Ausman

I can imagine. I hope you let support know of this issue. If it is a case of cost saving by going to an inferior product, they need to consider the ramifications. With Vision terminals I've only had instances of one poorly done screw thread that strips with the tiniest amount of torque, thus rendering the entire block useless. Often this is only found out onsite during final installation works. Very annoying if you don't have a suitable spare block on hand.....experience has taught me to always do this now. One time it was not a Unitronics product, but a complex 485 device fitted in a very awkward location, that only used standard screw connections. The very last connection point worked on was a total dud and meant changing the entire thing out.....grrrrr. Did the (very reputable) suppliers offer to pay for all the lost time and trouble in getting a changeover out of them? Ha!! I now check all screw actions on a device's arrival to the workshop. Life experience is a wonderful thing. cheers, Aus

Thanks guys for the input, I'll go down the Vision path. cheers, Aus

Mainly because Paul said he has been converting a program to the 350 for only a month. So in some ways it is sensible to have the 350 working on the very latest version possible at the time. It shouldn't have been the headache it was, which came back to bite him through doing something that he was well versed in. For what it's worth, I have always had trouble talking to anything Vision at higher than 57600 on all of the various versions of Windoze I have in use. In theory if the update now ONLY wants to run at 115200, and not shift itself back automatically to a lesser speed, then I consider that a potential problem. Sounds like further testing needs to be done at HO to ensure that things work OK in the real world. SB310 & 11 for the buzzer... I found this purely by loading up a 350 in Visi and perusing the System stuff. cheers, Aus

@Cara Bereck Levy should hopefully pick this up. Paul, my immediate ask would be did it run itself as admin automatically, and if not did you try it manually? What was the connection type? No doubt we'll hear from Flex saying "why update" and I generally agree with this, but in your case it probably seemed sensible! cheers, Aus

HI all, I have a small job on that I am sure I can do with a 130, but the cheaper option would be a low level jazz as it only needs 232 comms and a few outputs. The issue is that I need to find a string within a string that will come in now and then on the serial port. The main string that routinely comes in occasionally has a different header along with a particular sub-string that can be anywhere near the end of the entire string, and the overall string length always varies according to other inclusions. If both the header and the sub-string are there, the output actions will be triggered. Although I've worked with U90 for ages and don't think this is possible, just asking if anyone has found a way to do it? Or if it is blindingly obvious somewhere and I have simply missed it?! cheers, Aus

Gerard, you first need a copy of Visilogic, get it here: https://unitronicsplc.com/Download/SoftwareVersions/Visilogic/VisiLogic_9_8_65.exe Once installed properly you can then consult the Help file and find Downloading/Uploading a Project under Getting Started. This details all the things needed to establish a connection...pay particular attention to the bits relevant to your type of plc, under "Enhanced Vision" and the "ERROR" bullet relating to using the inbuilt USB port. "Error" is a bit of a misnomer. Finally, although the installer is meant to do this itself, run the .exe above by right click the file and choose run as administrator. Once installed, navigate to the Visilogic.exe file within Unitronics Visilogic_C/Main folder in Program Files and right click/Properties/Compatibility tab/ Tick Run this program as Administrator (it it isn't already ticked....it should be) cheers, Aus

In revisiting this after some zzzzz, also don't forget that Modbus addressing starts at 1, whereas Vision starts at 0. Sometimes you have to allow for this "difference of 1" when specifying the addresses. It depends on how the slave is set up....some also use the Vision style. Easy enough to find out for sure once you actually get a successful connection. Also, you have fallen into the trap of counts starting with 0...... MI4000-MI4027 is actually 28 MIs. cheers, Aus

I'm only looking quickly and might miss something, but SB2 in your third rung is only calling the actual read on power up. You need this to be an actual call from other parts of your program, whenever you want it to happen. Would be nice to see the actual settings in Com Init 2. And don't use PLC Net ID, especially 0. If you look at the dropdowns that then happen, you will find preset determinations of what they do. Instead, do a direct store into SI8 of whatever unit ID number you want the plc to be. For Modbus I generally make the master "2". This allows for some later additions to a network that might default to 0 or 1. Your other understandings seem good enough, but no doubt I have missed something somewhere. Try my suggestions and see how you go. cheers, Aus

And the final follow-on to all of this number talk. At first glance the calculator is a useful thing just to get your head around how Linearisation works. But it does have a "higher purpose" and that's why I did it. In the theoretical world, all 4-20 sensors work perfectly on those numbers mentioned. But in the real world, sensors, the plc's input or both can be slightly off. If it is a simple linear difference over the entire span, then a + or - amount to the result is all that is needed to get complete accuracy. However, if the span itself has some innate error, the calculator lets you play with numbers very easily to get the best match to adjust things. In all the sensors I use, many of my linearisations are NOT set at the numbers above, they have small variations to correct for this error. My "need no adjustment at all" percentage is probably 25% of the sensors in use. How critical your reading needs to be is an important factor in whether to play with this or not. In my case I have to have all temperature sensors perfectly matched to a master device, otherwise I can get control conflicts. In other situations this is not strictly necessary. cheers, Aus

As I was writing my answer, Joe's has popped up and says it all. One thing I might add is to go this topic and get the calculator, which might help you understand some of the principles a little easier. cheers, Aus

I wasn't going to chime in yet, but Simon has triggered me! Showing my age but in the old days we did it with what was colloquially called a wig-wag, and is still done in a lot of situations. I think the name came from old style railway crossing signals, and is the same principle. Pretty much a speed pot linked to an idler arm that was effectively Kratmel's "Dancer". (The funny names that all appear for the same things!) It was either sprung, or Gravity based which was the better system as it never breaks or gets turned off. That is why I was saying is PID really necessary? Correctly set up, they were stable and consistent. The KISS principle in action, instead of tech for tech's sake. cheers, Aus

When I opened your project it immediately wanted the DB defragged. (So I didn't even look at it) If you opening it doesn't bring this up automatically, run it manually from the Build tab and then see how it goes. After downloading/burning the defragged version, don't immediately run it, do a full Initialise and Reset of the PLC and then run. cheers, Aus

How is the load cell set up? PID might not be best for this at all. cheers, Aus

I know what you are asking. However, as a sort of backup....... Doesn't your modbus connection/module/gizmo at the pump end have user settable I/O preferences that you can make them switch to if comms are lost after X minutes? cheers, Aus

Hi all, This Topic will list items that are worth an easy find, are odd things that standout, but are not quite "pinnable" on their own. If we pin everything that is useful, it will all become one big mess on page 1 (or bigger!). I suggest that if you want something added to the list, contact myself or another mod to have them edit it into this existing list that I see as having carefully considered updating. To save space, only links will be shown, not full previews, with the Header or a Description listed before the link. Sometimes the link will take you to a particular post within a Topic that is the answer, but a full topic read will never go astray....history is useful. It is also worth noting that this has not been written in plc talk----hence no item 0. 😉 Just a link to the Help Centre, which perhaps many people don't know about. The link actually goes to the Vision/Samba firmware update troubleshooting page, but you can easily back out of there using links under the Help Center heading to find many other topics about all things Unitronics. https://support.unitronics.com/index.php?/selfhelp/view-article/visionsamba-firmware-upgrade-troubleshooting HSC resets DW counter after power-cut http://forum.unitronics.com/topic/6118-hsc-resets-dw-counter-to-after-power-cut/ Multi Monitor (things disappearing) Issue http://forum.unitronics.com/topic/5827-multi-monitor-issue/ Setting up EX-RC1s (particularly Joe's explanation at post 9.... 21520) http://forum.unitronics.com/topic/4165-setting-up-two-ex-rc1/?tab=comments#comment-21520 Run Multiple Instances of Visilogic etc and making good use of this ability. http://forum.unitronics.com/topic/4015-multiple-connection-live-checking-tip/ EX-A1 vs EX-A2X Connection cable differences. http://forum.unitronics.com/topic/58-ex-a1/?do=findComment&comment=26267 Trend Disappearing in various scenarios. http://forum.unitronics.com/topic/5233-v700-trend-disappearing/?do=findComment&comment=22704 Many Screen Elements makes PC do long refresh time. http://forum.unitronics.com/topic/6590-visilogic-9880-hmi-frustration/?do=findComment&comment=28338 Connections suddenly showing "No PLC is currently selected..." http://forum.unitronics.com/topic/6478-connection-problem/?do=findComment&comment=26158 Connection details storage tip related to no. 9. Store all evb details elsewhere. http://forum.unitronics.com/topic/5439-hiding-remote-locations-on-your-pc-from-crooks/?do=findComment&comment=21086 Great Subroutine advice. http://forum.unitronics.com/topic/7081-subroutines/ Also have a look at this Rail Power example: https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/8525-less-than-compare-function-not-powering-coil/?do=findComment&comment=35749 Intermediate Calculations Using Same Operands....great explanation from Joe for those who don't know about this. http://forum.unitronics.com/topic/7207-linearization/?do=findComment&comment=29492 Initialize & Reset might fix weird things. http://forum.unitronics.com/topic/7271-initialize-reset-might-fix-weird-things-going-on/ Explorer gets into a loop on file loading....issue & solution arose during another topic, see the bottom of this post here: https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/7888-help-please/?do=findComment&comment=33079 Network connections tip. https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/8083-set-plc-name-indirect-vector/?do=findComment&comment=33922 Scroll bar disappearing.... M$oft does it again. https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/8143-missing-vertical-scroll-bar-in-visilogic-9880/?do=findComment&comment=34137 Using MFs and Implied Decimals explained by Joe T. https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/8201-change-mf-format-in-hmi/?do=findComment&comment=34370 Can't get to your mapped drive in Unilogic or Visilogic? https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/8326-visilogic-unilogic-mapped-drives-fix-worth-pinning/ Vision etc model not showing in hardware list? 2 topics cover possible fix. https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/3632-visiologic-ver-9760-build-0-v350-35-tu24/?do=findComment&comment=36536 https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/8757-samba-sm70-j-t38-pto-function/?do=findComment&comment=36880 UDP & TCP Modbus usage useful explanation. https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/8823-question-about-using-unitronics-plc-as-modbus-tcp-masterslave/?do=findComment&comment=37288 Not a topic link as such, just a post with a zip file of lots of old Visilogic info. MAKE SURE TO READ THE PAGE'S NOTES. https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/8958-visilogic-general-info-pdfs/ Useful String Assembly Information. Direct link to Fernando's post in a topic. https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/9040-now-i-want-to-convert-string-to-integer/?do=findComment&comment=38358 Visilogic Registration issues.....some versions require registration and there is an offline method. https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/6612-registering-visilogic/?do=findComment&comment=39719 Modbus Blocking Write commands. Solution in later Visi versions. Read entire topic. https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/1359-modbus-blocking-write-command/?_fromLogin=1 Flyback Diodes and Clamping protection...I thought this was here already.....very important. https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/2735-flyback-diode/#comment-9669 cheers, Aus 🙃 (mods note, Header 16 bold strong blue, link 10 )

Great that it is going for now. I'm showing my age here. Many many moons ago, I think in W95/98, a link like I suggested using cable was called ad hoc, and I still routinely call such a thing that name. Perhaps incorrectly. I had forgotten that these days the name seems to be solely directed at wireless....I guess cables are so old school! cheers, Aus

What 130? Max pulse kHz rate? Have you completely read the Tech Specs on the DI8-TO8? There are limitations using this I/O for HSC. cheers, Aus

+ to everything already said. It sounds like you are in a location that has an IT administrator. ("scientist computer") Whilst you are learning this stuff, and to eliminate the possibility of the "scientist computer" person needing to do anything to enable the connection to work properly, use a crossover cable to directly link your PC to the PLC. Run your own little ad hoc network on the same numbers. If you don't know "ad hoc", a quick google (ad hoc networking) will point you in the right direction. One you are communicating ok and have proven a few things to yourself, then go back to hooking into the main network. cheers, Aus

Some further info that might be of use to everyone. This method works on my W7_64 Pro system, but I don't know about other types or setups. I'm still sitting on 8.65 for the time being. I recently did some experimenting and noticed, as expected, that anything done on a later version won't open properly on file double click. Clicking ok on the "I'm not going to run" advice box closes things but doesn't really....you have to shut the process down via task manager. But once you've done that, double click opening the same file again brings up the "Visi not shut down properly" message box, and if I then select OK it gives me the "new project with old software, so we will open a new project" message. Click OK and lo and behold, instead of a new project, up comes the user program done on the latest version, but displaying in 8.65. This method might miss some subtle difference due to ongoing "capability upgrades" but it works well enough for what I need, which is viewing programs posted by forum members. I haven't actually tried this on an earlier version of Visi to see whether the same principle applies.....too scared I'll stuff something crucial up! Someone with a bit of time on their hands can give it a go. Hopefully this info might help someone out. Going backwards is sometimes an essential thing to do. cheers, Aus

I've now had a quick look at your program and I think it needs a complete rethink. I would be changing it so that you have only one modbus sub, and you then trigger the various reads/writes via a counter method that also changes the locations/references in the Modbus blocks by using MIs. To me it is very clumsy bringing up essentially the same thing all the time via sub calls, and the more complexity the harder it can become to fault find. You also have some things that at a quick glance can be refined. You are using many sets and resets in the Main routine that I think are not needed. And set/resets can also be problematic. Split out your rungs!!! Line 14 in Main Routine is a classic example. And also whilst at Line 14, have a look at Vector Fill, which can reset all those MBs far easier in one hit. And you may not need them anyway! cheers, Aus

am091, you might also like to have a look at this post (and topic), which explains the procedure a little. Not the type of file Flex is talking about, but one of the various options of writing to the card. cheers, Aus

And just as an aside, one of the worst offenders on this is Msoft Office. eg If you have 2 screens with Excel spread across both, and a file only in the minor screen, when you open it in your laptop voila! Magically it has ceased to exist, even though Excel is there on screen. It can be very frustrating figuring this out and I well remember many years ago tearing my hair out on this one. Restore from backup, still not there, says it is running, but where is it blah blah blah. In this case the fix is to drag the excel window mostly off screen the right way to be able to enlarge it in the missing direction, and then go from there when the file eventually shows. All the while muttering things like "Are you for real, Msoft? No "auto-compensation/alignment? Yet you constantly ask me multiple silly inane confirmations but don't get something like this right?" 🙄 cheers, Aus

I'm wondering whether this might be a buffer issue. Perhaps you are doing an action(s) that involves a buffer(s) and you don't have quite enough time between the various elements for the buffer to clear properly. Over time this might build up to the point of tripping the memory message. I am thinking this because the RC15 is based on CANbus and I have had instances where I have run operations under Unican just a shade too fast, and it works OK for days and then fails. Increasing timings by tiny amounts fixes the issue. But understand that this is purely pie in the sky conjecture. cheers, Aus

And further to Flex's comment, don't forget the easy trap to fall into. If your read isn't successful and you have a number of retries set up in your modbus config block specs, you need to allow for all those retries to run through at the specified port interval + a little bit more. cheers, Aus

Just a quick snap fully proving one of the laws of cable pulling. Law 1). At any time doing cable pulling whilst working alone a long distance into an extremely awkward environment, needing access techniques that would make a Vegas show contortionist proud.... subclause a): Any cable that needs to be unspooled for a successful draw, no matter how neatly laid out with all twists removed on a reasonable surface, will roll over on itself in the most inconvenient location and loop around a ground protrusion that is metres away from the original track........ Grrrrr! I have had this happen quite a few times in my life, the worst during a Cat5 pull that caught on a tiny twig 5mm diameter 10mm high sticking out of a concrete seam. Ruined the 50m of cable...had to start again! And before you ask....sometimes the situation means it is impossible to draw things from a spool. cheers, Aus