Proficy Machine Edition <-- RSLogix Strings

I've been trying for several days now to get a String from my CompactLogix PLC over to my GE HMI. Does anyone have any experience with this exact scenario?

Alternatively, does anyone know the structure of a String data type in PME?

RSLogix for example is an Array of SINT for the .DATA and a DINT for the .LEN parameter. Those together make a structure of a STRING data type.

Does anyone know how Proficy Machine Edition stores Strings?

I can't seem to directly address a string data type from PME to RSLogix. I'm building a Recipe Table and need the ability to store a string for the Part Name. I cannot for the life of me seem to get this to work.

Any help is appreciated.

EDIT: Before it's suggested, Yes I tried to directly map to the .DATA array of the string element. I have also tried creating a new tag in RSLogix that is a SINT array and CPS the string data to it. I have tried DINT's for that procedure as well. Any other thoughts are appreciated.

Does anyone know how Proficy Machine Edition stores Strings?

Click to expand...

Strings in Proficy are packed ASCII, two characters per 16-bit word. When you define a string variable it defaults to a maximum string length 32 characters (16 words) but you can change the length.
I don't have any working examples, but when I create a new HMI tag in Proficy linked to a PLC tag, Proficy wants just the PLC tag name. No need to append .DATA to the tag name.

You should be able to set up an OPC comms path within Cimplicity. Once that is set up you can create an OPC topic in Linx to service the tags in AB and point that topic at the Cimplicity project. Then all you would need to do is create points in Cimplicity using the tags from AB in the configuration tab for your point in Cimplicity. In the configuration tab you will be able to assign the project you are pulling the tags from and add it to the address line and also set the Data Type as well. The points can then be used in Cimplicity for whatever your need is. You can also write a "Point Get" and "Point Set" script to act as a bridge to toggle points within Cimplicity. This would allow you to toggle point within Cimplicity and get a result on both end "GE & AB". In Cimplicity you have to have points set up "within Cimplicity" regardless. That's my only gripe with it. Once you have an OPC link set up in Cimplicity you use a topic from Linx to point your AB project to your Cimplicity project. Hope that helps.

FINALLLLLLLYYYY!!!!!

I haven't had such difficulty with such a simple task in SUCH a long time. It was impossible to get help with this thing excepting my man Steve Bailey. This guy was VITAL in my success and I give him all the credit and HUGE thank you!

!!:SOLUTION:!!
In your PME Project, create a variable to hold the String Data and set the I/O Address to the tag Name within the PLC for the String followed by the .Data/82

Ex: PROGRAM:MachineLogic.SampleString.Data/82

This is the key! reference the Atomic Data Member of the String structure and the 82 = the length of the string. If you want to control the length change the value otherwise RSLogix max string length is 82.

What a huge pain in the butt! Thank you to all who helped.