automatic controllogix I/O configuration?

I'm just starting to use ControlLogix after a few years of using SLC and PLC-5 PLCs. With the SLC 5-04 and RSLogix500 I used the "Read I/O" button to automatically read the I/O in the rack and configure I/O in a new program. With the PLC-5 I didn't have to configure I/O except for analog modules. With RSLogix5000/ControlLogix it seems like things are back to the old SLC 5/01 days where you have to manually enter and configure each module, plus you have to get all the specific details like rev. # off the modules. Is there an easier way, like RSLogix 500's read I/O button?

"new and improved" all over again ...

nope ...

and be careful if you're getting the information from the labels on the modules ... these can be "flashed" to different levels - and most people don't bother changing the labels to show the new information ... your best bet is to browse and right-click on each module in RSLinx and then copy down the information from the "Properties" area ...

While the modules identify themselves on the backplane, the read config option is not really appropriate for the CLX system.

In the SLC500 there was always only a single CPU within the chassis so all I/O modules belonged to that CPU.

Because you could potentially have multiple CLX CPUs residing within a single chassis how would the read option know which modules would belong to a particular CPU? Two CPUs cannot control a single output module so how would the system choose which I/O belongs to which CPU? It can't. So you choose as part of the configuration process.

Realistically in most cases I have ever run into, the read config option was not usable to me since I would have started writing my program long before the actual equipment ever arrived, much less was alreadly installed. So frankly I don't moss it that much in the CLX system.

OG

And, in contrast to Operaghosts's reply, a single CPU could potentially own I/O modules anywhere on the visible network, and if that were ethernet, there could be hundreds of them.

And of course, just because an I/O module is in the same chassis as a controller, doesn't mean that controller wants to use it, unlike a PLC5 or SLC system.

The goalposts in controllogix haven't been moved, they've been abolished completely.

An auto-configuration option for the way controllogix works just isn't sensible.

It would be handy and could be done for installations where you only have 1 chasis and one cpu in that chasis and it would not work under any other instance and should be simple to do.

This way it would not work if there were multiple cpu's and would not browse any remote chasis. Simple to do because you would only need to give it capability to scan a 17 slot chasis as there are no direct expansion chasis in clx like there are in slc.

Contrary to popular belief there are many 1 chasis , 1 cpu setups out there.

The Plc Kid said:

Contrary to popular belief there are many 1 chasis , 1 cpu setups out there.

Click to expand...

I think most of us know that this is often the case.

Ideally, we would get an option to browse modules in a chassis and select which ones we want to add to our I/O config. That would cover both scenarios pretty well.

OG

DaleP said:

I'm just starting to use ControlLogix after a few years of using SLC and PLC-5 PLCs. With the SLC 5-04 and RSLogix500 I used the "Read I/O" button to automatically read the I/O in the rack and configure I/O in a new program. With the PLC-5 I didn't have to configure I/O except for analog modules. With RSLogix5000/ControlLogix it seems like things are back to the old SLC 5/01 days where you have to manually enter and configure each module, plus you have to get all the specific details like rev. # off the modules. Is there an easier way, like RSLogix 500's read I/O button?

Click to expand...

I enjoy the manual process of adding I/O anyway as I have a set procedure for building my applications where all naming methods and way I/O is moved into the internal arrays is the same each time.

Unlike the SLC system, you can name and see the I/O cards in the program tree and understand more about the physicality of the system.

For instance a certain I/O card maybe reserved for a particular reason, and this can be commented into the tree. Otherwise I name them according to slot and function so....

Slot1_DigitalInput
Slot2_Digital Output
Slot3_AnalogueInput...

These slot names are instantly referenced against the panel component labelling rail above the unit. I then add the comments to the cards, explaining what each card does in the application i.e. Alarms, Panel Operator Inputs etc.

I always thoroughly comment my programs, I feel better for it and the sigh of relief from Operators leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy inside! 8o)

Operaghost said:

Realistically in most cases I have ever run into, the read config option was not usable to me since I would have started writing my program long before the actual equipment ever arrived, much less was alreadly installed. So frankly I don't moss it that much in the CLX system.
OG

Click to expand...

Same here, code is written weeks before I get the h/w so I never used it with the SLC either. If I waited for the h/w , there would be hell to pay with the customer.

Thanks

Thanks everyone! You've not only answered my question, but also given me a couple ways to think about it and share with my students.