RS Emulate 5000 questions

I just recently got RS emulate v21 and I have been messing with it testing some stuff and it seems useful.
My problem is most of my programs have a lot of remote I/o and Ethernet connected devices (i.e. cameras and barcode readers) and there's not a way to configure the emulator for this for testing correct? The only way I can see to test the program would be deleting all the Ethernet devices from the I/o tree and recreating all the corresponding tags that were created automatically by the module.
Or creating a UDT to match the data type that the module created and change the tags to this type so there not actually tied to the module? Not real sure yet but this seems to defeat the purpose of the emulator if I have to completely rework my program for testing. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Follow these links:

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=100462&highlight=emulate

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=59064&highlight=emulate

I use it all the time. Much cheaper then having a bunch of PLC's in my office.

I don't delete the IO, just Inhibit the communications to it. Then I make tags called zSimDint[x] zSimBool[x] etc and then a routine called zSim. Then use the zSim tags to simulate things like levels going up when a valve opens or closes.

When that's all done I usually export the zSim routine if I need it later, then delete everything zSim.

I have found some timing issues with SQO instructions. I am not sure what it is but sometimes it just wont step. But put it in a PLC and it works all the time.

this seems to defeat the purpose of the emulator if I have to completely rework my program for testing.

Click to expand...

You have identified the principal weakness of Emulate5000.

No I/O connections or network messaging or motion or realtime behavior reduce its functionality a lot, but that's just how it is.

SoftLogix 5800 will do networking and motion and realtime behavior, but it was so unpopular they discontinued it.