Basic question on GE Micro 90 and TC touchscreen

I know this is a simple question, but I am a beginner and I want to verify my used Total control touch screen is working correctly.

Specifically I need help with addressing. On the PLC I have programmed output coil 1(%Q00001) to close when I close input 1(%I00001) and tested this with a hard wired switch. What i am trying to do is set up a button on the touch screen that would close output coil %Q00001.

GE SNPX Tag variables from the quick designer manual states the format is

Format: Gnfffaaa:bb\p_?
The leading ‘G’ may be substituted with a ‘%’
n is the memory type of the variable
fff is the data type of the variable
aaa is the address of the variable (range 1--??? Decimal)
:bb is the bit number of the variable (supported only where specified)
_? Is the address of the PLC where data will be sent and/or read

I am using quick designer for the touch screen and Proficy machine edition for the plc. I have set up the touch screen according to the manual for GE SNPX and everything seems to be working. When I use another driver I will get an error message stating the touch screen cannot communicate with the plc.

What is the PLC address, where can I find it, or how to I set it up?

Could anyone give me an example of a pushbutton tag that would register in the data tables or light an input or output on the PLC? I have tried the simple %Q00002 and it does not work.

Again I do know this is a basic question and I am probably missing something simple. I am going to school and I am setting up a test panel to study. I only ask this question to verify everything is working and I am not wasting my time on a bad communication port.
Thank you for any help you can provide.

1. Program a rung in your PLC where an internal bit %M00001, when closed, energizes output %Q00001.

2. In QuickDesigner, create a pushbutton and assign %MBI1 address to it. That would be QD's reference to internal memory bit 1, same as %M000001 in the PLC.

3. Try it.

Although SNPX driver allows you to reference %I and %Q memory directly, it is a good and safe parctice to use only internal memory (%M and %R for GE PLCs) in the HMI and tie those addresses to real inputs and outputs in the PLC code as necessary.

Thank you Ladder Logic, you helped me prove everything is working.

I just love this website.

Since you have Proficy, you might be able to import the QD project and do all of your programming in Proficy. It makes it a lot easier to manage your tags in one package.

If so, then you have two options for the tags.
1. You can use proxy variables. With these, the touch screen variables are referenced to the PLC address. You would see addresses like PLC.M00001. PLC would change depending on how you have named your PLC.
2. You can still address directly in the touch screen. I have not used this option in Proficy, so I can't say much about it.