Penguins and PLC's (TuxPLC)

[dmroeder]

I have seen a few threads lately (and read some old ones) with people talking about using TuxPLC. I've been an amateur Linux user at home for about 2 years now, but not quite the level of taking some source code and putting it to use. I have done some work with Eclipse and Android as well as with OpenCV, but there are a ton of tutorials that helped me get what I needed from those projects.

So does anyone feel like sharing some basic steps on how to put TuxPLC to some basic use? I have downloaded the source, what does it take to read a simple tag in a ControlLogix PLC over Ethernet (for example)? I think once I understand the process of getting it to the point of reading a tag, then I can run with it...

Thanks,

Dustin

 

[dmroeder]

I thought I’d update what it took me to compile one of the examples in tuxeip (test1.c). This should work in any of the Debian based distributions (Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, etc). Just a FYI, if you find yourself saying “why the heck did he do it that way”, it’s because I don’t know what I’m doing! Stephane (library author) was a huge help in getting me in the right direction.

Prerequisites:

• TuxPLC files
• Build Essential
• CMake
• gcc

The basic idea will be install the appropriate prerequisites, compile the tuxeip library, place the header files and library in the appropriate directories then compile one of the examples and run it. There are probably other ways to do it, if you have a better way feel free to enlighten me. This is just how I got it to work for me.

Note: You can copy and paste the commands in the terminal. Right click then select paste, CTRL+V won’t do it

Open the terminal
Download the files

wget  https://github.com/leicht/TuxPLC/archive/master.zip

Extract the files

unzip master.zip

Change to the tuxeip directory

cd TuxPLC-master/tuxeip

Do some CMake wizardry

cmake CMakeLists.txt

Build the library

make

This should have built you a library in TuxPLC-master/tuxeip/lib called libtuxeip.a. You need to move this into /usr/lib. Because this is in the root part of the drive, you must use root privileges to move it. You then need to get all the .h files from /TuxPLC-master/tuxeip/src and put them in /usr/include.

Now that we got the bits and pieces in the right place we can try to compile one of the examples in TuxPLC-master/tuxeip/test. We'll try test1.c. I had to edit the line that points to TuxEIP.h because the path is incorrect for the way that I was doing it. Mine now says: #include “/usr/include/TuxEIP.h”. You will also want to edit the IP address and the path to match your project (around line 37 and 38). If you need help with the path, refer to TuxPLC-master/tuxeip/documentation/TuxEip.pdf

In the terminal, navigate to TuxPLC-master/tuxeip/test. Compile

gcc test1.c -ltuxeip -o superduper

Note: superduper will be our compiled file

To run our new shiny compiled program:

./superduper tagname

Hope this helps...

 

[Scolari]

dmroeder

Can you please post your code?
I keep getting an error while trying to read my plc...

 

[dmroeder]

Funny, I looked at this thread a couple of hours ago because I was going to download the source code again. An hour later you post!

I don't really have any code to send you but I can try to help you with your problem. I only have the test samples that come with it (which you would have as well). Are you trying to get those test files to read or did you write your own?

Maybe you could tell me a little about your setup and what you are trying to read. Seeing your source code might help too. Also it would help to know what errors you are getting and when.

 

[Scolari]

[FONT=&quot]Thank you for your response.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I am using a Micrologix 1000 connected to the Ethernet trough a 1761-NET-ENI to a local private network with no firewall. I am able to connect, program an get online from Windows, (even AdvancedHMI works perfect), but from Linux, the error is constant, I am convinced that is something I am doing Wrong either in the code, (example test2.c), or in the usage.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]It says it connects and opens the session, but when reading it goes into the error.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]$./superduper I:0/0[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Starting, Pid = 1265[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Entering OpenSession[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]OpenSession Ok[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Entering RegisterSession[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RegisterSession Ok[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Entering ConnectPLCOverCNET[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]ConnectPLCOverCNET Ok,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Reading I:0/0
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Error : ReadPLCData Illegal command or format (16:0)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Entering Forward_Close[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Forward_Close Success[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]UnRegister : Success[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Entering CloseSession[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]This is what I have in code [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]char *IP="192.168.1.4\0";[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] BYTE path[]={1,0};[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]printf("entering RegisterSession \n");[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] res=RegisterSession(session);[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] if (res!=Error)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] { int i,val_int,val_bool;[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] float val_float;[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] printf("RegisterSession Ok\n");[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] printf("entering ConnectPLCOverCNET\n");[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Eip_Connection *connection=ConnectPLCOverCNET([/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] session, // session whe have open[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] LGX, // plc type[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 0x12345678, // Target To Originator connection ID[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 0x6789, // Connection Serial Number[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 5000, // Request Packet Interval[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] path, // Path to the ControlLogix[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] sizeof(path) // path size[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] );[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] if (connection!=NULL)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] {[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] printf("ConnectPLCOverCNET Ok, \n");[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] printf("Reading %s\n",var);[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] PLC_Read *data=ReadPLCData(session,connection,NULL,NULL,0,LGX,tns++,var,count);[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

 

[TConnolly]

Is this related to the Puffin PLC project? That was an open source PLC project that was related to the control dot com website many years ago. IIRC after a couple of years the project seemed to sort of die out, but I've been mildly surprised that there hasn't been more soft PLC work done for the Linux platform.

 

[dmroeder]

TConnolly, I'm not sure if they are related or not. From what I gathered Puffin PLC was supposed to be a ladder editor where TUXPLC is a library for reading/writing data.

Scolari, unfortunately I don't have a Micrologix or a NET-ENI to test. At first I thought that the LGX processor was the issue but it didn't matter with my SLC5/05. It doesn't appear to be able to read input data files but it does not produce the same error you had. Have you tried reading other data files? Not that it matters because it cannot read input data files but I:0/0 wouldn't exist, it would be I:1/0.

I chuckled that you left the name superduper!

 

[igor_b1991]

I thought I’d update what it took me to compile one of the examples in tuxeip (test1.c). This should work in any of the Debian based distributions (Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, etc). Just a FYI, if you find yourself saying “why the heck did he do it that way”, it’s because I don’t know what I’m doing! Stephane (library author) was a huge help in getting me in the right direction.

Prerequisites:

• TuxPLC files
• Build Essential
• CMake
• gcc

The basic idea will be install the appropriate prerequisites, compile the tuxeip library, place the header files and library in the appropriate directories then compile one of the examples and run it. There are probably other ways to do it, if you have a better way feel free to enlighten me. This is just how I got it to work for me.

Note: You can copy and paste the commands in the terminal. Right click then select paste, CTRL+V won’t do it

Open the terminal
Download the files

wget  https://github.com/leicht/TuxPLC/archive/master.zip

Extract the files

unzip master.zip

Change to the tuxeip directory

cd TuxPLC-master/tuxeip

Do some CMake wizardry

cmake CMakeLists.txt

Build the library

make

This should have built you a library in TuxPLC-master/tuxeip/lib called libtuxeip.a. You need to move this into /usr/lib. Because this is in the root part of the drive, you must use root privileges to move it. You then need to get all the .h files from /TuxPLC-master/tuxeip/src and put them in /usr/include.

Now that we got the bits and pieces in the right place we can try to compile one of the examples in TuxPLC-master/tuxeip/test. We'll try test1.c. I had to edit the line that points to TuxEIP.h because the path is incorrect for the way that I was doing it. Mine now says: #include “/usr/include/TuxEIP.h”. You will also want to edit the IP address and the path to match your project (around line 37 and 38). If you need help with the path, refer to TuxPLC-master/tuxeip/documentation/TuxEip.pdf

In the terminal, navigate to TuxPLC-master/tuxeip/test. Compile

gcc test1.c -ltuxeip -o superduper

Note: superduper will be our compiled file

To run our new shiny compiled program:

./superduper tagname

Hope this helps...

Hi dmroeder, could you please make a similar guide for windows ? i am currently having problems to compile the examples of tuxeip for windows, i keep getting a lot of unresolved external symbol errors in visual studio..

 

[dmroeder]

Sorry I've never attempted to use this under Windows. My choice for talking to a PLC in Windows is AdvancedHMI.

 

[JasonV]

dmroeder, thanks for the thorough, step-by-step tutorial of how to load the tuxplc library on Linux. Without your instructions, I probably would have spent a frustrated day just installing the code. I'm sure it took extra time for you to document the steps, but you saved me alot. Thanks again!

 

[dmroeder]

Cool, I'm glad it helped. I documented it here not only to help others but also for selfish reasons... I knew I'd forget!

I was pretty frustrated there for a while. I ended up contacting Stephane and she helped me figure it out. I need to learn more about make files, it would be nice to set that up so that the usual ./configure, make, make install would install the whole thing.

 

[valter.carvalho]

Another happy helped user!
I've been away from C programming and compiling for years, so your guide with the whole process was really handy. Thanks!