PV Plus download inhibiting & monitoring?

[Paul351W]

Our building is running mostly PLC5 setups with 1400e Panelviews. In those stands, we block out panelview downloads if the test is running, and keep the test stand from running any equipment while the Panelview application is being downloaded to the terminal.

Is there any way to do something like this with Controllogix and PVPlus?

 

[jstolaruk]

I'm curious, its been many years since I worked with the 1400e, but what was the mechanism for blocking downloads to the PV while the test was running?

 

[godfrey]

Tell me how it's done now.

 

[jstolaruk]

From very distant memory, I seem to recall that the 1400e had a key switch on the back of the unit that in one position would run the downloaded application and in the other would bring up the config menu. There may have been a h/w input too but I could be wrong on all accounts.

 

[jstolaruk]

Our building is running mostly PLC5 setups with 1400e Panelviews. In those stands, we block out panelview downloads if the test is running, and keep the test stand from running any equipment while the Panelview application is being downloaded to the terminal.

Is there any way to do something like this with Controllogix and PVPlus?

I couldn't find anything obvious in the FTView ME development s/w that would control downloading so the only possibility I can think of at this time is the PLC instructing a managed ethernet switch to disallow any communication with the PV+ other than the PLC for the duration of the test. That's assuming that ethernet is the only allowed communications method and it doesn't cover the instances of someone using a memory card or USB port to install a new application.

 

[Ken Roach]

The 1200 Classics and the 1400e Enhanced PanelView terminals had a Config/Run keyswitch. I don't think there was a "remote" mode; you had to physically get to the back of the terminal to put it into configuration mode, then set it up to receive a download.

PV+ can actually accept a download of a new Runtime file while the current application is still running. I like that; it allows me to take an operator's request for change and download it, then I can just walk out, stop the application, open the new application, and let the operator check out the changes. If I name the new application something different from the old one, I can switch back and forth rapidly.

There is an option when you download a new *.MER file to "run application after download", which causes a reboot. This is what Paul wants to prevent, and I don't know of a way to do it.

I have set up systems where I use a Global Connection Tag to send the PanelView Plus system clock seconds to a tag in the ControlLogix, creating a de-facto runtime heartbeat. This lets me detect the absence of a PanelView terminal in runtime.

There may be some features in FT AssetCentre or the FT Security system that prevent unauthorized downloads to a PV+ except by a Security-approved user. I'll take a peek at that.

 

[Paul351W]

If you go into the PLC folder and open the communications setup, on the second tab you can assign addresses to Transfer Inhibit, Transfer request, and Transfer status. These let the PLC control when an application can be downloaded, and let it know when it is being downloaded to, so equipment cannot be started. We make frequent changes to our equipment so this is very convenient.

If there isn't such a thing in PVPlus then maybe I will just have to disable the automatic reboot and go out and load the new file manually. With the old 1400e's I could do everything from my desk.

Once again, newer isn't always better.

 

[jstolaruk]

Well, I know the PV+ is better then lugging those 1400e monsters around. wow, I remember those things being heavy.

 

[Paul351W]

If only they would have kept all the functionality of the old hardware when they move to new hardware I would be fine. Its just irritating to work with things for years and get used to the features, then when you upgrade to new hardware you have to figure out how to do old things in different ways, if you can even do them.

I like certain aspects of CLX and PVPlus, but coming from a PLC5 / 1400e world, there are a lot of things that are lacking with the new software packages. Sometimes I doubt that the code writers have ever tried to use their product on a large scale.