and see what the value is. If that is what one needed.

Cheers!

AB is still an address based PLC with labels added on top.  That's where the CJ was for Omron.  They are past that, now it's a free assignment memory allocation.  More robust in my opinion.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, Crossbow said:

AB is still an address based PLC with labels added on top.  That's where the CJ was for Omron.  They are past that, now it's a free assignment memory allocation.  More robust in my opinion.

You do have a point there. But "TAG ALIASING" solved the memory allocation issue long ago in my opinion. My gripe is that I was able to with very little effort I must add, to migrate from GE 90-30 world in to TI,s world in to, AB's world in to, Mitsubishi's, and in to entire line-up of AutomationDirect's PLC world (New revisions of old TI's), with very little effort. Jumping in to OMRON's world on the other hand, somehow doesn't have the same intuitive feeling for a switching-over newcomer. There must be a key that I am missing (a concept/Philosophy), that I have yet to understand.

Cheers.

Edited by skyfox

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
10 hours ago, Crossbow said:

AB is still an address based PLC with labels added on top.

Not since ControlLogix came out.  The named tag is the core element of C*Logix.  The memory addresses chosen by the processor were usable in pre-v21 APIs for optimized access, but the memory addresses themselves were entirely under the PLC's control. For v21 and above, access to tags is by name or by handle (instance).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

In my career I have programmed Omron (C-Series and Sysmac), AB (MicroLogix and SLC, one CompactLogix), Mitsubishi, Idec, Siemens S7-200, and Schneider Electric (Modicon/Square D/Telemecanique) and a couple other anomalies but my favorite to date for integration is the Sysmac platform.  I stopped using address-based programming back around 2003...

To date, I have never programmed an NB, so can't comment on the software.  But I know it's a multi-vendor device, and doesn't do any kind of special integration with anybody's devices.  So it can't see the Sysmac variable list, you have to fake the Sysmac into being a CJ... I honestly suspect it's not made by Omron...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
42 minutes ago, Crossbow said:

I honestly suspect it's not made by Omron...

I'm sure it's not made by Omron. It has a look and feel like Maple Systems.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
22 minutes ago, IO_Rack said:

I'm sure it's not made by Omron. It has a look and feel like Maple Systems.

It is made by Omron but developed/maintained by someone else.

There is a way to do an export/import all of your PLC tags in NB Designer that makes it much easier to use.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!


Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.


Sign In Now