PanelView Plus to ControLogix

Hey,

I'm new to the PanelView Plus communicating to a ControLogix. I've got a ControLogix program all written using UDT's wherever possible. I have a lot of analog and digital data to display on the PV+ (Approx 100 Dints, 50 Reals, 250 Bools). All of this data is coming from 4 UDT's (Controller based tags of course). The guy I'm working with on developing the PV+ tells me that I have to map all of this PV+ data in the ControLogix to one big block of Dints because the PanelView+ won't pick data from the seperate UDT's. He says he tried it before and crashed the PV+ comms. Am I correct in thinking that the data is transfered in blocks anyway so it doesn't matter? What's the difference if a block of the UDT transfers or a block from the Dint array? I've done PV+ using a SLC and never mapped any data into a special block or file just for the PV. And never had trouble with communications; so this ControLogix change seems strange to me. Is it?

Thanks in advance;
Patrick

I don't think so

Dpeending on what version of 5000 he used, it might be possible. But my inclination is that you do not have to do this. We just installed a 5000 with a PV+ in which we did create one file of DINT to and from the PV+, but we did not have to actually map them at all. This was done in version 13. I cannot think of any reason why you would need to do it, but I do not claim to be an expert.

Russ

Whoa... this guy is way off base. He may have run into a problem like this several versions ago, but the current releases I have used in the last couple of years, do everything you asking for just fine.

Out of curiosity what kind of connection are you using? And are you using "Direct Tags"?

RSLinx Enterprise does a huge amount of packet optimizing to ensure, as far as possible, efficient communication between CLX and ME/PV+ so there's no absolute need to pack your UDT elements into a contiguous block of CLX memory. Your oppo is correct in that transfer will be even more efficient if you pack the data but, unless you're moving massive amounts at really high screen update rates (what rates are tou using BTW?), I don't think that you'll notice it.

Thanks for the replies guys!

russmartin,
Can you tell me the reasoning why you used the large dint for the PV comms when you say it is not needed? Just curious.

PhilipW,
Not sure what you meant by the connection question. We are using EtherNet between the PV and CNLX through a Cisco switch. I don't know what "direct tags" are either. I have the CNLX setup as a shortcut under PV Comms. I drill down through the short cut (target, online,...) to get the data that I need for the object on the PV. Is this a "direct tag"?

NOP,
Data update rates don't matter. If I get data at 10ms or 1000 ms; it's a wash. All the data is either belt speed setpoints, temp display/setpoint, or indicators for faults and E-Stops. Nothing critical.

Our Logix 5000 is version 12 (I think an update has been ordered). Our version of PV+ I don't know, but can find out (I'm at home right now).
What would be considered a lot of data to pass to and from a PV+?

Thanks again,
Patrick

It may be that the guy you are working with is speaking about Panel View Standard. With PanelView standard you have to use specific tag naming and mapping structures in order for the PanelView to pick up the data. I think this is a difference between PanelView Standard and PanelView+. Maybe this is were the confusion came from...

I drill down through the short cut (target, online,...) to get the data that I need for the object on the PV. Is this a "direct tag"?

Click to expand...

Yes it is. When you do this, the graphics are directly scanning the CLX CPU for their data, by contrast almost all other HMI's you have ever used have a "tag database" in which the tag is given a "tag name" and is then mapped to a PLC address, which then scans the PLC indirectly. In the PV+ environment this indirect method is call "HMI Tags".

Direct tagging is generally more efficient in terms of resources.

If screen updates are not critical make sure that the "Screen Update" time, set in each screens Property page, is set to sane value, eg 1000ms, as this rate will determine how fast all the objects and tags on that screen will be updated.

PhilpW,

Thanks for clarifying the direct tags. For the screen update time under Screen Properties it is listed as "Max Update Time". Is this the maximum time it will allow to update the screen or is this the update rate you refered to? I set it for 1 second anyway.

I've got about half of screens finished, tested, and online; and everthing looks good. Thanks for the help everyone!

Later,
Patrick