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tmoulder

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Posts posted by tmoulder

  3. CANopen problem

    in Vision & Samba PLC + HMI Controllers & VisiLogic Software

    Posted

    I'm going to throw a really stupid idea out here:

     

    Some models of unitronics label the terminals for the can port, and some do not.  The diagram you posted from the documentation, and the image you took and labelled, is in reverse order.

     

    Top to bottom, on a V570 (where the terminals are marked on the side of the PLC), the terminals are V+, H, PE, L, V-

     

    This has gotten me more than once.  

     

    Best of Luck!

  4. V570 and ET1 card - new connector?

    in Vision & Samba PLC + HMI Controllers & VisiLogic Software

    Posted

    Hi Guys!  I hope all my friends in Israel are safe and well during these troubles.

     

    I just got a brand new V570 for a project, along with an V200-19-ET1 card, and I was installing the card when I noticed something I'd not seen before:

     

    On the card is a connector, J102, which was covered by a plastic clip.  I could not get the card to install until I removed this clip, and J102 docked with a set of four pins on the motherboard, marked JP1500.  Pin 4 of JP1500 was connected when the card was in place.

     

    I cannot seem to recall ever seeing this connector in use before, but my memory is not what it used to be.  I just wanted to make sure this was correct, since J102 was covered when I unpacked the ET1 card.

     

    Thanks,

     

    TM

  5. Image Download problem

    in Vision & Samba PLC + HMI Controllers & VisiLogic Software

    Posted

    Hi guys!

     

    I'm using Visilogic 9.5.0, all updates, and doing some revisions on a previous project.  The original was created in 9.0.3.  Working on a V570.

     

    I upgraded the OS in the 570 to the latest, and downloaded my revised program.  This program has a lot of images in it.  Everything went fine until the warning to download new image files, when I did it showed "Erasing Flash Address 8388608", then after an extended period, came up with "Failed to Download Images".

     

    I tried a couple more times, including a "download all and burn", always alarmed at the same point.  Did a compile and build all (did normally) and a rebuild database (not required).

     

    I finally downloaded and chose not to update images, and the download finished fine, but no images at all on the screen.

     

    Lastly, I opened the original, unmodified program - important note - I opened it in 9.5.0, not the old version - compiled and downloaded normally.

     

    Thinking something might be off on my program, I grabbed a spare 570, updated the OS, and downloaded the modified program.  However, the modified program downloaded normally without any trouble at all into the new PLC.

     

    Any thoughts on this?

     

    Thanks!

     

    TM

  6. Connecting Unitronics V350 to Yaskawa MP 2600

    in Vision & Samba PLC + HMI Controllers & VisiLogic Software

    Posted

    http://forum.unitronics.com/index.php?/blog/16/entry-46-simple-1-node-modbus-tcp-master/?mode=show

     

    This may be of some help to you.  It was written for a Vision 570, but should port pretty easily.

     

    It's a fully functional program I've used myself several times.  Change the IPs, ports and addresses to match yours, and it may get you a bit closer.

     

    Best of luck,

     

    TM

  9. UniLogic software and Vision

    in UniLogic Software

    Posted

    Just from what I've done so far, the new platform is light-years beyond Visilogic.  It takes real "getting used to", and that's where I'm at with it, exploring capabilities, importing my favorite tricks and such.

     

    To directly answer your question - I don't see how UniLogic could be backported to the Vision series.  Just as a single proof, look at the difference in Modbus TCP - controlled at the OS level, configured-not-coded, and theoretically no upper limit to the number of simultaneous connections (the Creators recommend 32, that's the most they've tried in-house).

     

    That right there makes it entirely incompatible with Vision.  Heck, the Modbus FBs don't even exist in the new platform - it's all automated.

  11. Display a string on HMI

    in UniLogic Software

    Posted

    Thanks!  Also, is it possible to:

     

    1.  Change the background and font color of the text box from the program?  I used to make extensive use of the "Mark" bit in Visilogic.

     

    2.  Failing that, add the "Tag:Link" to the Binary Text box so I can change the text there, and use the linked bit to change the color?

     

    Thanks,

     

    TM

  13. Display a string on HMI

    in UniLogic Software

    Posted

    Hi all!
    We have string data types available now, and a whole category of ladder stuff for searching and manipulating them,never the less, I cannot find any way to display a string on the HMI (analog to the ASCII String variable in VisiLogic).

    Where is this hide?  Is there a way to invoke a variable within a fixed (or other) text object?

     

  18. Variable: ASCII String Refreshing

    in Vision & Samba PLC + HMI Controllers & VisiLogic Software

    Posted

    I did something similiar to what you describe here: http://forum.unitronics.com/index.php?/blog/16/entry-44-simple-alarm-module/page__mode__show

    I'm not sure about the variable data, I've not tried that, but if you can insert the data directly into the string, you don't need any MI at all, just an array of DW holding the index of the string. Might be worth a look.

    Best of Luck!

    TM

  19. Pseudo-Parameterized Subroutine w/ Data Tables

    in Vision & Samba PLC + HMI Controllers & VisiLogic Software

    Posted

    There are two main reasons people look into using this method - reducing code line count and implementing some level of code portability.

    Reducing code line count stems from two laudable goals - reducing overall complexity and improving scan time. But ten minutes of serious review shows that this method does neither - in fact, the opposite.

    The way the code is structured under this method, it loads a different set of IO, timers, what-have-you into the ladder routine, processes it, then repeats using the next IO block. True, you only need one subroutine to manage multiple identical stations, but the complexity of loading, unloading (it's all based on indirect addressing) and managing the time-slice takes all of this and turns it into an impenetrable black box to your typical maintenance man. You need to be a pretty advanced programmer just to make sense of this method - pity the poor sparky just trying to see if his input is lighting up.

    With regard to scan time, some of the older PLCs, like the V280, had a scan time of up to 6 mS. Using this method 10 times on a bank of IO means each set is processed once every 60 mS. This latency can add up very, very fast.

    As for portability, the ability to reuse the code in another application, it doesn't play out so well either. The idea is that you can drop the routine and data table in another program, and assign IO values in the DT, and take off. This might be achievable, but in practice, I rarely ever have machines designed so similiarly as to allow me get away with it. I end up having to restructure the table, add this, disallow that, and would have an easier and faster time doing it in plain old ladder.

    Personally, I don't recommend using it.

    TM

  20. Display Properties

    in Vision & Samba PLC + HMI Controllers & VisiLogic Software

    Posted

    Hi sgull,

    For buttons, don't use Hide - use Disable. The button remains, but is "grayed out" and will not respond to touch. This is my go-to approach, since having objects vanish from the screen tends to wreck the "flow" of the screen. Additionally, it lets the operator know there is something they could be doing, but are not allowed to at this time, rather than having an option vanish altogether, which in my experience leads to alot of "Hey, you left this out" - type remarks.

    Depending on the need, you can put a frame around the object. Choose a background color that matches the frame, and when hide is set, the button disappears but the frame remains, blending the background color. Of course the screen real estate is still lost, but then, we can't re-arrange screen objects on-the-fly anyway. Never saw an HMI that actually could.

    Which incidentally brings us to creating a duplicate page with the object removed and the rest of the screen arranged accordingly. In some ways, this is more elegant, but it is a memory hog.

    Overall, it would be better if Hide rendered the object truly transparent, not just swamped out with the background color. Perhaps it will be addressed in the future.

    Best of Luck,

    TM

  22. Need some guidelines to make a good looking hmi design

    in Vision & Samba PLC + HMI Controllers & VisiLogic Software

    Posted

    1. Use an unobtrusive background, "cool" colors are best (as opposed to "warm" colors, not "out of fashion"). I prefer royal blue with some lighter blue swirls for visual interest. Avoid dark gray and black, it makes the screen look "dirty".

    2. Kill the clutter. Regardless of screen size, avoid jamming everything on a single page. It makes your screen elements smaller, and makes it harder to find whatever the operator is looking for.

    3. Using image buttons is a great concept, and works really well, but remember that if the operators can't figure out what the picture is, it just creates confusion.

    4. For navigation, try putting it in a consistent location. I use a white bar at the bottom of the screen and black text "hyperlinks". The screen they are on is underlined. It makes it easier to get around, and easier to change and develop as needed.

    5. Go for a larger screen. There is an elegance to programming on a V570, but I much prefer the V1210 for simple room to manuever and ease of viewing.

    6. Group related screen items with frames. I use a blue depressed background frame, then a black frame within to provide visual contrast between the items within.

    I've got several projects on my blog for download, with importable screens. Feel free to check them out.

    Best of Luck,

    TM

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