SLC 5/05 Ethernet Problems

[dilkep]

Hello,
Here is my setup - SLC 5/05 connected to one computer via RS-232 for programming running RSLinx 2.41 & RSLogix500 4.10.01 on NT. SLC also connected via Ethernet to another computer (HMI) running XP & Wonderware InTouch 8.0. I can ping the PLC from the HMI computer. Under the AB_ETH-1 Driver configuration I have station 0 as the SLC IP address & station 1 as the HMI address. The default station 63 is Driver. If I leave this as is I get 2 unrecognized devices with red X's through them in RSWho. If I delete station 63 and place the host name "Driver" under station 2 then I get 2 recognized computers with my IP addresses under Who. What am I doing wrong here?

Also, my cables are good and addresses have been triple checked. Bootp is off. Channel 1 configuration in Logix is good. I am wondering if my setup is correct. I feel like I am close but I am missing something simple. I just want to push the Wonderware button and see that output come on!!! Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Matthias von Zorn]

ABTCP??

Are you using the wonderware ABTCP driver to connect to the ethernet, or are you trying to use RSLinx to connect to wonderware? To use rslinx with wonderware, you need linx pro, which allows DDE and OPC. Then you can configure the DDE topic, or use wonderware's OPC link to translate it into DDE. The ABTCP driver that comes with wonderware is by far the easist way to go.

There is a wonderware 8.0?? Man, my vendor for wonderware sucks. Maybe thats why were switching to RSview.

 

[dilkep]

I'm using the ABTCP driver in Wonderware. During runtime on a simple dummy PLC program and button in Wonderware I get a message on the ABTCP driver screen that says it read B3:O (the bit I want the button to switch) but nothing happens with the PLC output.

 

[Jezz]

In your Intouch prog is the tagname linked to B3:0 set to read/write if your hitting the button and it's just reading B3:0 the nothing will change.

Also whats the button in intouch set to do is it a direct, Reverse,toggle, reset or set ..

Jezz

 

[dilkep]

The button is a discrete I/O, toggle, set for read/write.

 

[Matthias von Zorn]

what is rslinx for

Why do you have the ab-eth driver running? You dont need it if you use the abtcp driver. It may be interfering with the wonder ware. Do you have anything on your wonder ware app, like a timer display to show if your accessing the PLC?

 

[dilkep]

Do I not need to have the AB_ETH driver configured? I guess I can buy that since Linx isn't on my HMI machine. Is that correct? Even so, I deleted the AB_ETH and cycled power on the SLC and tried it again and still nothing. I don't have anything else on my Wonderware except the button to see if I am accessing the PLC except when I go to runtime I can see data lights on the hub.

 

[93lt1]

First problem first.

Can you get online with the PLC with your programming PC?

Here is my setup - SLC 5/05 connected to one computer via RS-232 for programming running RSLinx 2.41 & RSLogix500 4.10.01 on NT. SLC also connected via Ethernet to another computer (HMI) running XP & Wonderware InTouch 8.0.

If you are connected to the SLC with your Programming PC(RSlogix) via the RS-232 port, You do not need an Ethernet driver. You need either DF1 or DH-485. Default is DF1.


(disclaimer: I know that the 232 port can be "shutdown", but for starters I'd try DF1)


Second Problem:
What is the PLC's IP address?
What is the HMI PC's IP address?

 

[dilkep]

Yes, I have DF1 configured and can program and get online. My PLC address is 10.10.10.1 & the HMI is 10.10.10.2 (subnet mask is 255.255.255.0).

 

[Matthias von Zorn]

if u can ping...

Then you probally have the ethernet set up right. Maybe not the topic isnt, but the ethernet most likely is. You do not need to run RSLINX on the wonderware machine. You dont need to have ab-eth on linx on the laptop, just df1.

Do this. Put a timer in your slc that just counts to 60 over and over. Put a mov command to move the .acc of the timer to a N register. Place a text object on the wonderware screen, and assign it the value display of the N register. That way you can see if they are talking, as the wonderware should display this value. Also, how is your topic configured in ABTCP and in wonderwares topic configuration?

 

[dilkep]

I'll try the timer trick, got a meeting to attend. Also, the topic configuration is called ABPLC, Host name is 10.10.10.1, SLC 500, and Local connect type.

 

[dilkep]

I can configure the topic in ABTCP but am unsure what you mean by wonderware topic configuration. Where is this at?

 

[dilkep]

OK, I tried the timer trick and still nothing. So even though my HMI PC & PLC can communicate the Wonderware is not communicating with the PLC. However, now if I go to runtime and look at the ABTCP window there are 2 messages - 1 read N7:0 & 2 read B3:0.

 

[Matthias von Zorn]

abtcp

Oh, one also make sure the the hostname is in the hosts windows file. Not sure u need this since you have an IP in the host name. Ive always used a name here, and then put the IP in the hosts file. But that is what I have always done.

Its called Acces names in wonderware. U create an access name (probally already have done this). Then to that name you assign an app name (abtcp), topic name (the topic name from abtcp (this case it is abplc)), and select the protocol (dde). Leave node name blank. If all that is set up, and you can ping, you should have communications.

 

[dilkep]

I put an IP in the host name when I had the AB_ETH driver configured which I have now deleted. My access name is configured exactly as the previous reply states. Still nothing. Can XP be causing me problems?