Automation Direct DL05 memory locations

[f16bmathis]

Change them to momentary for my example in post 12. Always use momentary, and do latching in the PLC.

I tried, but I must have messed something up. The PLC will not respond to direct control of the outputs as I was doing with it earlier, and your ladder logic won't do anything either. Can't imagine what went wrong. I still have power and comm lights flashing for both the computer and HMI (when I press an input button), but no effect on the PLC itself.

 

[keithkyll]

Recheck communications settings. I thing the lights should be flashing all the time, not just when you press a button.

 

[f16bmathis]

Recheck communications settings. I thing the lights should be flashing all the time, not just when you press a button.

Yeah, I wondered about that, even the computer comms flashes every second or so. I've never had the HMI side flashing unless I touch a button... but it was commanding the outputs on.

The comm light on the HMI flashes constantly even with the computer comm disconnected.

 

[keithkyll]

The HMI is constantly trying to establish communications with the PLC. Ditto for the PLC. All you have to do is have a proper cable and matching settings.

 

[f16bmathis]

The HMI is constantly trying to establish communications with the PLC. Ditto for the PLC. All you have to do is have a proper cable and matching settings.

Sounds simple! I just found that I had somehow set my Com 1 (PLC) PLC contiguous address interval from a "1" to a "16", which when set back to a "1" allows me to command the outputs on/off without a program present. So I MUST have communication between the two, but the lights still only flash when I push an HMI screen button. I'm now going to try a simple program to see if I can find the memory addresses to use actual inputs to control the outputs.

 

[f16bmathis]

You can't write to the X inputs for the same reason. What you need is the internal bits - the "C" bits. You do almost everything on the HMI with them. Still 0x. For the timers, you will use "V". That's 4x.
0x for bits, and 4x for words. That's it. There is uses for 1x and 3x, but I don't think I've ever used them. Certainly for what you want, you won't need them.

If you were wiring a PLC with buttons, you would write logic with X bits for inputs. With the HMI, you use C bits.

Let's start with turning Y0 on and off.

[c0]-|---[/c1]-----------------y0

[y0]-|

Use a bit button for c0. Address 0x3072. Label "Start".
Use a bit button for c1. Address 0x3073. Label "Stop".
Use a bit lamp for y0. Address is 0x2048. Label it "Motor" or whatever you want.

Once I fixed the "cogtinouos" thing and got the HMI and PLC talking again, I just programmed the PLC as you showed and it works perfectly!

Again, you're my hero! I thank all of you who took the time to help me with this!

 

[f16bmathis]

Recheck communications settings. I thing the lights should be flashing all the time, not just when you press a button.

Now that I have comms set correctly, and a program loaded in the PLC my PLCs HMI comms lights are flashing like there's no tomorrow!

 

[Steve Bailey]

The HMI should request whatever data is required to refresh the displayed screen. If the only object on the screen is a pushbutton, there is nothing that needs to be refreshed on a regular basis. The only time a pushbutton object needs to communicate with the PLC is when you touch or release it.
An object on the HMI screen that displays the value or state of a memory location in the PLC needs to be regularly updated to keep the displayed value or state accurate. If you have objects like that on your screen, you should see the LEDs flashing. That indicates regular traffic over the communications line.

 

[f16bmathis]

The HMI should request whatever data is required to refresh the displayed screen. If the only object on the screen is a pushbutton, there is nothing that needs to be refreshed on a regular basis. The only time a pushbutton object needs to communicate with the PLC is when you touch or release it.
An object on the HMI screen that displays the value or state of a memory location in the PLC needs to be regularly updated to keep the displayed value or state accurate. If you have objects like that on your screen, you should see the LEDs flashing. That indicates regular traffic over the communications line.

Oh, that explains it. I have four status lamps for the four on/off buttons. I ran out of useable inputs after 0x3079, 0x3080 will not accept, but four will do for now!

 

[keithkyll]

The addresses in the PLC are Octal. That means no 8 or 9. Use the chart Vaughn (milldrone) gave you in post 9.

 

[f16bmathis]

The addresses in the PLC are Octal. That means no 8 or 9. Use the chart Vaughn (milldrone) gave you in post 9.

OK, I got it, PLC is OCTAL. Use C0-C7 in the PLC, with addresses in the HMI of 0x3072 - 0x3079 then C10 with address of 0x3080.

I had it backwards! Using C8 (PLC) and skipping 0x3080 (HMI)

And sure enough it works!

Thanks!