FTVIew v8 500 Emulate Digital Input only

awb66 · Jun 22, 2018

Hello all, I'm running FTView ME v8, RS Logix500 Pro v 11, RSLinx Classic Gateway 3.9, and Emulate500 v 6... all connected though RSLinx OPC Server, there are no shortcuts, or anything for that matter, set up through RSLinx Enterprise.

I set up a simple program with "Start, Stop, Running," and some simulated analog. "Start and Stop" are communicating with FTView and the buttons toggle the bits in the program with no issues, but nothing else (Output from the program to FTView) communicates... I set up a multistate indicator tied to a bit, but it displays "Error" on its display, I attempted using some numeric displays and they only display "**" on their displays. I also tried a floating point bar graph, but it's showing only as an outline when tested.

Any suggestions?

awb66 · Jun 23, 2018

Uh-huh-huh, nothing?

Phrog30 · Jun 24, 2018

For ME to talk to Emulate 500 you have to have a server setup and then reference that as the shortcut, show how you have this setup. So, if you are truly able to communicate to "start" "stop" but not "multistate", then you are doing something wrong. Use the tag browser, that way you can make sure you are actually talking to the PLC and you use the correct syntax.

On the ones that "work", what is the tag syntax you are using? What is the syntax you are using for the multistate? For people to help, you have to give information, otherwise we can only guess.

awb66 · Jun 24, 2018

Thanks for the reply, Phrog30. I have everything set up the same as this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qnBSoR7ko4 . In FTView I can open the tag browser, right click on the file, then select "Refresh All Folders," and all the offline tags appear in the browser... the thing is that they are all listed as "NotAvailable" under the "Access Rights" column. I'm using the default "MAIN" display to add pushbuttons, etc... then I'm using the "Connections" tab to add tags directly from the tag browser to each object. The syntax for the working digital buttons is "{[TEST]SYS_START_PB}" and "{[TEST]SYS_STOP_PB}" which is automatically added when I choose the tag from the tag browser. Any digital input will work with no issues, but no other type object will display any values.

OkiePC · Jun 24, 2018

It might be that your tag database in FTViewME has the data type wrong. This is just a WAG, but since you are not directly addressing SLC type addresses, then they must be set up in the Tag Database, is that right?

Phrog30 · Jun 24, 2018

I would use direct tags, so B3:0/0, N7:0, etc. For now, don't use tags, simply reference the actual PLC address. A syntax example for the PLC you're using is {::[Shortcut]PLCAddress}. The reason I said use the tag browser is it does it for you. Use the online connection, not offline. If you can't see the online connection then that is your problem.

awb66 · Jun 25, 2018

Thank you guys for trying to help. OkiePC: I've attempted adding the tag name manually with the associated data type too, but it still didn't help. Phrog30: I entered the tag as "{::[TEST]N7:9}" for my numeric display, and "{::[TEST]B3:3/8}" for the "Running" multistate, but the displays are still not connecting. On the other hand, just for giggles, I changed my "Start" pushbutton from "{[TEST]SYS_START_PB}" to "{::[TEST]B3:3/2}" and it still operates correctly. I've restarted everything several times, deleted the configuration and started from scratch, but to no avail. Also, what could cause the "Access Rights" to display "NotAvailable" in the tag browser with my particular configuration?

Phrog30 · Jun 25, 2018

I have no idea what your problem is. Without seeing your files, or at least some screenshots, I really don't know.

Ken Roach · Jun 25, 2018

You've posted a couple of things that confuse me.

FactoryTalk View ME can't browse "offline files" for SLC/PLC projects (*.RSP or *.RSS). It can browse them for a ControlLogix *.ACD project, and only with RSLinx Enterprise when a Shortcut is linked to a *.ACD offline file. In fact, there shouldn't even be an "Offline" folder for an SLC or MicroLogix controller.

The syntax {[TEST]SYS_START_PB} should not work with an SLC-500 controller because it uses a direct reference to a Tag Name, not a Data Table Address.

If you're using an HMI tag in FactoryTalk View's internal HMI Tag Database (rather than a direct reference tag), you would refer to it simply by Tag Name, without a Shortcut.

So it sounds more to me like you're connecting to a ControlLogix, not an SLC or MicroLogix controller emulator, like you say you intend to.

Is there a chance that there's a RSLinx Enterprise Shortcut that's named "TEST", which could be getting confused with an RSLinx Classic OPC Topic named "TEST" ?

Maybe FTView Studio and the tag browser work differently than they did when I learned the software 12 years ago. I haven't used anything newer than v5 with an SLC/MicroLogix, so if I'm just behind the times I'm willing to learn.

Phrog30 · Jun 25, 2018

Ken Roach said:
You've posted a couple of things that confuse me.

FactoryTalk View ME can't browse "offline files" for SLC/PLC projects (*.RSP or *.RSS). It can browse them for a ControlLogix *.ACD project, and only with RSLinx Enterprise when a Shortcut is linked to a *.ACD offline file. In fact, there shouldn't even be an "Offline" folder for an SLC or MicroLogix controller.

The syntax {[TEST]SYS_START_PB} should not work with an SLC-500 controller because it uses a direct reference to a Tag Name, not a Data Table Address.

If you're using an HMI tag in FactoryTalk View's internal HMI Tag Database (rather than a direct reference tag), you would refer to it simply by Tag Name, without a Shortcut.

So it sounds more to me like you're connecting to a ControlLogix, not an SLC or MicroLogix controller emulator, like you say you intend to.

Is there a chance that there's a RSLinx Enterprise Shortcut that's named "TEST", which could be getting confused with an RSLinx Classic OPC Topic named "TEST" ?

Maybe FTView Studio and the tag browser work differently than they did when I learned the software 12 years ago. I haven't used anything newer than v5 with an SLC/MicroLogix, so if I'm just behind the times I'm willing to learn.

It can browse online, I just did it. I created a simple SLC program, expanded B3 to 100. Started emulate and loaded program. Created a topic and pointed to emulate. Created a server, the same name as topic as RSLinx OPC Server. Dragged a button on the screen, hit tag and refreshed within tag browser, there are 100 B3s...

There is an offline folder, it's empty

Ken Roach · Jun 25, 2018

What you describe, Phrog30, is what I expect: you can browse ONline for SLC-500 data table addresses.

OP has claimed that she's browsing OFFline, and for "tag names". That's inconsistent with a SLC Emulator program.

The creation of an OPC Topic named "TEST" in addition to an RSLinx Enterprise Shortcut named "TEST" (that points to a ControlLogix elsewhere on a network or with an Offline *.ACD file associated with it) might explain what has been observed.

Phrog30 · Jun 25, 2018

I've been stating to use online. Again, use online, if you can't see anything there is your problem.

Phrog30 · Jun 25, 2018

None of the screenshots work for me

awb66 · Jun 25, 2018

ScreenShots Post 1 of 3 Redux

See Screenshots

awb66 · Jun 25, 2018

ScreenShots Post 2 of 3 Redux

See Screenshots

FTVIew v8 500 Emulate Digital Input only

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