Citect to SLC500 communication help required

Hi Team, require help in getting AB SLC5/04 to talk to Citect 7.2 sp4. via USB 232 convertor using AB_DF1 Driver. RSlinx 2.58 is talking to the PLC and l can up/down load.
I have tried all sorts of config's l have read on Citect KB as well as searched on this site. None of the configs line up to what is available on Citect Boards/Ports/I/O devices or RSlinx as drivers, as the example info seems to be quite old. As well as trying changing the Duplex and PLC Channel 0.
I have just been rereading another article were Ken Roach (back in2004) was explaining some of the complexities of using the serial comms to do the connection.
Q1) Is one of the issues that we have to use half duplex DF1 because we are trying to talk to 2 devices (i.e. PLC and Citect) were as Full duplex is for talking to one device only (i.e. PLC) hence why we have the complexity of polling?
Q2) Would anyone have the correct settings to enable me to talk to Citect via USB-RS232 and RSlinx2.58?
I have also tried doing comm’s via a 1747-KE series C. module but was unable to get info back via HyperTerminal software, although it says it is connected and l believe l had done things as per an instruction.
Q3) Am I right in thinking you can talk to Citect via serial comms and a 1747-KE without using RSlinx, which would then enable you to talk to the PLC via RSlinx + DF1?
Thanks for any help, as trying to config this is making my glasses starting to melt from all the steam coming off my brain ( I think l will try cooling it down from the inside with a beer)
Thanks for any responses to get this working.

Hi - first thing, can you see the PLC on RSLinx? Second, are you using a full version of RSLinx or just the light? If a full version then you could set up a OPC topic in Linx.

Cheers

Hi Freak, as said in first paragraph, I can upload/download.
Using 2.58 Rslinx Classic gateway.
I did try using an OPC but without luck, obviously l was not doing it correctly or it would have worked?
Is there a better RSlinx to use, as l have a selection?
Regards

Sorry missed that first line. I am using 2.59 to talk to 5/04's but they are via a gateway so on ethernet. I use OPC and the system has been in for a number of years.
I haven't set up a new topic for awhile but if you post a couple of screen shots I can have a look. It's a bit cumbersome for me to show mine because of how my Citect system is used, when I look at something so does everyone else in the business.

Hi Freak, l have done so many attempts to Config citect l really need some sort of example as what l have tried does not work (so l don't currently have any configed boards although l can do it), or an article on how to set up a OPC.(l just searched then without any luck for an in depth example using the gear l have)
I will be slurping on a Australian Red shortly

duckman said:

Hi Team, require help in getting AB SLC5/04 to talk to Citect 7.2 sp4. via USB 232 convertor using AB_DF1 Driver. RSlinx 2.58 is talking to the PLC and l can up/down load.
I have tried all sorts of config's l have read on Citect KB as well as searched on this site. None of the configs line up to what is available on Citect Boards/Ports/I/O devices or RSlinx as drivers, as the example info seems to be quite old. As well as trying changing the Duplex and PLC Channel 0.
I have just been rereading another article were Ken Roach (back in2004) was explaining some of the complexities of using the serial comms to do the connection.
Q1) Is one of the issues that we have to use half duplex DF1 because we are trying to talk to 2 devices (i.e. PLC and Citect) were as Full duplex is for talking to one device only (i.e. PLC) hence why we have the complexity of polling?
Q2) Would anyone have the correct settings to enable me to talk to Citect via USB-RS232 and RSlinx2.58?
I have also tried doing comm’s via a 1747-KE series C. module but was unable to get info back via HyperTerminal software, although it says it is connected and l believe l had done things as per an instruction.
Q3) Am I right in thinking you can talk to Citect via serial comms and a 1747-KE without using RSlinx, which would then enable you to talk to the PLC via RSlinx + DF1?
Thanks for any help, as trying to config this is making my glasses starting to melt from all the steam coming off my brain ( I think l will try cooling it down from the inside with a beer)
Thanks for any responses to get this working.

Click to expand...

Q1 If your PC serial port is connected to only 1 plc this is a point-point link and full duplex is fine.

You cannot have a driver in Rslinx and a driver in citect access the same com port.

If you want to use the Abrslinx citect driver this link should help.

Good Morning Chelton, Thanks for the Doc. This still gives me the missleading info l have tried before.
Example 1) Express Communication Set up I/O Device, SLC500 Serial (half duplex DF1).
Q1) if l use this one, don't l have to have configures Channel 0 in the CPU to half duplex via RSlinx then when l have changed that l can't use RSlinx to talk via serial to the CPU?

Example 2) Board type ":ABRSlinx" not avaiable in 7.2 we have ABCLX (AB Compactlogix?) or ABMLXEIP (AB Micrologix ehernet IP?)
Q2) I read where you have to add "Local" to Special Opt is this correct?

Good Morning again Chelton, My previous Post was not complete Thanks for the Doc, which l had something similar. This still gives me the misleading info l have tried before.
Example 1) Express Communication Set up I/O Device, SLC500 Serial (half duplex DF1).
Q1) if l use this one, don't l have to have configures Channel 0 in the CPU to half duplex via RSlinx then when l have changed that l can't use RSlinx to talk via serial (because it is Full Duplex) to the CPU?
Q2) Address (Default) 1,1 l have read elsewhere that this should be the same as the CPU, in my case 1?
Example 2) Board type ":ABRSlinx" not available in 7.2 we have ABCLX (AB Compactlogix? Contrologixs?) or ABMLXEIP (AB Micrologix ehernet IP?)
Q3) Address says to leave as “0”, is this the internal placement of the board in Citect and not anything to do with the CPU address which in my case would be 1?
Ports) Special Opts. I have written “AB_DF1-1”
Q4) Aren’t l using the Citect driver to talk to the CPU and not RSlinx?
Modems) Not used as l am not using EthernetIP?
Q5) Protocol =”ABDF1FD” does this not cause the issue about full/half duplex as the Express Wizard only allowed SLC500 serial half duplex?
Q6) When making a Test Page, l have used 2 test Buttons and a TEXT, OFF/ON does this have to be a Digital (internal B3:0/2) or Integer (N7:0) as my tag address. Are we not talking to the PLC but don’t have anything coded into the PLC for this Tag, is this correct?
Q7) Do l need RSLinx running to operate Citect or do l have to have the DF1 driver removed from Linx so that it frees up the com port for Citect to use it’s driver and talks to the PLC direct.
NO compiling errors
When l go to Run “Cant find serial Drivers” then “Driver ABDF1FD not initialized”
Screen shots attached
Is it easier to do an Ethernet connection, as a standard commuter (laptop) do l require any hardware/software to try Ethernet.
Again thanks for any help

With the following set up, l can RUN but Unlike before when there was no Comms indication on my Test Page, l now have "BAD"indication for Comm's.
I had changed the PLC channel to 0 and Half duplex slave.

duckman said:

Good Morning Chelton, Thanks for the Doc. This still gives me the missleading info l have tried before.
Example 1) Express Communication Set up I/O Device, SLC500 Serial (half duplex DF1).
Q1) if l use this one, don't l have to have configures Channel 0 in the CPU to half duplex via RSlinx then when l have changed that l can't use RSlinx to talk via serial to the CPU?

Example 2) Board type ":ABRSlinx" not avaiable in 7.2 we have ABCLX (AB Compactlogix?) or ABMLXEIP (AB Micrologix ehernet IP?)
Q2) I read where you have to add "Local" to Special Opt is this correct?

Click to expand...

Have you installed the ABRSLINX driver? Citect Drivers

I never use the express communication wizard, Try setting it up manually.
Here are some screenshots of a working config using the ABRSLINX driver communicating with a PLC5 on ch0

Hi Chelton, thanks for your help. It was not having the right driver and some slightly different set up to yours and away it went.
Silly me thinking that when you have the latest upgraded V7.2 SP4 with hotfix and AB drivers in the drop down menu of the Wizard Set up, you would have what is required. So l needed to download the drivers that you kindly linked.
So for others with the same problem, please find screen shots that work to communicate directly between Citect on my laptop (Window7 Pro, 64 bit) to an AB SLC5/04 via comm’s thru a USB-RS232 convertor.
In RSlinx 2.58 you use AB-DF1-1(or another number than “-1” if it is not your first DF1 driver).
You do not need to use Channel 0 via PLC-CHO in the Device type as in Chelton’s example.
There is a window that pops when Citect goes into Run, which says “Warning System Incompatible” due to drivers not being supported, but just click OK.
I have only the Test page running so unsure how stable/fast the graphics will operate until l do a full program.
Thanks to the Great support from Freak and Chelton on the Big Island of Australia from someone on the little Island.

Citect can communicate directly with the 5/04 without using RSLinx but you will loose the ability to be online with with rslogix500 and citect at the same time. If you want a sample config I will put something together.

Hi Chelton, with RSlinx OFF l can't communicate with Citect/PLC. Linx has to be running for me to be able to change my test Tag. Are you saying with a different config this wouldn't be the case?, if so l would appreciate all different sorts of configs. Go the mighty "Hawks"
Regards

Chelton, is it passable to run CPU on channel 0 as half duplex with the PLC-CH0 and not running Linx, just in my case when l tried to set that up (similar to your examples) it wouldn't work and as l have only one comms port, #5 l had to delete that driver and l tried using the standard DF1 driver and it worked(as yet l haven't looked at trying to program an additional USB port config to enable having 2 different drivers running as per your example). Go the Broncos

duckman said:

Chelton, is it passable to run CPU on channel 0 as half duplex with the PLC-CH0 and not running Linx, just in my case when l tried to set that up (similar to your examples) it wouldn't work and as l have only one comms port, #5 l had to delete that driver and l tried using the standard DF1 driver and it worked(as yet l haven't looked at trying to program an additional USB port config to enable having 2 different drivers running as per your example). Go the Broncos

Click to expand...

Yes, Attached is the setup required for direct communication with the PLC without using RSLINX. Remember to either shutdown RSLINX or delete the driver that is using the COM port or there will be a COM port conflict.