Novice PLC scripting

If 95% of our PLCs are AB (micro 1500, slc5/03,04 make up the bulk) what would be the language to learn to use scripting?

Also to move towards the future we will most likely start getting more CompactLogix and ControlLogix

If 95% of our PLCs are AB (micro 1500, slc5/03,04 make up the bulk) what would be the language to learn to use scripting?

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I'm not sure exactly what you're asking – since the models that you've listed don't support "scripting" ... (which Allen-Bradley refers to as Structured Text) ...

Also to move towards the future we will most likely start getting more CompactLogix and ControlLogix

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those platforms DO support Structured Text - but – here's just a friendly word of advice ...

IF (big IF) you're going to be writing this code for paying "customers" – be sure to check with them before you go too far down the "scripting" path ...

some experienced customers will write their specifications to totally prohibit anything other than "plain vanilla" Ladder Logic ... (they want their on-staff crew to be capable of maintaining the machinery) ...

some other customers who've just been "burned" won't ever invite you back again for another job ...

on the other hand, if you're going to be writing the code for your own company's use, then you probably won't have to worry about fussy customers ...

anyway ... here's a link which might help get you started ...

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/pm/1756-pm007_-en-p.pdf

DISCLAIMER:

personally I have ZERO complaints about Structured Text, Function Block Diagrams, Sequential Function Charts, Equipment Phases, and all of the other "bells and whistles" that are being used nowadays ... I'm just telling you what I'm hearing from my customers – but I'm leaving out the expletives which they normally use ...

Good advice, my customer is my company we do a lot of our stuff in house. I haven't brought up the possibility of using yet because I have not needed to yet, and I am not sure where to get started (have not gone to your link yet)

But you pretty much answered what I was asking from your answer is it safe to assume that Logix500 does not support ST or is it just the models I have listed.

you are correct ... RSLogix500 software does NOT support Structured Text programming – for ANY of the hardware platforms that it is used on ...

I glanced through the PDF seems pretty straight forward code.

My main concern was I see posts coming up often talking about VB, which I do not know, and did not know if that was the Structured Text language. If so I would of started learning it

As I have mentioned in previous threads I am more used to the "coding" vs. " building ladder logic" so I figured if I am already comfortable with it maybe I start incorporating it into my PLC programming

Something you should ALWAYS remember,

Just because you know the programming language inside and out,
doesn't mean your maintenance crew does. If the machine goes down at all hours of the night and maintenance cannot understand the code, guess who gets the call to come in and fix the problem.

An OEM I used to work for had three programmers, myself being one of them.I have had to debug several programs written by them and it was not easy. one guy said a>b or a<b, never considered a=b. when the program stopped, there was 12 lines of code that could have created the problem. I finally went to the boss and had him rewrite the code so we could debug it. When the customer and I pointed out what was happening, he said I never considered these conditions. Another loved sequencers, masked moves, and no documentation.

regards,
james

That is a good point.

But in my case it is kind a of a moot point. There are really only three of us that deal with any of the newer programs. A few of the maintenance guys work with some of the old stuff. If one of the other two guys looks at the text they may not get it right away but I like to comment...a lot. That and they understand logic well enough to see IF tag 1 then action1 else action2.

The other factor is there is really only one machine that would warrant calling us in if it goes down and it is a SLC5/04 so the ST is not an issue. The other ones will slow down production but not halt it.

My main concern was I see posts coming up often talking about VB, which I do not know, and did not know if that was the Structured Text language. If so I would of started learning it

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no, Visual Basic is not the same thing as Structured Text ...

friendly advice ... check into VB as another (completely separate) subject ... you're going to like it ...

What I have glanced at, it seems similar to C# format.