scrolling multiple strings again on display..I'll be alot more specific this time!!

I have 16 assembly lines (1 seperate PLC for each line). When a knob is turned on Line 1 for example, a 1 is moved to an integer file. The integer is sent to a PLC for the LED message display via a Message function. A different integer file is used to store the 1 on the LED PLC: (for example, N10:2 might hold the 1 in the LINE #1 program but might send the 1 to N7:1 in the LED display PLC). Anyway, in the LED program, if for example N7:1 holds the 1 for LINE #1, then a JSR will move it to the file for LINE #1and display the appropriate information. Now lets say N7:2 holds the 1 for line #2 (in the LED PLC). If LINE #1 and LINE #2 have the knobs turned (N7:1 and N7:2 = 1), then both subroutines will try running at the same time. It will always run the most recent one that is turned. Is there a better way to run my code to get this to work. I just need both messages to show up. I want the message to say LINE 1 down 4:08 MIN.....LINE 2 down 2:03 MIN. Currently if both knobs were turned I would only get the "LINE 2 down 2:03 MIN". I would appreciate it if someone would leave their email address so I could talk about it further. I'm really stuck. Thanks.

Matt,

Can you use something simple like a self-resetting timer and cycle through messages?

ex:

            Alarm 1

+---------+---| |----+---------------+

|Lim      |  Exists  | JSR - Alarm 1 |

|       0 |          |               |

|Timer.Acc|          +---------------+

|      20 |

+---------+



            Alarm 2

+---------+---| |----+---------------+

|Lim      |  Exists  | JSR - Alarm 2 |

|      20 |          |               |

|Timer.Acc|          +---------------+

|      40 |

+---------+



            Alarm 3

+---------+---| |----+---------------+

|Lim      |  Exists  | JSR - Alarm 3 |

|      40 |          |               |

|Timer.Acc|          +---------------+

|      60 |

+---------+



etc.

Set your display times to whatever makes sense . . .

If this takes too long to update, then you could always do a timer along with each JSR with your display time, then your logic for line 2 or greater would be along the lines of:

    Alarm 1       Alarm 2

-+----|/|-----+-----| |------+---+---------------+

 |    Exists  |   Exists     |   | JSR - Alarm 2 |

 |            |              |   |               |

 |  Alarm 1   |              |   +---------------+

 +----| |-----+              |

   Timer Done                +---+---------------+

                                 |         TON   |

                                 |  Alarm 2 Tmr  |

                                 +---------------+

Since your original post only said the PLC was a SLC-500 I'll assume you are using one with ASCII capabilities (5/03 & greater). If you are creating a target string then sending it just clear the string space and set the introductory characters before entering the first subroutine. Inside the subroutines use the String Concatenate (ACN) command to add to the end. After exiting the last subroutine add on any terminal characters and send the string.

My concern is the scroll. You may have to wait a while after sending a string which is longer than the display line to allow it to scroll across before sending another updated string. This wait would probably have to be longer as the string gets longer.

Does the Vorne display, on receiving a new scrolled sting, erase the current line (even if it's in the middle of scrolling) or does it wait until the previous line is complete then start the next one? Would it be possible to overflow the display if you are sending too fast or do you have handshaking?

How about latching a "message displaying" bit when an LED message trigger is received that would prevent other LED message triggers from running until the time required for the first trigger to display it's message is complete then the "message displaying" bit would be unlatched allowing another active message to display. In this case I would order the messages in the program so the highest priority message is first in the program

Here is a little something I was playing with along those lines. It can be very tedious but it works. I used a multistate indicator on the panelview.