AB Micro800 and Connected Components Workbench programming question

Join Date
Jan 2008
Location
Ontario
Posts
161
I'm working on a new project and I have been given an AB Micro800 series plc to work on. I thought it would be similar to the 500 software, but it's somewhat different.

I am trying to do a couple of simple things that I cannot figure out...

1) Where is the "MOV" command? I looked through the help for quite a while and the closest I can find is the "1 Gain" instruction. But it seems strange that there isn't a move instruction...I'd like to move values into variables, which should be extremely easy, but can't figure it out.

2) I'm trying to use four inputs to select a value from 0 - 16 but I'm not finding any instructions for this. I'd like to mask the inputs, then roll right to convert the four inputs into an integer value(the mask and roll instructions I have found), but I can't find the move command again to move the input area into an int var that I can use the ROL command with



I must be missing something because it shouldn't be this hard to figure out...
 
The 1GAIN instruction is the only equivalent to the MOV.

The more I look at it, the more I'm convinced that the Micro800 designers were intentionally isolated from anyone who had ever heard of RSLogix.
 
Ken,
I agree, I don't get why A-B's cost effective solution as to be so different. I'm currently working with the Micro830, I like some of the features, while others are somewhat concerning. I'm not sure if its my computer or the CCW software, but the online update time, while in the debug mode is extremely slow. My other concern, the software won't run correctly on a networked computer. I contacted A-B tech and they said their working on the fix. I guess that's why the software's free and the hardware is fairly cheap. In my opinion, the Micro800 series would be a lot more appealing if it ran something similiar to the RSLogix 500 software.
 
One of our engineers is experiencing many difficulties using this software. Crashes constantly, has had to rebuild his ladder 3 times now. Only to have it lost again. I would stay away from this product until A-B can get some of these bugs worked out. It unlike them to bring a product to market too soon; but it appears they did this time. I was really looking forward to this solution from A-B, but I guess I will just have to wait.
 
I definitely have not seen any "crashes" or loss of program, and I'm still running version 1.0. When I get home tonight to my fast cablemodem I'll download version 1.1.

I was just contrasting the CCW environment with the mature and efficient RSLogix (especially RSLogix 500) programming environment. I realize that it's a toolkit (Visual Studio) on top of a toolkit (ISAGRAF) but it takes a toll on productivity when I have to open two windows, scroll, and click four times to create every Modbus mapping entry, instead of Control-C and Control-V.

I'm starting into my first nontrivial Micro 830 application today and I'm trying to keep a positive outlook on not expecting it to be like RSLogix.

I did see some new videos on the CCW website that might be useful.
 
Davszym,

The reason for the crashes could be where the project files are being stored. I was told by A-B tech support that the CCW software (Release 1.0) as the following issue: the project files must be stored in the CCW default folder. The ramifications of saving them else where are crashes and loss of project files.
 
It unlike them to bring a product to market too soon; but it appears they did this time.

I have to disagree with this.

Firstly I must apologise to Ken and there is no offence meant to Rockwell at all, I think SOME of the stuff they do is top notch, but...............

It seems more and more companies like Rockwell will bring out a product and let US users find the bugs and then tell THEM what it is.

I can't blame any company for doing it, since Microsoft have been getting away with it with Windoze for so long everyone is starting to follow suit.

I think it would help if these companies bought out a BETA version first, so that at least we would know that we may expect problems, maybe they do but I have never seen it.

Sorry bad day at the office.........rant over

Mark
 
I'm not happy at all with CCW. It does crash quite frequently on my machine and sometimes won't do things that it should. I say that because whenever I try to do something and it doesn't responed, I try closing it and re-opening it and most of the time it will do what I was asking it to do. Now I can't get it to download unless I do an upload first. The problem is that if I upload first it will wipeout the program I'm trying to download. I'd switch the project over to a MicroLogix 1100 but it's a demo display and Rockwell is very happy that I'm using it.
 
I believe that bug is related to being connected to a network or active domain. I work with it on a non-networked laptop and have had no such issues. Unplugging your network connect, while ridiculous, may be an effective work around.

My main complaint is the clunky interface. Its hard to drag things around and I'm not a huge fan of how hard it is to name tags. I also find it cumbersome that I have to download the program to have the ability to go into "debug" mode just to view what the PLC is doing.

The function blocks do not update properly when editing the block as well. You have to go to the block's properties menu where it is used then back out to make it update.

On the plus side I really do like using the user defined functions blocks. It made writing my last program WAY faster and editing is a lot easier even with the clunky interface. I wish that I could edit an instance of a block that is used multiple times though.

I expect them to fix the bugs. All in all for free software I would give it a "good" review assuming they fix all the bugs. If I had to pay anywhere close to what logix 500 or 5000 cost this would most definitely be "poor".
 
not on this one

This is my first post on plctalk, I wanted to chime in on the thread.

I'm on a networked pc, win7x64, with an active directory domain. Running version 1.1, files stored in default location.

I have spent a few months developing a new program for the micro830 plc using the ccw software and I haven't had any problems that were inherently related to being on a network. I did have to use 1.1 in order to get it to work on 64bit.

I have not used the HMI portion of CCW, I am configuring my panelview C600 using the web/usb/TCPIP solution.

I have noticed the following though, please chime in if you can shed some light on these issues -

-Cannot have the software running too long, any more than 6 - 8 hours straight and the likelihood of a crash is high (ie overnight). Save early and often. I have automatic backups twice a day.

-Cannot have a comment on a rung contain too many words or letters or it won't build

-When using REAL variables, must enter all numbers as x.0, even going so far as to enter 0.0 and 0.005 instead of just 0 or .005. I wasted a half a day on tracking that one down because the errors did not explain the issue, even made 2 calls to AB.

-The software WILL "flake out" and give odd errors preventing build that don't make sense. Restarting the software and/or the computer will remedy the issues. That is scary.

Overall I am happy with the products because I have been able to bring the project to near completion without going insane. However the level of refinement is typical for a 1.x level product.

Also I would concur with the above poster who said that whoever developed this product line was in no way associated with RSlogix.

For that, I am glad - because it is time for a new generation of PLC and I think this is it. I will be an early adopter because this is the direction I want it to go.

I'm a ME and this is my first foray into creating ladder logic and HMI from scratch. I find the software and workflow fairly intuitive overall.

I'm saying this because another engineer here developed a solution using RSlogix and a 1400 PLC and I can see a huge improvement in the simplicity and workflow of the software when interacting with the PLC.

The confusion and hassles with going online, offline, having to disconnect the HMI serial cable, trying to monitor the program, etc, was obvious when using RSLogix - not to mention the licensing hassles. All of that is gone with CCW!
 
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Also I would concur with the above poster who said that whoever developed this product line was in no way associated with RSlogix.

I heard the same thing from a Rockwell Guy. Rockwell bought a small German company which were the base for the 800 Series.

I'm working with CCW now from V2 (actual V4) and i saw a lot of
improvement in both parts, PLC and Panelview. There is a big
improvement in stability and speed. At all i'm happy with the
Micro830 and also with the Panel C400 (already
over 30 gone to customer). We also still use the uLogix 1400, and of course the Software is a lot faster and better. But its a different price class, and longer life.
I'm really wishing the new Firmware for the Panel to come soon, and hopefully brings a little bit of startup and runtime speed. The actual Firmware is 2 years old (i think) and there are some
bugs known for very long time that should be fixed, sadly some of them bugging me, so still on workarounds.
 
The 1GAIN instruction is the only equivalent to the MOV.

The more I look at it, the more I'm convinced that the Micro800 designers were intentionally isolated from anyone who had ever heard of RSLogix.

Of course they were. Rockwell makes its money off hardware and software. So when they put out an absolute bottom-dollar controller that is programmed with free software, it's no surprise that it sucks and isn't like the software they make that costs hundreds to thousands of dollars to program more expensive PLCs.

The Micro800 series I think was designed to go after the Automation Directs of the world. It's aimed at a completely different market: the home hobbyists and fly-by-night integrators who operate out of their garages. There is no way I would even consider a Micro8-anything for an industrial setting.

That's what's frustrating about Rockwell/AB is you don't know what kind of company they're trying to be, because it changes year after year. They release too many products because they want to compete in every market but there's no common thread between them. I'm sure CCW and the 800 platform was purchased as opposed to developed.
 
The engine inside the Micro 800 is Codesys which is used is many different brands including Wago, Parker, Festo, and Turk.

Having had experience with it on Yaskawa IEC Motion controller made the learning curve less steep.

It's not Logix5K but after you get used to it it's not so bad.
I was actually able to reuse some of the funtion blocks I wrote in Motionworks inside Connected Components Workbench.

I really wish Rockwell would release the Developer Edition.
Ken...any idea when that might happen? I really miss not having online edits even if they are a bit klunky in Codesys.
 
How to Move integer value to integer variable in CCW

Hi Guys;

I am doing my first project on CCW and can't figure it out how to move integer in to variable.

I can see MOV instruction but that requires moving value of one variable to another. I am trying to do sequencer logic based on step number and wants to move integer value in step number variable.

At the moment I am creating variable with each step number with different starting value but that's not right. there must be easy way and m sure I m missing something here.

Thanks in advance
 

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