C-more & Micrologix on ethernet

[Matthias von Zorn]

Im sure you can get a lot of good info and suggestions here. It probobaly would be best to start a new thread tho. Just like the couple for the HMIs that have been around lately.

matt

 

[grish05]

and you dont get screwed every year for software updates.
QUOTE]
Dave, thank you for making that statement, I couldn’t agree more. I think that your statement stems from the way that AB/RS goes about selling and keeping their software current and up to date to the user/programmer. It is very high priced to purchase and to keep updated. I purchased the lowest update package for RSL500, which includes only one techconnect phone call that I had to waste on something menial, the service (or disservice if you will) hasn’t done me much good. Dave, I couldn’t agree more! It doesn’t help the small man.



However on the other end of the spectrum the majority of the time free software is typically clunky, you get what you pay for. Something to consider, what makes AB PLC so popular in the US? Is their hardware better than everyone else’s? They have very good hardware, probably some of the best, we could debate for days on who has the best. However what seems to be the difference is the programming software, most anyone that can read and understand relay logic, can probably write a basic SLC/ML program in a very short period of time. That is more than likely the reason AB is so popular.



So, what is the balance? Something else to consider, if most engineering companies charge $100 to $125 per hour (cheap in some cases) for engineering, how many hours would it take to pay for a decent software package to program? If I spend more than 1 hour trying to figure out how to make one subject work, I have already pad for a good self intuitive programming software. C-more is a good example, it has its flaws as well.



For the folks at Red Lion, you have a wonder piece of hardware, it really seems like you done your homework! But it would be nice if the Undo would work, no offence, I make a lot of mistakes, (just like I have probably made in this blog, sorry if I stepped on any ones toes).



It’s a balancing act, good product for a good price.



Thank you for your considerations, Jeff

 

[MikeGranby]

I agree about the Undo. It's certainly on the list...

 

[geniusintraining]

...Try to keep it specific, though, rather than just telling us that we should be more like c-more. ...

Hi Mike,

It would be nice if there was more info (in the help or on your web site) that went deeper into the 'programming', its a very powerful tool but it is under used (by me and maybe others)

I have several G3's, but they were programmed by someone else, its hard to decipher the code, but if you are not that good with it...its very hard

The others that I have been programed by me and have no 'code' and I dont think I am making the full use of the product, they should be used more then a just a big push button, but they do that job very well

You may already have something else that I am not aware of or have not come across yet

Thanks,

 

[504bloke]

I agree about the Undo. It's certainly on the list...

Heres some more for your list ( if not already there)

When adding a driver to a port, there is a Help in the popup box...

It doesn't work....

For Instance it would be nice on the S5 drivers to tell you how the G3 addresses the bits in the S5 as its not the same as the S5

Same goes for the Mitsi A/Q/FX driver when used on an FX2N with a 232BD card fitted. The I/O on the FX2N is addressed in Octal but the Redlion addresses them in Hex. Apparently the A/Q series uses hex (i am told) but it would be nice to select either hex or octal or have the C2 software do it depending if you choose FX or A/Q series when selecting that particular driver.

Would also be nice if you could open more than one window ie Communications, Data Tags, User Interface etc etc

Another would be in the Mail Manager - Address List - Edit Contact Details...

It asks for an Email Address, when doing SMS messages this can actually be a mobile phone number! I spent a little while looking for where to put the mobile number as it didnt occur to me that it went in email address??

 

[MikeGranby]

The programming thing is tricky. You ought to be able to do a most things without programming, but there will be times when we've missed something, and we want to give people a way to work around own ommissions. We're got some ideas about making people's programs easier to follow and providing better tools, but don't feel bad for not using the programming facilities

 

[MikeGranby]

The I/O on the FX2N is addressed in Octal but the Redlion addresses them in Hex. Apparently the A/Q series uses hex (i am told) but it would be nice to select either hex or octal or have the C2 software do it depending if you choose FX or A/Q series when selecting that particular driver.

I'm sure Dan will be watching this thread and will submit a feature request on this one. It's a near bug, and so something we ought to fix.

It asks for an Email Address, when doing SMS messages this can actually be a mobile phone number! I spent a little while looking for where to put the mobile number as it didnt occur to me that it went in email address??

You're right. The balloon help is out of date, and wasn't updated when we added SMS support. Again, Dan, if you could submit a bug on this since I'm on vacation right now...

 

[504bloke]

I'm sure Dan will be watching this thread and will submit a feature request on this one. It's a near bug, and so something we ought to fix.


You're right. The balloon help is out of date, and wasn't updated when we added SMS support. Again, Dan, if you could submit a bug on this since I'm on vacation right now...

Dan knows about both of these, just thought i'd mention it here.

He is a star in your tech support department!

 

[504bloke]

The programming thing is tricky. You ought to be able to do a most things without programming, but there will be times when we've missed something, and we want to give people a way to work around own ommissions. We're got some ideas about making people's programs easier to follow and providing better tools, but don't feel bad for not using the programming facilities

The editor could really do with a polish up, its more like MS Notepad than a proper editor.......

Now if it was more like PHP Designer that would be good

 

[Phrog30]

No it does not. The C-more, for some insane reason, only talks to the compact / control logix processors.

However, the nice folks at red lion make a G3 that does talk to a slc. So I assume it will talk to the ML too. PS, the micrologix 1100 has built in ethernet.

I noticed this thread today and had the same question. I was able to get a SLC 5/04 with an ENI to communicate to a C-More. I guess some issues were resolved with the latest firmware... 2.53 I think. Just FYI.

 

[cjh]

This is a really old thread. C-more has added many more drivers since then, including the ENI adapter driver.

 

[rthornton]

Yeah, C-more has supported the NET-ENI for years now.

 

[rguimond]

I have a network of 4 SLC 5/05, 3 Micrologix 1100, 10 Micrologix 1200, a CompactLogix and a ControLogix on a network with two 12" C-More panels and 6 6" C-More panels. Every panel communicates with at least one PLC, and all communications are over Ethernet (using 1761-NET-ENI for the ML1200s). Everything works perfectly.

I had to use a serial cable to connect one panel to a ML1200 this week because a network switch quit working and The NET-ENI was useless, but I am still able to pass data through the Ethernet network through the serially-connected panel.

 

[Phrog30]

This is a really old thread. C-more has added many more drivers since then, including the ENI adapter driver.

This was the only thread I saw, which is more reason to update it with correct information.

James