Ideas: Data Logging and Report Generating software?

theColonel26

Lifetime Supporting Member
theColonel26
Join Date
Feb 2014
Location
West Michigan
Posts
784
I need recommendations for a software package that does data logging and report generations.



  • Communicate directly with a CompactLogix (Separate OPC server required)
  • Ability to trigger data recording based on values in the PLC.
  • Ability to generate customizable reports in PDF form
  • Be cheap < $300 per run time.
If I can't find something I will have to roll my own solution in C#. Which is fine, I just need to explore off the shelf solutions first.
 
How fast do you need the comms to be and how much data will be involved?

Does Python and Grafana do? The reports bit would be limited since it would be a print screen of a web page...
 
Ken Moore said:
Good luck, let us know if you find something. Your budget seems very low, most OPC server software is much more than your total cost, home grown may be your only option.
Click to expand...
So far it looks like I am going to go with Derek Stickel's REACT-CSS PLC Comm drivers and role my own reporting solution.

cardosocea said:
How fast do you need the comms to be and how much data will be involved?

Does Python and Grafana do? The reports bit would be limited since it would be a print screen of a web page...
Click to expand...
That seems a bit convoluted. This is going to be remote deployed that seems like a lot of moving parts.

Mark- said:
Hello,


PeakHMI, $337 per run time license.
Click to expand...
I took one look at that web site, then asked my Lead Dev to come look at it, I asked "Would you buy software from them?" his response was "**** no!" Their website is straight out of 1999.....
 
theColonel26 said:
So far it looks like I am going to go with Derek Stickel's REACT-CSS PLC Comm drivers and role my own reporting solution.

That seems a bit convoluted. This is going to be remote deployed that seems like a lot of moving parts.

I took one look at that web site, then asked my Lead Dev to come look at it, I asked "Would you buy software from them?" his response was "**** no!" Their website is straight out of 1999.....
Click to expand...

If you are fine with rolling your own report, you might as well go with AdvancedHMI and save the cost.
 
I agrees with dmroeder.

Also, I wouldn't judge by the website. A lot of the software we use in the power world you would never heard of and the website seems straight out AOL days but they keep your lights on.
 
I've had others tell me this site looks like it is from the 90's, but there is some knowledge floating around here.
 
theColonel26 said:
So far it looks like I am going to go with Derek Stickel's REACT-CSS PLC Comm drivers and role my own reporting solution.

That seems a bit convoluted. This is going to be remote deployed that seems like a lot of moving parts.

I took one look at that web site, then asked my Lead Dev to come look at it, I asked "Would you buy software from them?" his response was "**** no!" Their website is straight out of 1999.....
Click to expand...
So you are here looking for a cheap solution but want to slam the man because his website isnt updated?
 
I've used https://infiniteautomation.com/ on a dozen projects to read data from PLCs, store it in a database, perform the necessary downsampling or rollups, and stick it in to an excel file that gets e-mailed off.


It has an event engine so it can write a bit to trigger data recording in the PLC when some other values meet some criteria.



I've been using this software since 2008. It has been reliable despite changing with the times as a product with a web browser based interface has to do.
 
VON, that's an interesting product I never heard of. I don't see Ethernet/IP though so do one still need OPC?

We have enterprise level process historian but often I want more detailed event driven log during commissioning and troubleshooting that I can save in a CSV file. So this might fit the bill. Oh ya, nice looking website too :)

edit: nevermind, AB E/IP is an addon but 9 points are free.. That's all I need sometime.
 
dmroeder said:
If you are fine with rolling your own report, you might as well go with AdvancedHMI and save the cost.
Click to expand...
it occurred to me but


  • AHMI is GPL, which would mean even all of my code would have to be released to the end-user.
  • AHMI drivers don't map to custom classes, it is all string-based, REACT-CSS does.
  • Does AHMI drivers support UDTs? Multi-dimensional arrays
  • AHMI does have a closed source driver you can purchase but it the other issues still apply

diat150 said:
So you are here looking for a cheap solution but want to slam the man because his website isnt updated?
Click to expand...
I'm sorry but when you are looking for software, what a software company's web site looks like is a good indicator of their code base, it's a great website for 1999, but I am looking for modern software. A static website is (while barely software) still software. So I am extrapolating what one of the companies products is like, based on another of their products.

Mark- said:
Book by its cover.
Click to expand...
Would you rather I lie?
 
Last edited:
theColonel26 said:
I'm sorry but when you are looking for software, what a software company's web site looks like is a good indicator of their code base, it's a great website for 1999, but I am looking for modern software. A static website is (while barely software) still software. So I am extrapolating what one of the companies products is like, based on another of their products.

Would you rather I lie?
Click to expand...


Non sequitur.
 
Last edited:

Similar Topics

B
Ideas on how to deal with bad data
Hi everyone, PLC: Micrologix 1400 I have a application that is looking at 2 different flow meters and comparing there totalizer for leak...
Replies
4
Views
1,657
cardosocea
C
J
Data Acquisition ideas
I have a customer who is required to calibrate the temperature in ovens every so often. They have a cart they roll around and they connect as...
Replies
5
Views
2,063
Onstege
O
geniusintraining
RSLogix 500 ~ invert data ~ other ideas welcome
Good evening everyone (or good morning) I am writing a program that has a analog input, I have scaled it to my 0-10v and its working great...
2
Replies
15
Views
4,822
geniusintraining
geniusintraining
I
Any ideas on a clean, simple, event-based data storage/trending/reporting package?
We have an application where data (6 temperatures per machine for 4 machines) needs to be stored only when a cleaning & sterilization takes place...
Replies
8
Views
2,464
surferb
S
M
FIFO with String Data, need Ideas
I tried posting this on one of the other boards but not getting much input so I thought I would try here. I have a project that I would like to...
Replies
1
Views
3,583
PeterW
P
Back
Top Bottom