TheDave2

Using UnCmDrv1 in Excel I can read all day long all the data I need for Integers, Longs and bools. But, when I try to write , nothing happens. Using the V1040 'info mode' : Ethernet Monitor, I can see the data when it is read, and also the stats with "parameter Summarize". When trying to write, the port on the V1040 does open, but no packet data counter change. This leads me to beleive that PC end is the problem. The write portion of my program is exactly like the read porition: Call mComDriver.Read_MemIntegers(aLocation, 1, iMI, 0) ' GET INTEGER theValue = iMI(0) and for writting: iMI(0) = theValue Call mComDriver.Write_MemIntegers(aLocation, 1, iMI, 0) ' PUT INTEGER So, does this function even work ? Is there some other "With mComDriver" field I have to set to write ? Cannot find ANY documentation for the UnCmDrv1.xxxx functions. Please help ! Thanks, Dave

For a V1040: I have to update the ladder code. ONLY the code. The plc is 1000 miles away and there is no way the customer can do it via any of the programming / transfer software. And they do NOT want to send the unit back to me. Can this be done via the SD card ? If so , where are the Step-by-Step instructions for first getting the updated ladder code to the card and then for the customer to transfer it to the plc. And also what about register values ? First for the customer to save the values to the SD card and send to me and then for me to update the values and send it back as some registers are configured by the customer for running data and I don't want to initialize them.

Where is previous version 9.3.0 ? It is not listed under precious downloads. Need to have a customer download it URGENTLY.

I had the same type of freeze when I installed an Ethernet card to a V1040.

I have found that when using this module, I must check that the number I send to a channel be limited to 0-4095. If I send a number > 4095, the next higher channel output voltage is influenced. For example, channel #2 has #2048 sent to it so it puts out 5.0vdc. Then, by accident, I send a number, such as (I don't remember the exact #) 9000 to channel #1. Well, channel #2 now read 5.5volts, not 5.0vdc as it should. I do not remember what channel #1 outputted. This is not good. This should not be. I am guessing that the hardware that converts a 16 bit register to a voltage is not clearing the high order bits before conversion.

[bump - again - 2 weeks after original post] - no confirmation or denial of what I see, by Unitronics ?

That would be abnormal. behavior when compared to any and all expectations and other HMI's. Unitronics - P L E A S E F I X ! it's easy. Yes it is, As a designer and programmer of many graphic programs that have this feature, I can attest to it.

"Send To Back" doesn't work. Oh, maybe it does sometimes. Or maybe something else is broke. Put a horz. line on the screen. Now put some text over it. Send the line to back. Download. Nope, a line goes right through the text (or other objects). Try again, download, nope. repeat at least 3 more times trying everthng else that can be thought of. Great. Another 2+ hours down the drain as I draw small little lines to go between text and bar graphs vs one long line that should be behind the text and show only where there isn't anything else.

"One or more of the selected elements cannot be resized / aligned / rotated" ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please Please Please, don't try to protect me from doing what you all think are silly things. They aren't. It appears that when trying to Make Equal Spaces (Vertical) , the existing objects are also checked against themselves. I have roughly drawn 9 horz. lines in a vertical layout and want to make them equal spaced. No can use the tool. Also, when the equal space tool can be use, it will also move the bottom object. It looks like the code for this is determining the spacing as an integer when it should be using floating point and not just applying the spacing to only the middle (not end) objects but also the end one.

[bump] - no confirmation or denial of what I see, by Unitronics ?

The following is with VL 9.3 and a V1040 with O/S 3.4 (00) When using a PID loop in a Reverse mode ( the Action parameter bit in the configuration block = 0) everything is fine. However, when setting the Action bit to Direct (bit =1), the only difference in function is that the CV output value is range inverted. In other words, with Reverse action, the output goes from 0 to 100% as the PV gets further below the SP. Typical heating PID action. Now with the action set to Direct (for Cooling control), the CV output now goes from 100% to 0% as the PV decreases further below the SP. The CV should go from 0% - 100% as the PV goes higher than the SP. It seems that all the programmer did was reverse the CV output scaling when the Action was changed from Reverse to Direct. Ouch. As a consiquense, I cannot use Direct action and must now interchange my SP and PV inputs to the PID to get the desired results. Problem #2: Integral Action - Setting the Integral time to zero should get rid all integral calculations. While it does stop further integral error term injection, it does not remove the current integral error buildup in calculating the CV. I must put my own compare of the It =0 and then use the Force Error Integral to zero it. Problem #3: Pb, It and Dt definitions. In some places, mainly in the Configuration box, there is reference to "(P gain)". This should be removed as Pb is not the same as Pg. Stick with either Gains of Bands / Time nomenclature. Having both leads to confusion as to which are being used. Dave

You mean, even if I download & burn, then upload the project from the V1040 the register values are not brought over the the PC and then stored in a file ? And there's no way to set the values off line other than Power Up ? That's not acceptable ! This is unheard of for any plc and none of the 50+ different types that I have used in the last 35 years were like this. The spread sheet idea is not a solution when programming and a very big band aid to implement for the end user. From my very brief reading about Remote Access, it is based on tables of bytes, not registers. Well, that's what the Help says. Reading more says I should have a "Operand Access" item in the "Tools" Menu. Nope, not there. This whole project in now jeopardy of failure and might have to be scrapped and re-engineered with a different PLC and HMI.

In VL 9.3 for a V1040, how can I enter a numeric value into the MI register when writing the program? I can't wait to do it 'on-line'. A time waster to scroll about in the Output Window to set one by one when on-line. Then there is the problem is how will they be set when I download to a new V1040 ? I don't what to enter a Power Up value, only to have to go on-line for the register to be loaded and then have to go back and un-tick the "Initialize during Power Up option." Some values are set by be as initial values to be used but are operator change able, so having them reset at power up is not what I need or can use. In the Output window, I *should* be able to do it, but it won't take any entry, while programming. BTW, the Output Window, when undocked, cannot be re-sized. And why does it keep coming back after I close it each time I download to the V1040 and there are NO errors or warnings. Screen space and time is wasted for me to close it every time.

stembera: I guess 'Fast" is a relative term. I too am running Win 7 Ultimate / 4GB , 64bit on a 2.4Ghz quad core. It takes 17 seconds to "download' a very small project after a minor (move a TEXT object one pixel) change . My CPU usage never goes over 35%. How much is actual download vs play with files, I don't know but I suspect not much. Damian: I have found that VL 9.3 does about 55 MB of I/O reads and 5MB of I/O writes each time I download the simple project that is only 317Kb in size. Very strange since it uses only 38MB of ram. I also note that if I copy / paste 10 items on a display page, it takes 3-4 seconds, same amount of time to delete them. On my P4 2.6G XP system, which is 1/6 the speed of my W7 system, the same download and other operations are double the time. And the XP disk is a lot slower (Ultra DMA5) and fragmented than the W7 HD. For XP, only 50% max CPU usage, mostly hovers in the 10-25% range with a few bursts, lasting on a second or two, to the 50% range. As my XP HD is noisy, I can hear it cranking a lot of seeks when "downloading". Moving the VisiLogic program directory and Windows TEMP/TMP dir to a ram disk helps the speed a little on the W7 machine. With all the reading/writing going on, perhaps using a SSD makes it worse.

Thanks !