Omron CPM1A + Server lite + V.Basic 2008

[braga]

hi all,

I'm trying to develop a GUI in V. basic 2008 to write values in memory adresses of an OMRON CPM1A-40 PLC. I'm using cx-programmer for ladder program and cx-server lite to allow V. basic to communicate with the plc using omron communication control .ocx. Also have configured the .ocx with a .cdm file created by cx-server.

Using Win XP SP3, Cx-programmer, Cx-server lite
Hardware- CPM1A-40
Communications- PC->USB->USB to RS232 Converter cable-> Cif- PLC

Note that communication between PLC and CX-programmer is ok
But within V. Basic it doesnt seem to communicate at all, and if it does it can´t set or get any data in/from PLC.

I wonder if anyone has done something similar that wouldn't mind helping.

Any suggestions are welcome

Best Regards,
Paulo Martins

[BobB]

Have a search @ www.mrplc.com in the download code section. There are some good notes there regarding Omron PLCs.

[braga]

hi,

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll see to that.
My code was based in the cx-server lite manual examples and i get no errors in vbasic. However i cant get or set any data.
The only thing i dont understand very well is the device points ( i dont know if you know what i'm talking about), maybe the points i added are not correct.
I'm lost here.
Anyway i'll see the code download section as u suggest. thanks


Best regards,
Paulo Martins

[ATU]

How old is the OCX ? Is it certified to work with your version of VB?

[braga]

hi,

That's a good question...I'm trying to findout if it is certified to work with vb 2008.
I'm not sure if the ocx is installed with cx-programmer or with cx-server lite. I think it's with cx-server, and my version is 1.1.

Also i read a "cx-server runtime user manual.pdf" manual that as an appendice to show network Availability for several plc models/devices and it states that cpm1a-10, cpm1a-20 and cpm1a-30 support sysmacway and toolbus but it has no reference to the device i'm using that is cpm1a-40. wich is strange.

I did something similar 3 years ago and i was using only cx-programmer and VB6 wiht a cj1m plc and it was pretty much simple. in my opinion things are much more complex now, with more aplications involved and more chnces something goes wrong.

Thanks for your help.

Best regards
Paulo Martins

[BobB]

That is a very old version of CX-Server - the latest version is 4.1 and comes with CX-One.
The documentation you have is also old and probably written before the CPM1A 40 was released. It is basically the same as the others only with more I/O. There should be no difference with your addressing except for the numbers of the I/O.

[ATU]

I do believe there are big difference in the way COM ports are handled in VBx.net and the way they were done with VB6.

[braga]

hi bobb,

My mistake, my cx-server version comes with cx-one like u said, when i said that my cx-servr version was 1.1 i meant cx-server lite version, i didn't express myself well.

I downloaded a zip file with code and an aplication like you recommended me earlier, i could not open the project because it's in vb6 i just had a look in wordpad tio the code, i'l try the .exe tomorrow, because i dont have the plc with me at the momment, and give some feedback.

Regarding the documentation being old and that the only diference is the IO i think and expect u are right.

best regards
Paulo Martins

[braga]

I cant remember how i've done in VB6, but i agree with you its definitely different, i didn't have any trouble then.

And i couldn't even findout if this ocx is certified, but i read in some forum a guy asking if it was with vb 2005 but there were no answers.

thanks for the time.

best regards
Paulo m.

[braga]

hi all,

thanks for the great help. I' ve tried today and communication problems were solved - I didn't have much time available to use the plc but i could write to the DM area and also read.

I believe the problem was in the points i added to the device in the .cdm file that is requiered by the communication control.ocx.

I'll do more tests tomorrow and i'll be happy to sahre my project with anyone in order give something back to the community.

At the moment i'm thinking in two things:

The best way to control outputs from v.basic with buttons
Should i do it in a direct way or write values to any refgister DM for instance have them compared with a pre-determined value and if equal power on an output or other?

Suggestions are welcome.

the other thing is- i downloaded cx-server lite DEMO from plctalk but it has a popup message saying that it will only work for an hour but it seems to be working until now and much more than an hour has passed. Or is it an hour freezing period after wich it starts working again...?!

Best regards,
Paulo Martins