TODDSTER

Joe, This has been bothering me for a while, so I dug a little deeper. I found the actual problem I was having was that I had a column with Boolean data type labeled as a machine Mode On/Off. The front slash character was the culprit. The warning states which characters may be used. The front slash is not one of them. Looking at your table, I see #, and parentheses ( ), all of which are not allowed. When I shortened all of my column names to 8 characters or less, the front slash apparently got deleted when I did that, and the warning went away. Column length had nothing to do with it. Sorry I led you astray.

I have been using the PID server not to Autotune, but more as a monitor of my system as disturbances are entered. My next attempt is to use it to Autotune. I have autotuned dozens of times, but not while watching it on the PID Server. I have 2 questions: 1. What is the difference between Type A and Type B when selecting the Autotune Algorithm? The Help Menu does not mention anything about this. 2. Can I add operands to the listing (like Error Integral)? It doesn't appear to be possible.

Joe, I saw this same thing a while back. I too thought I had lost my ability to count. If the names at the tops of the columns in the data table are over 8 characters, you will get the same error. Shorten the column names and the warning will go away. The wording on the warning needs to be changed.

I attached a small portion of the Samba TA22 installation guide. My question is in regard to the battery for the 7-inch model, which I may be using on an upcoming project. The 3.5 and 4.3 inch models indicate the battery is already installed, but the 7 inch does not indicate that it is installed. Does this imply that a battery is included with the unit but I have to install it myself? Or do I have to supply my own battery? I was unable to find the battery number in the installation guide.

Thanks to you both for answering. I converted MI to MF, then divided by 1000 and used INV(A+B/n) to the break the result into two MIs. Then displayed the two MIs side-by-side with just enough space to allow the text object comma between them. I have not tested it yet, but I think it might work. Also defined a Hide bit for the comma if the original number is less than 1000. The comma is not a requirement for my program, it just seems natural to have it in the display. Personal preference. In all of my other HMI programming software packages, selecting a comma is as simple as checking a checkbox.

I have a 5-digit number to view on a Samba unit. Displaying the value is no problem, but I can't figure out how to put a simple comma in the thousands position. The numeric variable does seem to have that option. If I try to place a text object (with only an apostrophe) on top of the numeric variable in the correct location, the software automatically puts it behind the numeric variable where it won't be seen. Does anybody have any ideas for displaying a comma as part of a number?

Not a big deal, but I'm pretty sure there is a typo error in the STRUCT Help topic. The Help menu image shows MI102 broken out into more than 16 bits. The function block shows a length of 10 associated with MB10, so I assume MI102 would be broken out into MB10 through MB19. Would that be correct? The image shows 32 bits possible (blue rectangle), and below it MB10 through MB32, which is obviously not a length of 10. Out of curiosity, in this example, would MB10 be the most significant or least significant bit of MI102?

I went to download Technical Specifications for the Vision Series- V430-J-TA24 and got the following No File error. I tried several times and got the same error.

I created an Ascii Variable. When I select the Keypad Entry box, the Touch property area becomes grayed out. I enter the necessary links and select OK. Then I reopened the variable and de-select the Keypad box, the Touch property area is now available (not grayed out). When I OK the variable, I get a message that contradicts what I just described. Which way is it supposed to be?

The Vector Get Max instruction example in the Help shows a Length of 10. But the illustration has 11 elements. Does the Start element not count as part of the 10 elements? Or should the Length be set at 11 for this example? Note: The Vector: Get Min also shows a length of 10, but has 11 elements in the example. I use the Vector Copy instruction, and the Start element is included as part of the copy.

When I went to attach a file to my post, I was told it was too big. I am limited to 136 bytes. How do I get this number increased? I see other posts with multiple 40kB attachments, yet why am I so limited? Am I on someone's bad list?

Is this still being developed for use with Enhanced PLCs?

I have some V350--35-TA24s that are giving me fits. I set the jumpers, download the program, and all appears to be OK except for a compile warning 987 INCOMPATIBLE HARDWARE CONFIGURATION DEFINITIONS: BETWEEN PROJECT (V350-35-TA24) & PLC (V350-35-XXXX) It appears that the OS does not recognize what PLC it is running. If I go into INFO mode -> VERSION -> HARDWARE -> IO MODEL it shows V350-35-XXXX. I'm using Version 9.4.0 and the PLC has OS 3.6(14) which is the most recent OS. These units is in RUN mode, but do not recognize inputs, and are basically useless to me like this. Some of the V350s I have work fine. Same program, programmed the same day as the units that are acting up. I tried reloading the OS into one of the units and it started working correctly again, but after a power cycle, it was back to V350-35-XXX. On the units that work correctly, INFO mode shows the units correctly as V350-35-TA24 Has anyone seen this before?

Thanks for spending your time tracking down the problem and pointing me to that topic. I'm not sure how I missed it, since I visit the forum almost every day. I have been using the same USB-serial convertor since I started using Visilogic back in 2008 and hadn't seen the error shown above until I downloaded/installed version 9.4.0. Although I do remember getting a "has encountered an error and needs to close" message at times in the past while monitoring the PLC. Perhaps those are related to the same cause. I tried Online mode with and without the power adaptor attached to the computer. I got the error both ways. I did some searching and found out that the convertor I use has the FTDI chip. Perhaps I just need a different brand.

I get the attached error occasionally when in Online mode and monitoring my program and then get booted out. Any idea what it means and what causes it?

Hi Saragani, Thank you for helping me. And for your patience. When I am connected to the PLC and click on the sunglasses icon, Online Test begins and a small box appears (with symbols for run, stop, single cycle, etc.) If I hover my cursor over the greenisn-colored icon, the words "remote access" appear. I assumed that when I clicked on that icon, that I was starting Remote Access. I guess the wording threw me off. I went to the Unitronics website and downloaded and installed the newest Remote Access as you suggested. I did not know that Remote Access was a different package that had to be installed separately. Everything is working perfectly now, I think. Is that greenish-colored icon supposed to launce the Remote Access software in installed? It currently doesn't, but I was just wondering. If I am feeling brave someday, I may try the Remote Operator. Thanks again.

Hi Saragani, I started programming V120s about 4 years ago and have programmed at least 100 of them. I am working on my first V350 project. Remote Acess is an excellent way to do some preliminary testing of program changes. I use it quite a bit. That said, I have never seen the menu you show on my computer, with or without being connected to the PLC. Which is why I have been asking how to navigate to it. Are you telling me that the menu you show should be there on my computer screen anytime I am not connected to the PLC? I can't attach a complete computer screen shot because the file is too big.

Hi Saragani, Thanks for the information. In my first post the V350 faceplate shows up in Remote Access. But the menu seen in yesterday's post still doesn't show up. Does the V350 faceplate show up in Remote Access because that is the PLC designated in HW Configuration? Is Remote Access configured outside the software? I can't find where to configure it for color or V350/V570 within the software. Which menu heading is it under?

Thanks Saragani, I did not know I needed to. In my last V120 project, my screen shots and bitmaps all appeared correct in Remote Access without importing anything. If I did import something, I didn't do it intentionally. So I started reading in the Help menu and have a question. I am unable to get to the menu shown to in the Help menu. It doesn't show up when I'm in Remote Access, and I can't seem to get there any other way. Can anyone help direct me to it?

I need to use some remote access screen shots to place in an operating manual I am putting together. Unfortunately, everywhere (almost every display) that I used Arial 14 pt bold font, the remote access font is obviously something different. That won't look too good in my manual. It looks like I'll be changing to Sans Serif 14 pt.

The following captures are from the documentation on the website. Can anyone tell me which is correct, 256 or 65536? This is from the V350 comparison chart This is from the documentation for the V350-35-TA24 Thanks, Toddster

Well, I guess this decides it, INCREMENT is faster than ADD 1. The DW values are in units of 10 micro seconds. Thanks Emil.

Thanks Cara. I was actually looking for execution times for various functions and stumbled upon that page. I never found what I was looking for. To illustrate, I use the INCrement function block in my programs. If I knew that ADD 1 (which serves the same purpose) were quicker, then I could decrease my scan time by using the ADD function. Most PLC software manufacturers make this information available, but I couldn't find it in the help menu or on the website. Does this information exist? Helpful tip for the day: For those of you who might be wondering how to get nice partial screen captures using Windows 7, go to START--ALL PROGRAMS--ACCESSORIES--SNIPPING TOOL. Snipping Tool allows you to click on an area, drag your mouse to select an area to capture, and save as an image file. I use this tool so often that I have it pinned to my taskbar, along with Calculator. Have a great day!

Not to sound picky, but I was reading in the Help Menu in my spare time and saw this (I hope it attaches OK). Saturday is shown to be selected in the function block, but the wording below indicates otherwise. Have a great day!

Oops. Looks like my attachment didn't attach. I'll try again.