Alarm Acknowledge Button

[athdru]

I'm using FactoryTalk View Studio and RSLinx5000 with a control Logix processor

In FTV, I have an alarm banner (from Digital alarms setup in the plc). I want to have a button that will acknowledge the "topmost" alarm, and a second button to acknowledge all alarms (well the unack'd ones).

I make a PB on the screen, and go to the run command, in the wizzard there is an "Acknowledge" and "AcknowledgeAll" function.

I set the single to do most recent/severe and just have the ackall on the other.

however, when i go press the button, none of the alarms are acknowledged. I think I may be missing some other connectio here.

I can use the Alarm Banner's "acknowlede" check button to acknowledge a selected alarm, but would rather have a PB on the screen that just goes top down w/o having to select each alarm.

Does anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks in advance.

 

[rdrast]

You are using a regular command button, with the action of "Acknowledge" ?

 

[athdru]

Yes Objects>Push Button>Button

Then in Properties>Action>Press Action: Acknowledge
and Properties>Action>Press Action: AcknowledgeAll

neither button sets the ack bit in the PLC nor in the Alarm and event Banner

 

[rdrast]

Hrm... Odd, I just tried it, and plain "Acknowledge" ack's the most recent alarm, of course the tag was already out of an alarm condition.

I'll experiment some more if I can, but I'm playing with a live, running machine right now, and don't want to confuse the operators too much

 

[athdru]

that's understandable.

As with my other question about sending data from the MMI to PLC automatically...i don't have any "formal" training with View.

I'm wondering if there is some "missing" link i don't have. Although i can see alarms in the banner, and use the check button in the lower right to ack a selected alarm i can't the the command/button to work.

thanks again for taking time to help

Edit: Alarms are still in alarm condition. And if i take them out via PLC, they are also removed from the Alarm Banner

 

[athdru]

I'm wondering, I don't have an Alarm and Event Server setup. Do I need to do this so FTV PBs will interact with the ALMDs from the PLC?

 

[rdrast]

Yes, if you are using the FT Alarms and Events, instead of just the HMI alarms, you need to set up both a FTA&E Server, and an extra RSLinx ENTERPRISE server, all on the SE Server computer.

Didn't realize until just now you were using Device Alarms.

The Linx Enterprise server you added (secondary one) should have the "Handle Alarms and Events" box checked.

 

[athdru]

so, does that mean i need to add each PLC alarm instruction into the MMI?

 

[dash]

Nope. You just need to enable the alarms and events for the Linx Ent. server as stated above. All the alarm data/description is held in the PLC. From the startup screen in RSLogix 5000 V16 there is a video that gives an example of the new alarms and it discusses the FT Alarms and Events from the FT View SE side enough to understand what is going on. Actually very good to watch if you are not familiar.

Darren

 

[rdrast]

Right Darren, I wasn't thinking. I run the A&E server, since I still use a lot of actual HMI tags for the alarms.

But you do need to enable the A&E alarms both in the Enterprise server config, AND in the topic that you make in Enterprise.

Also, you must have a Controller flashed to at least 16.20 (which has some issues). The most recent firmware that supports A&E is on the rockwell download site at 16.21, but actually installs ControlFlash at 16.20.08, and shows up in Linx as 16.20

If the processor shows up in Linx as 16.3, 16.7, those will not work, and need to be reflashed.

 

[athdru]

it looks like i have everything set up.

i don't see the "handle alarms and events" box anywhere tho.

 

[rdrast]

Open up the RSLinx Enterprise data server in your Studio Project Tree... (Right-click, properties).

There should be three tabs at the top, "General", "Redundancy", and "Alarms and Events". Go to the A&E tab, there is a checkbox at the top to enable them.

Once A&E is enabled on Linx Enterprise, go to your communication setup (for Linx Enterprise)... You can create (or modify, but I suggest creating a unique topic) a topic, connected to the PLC. In the window, there is a setup field for A&E (but only if the server is enabled for it). Select YES for your A&E topic.

Oh, and we are talking CPR 9, FactoryTalk View SE, Vers 5? And the Factory Talk Services platform 2.1?

 

[athdru]

CPR 9, FT View SE, ver 5 but i'm not sure about SP 2.1

 

[rdrast]

If you installed from the 5.0 disks, it should be services 2.1. Hrm, and you don't have the tab in the Linx Enterprise comms setup?

Again, you have to be using RSLinx Enterprise (licensed and activated), NOT RSLinx Classic (Pro, OEM/Gateway, etc), althouch classic can run on the same computer with enterprise. Just have to define unique topic names for each, but only Enterprise will handle FT Device Alarming.

 

[athdru]

Again, you have to be using RSLinx Enterprise (licensed and activated), NOT RSLinx Classic (Pro, OEM/Gateway, etc), althouch classic can run on the same computer with enterprise. Just have to define unique topic names for each, but only Enterprise will handle FT Device Alarming.

That's getting a bit hairy...we had issues with our activation. We were buying new software for us to use as a development company (RSLogix, View & View Studio...the works) and Software for our customer (View, logix)

But our sales rep didn't get the right order in and we had some issues registering.

and the other problem..my last day is monday...so..i'm just trying to get as much done before i go.