Q series memory problem

[jedb 0]

Hi All. I have a working program on a Q series PLC with an 02 CPU. The program, is a single 10K step program. I was trying to download a slightly modified program, when the following error message came up. This is how the message actually reads and not my typing error: - DON'T ALLOCATE WORK AREA NEED WRITING PROGRAM FILE DURING RUN OPERATION SO EXECUTE WRITE OPERATION USING AREA ON IC MEMORY CARD IF IT EXISTS. There is no memory card fitted. If you try and move forward from this point, you get a second message that reads: - EXCEEDS SPECIFIED MEMORY RANGE, CHECK AND RETRY. I have tried reading the working program in the PLC and writing it back in, but I get the same message. I can't find an errors showing in the special registers and I have tried the program tests and PLC test tools, both have shown no faults I have looked in the manuals, but can't find these error messages anywhere. Has anyone come across these before and found a cure. Apart from the very big HAMMER, that I'm getting very tempted to use Thanks for any help Edited 18 Aug 2006 by jedb

[panic mode 246]

unfortunately message is not translated well. i remember seeing something of that kind when plc is on the memory limit and i'm guessing this is what you are dealing with. normally program has to alocate some steps for online editing (i think default is 2000 steps or so). the bigger chunk you reserve, the more changes you can do online and - you can see larger part of program when you start online editing. for example if program is long and you change this to 200-300 steps and then you start editing in the midle of program, you will be able to see some rungs around part you edit but you will not be able to scroll very far. increasing this value will allow you to see more of code (and cut and paste within larger portion of the program) but this will also reduce available plc memory for program. it seams that someone else was squeezing that program into smaller PCU and now you are the one to make changes to it. if your pc is trying to alocate bigger chank than available you might want to alocate less. another way that seam to work for small changes (like what you mention) is to do the change online instead of downloading.

[Crossbow 295]

That message does in fact pertain to the space reserved for online edits. The default is typically 500 steps. If you intend to use online edits, you must make room for them in the memory. If that area fills up, you will need to stop the PLC and do a complete download to rewrite the program and release that area. On one of the tabs when you download to the PLC has a Program tab which you can use to change this allocation and it's location. make sure it's set for Program Memory and not for one of the Memory Card options. This should resolve it.

[FNMdeJong 7]

If you can upload the program into GX Developer, and a verify then you are sure you have the correct program. Next maby you can format the PLC memory and try it again. This will sometimes help. For the memory card, if you try to download it into a card witch is not present, you get a warning that it is not installed. If this does not help, take also a look at the dipswitches at the CPU, they should all be in the position OFF. Edited 21 Aug 2006 by FNMdeJong