1394-SJT10-C & GML Commander

technolog

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We have a machine with an Allen-Bradley 1394-SJT10-C multi-axis motion controller with two axis modules, both 1394-AM75. One of the axis module's Axis Enabled LEDs is flashing green. Consulting the manual, this appears to mean the axis isn't enabled. The other axis's Axis Enabled LED is on solid green, which appears to mean it's enabled. We've tried swapping the enable wires over and the problem remains the same, which tends to suggest that the problem is with the axis module or the programming thereof.

We have a copy of GML Commander (version 4.03 is this the correct version?) and we're trying to connect to the controller to see what the problem is.

I have a 64-bit Windows 7 Professional laptop, so I've installed GML Commander on a VMware Windows XP Professional virtual machine. I read somewhere that a proper serial port is a must but I only have USB ports and am using a converter. Can anyone confirm that I do actually need a machine with a serial port? Will the VMware XP machine be able to communicate with the controller?

I've tried assigning my USB serial converter com ports between 1 & 4 - GML Commander can only use ports 1 to 4 but so far I've been unable to connect.

Any help or insight into my problems would be greatly appreciated.
 
Using a null modem adapter, with the programming cable in the rearmost of the two 9-pin ports on the 1394-SJT10-C and with my serial converter and GML Commander both set to Com 3, I've just had GML Commander saying it was online and the program was stopped, in the status bar.

There were also some gibberish characters in the bottom right window and shortly after, GML Commander crashed. It doesn't seem like we're too far away. Does anyone know what the comms settings should be: baud rate, data bits, stop bits etc?

I've been trying to get a screen shot without success so far. I'll have another go tomorrow.
 
Hi - i've connected to one of our 1394-SJT10-C-RL controllers today, and comms settings we're using are 9600, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit. Our desktop PC (winXP) is connected with flow control at Xon/Xoff, while my laptop (win7) connects with flow control off. Note that both our our computers have physical serial ports, so COMM1 as per the software. Haven't tried with a USB/serial adaptor.

My laptop runs Windows 7 Pro 64 bit, and GML runs natively fine. Maybe try that without VMWare XP?

Yes, GML commander 4.03 is the latest version.

As for the flashing green light, it sounds like it's not enabled. If you can't access the software, can you swap the axis modules and confirm if that moves the issue (pointing to faulty axis module)?
 
Using a null modem adapter, with the programming cable in the rearmost of the two 9-pin ports on the 1394-SJT10-C and with my serial converter and GML Commander both set to Com 3, I've just had GML Commander saying it was online and the program was stopped, in the status bar.

There were also some gibberish characters in the bottom right window and shortly after, GML Commander crashed. It doesn't seem like we're too far away. Does anyone know what the comms settings should be: baud rate, data bits, stop bits etc?

I've been trying to get a screen shot without success so far. I'll have another go tomorrow.


I have seen scrambled characters appear in the terminal window when I had the baud rate wrong, which was surprising. It has been so many years ago, I don't recall whether I needed 9600 and had 19.2k or vice versa.

We had multiple machines with those controllers and both baud rates were in use. It happened often enough that I immediately knew to go into the GML commander comms settings and select the other baud rate to clear it up.

Until you get the baud rate right and have a valid connection, I am not sure you can trust anything that GML Commander is telling you about the status of the system.
 
I changed the baud rate to 19200 on the port and in GML Commander. When I tried to go online, I got a message in the lower right pane saying "Running..." rather than gibberish. It said "Online" in the status bar, briefly, before going back to "Attempting Online". After that, I got the Windows XP version of the egg timer and GML Commander stopped responding.

I think I'll try it with GML Commander installed natively on Windows 7 Pro and, failing that, my boss has just said he thinks he has a docking station somewhere for this model of PC with a proper serial port.

Many thanks for the input fellas, it's invaluable and very much appreciated.
 
The software installed ok onWindows 7 Pro. When I try to change my USB Serial Converter's com port to com1 through com4 (the only ones usable by GML Commander), Device Manager reports that they're all in use. I persevered and tried setting the port despite getting an error message that it may not work correctly. Com4 is the only one that gives some semblance of working - the status bar says Online-Normal and Prog Stopped. However, if I click anywhere inside the GML Commander window, I get the egg timer and have to shut it down.

I feel like I'm edging slowly to success - better try to dig out the docking station.
 
The last time I worked with GML commander, we were using Windows 2000 with a native serial port. You might try setting compatibility mode to something old like Win98.

I have often forced my USB to serial adapter to COM1 even though Windows reported it was in use. As long as you are sure that nothing is really using COM1, you can over rule Windoze and it should work fine. Once you manually assign it (in device manager) it should remember it as your assigned COM number in future sessions.

The make/model of USB to serial converter may come into play.
 
The docking station didn't materialize so I've now got an old XP desktop with two serial ports.

Com1, when set at 19200 baud, 8 data, no parity, 1 stop, no flow control, is giving me the same symptoms as when using the USB serial converter with my laptop, i.e. the status bar says "ONLINE-Normal" & "PROG STOPPED" but when I click elsewhere, the GML Commander becomes very unresponsive. It doesn't crash but you can't do anything else.

When I change the baud rate to 9600, I get hieroglyphics in, what I'm calling the terminal pane (bottom right). It still says "ONLINE-Normal" & "PROG STOPPED" in the status bar and becomes unresponsive.

Com2 won't connect at all, which seems odd.

Back on Com1, I've tried changing the flow control to Xon/Xoff & Hardware but both elicit the same response as with it set to none. However, on one occasion with it set to Hardware flow control, the status bar said "PROG RUNNING". I've not been able to replicate it since and it may be something of a red herring.

In all of these cases, I've been using a Null Modem adapter. Without it, the status bar just says "Attempting ONLINE", but at least it stays responsive :)

I'm starting to think that it may be the cable I'm using. It's connected as follows:

2 - 3
3 - 2
4 - 6
5 - 5
6 - 4
7 - 8
8 - 7
9 - NC

1 is jumpered to 6 at each end.

Any ideas?
 
Thanks for that. I'll get a 2-3, 3-2 & 5-5 cable made up and try that tomorrow. I'll also double check the port DIP switches. I've looked at them before and believed them to be correct. I also need to use the .gml file that's in the 1394 it seems, to be able to get online successfully.

Thanks for all the help.
 
As per page 4-13 in this publication:

1394 Digital AC Multi-Axis Motion Control System

J3 defines pin 2 as connecting to RxD and pin 3 to TxD of the serial device.

If using the DE-9 connector, as implied above, that would correspond to pins 2 and 3, respectively, straight-through (2-2, 3-3).


Yes
The 1394 motion RS232 port pin "2" == TxD (Transmitted Data) ,
pin "3" == RxD (Received Data),
But we are normal use the standard RS-232 serial cables Pin "2"== RxD (Received Data) , Pin"3" == TxD (Transmitted Data),
我的英语比较差,无法表达更多的信息,具体可查看手册后到现场测试,谢谢!:p
 
Hi every body.
I can connect to controller but I can't download and upload program.
upload and download icons are not active.
How can I active upload and download icons?
also you can see "ONLIN-NORMAL" and "PROGRAM STOPEED" on toolbar.



GML-Commander-On-Line-Mode.png
 

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