Panelmate Configuration Problem

[onurich01]

I am attempting to download a configuration to a 30 page Panelmate Plus Compact. I am using Panelmate configuration software version 1.14. I keep getting the error "Invalid Frame - possible bad CRCC". Has anyone gotten this error before? What does it mean, and how can I correct the problem.

Richard McElroy

 

[Steve Bailey]

The message shows up on the PanelMate screen, right? It's telling you there are serial communication problems between the PC and the PanelMate. Could be a baud rate mismatch. Could be a problem in the cable. Could be noise. The fact that you're getting the error at all means that the PC is transmitting data to the PanelMate, but the PanelMate can't figure out how to interpret it.

 

[onurich01]

Yes the message shows up on the panel. I figured that there were probably serial communication problems, but I'm trying to narrow down what those are. According to the panelmate screen the baud rate should be 9600 which is what my transfer utility is set to. There are no broken wires or shorts on the cable I'm using, but I'm not sure if I have the right pin out. Here is what I have:

S S
1 1
2-----\/-----2
3-----/\-----3
4 4
5------------5
6 6
7-----\/-----7
8-----/\-----8
9

Is this correct? Do I need to change the settings on my com port at all?

 

[Sliver]

Your cable looks right,


Panelmate Plus series
Pmate - Laptop

DB-9P - DB9S

2RD - TD3
3TD - RD2
5GND - GND5
7RTS - CTS8
8CTS - RTS7
Shield- Hood


Brian.

 

[Steve Bailey]

As Brian said, the cable pinouts are correct. Is there anything nearby that might be generating electrical noise? Does the transfer get started and show some number of bytes transferred before dropping out? That's an old PanelMate. Maybe the PC or the OS is too new. Have you ever successfully downloaded from this PC to this or any other PanelMate using this cable? When the PanelMate goes into transfer mode, it sets itself up for values of data bits, stop bits, and parity over which you have no control. Under DOS, the transfer software sets up the COM port at the same values. Maybe Windows is overriding those values? If possible, install the transfer software on an old computer running DOS.

 

[Sliver]

pulled out the 'book'

Modicon Panelmate Plus Series Product manual (1995)

page 6-23 states that a 'Framing Error' indicates wrong communication parameters.


Brian.

(I swear I've seen "Invalid Frame - possible bad CRCC" before....)

 

[onurich01]

UPDATE: The problem was that we were using a Windows 2000 PC. We had to use a PC with Win98 on it and it worked fine. Thanks for the help.

Richard

 

[Steve Bailey]

Thanks for the feedback. Those old DOS apps can act a bit squirrelly when you try to run them on today's OS.