cimplicity & logic developer

Greeting all...
Just loaded cimplicity SCADA and Proficy Machine Edition. Opened Cimplicity workbench and tried to create a new logic developer - PLC. I created a new project name and got the following:

An error occured opening project....
The project 'fxPlc' is not configured properly
Unable to proceed.

This is my first Cimplicity project. I am also using a versmax platform with ethernet. Not sure what choice to go with under protocols? My local supplier is good but has no experience with cimplicity.

Any comments regarding Cimplicity or any idea what I need to do would be welcome.

I didn't realize you could use the Cimplicity workbench to create a PLC program. What version of Cimplicity are you running? What version of Machine Edition? Is it your expectation that you will be able to share a common database between a Machine Edition PLC target and a Cimplicity HMI project?

I may be wrong about this, but I think if you want to share a database between PLC and HMI, then you need the HMI to be a Proficy Machine Edition View application. Lets hope Russ B sees this and can set us both straight.

The GE Fanuc ethernet protocol is called SRTP. When you create a new HMI with Cimplicity, under "Protocols" select "GE SRTP".

Thanks for responding...

Steve,
I am attempting to use Proficy HMI/SCADA - Cimplicity v7 for the front end. I also have Proficy Machine edition v5.7 which includes Proficy Logic Developer that I am using to program the versamax PLC (w/ethernet CPUe05?).

When I open Proficy HMI/SCADA - Cimplicity, I select workbench. I then open my project. In the project tree file structure, the last folder is called control. Inside is LOGIC DEVELOPER - PLC. Selecting LOGIC DEVELOPER - PLC. I believe this allows you to open or create a Proficy Machine Edition program (within Cimplicity). When I go to create a program, I get an error opening the project.

Yesterday I did get this to work on another laptop or I should say I was able to configure and develop but didn't go online.

I got a new laptop today (T61) and after I loaded all the software, I ran in to the error opening project.

I am at the project site this evening and will be firing up another new computer -very nice Arista touch screen computer. Let's see how it goes.

Typically I use AB or Automation direct products. I have using GE recently but so far I have not had much luck with tech support.

I spoke with tech support an hour ago and it seems the tech I reached was confused about Proficy, Cimplicity, Plant Edition, Cimplicity Machine Edition, ect. I was transfered to Cimplicity Plant edition group but Proficity HMI/SCADA - Cimplicity I learned is part of the Machine Edition group. Unfortunatly, the tech in the Machine Edition Group wasn't sure about Cimplicity...not sure if I should be transfered to the iFix group or Cimplicity Plant Group.

Sometimes I forget where to find the right people to ask...

You can do both with ME. I have one project with both the ladder and the View application present.

I have seen 'Proficy' /Cimplicty ME (PLC) as a tab in Cimplicity HMI/Plant Edition whereby you can use the tag database inside Cimplicity HMI. If this is what you are trying to do I will try and achieve it here.

Cheers

EDIT I have tried on my setup, and I have the same problem, which is that the Cimplicity HMI is not looking at the correct project path of ME. I cannot see where to change this but you should ask GE

I just tried this with success. Here are the steps and how it worked.

1. Opened Cimplicity SCADA Workbench
2. Clicked on File and New Project
3. Gave it a name (ME_Test) and selected Logic Developer - PLC in options
4. Saved
5. Expanded the Control Tree
6. Right click on Logic Developer - PLC and click New
7. Entered Same Name for PLC Project and Ok
8. Proficy Machine Edition application started a default PLC project with the name I had given.
9. On project save and refresh of Workbench, my project was listed
10. A double click would open the project in Machine Edition

Notes:

As far as I know, this selection is an interface between Cimplicity SCADA and Proficy Machine Edition to know which PLC project(s) are communicating with the SCADA project. This is not a method by which the SCADA and PLC projects will share a common point database or communications.

Mention has been made of Machine Edition View, do not confuse this with Cimplicity SCADA. They are two totally different products. Although they may seem to perform some of the same tasks, the similarities rapidly dissolve when you start with historical data logging, trending, databases, etc.

If by following the above a Machine Edition project can't be created, I suspect something must be amiss in the installation and/or license setup.

My test was performed with Proficy Cimplicity SCADA v.7.0 SIM5 and Proficy Machine Edition v.5.70 SP1.

Hope this helps.

I'm a little slow but after a few hours I have come to the conclusion it must be an issue in the installation.

I intend to contact GE tech support this morning.

Strange.... my original laptop with the only difference being internet explorer 6 (IE 6) seemed to work fine. The two new computers, a laptop and the system computer are loaded with XP Pro (SP2) but IE 7.0. I loaded all the software the exact same way.

Thanks for the info...