AB uploading times and Going online

hey guys I was wondering about how long it should take to upload a file from the plc thru ethernet. It will take my comp over 10 minutes to upload a file from a SLC 505.

Just curious. And as for a second part to this question, I'm mainly a siemens guy and new to AB. After I go thru and make changes to a program I save it and know that i have the most up to date copy, but when i try to open the file from the desktop and go online it tells me it can't find a matching copy and forces me to upload. Am i missing a step?

If it is a true ethernet connection (as opposed to something like rs-232 being converted to ethernet) then I would expect an upload MUCH faster than 10 minutes. Most apps I have used take 10-30 seconds depending on their size.

RSLogix doesn't actually care what file you have open when you try to go online. It closes your file then looks at the project in your processor and then looks in the DEFAULT DIRECTORY for the proper file. If your file is not located there then it doesn't find it and forces you to browse to go find the file that it just closed.

Someone else may have an easier fix, but you can either:

1. Change the default directory (Tools, Options) to a location where your file is stored.
2. Move your file into the default directory so that it will find it.

OG

The file I'm dealing with is about 1.4mb. Not that big. And it is a true ethernet connection.

Thanks for the heads up on the default directory. That would be my issue since everything is stored on the network.

I guess I'm used to Step 7, that uses whatever file you have opened.

The largest SLC-5/05 only has 64K of memory so the balance of your file must be documentation which doesn't get up/downloaded.

10 minutes seems like WAY too long. I would start looking at the network and seeing if there are traffic issues.

OG

Logix500 should first use whatever file you have opened. We store our files on a network server and they are not kept in the same folder but are arranged heirarchially by building/zone/machine type/machine no. We open the file and select online, and it goes online right away. The only time I get an upload prompt when I have an open file is if what is in the PLC program does not match the open file.

Make sure that in RSLogix500 you have configured the communication path to the processor (Comms->System Comms) and then saved it with the file. You should go online right away.

Also checksum must match (see PDF)

IIRC, Both the checksum and the last edit timestamp in the controller must match the open file, or one file in the default directory in order to go online immediately.

If either don't match, you will be prompted to choose a an offline file with which to merge the uploaded ladder logic and data tables. The offline file you choose will provide the documentation for the program. All rung comments, ladder program names, symbols, address comments, instruction coments, CDM, CGM, etc are stored i nthe offline file. That is why the offline file is so large, it is much more than an image of the controller.

This mis-match could be caused by someone else being online with the processor and making edits to it, or by unusual logic that writes to areas of the system data that affect the checksum.

I have not personally seen the latter occur with the SLC, but I have seen it with a PLC5.

As for taking so long to upload? Open up the "Processor Status" window (upper left on the RSLogix tree), click on the "Channel 1" tab and then the Help button. There is good information there about how comms are serviced. Some demanding applications require that communication be restricted to keep the scan time from suffering by only processing one communication packet per housekeeping cycle.

Hope this helps,
Paul

Along the lines of Paul's response, check the status of S:2/15 on the Chan 1 Tab. Setting it to a zero will significantly speed up RSLinx processing, but may add some time to overall scan. I have a 48K program running and it upped the scan time from around 65ms to 80ms, which is certainly tolerable. It also significantly increased the response time of any OPC driver (in my case RSLinx) connected. I just put an OTU of S:2/15 in the main Ladder to insure it stays off.

You can also judiciously scatter some SVC instructions in your code to further boost communications, but I found the above more than adequate.

I forgot to add. Under Channel Configuration, Chan 1 - System, make sure the Port Setting is set for Auto Negotiate with 10/100 selected in the drop down box. I think it comes default as 10Mb. If you're running a 100Mb network, you aren't realizing the full speed potential.

Ah, yes. I just found that area before I checked on here again. As far as the Channel 1 port settings, It is set to 10mb. Another question, what is the full and half duplexing and all the other options? If I change it to 100mb is there anyway I will screw up the communication in the future?

Thanks,
-Joel

Older SLC 5/05 controllers only supported 10MB so that is no surprise.

However, Half Duplex vs Full Duplex will definitely make a difference. With full duplex you can send and receive at the same time. With half duplex it is one or the other.

Make certain that you are using an ethernet switch instead of a hub. Switches allow full and half duplex whereas a hub is half duplex only.

OG

Alright here's an update:

I went thru and changed my ethernet channel settings from 10mbs half duplex to 100mbs full duplex.

Set up my compute to upload from the plc.
Started upload at 1:47 and 40 seconds.
Finished downloading and let me go online at 2:02 and 24 seconds.

This seems extremely long to me.

Am I missing some other simple settings.

-Joel

Are you downloading to the PLC and going online?

Or uploading from the PLC to: a new file or and existing file?

How much free memory is available in the 5/05 with the program running?

15 minutes is a very long time in any case, but I suspect that if the controller memory is very full, that is causing it to limit how much data can be transmitted with each response.

Paul

It's when I'm uploading from the PLC. When I try to go online but can't find a file with the same name and i choose a file to merge it with. The program isn't that complex. Just a Weld cell with 1 robot and 2 external axis. 3 sets of 15 models and a little indirect addressing. I'll get the exact file size later this week when i work on that machine again.

Would it have anything to do with the program runninh while I'm uploading?

Maintenance/Programming technician to Manufacturing Engineer. WOOT!!!



Anyways back to the topic at hand.



Doesn’t seem very full to meSorry it took so long to respond been pretty busy. I got promoted from

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