Rx3i - 9030 SRTP Comms

Hello All, I need to communicate between a GE Rx3i and a GE9030 that doesn't support Ethernet Global Data. I have set up a test project using SRTP Comms and that is working. The Ethernet Comms Manual suggests that to avoid using up TCP/IP channels I should "Re-Task" the existing channel. I can do this and it works fine. But...I can also set up the COMMREQ to run continously by setting Command Block word 9 (number of send repetitions)to zero. My question (for all you GE guru's)is which is the better method
1: Channel Re-tasking
2: Set Channel up to run continously

My preference is option 2. Go for it, if you have problems down the road change it.
I have found that if I use 1 channel for reading and 1 for writes, it works very well exchanging data between 2 Processors.
If you had a lot of PLCs to communicate to, switching them to EGD is the way to go.

Thanks RussB,

I played around withboth methods and eventually settled on 1: It recovered better when I introduced errors. I think because it was basically restarting all the time it didn't "hang" when I pulled the plug on the other PLC. I agree about the EGD but unfortunately those decisions are in teh hands of others (bean counters)

It is good that you are testing and designing appropriately. However, remember that when using any COMM_REQ communications the programmer is responsible for all error checking. In your option 2 or 1 if there is an error it should show up in the 'Status Register'. The programmer needs to monitor this and respond correctly after logging the error with date/time stamp to aid in future troubleshooting.
Most Ethernet comms from PLC to PLC are segregated from other networks and are very error free so option 2 is the most efficient, but only if one properly handles errors.

As far as error handling goes I was intending to store the last so many error numbers in an array (hadn't thought of timestamping them thought but that is a good idea I borrow that one). I like the fact that option 1 effectively restarts the COMMREQ sort of covers anything that I didn't think of.
If i set up COMMREQ as per option 2, and then disconnect the "other device" the status word stays at 0001 (hex) If I restart the COMMREQ leaving the "read" device unplugged then changes from 0001 (hex) to 0000. I have set up the code as per example in the ethernet manual to reset the Status Word to 0 prior to calling COMMREQ. When I reconnect the other device comms restarts.
If i set up COMMREQ as per option 1, and then disconnect the "other device" the status word changes from 0001 (hex) to 000 to 0190 (timeout) to AB90 (COMMREQ restarted before previous one replied). When I reconnect the other device comms restarts.
Both methods recover without my intervention but I get more information from Option 1.