Free AdvancedHMI has been Updated - Now with Ethernet/IP driver

[junior]

Nice work Archie, all the best in the new year!

 

[Archie]

How to video

It only took me about 6 weeks to get to it and complete it, but here is the video showing how to use the Ethernet/IP driver and deploy to a panel PC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D83XnI9I1EA

 

[Archie]

For those asking about ControlLogix, I did some testing and the Ethernet/IP driver does not work, but the ABDF1 driver does work over serial. You just have to map to SLC style addressing in the Control/CompactLogix.

You do this by setting up a tag array, going to Logix->Map PLC/SLC Messages, and point the array to the equivalent SLC file number.

 

[PcRider]

Awesome work! I'm just a beginner at logic, and know nothing about visual Basic yet I managed to put a simple interface together. The nice thing about it is it shows someone like me what can be done, and makes it fun to boot!

Thanks PcRider

 

[surferb]

Archie, the video's really nice. I love seeing projects on Sourceforge in our industry!

It only took me about 6 weeks to get to it and complete it, but here is the video showing how to use the Ethernet/IP driver and deploy to a panel PC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D83XnI9I1EA

 

[mrtweaver]

If someone wanted to have this talk modbus tcpip, what would have to be done? Is there any request for modbus tcpip? Just curious. Thanks and have a great day.

 

[Archie]

If someone wanted to have this talk modbus tcpip, what would have to be done? Is there any request for modbus tcpip?

It would need a driver written which unfortunately are the most difficult components to add to the project. I am working on a driver model that will make writing drivers a lot easier for anyone that wants to try add a new communication driver. I'm trying to make it simple enough that you would only have to write the code to parse an address then build the stream of bytes that the PLC wants to see.

Although it is not completed, the project does currently have a working Modbus/RTU driver.

 

[FutureBox]

Archie,
Brilliant work, I've been waiting for this with enthusiam beyond measure!!
I'm currently building four control panels where I was going to use the DF1 driver that you developed for the HMI, we are chasing around at the moment for computers to use with a serial port on-board the motherboard.
You've just provided me with a huge pain relief of being able to use ethernet to complete the job.
Fantastic, and I applaud you. I'll you you updated on how it goes!!
Justin

 

[Archie]

Thanks Justin.


To All... I just posted version 2.05 that has a few minor fixes and features added. The most obvious fix is to the Ethernet driver. If you used multiple forms, it would be very slow it starting up new forms. That should now work properly.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/advancedhmi/files/

I've had a couple people say that the project doesn't work in VB Express. I downloaded VB Express 2008 and tried this current project and it works fine.

 

[FutureBox]

I've had a couple people say that the project doesn't work in VB Express. I downloaded VB Express 2008 and tried this current project and it works fine.

I'll second that, VB express is working for me quite well.

 

[drfunk89]

Two IP Drivers

Great application!
At the moment however, if i put two IP drivers into the project i cant set different IP addresses for either of them, if i edit one it changes the other? Is there any way around this? Thanks...

 

[Archie]

if i put two IP drivers into the project i cant set different IP addresses for either of them, if i edit one it changes the other? Is there any way around this? Thanks...

The drivers are designed to be "friendly" with the VB design enviroment and allow multiple forms to be used while passing data through the same data link layer portion of the drivers. The downside to this is exactly what you discovered.

There is a way to get multiple instances of the same driver for talking to different PLCs, but everytime a new form is used, another connection to the PLC will be established which can eventually reach the limit of connections the PLC allows.

If you access the driver through code as opposed to the visual components, then the connection issue will not be there.

In the driver code, there is a shared data link layer that can be found by looking for the keyword "Shared". Simply remove that word and you can then use multiple instances of the Ethernet driver.

In future versions I will modify the drivers to allow communications with multiple PLCs using the same driver.

 

[FutureBox]

Hi Archie,
I've got a couple of qquestions, some which is probably down to normal VB programming.

I'm trying to hide an annunciator on the screen whih shows when the estop is activated. I can get it to work in normal state and it highlights in red when activated, but when it is unactivated I want it to be hidden.
I put this in the mainform vb:

Private Sub Annunciator1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Annunciator1.Load
        If Annunciator1.Value = True Then
            Annunciator1.Visible = True
        Else : Annunciator1.Visible = False
        End If
    End Sub

To me this seems right, logical, but it' not working.

The other question is how do I add colours to the pilot light? Presently I can only change to red and green, is it possible for me to add more? Like amber etc...

EDIT# I was also looking in your PNGs that you have in the resources, specifically the selector switch. How would I apply the selector switch and other items within those resources to the form?
UPDATE: Figured out the selector switch question.
Thanks in advance,
Justin

 

[Archie]

I'm trying to hide an annunciator on the screen whih shows when the estop is activated. I can get it to work in normal state and it highlights in red when activated, but when it is unactivated I want it to be hidden.

Try to set the visible property in the Annunciator.vb code:

[SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Private[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Sub[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] PolledDataReturned([/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]ByVal[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Values() [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]String[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2])[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Try[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]  Value = Values(0)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]  Me[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2].Visible = [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Not[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Value[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Catch[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] ex [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Exception[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]  If[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Values(0).Length < 10 [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Then[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]   TextDisplay = [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#a31515][SIZE=2][COLOR=#a31515]"INVALID VALUE!"[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]  Else[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]    TextDisplay = Values(0)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]  End[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]If[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]End[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Try[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]End[/COLOR][/SIZE][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Sub[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[/COLOR][/SIZE]

 

[drfunk89]

Log to MySQL

Is it actually possible to use your application for logging purposes, ie. log the output to a MySQL database or even an Access database. I'm not a VB programmer at all, but if it was actually possible to log to a database then that will give me something to work towards!
Thanks
ps. or in the future are you planning to include that feature into AdvancedHMI at all?