Communication Citect/S7-300 using MPI (CP5611)

[John Gaunt]

Hello Marie,

I use S7-400 and Citect communication via CP5613
using Profibus. CP5611 is very similar.

You need to use the S7ONLINE connection for Citect.

Basically everything must be correct or you get nothing
with S7NT communication.

I would try setting up as Profibus rather than MPI
probably because that is how I do it and I know it works.
If you can't get it working let me know. If you emailed me
your S7 archived project and your Citect project I should
be able to sort it out.

Regards.............John Gaunt

 

[Marie]

Hi,

Because of my hardware setup, I cannot use Profibus to communicate with my Citect application.

Marie

 

[funfrok]

I talked to some Siemens guy and he made me realise that my Station name in Simatic was not the same as my real station name. That was causing some of the problems.

I found also something which indicates that the connection isn't ok in Simatic. When I start Netpro, then select my connection, if I click on the icon "Activate/Deactivate Connection Status", I see that my connection is "Not available"... I don't know how to fix that... Any ideas?

Marie

I have the same problem here, (station name) where are those station names ? I normally use Mitsubishi and Siemens menus and dialogs look like aliens programmed them!!

 

[gregoryg]

Some time ago Siemens made instructions how to configure links to S7 PLC via MPI with their new software. Maybe this link will help you
http://support.automation.siemens.c...g=en&siteid=cseus&aktprim=0&extranet=standard
(Entry: 16513313).

 

[JesperMP]

Hi funfrok.

There are two places that must match each other.

1. The "Computer name" as setup in Windows Control Panel, System, Computer Name.

2. The name of the "PC station" that you create in STEP7 or NCM.

See my guide "How to setup OPC with Simatic Net" in the download section. It explains the bit about the names.

 

[GeoffC]

In Citect you need to make sure the IO server you created is the same name as in your .ini file

 

[funfrok]

It worked

I deleted all settings, and applied the "Unspecified connection from a pc application" procedure in the "Commissioning PC Stations
- Manual and Quick Start" manual(Using MPI Connection) . And it worked. I think i messed up some settings before.
Thank you for your replies.

By the way, JesperMP, i read your "How to setup OPC with Simatic Net" document. Basically i did was mostly the same, but with some differences. It is a good document, thank you. I'll keep it for future reference.

 

[JesperMP]

Congrats that you got it working.

I am interested in knowing how Citect uses Simatic Net software.
Is it via OPC ?
Or is it some kind of "application" in the "PC station" ?

 

[Marsupilami]

Hey Jesper,

The normal way to communicate between citect and s7 is to use citect as an application, but you can also use OPC.

Regards,

Maruspilami

 

[JesperMP]

OK, now I know what a "User Application" is.

If I understand this correctly, then Citect uses an "Application" (aka User Application in Siemens lingo) in the "PC Station", and also there must be an Access Point that must match a similar setup parameter in the application (Citect).

And all this is for programs that use the SAPI S7 method.

 

[Marsupilami]

Correct,

in citect you have to match the "access point" - "application name" - "connection name" to the settings you made in the siemens software. then citect is be able to talk trough SAPI S7 layer to the PLC.

Regards,

Marsupilami

 

[funfrok]

Congrats that you got it working.

I am interested in knowing how Citect uses Simatic Net software.
Is it via OPC ?
Or is it some kind of "application" in the "PC station" ?

Thanks.
I am using OPC which is easier for me. It is possible to have the communication with S7NT protocol, but we had no success trying to make it work. Maybe if i try now i can make it work but there is no need.