Pv+ 600 time sync

Hi everyone,
I have a PV+600 connected to a CompactLogix 1769-L18 PLC.
I am trying to have the PLC time set the HMI time. I did everything per KB#38259. I have the 7 element array for the time and have it set up in the FT Global Connections. When I test the application on my PC I get an Diagnostic Pop up saying "Unable to set time". I have looked at everything and it all looks right.
I was hoping someone would have some ideas on what is going on. I know I am talking to the PLC and the PV just fine. The other screens I have made work like they should.

I have attached the .apa and .L5K file so hopefully someone can spot my error.

Thanks for help.

sorry, I have done this before, but currently do not have the software available to look at your files, pdf it and let me see

At the risk of sounding stupid. How do I covert a FT View and RSL5K file to PDF's? Would a screen shot help?

I would just take screenshots and print them as PDF, or save them as *.BMP or *.PNG files.

I can't open that APA file; was it created with FTView Studio 7.0 ? I only have version 6.10 on my workstation.

I don't know if the Remote DateTime feature works on Windows runtimes; I have only ever tried it on PanelView terminals themselves.

Have you tested this on the PanelView itself, rather than just during the test runtime on your FactoryTalk View development PC ?

The two most common mistakes I've seen are:

1. Connecting both the 'Date and Time' and the 'Remote Date and Time' to the same tags in the controller. This causes a race condition as the PanelView attempts to modify the controller's time at the same time as it reads the controller's time to modify itself.

2. Confusion of the periodic rate of the 'Date and Time Output Interval" or the "Maximum Update Rate" versus the 'Remote Date and Time' tag.

The 'Date and Time Output Interval' is the interval at which the PanelView Plus writes its own clock data into the tags you connect to 'Year, Day of Week, Month, Day of Mont, Hour, Minute, Second'.

The 'Maximum Update Rate" is the interval at which the PanelView Plus reads the clock data values from the tags you connect to the 'Remote Year'(etc) fields. I leave this at 1 second.

The 'Remote Date and Time' tag is the trigger. When you set this in the PLC and the PanelView sees it go from 0 to 1, the PanelView takes the values from the Remote Year/Month/Day/Hour (etc) and writes them to the Windows CE operating system.

All that being said, I am bewildered why RA didn't build a simple SNTP or NTP client into the PanelView Plus so it could get its Time and Date from an Internet or Intranet server. I'm sure there's some reason involving client authentication and the Windows CE operating system. All I want is to have the alarm history actually line up with the clock on the wall.

Thanks for the info Ken!! I was hoping you would chime in.
To answer your questions:

I can't open that APA file; was it created with FTView Studio 7.0 ? I only have version 6.10 on my workstation.

Click to expand...

Yes it is FTview 7.0. Is there a way to create a v6 apa file that you can look at?

Have you tested this on the PanelView itself, rather than just during the test runtime on your FactoryTalk View development PC ?

Click to expand...

No I haven't tried it on the PV itself yet. Just did the test via the PC connection. I was wondering if that was the issue it may be. I will try and make a runtime file and download it to the PV. Since I am still in development, can I create a mer file later and download it over the old one? How does that work? With Crimson you just do a update but something tells me it isn't that easy with FT

1. Connecting both the 'Date and Time' and the 'Remote Date and Time' to the same tags in the controller. This causes a race condition as the PanelView attempts to modify the controller's time at the same time as it reads the controller's time to modify itself.

Click to expand...

I only have the Remote date and time lines set up. The customer specs say that the PLC will be the time "Master" so I dont need to write the PV time to the PLC.

2. Confusion of the periodic rate of the 'Date and Time Output Interval" or the "Maximum Update Rate" versus the 'Remote Date and Time' tag.

The 'Date and Time Output Interval' is the interval at which the PanelView Plus writes its own clock data into the tags you connect to 'Year, Day of Week, Month, Day of Mont, Hour, Minute, Second'.

The 'Maximum Update Rate" is the interval at which the PanelView Plus reads the clock data values from the tags you connect to the 'Remote Year'(etc) fields. I leave this at 1 second.

The 'Remote Date and Time' tag is the trigger. When you set this in the PLC and the PanelView sees it go from 0 to 1, the PanelView takes the values from the Remote Year/Month/Day/Hour (etc) and writes them to the Windows CE operating system.

Click to expand...

I was confused about how all that worked but did some research and found out I don't need to use it. But your explanation really helps. I am using my Tag CLOCK_READ[5].0 as the Remote Date and Time trigger. So it should sync every 2 minutes.

I will try and get some screen shots posted a little later. Thanks for everyone for your help!!

I think the test runtime is the issue; this should run fine on the PanelView.

PanelView Plus terminals are a little clunky compared to Crimson, but it does have benefits. You can have bunches of Runtime files on the terminal, but only the one selected to run does run when you start up.

I usually download Runtimes to the internal storage and check the 'Run at Startup' box that makes the terminal reboot and run the file I just downloaded. When I'm done commissioning, I use the terminal's onboard configuration menus to delete all of the unused *.MER files in the onboard memory.

Update: I have downloaded a Runtime file to the PV and the time Sync works.
I have created a page in the PV that will allow the operator to enter a new time. I have programmed the PLC to take the entered date and time and write it to the PLC wall clock using a SSV command. That seems to work as well.
The problem I am having is since the PV only updates every 2 minutes the time entered is off by as much as 2 minutes. I have set the Remote Date and Time to an expression of {[LACT_PLC]CLOCK_READ[4].0} or{[LACT_PLC]SYC_TIME_BIT} and that doesn't seem to work. How can I get the PV to update the time every 2 minutes or when a new time is entered?
Also one more time related question: The PV time shows AM and PM. Where in the PLC is AM or PM stored? Or is the RTC in the CLX a 24 hour clock?

Thanks for the help!!