Redlion Crimson 3.2 now supports CR and Graphite HMIs

[BryanG]

Following on from another thread, I just downloaded Crimson 3.2 and it now supports CR and Graphite HMIs.
Time for a 'play' :-)
It seems to have successfully opened and upgraded a 3.1 program.
The emulator actually works :-)
I haven't yet tried to program an actual HMI with it.

[OkiePC]

The first one I converted created several errors that I did not expect. It seems to have shifted a couple of things, but they were easily corrected.

Be careful with it!

I did upgrade one Graphite to 3.2 successfully so far though and I am looking forward to using that emulator again!

[JHarbin]

Originally Posted by BryanG

Following on from another thread, I just downloaded Crimson 3.2 and it now supports CR and Graphite HMIs.
Time for a 'play' :-)
It seems to have successfully opened and upgraded a 3.1 program.
The emulator actually works :-)
I haven't yet tried to program an actual HMI with it.

I've been trying to get the Emulator for a CR3000 to work but I get an ERROR - Unable to open communications port when I enable the ethernet adapter under Emulator setup. If I don't enable it, I can open the emulator and download the database (but with no comms). Is there a magic way to get it to work or is comms to a device disabled?

[BryanG]

Is there a magic way to get it to work or is comms to a device disabled?

Sorry, I only tried it with internal Tags, haven't tried it to a PLC yet. So maybe I was a bit optimistic when I said that the emulator actually works
I go too excited when the Emulator button was there and the emulator actually started when I pushed the button.

[JHarbin]

Originally Posted by BryanG

Sorry, I only tried it with internal Tags, haven't tried it to a PLC yet. So maybe I was a bit optimistic when I said that the emulator actually works
I go too excited when the Emulator button was there and the emulator actually started when I pushed the button.

I've reached out to Redlion and will try to remember to post what I find out.

I got a DA70 configuration to download to the Emulator with the Ethernet Port enabled, but it won't collect live data.

[OkiePC]

I never got the Crimson 3.0 emulator to work with Logix5k tags.

I was always able to get it to work with DF1 or Modbus RTU serial protocols as long as I remembered to kill any RSLinx serial drivers first.

It also worked with Allen Bradley DF1 Master, DF1 Master via PCCC/EIP, and Modbus TCP (Ethernet) protocols.

I don't know if that is relevant to the issues you are having with the 3.2 Emulator.

I used my test bench ML1400 for a repair last week, and I don't have any PLCs on the wall I can quickly set up for a test right now.

[OkiePC]

I just tested the 3.2 emulator communicating DF1 to a Micrologix 1200 using my PC COM1 with a USB to RS232 adapter and it worked fine. I did have to shut down RSLinx first, but that is normal.

[JHarbin]

Originally Posted by OkiePC

I just tested the 3.2 emulator communicating DF1 to a Micrologix 1200 using my PC COM1 with a USB to RS232 adapter and it worked fine. I did have to shut down RSLinx first, but that is normal.

I've been working with Red Lion and they tell me it should work, but I have been getting errors. When I have time I will try a different PC.

Mine is a connection to a Honeywell HC900 using Modbus TCP. Maybe the issue is ethernet because if I disable the ethernet port of the emulator it will load (but obviously with no comms)

[OkiePC]

I need to slap another ML1400 on my test wall and then I can test more protocols including Modbus TCP. In the past, I have seen situations where I had to disable certain Ethernet adapters (wifi for example) in order to get the emulator to work, possibly due to some IP address confusion under the surface where Bill Gate's pet squirrels hang out.

[BryanG]

Got it working with a Siemens PLC over Ethernet. I noticed that when the emulator started there was no Interface or IP address given on the flash screen. Switched off the emulator, I went in to Link/Options and selected Send to Emulator, then I could Configure the emulator settings, set the Ethernet port 1 to the laptop Ethernet controller. And it worked.

[joseph_e2]

Originally Posted by OkiePC

...confusion under the surface where Bill Gate's pet squirrels hang out.

I'm definitely going to have to remember that one!

[JHarbin]

Originally Posted by BryanG

Got it working with a Siemens PLC over Ethernet. I noticed that when the emulator started there was no Interface or IP address given on the flash screen. Switched off the emulator, I went in to Link/Options and selected Send to Emulator, then I could Configure the emulator settings, set the Ethernet port 1 to the laptop Ethernet controller. And it worked.

I'm glad it worked for you, but that is what I am doing and it still isn't working for me. I even turned off WiFi and it still didn't work. I'm thinking there is something about my hardware, but I haven't isolated it yet.

[OkiePC]

Originally Posted by JHarbin

I'm glad it worked for you, but that is what I am doing and it still isn't working for me. I even turned off WiFi and it still didn't work. I'm thinking there is something about my hardware, but I haven't isolated it yet.

I just ran a successful test of the 3.2 emulator with the Modbus TCP Master driver to a Micrologix 1400.

Are you saying it won't even load the application into the emulated device?

[JHarbin]

Originally Posted by OkiePC

I just ran a successful test of the 3.2 emulator with the Modbus TCP Master driver to a Micrologix 1400.

Are you saying it won't even load the application into the emulated device?

Yes. I found a single PC that it would load to, but no comms. It was a virtual machine and maybe that is the problem. My laptops won't even load with a can't open comms port (not sure of the actual text) error. I tried with Wi-Fi turned off as someone suggested and it didn't help.

I'm encouraged that people are getting it to work - that means that there is hope if I can figure out the right combination.

[BryanG]

I only had a quick 'play' to see if I could get the Comms to work, so I didn't keep notes. I am going to stick with Crimson 3.1 for a least a couple of 3.2 software revisions. I remember that in the Navigation page, Network, I originally had it set to a fixed IP address, I think I changed it to DHCP.
I also switched off wireless, my old laptop used to favour the wired Ethernet, with my newer one I do have to switch off wireless if I ever want to use the wired Ethernet.
For a system on a VM I think I would try setting the Ethernet connection to Bridged rather than NAT, that way it would be on the same subnet as the main machine, which should be on the same subnet as the PLC. I would confirm it at the command prompt using the ifconfig command.
You might also want to have a quick experiment switching off any antivirus program.