Ultra 100, Parameter change through ASCII output of 5/03???

[Steve Bailey]

Starting on page 11-8 of this manual,
https://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/um/1398-um002_-en-p.pdf
there is a procedure that may be similar to what the OP is trying to do.

 

[arpus4KM]

Starting on page 11-8 of this manual,
https://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/um/1398-um002_-en-p.pdf
there is a procedure that may be similar to what the OP is trying to do.

That is a pretty solid test to determine if the port on the ultra is able to receive and transmit still.

but I've been able to connect and communicate with the drive through ultramaster no problem, so I don't think that is going to be the issue.

 

[arpus4KM]

1) Is there no documentation of the serial protocol? I guess the answer is no, otherwise you would not be asking the question.

2) Can the PC communicate with the Ultra via RS-232, e.g. via the Ultra Master Software? If yes, is it possible to capture those comms and compare them to what the PC captures from the SLC?

Sorry for being so slow and asking Captain Obvious questions, but this kind of thing is usually simple, or at least straightforward.

Yes,

PC to ultra through ultramaster is good. Communication and parameter changes work flawlessly.

Also used the specific cable connecting the ultra to the SLC to connect as well and tested it up and down to make sure it was working.

I haven't gotten to the point of trying to splice into the rs232 to see what could be coming back and forth through the wire while not directly connected. I'll either make a splice cable or just get an opto-isolated one for cheap somewhere if needed.

The test I was wanting to perform was just to send some commands and verify that it receives them and eliminate either the SLC or ultra as the end where the problem lies.

 

[drbitboy]

Originally Posted by drbitboy
2) Can the PC communicate with the Ultra via RS-232, e.g. via the Ultra Master Software? If yes, is it possible to capture those comms and compare them to what the PC captures from the SLC?

PC to ultra through ultramaster is good. Communication and parameter changes work flawlessly.

I wonder if you can get PuTTY to read what comes into the COMn port, connect pin 2 to pin 3 (Tx-Rx loopback; maybe RTS-CTS as well), and then have the PC Ultra Master Software send its :00... command, which you should then see on PuTTY.

There is also a package called com0com that acts as a pair of COM ports connected by a null modemk, and allows you to snoop what is going between them, but you would need something to connected to one end of the com0com pair and the physical COMn port to the Ultra 100. A simple VB program, or even VBA or VBS script, might be able to do that. So this is a "software" splice.


There are also COTS serial sniffers that can monitor the serial traffic that cost far less than the time to do either the software or hardware splice.

 

[Steve Bailey]

So I found another document for converting from Ultra100 to Ultra3000. It talks about this difference between the protocol implementation:

The ULTRA 100, ULTRA 200, and Ultra3000 drive command protocols are
master - slave protocols where the host computer is the master and the drive is
the slave. The command formats for ULTRA 100, ULTRA 200 and Ultra3000
drives are compared in the following table:
Each letter represents a single ASCII character. In the address, parameter,
function, data, and checksum fields, the characters should all be ASCII hex
values. (i.e., They should be in the range 0 through 9 and A through F [upper
case only], as shown in the above table.)
The only structural difference between ULTRA 100, ULTRA 200, and
Ultra3000 host commands is the Function fields: The ULTRA 100 and
ULTRA 200 do not have a Function field, as the function to be performed is
implied by the Parameter number.
All commands begin with a colon (0x3A), and terminate with a carriage return

From that I infer that maybe the interpretation drbitboy provided of the "1B5" command string the OP posted should be interpreted as 'write to parameter B5'. There is a parameter B5 in the command set. It is "Index Count".

That's only speculation. I still haven't been able to locate a document detailing the Ultra100 command set.

Edit: But that looks like too many characters in the data field of the command string.

 

[arpus4KM]

So I found another document for converting from Ultra100 to Ultra3000. It talks about this difference between the protocol implementation:


From that I infer that maybe the interpretation drbitboy provided of the "1B5" command string the OP posted should be interpreted as 'write to parameter B5'. There is a parameter B5 in the command set. It is "Index Count".

That's only speculation. I still haven't been able to locate a document detailing the Ultra100 command set.

Edit: But that looks like too many characters in the data field of the command string.

I think you're on to something. this is something i've been assuming also, that somebody accidentally fudged a new integer in somewhere by accident.


there is only one drive thats being controlled by this, and only one parameter, so those values should never change. I need to go and get back to the customer and send a few commands through putty.



The ultra3000 and ultra100 do look to be very similar now that I'm looking at it. I've been looking for information strictly on the ultra 100 and didn't think to look for the 3000 reference manuals because of the fact that ultraware and ultramaster separate the two also.


This have been pretty insightful guys, Thanks.

 

[Steve Bailey]

I think you're on to something. this is something i've been assuming also, that somebody accidentally fudged a new integer in somewhere by accident.

I'm not sure about 'by accident'. The checksum is correct for the command string.

I've attached the Ultra100 to Ultra300 conversion guide if it helps.

 

[drbitboy]

I'm not sure about 'by accident'. The checksum is correct for the command string.

although either 0B6 or 2B4 would have the same checksum.

 

[drbitboy]

The Ultra 3000 returns a response; I would assume the SLC is not listening for that, perhaps you could update it to do so and get some information about what the Ultra thinks of the command it receives (if any).


Have you been able to verify that the SLC writes those 19 characters out of its serial port i.e. by connecting the SLC to the PLC USB-serial port?

 

[arpus4KM]

The Ultra 3000 returns a response; I would assume the SLC is not listening for that, perhaps you could update it to do so and get some information about what the Ultra thinks of the command it receives (if any).


Have you been able to verify that the SLC writes those 19 characters out of its serial port i.e. by connecting the SLC to the PLC USB-serial port?

yes, I can force the write sequence or just activate it by changing the size on the PV. and I see the plc write through the channel 0 with the string in the stored areas.

the difference between the ultra 100 and ultra 3000 as stated is that the 3000 shows (p=param, f=function) pppf and the ultra 100 seems to be in the order of fppp.

when I get back to it I'll end up sending commands directly from PuTTY and if its a valid command then I would get the exact same thing back. If it's invalid I would still receive some kind of error function code with the code sent.

At least In this way I could see if there's even a reponse.

 

[arpus4KM]

for those interested still, here are what the other command functions it will do based on what it needs to change when a size is changed.

looks like according to the ultra 3000 manual that these parameters being changed would be things like the index pointer, index deceleration... etc

Nothing about changing registration index distance, so the parameters are definitely off between the ultra 100 and 3000. But I could throw the strings together from the String files, send them to the drive, if needed to see which one does what. and worst case scenario is that the drive is unable to take commands from the serial port somehow.

 

[chelton]

Is there anything in the help in the ultramaster s/w about the host command language?
I can only see this reference from the manual.

 

[nehpets]

This may help

Ultra 100 Host commands help file

 

[arpus4KM]

Is there anything in the help in the ultramaster s/w about the host command language?
I can only see this reference from the manual.
View attachment 61454

I had scoured the program a few times looking for something with commands. but never saw it, I'll have to look again.


I was looking at so many things that could have been the culprit that it's not unrealistic that I missed something obvious.

 

[arpus4KM]

absolutely missed it.

If you don't know what you're looking for, you'll never find it...

There is a description in a tech note telling you exactly where to find host commands for ultra 100-200. its in the separate help file listed, but it gets installed with ultramaster software.

Help files are different these days, so of course I didn't even look in the start menu program listing with UltraMaster