Password skip

I am using an Automation Direct EA7-T10C HMI. One of the required passwords occasionaly allows the user access after the first digit is entered and before the "enter" button is touched. Password is 7 digits and seems to work on all other protected areas.

Any thoughts?

We just discovered this flaw Friday and it has only happened twice so far.

I've never experienced this before, and I use a couple dozen of the 6 inch Cmore panels, all with passworded sections. Are you using the password option of the Cmore, or are you using your own password system setup in the PLC? Do you have multiple passwords configured in the password setup of the Cmore? I don't see how it could be allowing you access even before hitting enter, because the Cmore pops up a keyboard on the password entry and doesn't remove it til you hit enter. (Unless you configured it otherwise, which I have never done).

I am not using a PLC password setup. Just the standard one that comes with the screen software. I haven't turned the project over to the customer yet so I only have one password entered. We were going through the screens, debugging the plc program and getting feedback from the operators when this "popped" up.

Is this screen set Cache after it is opened .
It does appear to me that a cache file is remembering the password.

I don't think the Cmore caches anything on the password screen (I've never seen it do it). Are you running the program on the actual Cmore, or are you using the simulation in the Cmore program?

And just to be clear, when you say it allows you through without even hitting enter. You press a button that is passworded, the keyboard pops up, and you just hit one number and it acts like you typed the whole thing and pressed enter, and lets you do what ever that button was supposed to do?

Is there any chance that the PLC program is requesting the screen to change? I think a PLC requested screen change overrides any passwords on the Cmore. And remember that moving Zero into the screen request file makes the Cmore go back to the previous screen. So if they were on the password screen, then went back to the main screen, and were going to head back to that passworded screen, the PLC might be doing something and moved Zero into the file, making the Cmore go back to the passworded screen without any input from the operator.

Pretty new at this so have patience.

Gil47: Not sure, don't know, what you mean by ...screen set Cache after it is open. It may be happening right after I make a change to the HMI and download it. Not sure. Will try again Monday to duplicate the error.

Tharon: I have only one screen change request, a result of an alarm function. No screen change is made directly by the PLC. Password is 324180 and is required to make changes to a counter for minimum rpm. We touch the Numeric Entry button, enter the password, then the rpm, hit enter and wait for an alarm to clear or sound depending on what we entered. Another touch of the NE button pulls up the password screen again but just touching the 3 allows the entry screen to appear. We can go ahead with a new entry, but the error did not show up on a try to repeat it.

I don't have access to my equipment right now (at home, and all that good stuff). So I can't test anything out.

What firmware level are you using?

Software is 2.53

I can't get the problem to repeat on my system. I am using 2.42 firmware, and am using the simulator and a 6 inch color Cmore (don't have anything else available).

"Password is 324180"

Just something to check. On the password keyboard the "3" is right beside ENTER. If you fat-fingered "3" you might accidently hit ENTER. If you haven't configured all of your passwords they will default to "0". So accidently hitting ENTER is the same as entering zero, which by default is a valid password.

Configure all your passwords, and/or Only enable the password groups that you want inside each object.

Also coupled with a not very carefully calibrated screen. Use a small non-destructive pointer and see where you can touch to activate a given number.

Well, that makes sense. I always just enable a single password group for items, rather than every password group. So if that's the case, it was something I didn't even think about when trying to repeat it.

I also hate the idea of operators using anything other than fingers to press on a touch screen. I have had to replace so many screens in the few years I've been working because they get damaged by pens, pencils, metal rods, anything the operator can get their hands on. I especially hate it when they do it on the TP170As I have in service, since I can't get those new anymore (only repaired...) I posted signs on every machine with a touch screen instructing operators to only use fingers to touch the screen.

Use a small non-destructive pointer and see where you can touch to activate a given number

Click to expand...

I just meant that as a test to see how properly calibrated the screen is, not as a forever thing, though there are soft tip styluses (styli?) available.

Haven't used Automation Direct and so can only make general comments. Have you got a Logout after the data has been entered, otherwise once you Login at a level you may well stay at that level. So the next time you press the NE button you are already at the security level needed and so the password isn't needed.

Bryan

No, in his screen the need for a password is attached to a control (like a Jump To Screen control) and is required each time that control is pressed.