Automation Direct D2-260

monkey082506

Member
M
Join Date
Jan 2013
Location
Kentucky
Posts
38
Hi all,

I am currently in the working on an Automation Direct project with a D2-260 processor. I have quite a bit to do to the current code but of course the customer does not want to be down during this time. I have absolutely no experience with the "wonderful" world of Auto Direct.

Can I edit the program online and save changes without taking the processor into program mode on the D2-260? This would be great news if I could, if I can't well...hello weekend work.

Thanks,

Monkey
 
It's kind of a semi-online mode. You actually have to download the final product - the CPU will pause outputs for a couple of seconds when the download is finished. If that is unacceptable then have a happy weekend.
 
Thanks for the quick response, so to make sure I understand you correctly I add all the edits I want but when I got to "WriteP" the processor will have to be in the program mode and the keyswitch to "term" mode? Write to disk, save and get back to run mode, or do I have to even move the keyswitch for this processor?

Monkey
 
Hi

You can leave the switch As is but when you download it will automatically turn off the outputs.
I am used to online programming with Ab and also s7 but I found the ad online not to be online edits as I was used to.
So to answer your question if you do on online edits it will stop you process or machine ever time you writep

Donnchadh
 
monkey082506 said:
Thanks for the quick response, so to make sure I understand you correctly I add all the edits I want but when I got to "WriteP" the processor will have to be in the program mode and the keyswitch to "term" mode? Write to disk, save and get back to run mode, or do I have to even move the keyswitch for this processor?

Monkey
Click to expand...

You can leave the keyswitch in "term". There is no need to put the keyswitch in run. Once you make your edits then you can write to the PLC but once the write begins the outputs will be frozen in their last state. Once the write is finished the processor automatically goes back into run with the new ladder.

Hopefully the machine is such that a few seconds of time where the outputs can be frozen will be available.
 
@OdinIII is correct. Outputs will be frozen until the download is complete.

For a faster download of ladder only use the File -> "Write Program to PLC" function.

Using "Write Project to PLC" will result in all memory being written and takes considerably longer.

At the end, you will want to use "Read the Project from the PLC" to save all of the memory contents for posterity. :)
 
Apparently the customer said the last guy who worked with this code had some minor issues with all the temperature, psi, percentage values etc going back to 0 after a download. Fortunately they will be down next Wednesday first shift for us to work and we should be able to get it done within the time frame...I hope.

I appreciate all the help, while I have most of your attention. Does anybody know how to write comments on top of rungs? Can't for the life of me find this.

-----DISREGARD------------ I found it....

I think Auto Direct can be useful, it's just a pain in the @$$ to teach yourself.

Monkey
 
Last edited:
You add and edit rung comments under tools>comment editor.

You should study the manual section that defines what gets written or saved with each command. file>save project>to PLC is not the same as the "write program to PLC" button. That may have been the problem with the values going to 0. Also I would check to make sure the registers that he used are set to retentive in PLC>setup.
 
OdinIII said:
You add and edit rung comments under tools>comment editor.

You should study the manual section that defines what gets written or saved with each command. file>save project>to PLC is not the same as the "write program to PLC" button. That may have been the problem with the values going to 0. Also I would check to make sure the registers that he used are set to retentive in PLC>setup.
Click to expand...

It appears that they are but you're correct that very well could have been the problem. He has since left the company so I'll never know which button he actually pressed. I will look into the "write to PLC" button before going forward to understand it more. I do find it odd that if I were to "write to PLC" that the values wouldn't be affected though. If I had let's say 0 in V500 but currently V500 had 50 in it wouldn't it get replaced with 0 when I "write to PLC"?
 
The 'Write Program To PLC' will send only the logic, not the data tables, to the PLC. 'File - Save Project - To PLC' writes both. So as long as you have a valid copy of the logic you don't have to worry about having current data tables. You can work on the logic offline without a worry about having now invalid data when you download.

Of course, when all done, you'll want to do a 'File - Save Project - To Disk' for a full archive copy of the logic and data tables.

Be careful with you choice after choosing File - Save Project to choose the correct 'To Disk' or 'To PLC'. It's easy to make a mistake.
 
OK, I think I got it now. As long as my code is the latest I can do all my changes here in the office. Once I get onsite I open my code and "write to PLC". That in turn does exactly that and leaving the current data alone, NOT writing my old data in the code I'm downloading to the PLC. Once I'm finished I "Save to Disk". NOT "Save to PLC", otherwise I shot myself in the foot and created a big mess.

Do I got it?
 
It sounds like you've got it including ...
NOT "Save to PLC", otherwise I shot myself in the foot and created a big mess
Click to expand...

And yes, it is a big mess, depending on how recently you had done a 'Save To Disk' thus capturing everything including the data tables. I know.
 
Last edited:
Thank you all for the help.

I'm going to stray a little off topic here though. I have variables that are called in the HMI that result in VY620-VY637 (V40531) locations. In the code there is a description of "OUT WORD 9". However, I can't see these values anywhere, memory editor, etc.

Does this make sense to anyone? How are they turning on the outputs if I can't tell what WORD they are turning on and what value is in that word?

Thanks,

Monkey
 
monkey082506 said:
Thank you all for the help.

I'm going to stray a little off topic here though. I have variables that are called in the HMI that result in VY620-VY637 (V40531) locations. In the code there is a description of "OUT WORD 9". However, I can't see these values anywhere, memory editor, etc.

Does this make sense to anyone? How are they turning on the outputs if I can't tell what WORD they are turning on and what value is in that word?

Thanks,

Monkey
Click to expand...

Maybe I don't understand your question but can't you use data view and look at V40531 as a binary value? Each bit should correspond with VY620 through VY637 and therefore Y620 through Y637.

I'm assuming that writing a value to V40531 would turn on the corresponding outputs. An example would be put a 1 in V40531 and Y620 should come on. Put a 2 there and Y621 would come on. A 3 should make Y620 and Y621 come on.
 
OdinIII said:
Maybe I don't understand your question but can't you use data view and look at V40531 as a binary value? Each bit should correspond with VY620 through VY637 and therefore Y620 through Y637.

I'm assuming that writing a value to V40531 would turn on the corresponding outputs. An example would be put a 1 in V40531 and Y620 should come on. Put a 2 there and Y621 would come on. A 3 should make Y620 and Y621 come on.
Click to expand...

Does Data view only work while online? I am currently away from the processor but going through the code and HMI trying to make Heads or Tails from this. When I search for that value it comes back with "nothing found".

I agree with you about how it should work but I just can't see which one is or how the program is telling it to turn on. I feel like there should be a move command or something to put that binary value into the WORD but I'm not getting anywhere with that theory.

Thanks,

Monkey
 

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