Factory Talk ME to RSLogix Emulate 5000 communication

suraj2k

Member
Join Date
Nov 2012
Location
Calgary
Posts
12
Hello,
I'm trying to build HMI screens on FactoryTalk View ME, for a RSLogix 5000 program.
The program is downloaded to RSLogix Emulate 5000, and is running successfully.
I opened FactoryTalk View ME, started a new project, opened Communications Setup, created a new shortcut called 'PLC', pointed the Design(Local) path to the Emulator controller.
I then hit 'Verify', and everything looks ok.
Now, I created a new display, threw in a circle, right-clicked, Animation, Color, Tag browser.
In the Tag Browser, I notice a dropdown for my shortcut, called 'PLC'.
The folder called 'Online' is supposed to list all my controller tags. However, it is BLANK!
So what did I miss? How do I get the controller tags to appear there? The controller tags definitely exist in the PLC.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you very much!
 
FactoryTalk View Studio's tag browse isn't great at auto-detecting things.

Right-click on the Online folder and select "Refresh Folder" or "Refresh All".

A reboot after adding a new driver to RSLinx Enterprise can't hurt, but in general the Refresh All action causes RSLinx Enterprise to retrieve the folder and structures and tags from the controller you pointed to with the Shortcut.
 
Did you "Apply" the shortcut after drilling down to the Emulator?
You should be prompted that the chosen path has been assigned to the configured shortcut.
Also, every now and then right-click the RSLinx Enterprise Tag Browser Online/Offline folder and choose "Refresh"; the Online folder content is not real time updated by the RSLinx Enterprise data server but at user's demand.
 
thanks guys
now I see the problem: upon hitting 'Refresh' on the Online folder, I get the error message (in the error window):
"CIP connection open failed on route RSLogix 5000 Emulator in slot 9 of the virtual backplane."
The controller is definitely sitting in slot 9. I checked RSLinx Classic, and I can see the Emulator live under AB_VBP-1 Virtual Chassis.
Do I need to configure a topic?
Any idea how to resolve the CIP connection to the Emulator?
 
I would delete the existing shortcut, save and close the project then reopen it, re-create the shortcut and, after drilling down to the Emulator, choose the "Apply" radio button above the shortcut window pane. Again, you should be prompted that the chosen path has been assigned to the respective shortcut.
The FTVS application does not use RSLinx Classic to communicate with the CPU but RSLinx Enterprise.(what you see in the right pane window is the RSLinx Enterprise browser!)
 
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I deleted the shortcut, recreated it, and yes, I do have the message "this path is currently assigned to the selected shortcut".
Still no luck.
dmargineau, you are right about RSlinx Enterprise. Thanks for that.
I think I should still see an RSLinx enterprise module in my virtual chassis (in my Emulator), because in the RSLinx Enterprise Communication Setup, I specified under RSLinx Enterprise->1789-A17, Backplane->Properties->Slot:16.
So I should be seeing a RSLinx Enterprise module in slot 16 of the virtual chassis.
I think that's the issue: FactoryTalk should be pushing out that module info to the virtual chassis, and it should get populated in the virtual chassis. There's no way to add that module in the Emulator itself.
Thoughts?
 
I think your Emulator's configuration is not what it should be.
I have just quickly set up a Rev.19 Emulator and a FTVS ME 6.1 application and they are happily communicating on a Win XP SP3 VMware Workstation.
My chassis' Slot 0 contains the RSLinx Classic module, slot 1 the RSLinx Enterprise module and Slot 16 contains the Emulator CPU; the screenshot is attached.
I would try to set your Emulator up this (almost default) way and give it one more try.
Delete the existing FTVS application comms setup; delete the Emulator's setup; reboot the PC; recreate the Emulator as the posted example; download the RSL5K file; turn the Emulator to "Run" mode and, after the Emulator system is functional, try re-configuring the FTVS application communications settings.
 
thanks dmargineau.
How did you get the RSLinx Enterprise module in slot 1? Did this appear after you had set up the FTView ME RsLinx Enterprise comms?
That's my problem: I'm missing that Enterprise module in my emulator. And I dont have the option to add it when I right-click, click 'Create..'.
I do have the RSLinx Classic module in slot 0.
 
This is copied from RSLogix 5000 Emulate Help Menu. It looks like your setup does not satisfy the required environment.

"For FactoryTalk View ME projects, RSLinx Enterprise, RSLogix Emulate 5000, and FactoryTalk View ME must be installed on the same computer. In this case, the FactoryTalk Directory used must be the local Directory (FactoryTalk View ME does not support using a network Directory).
The RSLinx Enterprise Module in the Virtual Chassis

When RSLogix Emulate 5000 runs on a computer that is also running RSLinx Enterprise, an RSLinx Enterprise module appears in the emulator’s virtual chassis. This module will occupy the first unoccupied slot in the chassis and cannot be removed (other than by uninstalling RSLinx Enterprise).
For example, if you install RSLinx Enterprise and then install RSLogix Emulate 5000 from scratch, the first time you open RSLogix Emulate 5000, slot 0 will be occupied by the RSLinx Classic module and slot 1 will be occupied by the RSLinx Enterprise module.
If you already have modules in your virtual chassis when you install RSLinx Enterprise, the RSLinx Enterprise module appears in the first empty slot."
 
Did you set up the offline tag file in your communication set up? I know it won't help you if you want test your screen once you have it created, but at least you'll still be able drill down through the PLC tags to get them assigned.
 
Delete the existing FTVS application comms setup; delete the Emulator's setup; reboot the PC; recreate the Emulator as the posted example; download the RSL5K file; turn the Emulator to "Run" mode and, after the Emulator system is functional, try re-configuring the FTVS application communications settings.
Hello, I am having the same issue. My computer has RSLinx Enterprise, RSLogix Emulate 5000, FactoryTalk View and RSLogix 5000 installed. My Chassis Monitor doesn't have the Enterprise Virtual Backplane shown.

Can you explain how to go about removing the prior setup files?

Earlier today, Emulator was working fine. This problem came about from the reinstallation of Emulate and RSLinx, I forget the order. This was done because the Virtual Backplane (SoftLogix55xx, USB) Driver cannot be added to RSLinx; the Add New button is not enabled when the driver is selected. Is the Virtual Backplane required to connect the Logix 5000 project to the Emulator? If so, how can I fix the disabled Virtual Backplane driver?
 
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What revisions of FactoryTalk Services, RSLinx Enterprise and RSLinx Classic are you using?
You will need the RSLinx Classic Virtual Backplane driver in order to go Online with the Emulator; the driver should be part of any semi-recent RSLinx revision installation package.
 
FactoryTalk View Studio is 6.10.00 (CPR 9 SR 4), RSLinx Enterprise 5.40.00000 (CPR 9 SR 4) and RSLinx Classic 2.58.00 CPR 9 SR 4.

The problem with the Virtual Backplane was inexperience. The backplane was already installed (I didn't know what to look for), a second one could not be installed. I only found that out this morning. Unfortunately, the uninstall/reinstall of software appears to have caused the current problem with the missing RSLinx Enterprise Backplane.

Thankfully, the computer with the problems is not my development machine. In the case I need to reinstall all of the software, is there a certain order they need to be installed? A former co-worker installed the software, so I don't know the correct install order.
 
I would first try to Uninstall both the 5000 Emulator and RSLinx Classic and then
1. Install RSLinx Classic ( upon completion making sure all the drivers are available!)
2. Install the 5000 Emulator.
 
Problem solved. I uninstalled and reinstalled RSLinx Classic and Emulator 5000, as instructed. That didn't fix the problem with the Enterprise Virtual Backplane. What did fix the problem was uninstalling FactoryTalk Services, then installing FactoryTalk Services and RSLinx Enterprise. I caused the problem by not reinstalling FactoryTalk Services when I reinstalled RSLinx Enterprise yesterday.

Thank you very much for your assistance.
 

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