Allen Bradley PanelView Plus stuck in remote

I have a PanelView Plus on a machine that we had a contractor make for us. After the operator inputs their username, it gives an error saying that changes can't be made because it is being remotely accessed.

I unplugged the ethernet, and power cycled.

Same error happens.

Has anyone ever had anything like this occur? Any million dollar ideas?

I'm just an IT guy that gets thrown into these situations sometimes, when the main controls guy is on vacation...

Is there a switch on the front of the control panel labelled "Remote Access Enable"? Is there a digital input to the controller for "Remote Access Enabled"?
Are these working correctly?

There are no Remote Access Enable things that I can find... Heres a picture of the error

http://imgur.com/a/bvlrj

Sorry if that doesn't load. Theres the link.

They need to move a "0" into the "Remote Display Number" on startup of the PLC. This tag is located in Global Connections of the HMI. More than likely they are using remote mode to make windows pop-up on the HMI via the PLC.

45513 - Unable to open display. display is currently controlled remotely
Access Level: TechConnect

You probably cannot read that TechConnect level article?

It basically explains what Bmoore14 is suggesting. The HMI application is most likely using Global Connections to allow the assumed PLC to set the current display number by writing different values to the PLC tag that has been assigned to the Global Connection tag - Remote Display Number. As long as this tag has a non zero (0) value the current display number will be governed remotely.

It appears as though the contractor may not have handled this properly in the assumed PLC? If it should be allowed to control the current display number locally, using the likes of a GotoDisplayButton object, as you appear to be doing, then they should have faciltated this function. As mentioned, a physical button or selector with an input to the PLC is one method. When the input is ON the PLC sets the Remote Display Number tag to zero, usually indefinitely. Another method might be a user login on the HMI, of which the PLC can also monitor via Global Connections, and if the logged in user level permits, the PLC similarly sets the Remote Display Number to zero. Or at a simpler level it can just be a button object on the HMI that sets the display number control to local by indicating to the PLC as such and the Remote Display Number tag is set to zero.

Whichever method is used to set the tag to zero for local control, it is usually good practice during this status to also inhibit any PLC logic which may simultaneously attempt to write a non zero value to the tag.

You don't really switch between local and remote display navigational control. More, you disable remote control, thus allowing local control to function.

It may be that they have attempted to implement both remote and local display navigation but have made a simple error or two which needs some attention.

What we are talking about here may involve the use and possible editing of both the PLC program and the HMI application. Access to and some knowledge of both programming software packages may be required.

This may be outside your area of expertise?
i.e. There may not be a quick fix to this problem.

Regards,
George

That was it! Thanks guys. It took me a bit but I got it. I set remote display page to zero but then I had to restart the machine. it got it up and running for now but I'll have to have the contractor make the code permanent (right now i just set it to zero and said to leave the machine on until the guy comes back and fixes it). Thanks!

dripdry said:

...I'm just an IT guy...

Click to expand...

Now you can also call yourself an OT (Operational Technology) guy!

Or a ITOT, or OTIT, or an OIT, or an IOT?

Or just clever?

G.