FactoryTalk View Studio HMI Addressing

First off, let me say thanks to anyone and everyone for reading this post and helping if you can.

Currently, I am in the process of reducing 10 identical SLC plcs and HMI systems down to just one Control Logix PLC processor connected to the 10 HMIs.. Since in the past all the SLC PLCs were independent of each other, the tag names and addresses were the same from system to system. Now since I am using one processor, I am putting each system in its own local program within the PLC and using so that I can continue to use the identical tag names for troubleshooting purposes between machines. I have completed the updated Logix program but I am having issues with how to have the right HMI pull tags from the correct local table in the PLC.

Example in Factory Talk View Studio:

Address: ::[Conveyor]Program:Conveyor_1.B3[6].2
_2
_3 etc.....
What can be done so that to put in place of the 1,2,3 etc
I have built an screen on the HMI were you use an 'Numeric Input Keypad' to choose between 1 -10 as a tag name of "System_Number" to pick which conveyor system this HMI is attached.

But when I try to use: ::[Conveyor]Program:Conveyor_{System_Number}.B3[6].2
I am not getting it to work correctly......

Any information and/or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!!

cdwilliams496 said:

I have built an screen on the HMI were you use an 'Numeric Input Keypad' to choose between 1 -10 as a tag name of "System_Number" to pick which conveyor system this HMI is attached.

But when I try to use: ::[Conveyor]Program:Conveyor_{System_Number}.B3[6].2
I am not getting it to work correctly......

Click to expand...

You can't use indirect addressing for the HMI tag. That's why your getting the error.

So, it sounds like you want to view any system from any HMI.

If that's the case I would look at using parameter files for each display page needed for your systems. I would also use the tag database for my tags, not direct addressing to the PLC. If you set you tags up in the tag database then your addressing could be handled there. This would also allow you to create subfolders for each of the 10 systems. Once you create the first set of system tags then it would be a simple copy paste to duplicate the other 9.

Instead of using a numeric keypad I would a Display List Selector. That would allow you to load the parameter file needed for the system that is selected.

Parameter files would also allow to use the same displays for all 10 systems.
You also can copy paste the parameter file and use search replace for changing the subfolder name.

Welcome to Forum!

HMI Addressing

Address: ::[Conveyor]Program:Conveyor_1.B3[6].2

::[Conveyor]Program:Conveyor_{System_Number}.B3[6].2

You may be able to pass the system number as a parameter. Just a thought

I think razr got the right idea, maybe build an index screen with a button for each of the systems, have it launch the screen with a parameter, something like

Display my_screen /T1

Where 1 is the system to view. Then on your display reference your tags as

::[Conveyor]Program:Conveyor_{#1}.B3[6].2