Modbus with Plantmetrics

[TimothyMoulder]

So, I'm using Plantmetrics and loving it. Great stuff. Now comes the time to hook up to another controller using Matrikon OPC Server for Modbus, and I'm having issues.

The Matrikon software is successfully browsing out to the PLC. I can use their OPC Explorer client and look right at live values, no issues.

Conversely, I am using Plantmetrics with RSLinx OEM as a driver to look a two machines, and again, no issues. Works like a charm.

The problem is, I can't get the two to marry up to each other. I can configure the data points in Plantmetrics without a hitch, even browse the server, but when I start the RSSQL configuration, I get "Connection Error. Last data received was out of time range."

Troubleshooting-wise, I monitored the server and it is indeed being polled by Plantmetrics (shows traffic). When I stop PM, the traffic counters stop, and vice versa, so I know it's PM doing the talking.

There's got to be one frickin' setting I've got out of synch here.

Incidentally, although this might not be relevant, I've seen this error once before. In that case, for reasons still unknown, the Plantmetrics began recording incoming messages with a time stamp of 00:00:00, January 1, 1899. I think it was a comms issue that time as well, since when we got the link working properly to that machine, that problem went away and stayed gone.

Any advice on synching drivers to historian software would be deeply appreciated.

Thanks!

TM

 

[TimothyMoulder]

Good news, possible bug...

So I got the comms working between my OPC server and Plantmetrics. Pulling in the data, oh, happy day

But I discovered an interesting glitch along the way. This may still be owing to a setting of mine, but somehow, I think not...

In plantmetrics welcome screen, you get click a link to open the data collection parameters screen. I pick my modbus workcell and hit "Config" to look at it.

On the first screen of the Config dialog are three tabs that can be used to review the status of the RSSQL transactions in progress for that configuration. The first shows the statements, the second shows the compiled results, and the last shows the real-time status of the transactions at this moment.

Now... follow the bouncing ball...

If I look at any other configuration besides modbus, I can look at any of the three tabs and then close the dialog with OK or Cancel, no problem

If I look at the modbus configuration, I can look at any of the three tabs and exit with Cancel, no problem

If I look at the modbus configuration, I can look at the first two tabs and exit with OK, no problem.

If I look at the modbus configuration, the last tab (real time collection status) ONLY, and exit with OK, it knocks out my comms as previously stated and takes about ten seconds to recover.

It is only that particular combination of keypresses that resets the link by which Plantmetrics is reading data from my Modbus OPC server. The server itself has no issues, and chugs merrily along without incident.

I've tried various combinations of timeouts to no avail. For now, I'm putting this in the "Don't do that anymore" folder and getting on with my project.

Even so, information is still welcome!

Thanks!

TM