Redlion Handshaking and notification

I am converting a Panelview 1000 over to a RedLion G310. The panelview is using the handshaking and notification option quite often thru-out the program. This is my first attempt at doing a real program in Crimson, and was wondering is there a clean way of doing the handshake and notification bits.

What PLC is it talking to ? What protocol ?

As far as i know you'll have to write the handshake tags into the plc/g310.

I cant remember what the tags do on the panelview, can you refresh my memory ?

The Panelview sets an optional notify bit when a new value is entered or a list pointer is changed etc. That bit stays set until the PLC turns on the Handshake bit which lets the Panelview know that the value has been received by the PLC. The Panelview will then turn off the Notify bit.

The Panelview also has (optional) separate fields for display and entry tags for most of its objects.

The Panelview can and will lie to you about the contents of its tags, retaining old values depending on comms issues, and how the power up options are set up. This may be the reason for having those extra tags and accompanying PLC code.

I have not yet worked with the Red Lion HMI, but if it is like most normal HMI applications, you can probably do away with the notify and handshake logic altogether.

You'll have to examine the PB32 app and the PLC code closely to figure out if there are any special uses that require them.

There may be some equivalent feature in the Red Lion that someone else can comment on.

Hope this helps.
Paul

I cant open up PB32 as it seems to be corrupt on my pc !! So cant access the help, i have done lots of PB apps but never needed to use the handshake tags.

The RL doesnt seem to have this, although it could easily be written into a program or within the tags and have the plc acknowledge this with another tag.

Like Okie says you may be better to remove these altogether.

How are they used in the logic ? Do all the tags have a handshake or just a few certain ones ?

In most cases when converting a program, I do get rid of the handshaking/notification bits. With this PB32 program the handshaking/notification bits are being used in the PLC program. I was being lazy in hoping that there were easy direct options for this in the RedLion, like there is in the Cmore.

I could probably attempt to write a program to do the same thing, it is just something else I will have to learn. I am somewhat illiterate when it comes to structured text type programming. Maybe illiterate is not the right word, more like dislexic. I can make out some simple code but not the more complex.

I was just hoping for a clean simple solution to this.

One implementation attached, not tested and interpreted from Okies post on how the handshake works so i may be wrong here

You'll need to check the NotifytoPLC bit in the PLC and set an AcknowledgefromPLCbit to 1 when the notify bit goes high.

This can be done with 2 tags in the G3, notify and acknowledge, and using the OnEntryComplete or OnDeselected in the dataentry tab on the tag that you are working with on screen ie an integer or pushbutton to initiate the handshake...

Like i say it may be wrong, but may help and is untested

And when you set the acknowledge bit from the plc i would imagine this would be best done with a OSR instruction in the plc, otherwise use a delay in the G3 when resetting the tag.

Thanks 504bloke, that looks like what I am looking for. I'll test it too make sure but it seems to have the right idea behind it.

Thanks again.

bguinn said:

Thanks 504bloke, that looks like what I am looking for. I'll test it too make sure but it seems to have the right idea behind it.

Thanks again.

Click to expand...

Your welcome.

When you have tested it and got it as per the PB32 app and all is good then post it here or even better as a handshake app (G3 file and Logix file) in the downloads section above so others can benefit.

I'll do it.

Also check out the CommsError in the help files, you can alarm when you get a comms failure.

You could also set this up as a heartbeat to the plc for the plc to know there is a comms failure also.

And if there's anything that you think could make the redlion G3 better that's not been mentioned in the thread already then feel free to add it here.

Some of the RL boys are here a fair bit helping us folks out!

If you want to sync the plc clock to the G3's then here's an ML example

Can you send me a PM explaining just how the AB handshake feature works? We're working on a customer wish list for a forthcoming product, and this looks like something that should included...

MikeGranby said:

Can you send me a PM explaining just how the AB handshake feature works? We're working on a customer wish list for a forthcoming product, and this looks like something that should included...

Click to expand...

When i get to work ill email you the PB32 help file that explains it.

Check your email, all help files i have found sent to you.