Mr Turk
I apologize for not answering you questions.
I use timers and counters for all sorts of situations. I use timers to debounce liquid level control inputs so as not to keep slamming the valve open and close. I'll pause a function or give time to a process, such as lowering the 30 foot hood and allowing a 2 second run off before shutting down the hydraulic pump, then another two seconds before starting the 25 Hp wash pumps.
Why? Most of the time its so the operator can hear and decipher the functions of the machine and know when something is not acting correctly. Even thought is serves a purpose I like to think of it as personality.
First, no need to apologise...
I use timers, I like timers.. The question was really only on counters.. They bug me
Most of our processes are run on time. Timers usually cannot be paused retentively and act unpredictably in a reset. So as a time keeping tool I use counters which can be paused retentively and reset predictably.
Ok, I think this actually gives me some answers.. I mostly use Siemens, and always IEC Timers and I never had the problems with the retentivity, so never saw that use..
IDEC carries a valuable M Relay. Its an internal one second timer. Plop that down on the counter input and whala, a pause-able retentative resetable timer.
In AB it has to be set up and its called a one second tick timer (Usually a B3 internal). but does the same thing.
Yeah, in TIA it is the MB0 byte, since you are playing with it
I use it in a similar way, but, I like it more with EdgeUp-Add. Gives me total control, one Tag to change it, to set it to 0, whatever I need...
But if you are used to them becouse of the old phisical Timers, and slow processors, ok, I understand it better..
Besides what little I have mentioned here, there are literally thousands of applications for timers and counters.
I hope this stirs your curiosity Mr Turk.
Be well
Well, it does a bit, thank you..
Of course, I didn't question the usefullness of counting and its aplications, it was the way of counting by Counters that was in question... I still don't see it as something to use anywhere today, but at least now I understand one reason why they are here..
Enjoy your new shiny portal