Joe Tauser

I haven't played with OPC, but I have downloaded the free Modbus driver from NI's website and interfaced LabView with Unitronics that way. It does both Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP. Joe T.

Thank you for posting your code. I hate when people ask specific questions and don't post what they've tried! I don't know if it matters, but the documentation on the module shows two different common terminals. Do you have your 0V connected to the right one? Your Password button did not have a Legal Entry bit assigned. This gets turned on when the password matches and is used to trigger another screen. It also has the annoying habit of staying on, so it must be reset from code. Some comments on your code- 1. Only put one logical operation per net. The compiler can produce unpredictable results if it has to start a rung more than once. 2. Don't rename the ! Start-Up Display. 3. I added MB 12 for Password OK. Look at the Links and Jumps tab - it goes immediately to Main. I wouldn't make the user wait for a screen jump - it makes them think the system is ignoring them or is slow and stupid. 4. Use one of the Simple keypads for numeric entry. The Complex is overkill, but unfortunately is the default. 5. Don't continually call a display. It will sit there and blink at you and not allow input. Joe T. FYP Code JT.vlp

You were going in the wrong direction with the resistance value. You have to allow enough current to flow in the internal opto-isolator to light up the tiny LED. Mr. Ohm tells us that a 2.2K resistor gives about 10 mA at 24V. This value of current that I personally use when trying to figure out how to interface with an opto-coupler. The drop across the LED is usually 1.2V and can be ignored if you have a 24V supply. It can not be ignored if you're working at 5V. Joe T.

Are you talking about the MI assigned to frequency in the hardware setup? If you want an average you'll have to write logic to do that. Do you know how? Can you post your code? Joe T.

Aus - That's "literal" genius, not "literary" genius. Don't be confused. My only character flaw is grandiosity. Joe T.

Look at the UniDDE product. You can put macros into a spreadsheet that will write values directly from the spreadsheet to Unitronics. Also look at UniOPC, which has more power but you have to set it up as an OPC server on the user's computer. You'll have to then interface that via OLE to Excel. Joe T.

Do you want to push a Modbus message or random TCP message of your own creation? Is the V570 a Modbus Master or Slave? It can be both. If you want to make your own TCP packets, look at the TCP RAW Send block. Not for the faint of heart, but you can push. Joe T.

Verify that power is connected to both sides of the module. V2 is important. Maybe take a picture of your module wiring and post it. Joe T.

Looks like all you have to do is spit ASCII strings at it- http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/12528/An-Easy-way-to-interface-with-semiconductor-SECS-G It appears the SECS-I protocol defines the RS232 interface. Joe T.

What value are you seeing in the MI register? Can you post your code? Joe T.

You don't need to Autotune if you don't want to. Just set the P,I, and D values. It is critical that all the other parameters of the block be set or it won't work. Can you post your code? Joe T.

The post title said you're using a V280 - these don't support SD cards. Read the Help on Data Tables. I think this will do what you need. Joe T.

What is an SECS/GEM? Joe T.

Try a 2.2K resistor. Joe T.

I'm guessing you're using the device as a Modbus slave. The user baud rate is set in the COM INIT block. If you try to connect with Visilogic at 115,200 it will still work at the lower baud. If you're worried about it, you can retrigger the COM INIT back at the lower baud rate it will drop back down for sure. You can even have multiple COM INITs, the last one to be triggered will win. Joe T.

Totally possible. Start by looking at Help->Examples .. Project Examples->FB Protocol. You'll read barcodes as strings via the RS232 port and extract the data you want using the String functions. Beat on it a bit and post your code for more specific help from the forum. Joe T.

I just finished a project with four languages in four string libraries. The most frustrating problem I ran into was when I needed a word or phrase I had already set up to be a different size font for use on a different display. I tried the "copy to all libraries" function, but all that did was copy the same English word to Spanish, French, and German. This is not useful. My workaround was to select each library and then copy the entry from one place to another, and then select the next library and repeat the process. Am I missing something? This was a royal pain in the butt. It would be logical to copy all members of the library at once. Then I could modify the font properties in the new entry. Joe T.

It can also be a slave. Put a SCAN/EX block in. Joe T.

Are you sure your power supply is big enough and is your wiring good? Is the connector pushed all the way in? Joe T.

Post the code you've tried so far with specific questions on what you've done. We can make corrections and post it back. Joe T.

I just finished a project with Spanish, French, and German libraries. BTW - I spent more time with Google Translate than writing code! You need to install a second copy of the fonts you will be using and be sure to "Select All" when it shows the characters available. Unitronics' built in fonts will not display special characters, but you can install the same font and it will list it a second time at the bottom of the list. Selecting this font set will allow you to dial in the codes for the characters you need. Joe T.

The CANbus card may or may not have a resistor in it. If you can find a pair of standard 120 ohm resistors it will work fine. Joe T.

Better yet, post your code. Joe T.

Look at the "SD Clone" function under the SD menu. You'll need to figure out a method to determine which file gets loaded. Joe T.

Serial communication is always tough at first. For starters, use your Protocol block to put the entire received string into one register array just to see if the PLC is getting it. If you get a response, copy it to a second set of registers and then reset the buffer. You can use the "Memory" tab at the bottom of the screen to set up an online ASCII data monitor. You may have to upgrade to a V130. I have had trouble with RS485 on V120s and the V130 comes with a much nicer set of COM port debugging tools. Joe T.