PV600 Ethernet and Controllogix 5000 conversion

[robertmee]

I have an older PB32 app on a PV600 that was talking DH+ to a PLC5. Well we dumped the PLC5 for a CLX and the plant exchanged the PV600 for a newer ethernet version. The crux is they still want to use PB32 not ME.

Soooooo....

First off I converted the PV type to Ethernet and setup the comms. First thing this did is wipe the tag database as all the tags now are defined within the animations as controller tags so I guess there is no 'database' anymore since I'm not using CIP or Assembly tags.

So, no problem, I just had to go in each animation link, and edit the tag address there to point to a CLX tag. First thing I discovered here is that only native tags are supported. Can't use UDTs...Bummer. Okay so a little mapping later to native tags and now I've got all the addresses changed.

Validate the project and it is complaining of multiple instances of tag writes. Didn't do that on DH+. Are you telling me that I can't have a tag defined as Fault_ACK_PB on each screen? The tag address is HMI_Bits[60].0 which is fine. Do I have to create a different name (IE Fault_ACK_PB1, Fault_ACK_PB2) and if so can they point to the same HMI_Bits[60].0? Or do I have to create different names AND different CLX addresses and OR them all together in the program. Certainly NOT!

As for Alarm Triggers, do bit triggers operate the same in CLX with the different addressing scheme? In PLC5, a bit trigger of B17/0 covered alarm bits B17/0 to B17/254. In CLX, is the equivalent HMI_Alarms[0].0 to HMI_Alarms[x].y where x and y is determined by whether HMI_Alarms is a DINT or INT? Or can a trigger even be a DINT? Or do I have to use an array of BOOL so that it is HMI_Alarms[0] to HMI_Alarms[255]?

And Lastly....If using controller tags and not CIP or Assembly in the PV is there any reason to add the PV in the CLX I/O tree. That creates a bunch of DINTs in CLX but do I need to do that if I'm using direct controller tags in the PV?

Please help on any or all ?s!

Thanks!!

 

[OkiePC]

I have an older PB32 app on a PV600 that was talking DH+ to a PLC5. Well we dumped the PLC5 for a CLX and the plant exchanged the PV600 for a newer ethernet version. The crux is they still want to use PB32 not ME.

I actually prefer the PV standard to the plus, but it's not my first choice for HMI anymore. At least you won't have FTStudio hassles.

I have not used a PV or PV+ with CLogix, but I do see one item I can help with:

Validate the project and it is complaining of multiple instances of tag writes. Didn't do that on DH+. Are you telling me that I can't have a tag defined as Fault_ACK_PB on each screen? The tag address is HMI_Bits[60].0 which is fine. Do I have to create a different name (IE Fault_ACK_PB1, Fault_ACK_PB2) and if so can they point to the same HMI_Bits[60].0? Or do I have to create different names AND different CLX addresses and OR them all together in the program. Certainly NOT!

Well having multiple tags pointing to the same address is one way to deal with the issue. It is asinine, isn't it? I guess that way the PV doesn't have to keep up with which controlling object owns that tag at any given point in time.

What I try to do is make the object a global object. Then you can reuse it on multiple screens without the validation errors. However, when you do this, and then you decide you want the Fault Reset button (for example) to be a nice square block on one screen, and a long skinny one on another, guess what? You change one instance of the appearance of the object and all instances get changed. So, you might end up with a mix of multiple tags and global objects.

To make the object global, double click on it to bring up the properties dialog, and then look on the Options tab for a little tickbox called Mark for Global Selection and check it. Then delete all the other "non-global" references to the tag, and copy and paste your global object where you need it.

 

[robertmee]

Thanks for that Tip! That worked good for the Alarm Fault ACK. Now to get answers to the others....

 

[Ken Roach]

I can answer the last one ! If you are not using Assembly tags, you don't need to have the PanelView Standard terminal in the I/O tree of the ControlLogix.

Assembly Tags are one of the things I actually like best about PanelView Standard with ControlLogix; you can get very positive and repeatable keypresses from that addressing mechanism.