Siemens Step 7 micro/win Questions

Hello all!

I just started to "play" around with Siemens. I have installed SIMATIC Step 7 Micro/win v4.0+sp4 (v4.04) on a Vista machine.
S7-200 explorer 1.0.4.16 (this program doesnot seem like its running at all. Is This program comparable to RsLinks? when i try to open it fron the windows menu it opens a blank window to the desktop unpopulated)

order number 6es7810-2cco3-oyxo ^

controller is a S7-200

6es7 214-1bd22-oxbo ^

USB to PPI multi master cable

6es7 901-3db30-oxao ^

The issue iam having so far is communication to the processor. I found the compatability matrix on Siemens website. It lists the software as incompatible with vista. so far it seems like its running fine. However it might be my issue im not sure.

The multimaster cable does not show up as a designated device in my computer manager. it comes up as a generic human interface device.

Could my cable be newer than my software? If so how would i find the sevrice packs? to be honest i have a hard time navigating siemens website.

Hope this information is a good enough base to go off of.

Thank you all in advance!

I would load up VMWARE and Windows XP
Older Plc's had problems with the communications and the OS
was the cause.

Don't just double click the program to start it, instead right click and 'run as administrator'. I run the program on Vista, with the right click, and have minimal problems.

I would have suggested upgrading to SP7 but they have removed all upgrades from their website:
http://support.automation.siemens.c...&viewreg=WW&nodeid0=10805253&objaction=csopen

Hello, iant

thank you for the heads up i have a XP pro machine stashed. i will have to dig it up.

Bryan G,

I tried youre sugestion on the Explore S7 200 program it opens the same way running it as administrator. Do you think something didnt install correctly?

I don't have a PLC here to check the Explorer program, so it opens up but with a yellow triangle complaining of a COM error. Does MicoWin work? Can you establish connections that way. Have a look in MicroWin and see if it set to use your cable for Comms. Start MicroWin, go to Communications, double click above where it says 'double click to refresh' and see what connection method is selected. Try using MicroWin to connect to the PLC and feedback any error messages.

Hello,

sorry Iv been busy at work haven't gotten time to get back to this until now. I was able to set the programs up on an XP machine sp3.
the first time I connected to the 224 processor it worked perfectly. so I disconnected from the unit and wrote a small beginner program. Its the example in the beginning of the user manual.


After the program was done i went to download and a comm. error came up.

"either the PPI Multi-master cable was not on the PROFIBUS network or another master exists on the PROFIBUS network with the same local address as the cable."

I checked the comm setup in the controller when i was on line. Its used and has an existing program. the settings are the same far as i can remember. Also tried to upload the program and had the same error message.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for you're time.

Not sure if it will help or not... but see the attached procedure that I wrote for our Multi-Master cable

Never hurts to check. I went through you're procedure and had the same result.

The first time I connected to the processor the prompt window came up and scanned thought the 31 nodes then went on-line.

Now the window comes on and doesn't scroll through the numbers. could that mean anything by chance?

Try unpluging the cable and see what error you get, do you see any lights flash on the cable (when its plugged in), also does it show up in your device mananger?

yes the cable is shown in the device manager. If I unplug the cable and double click communication the error changes to

"ERROR: Communication time outCheck the port number, network address, baud rate, and the attached cable."

The transmit, receive, and PPI lights are all coming on when the software tried to communicate to the processor.

the cable is at local:0
Remote:2

Program has the processor at address 2. Do you think the port could have gotten damaged on either the plc or the cable?

matthew1 said:

"ERROR: Communication time outCheck the port number, network address, baud rate, and the attached cable."

Click to expand...

So its seening your cable

matthew1 said:

Program has the processor at address 2. Do you think the port could have gotten damaged on either the plc or the cable?

Click to expand...

I doubt it... do you have a copy of the program you downloaded to it the first time? maybe you downloaded a high speed baud rate that that cable will not support?

You can buy one of my cables then just send it back (under 30days) and get your money back... this will let you know if its the cable or not, you can also use the 'wipe out' program to clear the CPU (if you can connect) to see if its the program

If you can post the program we can look at the settings you downloaded

I have a copy of the program. all of the communication settings are default. 9.6k etc. Im probably going to order same of youre cables. do you have one that can communicate with 200,300,and 400?

here is the program that is in the controller now.

matthew1 said:

I have a copy of the program. all of the communication settings are default. 9.6k etc. Im probably going to order same of youre cables. do you have one that can communicate with 200,300,and 400?

Click to expand...

I will download that program into a CPU later to see if I get anything (going back to work later)

I don't have a Multi-Master PPI that will also work with the 300/400 you need a MPI cable for them