Adding a program file in online programming mode

Hello everyone, I am hoping I can get some help here. I have a machine that has a SLC5/04 with 33 program files, I am needing to add an additional program file to it. I have the addition written and would like to just be able to insert this into the running program without having to take the machine offline and downloading the whole program, is there anyway I can cut and paste this one file and add it in online programming mode?

Thanks,
Lori

You cannot create a new program file online...only offline. You can paste in the new logic into an existing program file though.

This is how I do it....

I don't think you can drag and drop a file, but you can create the file online in the processor, then copy and paste the logic that goes in the new file you created. Don't forget to add the jump command to start the new file working.

jtn said:

I don't think you can drag and drop a file, but you can create the file online in the processor, then copy and paste the logic that goes in the new file you created. Don't forget to add the jump command to start the new file working.

Click to expand...

You can create a new program file in run mode? Hmmm, I must be confusing this with creating a new data register.

Thanks for your quick answers, I knew you couldn't create a new data file online, but I wasn't sure about creating a new ladder file. This machine runs 24/7 and having it to play with isn't an option and I don't want to cause any downtime by going out there and messing something up. Jtn... I put the jmp in my offline program but I would bet I would have forgotten when I go out there. Thanks for the reminder! I have two weeks to add this station and this program has a lot of features than I am less than experienced with, indirect addressing and shift registers and I want to put this in and maybe just turn on a light to simulate a cylinder movement to make sure I am shifting my bits and keeping up with the parts status like I should.

On a 5/04 you must create a new program file OFFLINE, then download it to the processor. You can then copy/paste logic into the file ONLINE.

I read your post above and was thinking I could be wrong (we must have replied at pretty much the same time). I thought I remembered creating a new file on line. I do mostly ControlLogix stuff now and it will allow it. You definitely can't create more data files or increase the size of one on line - I always make sure I leave enough room to grow when I create these in the beginning.

Well I guess this is moot, I just checked my work and saw that I have added data files so I will have to take them down anyway to add my changes. thanks again guys!

jtn said:

I read your post above and was thinking I could be wrong (we must have replied at pretty much the same time). I thought I remembered creating a new file on line. I do mostly ControlLogix stuff now and it will allow it. You definitely can't create more data files or increase the size of one on line - I always make sure I leave enough room to grow when I create these in the beginning.

Click to expand...

Yea...I learned after the first time I ran out of floats in a running PLC-5 to create a spare of integers, floats, etc. and a couple of spare program files (assuming I have the room).

I'm pretty sure you have to go to program mode at least to create new ladder or add or resize data files online. I usually put the machine in program mode just long enough to create the new memory areas, then go back to running. If you gotta stop it anyway, a full download is only a few more seconds of downtime, that is if it's 100% debugged! I prefer to make changes online and use the test and Untest buttons for debugging. (I've rarely had 100% debugged code on the first attempt!) I just open two instances of RSLogix. I go online with the target processor in one instance and open the offline file or connect to the source processor with the other instance. Now I can copy and paste whatever I need from one file to the other. (Note: It can take a while to paste >50 rungs online in a PLC5 or SLC, but just wait and it'll eventually finsh if there is enough free ram in the processor)

There are some thing to be careful of. In a PLC5 (don't know about 5/04 for sure) when you paste and verify an edit with a block transfer in it, the new values for the control word are written immediately! (before you hit the test edits button!)

You can choose to overwrite or ignore comment collisions when pasting.

You have to "accept" each rung individually. I usually put my mouse cursor over the accept button and the ladder editor next to the first rung in my ram edits. (lowercase "e") I then can alternate hitting the left click mouse button and the down arrow on the keyboard multiple times and then wait for RSLogix to catch up.

Hope this helps

As a general practice, I create a couple of extra blank program files and extra data files. An unused file adds nothing to the processor overhead and you already have the memory.

basic ideas ...

just for starters ...

PLC-5 rule ...

you CAN add a new ladder file while you are ONLINE (communicating with the processor) ... but you can NOT be in the RUN mode ...

Click to expand...

SLC-500 rule ...

you can NOT add a new ladder file while you are ONLINE (communicating with the processor) ... you MUST be OFFLINE (NOT communicating with the processor) to add the new ladder file ... and then you must download the entire program to the processor ... and so, since a download can NOT be done in the RUN mode, the system MUST be shut down in order to plug in a new ladder file ...

Click to expand...

and I’ll bet a LOT MORE than just pocket change on this one ...

confusing? ... yes ... even to the guys who write the “official” books ... this is copied verbatim from page 78 [Adobe page 88 of 127] from the Getting Results Guide for RSLogix5 for the PLC-5 family ... Publication LG5-GR002A-EN-P, dated July 2005 ...








my hunch is that they Copied-and-Pasted from the RSLogix500 book (for SLC-500 processors) and didn’t catch the difference ... yep ... we’re all human ...