John_R Posted August 3, 2015 Report Share Posted August 3, 2015 Hey All, I currently use DataXport to get to retrieve data reports from 6 different PLCs. Under the Excel options there is a checkbox to save each PLC to a seperate folder, which so far has been what I want. Now, I have set up a completely different data table report on one of these PLCs, and I've found that I can set up two sites with the same PLC name within DataXport so each set of data can be retrieved at it's specified time, but the two different reports still get dumped into the same folder, and of course each report is looked at by different people, so they they have to sort through the files to find theirs...... Seems like it would work better if you could name the sites (instead of defaulting to PLC name) and have the checkbox allow you to save each SITE to a seperate folder.......... (you guys listening??) anyone have ideas on how to seperate these? Regards, JohnR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Is there a reason that the PLC names cannot be changed? Currently the only solution would be to change the PLC name so that they are placed within separate folders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted August 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Alexander, thank you for your response, but I think you missed my point..... "Is there a reason the PLC names cannot be changed"As I said, I'm retrieving two different reports from the SAME PLC, and obviously I cannot give the PLC two different names......"Currently the only solution would be to change the PLC name so that they are placed within separate folders"Currently, yes that is correct, but how about in the future? Can the program be updated to so the Site name can be different from the PLC name?In the Site setup you would specify the PLC that is to talk to, but be able to name the Site a unique name. Then in the Excel setup you could have it save to seperate folders based on the Site name instead of the PLC name.Regards, JohnR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVP 2023 Flex727 Posted August 7, 2015 MVP 2023 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 I haven't tried this and maybe it won't work, but could you change the PLC name on the fly each time you want to write to a different folder? You can set the PLC Name via ladder by using the Set PLC Name FB on the Com menu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted August 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Flex727, interesting thought, but I'm pretty sure you have to cycle power on the PLC when you change it's name...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVP 2023 Flex727 Posted August 7, 2015 MVP 2023 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 I wondered about that. I just tested it on a V570 and the PLC name changes without a power cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Maybe it's just the IP that has to cycle to change, but I typically set my communication parameters including the PLC Name based on a First Scan bit. I guess I could try changing the Name based on time of day, making sure it has the right name at the right time for the right report........ and then I'd have to keep track of what time of day it is, and what name is being used should I want to Remote into the PLC. but it still seems to me that the "Powers That Be" could make DataXport a little more agile...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVP 2023 Flex727 Posted August 12, 2015 MVP 2023 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Two lines of code to change the PLC name, and you should already be keeping track of time of day, or whatever the criteria is for the different report folders. This sounds like an incredibly simple workaround for now. If you find that you need to regularly remote in, then use 3 names. Change the name immediately before writing each of the two reports and immediately change it to a third name after writing is complete. The PLC will have that 3rd name 99% of the time for you to remote in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted August 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Hmmm... Well the Time of Day for the reports is a function of the Site layout in DataXport, not anything controlled by the PLC program, and I would have to keep them in sync.Which gets me thinking... there is a checkbox in the Site layout to set a MB when the PLC is accessed, perhaps I can make a couple more sites that run a minute before I want to retrieve a report, the first Site would basicly just set a MB which changes the PLC name for the next Site to retrieve the report, and the Set MB of that Site would cause the PLC to change back to the base name for the remote access.I'll play around with that and see what happens.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted August 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2015 Success..... attached is a screenshot of the logic if anyone is interested....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVP 2023 Flex727 Posted August 26, 2015 MVP 2023 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVP 2023 Flex727 Posted August 26, 2015 MVP 2023 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 By the way, I don't think changing the IP address requires a power cycle either. You can one-shot the TCP/IP Card Init block with the new address at any time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted August 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2015 The only caveat I've found so far, is that this PLC is a server with 3 remote V280's as clients, and they also have to talk to this PLC by the default name, so for that 1-minute window while the PLC has it's name changed from the default, the clients lose communication. I just noticed this yesterday when one of the operators called and said it lost communication (i have text that pops up for lost comms), but when I checked it everything was okay, then I looked at the clock, that 1-minute window had just finished, ah-haaa..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVP 2023 Flex727 Posted August 28, 2015 MVP 2023 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 What communication protocol are you using between the server and the 3 remote V280s? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted September 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Hmmmmm, well I have to revisit this, perhaps my comm lose glitch was something other than the name change (you know, you tend to question the last thing you changed when something glitches). We are using the Remote PLC DataCom FB for the server/client connection, which is UDP, and I think that just uses the IP's and not the PLC Names? I'll have to try to monitor this and prove myself right or wrong....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 5, 2016 Report Share Posted March 5, 2016 Thanks everybody...this topic helped me resolve my folder(s) issue without having to ask for help!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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