Control Logix

Hi. What is the usual method for adding a pre written routine to a Control logix program. I need to write the logic to control a remote rack via control net but the base rack has not had its logic fully developed yet. (being done by a different company) Regards Alan Case

Hmm, I don't know about "usual" but I see a couple possibilities.

#1 Add your routine as a separate timed task where it will interrupt the other process to run your task. This occurs at a timed interval you choose.

#2. Add your routine into a new program within the Continuous Task. Remember the ControlLogix uses Tasks then under each Task you have up to 32 programs. Your program would automatically run either before or after their program completes, depending upon the Program Schedule.

#3. Add your routine to their programs and then add logic to specify when your routine should be called.

It would appear to me that choice #2 would be the best way to go as it would not involve changing their logic (choice #3) and would not limit you to only running on a timed interrupt (choice #1).

OG

I probably didn't phrase my question real well. I understand the tasks, routines etc but what i am not sure of is how do you integrate a separate piece of code into an existing program. As I do not have the main program yet as it is still being written elsewhere, I will have to write the routine and then marry it into the main program when it arrives on site. I don't think that it can be saved as a library??? as in an SLC. Any ideas???

You are right Alan, there is no library function as of yet. I am thinking about the only way to integrate is just to start a new project using strictly program scoped tags.

When the completed project is delivered you should be able to drag and drop your program into the delivered project.

Not perfect, but until we get a library function that looks to be the easiest method. At least the easiest method I am familiar with.

OG

Cut and Paste

I have cut and pasted a SLC500 program into a control logix program. You should have no problem cutting and pasting to control logix programs. If all else fails then export both programs as a text file and use a text editor to cut you subroutine and paste it into the main progra, text file. Then import the main program again.

Rockwell has a very simple format for representing rungs as text. I would definitely make use of this fact if I had to have a rung copied ALMOST identically 30 places in a program.

Just my preference. I work better with a text editor than the ackward IDEs.

Thanks again to OG and Peter. This is the sort of info that is hard to find. Regards Alan Case

Alan, If you open two(2) instances of Logix, you can copy and paste your tags from one project to the other. Once you have done this, you cand drag your routines from the existing project into the main project.

Hope this helps.

export tags

The only way I know how to do this is to export your tags into a .CSV
(spreadsheet) format. This needs to be done on the code done by
the third party as well as your own. Then you cut and paste the
tags from your .CSV file into the third party .CSV file and
re-import it back into the third party/main program. Then you
cut and paste the ladder logic. I have done this using earlier version of RSLogix5000 with mixed results. Tags didn't always
import in correctly. Hopefuly this will not be an issue with the
latest version.