Crimson 3.1 Beckhoff Driver Int Array Issues

Hello! I've been reading this site for a while, but I'm excited to say that this is my first actual post.


I am currently attempting to link an array of integers in a Red Lion CR3000 to an array of words in a Beckhoff PLC. However, I am noticing a problem. The Red Lion is mapping its array elements to sequential byte addresses in the PLC (element 0 = byte address 0, element 1 = byte address 1). However, the Beckhoff is mapping its array element to every other byte address (element 0 = byte address 0, element 1 = byte address 2). Obviously, there are a bunch of work arounds to this issue, but I am wondering if I have just missed a setting somewhere. If anyone can help me figure out what I am missing, I would appreciate it.



Thanks for the help, and thanks for all the help I've already gotten from this site!

The red lion must be using a tiny integer i.e. a byte, perhaps Beckoff only uses 16 bit words.

You have probably done this, but I might as well check. In the box where you connect the Redlion tags to the Beckoff you set the size of the Data Type. In the picture it is set to Byte as Byte, have you changed that to Word as Word?

I checked out that possibility. Beckhoff does use 16 bit integers. However, from what I can tell from the manuals, Red Lion doesn't use tiny integers

I have tried using byte as byte, and word as word. Byte as byte did not read the full 16 bit integer from the Beckhoff, and word as word retained the original sequential byte addressing problem.

I am a bit confused as to your setup. You say
"The Red Lion is mapping its array elements to sequential byte addresses in the PLC"
but also
"the Beckhoff is mapping its array element to every other byte address"

I don't see how it can be mapped different ways simultaneously. Can you post a screenshot of the TwinCAT variable declaration editor where you have a memory address assigned to the array?

I think I am seeing the problem. Reading this:
https://www.redlion.net/sites/default/files/media/BeckhoffADSTCP.pdf
Particularly this bit:

NOTE: The Element value is always the byte address of the item. E.g., if
reading a WORD (2 bytes) at %M10, the next element will be %M12.

Click to expand...

Say the Redlion starts at byte 0 and you create an array of 16 words, then the next address should be byte 32. But if you create an array of 16 words in Crimson starting at address '0', then create another array using smart copy, it starts at 16. so there is a mismatch between what the pdf says should happen, and what actually happens.

As for a solution..... the obvious way is to not use the Crimson array system but to address each word separately, though that depends on whether you need to address things as an array.
I would contact tech support: https://support.redlion.net/hc/en-us

I talked with tech support, and their solution was to map the individual bytes in the Beckhoff to a byte array in the Red Lion. Then, you can manipulate the elements of the byte array into the elements of any other type of array.


The work around I'm liking the best is just to make the integer array in the red lion twice as large as the array in the beckhoff, and then to use every other element in the Red Lion array.