RSView ME over Ethernet Comms

Hi all,

I'm attempting to setup an RSView ME project. I'm using a PLC 5/40 with 1785-ENET card. My PC with the RSView ME is hooked up to the hub along with the PLC. My BOOTP server is configured and I can see the PLC and PC in RSLinx, and can go online with Logix. I setup the PLC in the Communication Settings of RSView Studio and it reads the processor name and processor type fine. Here's where it gets hairy, whenever I try to test the project, the diagnostics window comes up with an error for every tag "The tag x x has not been activated" or "The item x x does not exist on any server". I'm sure there is something simple I am overlooking since this is my first crack at setting up an HMI from scratch. Thanks for your help.

Jay

Do you have the target properly set up in Linx Enterprise in the project? Are you using the proper alias to refer to the target device?

On the terminal itself, are you using the comms parameters from the project (as downloaded) or trying to manually configure them?

Did you set up the communications under 'RSLinx Enterprise>Communications Setup'? Or did you do it under the Communications tab at the bottom of the application explorer window?

To test using your PC you should select the 'RSLinx Enterprise>Communications Setup' in the top of the application explorer window. You must create a shortcut (aka alias/topic) and assign a path on the local tab. When you select 'test application' (the icon of lode runner ) RSViewME will use this path for the shortcut.

If you are testing the actual panelview plus then you'd assign a path on the target tab, create a runtime application, download to the path assigned on the 'Communications' tab at the bottom of the application explorer window.

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Thanks, grs, for that annotated drawing.

Is it just me or Rockwell is going overtime on trying to confuse all of us; RS View32, RSView Studio <= there is SE and ME edition?, right?, RSLinx for Enterprise, RSLinx for RSview, ME Station.....

Well I've had limited progress, and I agree, all these different "flavors" of every RS program out there is getting to be a bit overwhelming.

Anywho, if I create the runtime application I can get the project to communicate. However, I have to go to Application Settings, Device Shortcuts, and highlight my PLC and press to OK button and then run the application to make it work. Is there something I'm forgetting here? Is there someway I can make it always look to that shortcut? Testing the project from RSView Studio (Lode Runner ) still doesn't work, but that's of no consequence if the runtime works. I should also point out that I was planning on using an industrial panel mount computer with LCD screen from Littlepc.com not the PVP because we have a limited amount of space to work with, and all the PVP's we were looking at were too deep and too heavy

Thanks for all your help guys.

Jay

However, I have to go to Application Settings, Device Shortcuts, and highlight my PLC and press to OK button and then run the application to make it work.

Click to expand...

This sounds like you're doing this in the PVP, right? If you have to do this then there is something that's not configured right on the target tab in the RSViewME software. Either that or when you load your project in the PVP you are always selecting 'no' on the overwrite comms configuration prompt, never updating the PVP comms with the correct comms.

I would make sure you have everything correct in the Target tab for the PVP communications, and the local tab for the PC communications.

I'm not using a PVP. Just using a desktop computer for now. Do I need to setup the IP address of my PLC in the target tab? Everytime I do it just disappears if I restart the studio

My apologies, I guess I just assumed that you were using a PVP. If you re-read my posts and substitute 'RSViewME Station' for PVP then all I mentioned still applies.

If I understand correctly: You cannot communicate to the PLC when you test run the application. You can communicate to the PLC using RSViewME Station on the same PC but you have to change the application settings.

If this is correct then it sounds like there is still some problem with the path on the target tab in RSLinx Enterprise. I haven't used RSLinx Enterprise over ethernet, only controlnet. Can you post a screenshot of your path configuration?

after you select the processor you have to press APPLY

Read this post, especially the steps to follow from bobwithdana!
It might help!

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11751

When you download to the PV+ click on update communication in the download box...Took me a while to figure this one out myself!!

Jay,

I seem to remember an issue with RSLinx Pro and RSLinx Enterprise not playing nicely together when running at the same time. Try shutting down RSLinx Pro or whatever flavor you are using to communicate with your PLC when you are working in RSView ME, since ME uses its own version of RSLinx Enterprise for comms to the PLC.

HTH,
Jeff