Is it possible to make a programmable cable?

Is it possible to make a programmable cable
like i will download the pin out or diagram from my PC and cable will change it's pin out according to my diagram.

well it's not MPI, PPI or TTY it's about direct cable.
Do you think its possible?

Thanks
ISteak

Depends on the PLC, PC, or HMI.

Can you give us brands or part numbers?

Tharon said:

Depends on the PLC, PC, or HMI.

Can you give us brands or part numbers?

Click to expand...

Well, i would like to say any direct cable.
i don't want to make a programming cable but a programmable cable is what i need.

There is a lot of PLC & HMI with RS232 port but there pin configuration is different so the programming cable is different.
So we need to use different cable for different PLC., though it is a direct cable.

if i have a programmable cable i could use single cable for any PLC which supports RS232.

We have to just program the cable according to our necessary pin out

It varies depending on the PLC or HMI. There won't be a one size fits all solution, but you can make your own cables as long as it doesn't require any special conversions like the MPI/DP connections.

I've made my own on many different things.

i think what the OP wants to make is a "programmable" cable which he can configure to talk to different devices, rather than having 10 cables you just have one with a programmable pinout. Of course you can make it - get a little Atmel or PIC microcontroller and a semiconductor switch like one of these - http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/MC14051B-D.PDF However, I'd ask why spend a couple of days programming a micro and building a circuit when you could spend less than 1-2 hours just making (or buying!) seperate cables. You're probably going to need different plugs on the end anyway - mini-DIN, RJ45, SubD, the list goes on. I work with a heap of different pieces of equipment requiring different RS232 plugs and pinouts. I have one 2 metre "straight through" serial cable, then a couple of little dongles that just plug onto the end of that to give me the right pinout and plug end. Easy to store in the laptop bag. at the end of the day, Keep It Simple. If you've got a programmable device, its just another gadget that might break and you probably couldn't fix it in the field. When I've accidentally stepped on and broken the end of a programming cable out in the middle of nowhere on top of a reservoir - I just bust out the ol' soldering iron and fixed it!

Well theoreticly you can create a program that uses different I/O's depending on what you want and then use it on the computers you want.
But some how i think making your own cables is faster unless you need alot of them.

Back in the "Old Days" these devices were called "Break-Out Boxes", then there were a few "Auto Detect" cables that would sense the Tx & Rx, and other parameters to connect to nearly anything. Then Ethernet took over and the market for these declined below an acceptable ROI.
Searching the net for "Smart Cable" may bring one up yet.

i would use a arduino for this.
and yes it does look like a smart black box i presume.
you can even use the arduino with USB input for very old S5 PLC for example.

the problem is that you will have 10 different manufacturers all with a different style connector. you will have to change the end anyway so why not just carry the separate cables as needed.

RussB said:

Back in the "Old Days" these devices were called "Break-Out Boxes", then there were a few "Auto Detect" cables that would sense the Tx & Rx, and other parameters to connect to nearly anything. Then Ethernet took over and the market for these declined below an acceptable ROI.
Searching the net for "Smart Cable" may bring one up yet.

Click to expand...

In the old days, I had one of these except mine didn't auto detect anything. It was just a bag of several different end connectors wired to break out boards and I programmed it with my screwdriver.

Paul said:

In the old days, I had one of these except mine didn't auto detect anything. It was just a bag of several different end connectors wired to break out boards and I programmed it with my screwdriver

Click to expand...

I still use them every time I am trying to make a new cable... so I guess I am stuck in the old days

Nice. The one I had was given to me and had the breakout board on a couple of feet of cable. One with d-sub male, one female, and one with RJ-12 too.

Nowadays, when I am making a new cable for the first time with a d-sub, I just don't stab the pins into the connector shell on one end until I get it right by poking them right into the female port I am connecting to. This is tricky if there are more than 3 wires required.

See here http://www.winfordeng.com/products/cat_brk.php

They have just about every type needed... and they have great prices

One thing that I have done to help is use ribbon cable as my main straight thri serial cable and snap a male/female db9 on each end. that pretty much eliminates needing to carry around and use gender changers.

Is it Possible to build this cable ? Yes

Is it Plausible to build this cable? No

When working on legacy equipment you have to owna variey of cables for the equipment you service. The key is to keep them organized and clearly document what each cable goes to.

All of mine have a cable number which corresponds to a folder on the file server and it holds a word document of what it works with,settings and also any pdf documents of the cable and it's pinout and part number if it is a oem cable.

I think the makers of plc's drives and other gear are starting to get the picture of simplicity.

I only use Logix family processors for this reason and the newest gen of them because they have USB and ethernet connections and no serial ports. This makes life easier.

We have to keep pushing the mfg companies in this direction.