RSLogix5000 tags + RSView (beginner)

Hello guys.

I've finally begun using some ControlLogix stuff, moving up from SLC500, and there's a few roadbumps I'm having issues with:

1. How in the world do you import tags into RSView from RSLogix? The CSV that Logix exports is not understandable by RSView, and it would appear significant Excel work is required to get Logix to talk to View, and this seems just very odd.

2. My project is utilizing a remote I/O rack connected to the local CPU/rack via a CNB. I don't seem to be able to assign Tags to the remote addresses. For example, a remote address looks like remote_cnb:4:I.Data.8, but in the Controller Tags window, I am unable to assign an alias for it, so when I'm working out my ladder logic, I have to carefully enter in that long address (into a short field, too!). This, too, seems very odd.

Any hints?

Thnx.

Are you in the RSView SE/ME world? If so, you don't even have to create a tag database. I address PLC tags directly in the animation and only create tags in the database for alarms and trending.

I've never done it myself, but I know there is a way to bring CLogix tags into RSView SE/ME without using the export/import method.

Yeah, it's RSView ME. I think my issue is that I don't physically have the PLC/HMI at the moment, so RSView can't "talk" to anything to get the tags - hence the need for importing, which worked well in SLC.

See Rockwell Knowledgebase ID 45926

There seems to be a newer tag import utility available. The old one worked, but you had to massage the CSV file before importing to SE/ME.

Hopefully this is what you are looking for:

On the RSLinx Enterprise communications setup, there is a bar at the bottom that says "Offline tag file". Just point this to your RSLogix500 program file (.acd). Then when you want to address a tag on a button for example, open the tag browser and under your shortcut folder there will be a folder titled "offline". This is the tags from your PLC program.

Edit: I should mention that you will probably need to add a communication shortcut before you can get to the tags. You don't have to add the correct path, just the shortcut. You can update the path later.

Ok, I think I got my #2 issue fixed. While I was trying create addresses with aliases, it appears you really create aliases (tags) with addresses (alias)

Still struggling with #1. I created the Device Shortcut and set the offline file, but the tag browser only shows the name of the device shortcut, and not all the tags it contains.. always a challenge.

So in the tag browser, you will probably see two folders. Your shortcut folder and a folder called system (internal tags). If you click the plus next to your shortcut folder, it doesn not have a folder under it called "offline"?

Maybe right click on it and refresh? I dont' think you have to do that, but you never know.

Nope. Here's the current situation:

In Explorer, Local->RSLinx Enterprise->Communication Setup

I've created a Device Shortcut called "logix", and when selected, the "Offline Tag File" points to my .ACD. The local/target stuff remains mostly unmolested

Then, clicking on some control to eventually get to the Tag Browser, I have two folders: My project, with "system" underneath it (which has all those system tags). The top level project folder contains a single "tag", called "logix", which if you'll recall is what I named the shortcut. When I choose that tag thing, it inserts {:RSLinx Enterprise:} into whatever field i'm working with.

Refresh/Restart/Reboot does nothin.

When you create the shortcut in RSLinx Enterprise, make sure it is in the Design (Local) tab. That is required for offline development.


OG

Here is what the Tag Browser should look like



OG

Meant to post this before. Here is what the RSLinx Enterprise setup should look like in version 5.0.




OG

here's what mine look like





See how only rslogix shows up when clicking on the top level folder? I'm SURE there's some minor little trick I'm missing.

I think you NEED to have your shortcut pointing at a CLX processor, even if it doesn't exist or you are working offline. You can see in your screenshot the shortcut is pointing at 'RSLinx Enterprise', which isn't a CLX processor. Try adding an ENBT card, then a processor under it, and then assign your shortcut to that processor. Make sure your offline tag file sticks also. Then it should work.

Hmm... OperaGhost's screenshots don't seem to have that requirement.

This is rather confusing. Do I have to set up an equivalent PLC environment, like I have done in "I/O Configuration" in RSLogix? I'm almost tempted to type in my 128 tags directly, but then my luck would be that they wouldn't "work", which is why I'm trying for this "common database" method, which should be easier. If I make a tag in RSLogix, I'd love to not have to re-make it in RSView.

I'm really trying to avoid all this duplicate effort. RSView and RSLogix are from the same company -- shouldn't they work together a little better? Does Siemens Step 7 have this much frustration?

OperaGhost's setup would not work. I would also avoid importing tags into the HMI tag database at all costs! This just makes everything more difficult to maintain. Want to add a tag? OK! Re-import the whole database again. The feature exists to read directly from the PLC and bypass the HMI tag database, and it is MUCH easier to use once you know how to configure it properly.

RSLogix and RSview DO work very well together, the problem is it is not configured. I can see from your screenshot that the shortcut you made is pointing at the root of the RSLinx Enterprise server. This is not a valid processor so RSLinx won't serve up tags (although I agree with you it should anyway with an offline file).

Here are the steps you need to take to make it work (might be slightly different, I have V5 and looks like you are using V4):

1. Right click on the Ethernet Driver you already have there, click Add Device.
2. Under the EtherNetIP Devices folder, expand '1756-ENBT/A' and double click on '1756-ENBT/A, Major Revision 1'
3. Enter in anything you want for IP, slot and name, click OK.
4. Now you can see the ENBT module under your EtherNet driver. Expand the ENBT module to reveal the backplane. Right click on the backplane and add device again.
5. Expand any CLX processor (1756-L61 for example) and double click on the firmware revision you wish to use (although I don't think it matters, really).
6. Enter in any name and slot, click OK. Now you have a processor in the tree.
7. Click on your shortcut on the left to select it, then click on the processor. Make sure your offline file is still set correctly. The Apply button should be enabled now, so click it.
8. Go browse tags. You will have to refresh all folders to see the offline tags first.

Hopefully this helps, come back if you have any more questions.

See my scribbles below: